Wesley Corpus

DEAR BROTHER,--Nay, there was some ground for that report; for I did dream that I was robbed. True, it was twenty years ago; but you know that is all one. The connexion is well proved in the Fourth Check. [Fletcher's Fourth Check was finished on Nov. 15, 1772, and published that year.] Mr. Knox's Letter is ready for the press. But give your dear friends a little time to chew upon Mr. Fletcher; else you may overload their stomach. There is no danger of my writing anything yet. I have just made my tour through Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex; but Kent, Sussex, and Hertfordshire still remain to be visited. Only the visitation of the classes (a fortnight's work, which begins on Monday) must come between. I have an exceeding loving letter from James Rouquet in answer to my plain one. So if it did him no good (but possibly it might), at least it did him no harm. If we duly join faith and works in all our preaching, we shall not fail of a blessing. But of all preaching, what is usually called gospel preaching is the most useless, if not the most mischievous; a dull, yea or lively, harangue on the sufferings of Christ or salvation by faith without strongly inculcating holiness. I see more and more that this naturally tends to drive holiness out of the world. Peace be with your spirits! Adieu! To Thomas Wride COLCHESTER, November 5, 1772. DEAR TOMMY,--You was in the right. Let the allotment for the wives of the preachers (at least for the present) stand as it did before. It seems to me that the alteration made in the travelling-plan by Brother M'Nab is wise and well grounded. I advise you to adhere thereto till you see some good reason to the contrary. You are the Assistant, [Wride was at Newry, with John Murray as one of his colleagues. Alexander M'Nab was at Londonderry. See letter of Dec. 16 to Wride.] not Brother Pepper: you need suffer none to ride over your head. Only be mild! I require John Murray to follow the same plan. If he does not, I will let him drop at once. I suspect the hives to be what we call the nettle rash. I know nothing that helps it but rubbing the part with parsley. --I am, dear Tommy,