Wesley Corpus

May 3, 1742. - " Brotuer, I have now much communion with thee, and desire to have more: but till now I found a great gulf between us, so that we - could not one pass to the other. Therefore thy letters were very death to me, and thou wast to me as a branch broke off and thrown by to wither. Yet I waited, if the Lord should please to let us into the same union we had before. So the Lord hath given it. And in the same I write; desiring it may continue until death. "TI wrote before to thee and John Harrison, ' Be not afraid to be found sinners,' hoping you would not separate the law from the Spirit, until the flesh was found dead. For I think our hearts are discovered by the law, yea, every tittle, and condemned by the same. Then are we quickened in the Spirit. Justice cannot be separated from mercy ; neither can they be one greater than the other. ' Keep the commandments;' 'and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter.' Mark that! 'Thy sins be forgiven thee; arise, take up thy bed and walk.' Here is work before mercy, and mercy before work. So then, through the law by faith our heart is pure. Beware, therefore, of them who, while they promise you liberty, are themselves the servants of corruption. O dead faith, that cannot always live pure! Treacherous Judas, that thus betrayest thy Master!