Wesley Corpus

You may say, ‘Well, what would you advise me to do now’ I advise you to forgive him. I advise you to lay aside your anger (it is high time), and to receive him again (occasionally) into your house. For you need forgiveness yourself; and if you do not forgive, you cannot be forgiven. You will perhaps say, ‘Why, I have forgiven him; but he shall never come into my house.’ And what if God should say the same to you Then you had better never have been born! But beside, what would follow if you should persist in treating your son thus Probably his patience would be worn out, and he would contract resentment, perhaps bitterness, if not hatred toward you; and if so, what must follow Why, your implacable anger will cause your son’s damnation. ‘But she has settled her fortune upon herself.’ I cannot blame her if she has. Every woman has a right so to do. ‘But she will not let him travel with her.’ Nay, but he does not desire it, knowing it would be a double expense and inconvenient on many accounts. [See letter of Dec, 10, 1785.] Nay, Jasper, take advice. Show yourself a man of sense, a man of piety, and a real friend to Your affectionate brother. To Hannah Ball LONDON, October [18], 1783. MY DEAR SISTER, -- Your wisdom is, as far as is possible, not to think or speak of Mr. W----- at all. You have better things to think of -- namely, that God is returning to His people. There is a beginning already; but you should continually expect to see greater things than these. ‘Temptations,’ says Mr. Haliburton, ‘and distinct deliverance from temptation, profit us much’; and ‘He prepareth for us,’ as Kempis observes, ‘occasions of fighting that we may conquer.’ [Book II. chap. xi.] Never scruple to declare explicitly what God has done for your soul. And never be weary of exhorting the believers to ‘go on to perfection.’ When they are athirst for this in any place, the whole work of God goes on. -- I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Elizabeth Padbury [10] LONDON, October 29, 1783.