{"id":"jw/letters/1771/14-to-joseph-benson","corpus":"jw-letters","type":"letter","author":"john-wesley","title":"14 To Joseph Benson","title_alt":[],"text_basis":null,"date_composed":null,"date_precision":"unknown","date_note":null,"numbering":{"bicentennial":null,"jackson_running":null,"sugden":null},"source_edition":{"editor":null,"title":null,"edition":null,"place":null,"publisher":null,"year":null,"volume":null,"pages":null,"scan_url":null,"scan_page_ids":null},"transcription":{"derived_from":null,"corrected_against_scan":false,"corrector":null,"corrected_on":null},"modernization":"none","license_text":"Public Domain Mark 1.0","license_apparatus":"CC BY 4.0","wikidata":null,"prev":null,"next":null,"part_of":"jw-letters","editorial_note":null,"source_id":"jw-letter-1771-14-to-joseph-benson","passage_ids":["jw-letter-1771-14-to-joseph-benson-000"],"word_count":207,"themes_auto":["christology","pneumatology","sanctifying-grace"],"open":true,"closed_reason":null,"legacy_ids":["jw-letter-1771-14-to-joseph-benson-000"],"passages":[{"id":"jw-letter-1771-14-to-joseph-benson-000","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1771-14-to-joseph-benson","source_title":"14 To Joseph Benson","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":0,"text":"To Joseph Benson Date: CHESTER, March 16. 1771. DEAR JOSEPH, No, I do not forbid your being connected with us. I believe Providence calls you to it. I only warn you of what would lessen your usefulness. On that subject I never suffer myself to reason. I should quickly reason myself into a Deist, perhaps into an Atheist. I am glad you do not lay stress upon it. We have better matters to employ our thoughts. A babe in Christ (of whom I know thousands) has the witness sometimes. A young man (in St. John's sense) has it continually. I believe one that is perfected in love, or filled with the Holy Ghost, may be properly termed a father. This we must press both babes and young men to aspire after yea, to expect. And why not now I wish you would give another reading to the Plain Account of Christian Perfection. I am, dear Joseph, Your affectionate brother. PS. While I am in Ireland you need only direct to Dublin. I am afraid that smooth words have prevailed over Mr. Fletcher and persuaded him all the fault was on your side. He promised to write to me from Wales, but I have not had one line.","word_count":207,"source_url":null,"themes":["pneumatology","christology","sanctifying-grace"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T20:05:10.268022"}]}