To Ann Granville October 3 1731. 'Tis in vain for me to think I shall ever be able to tell Selima how much I am obliged to her for her last. Why do you thus add to the obligations that were before too great to admit of any return I am now entirely reconciled to my late disappointment by the charming manner in which you mention it, and share in the pleasure of your lovely conversations while you tell me I was thought of in them. Nothing could give me a livelier satisfaction, unless I should once again meet Selima, and assure her that those are some of the happiest hours of my life when I can give any proof of the value I have for her friendship, and that no employment is more agreeable to me than that which gives me any hopes of improving it. An account I received some time since from Aspasia (for whose safety you will believe I am sincerely glad Mrs. Pendarves went to Ireland in September. See letter of Aug. 26.) so much resembles yours that I have been in some doubt whether you did not speak of the same plan. See letters of July 29, Aug. 12 and 26, and previous letter. Whether you did or no, I wish that you have not both much too favorable an opinion of me. I am sure I should of myself, did I think it in my power ' to heal the broken in heart, to use any words that would cure a wounded spirit, or be a medicine for that sickness.' Nor, indeed, have I time to weigh so nice a case thoroughly; do not, then, be surprised, good Selima, if while I dare not wholly decline what you desire, yet I am forced to do it in so imperfect a manner as neither suits the importance of the thing itself nor my obligations to the person that desires it. One that is generous, charitable, and devout, that has an easy fortune and many sincere friends, is yet unhappy; something lurking within poisons all the sweets, nor can she taste any of the goodness she enjoys. She strives against it, but in vain. She spends her strength, but to 'no purpose: her enemy still renews his strength: nature even

When 'gainst his head her sacred arms she bent Strict watch, and fast severe, and prayer omnipotent. The Battle of the Sexes, xxxvi., by Samuel Wesley, jun. Still he pursues her prayer; still he wounds her doubts and scruples of various sorts, so as to make the very ways of pleasantness uneasy and the path of life like that which leads to destruction. And is there no help Yes. If Selima can believe, all things are possible to her that believeth. The shield of faith will yet repel all darts, if she can be taught to use it skillfully; if the eyes of her understanding can be enlightened to see what is the hope of her calling: to know that our hope is sincerity, not perfection; not to do well, but to do our best. If God were to mark all that is done amiss, who could abide it Not the great Apostle himself, who, even when he had finished his course on earth and was ripe for paradise, yet mentions himself as not having already attained that height, not being already perfect. Perfect, indeed, he was from sin, strictly speaking, which is a voluntary breach of a known law; at least from habits of such sin: as to single acts, he knew whom he had believed. He knew who had promised to forgive these, not seven times but seventy times seven. Nay, a thousand times a thousand, if they sincerely desire it, shall all sins be forgiven unto the sons of men. We need except none; no, not the sin against the Holy Ghost, for in truth this phrase is nowhere in the whole sacred book. 'The sin against the Holy Ghost' is a term invented by the devil to perplex those whom he cannot destroy. The term used by God is the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, a phrase that instantly shuts out all thoughts and accusations, for blasphemy must be a speech; and what speech it is Christ has expressly told us in Mark iii. 22, 29, 30: ' He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth He out devils.'

Shall He not cast out by the finger of God that anxiety which they have instilled in His servant shall He not avenge her that cries to Him day and night, though (for wise reasons) He bear long with her enemies I trust He shall avenge her speedily. At last, if she ceases not to cry unto Him to deliver her from her weakness, then let her be assured it shall not be in vain: for ' God is in the cry, but not in the weakness. I do not say that she shall immediately be delivered: nor yet are her good dispositions lost; seeing there is a reward for suffering as well as for acting, and blessed are they that endure temptation. God has given them a means of improving their good dispositions, which is not given to the rest of the world; a means which supplies the want of activity and gives them all the advantage of a busy life without the dangers. This is the surest, it is the shortest way, as to all virtue, so particularly to humility, the distinguishing virtue of Christians, the sole inlet to all virtue. Neither do I believe that she will ever be wholly freed either from wandering thoughts in prayer, or perhaps from such as would be wicked were they chosen or voluntarily indulged, but which, when they are not voluntary, are no more voluntary than the beating of the heart or of the arteries. I never heard or read of more than one living person (Mr. De Renty) Wesley published An Extract of the Life of Monsieur De Renty in1741. He died at Paris on April 24, 1649, aged thirty-seven. who had quite shook off the weight, and much doubt if of the sons of men now alive there be one who is so highly favored. And perhaps we have scarce another instance of an embodied soul who always did the work of God with cheerfulness. The common lot of humanity seems to be, to be various, more particularly in the things that pertain to God, from whom we are so far estranged by nature. With regard to these even David could sometimes say, 'Why go I so heavily while the enemy oppresses me' His rule it was therefore, as it is ours, to judge of us not by what we feel but by what we do.