Samuel Wesley, Junior
Where the male issue fails, the records of any private family may soon be lost; in most cases, neither public nor private interest is promoted by keeping up the memorial.
Though it is little more than thirty years since the Founder of the Methodists died, all knowledge of that part of the family that had no public eminence is almost completely obliterated. Out of the nineteen children of Mr. Samuel Wesley, the ijames of only eleven can be recovered; and of most even of these little or nothing is known.
It is customary in many country parishes to keep the registers at the Parsonage-house, because of the damp of the Church and Vestry. This was the case at the Parsonage-house at E p worth; and when it was burnt down in 1709, all these records perished in the flames; so that the genealogy of all the children born in Ep worth previously to this catastrophe is lost. I have inquired upon the spot, and also extended those inquiries to South Ormsby and Wroote; and all that I can collect will be given under each name.
Of the eighteen or nineteen children which Mrs. Wesley had, Samuel was undoubtedly the eldest, as he was born in London or its vicinity before his father’s removal to South Ormsby, which was probably in the beginning of 1G93. Mr. Wesley appears to have
married Miss S. Annesley in 1690; and his son Samuel was born either near the close of that year or the beginning of the next. This date may be collected from his Epitaph, which states his death to have taken place,” Nov. 6, 1739, in the 49th year of his age.7’ He must therefore have been born in 1690, or in the beginning of 1691. Whether he was baptized among the Dissenters, or in some parochial Church in London, I cannot learn: the probability is, that he was thus dedicated to God by his grandfather Dr. Annesley.
I have already mentioned, in the Memoirs of Mrs. Wesley, that Samuel did not speak till he was between four and five years of age, which was a great grief to the family, as they feared he was born dumb. But one day having retired out of sight, as was his frequent custom, to amuse himself with a favourite cat, hearing his mother anxiously calling him, he crept out from under a table, and said, u Here I am mother,” to the great surprise and comfort of all the family.
In 1704, when about fourteen years of age, he was sent to Westminster School; and was admitted King’s scholar in 1707.
This school through the extraordinary abilities of Dr. Busby, its late master, then only a few years dead, had acquired the highest celebrity of any school in Europe. In it Dr. Busby had his education; and, after completing his studies at Oxford, he became its head master in 1640. He superintended it for fifty-five years; during which time, by his skill, diligence, deep learning, and exact discipline, he bred up the greatest number of eminent men in church and state, that ever at one time adorned any age or nation. He died in 1695, when almost ninety years of age.
Where Dr. Busby found animation, he knew there was brain; and proper cultivation would produce and extend intellect; and the apparent stupidity or dulness of the subject was neither a bar to his 1 expectations, or a hindrance to his ultimate success. He had to operate on minds of various descriptions, from that of the flippant witling, down to that of the heavy lumpish lad, whose intellect seemed irrecoverably enveloped in hebitude. To Dr. Busby’s plans, science, and discipline, every thing yielded: and no dunce nor unlearned man was ever turned out of Westminster School during his incumbency.
When Mr. Wesley entered this school, all Dr. Busby’s plans were in full operation; and the Elementary Books which this great master had composer! for this institution were of such a character as at once to smooth the path of learning, tili then sufficiently rugged, and lay the foundation of a correct classical taste and profound literature. — In the present age humane and learned men have been endeavouring.
so to speak, to find out a royal road to Geometry: difficulties have been professedly lessened, till at last the foundations of science have been laid upon the sands. Profound literature is rarely to be met with. We have still, it is true, the splendour and brilliancy of gold; but on examination we frequently find a mass of inferior metal; and even the surface, though completely covered, yet not deeply gilt.
Mr. Wesley availed himself of the valuable advantages put within his reach, and became a thorough scholar. He had naturally a strong and discerning mind, which soon shone conspicuous for its correct classical taste. Of this these Memoirs shall exhibit ample proof.
We have already seen what care Mrs. Wesley took to cultivate the minds of her children; and form them, as far as human influence and teaching can extend, to religion and piety. As the blessing of God will never be wanting to render such parental cares efficient, she saw in every case that her labour was not in vain. As Samuel was her first-born, she felt it her duty in a peculiar manner to dedicate him to the Lord. Hence she was especially concerned for his highest interest; and her anxious cares were not lessened on his removal to Westminster. Thoroughly apprehensive of the dangers to which he would be exposed in a public school, far removed from the eye of his parents, she endeavoured by a very judicious and pious correspondence to maintain the good impressions which had been made on his mind; and to shew him that the new engagements into which he was proposing to enter required such a steadiness and purity of conduct as could not be obtained but by a heart decidedly fixed on God, and making Him the end of all its operations and designs. As his parents had dedicated him to the work of the ministry, so it became the object of his own choice; and his literary pursuits were in the main directed to this end.
A Letter, written to him by his mother in October 1709, refers to all these circumstances; and contains such excellent counsels and advices, conceived with so much piety and judgment, and expressed with so much energy and dignity of language, as could not fail to make them profitable to the son; and must render them useful to all in similar circumstances, who may have the opportunity to read them.
“I hope that you retain the impressions of your education, nor have forgot that the vows of God are upon you. You know that the first fruits are Heaven’s by an unalienable right; and that as your parents devoted you to the service of the Altar, so you yourself made it your choice when your father was offered another way of life for you. But have you duly considered what such a choice and such a dedication imports? Consider well, what separation from the world! what purity! what devotion! what exemplary virtue! are required in those who are to guide others to glory. I say exemplary; for low common degrees of piety are not sufficient for those of the sacred function. You must not think to live like the rest of the world; your light must so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and thereby be led to glorify your Father which is in Heaven. For my part, I cannot see with what face clergyman can reprove sinners, or exhort men to lead a good life, when they themselves indulge their own corrupt inclinations, and by their practice contradict their doctrine. If the Holy Jesus be indeed their Master, and they are really his Ambassadors, surely it becomes them to live like His Disciples; and if they do not, what a sad account must they give of their stewardship.
“I would advise you, as much as possible, in your present circumstances, to throw your business into a certain method, by which means you will learn to improve every precious moment, and find an unspeakable facility in the performance of your respective duties. Begin and end the day with Him who is the Alpha and Omega; and if you really experience what it is to love God, you will redeem all the time you can for His more immediate service. I will tell you what rule I used to observe when I was in my father’s house, and had as little, if not less, liberty than you have now. I used to allow myself as much time for recreation as I spent in private devotion: not that I always spent so much; but I gave myself leave to go so far, but no farther. So in all things else; appoint so much time for sleep, eating, company, &c. But above all things, my dear Sammy, I command you, I beg, I beseech you, to be very strict in observing the Lord’s-day. In all things endeavour to act upon principle, and do not live like the rest of mankind, who pass through the world like straws upon a river, which are carried which way the stream or wind drives them. Often put this question to yourself, — Why do I this or that? Why do I pray, read, study, or use devotion, &c? By which means you will come to such a steadiness and consistency in your words and actions as becomes a reasonable creature, and a good Christian.”
Such a mother at the head of a numerous family was a public blessing. I have before observed that Methodism is under the highest obligations to this excellent woman; and the extent of the obligations to the mother has not yet been duly estimated by the followers of the son.
About this time an accident occurred, which, with the total destruction of the Parsonage-house at Epworth, and all the family property, had nearly proved fatal to the family itself,, the whole of which had been saved almost by miracle. The fire (of which we shall see a particular account when we come to the life of Mr. John Wesley) took place on February 9, 1709- Samuel, who was then at Westminster School, had received only a confused account of this catastrophe; and, among other inaccurate intelligence, had heard that one of the children was either lost or had perished in the flames. On this occasion he wrote the following Letter to his mother, which marks much solicitude and dutiful affection.
“Madam,
“Had not my grandmother told me, the last time I was there that you was near lying-in, at which time I thought it would be in vain to write what you would not be able to read, I had sent you Letters over and over again before ihis. I beg therefore you would not impute it to any negligence, which sure I never can be guilty of while I enjoy what you gave me — life. My father lets me be in profound ignorance as to your circumstances at Epworth; and I have not heard a word from the country since the first Letter you sent me after the fire, so that I am quite ashamed to go to any of my relations for fear of being jeered out of my life. They ask me whether my father intends to leave Epworth? whether he is rebuilding his house? whether any contributions are to be expected? what was the lost child, a boy or a girl? what was its name? whether my father has lost all his books and papers? if nothing was saved? To all which I am forced to answer — I can’t tell — I don’t know — I have not heard. I have asked my father some of these questions, but am still an ignoramus. If you think my Cowley and Hudibras worth accepting, I shall be very glad to send them to my mother, who gave them me. I hope you are all well, as all are in town.
“Your most affectionate Son,
Sam. Wesley.”
“June 9th, St. Peter’s Coll. Westmr.
As he had the reputation of being a good and accurate scholar, he was taken occasionally by Dr. Thomas Sprat, Bishop of Rochester, and one of the Prebends of Westminster, to read to him in the evenings at his seat at Bromley in Kent. Bishop Sprat had at that time the reputation of being one of the first scholars in England, learned in almost all arts and sciences, and a poet of the first order. To almost any young man of learning and genius the friendship and conversation of such a person as Bishop Sprat would have been invaluable. But Mr. Wesley was so intent on his own classical studies, and withal short-sighted, and of a feeble voice, that he esteemed this service rather as a bondage than a privilege. The Bishop’s studies were nothing similar to his own; and he considered the time he was obliged to spend at Bromley as totally lost. From this place he wrote a Latin Letter to his Father, Aug. 1710, full of complaints, but ill justified by their cause. Dr. Whitehead has preserved a fragment, which I shall transcribe. Speaking of the Bishop, he says: —
u Ille mihi et in sacris, et in profanis rebus semper erit infestissimus: studia enim intermitti cogit, quibus pro virili incubueram. Ultimo anno in Collegio agendo, ubi non mihi seniori opus est amicorum hospitio, a studiis et a schold me detraxit, non modo nullam ad utilitatem sed ne ad minimam quidem vel utilitatis vel voluptatis speciem me vocavit. Ipse hodie for as est, aliter vix otium foret quo has scriberem. Me ex omnibus discipulis elegit ut perlegerem ei noctu libros: me raucum, me ^.vmitct. Gaudeo vos valetudine bond frui. Tuam et maternam benedictionem oro. — Episcopusjussit me illius in Uteris mentionem facere. Da veniam subitis. Aviam ultimus festis vidi; his venientibus non possum, quia ab inimico amico detineorP
u He (the Bishop) will always be exceedingly troublesome to me both in sacred and profane learning; for he obliges me to interrupt those studies to which I had applied myself with all my might. Spending my last year in this College, where being a senior, I do not need the hospitality of friends, he has taken me away both from my studies and from school, not only without any benefit, but without even the appearance either of utility or pleasure. To day he is from home, else I should not have had time to write this Letter. He chose me from all the scholars; me, who am both hoarse and short-sighted, to read books to him by night! I am glad that you enjoy good health. I beg yours and my mother’s blessing. I saw my grandmother in the last holidays: in those that are approaching I cannot, because I am detained by an unfriendly friend.”
Mr. Wesley was but young at this time; and might be said to have scarcely finished his common school exercises. He had hither-
*The Grandmother whom he mentions here was the widow of John Wesley, A. M. of Whitchurch, and niece of Dr. Thos. Fuller See some account of this eminent Historian and Divine, in the Life of the Rev 3 Wesley, Vicar of Whitchurch. to conversed merely with school books; and had not read those authors by whose assistance he might have formed and ornamented his style: hence his Latinity in the preceding Letter, though grammatically correct, is that of a school boy who translates Latin into English, being governed simply by the idiom and phraseology of his mother tongue. He was now about twenty years of age; and was only beginning to study the Greek and Latin authors critically, and to relish their beauties. His Latin compositions both in prose and verse, which were the fruits of his maturer age, shew how solidly he had built on the good foundation which was laid at Westminster school.
That he retained both at Westminster and Oxford the good impressions he had received from his religious education there is abundant proof. In December 1710 he wrote to his mother. The following extract from his Letter gives, as Dr. Whitehead justly observes, a pleasing view of his simplicity, and of his serious attention to the state of his own heart, and the first motions of evil.
“I received the Sacrament (says he) the first Sunday of this month. I am unstable as water: I frequently make good resolutions, and keep them for a time; and then grow weary of restraint. I have one grand failing, which is, that having done my duty, I undervalue others; and think what wretches the rest of the College are, compared with me! Sometimes in my relapses I cry out, Can the Ethiopian change his skin, and the leopard his spots? then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. But I answer again, — With men this is impossible: but with God all things are possible. AmenP
Mrs. Wesley answered this Letter in the same month. I shall lay the whole of her excellent Letter before the Reader.
“Thursday, Dec. 28, [1710.]
“Dear Sammy,
“I am much better pleased with the beginning of your Letter than with what you used to send me: for I do not love distance or ceremony; there is more of love and tenderness in the name of mother than in all the complimental titles in the world.
“I intend to write to your father about your coming down: but yet it would not be amiss for you to speak of it too. Perhaps our united desires may sooner prevail upon him to grant our request; though I do not think he will be averse from it at all.
I am heartily glad that you have already received, and that you design again to receive, the Holy Sacrament; for there is nothing snore proper or effectual for the strengthening and refreshing the mind than the frequent partaking of that blessed ordinance.
“You complain that you are unstable and inconstant in the ways of virtue. Alas! what Christian is not so too? I am sure that I, above all others, am most unfit to advise in such a case; yet since I cannot but speak something, since I love you as my own soul, I will endeavour to do as well as I can; and perhaps while I write I may learn, and by instructing you I may teach myself.
“First. Endeavour to get as deep an impression on your mind, as is possible, of the awful and constant presence of the Great and Holy God. Consider frequently, that wherever you are, or whatever you are about, He always adverts to your thoughts and actions, in order to a future retribution. He is about our beds and about our paths, and spies out all our ways; and whenever you are tempted to the commission of any sin, or the omission of any duty, make a pause and say to yourself, — What am I about to do? God sees me. Is this my avowed faithfulness to my Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier? Have I so soon forgot that the vows of God are upon me? Was it easier for the eternal Son of God to die for me, than it is for me to remember Him? For what end came He into the world, but to satisfy the justice of God for us, and to reconcile us to God, and to plant good life among men in order to their eternal salvation. What, cannot I watch one hour with that Jesus that veiled His native glory with our nature, and condescended so low as to make Himself of no reputation, by putting on the form of a servant, that He might be capable of conferring the greatest benefit upon us that man could receive, by His suffering such a shameful and cursed death upon the cross for our redemption? Oh Sammy, think but often and seriously on Jesus Christ; and you will experience what it is to have the heart purified by faith.
“Secondly. Consider often of that exceeding and eternal weight of glory that is prepared for those who persevere in the paths of virtue. ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, what God hath prepared for such as love and serve him faithfully.’ And when you have so long thought on this that you find your mind affected with it, then turn your view upon this present world, and see what vain inconsiderable trifles you practically prefer before a solid, rational, permanent state of everlasting tranquility. Could we but once attain to a strong and lively sense of spiritual things; could we often abstract our minds from corporeal objects, and fix them on heaven; we should not waver and be so inconstant as we are in matters of the greatest moment: but the soul would be naturally aspiring towards a union with God, as the flame ascends; for He ris alone the proper centre of the mind, and it is only the weight of our corrupt nature that retards its motions towards Him.
“Thirdly. Meditate often and seriously on the shortness, uncertainty, and vanity, of this present state of things. Alas! had we all that the most ambitious craving souls can desire; were we actually possessed of all the honour, wealth, strength, beauty, &c. that our carnal minds can fancy or delight in; — what would it signify if God should say unto us, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee. Look back upon your past hours, and tell me which of them afford you the most pleasing prospect; whether those spent in play or vanity, or those few that were employed in the service of God? Have you not in your short experience often found Solomon’s observations on the world very true? Has not a great part of your little life proved, on reflection, nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit? How many persons on a death-bed have bitterly bewailed the sins of their past life; and made large promises of amendment if it would have pleased God to have spared them: but none that ever lived, or died, repented of a course of piety and virtue. Then why should you not improve the experience of those who have gone before yourand your own also, to your advantage? And since it is past dispute that the ways of virtue are infinitely better than the practice of vice, and that life is only short at best and uncertain, ar«l that this little portion of time is all we have for working out our salvation; for as the tree falls, so it must lie; as death leaves us3 judgment will certainly find us; have a good courage, eternity is at hand. Lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset you; and run with patience and vigour the race which is set before you: and if at any time present objects should make so great an impression on your senses as to endanger the alienating your mind from the spiritual life, then look up to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, and humbly beseech Him, that since He for our sake suffered Himself to be under the state of temptation, He would please to succour you when you are tempted; and in His strength you will find yourself enabled to encounter your spiritual enemies; nay, you will be more than a conqueror through Him who hath loved us.
“I am sorry that you lie under a necessity of conversing with those that are none of the best: but we must take the world as we find it, since it is a happiness permitted to very few to choose their company, lest the comparing yourself with others that are
worse may be an occasion of your falling into too much vanity, you would do well sometimes to entertain such thoughts as these: — u Though I know my own toirth and education, and am conscious of having had great advantages, — yet how little do I know of the circumstances of others? Perhaps their parents were vicious, or did not take early care of their minds, to instil the principles of virtue into their tender years, but suffered them to follow their own inclinations till it was too late to reclaim them. Am I sure that they have had as many offers of grace, as many and strong impulses of the Holy Spirit, as I have had? Do they sin against as clear conviction as I do? Or are the vows of God upon them, as upon me? Were they so solemnly devoted to Him at their birth as I was? You have had the example of a father who served God from his youth; and though I cannot commend my own to you, for it is too bad to be imitated, yet surely earnest prayers for many years, and some little good advice, have not been wanting.
“But if, after all, self-love should incline you to partiality in your own case, seriously consider your own many failings which the world cannot take notice of, because they were so private; and if still, upon comparison, you seem better than others are, then ask yourself, Who is it that makes you to differ? and let God have all the praise, since of ourselves we can do nothing. It is He that worketh in us both to will and to do of His own good pleasure; and if at any time you have vainly ascribed the glory of any good performance to yourself, humble yourself for it before God, and give Him the glory of His grace for the future.
“I am straitened for paper and time, therefore must conclude. — God Almighty bless you, and preserve you from all evil. Adieu.”
The next year, 1711, he was elected to Christ’s Church, Oxford; where his diligence was exemplary, and his profiting great.
The anonymous author of his Life, prefixed to the duodecimo edition of his Poems, 1743, says, “In both these places (Westminster and Oxford) by the sprightliness of his compositions, and his remarkable industry, he gained a reputation beyond most of his contemporaries, being thoroughly and critically skilled in the learned languages, and master of the Classics to a degree of perfection perhaps not very common in this last mentioned society, so justly famous for polite learning.” With these qualifications he was sent for, from the University, to officiate as one of the Ushers in Westminster School; and soon after, under the direction of Bishop Atterbury, then Dean of Westminster, entered into Holy Orders. His attachment to this unfortunate Prelate (who by his continual opposition to Sir Robert W alpoWs measures became obnoxious to the (government; and was at last on f rivolous pretences, whether true or false, banished for life,) prevented his preferment in the Church. And it proceeded further; for through this same attachment he was prevented from obtaining the vacant Chair of Under-Master in Westminster School; for which he was eminently qualified by learning, judgment, habit, and experience, after he had officiated as head Usher for about twenty years. It was denied him on the frivolous pretence, that he was a married man! This was to him a severe disappointment, as he fully expected the place. But though he quitted the School in disgust, he made a very pious use of this dispensation of Divine Providence, as may be seen by the following verses, written on this occasion, dated January 22, 1T32, and which I believe have never been published.
Oppress’d, O Lord, in Thee I trust,
To Thee insulted flee:
Hovve’er in mortals ’tis unjust,
‘Tis righteousness in Thee.
To God why should the thankless call
His blessings to repeat?
Why should the unthankful for the small,
Be trusted with the great.
To Thee my soul for mercy flies,
And pardon seeks on high:
For Earth, its mercy I despise,
Apd justice I defy.
Grant me, O Lord, with holier care,
And worthier Thee, to live!
Forgive my foes, and let them dare
The injured to forgive.
Thy Grace, in Death’s decisive hour,
Though undeserved, bestow!
Oh, then, on me Thy mercies shower,
And welcome judgment now!
These verses fully express the disappointment, its injustice, and the feelings it produced. As he had reason to believe that the Ministry was at the bottom of this transaction, we need not wonder at the severe epigrams with which he assailed the Walpolian administration.
We shall have occasion to refer to these afterwards.
While at Oxford, he appears to have entered a good deal into Biblical Criticism; and particularly into the Controversy excited by Mr. Whiston, who, having laboured himself into the Socinian scheme, endeavoured by writing and publishing to support it to the uttermost of his power.
Mr. S. Wesley had written a Discourse on the larger Epistle of Ignatius. This Epistle Mr. Whiston had attacked as interpolated by the Athanasians; and in his Primitive Christianity revived, (4 vols. 8vo.) had endeavoured not only to weaken the evidence of our Lord’s Divinity, but to inundate the Church with spurious writings which he wished to prove of equal authority with those of the New Testament, and necessary to complete the canon of the Christian Revelation.
How these things affected the mind of Mr. Wesley may be seen in a Letter sent to Robert Nelson, Esq. Author of the Fasts and Festivals of the English Church, dated Oxford, June 3d, 1713, when he had been about two years at the University. He says,
“I hoped long ere this to have perfected, as well as I could, my Dissertation on Ignatius, and gotten it ready for the Press, when I came to Town this year. But I found myself disappointed; at first for some months by my affairs in the East India House; and since by my charity hymns, and other matters. I think I told you some time since, that I had laid materials together for a Second Discourse on that subject, directly against Mr. Whiston’s objections to the shorter and genuine copy of Ignatius; whereas my former was chiefly against the larger; because I then thought, if that were proved interpolated, it would be readily granted that the other was the genuine. But having found, when Mr. Winston’s four volumes came out, that he had in the first of them’laid together many objections against the shorter Epistles, I set myself to consider them; and having now got Archbishop Ussher, Bishop Pearson, and Dr. Smith, on that subject, and as carefully as I could perused them, I found that many of Mr. Whiston’s objections were taken from Daille, a few from the writings of the Socinians and modern Arians, though most of them from his own observations. These latter being new, and having not appeared when Bishop Pearson and the others wrote, could not be taken notice of then; and being now published in the English language, may seduce some well-meaning persons, and persuade them that the true Ignatius was of the same opinion with the Arians, (whereas I am sure he was as far from it as light is from darkness,) and that the rather, because there has been no answer, that I know of, published to them, though they were printed in the year 17 11. I know many are of opinion that it is best still to slight him, and take no notice of him. This, I confess, is the most easy way: but cannot tell whether it will be safe in respect t<»> the common people, or will tend so much to the honour of our Church and Nation. Of this however I am pretty confident, that I can prove all his objections, whether general or particular, against the shorter copy, to be notoriously false. Such as that, p. 86, 87, That the smaller so frequently calls Christ God; which he says was done to serve the turn of the Athanasians, and cannot in reason be supposed to be an omission in the larger, but must be an interpolation in the smaller; whereas I find that the smaller calls him God but fifteen times, the larger, eighteen; and if we take in those to Antioch and Tarsus, twenty-two times, for an obvious reason.
“Again, he says, p. 64, 4 That serious exhortations to practical, especially domestic duties, are in the larger only, being to a surprising degree omitted in the small.’ But I have collected above one hundred instances wherein these duties are most pressingly recommended in the smaller. But what he labours for most, is to prove that the first quotations in Eusebius and others of the ancients are agreeable to the larger, not the smaller. Whereas on my tracing and comparing them all, as far as I have had opportunity, I have found this assertion to be a palpable mistake, unless in one quotation from the Chronicon Alexandrinum, or Paschale. I would gladly see Montfaucon, Causa Marcelli, St. Basil contra Marcellian, Observations on Pearson’s Vindiciai, and some good account of the Jewish Sephiroth; because 1 think the Gnostics, Basilidia?is, and Valentinians, borrowed many of their jEons from them, since they have the same names; and this might perhaps give further light to the famous ZirH of Ignatius; for the clearing whereof Bishop Pearson, Dr. Bidl, and Grotius, have so well laboured.”
Mr. Wesley mentions two Dissertations here which he had drawn up, and at least made ready for publication on the authenticity of the smaller, and interpolations of the larger Epistles attributed to Ignatius. Whether these were ever put to press, I have not been able to learn.
He speaks also of Charity Hymns, which I have not seen; and of his business at the East India House, which I suppose was in the affairs of his uncle Samuel Annesley, who was then in the Company’s service at Surat, as we have already seen in the short Memoir of his Life.
If Mr. Wesley had any Patron, it was Dr. Francis Atterbury, Dean of Westminster, and Bishop of Rochester; who succeeded Doctor Thomas Sprat in that See, in the year 1713. The disgrace of this prelate blasted all Mr. Wesley’s prospects of preferment in the Church. His history is so nearly connected with that of Mr. Wesley as to render it necessary to say a few words of a man whose quarrel with the ministry led to his own banishment, and agitated the whole Nation.
Bishop Atterbury was a very high Churchman; he was Prolocutor in the Upper House of Convocation, and determined in the support of the highest privileges of his order. During the Rebellion in Scotland, when the Pretender’s Declaration was dispersed in England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishops in and near London, published “A Declaration of their abhorrence of the Rebellion; and an Exhortation to be zealous in the discharge of their duties to King George.” This Bishop Atterbury refused to sign, because of certain reflections cast on the High-Church party in it. This, together with his general opposition to the measures of ministry, served to lay him under suspicion. In August, 1722, he was apprehended under an accusation of being concerned in a Plot in favour of the Pretender, and committed to the Tower. A paper which one of the messengers who arrested him pretended to have found concealed in the Bishop’s premises, and which the Bishop protested against as being forged, was the principal evidence against him. On the 23d March, 1723, a Bill was brought into the House of Commons, “for inflicting certain pains and penalties on Francis Lord Bishop of Rochester.” As he reserved his opposition to the Bill till it should come before the Upper House, of which he was a member, it easily passed the Commons; and on the 9th of April it was sent up to the House of Lords, and on May the 11th he was permitted to plead for himself. This he did in a masterly speech, in which he demonstrated the utter improbability and falsity of the accusation. It was in vain. The King did not like him, and the ministry were determined on his downfal: he was therefore condemned; for the bill was passed on the l6th by a majority of eighty-three to forty-three. On the 27th the King confirmed it; and on the 18th of June he was put on board of the Aldhorough man of war, and conveyed to Calais under the sentence of perpetual banishment. He went afterwards to Paris, where he was obliged to live very privately, no Englishman being permitted to associate or converse with him without a special licence from the Secretary of State, the fees of whose office were oppressively high! He died at Paris February 15, 1732; and his body was brought over to England on May 12th following, and interred in Westminster Abbey.
Thus Mr. Wesley lost his chief friend and patron; whose cause, because he considered it the cause of truth, he continued invariably to support and vindicate, though he was satisfied from the complexion of the times, that this would be an insuperable bar to his promotion.
The following extracts of Letters from the Bishop during his exile will shew in what light he was viewed by his patron, now no longer able to do him service. They were occasioned by that fine Poem which Mr. Wesley wrote and printed in his Collection, on the Death of Mrs. Morice, his Lordship’s Daughter.
“April 24, 1730. “I have recd. a Poem from Mr. Morice, which I must be insensible not to thank you for — your Elesrv upon the Death of Mrs. Morice. It is what I cannot help, an impulse upon me to thank you under my own hand, the satisfaction I feel, the approbation 1 give, the envy I bear you, for this good deed and good work. — As a poet and as a man I thank you, I esteem you.”
“Paris, May 27, 1730. “I am obliged to Wesley for what he has written on my dear child; and take it the more kindly, because he could not hope for my being ever in a condition to reward him. Though if ever I am, I will; for he has shewn an invariable regard for me all along, in all circumstances; and much more than some of his acquaintances, who had ten times greater obligations.”
“Paris, June 30, 1730.
“The verses you sent me touched me very nearly; and the Latin in the front of them as much as the English that followed.*
“There are a great many good lines in them; and they are writ with as much affection as poetry. They came from the heart of the Author, and he has a share of mine in return; and if ever I come back to my country with honour, he shall find it.”
This was no mean praise from so great a man, and so good a judge. The reflection made by the anonymous Author of a Sketch of his Life, prefixed to the duodecimo edition of his Poems, is worthy to be preserved here.
“It may be thought (says he), and perhaps truly enough, that his attachment to this great unfortunate prelate hindered him from rising higher in the world: but as it was what he always gloried in; so, it is obvious to remark, that it would be for the credit of human nature, if such examples were more frequent; and that great men did oftener find upon the vicissitudes of fortune such firmness and fidelity from those they had obliged.
Hen! nunc misero mihi ‘himnn
Exilium infelix nunc alte vuiaus adactum.
Mrs. Morice, on whom this elegy was written, was so affected at her father’s troubles and disgrace, that she sunk into a lingering disorder, from which she never recovered. As she found her end approaching, she earnestly desired to be taken to France, to have one interview with her father before she died: she had her desire, and survived the interview only a few hours! The sorrowful tale is thus pathetically related by Bishop Atterbury, in a letter to Mr. Pope: —
“The earnest desire (says he) of meeting one I dearly loved called me to Montpelier; where, after continuing two months under the cruel torture of a sad and fruitless expectation, I was forced at last to take a long journey to Tholouse j and even there I had missed the person I sought, had she not with great spirit and courage ventured all night up the Garonne to see me, which she had above all things desired to do before she died. By that means she was brought where I was, between seven and eight in the morning, and lived twenty hours afterwards; which time was not lost on either side, but passed in such a manner as gave great satisfaction to both; and such as on her part every way became her circumstances and character; for she had her senses to the very last gasp, and exerted them to give me in those few hours greater marks of duty and love than she had done in all her lifetime, though she had never been wanting in either. The last words she said to me were the kindest of all: a reflection on f the goodness of God, which had allowed us in this manner to meet once more before we parted for ever.’ Not many minutes after that, she laid her head on her pillow in a sleeping posture —
Placidaque ibi demum morte quievit.
Judge you, Sir, what I felt, and still feel, on this occasion! and spare me the trouble of describing it. At my age, under my infirmities, among utter strangers, how shall I find out proper reliefs and supports? I can have none but those which reason and religion furnish me; and those I lay hold on as fast as I can. I hope that He who laid the burthen upon me (for wise and good purposes no doubt) will enable me to bear it.”
Mrs. Morice died in 1729; and it was supposed that her dissolution hastened that of her persecuted father. All the preceding circumstances are admirably wrought up in the Elegy mentioned above.
When all things are considered, we need not wonder at the severity of the following Epigrams, with which Mr. Wesley assailed Sir Robert Walpole and his Friends: —
When patriots sent a Bishop ‘cross the seas,
They met to fix the pains and penalties:
While true-blue blood-hounds on his death were beot,
Thy mercy, IV al pole, voted banishment!
Or forc’d thy sov’reign’s orders to perform,
Or, proud to govern, as to raise the itorm.
Thy goodness shewn in such a dangerous day,
He only who receiv’d it can repay:
Thou never justly recompens d canst be,
Till banish’d Francis do the same for thee.
Tho’ some would give Sir Bob no quarter,
But long to hang him in his garter;
Yet sure he will deserve to have
Such mercy as in power be gave:
Send him abroad to take his ease,
By Act of pains and penalties:
But if he e’er comes here again,
Law, take thy course, and hang him then.
Four shillings in the pound we see
And well may rest contented,
Since war, Bob swore t should never be,
Is happily prevented.
But he, now absolute become,
May plunder every penny;
Then blame him not for taking some,
But thank for leaving any.
Let H his treasure now confess,
Display’d to every eye:
‘Twas base in H to sell a peace,
But great in Bob to buy.
Which most promotes Great Britain’s gain
To all mankind is clear;
One sends our treasure ‘cross the main,
One brings the foreign here.
But if ’tis fit to give rewards
Or punishments to either,
Why make them both together lords,
Or hang them both together.
At scribblers poor, who rail to eat,
Ye wags give over jeering;.
Since gal I’d by Harry, Bob the Great
Has stoop’d to pamphleteering.
Would not one champion on his side
For love or money venture?
Must knighthood’s mirror, spite of pride,
So mean a combat enter?
To take the field his weakness shews,
Tho’ well he could maintain it;
Since H no honour has to lose,
Pray how can Robin gain li?
Worthy each other are the two:
Halloo! Boys, fairly start ye;
Let those be hated worse than you
Whoever strive to part ye.
A steward once, the Scripture says,
When ordered his accounts to pass,
To gain hi3 master’s debtors o’er,
Cried, for a hundred write fourscore.
Near as he could Sir Robert, bent
To follow Gospel precedent,
When told a hundred late would do,
Cried, I beseech you, Sir, take two.
In merit which should we prefer,
The steward or the treasurer?
Neither for justice car’d a fig,
Too proud to beg, too old to dig;,
Both bountiful themselves have shewn,
In things that never were their own:
But here a difference we must grant,
One robVd the rich to keep off want;
T’other, vast treasures to secure,
Stole from the public and the poor.
Among the Family Papers a Latin Ode has been found, with its Translation, both by Mr. Wesley, and on the same subject. As I believe these have never been published, I shall insert them also: —
EPITAPHIUM VIVT.
Juxta quiescit, credite Posteri!
€ontemptor auri, propositi tenax
Risusque, vir severus, ccque
Dedecoris, fiecorisque risor.
Quern nec Popelli nec Procerum favor
Perstrinxit unquam, quern neque perculit
Famceve mendacis susurrus,
Vel fremitus minitantis aul&.
Cura solutus, Rege beatior;
Motus per omnes invariabilis;
Amicus Harleei cadentis,
W i dominantis hostis.
Annam parentem qui patriae ratus,
Semperque eandera, semper amabilem;
Solvebit extincta perennem,
Parva licet pia dona, laudem.
Non exulantis Prcesulis immemor,
Qui lege lata fugerat J3ngliamy
Ultraque fortund probati
Patris amans, el amatus illi.
Quos sprevit omnes, tutus ab hostibus,
Hie dormit infra, nec cineri nocet,
Seu Lector irridere malis
Seu tetricam caperare frontem.
S. Wesley.
Englished by the Same.
A man who slighted gold, lies here;
True to his laughter and his aim;
Yet even in his mirth severe,
He laughed at glory and at shame.
Who counted vulgar favour light,
And smiles of Lords; who held as sport
The whispers of defaming spite,
The thunder of a threatening court.
Stranger to care, than kings more blest,
Unmov’d however parties go;
A friend to Harley in distress,
To Walpole, when in power, a foe.
Who Anne (her country’s parent) thought
Still, lovely princess! still the same;
And praises to her ashes brought,
An humble off’ring to her fame.
Not mindless of the prelate great,
By statute sent across the main;
A father, tried in either state,
He loved, and was beloved again
Safe from the foes, he ne’er could fear,
Unhurt in dust he lays him down;
Whether you praise him with a sneer,
Or sourly blame him with a frown.
The fourth stanza relates to Lines on the death of Queen Anney which will be found at the end of this Memoir; and the fifth to Bishop Atterbury, Both copies are in Mr. Wesley’s own handwriting, and undoubtedly of his own composing.
The Bishop himself was not less severe on his persecutor, than his friend Mr S. Wesley was. Witness the following lines On Sir Robert Walpole, by Bishop Atterbury.
Three Frenchmen, grateful in their way,
Sir Robert’s glory would display.
Studious by sister arts to advance
The honour of a friend to France;
They consecrate to Walpole’s fame
Picture, and verse, and anagram.
With mottos quaint the print they dress,
With snakes, with rocks, with goddesses,
Their lines beneath, the subject fit
As well for quantity as wit.
Thy glory, Walpole, thus enrolTd,
E’en foes delighted may behold.
For ever sacred be to thee,
Such sculpture and such poetry!
“It is not a little to Mr. WTesley’s honour that he was one of the projectors and a careful and active promoter, of the jirst infirmary set up at Westminster, for the relief of the sick and needy, in the year 1719; and he had the satisfaction to see it greatly flourish from a very small beginning, and to propagate by its example, under the prudent management of other good persons, many pious establish-; ments of the same kind in distant parts of the nation.7’ — (Account of Mr. S. Wesley, by a Friend.)
Among Mr. S. Wesley’s Letters I find one to his brother John, which contains some curious family matters; particularly respecting a project of the latter to draw the character of every branch of the family, the commencement of which he had submitted to his brother for his approbation. Whether this project was ever completed I cannot tell; or if so, whether the document exists; if it do, it is’nol in any place to which I have had acss.
(l Dean Ward, Nov. IS, 1727
tt Dear Jack,
u I am obliged to you for the beginning of the Portrait of our Family; how I may judge when I see the whole, tho’ I may guess nearly within myself, I cannot positively affirm to you. There is, I think, not above one particular in all the character which you have drawn at length that needs further explanation; — when you say you can bring ear-witnesses to attest, whether that attestation relates only to — money sent — or to that bed. That bed too: — Jealousy naturally increases with age, of which I think one of the best uses we can make is, to guard against it betimes, before the habit grows strong.
u I hope your being in the country, as it is some inconvenience to you, so it will be a considerable help one way or other to friends at Wroote. else I shall be tempted to wish you at Oxford; as I heartily do my brother Charles, though it is too late to tell him so now, since he cannot possibly save this term, unless he be there already.
“You send me no account of your nesociation with the Dean for his absence: but I don’t blame you since you filled every corner of your own paper with much more important matters than any thing his Lordship can say or do, even tho’ Charles’s studentship were to depend upon it, as I hope it will not.
u I hope I shall send a Letter with your receipt and certificate this evening; and with orders once more to inquire of Mr. Tooke whether he has asked you leave to be absent the greater part of the quarter, or the whole, as it may happen.
“My wife and I join in love and duty; and beg my father’s and mother’s blessing. I would to God they were as easy in one anothtr, and as little uneasy in their fortunes as we are! In that sense perhaps you may say I am, Tydides melior patris; tho’ I believe there is scarce more work to be done at Wroote than here, tho’ we have fewer debts to discharge. Next Christmas I hope to be as clear as I have hoped to be these seven years. Charles is, I think, in debt for a Letter: but I don’t desire be should imagine it discharged by setting his name in your Letter, or interlining a word or two. 1 must conclude, because my paper is done, and company come in. u I am
Your affectionate Fiiend and Brother,
S. Wesley.”
What all this Letter relates to will be best seen by other parts of the general history.
Mr. Wesley being disappointed of the Under-mastership at Westminster, to which he had every kind of title, we need not wonder that Dean’s-yard could no longer have attractions for him. His health in it had been greatly impaired by a conscientious and rigorous fulfilment of his duties, and by his close and intense study: he was therefore the more easily persuaded to accept a situation in the country.
About the year 1732, there happened to be a vacancy in the Head-mastership of the free school at Tiverton in Devonshire. — Without any solicitation on his part, he was invited thither. He accepted it, and held the situation till his death.
This School was founded by Mr. Pete?* Blundell, (a clothier of that town) in 1619; who handsomely endowed it for a master and usher; and gave two fellowships and two scholarships to Sidney College, Cambridge, and one fellowship and two scholarships to Baliol College, Oxford, for scholars here educated. The Founder of this institution Mr. Wesley has commemorated in the following lines: —
ON MR. PETER BLUNDELL,
Founder of the Grammar-school in Tiverton, Devon.
— — - — Famam extender e factis,
Hoc virtutis opus.
Exempt from sordid and ambitious views,
Blest with the art to gain, and heart to use,
Not satisfied with life’s poor span alone,
Blundell through ages sends his blessings down.
Since worth to raise, and learning to support
A patriarch’s lifetime had appeared too short s
While letters gain esteem in Wisdom’s eyes,
Till Justice is extinct, and Mercy dies,
His alms perpetual, not by Time confined,
Last with the world, and end but with mankind.
In the year 1733, having solicited his brother John to stand godfather for one of Mrs. Wright’s children, and receiving a refusal on the ground that it would be impossible for him to discharge the duties imposed on him in accepting that office, &c. he wrote again pressing the subject. From this Letter I shall make the following extract, as it is highly characteristic of the man, and his summary mode of reasoning.
Your reasons for not standing for Hetty’s child are
good; and yet were they as good again, there is one against them
that would make them good for nothing, viz. the child will hardly be christened at all, unless you and I stand. E malis minimum. The charge need not fright, for I’ll lay down. Tell me as soon as you can your answer to this paragraph. Some in Johnson’s hold the matter to be indifferent, and so excuse themselves. I’ll find a representative for you as well as pence, if you do but give me my commission. Write soon.
“I am, dear J.
Your affectionate, &c.
S. Wesley/”
June 21, 1733.
As the affairs of Georgia are in a certain way connected with all the branches of the Wesley family, it will be necessary here to give some account of that settlement.
Georgia is the most southern of the United States of America; bounded on the east by the Atlantic ocean, on the south by the Floridas, on the west by the Mississippi, and on the north-east and north by South Carolina and Tennessee. The settlement of a colony there was first proposed in 1732, for the accommodation of poor people in Great Britain and Ireland, by several very humane and opulent men; and King George II. granted them Letters Patent June 9, 1732, for legally carrying into execution their benevolent design; and the place was called Georgia in honour of the British King. In November 1 732, one hundred and sixteen settlers embarked for that Colony, under the superintendance of Mr. James Oglethorpe, who chose Savannah for the place of settlement, where he built a fort, &c. Three years afterwards Mr. Oglethorpe, having returned to England, re-embarked with five hundred and seventy adventurers, among whom were one hundred and thirty Highlanders, and one hundred and seventy Germans.
As there was an intimacy between Mr. Oglethorpe and the Wesley Family, he proposed to Mr. John Wesley to accompany him as Chaplain to the Colony, and Missionary to the Indians; and he took Mr. Charles Wesley as his Secretary. It was in company with part of the above adventurers that the two brothers, with Mr. Oglethorpe, embarked a-board the Symmonds at Gravesend, Oct. 14, 1735, and sailed for Georgia. See Mr. John Wesley’s Journal for the full account.
While his brothers John and Charles were in Georgia, Mr. Samuel Wesley kept up with them an affectionate and instructive correspondence.
To Charles, who began to feel himself oat of his place by being m Frederica, where he had some most grevious crosses to bear, of which he bitterly complained to his brother, as well as of that want of regeneration of which he was now fully convinced, he wrote the following Letter: —
“Tiverton, Devon, Sept. 21, 1736.
“Dear Charles,
“To make full amends for my not hearing from you at first, I have received four Letters from you within this month, of each of which according to their dates. To that of April 8, Frederica, eight at night, I answer thus: — I own the will of God in your being in America, that is, the order of His providence: but I do not see that it was the will of God in another sense, as it is the rule of your action. Before I confess that, I must have a text either plainly or probably applied. You seem to be under severe trials; and I might with full as much justice, quote, Let no man say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, as ever you could do, He that loveth father and mother more than me, is not worthy of me. It was God’s will too that I should come hither; — how else am I here? For who hath resisted His will in that sense? I am in a desert as well as you, having no conversable creature but my wife, till my mother came last week; at which that I am no more grieved is perhaps my fault. Your fearing a cure of souls is no argument against your fitness for it, but the contrary. What ‘indelible character’ means, 1 do not thoroughly understand: but I plainly know what is said of him who putteth his hand to the plough, and looketh back. Your wishing yourself out of the reach of temptation is but wishing yourself in Heaven.
“That you had lived eighteen years without God I either do not understand, or I absolutely deny. My wife loses none of your love, if repaying it in kind be putting it to the right use.
“To yours of April 28. — ‘You repent not of obedience to Divine Providence, I hope not; and I hope I never persuaded you to disobedience. I am sure coming back to England will not be looking back from the plough, while you can exercise your ministry here. Jack’s passions, if I know any thing of him, never were of the same kind as yours. I advised him to go — not you; nor will ever consent to your staying.
“Never spare unburthening yourself to me: why you should have waited even years for that purpose — Jack can tell.
“That i sister Emily ever retracted her consent’ she utterly denies, for she says she never gave it. By that I see I did no more than
was absolutely necessary, when I used the strongest terms to express my meaning; lest I might have been brought in for being passive at least; though I never would, should, or could, have consented.
“I own I cannot rejoice in your affliction any more than in my own: it is not for the present joyous but grievous. God grant a happy end and meeting! I use a holiday, St. Matthew’ s-Day, to converse with you. Why may not the same man be both Publican and Apostle!
“However, if you can get hither, you may keep your Apostleship though not your Receipt of Customs.
“To yours of May 5. — I heartily wish you joy of the danger being over. I would send what you write for: but your next Letter gives me hopes of your being here, before the cargo could come to you. Allix I had sent for to London, before your Letters reached me. Lawrence I do not altogether approve of, but begin to doubt; though that should be no reason against my sending it. What the books are, p. 100, I comprehend not: but I suppose they are recommended in some p. 100 I have not seen; perhaps in a Journal that was to come to me by a safe hand, but has never arrived at all. I wish you joy of amor sceleratus habendi. I can say little of Phil, but that she wants you. Br. Hall’s is a black story. There was no great likelihood of his being a favourite with me: his tongue is too smooth for my roughness, and rather inclines me to suspect than believe. Indeed I little suspected the horrid truth: but finding him on the reserve, I thought he was something like Rivington, and feared me as a jester; which is a sure sign either of guilt on the one hand, or pride on the other. It is certainly true of that marriage; it will not, and it cannot come to good. He is now at a Curacy in Wiltshire, near Marlbro’. I have no correspondence with Kez: I did design it after reading yours; but the hearing she is gone to live with Patty and her husband made me drop my design.
“Yours from Savannah, May 15, is your last and best Letter, because it brings news that you design to come back as soon as you can. The sooner the better, say I; for I know Mr. O. will not leave the place, till he thinks it for the public good so to do.
“September 28. So long have I been forced to stay for time to transcribe, (most wretched work) and to go on, which is pleasant enough. I have had a sort of a Ship- Journal of Jack’s, ending at his being upon the Coast; but have had nothing of that kind since his landing. Glad shall »I be of a full and authentic account, which I begin to perceive I shall hardly have till I see you.
u If Jack will continue Kezzy’s allowance, should she come hither, he might pay me for her board, which I cannot afford to give her.
be a great comfort to her mother, and avoid the hazard of strong temptations either to discontent on the one hand, or what is much worse on the other. If this comes to your hand before you sail for England, I wish you would bring Jack’s resolution upon that point: but except he will engage to continue the stipend, I must not take her in; for I can do no more than I can do. Supposing that he intends to spend his life in India, which seems most probable, — why or wherefore should he refuse the Jifty pounds? If he is not poor, — does he know none that is? There appears much more danger of pride in refusing it, than there can be of avarice in accepting so small a sum.
u Michaelmas Day. This third time I am come to go on with my writing; but must be somewhat shorter than my paper would admit, because of going to Church. My mother sends her love and blessing to you and Jack; and bids me to tell you she hopes to see you again in England, without any danger of a second separation.
“My wife and I join in love; and Phil, according to her years, in duty. I heartily pray God to prosper you in public and private where you are; and to give you a safe voyage back, and a long and happy abode here!
a I am, dear Charles,
Your most affectionate and faithful
Friend and Brother,
Samuel Wesley.”
“Blundell’s School, Tiverton, Devon,
” September 29, 1736.
u My hearty love and service to Mrs. O —”
Mr. Charles W esley, according to the purpose referred to in the preceding Letter, sailed from Boston, October 25, 1736, and landed at Deal on the 31st of December following. His brother John continued about a year longer; he arrived in England January 30, 1738. Being both fervent in spirit, they on their return powerfully proclaimed repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christy and strongly insisted on the necessity of being born again, and of having the witness of God’s Spirit with theirs, that they were thus born of God. At first, all the Churches in London were open to them; and the people flocked together to see and hear two weather-beaten Missionaries, whose skin appeared as if tanned by their continual exposure to the suns and winds of summer and winter on the Continent of America. God attended their preaching with the power and demonstration of the Holy Ghost. Multitudes were turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; and many obtained that faith in Christ by which the guilt of sin was removed and the year of death taken away; and had the Spirit of God witnessing with theirs that they were the sons and daughters of God Almighty. The crowds that attended the Churches where they preached were so great that the Clergy thought it proper to refuse them any farther use of their pulpits; and hence, being turned out of these, they went to the highways and hedges to compel sinners to come to the marriage feast. For as they had sufficiently learnt that nothing but the gospel could be the power of God unto salvation to them that believe, they boldly and zealously proclaimed Christ crucified wherever they found a crowd of sinners; using extempore prayer, and preaching without notes. This seemed a new thing in the earth; and while multitudes were awakened and turned to God, several who did not think that such extraordinary exertions were necessary, ridiculed their zeal; and others who imagined God could not give His approbation to any kind of spiritual service that was not performed within the walls of a Church, became greatly offended: and it is a fact that not a few opposed and blasphemed.
Their eldest brother, Mr. Samuel Wesley, who was a very high Churchman, considered their conduct as little less than a profanation of the Christian Ministry; and as both the doctrines they preached, and their mode of acting, were grossly misrepresented to him, he conceived a violent prejudice against their proceedings, and went too far with their detractors in condemning them unheard.
Mr. Samuel Wesley, though a man of sound judgment and prudence, was too apt to conceive prejudice against any thing that appeared contrary to his notions of the orthodox faith, and any Churchman who in the slightest degree varied from establishing ecclesiastical order. On these grounds the conduct of his brothers was beheld by him with a jealous eye; and his mind at last became evil affected towards them by the ridiculous tales that some of his correspondents had been industrious to glean up; and especially by those of a Mrs. Button, at whose house Mr. Charles Wesley, and afterwards Mr, John, lodged after their return from Georgia.
By this lady’s information, who was both weak and unawakened, having no knowledge whatever of experimental religion, he was led to consider his brothers full as erroneous in their doctrines as they were singular and irregular in their ministerial conduct; and in short, on her authority, to set down his brother John as a lunatic or madman!
Many letters passed between these two brothers in consequence of the Letters of Mrs. Hutton; and as a good part of this correspondence has been published by the late Dr. Priestley, who by some means not well accounted for, got possession of these Family Documents, on some parts of which, in his Address to the Methodists, he has made very exceptionable comments, I judge it necessary to lay the whole before the Reader, supplying the deficiencies in Dr. Priestley’s publication from Documents in my own possession.
The points to which Mr. Samuel Wesley chiefly objected were, the powerful effects produced under his brother’s preaching, — the sudden convictions and instantaneous conversions, together with the professions of those who were thus converted, that they knew they were pardoned, having a clear evidence from the Holy Spirit in their own minds that they were passed from death to life. This experience he held to be utterly impossible; and all who professed to have it passed with him as hypocrites, enthusiasts, fanatics, shallow-pates, and madmen. Even his own brothers fell under this general censure. Added to this, Mr. Samuel found it difficult to believe that a regular performance of moral, duties, attending the ministry of the Church, and duly receiving the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, were not the conditions of our acceptance with God. On some of these points he certainly had not a distinct and clear view of some of the most important doctrines of his own Church. At the time of the controversy with his brother John he most assuredly had not a scriptural notion of the depth and extent of original corruption, of the necessity of the Atonement, of justification by faith, nor of the influences of the Holy Spirit as exerted to convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment and to enlighten, quicken, sanctify, and seal, the souls of believers. All this is so evident from his Letters, that there is no room left for the necessity of conjecture or surmise.
He did not like the singularity of his brothers’ conduct when in Oxford, before they went to America; and still less their doctrines, and mode of proceeding, after their return, On all these subjects he expresses his mind in the following controversy with little ceremony; and often with a magisterial severity that savoured too much of intolerant principles, of the character of the schoolmaster, and the austerity of the elder brother. But we should make some allowance for the high notions of Church authority and prerogative in which he was educated. Besides, he was eleven years older than the eldest of his two brothers, concerned in this correspondence, and he did not like to be taught the first principles of religion by his juniors.
Mrs. Hutton’s first Letter is the following: — ’ “June 6, 1738.
“Dear Sir,
“You will be surprised to see a Letter from me: but Mr. Huttor: and I are really under a very great concern, and know not whom to apply to if you cannot help us. After you left London, and your brothers had lost the conveniency of your house, believing them good and pious Christians, we invited them to make the same use of our’s, and thought such an offer would not be unacceptable to God or to them, which they received with signs of friendship, and took up with such accommodations as our house could afford, from time to time, as they had occasion. Mr. Charles, at his arrival in England, was received and treated with such tenderness and love as he could have been in your house; — Mr. John the same; — and as occasion has offered, at different times, ten or twelve of their friends, But your brother John seems to be turned a wild enthusiast, or fanatic; and to our very great affliction is drawing our two children into these wild notions, by their great opinion of Mr. John’s sanctity and judgment. It would be a great charity to many other honest, well-meaning, simple souls, as well as to my children, if you could either confine or convert Mr. John when he is with you; for after his behaviour on Sunday the 28th of May, when you hear it, you will think him not a quite right man.
“Without ever acquainting Mr. Hutton with any of his notions or designs, when Mr. Hutton had ended a sermon of Bishop BlackhalPs, which he had been reading in his study to a- great number of people, Mr. John got up and told the people that five days before he was not a Christian, and this he was as well assured of as that five days before he was not in that room; and the way for them all to be Christians was to believe and own that they were not now Christians. Mr. Hutton was much surprised at this unexpected injudicious speech: but only said, Have a care, Mr. W esley, how you despise the benefits received by the two Sacraments. I not being in the study when this speech was made, had heard nothing of it when he came into the parlour to supper; where were my two children two or three of his deluded followers, two or three ladies who board with me, my niece, and two or three gentlemen of Mr. John’s acquaintance, though not got into his new notions. He made the same wild speech again; to which I made answer, — ‘If you was not a Christian ever since I knew you, you was a great hypocrite; for you made us all believe you was one? He said, i when we had renounced every thing but faith, and then got into Christ, then, and not till then, had we any reason to believe we were Christians; and
SAMUEL WESLEY, JUPf. when we had so got Christ, we might keep Him, and so be kept from sin.’
“Mr. Hutton said, i If faith only was necessary to save us, why did our Lord give us that Divine sermon?’ Mr. John said, ‘That was the letter that killeth.’ i Hold,’ says Mr. Hutton, 6 you seem not to know what you say; are our Lord’s words The letter that killeth V Mr. John said, ‘If we had no faith.’ Mr. Hutton replied, ( I did not ask you how we should receive it? but why our Lord gave it, as also the account of the judgment in the twenty-fifth of Matthew, if works are not what he expects, but faith only?’
“Now it is a most melancholy thing to have not only our two children, but many others, to disregard all teaching, but by such a spirit as comes to some in dreams, to others in such visions as will surprise you to hear of. If there cannot be some stop put to this, and unless he can be taught true humility, the mischief he will do wherever he goes among the ignorant but well-meaning Christians will be very great.
<e Mr. Charles went from my son’s where he lay ill for some time; and would not come to our house, where I offered him the choice of two of my best rooms; but he would accept of neither, but chose to go to a poor brazier’s in Little Britain, that that brazier might help him forward in his conversion, which was completed on May 22, as his brother John was praying. Mr. John was converted, or I know not what, or how, but made a Christian, May 25. A woman had besides a previous dream: a ball of fire fell upon her and burst, and fired her soul. Another young man, when he was in St. Dunston’s Church, just as he was going to receive the Sacrament, had God the Father come to him, but did not stay with him: but God the Son did stay, who came with him holding His Cross in His hands.
“I cannot understand the use of these relations: but if you doubt the truth, or your Brother denies them, I can produce undeniable proofs of the relation of such facts from the persons who related the facts, that they had received such appearances.
“Mr. John has abridged the life of one Haliburton, a Presbyterian teacher in Scotland. My son had designed to print it, to shew the experiences of that holy man, of indwelling, &c. Mr. Hutton and I have forbid our son being concerned in handing such books into the world: but if your brother John or Charles think it will tend to promote God’s glory, they will soon convince my son God’s glory is to be preferred to his parents’ commands. Then you will see what I never expected, my son promoting rank fanaticism.
“If you can, dear Sir, put a stop to such madness, which win be a work worthy of you, a singular charity, and very much oblige” Your sincere and affectionate servant,
E. HuTTON.
“To the Rev. Mr. Wesley,
Tiverton, Devon.”
Such were the reports and the reporters on which Mr. S. Wesiey founded some of his most solemn objections to the doctrines and conduct of his brothers! Prejudice and bigotry alone could have recourse to such evidence in a case like this.
Mrs. Hutton most evidently knew little of the way of Salvation. She had heard some idle tales which she received as truth; and she had heard true accounts, which, through her total ignorance of the work of God in the soul of man, she continually misrepresents.
Were it not for her ignorance, the serious Reader must consider her as designedly sitting in the seat of the scorner, or wilfully uttering blasphemies.
To write a critique on her Letter would be useless: it shews itself what it is. Mr. John Wesley, it appears, told them that “they must repent of their sins, and come to Christ crucified, not to their miserable works and obedience, for the remission of sins; and that redemption in His blood was to be received by faith; and that a conformity in their way, to our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, could not atone for sin that was past, or reconcile them to the offended justice of a Holy God.”
This, though the doctrine of their Church, was to them a strange doctrine; for it seems it was not there duly inculcated. Of experimental religion they knew nothing; did not understand its language; and as far as they could, turned it into ridicule.
Under the ministry of Mr. John and Charles Wesley, their children were convinced that they were sinners, and were flying to lay hold on the hope set before them in the Gospel; and this the poor parents thought to be fanaticism and madness!
The truly rational, scriptural, and deeply impressive experience of Mr. Haliburton was, with Mrs. Hutton, rank fanaticism; and she was overwhelmed with distress because her children were likely to be made partakers of the same grace!
This one circumstance is sufficient to shew in what state Mrs. Hutton was; and how utterly incapable she was of judging rightly in matters pertaining to vital religion.
That Mr. Samuel Wesley, a man of learning and of -a sound judgment, could have entertained such repres ?tations; that he could not see, in this tissue of misrepresentations and confusion, the violent prejudice, and total ignorance of his correspondent, is strange indeed! That he should have given her a serious answer in matters in which the honour and character of his brothers were concerned, whom he knew to be men of common sense and deep piety, is yet more strange! But he was himself at that time prejudiced and highly bigoted: and prejudice has neither eyes nor ears. I shall subjoin his answer.
“Tiverton, Devon, June 17, 1738.
“Dear Madam,
“I am sufficiently sensible of yours and Mr. Hutton’s kindness to my brothers, and shall always acknowledge it; and cannot blame you either for your concern, or writing to me about it.
({ Falling into enthusiasm, is being lost with a witness; and if you are troubled for two of your children, you may be sure 1 am so for two whom I may in some sense call mine; who, if once turned that way, will do a world of mischief, much more than even otherwise they would have done good; since men are much easier to be led into evil, than from it.
“What Jack means by 6 not being a Christian till last month’ I understand not. Had he never been in covenant with God? Then, as Mr. Hutton observed, baptism was nothing. Had he totally apostatized from it? I dare say not; and yet he must be either unbaptized, or an apostate, to make his wo7*ds true. Perhaps it might come into his crown that he was in a state of mortal sin, unrepented of; and had long lived in such a course. This I do not believe; however he must answer for himself. But where is the sense of requiring every body else to confess that of themselves in order to commence Christians? Must they confess it, whether it be so or no? Besides a sinful course is not an abolition of the covenant, for that very reason because it is a breach of it. If it were not, it would not be broken.
u Renouncing every thing but Faith may be every evil, as the world, the flesh, and the devil: this is a very orthodox sense, but no great discovery. It may mean rejecting all merit of our own good works. What Protestant does not do so? Even Bellarmin, on his death-bed, is said to have renounced all merits but those of Christ, If this renouncing regards good works in any other sense, as being unnecessary or the like, it is wretchedly wicked; and to call our Saviour’s words the letter that killeth is no less than blasphemy against the Son of man. It is mere Quakerism, making the outward Christ an enemy to the Christ loithin, “When the ball of fire fired the woman’s soul (an odd sort of iire that) what reference had it to my two Brothers? Was the youth that had the Father come to him, told any thing about them? Did he see any thing, or only hear a voice? What were the words, if any? I suppose he will take shelter in their being unspeakable. In short, this looks like downright madness. I do not hold it at all unlikely that perpetual intenseness of thought and want of sleep may have disordered my Brother. I have been told that the Quakers’ introversion of thought has ended in madness. It is a studious stopping of every thought as fast as it arises, in order to receive the Spirit. I wish the canting fellows had never had any followers among us, who talk of indwellings, experiences, getting into Christ, &c. &c. As I remember assurances used to make a great noise, which were carried to such a height, that (as far as nonsense can be understood) they rose to fruition, in utter defiance of Christian hope, since the question is unanswerable, What a man hath why doth he yet hope for? But I will believe none without a miracle, who shall pretend to be wrapped up into the third heaven.
“I hope your Son does not think it as plainly revealed that he shall print an enthusiastic book, as it is that he shall obey his father and his mother. Suppose it were never so excellent, — can that supersede your authority? God deliver us from visions that make the Law of God vain.
“I pleased myself with the expectation of seeing Jack: but that is now over, and I am afraid of it. I know not where to direct to him, or where he is. Charles I will write to as soon as I can, and shall be glad to hear from you in the mean time.
“I heartily pray God to stop the progress of this lunacy.
“We join in service.
“I am, dear Madam,
Your sincere and affectionate Friend and Servant,
Samuel Wesley.’”
“To Mrs. Hutton, College Street, Westminster.”
I am truly sorry to be obliged to notice these Letters; and had passed them by in silence, had they not been twice officiously obtruded on the attention of the Public by men more eminent for various other excellencies than for candor; and used as means and arguments to discredit Mr. Wesley, and that great Work of pure and undefiled religion which he was the means in the hands of God of diffusing throughout these Lands.
Mr. Samuel Wesley seems to take almost every thing for granted that this very silly and prejudiced woman related to him, from words all understood which she had heard, and miserable fabrications of misrepresented facts, of which she says, “I can produce undeniable proofs of the relation of such facts from the persons tvho related the facts, that they had received such appearances /” That is, she can bring proofs that the facts were related by the persons who related them! But honest truth dwells not in such confusion, nor veils itself with such disguises.
I need not say what Mr Samuel Wesley’s duty was when he heard such tales against his excellent Brothers: — men who were not at all inferior to himself in learning; who were at least his equals in judgment; and for the depth of whose piety he himself could vouch. He tells, however, some sad truths in his answer relative to himself. In unqualified terms a man is with him a Christian if he be baptized! He is in the covenant of God, which even a course of sin cannot annul, though a life of that kind may be a breach of it! and that he must have entirely apostatized, that is abjured Christianity and blasphemed Christ, (for that is what is implied in total apostasy,) or have never been baptized, in order not to be a Christian. With him water baptism, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, are the same thing; an old and pernicious error, which is deceiving thousands even in the present day. As to his distinction between mortal sin, and what is its opposite, though unmentioned, venial sin, we know from what school it was derived.
At this time Mr. S. Wesley most undoubtedly knew not the doctrine of Faith as laid down in the Articles and Homilies of the Church: and he in his zeal against assurance, of which he had a very inaccurate and confused idea, confounds the hope of everlasting life, with the hope or expectation of the present favour and approbation of God, the consequence of being justified by Faith!
The illiberal reflections on the Quakers were not called for. It is not true that they make the outtvard Christ an enemy to the Christ within; nor, that their introversion of thought, (what they call their silent waiting upon God) ends in madness.
To conclude, taking it for granted from this Huttonian information, that both his Brothers were run mad, he finishes with piously praying God to stop the progress of this lunacy! What a revolution of credulity in a person so difficult to be persuaded to believe any thing of which he could not have the most palpable evidence.
Mrs. Hutton is now encouraged to proceed with her gleanings; and in the next Letter exceeds her former self.
“June 20, 1738.
“Dear Sir,
66 1 return you thanks for so obligingly answering my Letter, for which I ought to beg your pardon, since I am sensible what 1 have related must afflict you, though it might not be in your power to lessen my affliction. For how can I expect more regard will be had to a brother than is had to parents? Though in reality your Brothers are much more obligated to you than many children are to their parents; you doing for them as a most kind and judicious parent, when you had not the same obligation. I was in hopes mine to you would have met your brother John at Tiverton, where he said he was going. If so, he could have explained to you the meaning of the two visions I sent you word of.
“Every one of his converts are directed to get an assurance of their sins being all pardoned, and they sure of their salvation, which brings all joy and peace. And this is given them in an instant, so that every person so converted is able to describe the manner and time when they get it, as they call it. Your brother John writ his reflections on Mr. Herveifs paper, in these words: * Remission of sins, and peace with God. — The life of God or love in our souls. — The evidence of our weakness, and the power of Christ.’
“My son felt it on the 25th of April at the blessed Sacrament, as the minister said, The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. Your brother Charles felt it at Mr. Bray’s as your brother John was praying for it for him on the 22nd of May. Your brother John felt it on the 25th of May, just as he awaked.
“These things they make no secrets; for good Mr. Baldwin told me he heard your brother Charles give a relation of a young man at Oxford, who had lived, as he himself thought, a very good and pious life: but he was first convinced it was nothing, before he could get this faith; upon which he threw himself upon his face, upon his chamber floor, and lay so (I suppose praying) an hour or two, and then rose up with great joy and peace of mind.
“This affected Mr. Baldwin so much, that the next opportunity he had to talk with my son, he put into his hands a sermon of Bishop BidVs upon the subject of the assistance we may expect from the Holy Spirit. But all authors and writings but the Bible are rejected; and every man, if he will practise what he knows, shall have all the light necessary for himself, taught him from God.
“They are, I think, aiming at something more; for my son told me that a woman, who is a Dissenter, had three years and more, as she fancied, been under the seal of Reprobation; and upon her coming to Mr. Bray’s, where your brother Charles, Mr. Bray, and my son, were praying for her, though she went home in the same melancholy, yet in an hour after she sent them word that she was delivered from the power of Satan, and desired them to return public thanks for the same in her behalf. I heard a poor simple Barber, whose name is W olfe, relate such a dream that a Blacksmith had, as a sign of his being just getting into Christ, and of his own power, as put me beyond patience. My poor son lay ill of a fever at the same time, with such a number of these fancied saints about him, that I expected nothing but his weak brain would be quite turned. I think it is not far from it, that he will not give any, the most pious or judicious author his father recommends, a reading.
“Now your brother John is gone, who is my son’s Pope, it may please God, if you give yourself the trouble to try, he may hear some reason from you. If you could bring your brother Charles back, it would be a great step towards the reconversion of my poor son. Your two Brothers are men of great parts and learning; my son is good-humoured, and very undesigning, and sincerely honest, but of weak judgment; so fitted for any delusion. It would be the greatest charity you ever did, and your charity of all kinds is very extensive. If you can undeceive your brother Charles and my sony it would put a stop to this wildfire.
“I suppose you received a Letter from your brother John that he came to London the 12th at night, set forward the 13th, without seeing your brother Charles, to make a visit to Count Zinzendorf. I know he looks upon his fancies as directions from the Holy Spirit. What carried him to Georgia I know not: but I can prove he brought that notion with him to Deal, when he landed from Georgia; and had Mr. Whitejield believed it, he had not proceeded on his voyage; John had brought him back by the direction of the Spirit. We do nothing but pray for our children, and all others under this strange delusion; since arguments from us, which to others seem reasonable, have no effect upon them. I doubt not of your prayers upon the same occasion, and all other means your good judgment shall enable you to use.
“I have been thus long, to give you all the light I can into this affair, as a help towards your finding out a cure; being with the greatest value and respect for your real, not imaginary worth, Your most sincere humble servant,
Elizabeth Hutton.”
To the Rev. Mr. Samuel Wesley,
at Tiverton,- Devon.’-’
Poor Mrs. Hutton appears sadly tried because her sons in the point in question, relative to the remission of sins and the zoitness of the Spirit, will not receive the authority of Bishop BlackwaU, Bull, and others; but that of the Bible only! Perhaps it will make the Reader smile: but this brings to my recollection the case of the poor Roman Catholic woman, who having lost her rosary, cried out,” Lord, have mercy upon me! Christ, have mercy upon me! I have lost my Crucifix, and now have nothing but God Almighty to trust to ln
That both the Mr. Wesleys professed to have received the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins at the time specified by Mrs. Hutton is a fact which they not only never denied, but exulted in to the day of their death.
The Letter in which Mr. John Wesley defended himself against the misrepresentations of Mrs. Hutton, and his Brother’s charges founded on them, I cannot find; it is most probably lost: but that such a Letter was written is evident from his brother Samuel’s allusion to it in a Letter dated December 13th of this year, which shall shortly be introduced. But a Letter before me of the 30th of October must be inserted here, as it contains Mr. J. Wesley’s explanation at large of his own state, the change that had passed upon his soul, and what he believed relative to such influences of God upon the hearts of men.
October 30th, 1738.
“Dear Brother,
“That you will always receive kindly what is so intended I doubt not. Therefore I again recommend the character of Susurrus. O may God deliver both you and me from all bitterness and evil speaking, as well as from all false doctrine, heresy, and schism!
“I. With regard to my own character, and my doctrine likewise, I shall answer you very plainly. By a Christian, I mean one who so believes in Christ as that sin hath no more dominion over him; and in this obvious sense of the word, I was not a Christian till May 24th last past. For till then sin had the dominion over me, although I fought with it continually: but surely then, from that time to this, it hath not; such is the free grace of God in Christ! What sins they were which till then reigned over me, and from which by the grace of God I am now free, I am ready to declare on the house-top, if it may be for the glory of God.
“2. If you ask by what means I am made free, (though not perfect, neither infallibly sure of my perseverance,) I answer, by faith in Christ: by such a sort or degree of faith as I had not till that day.
My want of this faith I knew long before, though not so clearly till Sunday, January 8th last, when being in the midst of the great deep, I wrote a few lines in the bitterness of my soul, some of which I have transcribed; and may the good God sanctify them Both to you and me.
‘By the most infallible of all proofs, Inward Feeling, I am convinced this day,
‘1. Of unbelief; having no such faith in Christ as will prevent my heart from being troubled; which it could not be if I believed in God, and rightly believed also ii Him.
2. Of pride, throughout my life’ past; inasmuch as I thought I had what I find I have not. Lord, save, or I perish! Save me,
’ 1st, By such a faith in Thee and in Thy Christ, as implies trust, confidence, peace in life and in death.
2nd, By such humility as may fill my heart from this hour for ever with a piercing uninterrupted sense, Nihil est quod hactenus feci; having evidently built without a foundation.
i 3rd, By such a recollection as may cry to Thee every moment, but more especially when all is calm (if it should so please Thee) give me, faith or I die! Give me a lowly spirit, otherwise Mihi non sit suave vivere. Amen, come, Lord Jesus! Tis Aa/3»<5, sXsrjtfov fxou.’
u Some measure of this faith which bringeth salvation, or victory over sin, and which implies peace and trust in God through Christ, I now enjoy through His free mercy, through in very deed it is in me but as a grain of mustard seed; for the tfXyjpoipopia tfigsw, the seal of the Spirit, the love of God shed abroad in my heart, and producing joy in the Holy Ghost, — joy which no man taketh away, — joy unspeakable and full of glory; this witness of the Spirit I have not, but I patiently wait for it. I know many who have already received it; more than one or two in the very hour we were praying for it. And having seen and spoken with a cloud of witnesses abroad, as well as in my own country, I cannot doubt that believers who wait and pray for it, will find these Scriptures fulfilled in themselves. My hope is, that they will be fulfilled in me. I build upon Christ the Rock of Ages, on His sure mercies described in His word, and on His promises, all which I know are Yea and Arnen.
“Those who have not yet received joy in the Holy Ghost, the love of God, and the plerophory of faith, (any or all of which I take to be the xuitness of the Spirit with our spirit that we are the sons of God,) I believe to be Christians in that imperfect sense, wherein I call myself such; and I exhort them to pray that God would give them also to rejoice in hope of the glory of God, and to feel his lore shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost whirh in girni unto them.
“On men I build not; neither on Matilda Chipman’s word, whom I have not talked withye minutes in my life; nor on any thing peculiar in the weak, well meant relation of William Herbery, who yet is a serious, humble-acting Christian. But have you been believing on these? Yes: I find them more or less in almost every Letter you have written on the subject. Yet were all that has been said on ’ visions, dreams, and balls of fire,’ to be fairly proposed in syllogisms, I believe it would prove not a jot more on one than on the other side of the question.
“O brother, would to God you would leave disputing of the things which you know not, (if indeed you know them not,) and beg of God to fill up what is yet wanting in you. Why should not you also seek till you receive that peace of God which passeth all understanding? Who shall hinder you, notwithstanding the manifold temptations, to rejoice with joy unspeakable, by reason of glory? Amen, Lord Jesus! May you, and all who are near of kin to you, (if you have it not already,) feel His love shed abroad in your hearts by His Spirit which dwelleth in you; and be sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of your inheritance. “Iam
Yours and my Sister’s most affectionate Brother,
John Wesley.”
“To the Revd. Mr. Wesl<*y,
Tiverton, Devon.”
To this admirable Letter Mr. Samuel thus answered: —
“Tiverton, Devon, Nov. 15, 1738.
“Dear Jack,
“I have many remarks to make on your Letter: but do not care to fight in the dark, or run my head against a stone wall.
“You need fear no controversy with me, unless you think it worth while to remove these three doubts: —
“1. Whether you will own or disown, in terms, the necessity of a sensible information from God of pardon? If you disown it, the matter is over as to’you; if you own it, then, —
“2. Whether you will not think me distracted to oppose you with the most infallible of all proofs, inward feeling in yourself, and positive evidence in your friends, while I myself produce neither?
“3. Whether you will release me from the horns of your dilemma, that I must either talk without knowledge like a fool, or against it like a knave? I conceive neither part strikes. For a man may reasonably argue against what he never felt, and may honestly deny what he has felt to be necessary to others.
“You build nothing on tales. But I do. I see what is manifestly built upon them: if you disclaim it, and warn poor shallow pates of their folly and danger, so much the better. They are counted signs or tokens, means or conveyances, proofs or evidences, of the sensible information, &c. calculated to turn fools into madmen; and put them, without a jest, into the condition of Oliver’s Pastor.
u When I hear visions, &c. reproved, discouraged, and ceased among the new brotherhood, I shall then say no more of them: but till then I will use my utmost strength that God shall give me to expose these bad branches of a bad root: and thus —
“Such doctrine as encourages and abets spiritual fire-balls, apparitions of the Father, &c. &c. is delusive and dangerous. But the sensible necessary information, &c. is such; ergo, —
“I mention not this to enter into any dispute with you, for you seem to disapprove, though not expressly disclaim: but to convince you I am not out of my way, though encountering of windmills. I will do my best to make folks wiser.
“I will borrow from our Litany a prayer you will join in.
“6 That it may please Thee to strengthen such as do stand; to comfort and help the weak-hearted; to raise up those that fall; and,
finally, to beat down Satan under our feet! We beseech Thee to
hear us, Good Lord P
“My wife joins with love; we are all pretty well.
” I am, dear Jack,
Your sincere and affectionate Friend and Brother,
Samuel Wesley.”
To the Revd. Mr. John Wesley.”
I was about to make some severe strictures on this Letter, because it is exceedingly disingenuous; and because it has been urged by some of the enemies of Mr. J. Wesley and Methodism as a triumph over their doctrine of assurance, &c. But on having recourse to Dr. Whitehead, who inserts a part of this Letter, I adopt his reflections on it, which are full in point.
“This Letter appears to me full of fallacy. To give one instance: — Mr. John Wesley had said, the witness of the Spirit was the common privilege of believers; that he considered joy in the Holy Ghost, the love of God, and the plerophory of faith, as the witness of the Spirit with our spirit that ive are the sons of God; that the whole of what had been said on visions, dreams, and balls of fire,’ could not in his opinion either prove or disprove the point in question between them; that is, visions, dreams, and balls of fire, were totally foreign to the witness of the Spirit for which he was contending. But his brother Samuel changes the term witness, and substitutes for it sensible information; by which he means something visible to the sight, or existing in the fancy; and then indeed visions, &c. were connected with the question; and he reasons on this supposition. But this was a mere sophism, of which Mr. J. Wesley would probably have taken notice had he been writing to a stranger, or had he foreseen that any one would print the Letters after his death.” — The Doctor refers here to the publication of the original Letters of the Wesley Family, by Dr. Priestley.
To the foregoing letter Mr. J. Wesley replied thus: —
“Nov. 30, 1738.
“— I believe every Christian who has not yet received it
should pray for the loitness of God’s Spirit with his spirit that he is a child of God. In being a child of God, the pardon of his sins is included; therefore I believe the Spirit of God will witness this also. That this witness is from God the very terms imply; and this witness T believe is necessary for my salvation. How far invincible ignorance may excuse others I know not. But this you say is delusive and dangerous, because it encourages ami abets idle visions and dreams. It encourages: — true; accidentally but not essentially. And that it does this accidentally, or that weak minds may pervert it to an idle use, is no objection against it; for so they may pervert every truth in the oracles of God; more especially that dangerous doctrine of Joel, cited by St. Peter, It shall come to pass in the last days,saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Such visions indeed as you mention are given up; — does it follow that visions and dreams in general * are bad branches of a bad root?’ God forbid. This would prove more than you desire.”
Mr. Samuel Wesley returns once more with objections raised on nearly the same grounds; changing the terms of the question in debate, and arguing on these changes.
“Dec. 13, 1738.
“Dear Jack,
“You own abundantly enough to clear Mrs. Hutton from any misrepresentations as to you, and me from any misunderstanding her. I was but too right in my judgment. u 1. You was not a Christian before May 24: but are so now, in a sense of the word you call obvious; which was so far from it, that it astonished all who heard you then, and which I deny to be so much as true.
“2. You hold the witness of the Spirit, a clear information of adoption, whereof pardon is a part, to be absolutely necessary to your salvation, and that of others, unless excused by invincible ignorance. Enough! Enough! Yet,
“3. You apply Joel amazingly, though you give up suck visions as I speak of, yet not allowing me to call such 6 bad branches of a bad root.’ That I may not be guilty of putting them more or less into every Letter, I’ll discuss that matter fully by itself, once for all, desiring you in the mean time to say, what other Scripture dreams or visions you would insist on? Whether all between Genesis and the Revelations? I am afraid Ahab’s lying spirits may be too pertinent.
“That you were not a Christian before May in your sense any one may allow: but have you ever since continued sinless? Sin has not the dominion. Do you never then fall? Or do you mean no more than that you are free from presumptuous sins? If the former, I deny it; if the latter who disputes?
“Your misapplication of the witness of the Spirit is so thoroughly cleared by Bishop Bull, that I shall not hold a candle to the sun. What portion of love, joy, &c. God may be pleased to bestow on “Christians is in His hand, not our’s. Those texts you quote no more prove them generally necessary, in what you call your imperfect state, than f Rejoice in the Lord always7 contradicts ‘Blessed are they that mourn? There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh, till that day comes when all tears shall be wiped from our eyes, — which I take it will hardly be before death: to which happiness God of His infinite mercy, through Christ, bring us all!
“We join in love. As your last is dated from Oxford, I write thither, though you may be gone by this time.
“] am, Dear Jack,
. Your affectionate and sincere Friend and Brother,
S. Wesley.”
“I had much more to say: but it will keep, if ever it should be proper.”
This Letter may be thought proper or passable between brother and brother: but it is inexcusable in a logician, and completely proves that Mr. Samuel had not one shew of argument farther to produce. The first part of Mr. J. Wesley’s reply is lost; the following is all that remains
“I think Bishop BulPs Sermon on the witness of the Spirit, (against the witness of the Spirit it should rather be entitled,) is full of gross perversions of Scripture, and manifest contradictions both to Scripture and experience. I find more persons day by day, who experience a clear evidence of their being in a state of Salvation I but I never said this continues equally clear in all, as long as they continue in a state of Salvation. Some indeed have testified, and the whole tenor of their life made their testimony unexceptionable, that from that hour they have felt no agonies at all, no anxious fears, no sense of dereliction, as others have.
“But much I fear we begin our dispute at the wrong end. I fear you dissent from the fundamental Articles of the Church of England. I know Bishop Bull does. I doubt you do not hold justification by Faith alone: if not, then neither do you hold what our Articles teach concerning the extent and the guilt of original sin, neither do you feel yourself a lost sinner; and if we begin not here, we are building on the sand. O may the God of love, if my sister or you are otherwise minded, reveal even this unto you!”
Rem acu tetigit. This was most undoubtedly the state and feeling of Mr. Samuel Wesley at this time. That he came to a better state of mind at last his Brother fully believed.
The next year’s correspondence is as follows: —
“Tiverton, March 29, 1738-9-
“Dear Jack,
“I might as well have wrote immediately after your last as now, for any new information I expected from my mother; I might as well have let it alone at present, for any effect it will have, farther than shewing you I neither despise you on the one hand, nor am angry with you on the other.
“I am hardly persuaded you will see me face to face in this world, though somewhat nearer than Count Zinzendorf Charles has at last told me in terms, he believes no more of dreams or visions than I do. Had you said so, I believe I should have hardly spent any time upon them; though I find others credit them, whatever you may do.
“You make two degrees or kinds of assurance. That neither of them is necessary to a state of Salvation I prove thus: —
“1. Because multitudes are saved without either. These are of three sorts: — 1. All infants baptized, who die before actual sin. — 2. All persons of a melancholy and gloomy constitution; who without a miracle, cannot be changed. 3. All penitents [hacksliders?] who live a good life after their recovery, and yet never attain to their first state.
“2. The lowest assurance is an impression from God, who is infallible, that heaven shall be actually enjoyed by the person to whom it is made. How is this consistent with fears of miscarriage; with deep sorrow, and going on the way weeping? How can any doubt after such certificate? If they can, then there is an assurance whereby the person who has it is not sure.
“3. If this be essential to a state of salvation, it is utterly impossible any should fall from that state finally; since, how can any thing be more fixed than what Truth and Power has said He will perform? Unless you will say of the matter here as I observed of the person, that there may be assurance wherein the thing itself is not certain.
I am
Your affectionate Friend and Brother,
S. Wesley.
The Reader will observe, that in this Letter Mr. S. Wesley confounds the assurance of being now in the favour of God with that of being infallibly and eternally saved! The latter doctrine Mr. J. Wesley never taught.
The following is Mr. J. Wesley’s reply: —
“Bristol, April 4, 1738-9-
“Dear Brother,
“I greatly rejoice at the temper with which you now write; and trust there is not only mildness, but love also, in your heart: if so, you shall know of this doctrine whether it be of God, though perhaps not by my ministry.
“To this hour you have pursued an ignoratio elenclii. Your assurance and mine are as different as light and darkness. I mean an assurance that I am ?ww in a state of salvation: you, an assurance that I shall persevere therein. The very definition of the term cuts oft” your second and third observation. As to the first I would take notice, —
“1. No kind of assurance, (that I know,) or of faith, or of repentance, is essential to their salvation who die infants.
“2. I believe God is ready to give all true penitents who fly to His free grace in Christ a fuller sense of pardon than they had before they fell. I know this to be true of several: whether there ure exempt cases I know not. u 3, Persons that were of a melancholy and gloomy constitution, even to some degree of madness, I have known in a moment, (let it be called a miracle, I quarrel not,) brought into a state of firm, lasting peace and joy.
“My dear Brother, the whole question turns chiefly, if not wholly, on matter of fact. You deny that God does now work these effects; at least, that He works them in such a manner. I affirm both; because I have heard those facts with my ears, and seen them with my eyes. I have seen, (as far as it can be seen,) many persons changed in a moment from the spirit of horror, fear, and despair, to the spirit of hope, joy, and peace; and from sinful desires, till then reigning over them, to a pure desire of doing the will of God. These are matters of fact whereof I have been, and almost daily am, eye or ear witness.
“What, (upon the same evidence as to the suddenness and reality of the change,) I believe, or know, touching visions or dreams. This I know: several persons in whom this great change from the power of Satan unto God was wrought either in sleep, or during a strong representation to the eye of their minds of Christ, either on the cross, or in glory. This is the fact: let any judge of it as they please. But that such a change was then wrought appears (not from their shedding tears only, or sighing or singing psalms, as your poor Correspondent did by the woman at Oxford, but) from the whole tenour of their life, till then many ways wicked; from that time holy, just, and good. Saw you him who was a lion till then, and is now a lamb; — he that was a drunkard, but now exemplarily sober; — the whoremonger that was, who abhors the very lusts of the flesh? These are my living arguments for what I assert, that God noio as aforetime, gives remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost, which may be called visions: — if it be not so, I am found a false-witness. But, however, I do and will testify the things I have both seen and heard.
“I do not now expect to see your face in the flesh: not that I believe God will discharge you yet, but I believe I have nearly finished my course.* O may I be found in Him, not having my own righteousness!
* Under this mark Dr. Priestly has the following note, — “How greatly was Mr. Wesley mistaken in this his full persuasion, when he lived fifty years after this.’’ This very note is introduced designedly to discredit Mr. Wesley’s doctrine of assurance: but the reflection is unfair and false. Mr. Wesley does not say, nor intimate, that he had a full persuasion that he had nearly finished his course. He says simply, “I do not expect io see your face in” When I thy promised Christ have seen, And clasp’d him in my soul’s embrace; Possess’d of Thy salvation, — then — Then may I, Lord, depart in peace!
The great blessing of God be upon you and your’s.
“I am, dear Brother,
Your ever affectionate and obliged Brother,
John Wesley.”
“P. S. I expect to stay here some time; perhaps as long as X am in the body.’7
This Letter Mr. Samuel Wesley answered thus
“April 16, 1739.
w Dear Jack,
“I heartily pray God that we may meet each other with joy in the next life; and beg Him to forgive either of us, as far as guilty, for our not meeting in this. I acknowledge His justice in making my friends stand afar off, and hiding my acquaintance out of my sight.
“I find brevity has made me obscure. I argue against assurance in your or any sense as part of the Gospel covenant, because many are saved without it. You own you cannot deny exempt cases, which is giving up the dispute. Your assurance being a cleat impression of God upon the soul I say must be perpetual, must be irreversible; else it is not assurance from God, infallible and omnipotent.
“You say the Cross is strongly represented to the eye of the mind. Do these words signify, in plain English the fancy? Inward eyes, ears, and feelings, are nothing to other people. I am heartily sorry such alloy should be found among so much piety.”
the flesh — I believe I have nearly finished my course;” — and at the conclusion of the Letter, — “I expect to stay here some time; perhaps as long as I am in the body.” Now, do these hypothetic terms — expect — believe — perhaps, — amount to a full persuasion that he should shortly die? I trow n°t- But he had reason to suppose and believe, from the then state of his health, that Death was at the door.
And with respect to the continuance of human life every thing is problematical. In the midst of life we are in death.
See the conclusion of his next Letter, — May 10, 1739 In the above Letter Mr. S. Wesley lays down premises of his own; which he attributes to his Brother; and which his Brother never proposed, nor maintained. And, strange to tell, from these assumed premises, he draws conclusions which they will not support! A clear impression of God upon the soul must be irreversible: because God is infallible and omnipotent! Was there ever such reasoning? He might as well have maintained, That the Divine Image in the soul of man was, in his creation, a clear and full impression of God: — therefore it was perpetual and irreversible. Consequently Adam never fell, and the history of that event is a fable! O, how prejudice and religious bigotry blind the mind, and pervert the heart! Mr. Samuel proceeds: —
“The little reflection on my poor correspondent at Oxford is quite groundless. I do not remember he says singing (adding rolling, &c.) was the only sign of her new birth; it is brought as a fruit of it. May we not know the tree by the fruit? Such visions I think may fairly be concluded fallacious, only for being attended with so ridiculous an effect.
“My mother tells me she fears a formal schism is already begun among you, though you and Charles are ignorant of it. For God’s sake take care of that; and banish extemporary expositions, and extemporary prayers.
“I have got your abridgment of Haliburton, and have sent for Watts. If it please God to allow me life and strength, I shall by His help demonstrate that the pcot as little deserves preference to all Christians but our Saviour, as the Book all writings but those you mention. There are two flagrant falsehoods in the very first chapter. But your eyes are so fixed upon one point, that you overlook every thing else. You overshoot: but Whitfield raves.
“I intreat you to let me know what reasons you have to think you shall not live long. I received yours dated the 4th, on Sunday 14. The post will reach me much sooner, and I shall want much to know what ails you. I should be very angry with you if you cared for it, should you have broken your iron constitution already: as I was with the glorious Paschal for losing his health, and living almost twenty years in pain.
“Dear Jack,
Your sincere and affectionate Friend and. Brother,
S. Wesley.’*
In answer to Mr. Samuel’s argument, or rather assertion, that the assurance in question made no part of the Gospel covenant, Mr. J
Wesley says, — “Bristol, May 10th, 1739-
a Dear Brother,
u The having abundance of work upon my hands is only a cause of my not writing sooner. The cause was rather my unwillingness to continue an unprofitable dispute.
“The Gospel promises to you, and to me, and to our children, and to all that are afar off, even as many of those as the Lord our God shall call, as are not disobedient to the heavenly vision, the witness of God’s spirit with their spirit that they are the children of God; that they are now at this hour all accepted in the Beloved: but it witnesses not that they always shall be. It is an assurance of present salvation only; therefore not necessarily perpetual, neither irreversible.
“I am one of many witnesses of this matter of fact, that God does now make good this His promise daily, very frequently during a representation (how made I know not, but riot to the outward eye,) of Christ, either hanging on the Cross, or standing on the right hand of God. This I know to be of God because from that hour, the person so affected is a. new creature; both as to his inward tempers, and outward life. ‘Old things are passed away, and all things become new.’
u A very late instance of this I will give you. While we were praying at a Society here on Tuesday the first instant, the power of God (so I call it) came so mightily among us, that one, and another, and another, fell down as thunderstruck. In that hour, many that were in deep anguish of spirit were all filled with peace and joy. Ten persons, till then in sin, doubt, and fear, found such a change that sin had no more dominion over them: and instead of the spirit of fear, they are now filled with that of love, and joy, and a sound mind. A Quaker that stood by was very angry at them; and was biting his lips, and knitting his brows, when the Spirit of God came upon him also, so that he fell down as one dead. We prayed over him, and he soon lifted up his head with joy, and joined with us in thanksgiving.
“A bye-stander, one John Haydon, was quite enraged at this; and being unable to deny something supernatural in it, laboured beyond measure to convince all his acquaintance that it was a delusion of the Devil. I was met in the street next day by one who informed me that John Haydon was fallen raving mad. It seems he had sat down to dinner, but wanted first to make an end of a sermon he was reading. At the last page he suddenly changed colour; fell off his chair; and began screaming terribly, and beating himself against the ground. I found him on the floor, the room being full of people, whom his wife would have kept away: but he cried out, i No! let them all come; let all the world see the just judgment of God.’ Two or three were holding him as well as they could. He immediately fixed his eyes on me, and said, i Aye, this is he I said deceived the people: but God hath overtaken me. I said it was a delusion of the Devil; this is no delusion!’ Then he roared aloud, f O thou devil; thou cursed Devil! yea, thou legion of Devils! thou canst not stay in me. Christ will cast thee out; I know His work is begun. Tear me to pieces if thou wilt: but thou canst not hurt me.’
He then beat himself again; and groaning again with violent sweats, and heaving of the breast, we prayed with him, and God put a new song in his mouth. The words were, which he pronounced with a clear strong voice, — This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from this time forth for evermore. I called again an hour after. We found his body quite worn out, and his voice lost: but his soul was full of joy and love, rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.
“I am now in as good health, (thanks be to God) as I ever was since I remember, and I believe shall be so as long as I live, for I do not expect to have a lingering death. The reasons that induce me to think I shall not live to be old are such as you would not apprehend to be of any weight. I am under no concern on this bead: let my master see to it. O may the God of love be with you and my sister more and more!
“Dear Brother,
Your ever affectionate Brother,
John Wesley.”
About two months before his death Mr. Samuel Wesley wrote the fallowing Letter, which was probably the last he wrote on the subject; and appears to be an answer to the foregoing.
“Tiverton, Sept. 3d, 1739-
“Dear Jack,
“It has pleased God to visit me with sickness, else I should not have been so backward in writing. Pray to Him for us, 6 That He would give us patience under our sufferings, and a happy issue out of all our afflictions; granting us in this world knowledge of His truth, and in the world “to come life everlasting.’
“It is good news that you have built a Charity School, and better still that you have got a second almost up, as I find by yours, that Mr. Wigginton brought me. I wish you could build not only a school, but a Church too, for the colliers, if there is not any place at present for worship where they can meet; and I should heartily rejoice to have it endowed, though Mr. Whitfield were to be the minister of it, provided the Bishop fully joined.
“Your distinction between the discipline and the doctrine of the Church is, I think, not quite pertinent; for surely Episcopacy is a matter of doctrine too: but granting it otherwise, you know there is no fear of being cast out of our Synagogue for any tenets whatsoever. Did not Clarke die preferred? Were not Collins and Coward free from anathema? Are not Chubb and Gordon now caressed? My knowledge of this makes me suspect Whitfield, as if he designed to provoke persecution by his bodings of it. He has already personally disobliged the Bishops of Gloucester and London; and doubtless will do as much by all the rest, if they fall not down before his whimsies, and should offer to stand in his way. Now if he by his madness should lay himself open to the small remains of discipline among us, as by marrying without licence, or any other way, and get excommunicated for his pains, I am very apprehensive you would still stick to him as your dear brother; and so, though the Church would not excommunicate you, you would excommunicate the Church. Then I suppose you would enlarge your censure, which now takes in most of the inferior clergy. But you have taught me to have the worse opinion of no man upon that account, till you have proved your charge against Bishop Bull At present, I am inclined to think, that being blamed with him is glory.
“You yourself doubted at first, and inquired and examined about the ecstacies: the matter therefore is not so plain as motion to a man walking. But I have my own reason, as well as your authority, against the exceeding clearness of Divine interposition there. Your followers fall into agonies. I confess it. They are freed from them after you have prayed over them; — Granted. They say it is God’s doing. I own they say so. Dear Br. where is your ocular demonstration? Where indeed is the rational proof? Their living well afterwards, may be a probable and sufficient argument that they believe themselves. But it goes no farther. I must ask a few more questions. Did these agitations ever begin during the use of any Collects of the Church? or during the poaching of any sermon that had been preached within consecrated walls without that effect, or during the inculcating any other doctrine besides that of your new birth? Are the main body of these agents or patients good sort of people before hand, or loose and immoral?
“My wife joins in love to you and Charles, if he is with you, or indeed wherever he is; for you know best his motions, and he is likely to hear from you before me. Phill is very well; my wife indifferent; and I am on the mending hand in spite of foul weather. “I am, dear Jack, Your sincere and affectionate Friend and Brother,
Samuel Wesley.”
The tone of this Letter is greatly altered from that of most of the preceding. He no longer disputes against the doctrine of assurance; but the agitations he cannot conceive to be a work, or effect of the working, of the Divine Spirit. Mr. J. Wesley did not consider them as such: but simply asserted the fact, that many thus seized were delivered from them at the earnest prayers of believers, and at the same time received a sense of their acceptance with God; and this last was proved to be His work by the subsequent holiness of their lives.
The question, — Did any of these agitations take place while any of the Collects of the Church were read? — might be answered by another, — Was Paul reading a rational dissertation on righteousness, temperance, and a judgment to come, when Felix trembled? Acts xxiv. 25. One of our Artists, who attempted to paint this scene, did represent Paul reading out of a book to Felix: but, on being asked the question, — Was it likely that Paul read before Felix? and if so, was it likely that he trembled at that reading? — was in a moment convinced of the absurdity, struck the book out of the Apostle’s hands, and directed both them and his eyes to the Roman Governor.
The Collects are for the worship of the Church, the people of God, who come to perform their devotions to their God and Father; they were never designed to be instruments of awakening the profligate. That belongs to suitable discourses delivered from the pulpit. It requires strong and forcible addresses, varied and suited according to circumstances and occasions, to arrest and awaken the careless, and to cause them to turn their eyes in upon their hearts, and consider their ways. It was a very silly objection which Mr. Samuel made in a Letter to his mother, against the field preaching of his two Brothers and Mr. Whitfield. “They leave off (says he) the Liturgy in the fields. Though Mr. Whitfield expresses his value for it, he never once read it to his taterdemallions on a common.” If he had, who would have attended to him or it? — a thing which they could hear in any Church, or read themselves on their return home! No, it was the novelty of the thing that induced them to attend. They saw a man in the garb and attitude of a minister standing on the common, on the highways, or by the hedges; — and they ran together to hear what he had got to say, and he preached unto them Jesus, and in such a scripture way as was then heard in few Churches in the land. Thus they were awakened and converted to God. “Upon a review (says Dr. Whitehead) of the whole of this controversy, we may safely pronounce that the doctrine of assurance is in no respect invalidated or rendered doubtful by any thing Mr. Samuel Wesley has said against it.”
On the contrary we may assert, that it shines more illustrious; and that the very circumstance of such a very wise, learned, and able a logician as Mr, Samuel not having been able to bring one argument of any weight against it, though he availed himself, in the straits to which his Brother had reduced him, of sophisms to support him, is a strong proof that it is founded on the Sacred Scriptures, necessarily belongs to the New Covenant, and that there is neither divination nor enchantment against it. As to field-preaching, the vast and wondrous moral change that was made in the hearts and lives of the superlative sinners of Kings wood, to which Mr. Samuel Wesley in the Letter above turns his attention with delight, was produced under God by out-of-door preaching. And yet, with all this evidence before his eyes, so bigoted was he to forms, and ecclesiastical order, that he says in the above Letter to his Mother, that he u would rather have his Brothers picking straws within the walls of the University, than preaching in the Area of MoorfieldsP Had they been of his mind, how many thousands of souls must in all likelihood have perished, to whom that kind of preaching became the means of salvation; and who are now exulting in the glory of God, because his faithful servants went out to the highways, and to the hedges, and compelled them to come in that His house might be filled!
For other matters relative to what was called Mr. Wesley’s doctrine of Assurance; (or in other and better words his strongly insisting on, and applying to suitable subjects, this Apostolic doctrine, a God sent forth His Son to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons: And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father!”) see several Observations in the close of the Memoir of Mrs. Susanna Wesley.
We find from Mr. Samuel Wesley’s letter of Sept. 3,-1739, that he had been visited with sickness; from which I believe he did not fully recover, though he then fancied himself “on the mending hand.” But the event shewed that he was then on the confines of the grave. According to the statement of a friend, who wrote the short Memoir prefixed to the 12mo edition of his Poems, “continual application to various business, and an intense pursuit at the same time of his studies, had well nigh worn him out by the time he had reached little more than half the age of man; so that being advised to retire, for air and gentle exercise, to recruit his constitution, he was easily prevailed upon to accept a country school in the West of England, where he soon fell into a lingering illness, which in a few years brought him to his end.”
Dr. Whitehead observes, “Mr. Wesley had a bad state of health some time before he left Westminster, and his removal to Tiverton did not much mend it. On the night of the 5th of November, 1739, he went to bed seemingly as well as usual, was taken ill about three in the morning, and died at seven after about four hours’ illness.”
The following Letter from a particular friend, Mr. Amos Matthews, to Mr. Charles Wesley, states the circumstances more explicitly.
“Tiverton, Nov. 14, 1739-
a Rev. and dear Sir, a Your Brother, and my dear Friend, (for so you are sensible he was to me,) on Monday the fifth of November, went to bed, as he thought, as well as he had been for some time before. He was seized about three o’clock in the morning very ill, when your sister immediately sent for Mr. Norman, and ordered the servant to call me. Mr. Norman came as quick as he possibly could: but said, as soon as he saw him, that he could not get over it, but would die in a few hours. He was not able to take any thing, nor to speak to us; only yes or no to a question asked him; and that did not last half an hour. I never went from his bedside till he expired, which was about seven the same morning. With a great deal of difficulty we persuaded your dear sister to leave the room before he died. I trembled to think how she would bear it, knowing the sincere affection and love she had for him. But, blessed be God, he hath heard and answered prayer on her behalf; and in a great measure calmed her spirit, though she has not yet been out of her chamber. Your Brother was buried on Monday last, in the afternoon; and is gone to reap the fruit of his labours. I pray God we may imitate him in all his virtues, and be prepared to follow.. I should enlarge much more, but have not time; for which reason I hope you will excuse him, who is under the greatest obligations to be, and really is, with the greatest sincerity,
“Yours in all things,
Amos Matthews.”
On receiving this intelligence Mr. John and Charles Wesley set off to visit and comfort their widowed sister at Tiverton, which they reached on the 2 1st; and under this date Mr. J. Wesley makes the following entry in his Journal: —
“On Wednesday 21st, (Nov. 1739) in the afternoon, we came to Tiverton. My poor Sister was sorrowing almost as one without hope. Yet we could not but rejoice at hearing front one who had attended my Brother in all his weakness, that several days before he went hence God had given him a calm and full assurance of his interest in Christ. O may every one who opposes it be thus convinced that this doctrine is of God!”
Pray what does this imply? An earnest desire that the God of all grace may convince all opposers of this doctrine, that it is of God; by giving them before they go hence a calm and full assurance of their interest in Christ. Can any wish be more humane, more charitable, or more merciful? But how has this entry been treated by a late Biographer of Mr. Wesley? — I am sorry to be obliged to mention Mr. Robert Southey, with any thing that seems like disrespect. But on this subject he has been illiberal; and I think I can set him right. “Wesley (says he) cannot be suspected of intentional deceit: yet who is there who, upon reading this passage, would suppose that Samuel had died after an illness of four hours? Well might he protest against the apprehension or the charity of those who were so eager to hold him up to the world as their convert.”
None of his Brothers, nor of the Methodists of that time, ever was eager to hold up Mr. Samuel Wesley as their convert. His Brothers laboured to bring him from the errors under which he lay; and most certainly there were articles in his creed that were neither in his Church nor in his Bible, as the preceding Letters prove. That he ceased his opposition to the doctrine of the witness of the Spirit, without which religion is little better than a shadow, is evident from his Letter of Sept. 3, which was two months before he died. That Mr. Wesley does not even insinuate that he received a calm and full assurajice of Ms interest in Christ in his last four hours is most evident. He says, it was several days before he went hence; and he says this, on the authority of one who had attended him in all his weakness, — and he had weakness for Several years as we have seen: but he was particularly weak and afflicted some months before he died; and surely several days before he died, when his particular weakness must have led him to conclude that death might be at the door, was ample time for the mercy of God in Christ Jesus to be manifested to his soul, that he might not die in the dark. May we not retort, and say, “Southey cannot be suspected of intentional deceit; yet who is there who, upon reading this passage, would not suppose that Mr. J. Wesley states, that his brother Samuel got a calm and full assurance of his interest in Christ in the last four hours of his life?”’ “But he died, ( says Mr. Southey) in that essential faith which has been common to all Christians in all ages.” I believe he did. But Mr. Southey seems not to understand the distinction between the faith, — that is, the system of doctrines, duties, privileges, &c. which constitute the Christian Revelation; — and the Faith that justifies the ungodly. He who does not know this distinction, knows little of Christianity for his own personal salvation. ‘Mr. Southey is also an opposer of the doctrine of the witness of the Spirit. So essential do I think this to Mr. Southey’s salvation, that I heartily pray to God that not only several days, but several years, (for I wish him a very long life,y before he goes hence, he may receive from God, a calm and full assurance of his interest in Christ; and be thus convinced that the doctrine is of God. In this case, as in many others, relative to .Mr. Wesley and Methodism, Mr. Southey has spoken against what he does not understand. I may tell him, and all who are of his mind, that the .Methodists never refer to Mr. Samuel Wesley as a proof of the truth of this doctrine. They refer to no man, not to Mr. John Wesley himself: they appeal to none — they appeal to the Ptible, where this doctrine stands as inexpugnable as the pillars of Heaven. Nor do they need solitary instances as facts, to prove that on this point they have not mistaken the Bible, while they, by the mercy of God, have thousands of testimonies every year of its truth: and they know it to be the common birth-right of all the sons and daughters of God. Without it the whole life of Faith would be hypothetical. And if a man have not the consolations of the Holy Spirit, and a scriptural and satisfactory evidence of his own interest in Christ, and of his title, through Him, to the kingdom of Heaven, the Koran, for ought he knows, may be as true as the Bible. No man can inherit unless he be a son: “For if sons, then heirs and to them that are sons” God sends the spirit of His Son into their hearts, crying Abba, Father.^ These are the true sayings of God, and all His people know them.
Before 1 quit that Collection of Letters published by Dr. Priestley, where Mr. Samuel Wesley’s opposition to his brothers is principally recorded, I must say a word on the gratulatory appeal which the D i rtor makes to the Methodists, in his Address prefixed to those Letters.
“This very publication.” says he, “will convince you that you who are now called Methodists are a very different set of people, and much more rational than those who were first distinguished by that name.” I answer, we are not a very different people, nor different at all, either in one article of our essential doctrines, or in one tittle of our Church discipline. That our people grow wiser and better, and become more useful, we acknowledge with gratitude to the Author of every good and perfect gift; and this is naturally to be expected when they have the advantages of a pure and enlightened ministry, where they are in the constant habit of hearing that Gospel-trumpet which emits no uncertain sounds. The Doctor goes on, “We do not now hear of those sudden and miraculous conversions.” — Whether the Doctor did or did not hear of what he calls sudden and miraculous conversions, we, thank God, do hear of, and see them almost daily in different parts of our Connexion; yea, and in several cases, accompanied with what he calls “convulsions, falling down,77 &c. though we do not think that these circumstances are at all essential to the thing, for we find in numerous cases the instantaneous work effected without them. They are neither looked for, sought for, nor encouraged. They are adventitious circumstances; in most cases of their occurrence unavoidable, for the very reasons, which Mr. J. Wesley gave at the time they were most frequent, under his own ministry. “For,” says he, “how easy is it to suppose that a strong, lively, and sudden apprehension of the heinousness of sin, the wrath of God, and the bitter pains of eternal death, should affect the body as well as the soul, during the present laws of vital union; should interrupt or disturb the ordinary circulations, and put nature out of its course. Yea, we may question whether, while this union subsists, it be possible for the mind to be affected in so violent a degree, without some or other of those bodily symptoms following. It is also remarkable that there is plain Scripture precedent of every symptom which has lately appeared. So that we cannot allow even the conviction attended with these to be madness, without giving up both reason and Scripture.” Dr. Priestley goes on, and says, “Nor will many of you, I presume, at this day pretend to date your new-birth with as much precision as your natural birth.” The inaccuracy of these expressions I leave undisturbed. “But you will here find the day, the hour, and the minute, when both Mr. John and Mr. Charles Wesley first received, or imagined they first received, their Divine light; and, as they say, became Christians, from being before that moment no Christians” More inaccuracy! Hour and minute are added here by Dr. Priestley, none of which appear in the letters in this Publication: but I let that pass also, though inexcusable in an experimental Philosopher; for although these things are not mentioned, yet they were doubtless as determinable as the day. I must here also say, that Methodism is in this respect also the same, God does His own work in the same icay now that he did then. And there is nothing more usual among even the best educated and enlightened of the members of the Methodists’ Society than a distinct knowledge of the time, place, and circumstances, when, where, and in which, they were deeply convinced of sin, and afterwards had a clear sense of God’s mercy to their souls, in forgiving their sins, and giving them the witness in themselves that they were born of God. So that, in this sense also the Metho* dists not only continue to preach, believe, and be, what they formerly were, but differ tofo ccelo from Doctor Priestley, and the religious tenets he held. And let this be an answer to his question in p. xxv.
“In what then, my brethren, do we differ?” — In almost every article of our Creed, the being of a God and the Divine authority of the Holy Scriptures excepted. And if we ever change our Creed into that to which the Doctor wishes to lead us, may our name be blotted out from the earth, and our memorial perish from among the children of men! Selah.
I shall now proceed to take a general view of the Writings and Character of this eminent man.
It is said of Mr. Samuel Wesley by those who knew him well, that “he possessed an open benevolent temper, which he had from nature, which he had so cultivated on principle, and was so intent upon it as a duty to help every body as he could, that the number and continual success of his good offices was astonishing even to his friends, who saw with what pleasure and zeal he did them: and he was an instance how exceedingly serviceable in life a person of a very inferior station may be, who sets his heart upon it. As his diligence on such occasions was never tired out, so he had a singular address and dexterity in soliciting them. His own little income was liberally made use of; and as his acquaintance whom he applied to were always confident of his care and integrity, he never wanted means to carry on his good purposes; so that his life was a series of useful charity.”
Mr. Wesley’s wit was keen, and his sense strong. As a Poet, he stands entitled to a very distinguished niche in the Temple of Fame; and it has long appeared to me strange that his Poetical Works have not found a place either in Johnson’s, Anderson’s, or Chalmers’ Collection of the British Poets. To say that those Collectors did not think them entitled to a place there would be a gross reflection on their judgment; as in the last and best collection, consisting of one hundred and twenty-seven Poets, it would be easy to prove that Samuel Wesley is equal to most, and certainly superior to one half, of that number. But the name! — the name would have scared many superficial and fantastic readers, as they would have been sadly afraid of meeting in some corner or other with Methodism, which is so intimately connected with the name of Wesley. With multitudes a name is the omen of good or bad luck, according to their fancies or prepossessions.
In 1736 Mr. Samuel Wesley published A collection of Poems on several Occasions, in quarto, for which it appears he got a handsome List of Subscribers. Before this, several of them had been published separately, or in other Collections, without the name of the Author. One of these Poems, indeed the largest in the Collection, is intituled The Battle of the Sexes. It contains fifty verses, in the stanza of Spencer. It had been published by itself, without the Author’s knowledge; and produced a handsome compliment from Mr. Christopher Pitt, To the unknown Author of The Battle op the Sexes: it is too long to transcribe; but I cannot withhold the following lines, —
What muse but your’s so justly could display
Th’ embattled Passions marshall’d in array?
To airy notions solid forms dispense,
And make ouv thoughts the images of sense t
Discover all the rational machine,
And shew the movements, springs, and wheels within.
His personification and description of Religion in this Poem has been admired by all Readers, —
“Mild, sweet, serene, and cheerful was her mood;
Nor grave with sternness, nor with lightness free,
Against example resolutely good,
Fervent in zeal, and warm in charity.”
In this Work there are four Tales admirable for their humour, and for their appropriate and instructive moral; though in some instances the descriptions are rather coarse: — The Cooler, The Pig, The Mastiff, and The Basket.
As the Work is in the hands of few of those under whose notice these Memoirs are likely to fall, I shall insert the Pig as a specimen, —
THE PIG: — A Tale.
Some husbands on a winter’s day
Were met to laugh their spleen away.
As wine flows in and spirits rise,
They praise their consorts to the skies
Obedient wives were seldom known,
Yet all could answer for their own:
Acknowledg’d each as sovereign lord,
Abroad, at home, in deed, in word j
In short, as absolute their reign, as
Grand seignior’s over his sultanas
For pride or shame to be out-done,
All join’d in the discourse but one;
Who, vex’d so many lies to hear,
Thus stops their arrogant career:
Tis mighty strange, sirs, what you say
What! all so absolutely sway,
In England, where Italians wise
Have plac’d the woman’s Paradise;
In London, where the sex’s flower
Have of that Eden fix’d the bow’r:
Fie, men of sense, to be so vain!
You’re not in Turkey or in Spain;
True Britons all, I’ll lay my life
None here is master of his wii’e.
These words the general fury rouse,
And all the common cause espouse;
Till one with voice superior said,
(Whose lungs were sounder than his head),
I’ll send my footmen instant home,
To bid his mistress hither come:
And if she flies not at ray call,
To own my power before you all,
I’ll grant I’m hen-peck’d if you please,
As S- or as Socrates.
Hold there, replies th’ objector sly,
Prove first that matrons never lie;
Else words are wind: to tell you true,
I neither credit them nor you;
No, we’ll be judg’d a surer way,
By what they do, not what they say,
I’ll hold you severally, that boast,
A Supper at the loser’s cost,
That if you’ll but vouchsafe to try
A trick I’ll tell you by and by,
Send strait for every wife quite round,
One mother’s daughter is not found,
But what before her husband’s face
Point blank his order disobeys.
To this they one and all consent:
The wager laid, the summons went.
Meanwhile he this instruction gives,
Pray only gravely tell your wives,
Your will and pleasure is, t’ invite
These friends to a Boil’d Pig to night;
The commoner the trick has been,
The better chance you have to win:
The treat is mine, if they refuse;
But if they boil it, then I lose.
The first to whom the message came
Was a well-born and haughty dame:
A saucy independent she,
With jointure and with pin-money,
Secur’d by marriage-deeds from wants;
Without a sep’rate maintenance.
Her loftiness disdain’d to hear
Half-through her husband’s messenger;
But cut him short with — How dare he
‘Mong pot companions send for me?
He knows his way, if sober, home;
And if he wants me, bid him come.
This answer, hastily return’d,
Pleas’d all but him whom it concern’d.
For each man thought, his wife on trial
Would brighter shine by this denial.
The second was a lady gay,
Who lov’d to visit, dress, and play,
To sparkle in the box, or ring,
And dance on birth-nights for the King;
Whose head was busy wont to be
With something else than cookery.
She, hearing of her husband’s name,
Tho’ much a gentlewoman came.
When half-informed of his request,
A dish as he desired it drest,
Quoth madam, with a serious face,
Without inquiring what it was,
You can’t sure for an answer look,
Sir, do you take me for your cook?
But I must haste a friend to see,
Who stays my coming for her tea.
So said, that minute out she flew:
What could the slighted husband do?
His wager lost must needs appear,
For none obey that will not hear.
The next for housewifery renown Yi,
A woman notable was own’d,
Who hated idleness and airs,
And minded family affairs.
Expert at ev’ry thing was she,
At needle-work, or surgery;
Fam’d for her liquors far and near
From richest cordial to small-beer.
To serve a feast she understood,
In English or in foreign mode,
What’er the wanton taste could choose
In sauces, kickshaws, and ragouts;
She spar’d for neither cost nor pain,
Her welcome guests to entertain.
Her husband fair accosts her thus;
To-night these friends will sup with us.
She answer’d with a smile, My dear,
Your friends are always welcome there.
But we desire a pig, and pray
You’d boil it. — Boil it, do you say?
I hope you’ll give me leave to know
My business better, sir, than so.
Why! ne’er in any book was yet
Found such a whimsical receipt.
My dressing none need be afeard of,
But such a dish was never heard of.
I’ll roast it nice, — but shall not boil it
Let those that know no better spoil it
Her husband cry’d, For all my boast,
I own the wager fairly lost;
And other wives besides my love,
Or I’m mistaken much, may prove
More chargeable than this to me,
To shew their pride in housewifery.
Now the poor wretch who next him sat,
Felt his own heart go pit-a-pat;
For well he knew his spouse’s way;
Her spirit brook’d not to obey!
She never yet was in the wrong:
He told her with a trembling tongue,
Where, and on what his friends would feast,
And how the dainty should be drest.
To night? quoth, in a passion, she;
No, sirs, to-night it cannot be.
And was it a boiVd pig you said?
You and your friends sure are not mad ’
The kitchen is the proper sphere,
Where none but females should appear
And cooks their orders, by your leave,
Always from mistresses receive.
Boil it! was ever such an ass!
Pray, what would you desire for sauce?
If any servant in my pay
Dare dress a Pig that silly way,
In spite of any whim ofyour’s
I’ll turn them quickly out of doors:
For no such thing, nay, never frown;
35S
Where I am mistress, shall be done.
Each woman wise her husband rules,
Passive obedience is for fools.
This case was quickly judg’d. — Behold,
A fair one of a softer mould;
Good humour sparkled in her eye,
And unaffected pleasantry.
So mild and sweet she enter’d in,
Her spouse thought certainly to win.
Pity such golden hopes should fail!
Soon as she heard th’ appointed tale,
My dear, I know not, I protest,
Whether in earnest or in jest
So strange a supper you demand:
Howe’er I’ll not disputing stand,
But do’t as freely as you bid it,
Prove but that ever woman did it
This cause, by general consent,
Was lost for want of precedent.
Thus each denied a several way;
But all agreed to disobey.
One only dame did yet remain,
Who downright honest was and plain:
If now and then her voice she tries,
‘Tis not for rule but exercise.
Unus’d her lord’s commands to slight,
Yet sometimes pleading for the right,
She made her little wisdom go
Further than wiser women do.
Her husband tells her, looking grave,
A roasting pig I boil’d would have,
And to prevent all pro and con,
I must insist to have it done.
Says she, my dearest, shall your wife
Get a nick-name to last for life?
If you resolve to spoil it do;
But I desire you’ll eat it too:
For though ’tis boiVd to hinder squabble,
I shall not, will not, sit at table.
She spoke, and her good man alone
Found he had neither lost nor won,
So fairly parted stakes. The rest
Fell on the wag that caus’d the jest — Would your icife boil it? let us see.
Hold there — you did not lay with me
You find, in spite of all you boasted,,
Your pigs are fated to be roasted.
The wager’s lost, no more contend.
But take this counsel from a friend i
Boast not your empire,jf you prize it;
For happiest he that never tries it,
Wive3 unprovok’d think not of sway.
Without commanding they obey.
But if your dear ones take the field,
Resolve at once to win or yield:
For heaven no medium ever gave
Betwixt a sovereign and a slave.
Mr. S. Wesley had the highest reverence for Divine Revelation: he considered its detractors, whom he generally found to be profligates, unworthy of the name of men; and they received the severest lashes of his satirical muse. The following specimens will shew his mode of thinking and feeling on these subjects.
ON
MR. HOBBES.
OCCASIONED BY A COPY OF VERSES WRITTEN BY THE EARL
OF MULGRAVE.
Tis justly thought! to praise is ever hard,
When real virtue fires the glowing bard:
But harder far, whene’er the poet’s mind
Lab’ring creates the worth he cannot find.
T’will task a Cowley’s genius, to commend
False Brutus cringing while he stabs his friend,
To make the trifler Hobbes unworthy shine,
Will ask the utmost of a wit like thine!
The reader’s malice makes the satire please
Yet praises void of truth are flatteries,
Which steal from genuine worth the honours due $
Romantic heroes thus obscure the true.
The wise and good morality will guide,
Arid superstition all the world beside.
As wise and great no longer then must shine,
Good Socrates, or Plato the divine;
On ancient Greece is pass’d a general doom,
And Tully pleading for the gods of Rome.
All statues to their fame are overthrown,
And Hobbes or Epicurus stands alone!
Shall Christian virtues too the slander share,
And wait, as captives, his triumphal car?
As by superior excellence compell’d,
Shall Anna bow; shall Charles the Martyr yield I
Hyde, wise in calms, and faithful in the storm.
fpreat to record, but greater to perform?
Wide-conqu’ring Raleigh, and far-searching Boyle,
And Newton, glory of our age and isle?
Are these the vulgar superstitious crowd,
That own the maxims of th; incarnate God?
Rather than heav’n, let earth be disesteem’d,
And Hobbes exploded, than our God blasphera’d
Hobbes! in whose ev’ry page display d we see
His privilege of man, absurdity!
Tis hard to point where most his merits shine,
In human learning, or in laws divine.
All matter thinks as such, he gravely says,
The smallest grain of sand, and spire of grass;
Only t’ express their thoughts they wanted pow’r,
Till he arose their sweet-tongu’d orator.
Rome’s wildest legends are excelld at once,
With thinking blocks and philosophic stones-Say, whence his far-fam’d politics began,
Whence bis admir’d and lov’d Leviathan:
Wearied with exile, basely he comply’d,
And, coward, started from the suff’ring side;
With abject lies usurping force ador’d,
And measur’d justice by the longest sword.
Bless’d moralist! who taught ev’n good and ill
To veer obsequious to the tyrant’s will:
Prone to renounce his sense at Cromwell’s nod,
And traitor to his prince, as to his God.
Hear, all ye wits, his gospel! Tales received,
In private feign’d, and publicly believ’d,
These are Religion. He alike esteems
The Prophets’ visions and the Rabbis’ dreams;
Nor matters who the rising sect begun,
Or Mary’s offspring, or Abdalla’s son.
No smallest difference can his wisdom find;
For colours are all equal to the blind.
Yet tales, when once established by the state,
He holds for sacred, and as fix’d as fate:
Nor shall the Almighty Lord His pleasure shew,
Without dependence on the gods below.
The civil creed no subject must deny,
Or disbelieve it, though ’tis own’d a lie.
Hither from farthest East, ye Bramins, come,
Hither, ye western locusts — monks of Rome;
Behold this frontless, all-imposing man,
And match him with your priestcraft, if you can
Prodigious sage! who taught mankind to know
The dang’rous cheats of Robin Goodfellow f
Of fairies tripping light a moon-shine round.
Where rising verdure marks the circled ground!
Charm’d down by him, each airy spirit flies,
And grosser witches vanish from our eyes:
Crones, untransfornrd, their own bad figures keep,
And broomstaffs peaceful in their corners sleep;
Yet vulgar tales this mighty champion scare,
This foe to shades, this conqu’ror of the air;
Ghosts immaterial he as dreams decries,
Yet dreads their pow’r, whose being he denies.
The noon-day boaster, strait a coward grown,
Shudders and trembles in the dark alone:
Spectres and phantoms glare before his sight,
Which, when the candle enters, cease to fright.
‘Twas thus he liv’d, our nation’s boasted pride 1
And (oh! that truth could hide it!) thus he died.
Dreams, whimsies, fancies, nothings, then he fear’d
And leap’d into the dark, and disappear’d.
Not thus his matchless wisdom Bacon sbew’d,
He found in all things, and he own’d, a God:
As further learn’d, still reader to adore;
And still the more he knew, believ’d the more;
Glories to virtue due secure to find,
Unbounded and immortal as the mind.
Could Hobbes, alas! an equal prospect see
In the sad gloom of dark futurity,
Who dreamt that man once dust shall never rise;
That when the carcase falls the spirit dies;
If quite extinct, insensible of fame,
Yet barr’d the poor reversion of a name.
While yet alive by vanity betray d,
He saw his fleeting groundless honours fade;
Nor sacred verse their lustre can prolong:
No, not a Cowley’s uora Mulgrave’s song
ON SOME
BLASPHEMOUS DISCOURSES
ON
OUR SAVIOURS MIRACLES.
Hail, Christian prelates, for your Master’s name
Expos’d by fool-born jest to grinning shame!
Hail, fathers! to be envy’d. not deplor’d,
Who share the treatment destin’d to your Lord,
What time his mortal race on earth began,
When first the Son of God was Son of Man ’
Behold from night the great Accuser rise,
Retouching old, and coining modern lies;
No slander unessay’d, no path untrod,
To blast the glories of incarnate God!
H An open enemy to Moses’ laws;
“A secret patron of Samaria’s cause;
‘Who dar’d at Levi’s race his curses send,
” The sot’s companion and the sinner’s friend;
“Who purpos’d Sion’s temple to oerthrow,
” Traitor to Csesar, and to God a foe;
f Who wonders wrought by force of magic spell,
“Possest with demons, and in league with hell.”
Remains there ought, ye pow’rs of darkness, yet?
Yes; make your ancient blasphemies complete — “The sacred leaves no prophecies contain,
u No miracles, to prove Messiah’s reign.”
To this each sacred leaf aloud replies,
Nor need we trust our reason, but our eyes.
JTis urg’d, His mightiest wonders never shew’d
Our Saviour Nature’s Lord, and real God,
Whose word commanded earth, and sea, and air,
Bid gloomy demons to their hell repair,
Spoke all diseases into health and bloom,
And call’d the mould’ring carcase from the tomb,
O’er tyrant Death exerted Godlike sway,
And op’d the portals of eternal day.
Here nobler mysteries a sage descries,
“The letter false or trivial in his eyes.”
Suppose in ev’ry act were understood
Some future, mystic, and subliraer good;
Yet who the letter into air refines,
Destroys at once the substance and the signs,
Will find the truth is with the figure flown,
Because by nothing, nothing is foreshewn;
Else lunatics might deep divines commence,
And downright nonsense be the type of sense.
What wilder dream did ever madman seize,
Than — “Symbols all are mere non-entities.”
This Sion’s hill fast by the roots will tear,
And scatter Sinai’s mountain into air:
No David ever reign ‘d on Judah’s throne,
For David shadow’d his diviner Son.
So fair, so glorious light’s material ray,
That heav’n is liken ‘d to a cloudless day.
Embodied souls require some outward sign
To represent and image things divine.
All objects must we therefore subtilize,
And raze the face of Nature from our eyes ’
Dispute is over, the creation gone,
In noon-day splendour we behold no sun
Thus, fast as Pow’r almighty can create,
May Frenzy with a nod annihilate.
No marks of foul imposture then were known,
The cures were public, to a nation shewn:
And who, the facts expos’d to ev’ry eye,
If false could credit, or if true deny?
While thousands liv’d, by miracle restor’d,
Heal’d by a touch, a shadow, or a word!
Denial then had shocking prov’d and vain;
But now the serpent tries another train,
To turns and doubts and circumstances flies,
And groundless, endless may-be’s multiplies.
Now ev’ry idle question dark appears,
Obscure by shade of seventeen hundred years,
Which then each ignorant and child must know,
And ev’ry friend resolve, and ev’ry foe.
No trace of possible deceit was there:
Would those who spilt his blood His honour spare:
When prejudice and int’rest urg’d his fate,
And superstition edg’d their keenest hate,
When ev’ry footstep was beset with spies,
And restless Envy watch’d with all her eyes;
When Jewish priests with Herod’s courtier’s join’d,
And pow’r, and craft, and earth, and hell combin’d
Speak, Caiaphas! thy prophecy be shewn,
He died for Israel’s sake, and not His own.
Pilate, arise! His righteous cause maintain,
And clear the injur’d Innocent again!
Truth fixt, eternal stands, and can defy
Time’s rolling course to turn it to a lie.
Must ev’ry age the once-heard cause recal,
Replacing Jesus in the Judgment-hall;
Cite living witnesses anew to plead,
And raise from dust the long-sepulchred dead?
That fools undue conviction may receive,
And those who reason slight may sense believe, —
Those, who the test of former ages scorn,
(For men were idiots all till they were born)
Whose strength of argument in this we view,
‘Tis so long diice, perhaps it is not true.
Ye worthies, in the book of life enroll’d,
Who nobly fill’d the bishops’ thrones of old
Ye priests, on second thrones, who, true to God,
In tortures and in death your priestcraft shew’d;
Ye flocks, disdaining from the fold to stray,
Still following where your pastors led the way,
Whose works thro’ length of years transmitted come
Escap’d from Gothic waste, and papal Rome,
Justly renown’d! behold, how malice tries
To blast your fame, and vex your paradise ’
Let heretics each human slip declare,
And ridicule the test they cannot bear:
To these what modish ignorants succeed,
And fops your writings blame who cannot read.
These open enmities to glory tend;
The wound strikes deeper from a seeming friend.
Let Deist refugees your fame oppose,
And Dutch professors list themselves your foes:
But, ah! let none asperse with vile applause,
And quote with praises in the devil’s cause;
In gleaning scraps bad diligence employ,
The tenor of your doctrines to destroy;
Make you your much-lov’d Lord and God deride,
For whom your saints have liv’d, and martyrs died.
Yet so pursued by love-dissembling hate,
You fill the measure of your master’s fate.
Glory to Jesu! the blasphemer cries;
But glaring malice mocks the thin disguise.
Iscariot thus false adoration paid,
Hail’d when he seiz’d, saluted and betray’d.
May Jesu’s blood discharge ev’n this offence.
When wash’d with tears of timely penitence!
Ee’r yet experience sad assent create,
Convince in earnest, but convince too late;
E’er yet, descended from dissolving skies,
To plead His cause Himself shall God arise.
Then scorn must cease, and laughter must be o’er,
And witty fools reluctantly adore.
So, as authentic old records declare,
(If past with future judgment we compare)
Possest with frantic and demoniac spleen?
Apostate Julian scoff’d the Nazarene;
His keenest wit th’ imperial jester tries;
Sure to his breast the vengeful arrow flies;
He, while his wound with vital crimson streams,
Proud in despair, confesses and blasphemes;
Impious, but unbelieving now no more,
He owns the Galilean Conqueror.
The Verses on setting up Mr. Butler’s Monument in Westminster Abbey have been attributed to another Author: but we have Mr. Wesley’s hand and name claiming them as his own; and though well known, I shall introduce them here because of an important variation in the second line in the MS. from that in the printed copy.
“While Butler, needy wretch! was yet alive,
No purse-proud printer would a dinner give.
See him, when starv’d to death, and turn’d to dust.
Presented with a monumental bust!
The Poet’s fate is here in emblem shewn,
He ask’d for bread, and he received a stone.”
In the printed copies “no generous patron” is found instead of “purse-proud printer.”
The Methodists should know that the Hymns which begin with the following lines were composed by Mr. Samuel Wesley: —
“The morning flowers display their sweets,” Sic.
“From whence these dire portents around,” Sic.
(t The sun of righteousness appears,” Sic.
“The Lord of Sabbath let us praise,” Sic
“Hail. Father whose creating call,” Sic.
“Hail, God the Son, in glory crown’d,” Sic.
“Hail, Holy Ghost! Jehovah! third,” Sic
“Hail, holy, holy, holy, Lord,” Sic.
I do not recollect to have seen in print the following Lines to Mi Pope: —
“Depend not upon Verse for fame,
(Tho’ none can equal thine;)
Our language never rests the same,
‘Twill rise, or ‘twill decline.
Thy wreaths, in some few fleeting hours.
Too soon will be decay’d;
But Hist’ry lasts, — tho’ modern flow’rs
Of Poetry must fade.
A surer way then would’st thou find,
Thy glory to prolong;
While there remains amongst mankind
A sense of right and wrong?
Thy fame with Nature’s self shall end,
Let future times but know — 1
That Atterbury was thy friend,
And Bentley was thy foe.”
His Verses on Forms of Prayer, against Dr. Watts, who made Forms of Praise, by turning the Psalms into a sort of Christian Hymns, are strong and pointed: — li Form stints the Spirit, Watts has said, And therefore oft is wrong; At best a Crutch the weak to aid, A Cumbrance to the strong.
Of human Liturgies the load
Perfection scorns to bear;
The Apostles were but weak, when God
Prescribed his Form of Prayer.
Old David both in Prayer and Praise
A Form for Crutches brings:
But Watts has dignified his lays,
And furnished him with wings.
Ev’n Watts a Form for Praise can choose.
For Prayer who throws it by;
Crutches to walk he can refuse,
But uses them to fly!”
Mr. Wesley was highly esteemed by Lord Oxford, Mr. Pope, and Dean Swift; and indeed by some of the greatest men of his time. With the two former he was in habits of intimate correspondence: of this the following Letters are a proof.
Dover-street Aug. 7th, 1734.
“Reverend Sir,
“I am sorry and ashamed to say it, but the truth must come out, that I have had a Letter of yours dated June 8th, — and this is August 7th; — and I have but now set pen to paper to answer it.
u I assure you I was very glad to hear from you; and since that you are much mended in your health, change of air will certainly be of great service to you, and I hope you will use some other exercise than that of the school. I hear you have an increase of above forty boys since you have been down there. I am very glad for your sake that you are so well approved of. I hope it will in every respect answer your expectation. If your health be established, I make no doubt that all parts will prove to your mind, which will be a great pleasure to me.
“There is very little news stirring. They all agree that the Bishop of Winchester is dying. They say Hoadley is to succeed him, and Potter Hoadly: but how farther I cannot tell; nor does the town pretend, which is a wonderful thing. I am very glad you was reduced to read over Hudibras three times with care; and I find you are perfectly of my mind, that it much wants notes, and that it will be a great work. Certainly it will be, to do it as it should be. 1 do not know one so capable of doing it as yourself. I speak this very sincerely. Lilly’s life I have; and any books that I have you shall see, and have the perusal of them, and any other part that I can assist. I own I am very fond of the work, and it would be oexcellent use and entertainment.
“The news you read in the Papers of a match with my daughter and the Duke of Portland was completed at Mary-le-bonne Chapel. I think there is the greatest prospect of .happiness to them both. I think it must be mutual: one part cannot be happy without the other. There is a great harmony of temper, a liking to each other, which I think is a true foundation for happiness. Compliments from all here attend you.
“I am, Sir,
” Your most affectionate humble servant,
Oxford.
il The two boys are very well. Pray let me hear from you soon: and let me know from under your own hand how you do.”
This Letter shews that much familiarity and confidence subsisted between his Lordship and Mr. Wesley; and it is most likely that it was by Lord Oxford’s influence that he obtained the Mastership of Blundell’s school; a place for which he was every way qualified except in health; but, in his infirm state, the most improper situation in which he could have been placed. A Church Preferment would have suited his habits much better; and as he had naturally a robust constitution, he might have lived many years longer, and his latter days might have been more useful than his first. A situation of this kind could not have been out of the power of Lord Oxford. To a person of impaired health, and infirm constitution, the office of Public School Master is as deleterious as the bottom of a coal-mine.
The following Letter from Mr. Pope is without the date of the year: and we scarcely know what it refers to; but I suppose to the subscription for Mr. Wesley’s Collection of Poems; and if so, it must have been written about 1735.
“Dear Sir,
a Your Letter had not been so long unanswered, but that I was not returned from a journey of some weeks, when it arrived at this place. You may depend on the money for the Earl of Peterborow. Mr. Bethel, Dr. Swift, and Mr. Eckershall; which J will pay beforehand to any one you shall direct; and I think you may set down Dr. Delaney, whom I will write to. I desired my Lord Oxford, some months since, to tell you this. It was just upon my going to Sake a last leave of Lord Peterborow, in so much hurry, that I had not time to write; and my Lord Oxford undertook to tell it to you for me. I agree with you in the opinion of Savage’s strange performance, which does not deserve the benefit of the Clergy. Mrs. Wesley has my sincere thanks for her good wishes in favour of this wretched tabernacle my body. The soul that is so unhappy as to inhabit it deserves her regard something better, because it harbours much good will for her husband and herself; no man being more truly, “Dear Sir,” Your faithful and affectionate servant,
A. Pope.”
Though both this Letter and that of Lord Oxford be in the main excessively fiat, and carelessly composed; yet the last paragraph here contains some fine ideas, expressed with the utmost felicity of language.
The Bishop of Winchester, mentioned by Lord Oxford, was Richard Willis, formerly of All Soul’s College Oxford, and Military Chaplain to King William, who raised him first to the Bishopric of Salisbury; after which he was translated in 1723 to the See of Winchester; He died in August 1734; and was succeeded by Dr, Benjamin Hoadley in the September following. One thing was peculiarly remarkable in Bishop Willis: he generally preached extempore, with ease, correctness, and fluency; a thing most singular among the Clergy in those days; a thing which Mr. S. Wesley execrated in his Brothers; and which with extempore Prayer, he said, “was enough to bring in all confusion.”
To this extempore Preaching Dr. Willis was at first led no doubt by the temper of his master King William, who was accustomed to hear such kind of preaching in Holland; and could scarcely have borne to hear Doctor or Prelate read a sermon out of the Pulpit at the Congregation. When Willis became a Bishop, he continued the practice. Some thought he wrote his Sermons first, and then committed them to memory. What Bishop Godwin, De Prozsulibus Angelica, p. 245, says of Bishop Willis, I shall subjoin: the substance I have given before.
“Richardus Willis, Collegii Omnium Animarum non item pridem socius, a rege Gulielmo prazcipue ed de causa ascitus qui in castris militaribus sibi a sacris adesset, quod singulari qu&dam facidtate extempore concionandi, vel condones memoriter recitandi polleret.”
So, Mr. John Wesley was not the first extempore Preacher in the Church; nor did extempore Preaching bring in all or any confustony as Mr. Samuel Wesley thought it must do.
Mr. Wesley had not only the friendship of Lord Oxford, but his intimacy also; and frequently dined at his house. But this was an honour for which he was obliged to pay a grievous tax, ill suited to the narrowness of his circumstances. Vales to servants, that sovereign disgrace to their masters, were in those days quite common; and in some instances, seem to have stood in the place of wages. A whole range of livery-men generally stood in the lobby with eager expectation and rapacity, when any gentleman came out from dining at a Nobleman’s table; so that no person who was not affluent could afford to enjoy the privilege of a Nobleman’s entertainment.
Mr. Wesley, who was a frequent visitor at Lord Oxford’s, having paid this tax oftener than well suited his circumstances, thought it high time either to come to some compromise with these cormorants, or else to discontinue his visits. One day on returning from his Lordship’s table, and seeing the usual range of greedy expectants, he addressed them thus: “My friends, I must make an agreement with you suited to my purse; and shall distribute so much (naming the sum) once in the month, and no more.” — This becoming generally known, was not only the means of checking that troublesome importunity, but also of redressing the evil; for their master, whose honour was concerned, commanded them to “stand back in their ranks when a gentleman retired;” and prohibited their begging! Many eminent men have endeavoured to bring this vile custom into deserved disgrace; Dryden, Addison, Swift, &c.: but it still continues, though under another form: leaving taverns out of the question, (where the lowest menial expects to be paid if he condescends to answer a civil question), cooks, chamber-maids, waiters, errand-boys, &c. &c. all expect money, if you lodge in their master’s house but a single night! And they expect to be paid too in proportion to the treatment you have received from their master, and in proportion to his credit and respectability, and not to your means or purse. The gentry of the land should rise up as one man against this disgraceful custom, as the Board of Excise have done against the bribes taken by their officers. Let a servant, on being hired, hear, “Your wages for which you agree shall be duly and faithfully paid: I shall not require the aid of my friends to make up the deficiencies of my servants. The day on which I am informed you receive any thing from my Guests, you shall be dismissed from my service.” If all agree to act thus, this grievous tax upon our friends will soon be abolished. There are few cases where the friendly visit does not cost him who pays it five times more than his maintenance would have done at his own house.
I have already referred to Mr. Wesley’s Lines on the Death or Queen Anne, to which allusion is made in the fourth stanza of his Epitaphium Vivi, p. 310. But I can find none but the following, which he has altered from Prior’s Ode, presented to King William on his return from Holland after the Queen’s death, in 1695. I insert them because of a circumstance that shall be mentioned below.
At Anna’s tomb, (sad sacred place!)
The Virtues shall their vigils keep,
And every Muse and every grace
In solemn silent state shall weep,
-y ’ f 2 ‘, *,
For her the great, the good, shall mourn,
When late records her deeds repeat;
Ages to come, and men unborn,
Shall bless her name, so truly great!
Fair Jilbion shall with grateful trust
Our sacred Anna’s reliques guard;
‘Till Heaven awake the precious dust,
And gives the saint her full reward.
These verses have been set to music by that eminent Performer, and honest man, Charles Wesley, Esq., Son to the late Rev. Charles Wesley, and Nephew to Mr. Samuel Wesley; and applied to the late Queen Charlotte, changing nothing but the name; Charlotte for Anna: and if the private and domestic character of both be considered, we shall find them at least as truly applicable to the Queen of George the Third, as to the illustrious Spouse of the Prince of Denmark. They were certainly very appropriate in their application to the good Queen Mary.
In his Compositions, Letters and Friendships, we have already seen much of the Character of Mr. Samuel Wesley; and relative to this point little needs be added. A part of his character, of which the world knew nothing, was the brightest and most worthy of the imitation of every son and every brother. From the time he became Usher in Westminster School, he divided his income with his Parents and Family. Through him principally, were his Brothers John and Charles maintained at the University; and in all straits of the Family, his purse was not only opened, but emptied, if found necessary. And all this was done with so much affection and deep sense of duty, that it took off and almost prevented the burthen of gratitude which otherwise must have been felt. These acts of filial kindness were done so secretly, that although they were very numerous, and extended through many years, no note of them is to be found in his correspondence; his right hand never knew what his left hand did. Those alone knew his bounty who were its principal objects, and they were not permitted to record it. Indirect hints we frequently find in the Letters of old Mr. and Mrs. Wesley, and sometimes in those of his Brothers; and those hints were all they dared mention in their correspondence with a man who wished to forget every act of kindness he had done. His Brothers always spoke of him with the highest reverence, respect, and affection.
Mr. Badcock, it seems, possessed a Letter v of acknowledgment from old Samuel Wesley, written not long before his death, to this dutiful and affectionate Son. I have not been so fortunate as to see this Letter, and cannot tell whether it now exists: but the Reader will be highly pleased at what Mr. Badcock says of it.
“I have in my possession a Letter of this poor and aged parent addressed to his son Samuel, in which he gratefully acknowledges his filial duty, in terms so affecting, that I am at a loss which to admire most, the gratitude of the Parent, or the affection and generosity of the Child. It was written when the good old man was nearly fourscore, and so weakened by a palsy as to be incapable of directing a pen, unless with his left hand. I preserve it as a curious memorial of what will make Wesley applauded, when his wit is forgotten.”
Yes, filial affection is one of the first duties man owes upon earth: only his duty to God is paramount. There cannot be a nearer representative of an impoverished Christ, to the eye of a child, than a parent in distress: nor will the approbation of God be more strongly expressed in the day of final retribution, than to that child who” has honoured the Lord with his substance, in supplying the wants of those from whom, under God, he has derived his being. And those who have ministered to the necessities of their parents will be found at the top of the list of those of whom the Fountain of Justice and Father of Mercies speaks, when he says, “I was hungry, and ye gave me meat; thirsty, and ye gave me drink; naked, and ye clothed me; sick and in prison, and ye ministered unto me!” A sound creed is a good thing: but we know that it may be entertained where little of the practice of piety and mercy is to be found. And there may be in some respects a deficient creed, where nevertheless all the great truths of religion are found; and where it even is not so, there are many cases where the conformity of the life to the purest principles of truth, justice, and mercy, sufficiently evidences the law of God written in the heart by the finger of the Almighty himself.
The man who acted thus towards his parents, and contributed to the utmost of his power to the support and education of his brothers and sisters, and whose whole conduct was irreproachable, has been styled by certain gentlemen, who ought to have inquired, if they did not know better, “A worldly priest who hated all pretence to more religion than our neighbours, as an infallible mark of a Dissenter.” This slander is too thin, too barefaced, and too malevolent, to deserve notice. Mr. Southey has duly exposed it by a fine irony. “The amiable spirit which is displayed in this sentence, its liberality, its charity, and its regard to truth, require no comment.” — Life of Wesley, Vol. I. p. 294.
I can say, on the best authority, that such was the amiableness, benevolence, and excellence of his public and private character, that during the seven years he resided at Tiverton, where he was best known, he was nearly idolized. His diligence and able method of teaching in his school were so evident and successful, that in the first year upwards of forty boys were added to it. And such confidence had the public in him, that children were sent from all quarters to be placed under his tuition. His memory was dear to all who had the privilege of his acquaintance. And while my page shall live, his eminent abilities, his steady attachment to his friends, whom he invariably cleaved to in adversity, and his uncommon filial piety, and various other excellencies, shall not be forgotten.
Mr. Samuel Wesley was a member of the Philosophical Society at Spalding; and gave to their museum an amulet, that had touched the heads of the three kings of Cologne, whose names were in black letters within.
He married a Miss Berry, or Bury, daughter of a clergyman of the Established Church, and rector of Watton in Norfolk. Her grandfather, John Berry, M. A,, Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, was presented to the Rectory of East Down, Devonshire, by the Protector Richard Cromwell, in 1658; from which he was ejected in 1662 by the Act of Uniformity. When ejected, he had ten children, and scarcely any thing for their subsistence; but God took care of them, and most of them afterwards lived in comfortable circumstances. He continued to preach in several places as he had opportunity; and once, if not oftener, was cast into Exeter common gaol, where he lav for several months. Of him Mr. Baxter says.
“He was an extraordinary, humble, tender-conscienced, serious, godly, able Minister.” He died happy in God, December, 1704, aged nearly 80. With Miss Berry Mr. Samuel Wesley became acquainted at Westminster, where her parents then resided, and boarded young gentlemen belonging to the school.* He was a most indulgent husband, and passionately fond of his wife, which is proved by his frequent poetical addresses to her after marriage. Though he was accustomed to boast of his authority as a husband, yet she had sense enough to rule under the appearance of submission. Mrs. Hall, who knew her, spoke of her as one who was well described in her husband’s poetic tale, called “The Pig.”
“She made her little wisdom go
Farther than wiser women do.”
He had several children: but only one daughter, called Pkill in the preceding Letters, lived to woman’s estate. She married an apothecary named Earle, in Barnstaple; whose chief motive in his marriage with her appeared to have been the expectation of succeeding to the title of Earl of Anglesea, which he imagined to be nearly extinct, and only recoverable through his wife, the daughter of Mr. Samuel Wesley; and this even while John and Charles were alive, the latter having male issue! This couple have been dead upwards of forty years.
He had an only son Samuel, who died young, but at what age I have not learnt. His death appears to have been a heavy stroke to all the family; and was particularly so to his grandfather, for the reasons which he alleges in the following consolatory Letter, written to his son on the occasion; and which appears to have been the answer to that in which he received the news of his death. A part of this Letter contains some curious particulars relative to his Dissertations on the Book of Job, which some of my Readers, at least, will be pleased to see.
“Letter to my son Sam, on the death of his only son Sam.
“June 18th, 1731.
“Dear Son,
“Yes, this is a thunder-bolt indeed to your whole family; but especially to me, who now am not likely to see any of my name in
* I have the MS. Diary of Mrs. Elizabeth Berry, wife of the Rev. Mr, Berry. It commences July 1, 1701, and extends to March 24, 1709, she being then in her fifty-fifth year. It marks every where the strongest workings of a soul devoted to God. I have reason to believe that this lady’s husband was either the father-in-law or brother-in-law of Mr. Samuel Wesley.
the third generation (though Job did in the fourth) to stand before God. However, this is a new demonstration to me that there must be a hereafter; because when the truest piety and filial duty have been shewn, it has been foljowed by the loss of children, which therefore must be restored and met with again, as Job’s first ten were, in another world. As I resolve from hence, as he directs, to stir up myself against the hypocrite, I trust I shall walk on in my way, and grow stronger and stronger, as well as that God will support you both under this heavy and unspeakable affliction. But when and how did he die? and where is his epitaph? Though if sending this now, will too much refricare vulnus, I will stay longer for it. And now for the two Letters.
“First, that of May 27, from London: sum is, 1st, As to the placing the Dissertations, wherein, as you say, the Prolegomena are something of aguish, though that and all the rest I leave (as often before) to your judgment, for my memory is near gone; neither have I the papers in any order by me.
“2. The Poetica Descriptio Monstri, I think, would come in most naturally after all the Dissertations of the Behemoth and Leviathan: but you having the whole before you, will be the most proper judge.
“3. Do with the De Carmine Pastoritio as you please.
“4. Periplus Rubri Maris comes with the Geography, when Mr. Hoole has finished it.
“5. I remember no extracts but that from the Catena, which is 6l6 folio pages: but think I have got the main of it into 30 quartos., which I finished yesterday, though there is no haste in sending it, for I design it for the Appendix. This to May 27.
“Now to yours from the Isle of Ely, June 3d, which relates to the
children, and my last I leave to your Mother, who writes
this post if she has time; though something I have writ you already in my ult. or penult, on the subject.
“As for the Testimonia Arianorum, tfspi <rou Aoyou, it happens well that I have a pretty good copy, though not so perfect as that which is lost, and will get Mr. Horberry to transcribe it as soon as he returns from Oxford; though I think it will not come in till towards the latter end of the work, as must your Collation at the very end, only before the Appendix; and I shall begin to revise it to morrow.
“Blessing on you and yours from your loving Father,
S. W
I believe the Collation mentioned here is that at the end of the Dissertations; and which I have described in another place.
The Appendix, of which I have a considerable portion in tr,5 Author’s MS. before me, does not appear to have been ever printed It should have succeeded the Collation as stated above.
It may be seen, from the accounts which have been written of the Rev. John Wesley, how earnestly his father wished him to succeed him in the Rectory of Ep worth; and how strongly this was pressed upon him by his elder brother Samuel. But it is not so well known that Mr. Samuel was the first object of his father’s choice: however this is sufficiently evident from the following Letter, which I transcribe from the original; and Mr. Samuel had evidently endeavoured to divert his father’s wish, and to cause him to fix it on his brother John The offer of Epworth to Samuel was made February, 1732; the offer of it to John, sometime in the end of 1734: the Letter, as referring to several family matters, is interesting and curious.
“28 Feb. 1732-3.
Ci Dear Son Samuel,
“For several reasons I have earnestly desired, especially in and since my last sickness, that you might succeed me in Epworth; in order to which I am willing and determined to resign the living, provided you could make an interest to have it in my room.
“My first and best reason for it is, because I am persuaded you would serve God and His people here better than I have done. Though, thanks be to God, after near forty years’ labour amongst them, they growbetter; I having had above a hundred at my last Sacrament, whereas I have had less than twenty formerly. My second reason relates to yourself, taken from gratitude, or rather from plain honesty. — You have been a father to your brothers and sisters; especially to the former who have cost you great sums in their education, both befort and since they went to the University. Neither have you stopped here; but have shewed your piety to your mother and me in a very liberal manner; wherein your wife joined with you when you did not overmuch abound yourselves; and have even done noble charities to my children’s children. Now what should I be if I did not endeavour to make you easy to the utmost of my power, especially when I know that neither of you have your health at London. My third is from honest interest; I mean that of our family. You know our circumstances. As for your aged and infirm mother, as soon as I drop she must turn out, unless you succeed me; which if you do, and she survives me, I know you’ll immediately take her then to your own house, or rather continue her there; where your wife and you will nourish her till we meet again in heaven: and you will be a guide aed a stay to the rest of the family.
R There are a few things more which may seem to be tolerable reasons to me for desiring you to be my successor, whatever they may appear to others. I have been at very great and uncommon expense on this living: — have rebuilt from the ground the parsonagebarn and dove cote; leaded, and planked, and roofed, a great part of my chancel; rebuilt the parsonage-house twice when it had been burnt, the first time one wing, the second down to the ground, wherein I lost all my books and MSS., a considerable sum of money, all our linen, wearing apparel, and household stuff, except a little old iron, my wife and I being scorched with the flames, and all of us very narrowly escaping with life. This, by God’s help, I built again, digging up the old foundations, and laying new ones; it cost me above 400/., little or nothing of the old materials being left; besides new furniture from top to bottom; for we had now very little more than what Adam and Eve had when they first set up house= keeping. I then planted the two fronts of my house with wall fruit the second time, as I had done the old; for the former all perished by the fire. I have before set mulberries in my garden, which beat plentifully, as lately, cherries, pears, &c. and in the adjoining croft, walnuts; and am planting more every day. And this I solemnly declare, not with any manner of view, or so much as hopes, that any of mine should enjoy any of the fruit of my labour, when I have so long since outlived all my friends: but my prospect was for some unknown person, that I might do what became me, and leave the living better than I found it.
“And yet I might own I could not help wishing, as ’twas natural, that all my care and charge might not be utterly sunk and lost to my family, but that some of them might be the better for it; though yet I despaired of it for the reason above mentioned, till some time since the best of my parishioners pressed me earnestly to try if I could do any thing in it: though all I can do is to resign it to you; which I am ready frankly and gladly to do; scorning to make any conditions, for I know you better.
u I commend this affair and you and yours to God, as becomes” Your affectionate Father,
S. Wesley.”
Strong characters will have enemies. Mr. S. Wesley had such; and that he treated them with contempt, not silent, his Works shew: but his uprightness, steady friendship, benevolence, and charity, even those enemies confessed. In those times party ran, or rather raged high. Those who loved him were persecuted; and he manfully espoused their cause, and shared their reproach.
His High-Church principles may have amounted to bigotry, but never to intolerance; for there were man)- among the Dissenters whom he cordially esteemed, and with whom he lived in habits of friendship. See his Poem on the Death of a Female Friend, a Dissenter from the Church of England. By this Piece he appears displeased rather with the Doctrines of unconditional Reprobation and Election; and especially as held by those who considered all others in a state of the utmost danger who did not hold their creed, and who thought sour godliness a test of saving grace. Such persons he certainly met with; and such he points out in the following Line? of the above-mentioned Poem:
Wretches of every glimpse of day afraid,
Souls under cloaks, and minds in masquerade:
As if each look display’d its owner’s fate;
And all that smil’d were seal’d for Reprobate.
As awkward sourness were a sign of grace;
And sure Election blest an ue;ly face:
As if Hell-fire were always placed in view,
Ordain’d for all men but the gloomy few.
He knew that hypocrisy and fanaticism had mingled themselves with pure religion, in days comparatively recent; and he was afraid of their revival. It was this fear that caused him to oppose his brothers as he did, when he found them going so far out of the beaten path of Church regularity. Had it pleased God to have spared his life but a little longer, the Reader may naturally suppose, from the evidence that has been already adduced, that he would have thought and spoken differently both of their manner of Preaching, and the success of their Ministry. We have already seen from indisputable evidence, that in these respects, as well as in reference to the doctrines they preached, his mind was considerably changed before he died; and that he died not only in “the faith which had been common to all Christians in all ages,” but in that faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which he had, not a hypothetical hope, but an assurance of his personal and eternal salvation. This subject has already been discussed. Several of his Poems, written to his sisters, will be found in the memoirs of their lives; and some more of his Letters in the life of his brother John.
For a due character of his poetic excellence, see Mr. Pitt’s Ode To the unknown Author of the Battle of the Sexes.
Mr. Samuel Wesley lies buried in Tiverton Church-yard; with the :ollowing Inscription on his Grave-stone.
Here lye interred
The Remains of the Rev. Mr. Samuel Weslev, A. M.
Sometime Student of Cbrist-Cburch, Oxon:
A man for his uncommon wit and learning,
For the benevolence of his temper,
And simplicity of manners,
Deservedly beloved and esteemed by all
An excellent Preacher:
But whose best sermon
Was the constant example of an edifying life:
So continually and zealously employed
In acts of beneficence and charity,
That he truly followed
His blessed Master’s example
In going about doing good:
Of such scrupulous integrity, That he declined occasions of advancement in the world. Through fear of being involved in dangerous compliances And avoided the usual ways to preferment As studiously as many others seek them.
Therefore, after a life spent
In the laborious employment of teaching youth,
First for near twenty years
As one of the Ushers in Westminster School,
Afterwards for seven years
As Head Master of the Free School at Tiverton.
He resigned his soul to God
November 6th, 1739, in the 49th year of his age.