Wesley Corpus

MY DEAR LADY,--A while ago I was concerned at hearing from Edinburgh that you were unwell [Lady Maxwell had been confined to her house by sickness in March, but was now restored.]; although I could not doubt but it was ordered well by an unerring Providence as a means of keeping you dead to all below and of quickening your affections to things above. And, indeed, this is the rule whereby the inhabitants of a better world judge of good and evil. Whatever raises the mind to God is good, and in the same proportion as it does this. Whatever draws the heart from its centre is evil, and more or less so as it has more or less of this effect. You have accordingly found pain, sickness, bodily weakness to be real goods, as bringing you nearer and nearer to the fountain of all happiness and holiness. And yet it is certain nature shrinks from pain, and that without any blame. Only in the same moment that we say, 'If it be possible, let this cup pass from me,' the heart should add like our great Pattern, 'Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.' Lady Baird [See letter of Sept. 9, 1768.] I did not see before I left London; and Lady K. B. I did not understand. She was exceedingly civil, and I think affectionate; but perfectly shut up, so that I knew no more of her state of mind than if I had never seen her.--I am, my dear Lady, Your ever affectionate servant. To Miss March May 1769. By comparing your own outward state with Miss Thornton's [See letter of Aug. 12.] you now see clearly the advantages you enjoy: you have nothing external to hinder your waiting upon God without carefulness and without distraction. None has a right to interrupt you while you are exercised in things divine and labouring to be holy in body and spirit. You may have just so much and no more connexion with any one as experience shows is profitable for you. O stand fast in this liberty, glorifying God with all you have and all you are!