To Sarah Ryan (January 27, 1758)

https://wesleyworks.ecdsdev.org/letters/1758-01-27-ToSarahRyan

To Sarah Ryan

1JW had clearly not received Ryan's response to his letter dated Jan.20; she wrote her response the same day as the current letter.

London
January 27, 1758

My Dear Sister,

Last Friday,

2I.e., Jan. 20.

after many severe words, my ——

3JW discreetly omits the identification of his wife, Mary Wesley, in this published version.

left me, vowing she would see me no more. As I had wrote to you the same morning, I began to reason with myself till I almost doubted whether I had done well in writing or whether I ought to write to you at all. After prayer that doubt was taken away, yet I was almost sorry that I had written that morning. In the evening, while I was preaching at the chapel, she came into the chamber where I had left my clothes, searched my pockets, and found the letter there which I had finished but had not sealed. While she read it, God broke her heart, and I afterwards found her in such a temper as I have not seen her in for several years. She has continued in the same ever since. So I think God has given a sufficient answer with regard to our writing to each other.

I still feel some fear concerning you. How have you found yourself since we parted? Have you suffered no loss by anything? Has nothing damped the vigour of your spirit? Is honour a blessing, and dishonour too? The frowns and smiles of men? Are you one and the same in ease or pain, always attentive to the voice of God? What kind of humility do you feel? What have you to humble you, if you have no sin?

4Once again JW probes Ryan's experience in light of her claim to entire sanctification (see the letters of Nov. 22 & Dec. 14, 1757; and several that follow), which JW understood to include no longer committing sin in the specific sense of 'a voluntary transgression of a known law of God'; cf. JW, 'Thoughts on Christian Perfection' (1760), Q. 6, 13:61–62 in this edn.

Are you wise in the manner of spending your time? Do you employ it all, not only well, but as well as it is possible? What time have you for reading? I want you to live like an angel here below, or rather like the Son of God. Woman, walk thou as Christ walked; then you cannot but love and pray for,

Your affectionate brother,
J.W.

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Entry Title: To Sarah Ryan (January 27, 1758)

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