Wesley Corpus

To Ann Bolton Date: LEEDS, August 1, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- I thank you for sending me so particular an account of your sister's death. 'Right precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.' It is well you have learned to say, 'The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!' And you can say it even When loss of friends ordained to know, -- Next pain and guilt, the sorest ill below. [S. Wesley, jun., on Dr. Gastrell.] But why does our Lord inflict this upon us Not merely for His pleasure, but that we may be partakers of His holiness. It is true one grand means of grace is the doing the will of our Lord. But the suffering it is usually a quicker means and sinks us deeper into the abyss of love. It hath pleased God to lead you in the way of suffering from your youth up until now. For the present this is not joyous, but grievous; nevertheless it has yielded peaceable fruit. Your soul is still as a watered garden, as a field which the Lord hath blessed. Cleave to Him still with full purpose of heart. To His tender care I commend you; and am Yours affectionately.