4.4.2011 GEORGE WHITFIELD'S LETTERS - SUBDUE THE DARLING PASSION

7.14. 1737 ...dear mrs. H,

if you remember, i promised...but as, in all probability, this will be the last letter i shall write to dear mrs. H before i sail, what can i fill the remainder with better, than by exhorting you, to lay aside every weight, particularly the sin that does most easily beset you and so run with patience the race set before you.l i lay, the sin that most easily besets; for unless we lay the ax to the root, UNLESS WE SINCERELY RESOLVE IN THE STRENGTH OF JESUS CHRIST TO SUBDUE OUR FAVORITE, OUR DARLING PASSION AND SPARE NOT ONE AGAG, THOUGH EVER SO ENGAGING, EVER SO BEAUTIFUL, ALL OUR OTHER SACRIFICES WILL AVAIL US NOTHING.

suppose therefore, for instance, passion be our greatest foible. a sincere person will never cease night or day, till he is made meek and lowly in heart. but if it be asked, how he shall do this? i answer,

first, let him consider how odious it is in the sight of God and how contrary to the lamb-like meekness of the holy Jesus.
secondly, let him reflect how troublesome it must be to others, (for alas what unnecessary disorders, what needless troubles doth the passionate person occasion to all that are round about him..)
thirdly, let him consider
how exceeding hurtful and unpleasant it is to himself;
how it ruffles and discomposes his mind;
unfits him for every holy duty and, in short
makes him a torment to himself and a burden to others.

well , after he has thus seen the deformity of his darling passion, the next enquiry must be, how to get the mastery over it. the first and grand thing, is to get a true and lively thing is

to GET A TRUE AND LIVELY FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS, seeking for it by earnest prayer. to this, we must have recourse in all our struggles; for it's God alone, who can subdue and govern the unruly wills of sinful men, and it is His grace which alone can enable us to mortify our corrupt passions.

but then we MUST TAKE CARE NOT TO REST IN GENERAL PETITIONS FOR CONQUERING THIS OR THAT CORRUPTION, BUT MUST DESCEND TO PARTICULARS.

for instance supposing i am angry with a servant or a husband without a cause; what must i do? why, take the very first opportunity of retiring from the world and after having bewailed my being angry, earnestly beseech the Lord of all power and might to enable me to withstand such and such a provocation for the future and

NOTWITHSTANDING I SHOULD FAIL AGAIN AND AGAIN IN THE VERY SAME , YET I WOULD AGAIN AND AGAIN RENEW MY PETITIONS to the throne of grace and never cease praying and striving, till instead of a blind perverse, troublesome passion, i had the lovely, calm, and delightful grace of meekness and humility planted in its room.

now would dear mrs. H take some such method as this (for i suppose by this time, she guesses to whom all this points) i dare say, she would quickly find as much difference in herself as there is between a wise man and an idiot. - and that she may both begin and succeed in this method, si the earnest prayer of..your affectionat friend, george whitefield