Wesley Corpus

MY DEAR BROTHER,--When Dr. Monkley attended that good man Mr. Colley [Benjamin Colley, a native of Tollerton in Yorkshire. He joined the Methodists in 1761. See letters of May 2, 1767, and Oct. 13, 1784 (to Valton)] in his consumptive disorder, he said one day, 'I can't imagine how it is none of my medicine have any effect.' After pausing he asked one standing by, ‘ Is this gentleman lately married’ On her answering, ‘ About four months since,’ he replied, ‘ Then he is a dead man.’ Finding Sam. Levick in Dublin of a consumptive habit, having been married some months, I advised him to leave his wife there and ride with me round the kingdom. But she persuaded him to remain with her; in consequence of which in a few months more she buried him [See letter of Jan. 12 to Alexander Clark]. Humanly speaking, this would be the case with you if you marred during your present state of health. I think you ought at all events to take a journey of a thousand miles first.--I am Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Valton, At Purfleet, Essex. To Mary Bishop [22] BRISTOL, September 19, 1773. MY DEAR SISTER,--It is certainly most profitable for us to have a variety of seasons. We could not bear either to be constantly in storms or constantly in a calm; but we are not certain, we cannot judge what proportion of one or the other is best for us. So it is well we are not left to our own wisdom, that we do not choose for ourselves. We should make strange work; but we know He that chooses for us orders all things well.