a Subject, that Will make a good christian Orator. If we would pray & preach well in a Pulpit, we must pray much out of it. The Closest Walkers prove the closest & the warmest Preachers. A Man may have much to say, but will speak to little Purpose, unless Christ is with him: and we must not think that Jesus Christ will follow us into a Pulpit, unless we follow him out of it, and follow with a Gospel broken Heart. I always ask the dear Redeemer's Presence, when I stand up to preach, but often preach without it, because I did not seek it heartily before I came to preach..... You are placed much alone, and have but little Help from your Brethren; but this need not grieve you. When Help is truly wanted, Jesus Christ will surely send it: How can he well do otherwise? And when he sends no Help, whatever we may think, it is not wanted. Let this reconcile you to your Situation; and be assured, tho alone, with the Presence of your Master, you will find Help enough. We are often contriving Help for the Master, when we should be only praying to Him for his Help..... Give my hearty Love to all among you that seek & follow Jesus Christ: Grace & Peace be multiply'd upon you all. The Lord be with your Spirit, and with the Spirit of your affectionate Brother & Fellow Servant my Promise I recd your very kind Letter, and remember the Promise I made; but alas, I am no more able to fulfill to You, than my Obligations to God. I am a Cripple in Body, a Cripple in Soul; and since I came to London, am grown more crippled still, by Reason of a violent Cold, which has stiffend my Limbs & frozen my Faculties. My Tenement is old & crazy; and its walls bulge out pretty much, as you know; and a small Tempest makes my House shake & totter. Besides, I leave London the 29th of this Month, which is not far off, and the Trustees would scarce be willing now to have me absent on a Sabbath, if my Health would permit. Go on, dear Sir, and work diligently in the Vineyard, while it is day; the Night is coming, when none can work. Health in Body is the next Blessing to an healthy Soul; consecrate both to the Lord, from whom you' receive both. You labour for a good Master, and your Labours will soon be over: they are sweetened here with kind Refreshments, and with eternal Rest hereafter. Yesterday the Lord called Home a dear Gospel Minister, the revd Mr Talbot of Reading, and he will fetch all his Labourers Home by & by. Be watchful & press forwards: Jesus has got your Crown in his Hand, and will shortly place it on your Head; and in the mean Time, he cries out, be faithful, Richard, unto Death. Present my kind Love to your Society; the Lord water them abundantly with Blessings. Grace & Peace be with Yourself, & with your Consort, and with your much affectionate Servant in the best of Bonds, To Mr. Richd. Woodgate near the great Meeting House, at CHATHAM JOHN BERRIDGE. XI. FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME. Everton, Apr. 21: 1775. DEAR SIR Thro a Multitude of Visiters, and a scanty Pittance of animal Spirits, I have neither Leisure nor Strength to write Letters in London, and therefore at my Return to Everton, I send an annual Letter to many Friends, as a small Token of my unfeigned Respect for them. Here below we are often meeting and parting, but above we shall meet to part no more. And, Oh, what a Meeting! when this noisy World and the roaring Lyon will be far removed, and the Body of Sin be wholly broken down; when the Soul will be all Peace, all Love, all Joy, and become all Eye to gaze on Jesus, and from his Sweetness & his Fulness drink eternal Pleasure in. No fretful Look, nor envious Eye, nor jarring Note is there; for every Vessel is quite full, and every Harp is well in Tune, and every string rebounds with purest Thankfulness. But we must remember, Brother, that daily Tribulation comes before this blessed Meeting bitter Herbs & bitter Draughts are needful Food or Physick for a sickly Stomach. And such is our Condition in the present State, that all Kinds of Weather prove pernicious. Sun shine produces Vermin, Calms occasion Sleepiness, and Tempests breed Tumors. So, we make daily Work for the Physician, & stand in Need of all his Drugs and Surgery, of sweating, bleeding, cupping, puking, purging, and all little enough to cleanse the Blood & Stomach, so apt we are to breed ill Humors. One Gallipot or more is sent me in each Day, and tho I have been taking Physick largly many Years, I am ready yet to sicken when I take a Bolus. Elderly Christians are apt to grow lazy and wise & foolish, and thus we bring many Stripes on our Back. More secret Prayer & Watchfulness would prevent a Deal of Physick. Salute your Spouse in my Name, and present my hearty Salutations to the Church of Xt around you. Grace & Peace be with you all, and with your affectionate Servant To Mr. Richd. Woodgate, JOHN BERRIDGE. by London CHATHAM XII. FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME. Everton. Sepr 16. 1775. DEAR SIR, I recd your Letter of the 7th, which requires a deliberate Answer, not an hasty one; and a more judicious Head, than I am possessed of. The Scripture commands us to abide in that Vocation wherein we are called; and I have not known many succeed, who have left their Calling, and taken Ordination, either among the Clergy or Dissenters, yet some have succeeded, and therefore I dare not make a general Rule universal. The unanimous Call of Mr Hugh's Congregation, and the late Abridgment of your Privileges in the Dock-yard, together with the raising up of a young Man to supply your evangelical Place, seem to point out your Way to Mr Hugh's Congregation. I dare not say more, than seem to point out. Make the Matter clear to yourself by Prayer & Waiting, & the Lord direct your Path. However, I should think it advisable, not to quit the Dock-yard, till you are really ordained, and set down in the Congregation. Kind Respects to Mrs. Woodgate, & to all xtian Friends. Grace & Peace & the Spirit's Guidance be with You, & with your affectionate Servant Το Mr. Richd. Woodgate, a Preacher, at CHATHAM JOHN BERRIDGE. XIII. FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME. DEAR BROTHER At my Return to Everton, I usually send an anniversary Letter to some Friends in London; but the sitting down to write, brings such Disorder into my Stomach, and such Numbness into my Arm, that I am glad when that Labour of Love is over. A little Matter wearies me now, and weakness steals upon Me imperceptibly; which makes me feel the Need of a stronger Staff, I mean, a stronger Hold on Christ Jesus. Sometimes I am grieved that I cannot labour as I have done; but when I consider, it is God, who shortens our Strength in our Journey, and requires no more Strength than he gives, that Grief dieth away, and a small Breeze of Gratitude springs up in my Heart, that I am not wholly laid aside. Oh, dear Sir, we are engaged in a glorious yet arduous Work: the Lord make us faithful, that no Blood may be laid to our Charge. But what can make us sufficient for the Work, except All-sufficient Grace? And for this Grace let us daily and fervently pray. Much Thought on a Sermon beforehand, may make it pleasing, but will not make it profitable, except it smell of much Prayer, as well as tast of Meditation. Our Pulpit Exercise will savour of our daily Walk. If the Walk be close, the Sermon will be close: If the Head be much anointed with Oyl, it will drop from the Lip; and the Tongue will tell what Communion we keep. So that ministerial Usefulness does not depend on Genius or Learning, but on the Unction from above, which may be had for asking, and had in Abundance for asking abundantly. I am glad your Leisure Hours are engaged in visiting your Flock, and in visiting the Poor as well as the Rich; this will not only endear you to the Flock, but deliver you from idle Visitors at Home. Yet take Care, that your Visits be short, else they will drindle into unprofitable Talk, and in Stead of quickning, will flatten both You & your Company. Half an Hour spent in a short Exhortation, an Hymn, and a Prayer, will leave no Room for News or Politicks. Kind respects to Mr. Woodgate: Grace & Peace be with You both, & with your affect. Servt. JOHN BERRIDGE. The revd, Mr. Woodgate, to be left at The Tabernacle, near Moorfields, LONDON Fac Simile of the Seal. XIV. FROM THE REV. JOHN WESLEY,A.M. TO MR. GILLESPIE. (From the Original in the possession of James Baldwin Brown, Esq. LL.D.) London, Nov. 9, 1753. I HAVE never done so much for any of our Preachers (except my Brother) as for William Prior. And one of my reasons for it was, That scarce any of our Preachers had used me so ill. Therefore I was resolvd to be more abundant in Kindness toward him, if haply I might overcome Evil with Good. I am much in hopes, I shall (by applying to a Great Man in town) set him & his Family quite above want. His greatest Temptation will then be removed, & I trust, he will serve God with all his Strength. I will order a little Box of Books to Portsmouth, whence you may be farther supplied at Newport. But take care to keep a clear Account of what are sold; otherwise the Stewards will send no more. If C. Williams sees good, you might preach sometimes at the Common. Mr. Larwood intended to call there in his Return from Bristol; but the Illness of his Horse prevented. I hope he will be able to come in a little time. If he can spare Sister Aspernall to visit her sister at Portsmouth for a few days, her Conversation will do more good than all our Preaching has yet done. See that none re Be mild; be patient toward all men. turn railing for railing. Be much in Private Prayer. _Live in Peace, & the GoD of Peace shall be with you. I am, with Love to all the Brethren, То Your Affectionate Brother Herley. Mr Gillespie ISLE OF WIGHT |