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ORIGINAL 
 
 LETTERS, 
 
 B Y 
 
 The Rev. JOHN WESLEY, 
 
 AND HIS FRIENDS, 
 
 1LL0STRATIVE OP 
 
 HIS EARLY HISTORY, 
 
 WITH 
 
 OTHER CURIOUS PAPERS, 
 Communicated by 
 
 The late Rev. S. Badcock. 
 
 TO WHICH IS PRt?IXXD, 
 
 AN ADDRESS TO THE METHODISTS, 
 
 v^'y 
 
 By JOSEPH PRIESTLEY, L.L.D. F.R.S. ^c. 
 
 BIRMINGHAM, 
 
 PRINTED BT THOMAS PEARSONt 
 
 AND SOLD BT J.JOHNSON, ST. PADL's CHDRCH-TARD, tONDON. 
 
 M D C C X C I. 
 
 7/' . 
 
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iy.Cc^<_ «^«* ^t\ y /^2 
 
 '"'^ THE <^ -. / /X "-^ 
 
 P R E F A C E/'^'^s.^' 
 
 T 
 
 HE following letters ivere given to^dt^ -^ 
 by the late Mr. Badcock, as great cu- 
 
 riolitles of their kind, with a view to their 
 publication after the death of Mr. John 
 Wefley. They were given to him by the 
 grand-daughter of Mr. Samuel Wefley, the 
 elded brother of John, and I believe with 
 the fame view. Mr. John Wefley, as I 
 learned from Mr. Badcock, was very delirous 
 of getting thefe letters into his pofleflion, 
 but the daughter and grand-daughter of Mr. 
 Samuel, being offended at his conduct:, 
 would never deliver them to him. It was 
 taken for granted that he would have fup- 
 prefled them ; nor fhould 1 have thought it 
 right to publifli them, if they had been 
 merely private papers, unconneded with any 
 A z public 
 
iv THE PREFACE. 
 
 public concern. But Mr. Welley being the 
 founder of a numerous fed of chriftians, of 
 confiderable, and of growing importance in 
 this country, the public is interefted in 
 every thing that can throw light upon hiy 
 charad:er and principles ; and the perufal of 
 thefe letters will fatisfy any perfon that they 
 will be of eminent ufe for this purpofe. 
 
 In thefe letters, never intended for the 
 public eye, but only written as a juftifica- 
 tion of himfelf tohis nearefl friends, we fee, 
 from the beft authority, the real principles 
 and condu(fl of Mr. Wefley, the opinions 
 he entertained, and the reafons he was 
 able to allege for them, when he began his 
 religious courfe ; and the conclufion to be 
 drawn from the whole, is by no means td 
 his difcredit, as he appears to have been un- 
 queftionably an honeft man, whofe fole ob- 
 jed it was to fecure his own falvation, and 
 promote that of others, though he will ap- 
 pear to have been ftrongly tindured with en- 
 thufiafm, from the effedl of falfe notions of 
 religion very early imbibed. 
 
 We 
 
THEPREFACE. v 
 
 We fee here the marks of that ardent and 
 determined mind, which nothing could 
 fhake from its purpofe, and that principle 
 of the appropriation of the whole of his time 
 to one great objecfV, from which nothing was 
 ever able afterwards to divert him, leifure 
 and hey as he fomewhere fays, having for 
 ever taken leave of each other. Perhaps no 
 man ever trifled lefs, or gave lefs time to 
 any thing that could be called amufementy 
 than Mr. Wefley. His whole life was one 
 fcene of ferious bufinefs, of one kind or 
 other, and of aimed unremitted exertion ; 
 but which ufe made perfectly eafy to him, fo 
 that one employment ferved to relieve an- 
 other. With thefe extraordinary qualities, 
 nothing was wanting to make him one of 
 the firft of human charad:ers, but a well in- 
 formed mind, and rational principles of re- 
 ligion. But for want of thefe, how mifer- 
 ably do we, in thefe letters, iind him be- 
 wildered and diftrefled. 
 
 His ftate of mind was little better than that 
 of Pafchal, and of thoufands in the church 
 
 A3 of 
 
▼i THE PREFACE. 
 
 of Rome, who made a merit of mtrt fuffer^ 
 ing d.nA labour -y thinking that the lefs they 
 •enjoyed here, the more was rcferved for 
 them hereafter. There is evcji an advan- 
 tage in favour of this fyftem above that of 
 Mr. Weiley. For to judge of a man's ftate, 
 ^nd future profpe£ls, by his /uferings, is much 
 clearer, and leads to a more certain conclu- 
 jpon, than to judge by internal feelings. Mr. 
 Wefley, after afting for many years with the 
 befl, intentions that man could have, and 
 after perfevering in well doing, in the midft 
 of difficulties, which to moft perfons would 
 have been abfclutely infurmountable, ftill 
 confidered himfelf as in an unconverted Jinie ', 
 and at lall: imagined that the new birth, for 
 which he had fo long laboured in vain, ^nd 
 for which he might have laboured in vain 
 through his whole life, came to himj as it 
 alfo did to his brother Charles, in a mo- 
 ment. 
 
 In what unfpeakable diftrefs have the doc- 
 trines of origipal fin, the corruption of hu- 
 jnan nature, and the confequent neceffity of 
 a miraculous new birth, involved thoufands. 
 
 I myfelf 
 
T H E P R E F A C E, vit 
 
 I myfelf have felt, but am unable to defcribe 
 It. Of what unfpcakable value, then, are 
 rational principles of religion; and how 
 happy fhould that man think himfelf who 
 has never known any other -, and yet the 
 fcriptures teach them in the plaineft manner, 
 and uniformly inftru<ft us to judge of our- 
 felves and others, not by uncertain and un- 
 defcribable feelings^ but by evident adiions. 
 As our Saviour fays. By their fruits [hall ye 
 know men. For where a man's condu(ft is, 
 not only occafionally, but uniformly, right, 
 the principle upon which he ads muft be 
 good. Indeed, the only reafon why we va- 
 lue good principles, is on account of their 
 uniform operation in producing good con- 
 dud. This is the end, and the principle is 
 only the me am, 
 
 Notwithftanding thefe plain confiderations, 
 how many well meaning perfons bewilder 
 and diflrefs themfelves in the application of a 
 rule which is extremely obfcure, and with 
 refpedt to which they can never arrive at 
 any certainty ; overlooking what is moft 
 A 4 obvious, 
 
VIU 
 
 THE PREFACE. 
 
 obvious, with refped to which neither 
 themfelves nor others could well make any 
 miftake at all. Such is the confequence of 
 leaving out common fenfe in matters of re- 
 ligion. Befides, to judge by internal feel- 
 ings, or emotions of the heart, which are 
 the fprings or caufes of our condud:, is to 
 invade the province of God, who alone 
 knows, and judges by, the heart ; whereas 
 our adions are open to the infpeclion of all 
 men. Men perpetually deceive even them- 
 felves, with refpcdt to the real motives of 
 their own condudt, though they are, no 
 doubt, more acceffible to themfelves than 
 to others ; but about the uniform tenor of 
 their aSfions, there can be no miftake. 
 
 Notions of an immediate intercourfe with 
 the Deity, had their beginning among 
 chriftians with the Montanifts, who, on 
 this account, and that of their aufteritics 
 and rigid difcipline, were exceedingly po- 
 pular. Similar ideas were prevalent among 
 many orders of monks, and the Romifli 
 faints, and they were the fole foundation of 
 1 myflicifm. 
 
THEPREFACE. ix 
 
 myfticifm. They were not, however, con- 
 lined to the Catholics, but infeded many 
 Pfoteftants. Indeed few of the denominations 
 of them have been entirely exempt from ideas 
 of this kind. The whole of quakerifm is 
 evidently founded upon them; they took 
 deep root in the old puritans, and are ftill to 
 be found among the Calviniftic diflenters. 
 Many phrafes which are ftill in ufe among 
 them, fuch as the gift of prayer ^ and of preach- 
 ing, being carried out in prayer, &c. are 
 proofs of it. 
 
 Many of the more rational chriftians ftill 
 
 contend for a real divine influence upon the 
 
 mind, and fuch as, being only occajional, 
 
 cornes under the defcription of fuperna^ 
 
 tural, and miraculous. But this fubjedt I 
 
 have confidered at large in my Difcourfe on 
 
 fuper -natural Influence, to which I muft 
 
 content myfelf with referring my readers. 
 
 It is a dodrine that will not ftand the teft 
 
 of fober examination. But it is only a 
 
 juft knowledge of the human mind, and the 
 
 nature of its operations, together with 
 
 an attention to the phrafeology of fcrip- 
 
 ture. 
 
X T H E P R E FA C E. 
 
 ture, th \t can radically cure this fpecics of 
 enthufiafm; though the evidence of there 
 being no faperior excellence in the charac- 
 ters and manners of the pretenders to di- 
 vine comniunications, will likewife contri- 
 bute to explode the notion. 
 
 In the mean time, authentic narratives of 
 the rife and progrefs of thefe illufions, fuch 
 as this of the early life of Mr. Wefley, can- 
 not fail to have a good eifedt. His cafe, in- 
 deed, is particularly Itriking, as it fhews 
 that neither the beft natural underflanding, 
 with much acquired knowledge, nor the 
 bell: difpofition, cultivated with the greatefl 
 care, are fufficient guards againft this fpecies 
 of enthuliafm, Juft notions of religion 
 carefully formed, can alone anfwer the pur- 
 pofe; and it is of particular importance that 
 they be formed in early life, before the ima- 
 gination has been led aftray by falfe notions. 
 
 Thefe letters I communicated to the Rev. 
 Mr. Ijampfon, who was many years in con- 
 nedion with Mr. Wefley, on his informing 
 me of his intention to write his life. This 
 
 work 
 
THE PREFACE. 
 
 XI 
 
 work Is now executed by his fon, from the 
 colledions and obfervations of the father, 
 and I wi(h to recommend it, as thinking it 
 to be in all refpedls excellent. Well know- 
 ing Mr. Hampfon, I am fatisiied that the 
 account is juft and impartial. But though 
 in this life of Mr. Wefley, he has made ufe 
 oiiht fa^s to be collected from thefe letters, 
 and has publifhed fome of them, it did not 
 feem to him, or to me, to fuperfede the ufe 
 of printing them all at large, which I have 
 done in the order of their dates. 
 
 To the letters which illuftrate the early 
 hiftory of Mr. Wefley, I have fubjoined (as 
 part of the papers delivered to me by Mr. 
 Badcock, in the hand writing of Mr. Samuel 
 Wefley, and as being amuflng in their way) 
 an account of fome flrange noifes, &;c. 
 which were never clearly accounted for, in 
 the houfe of old Mr. Wefley. It confifts of 
 extra(fls from the old gentleman's journal, 
 and various letters, written by feveral per- 
 fons in the family at the time, fome of them 
 exceedingly lively and entertaining j fo that 
 this is perhaps the befl authenticated, and 
 
 the 
 
xU THE PREFACE. 
 
 the beft told ftory of the kind, that is any 
 ■where extant; on which account, and to 
 exercife the ingenuity of fome fpeculativc 
 perfons, it feemed to me and others, not un- 
 deferving of being publiflied. 
 
 Mr. John Wefley himfelf, in the Armi- 
 nian Magazine, for Odober, November, and 
 December, 1784, publifhed an account of 
 the fame difturbances, as colleded by him, 
 when he vifited the family in the year J720; 
 but it is by no means fo fatisfaftory, or fo 
 pleafing an account as this. He had no 
 doubt of the noifes being fuper-natural, and 
 fetms inclined to afcribe them to the judg- 
 ment of God upon his father, for notobferv- 
 ing a rafh and ridiculous vow, made thirteen 
 years before this event, in confequence of his 
 wife's refufing to fay ameuy to the prayers 
 for King William, as believing him to be 
 nothing more than the Prince of Orange, 
 and no lawful King of England*, it is a- 
 
 • It is fomething remarkable that Mrs. Wefley, the daughter to 
 Dr. Samuel Annefley, a celebrated nonconformift (fee Mr. Hamp- 
 fon's life of Mr.Wedey, vol. i. p. 5.) fhould be fo violent a Jacobite. 
 Her hu{bandalfo,and all the fons,were high churchmen, though their 
 
 (randfatber 
 
THE PREFACE. xiii 
 
 mufing to obferve, in how very weak a man- 
 ner men of unqueftionable good fenfe can 
 fometimes reafon. 
 
 In favour of this ftory, it may be faid, 
 that all the parties feem to have been fuffi- 
 clently void of fear, and alfo free from cre- 
 dulity, except the gei^eral belief that fuch 
 things were fuper-natural. But with re- 
 fped to every thing of this nature, it is to 
 be obferved, that, though the narratives of 
 the moft honeft witnefTes imply fomething 
 fupernatural, we are not to conclude that the 
 fa(fts cannot be accounted for in a natural 
 way. Becaufe the obfervers, being particu- 
 larly ftruck with what appears moft extra- 
 ordinary, are apt to overlook the moil: im- 
 portant circumflances, the connexion of 
 which with the principal appearances they 
 were not aware of. If any perfon, not in the 
 
 grandfather was one of the ejeded minifters. The difference 
 above mentioned, occafioned a reparation between Mr. and Mrs, 
 Wefley, which continued more than a year and a half, and ti rmi- 
 nated after the acceffion of Queen Ann. Mr. John Weflef was 
 their firft child after the reparation, and was bom June ai, sjoj. 
 Ibid, vol. i. p. 66. 
 
 fecret. 
 
xk THEPREFACE. 
 
 fecrct, were to relate what he himfelf faw 
 done by Breflaw and others, who amufe the 
 world v/ith tricks of legerdemain, he would 
 tell the flory in fuch a manner as to imply a 
 real miracle, merely in confequence of his 
 not having feen, or not having attended to, 
 fome particulars in the exhibition, which 
 might either have ferved to explain the 
 whole, or have fufficlently (hewn that, extra- 
 ordinary as it appeared, it rnight , at leaft, 
 have been produced in a natural way. 
 
 In all cafes of this kind, and alfo that of 
 apparitions, witchcraft, prophetic dreams, 
 &c. though the witnefTes be ever fo honefl, 
 it is fufEcient to fufpend our belief, that we 
 find no good end to be anfwered by them. 
 When there is no Nodus deo vltidice dignus, 
 we may fafely conclude thai no miracle was 
 wrought. What appears mofl probable at 
 this diftance of time, in the prefent cafe, is 
 that it WiS a trick of the fervants, aiTilied by 
 fane of their neighbours, and that nothing 
 "^Aas meant by it, befides puzzling the fa- 
 mily, and amufing themfelvcs; and that 
 4 fuch 
 
THEPREFACE. xv 
 
 fuch a fecret (hould be kept, fo that the 
 truth was never difcovered, is not at all to 
 be wondered at. No perfon acquainted with 
 the nature of human teftimony, and the mo- 
 tives of human adlions, will ever compare 
 the evidence of the miracles recorded in. 
 fcripture with that of fuch ftories as thefe. 
 
 I have alfo added, as part of this collec- 
 tion of papers, a private letter of Mr. 
 Pope, another of Lord Oxford, to Mr. 
 Samuel Welley, and a copy of verfes by 
 Bifliop Atterbury, as curiofities in their way. 
 AH the letters that I have here published, 
 are in the hand writing of the authors, ex- 
 cept fuch as were copied by Mr, Samuel 
 
AN 
 
 ADDRESS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 METHODISTS. 
 
 My Christian Brethren, 
 
 I Take the liberty to addrefs you by this interefting 
 appellation, though I am well aware that few 
 of you will return it to me j and while you retain 
 your prefent views of things, and of »?<f, you will 
 think yourfelves fufficiently juftified in refufing it. 
 But I receive as a brother every man who believes 
 the divine miffion of Chrift, in whatever light he 
 may confider him perfonally, and who labours, as 
 you do, to promote the great end of his gofpel, 
 which was the reformation of the world. In this 
 your zeal is abundant, and highly meritorious, faP 
 beyond what moft profeflbrs of chriftianity can pre- 
 tend to. By you chiefly is the gofpel preached to 
 xht-poorm this country, and to you is the civiliza- 
 tion, the induftry, and fobriety, of great numbers 
 
 a of 
 
XViil AN ADDRESS TO 
 
 of the labouring part of the community owing; 
 though you are a body unknown to government, and 
 look not for your reward from men. It was the la- 
 mentable defeft of attention to the condition and 
 wants of the poor, both in the minifters of the efta- 
 blifhed church, and in the diffenters alfo, that led 
 Mr. Wefley, and his early alTociates, to open this 
 new and extenfive field of ulefulnefs, for which 
 thoufands, and ten thoufands, will hereafter rijc up 
 and call him blejfed. 
 
 In the full perfuafion of the great good which 
 you are inftrumental in the hands of God (for all 
 is of him) of rendering to your country, and to the 
 world, I truly rejoice ; and I make no account'what- 
 ever of the diflike which you have unhappily con- 
 ceived of myfelf, and of all thofe whofe views of 
 chriftianity are the fame with mine. This is mere 
 ignorance. Your principle and motives are good; 
 and therefore v/henever it fliall pleafe God to give 
 you farther light, you are re^dy, like the apoftle 
 Paul, to a6l up to it ; and then you will receive, and 
 love, as brethren, thofe whom you now regard as 
 enemies. I only wiih, therefore, that to the zeal of 
 apoftles, you had what I conceive to be wanting 
 among yoi^ mpre knowledge. 
 
 There 
 
THE METHODISTS. XlX 
 
 There is great reafon, however, to hope that in 
 this, as well as in other refpects, your minds are 
 Opening, and your general fyftem in a ftate of im- 
 |>rovement. This very publication will convince 
 you that you who are now called methodijlsj are a 
 very different ici of people, and much more ra- 
 tional, than thofe who were firft diftinguifhed by 
 that name. At lead, we do not now hear of chofe 
 fudden and miraculous converfions, attended with 
 convulfions, falling down, and rolling on the ground, 
 and with frantic cries and geftures, with accounts 
 of which Mr. Wefley's early Journals abound; nor 
 will many of you, I prefume, at this day pretend 
 to date your new birth, with as much piccifion as 
 your natural birth. But you v/ill here find the day, 
 the hour, and the minute, when both Mr. John and 
 Mr. Charles Wefley firft received, or imagined they 
 firft received, their divine light; and, as they fay, i-f- 
 came chrijiiansy from being before that moment no 
 chrijlians. And this you will find to have been fome 
 years after they had wholly devoted themfelves to 
 the fervice of God and of man, and when Mr. J ohm 
 WeQey, had not only lived that ftrift and ex- 
 emplary life at Oxford, which procured him and his 
 affociates the title of Methodifis, but after he had 
 made a voyage to North America, with no other 
 view than to convert and teach others. 
 
 a 2 You 
 
XX AN ADDRESS TO 
 
 You cannot fuppofe, that there has been fincc 
 that time Ihy change in the divine proceedings, that 
 finners were converted, their hearts changed, and 
 their lives reformed, in one way at that time, and in 
 quite another way now. As, therefore, there has been 
 no change in God, or in his mode of operation, the 
 change muft have been in yourfelves ; and conse- 
 quently thofc inftantaneous converfions, of which 
 you boafted fo much formerly, could only have 
 been the efFeds of enthufiafm and delufion. 
 
 We do not read of the hearers of Chrift, or of the 
 apoflles, being affefted in the fudden and violent 
 manner in which the early difciples of Mr. Wefley 
 are faid to have been. All their difcourfes, like thofe 
 of Mr. Wefley in the latter part of his life, were 
 folely calculated to make men think, and refleft ; 
 to fliew them the error of their ways, and the ne- 
 ceflicy of reformation, as they hoped for the favour 
 of God here, and happinefs hereafter. And cer- 
 tainly it is quite fufficient for any reafonable man, 
 to be fhewn that he has done wrong, and that he 
 may and ought to do better, and efpecially that it is 
 his intereft fo to do. When he is once fully per- 
 fuaded of this, nothing farther is neceffary to in- 
 <3uce him to change his condu<5t, and to become 
 what is called another man. He is then poflefled of 
 4 •- a fixed 
 
THE METHODISTS. XXI 
 
 a fixed principle of reformation, which will not only- 
 make him ceaje to do evil and learn to do welly but 
 will enable him to perfevere in a courfe of good 
 condud through life. When, like David, a man 
 has been brought properly to think on his ways, he 
 will of his own accord turn his feet to God's teftimo- 
 rdes. There is nothing fupernatural, but what is 
 perfeftly rational, in this. 
 
 But when men look to nothing within them/elves ^ 
 but wait for impulfes from without j they are not only- 
 open to every delufion, fancying that to come from 
 God if it be good, or from the devil if it be bad, 
 which is all the while nothing more than the 
 workings of their own imagination. But when the 
 good imprefllons, whatever they have been, have 
 left them, all their religion is gone with them ; fo 
 that they often beconne worfe men than ever they 
 were before, and with accounts of this nature the hif- 
 tory of methodifm abounds. There was no root, 
 or rational principle of reformation in them, and 
 therefore the cares of the world, and other tempta-* 
 tions, prevailed. 
 
 In the rational \fiews of religion above mention- 
 ed, which you will find very fcnfibly and forcibly 
 urged by the friends of Mr. Wefiey, in this publi- 
 
 a 3 cation. 
 
5£Xlt AN ADDRESS TO 
 
 cation, you will now, I doubt not, very generally^ 
 Bgtxe with me. You will lament as much as I do, 
 the wild extravagance of your predecelTors, and will 
 condud yourft^lves by very different maxims. Now, 
 as you find you have got more light than you for- 
 merly had, be perfuaded to think that you may ftill 
 g^^tmorc] and together with more light and know- 
 ledge, you cannot fail, I am perfuaded, to get more 
 charity ; fo as to be brought to think better than 
 you now do of thofe who have the fame great ob- 
 jtOi with yourfclves, but who take a different me- 
 thod to obtain it, and who are your fellow labourers 
 Ui the fame great harveft, though they are occupied 
 in a different part of the fame extenfive field. In 
 this great field there is much and various work to be 
 done, for fome of which I readily acknowledge, 
 that; you are better qualified than I amj but then 
 there may be other work for which I am better 
 qualified than you, 
 
 Mft WeA^y himfelf has often declared in the 
 mofi:, public manner, and in my own hearing, that 
 methodifm had nothing to do with any particular 
 opinions in religion, that the end of all religion was 
 good morals, and that every man who had this ob- 
 je6twa$ his friend. To be confiftent in this, is all 
 chat I wifh of you, and that ypM will think better of 
 
 myfelf 
 
 4 
 
THE METHODISTS. XXlll 
 
 myfelf and others, who have not, in faft, any other 
 objeft than yourfelves. We equally wifh to lead 
 men from the practice of vice to that of virtue. 
 The end of all our writing and preaching is to make 
 men better members of fociety, better in all the re- 
 lations in life, whether hufbands or v/ives, parents or 
 children, mailers or fervants, &c. in order to their 
 being happy in heaven after death. What then 
 Ihould hinder our mutual good will, and good 
 wilhes.?. You have mine j and though I may not be 
 fo happy as to obtain yours, I will deferve itj and 
 yet I have no particular reafon for wifliing it, except 
 the general one, that the enemies of our common 
 chriftianity may fee that, though its friends differ in 
 forms and names, they are agreed in every thing that 
 is effential, and efpecially in what is mod of all ef- 
 fential, and the proper badge of our relation to 
 Chrift, brotherly love. 
 
 This great end would be more eafily obtained, if 
 we all attended more to the great things in which all 
 chriftians agree, and lefs to thofe in which any of 
 them differ; and the former are of infinitely more 
 moment than the latter. All chriftians, of every 
 . denomination^ believe that whatever Chrifl himfelf 
 yvas, his miffion. was divine, and that whatever he 
 taught was from God. They all believe that he 
 
 a 4 wrought 
 
XXIV AN ADDRESS TO 
 
 wrought unqueftionable miracles, that he died, and 
 rofe again from the dead, and that he will come 
 again to raife all the dead, and to give unto every 
 man according to his works. 
 
 Compared to thefe great articles of our common 
 faith, every thing elfe is of little confequence j be- 
 caufe this is the faith which alone has any great ten- 
 dency to reform the world, operating as a dired 
 motive to a good life ; and what a good life is, is 
 foon learned, if we be not acquainted with it alrea- 
 dy j as it is barely poflible for any perfon to grow 
 up to man's eftate without knowing it, or at leaft 
 the mofl" important articles of it. 
 
 Befides this general agreement, all Mr. Welley's 
 followers agree with me in having the fame idea of 
 the juft and equitable moral government of God. 
 We do not, with the Calvinifts, believe that the 
 Pivine Being has, without any regard to men's fu- 
 ture characters and good works, predeflinated fbme 
 to everlafling life, and others to everlafting con- 
 demnation J but that it depends upon men them- 
 felves, whether they will be entitled to the favour 
 pf God, and future happinefs, or'^iuj^t j and there- 
 fore, with the ancient prophets, and with the apoflles, 
 we entreat and perfuade men to turn from their 
 
 cvH 
 

 TO THE METHODISTS. XXV 
 
 evil ways, and to be reconciled to God, believing 
 that he is always difpofed to be reconciled to «^hem, 
 and that proper motives cannot fail to have a eal 
 influence on nien's condu6b. At this time, aifo, I 
 hope there are none of you who believe, as Mr. 
 Wefley originally did, in a miraculous new birch, 
 depending on the fole will of God, and altogether 
 independent of yourfelves, and that original fin has 
 taken fuch hold upon men, that without fuperna- 
 tural grace, they cannot fo much as think a good 
 thought, or do any thing towards turning from a 
 life of fin to a life of virtue. We are agreed, that 
 all thit^exhortations of fcripture neceflarily fuppofe, 
 that';iail men have this power, and that whenever 
 thqmpleafe they can exert it, and therefore that 
 it is'Aot in vain that we preach to them for this 
 purpofe. 
 
 In what then, my Brethren, do we differ. 
 Hardly in any thing, except in our opinion about 
 who Chrijl was, not with refped to what he taught y or 
 did, Qt-will do, which, hcwevek is all that particu- 
 larly interefts us j and though we differ in this re- 
 ■fpedif we are, I doubt nor, equally influenced by 
 the love of truth by a defire to underfland the fcrip- 
 tures, and to build our faith upon them. 
 
 # 
 
 Moreover, 
 
XXVI. AN ADDRESS TO 
 
 Moreoverj we all profefs to hold the great doc- 
 trine of the divine unity. We all fay, that there is 
 no other God than one. This is the firft of all the 
 commandments, and Is folemnly confirmed by our 
 Saviour. But v/e have a greater dread of infring- 
 ing upon this do6lrine, than you feem to have;. and, 
 judging by appearances, every departure from it 
 has been attended with dreadful confequences. 
 When the Jews of old abandoned it, they gave 
 themfelves up to the worfhip of the hoft of heaven, 
 and to many abfurd, obfcene, and cruel praflices, 
 connef^ed with that idolatrous worlliip ; and when 
 chrilliajis departed from it, by the worfhip (w Jefus 
 Chrift, they did not Hop there, but naturally, pro- 
 ceeded to the worfhip of the Virgin Mary, agi<|. as 
 many other faints, and objedls of worfhip, aL the 
 heathens ever looked up to j and thus the on^-true 
 Ood was almoft entirely neglefted and forgott^. 
 
 We think it is as clearly taught in the New Tef- 
 tament, as in the old, that the one true God'^is that 
 great Being who .4 exclufively ftiled Jekcvah, and 
 who is faid to be the fole maker and governor of 
 all things ; and that he is the God and father of our 
 Lord Je/iis Chrijiy as well as oufv God- and father. 
 Jefus himfelf repeatedly declared, that of himfelf he 
 csidd do 7wthingy but that the father who was in him, 
 
 (not 
 
 i 
 
 ./ 
 
THE METHODISTS. XXVll 
 
 (not any divinity of his own) did the works j and 
 when he died, it was God who raifed him from the 
 dead, and gave hm glory. 
 
 If you dread to withhold worfhip from a Being 
 who may be entitled to it, is it not equally dread- 
 ful, and as exprefsly forbidden, to give that glory 
 to a creature which the fupreme Being has appropri- 
 ated to himfelf ? You cannot deny that the fcrip- 
 tures contain the moft earned and repeated admo- 
 nitions againft worfhipping any other than the one 
 true God ; butfhewme, if you can, afingle admo- 
 nition againft not worfhipping Chriftas God. 
 
 Confult alfo your reafon and common fenfe 
 (which you ought never to abandon in matters of 
 religion, unlefs you give up every guard againft 
 delufion, and be as ready to receive the religion of 
 Mahomet as that of Chrift) and fay whether it be 
 poffible for you to believe that Chrift is God, and 
 the Holy Ghoft alfo God, as well as the fupreme 
 Father himfelf, and not believe that there are more 
 Gods than one, which you cannot deny to be ex- 
 prefsly contrary to the fcriptures. If neither Chrift 
 nor the Holy Ghpft want any thing that is neceflary 
 to conftitute them truly Gody you certainly make 
 three GodSj and not one only j and if all the three 
 ^ perfons 
 
XTVm AN ADDRESS TO 
 
 perfons be neceflary to make one God, not any one 
 of the three, not even the Father himfelf, can be 
 more than a part of God. Can you believe that . 
 there can be any thing in the fcriptures contrary to 
 fuch plain common fenfe as this ? Reafon and re- 
 ligion can never be fo much at variance. But I, 
 do not mean to argue at large with you on this 
 fubjed in this place. Read with candour what I 
 have written upon it, efpecially my Appeal to the Je- 
 riQUS]an4 candid profejfors of Chriftianity^ and my 
 Cmeralview of arguments againjl the divinity or pre- 
 exijience of Chriji:,frcm recfon, from the fcriptures y and 
 frornhijlory, a.nd cl\(o my Familiar illu/lration of cer- 
 tain paffages of fcripture, relating to this and other 
 fubjeds. When you have re^d thefe trads, which 
 are neither large nor expenfive, judge whether I 
 have not reafon and the fcriptures on my fide. You 
 will at leaft beconyinced that 1 have foperfuaded my- 
 felf J and you cannot but refped a real love of 
 truth, anda defire to bring others into it, eyen ii> 
 the man who is unfortunately in an error. 
 
 Should you, upon mature confideratjon, fuch as 
 I myfelf (who once thought as you now do) have 
 given to the fubje6b, come to think as I do with re-, 
 fpeft to it, it does not need to make any change in 
 jour general fyftem, wliich in feyeral refpeds I think 
 
 ^ to 
 
THE METHODISTS. XXIX 
 
 to be excellent. Continue to diffafe the knowledge 
 of the gofpel wherever it is wanted -, and this, alas, 
 is ftill the cafe with the great rnafs of the common 
 people of this country ; and form feparate focieties, 
 with whatever rules you think proper, and find to 
 be expedient for that purpofe ; and by your zeal and 
 liberaUty, fliew that religion requires no aid froni 
 the civil magiftrate ; that places of worfhip can be 
 built, and falaries of teachers provided, without any 
 tax enforced by law. Let any perfon, whom you 
 think qualified, teach and exhort others, whether 
 he be in holy orders, as it is called, or not ; and if 
 they be qualified to teach, they are certainly quali- 
 fied to adminifter all the ordinances of the gofpel, 
 Baptifm, and the Lord's Supper. I know of no 
 exclufive right that any men, or body of men, have 
 to this privilege. 
 
 But call no man majier upon earth, not even Mr. 
 WeQey -, for one is our mafter, even Chrifl:, as one 
 is our father, or the author of our being, even God- 
 Keep your minds open to the inveftigation of truth, 
 and get from every quarter as much light and know- 
 ledge as you can. As you are, I rejoice in your 
 fuccefs and increafing numbers j but I certainly 
 Ihould rejoice much more, if to your juft zeal, you 
 
 could, 
 
 4 
 
XXX AN ADDRESS, &C. • 
 
 could, laying afide your prejudices, add more know, 
 ledge, and more charity. 
 
 I am. 
 
 My Chriftian Brethren, 
 
 Your fmcere well wifher, 
 
 J. PRIESTLEY. 
 Birmingham y June i , 1 7 9 1 . 
 
 THE 
 
 i 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 LETTERS illuftrating the early Hiftory of the 
 Rev. J. WeQey - page i 
 
 Letter I. From Mr. J. Wejley to his brother Sa- 
 muel _ _ - il;>i4. 
 Letter H. From J, Wejley to his brother Samuel 5 
 Letter III. From Mr, J. Wejley to his brother Sa- 
 muel - - - 9 
 Letter IV. From Charles Wejley to his brother Sa- 
 muel _ . _ 14 
 Letter V. S. Wejley to his brother John 17 
 Letter VI. From J. Wejley to his brother Samuel 20 
 Letter VII. From J. Wejley to his Jather 21 
 Letter VIII. From Samuel Wejley to his brother 
 John - . - - 41 
 Letter IX. From J. Wejley to his brother Samuel 44 
 Letter X. From S. Wejley to his brother John 46 
 ExtraSf of his Jather' s letter 48 
 Letter XI. From Charles Wejley io his brother Sa~ 
 mud ' - - 51 
 
 I Letter 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Letter XII. From J. Wejley to his brother Samuel t^S 
 Letter XIII. From J. Wejley to his brother Samuel 58 
 Letter XIV". John Wejley to his brother Samuel 64 
 Letter XV. From Mrs. E. Hut ton to Mr. Samuel 
 Wejley - - - 67 
 
 Letter XVI. From S. Wejley to Mrs. Hutton 72 
 Letter XVI I. From Mrs. Hutton to Mr. S. Wej- 
 ley - - - 75 
 Letter XVIII. From J. Wejley to his brother Sa- 
 muel - - - 80 
 Letter XIX. From Mr. J. Wejley to bis brother Sa- 
 muel - - - 83 
 Letter XX. From Mr. S. Wejley to his brother John 8 8 
 Letter XXI. From old Mrs. Wejley to her Jon Sa- 
 muel - - - 91 
 Letter XXII. From Mr. S. Wejley to his brother 
 John - - - 95 
 Letter XXIII. From Mr. T. Hervey to Mr. S, 
 Wejley _ . - - 98 
 Letter XXIV. From J. Wejley to his brother Sa- 
 muel - - - ' 10 1 
 Letter XXV. From S. Wejley to his brother John 10^ 
 Letter XXVI. From Mr. S. Wejley to his Mo- 
 ther. ' . - - 108 
 Letter XXVII. From Mr. S. Wejley to his Jijler 
 Mrs. Hall - - - 113 
 Letter XXVIII. From Mr, C. Wejley to his SiJ- 
 ter ' ^ - - 115 
 
 Letters 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Letters concerning fonne fupernatural Dlfturb- 
 
 ances, at old Mr. Wefley's Houfe, at Epworth, 
 
 in Lincolnfhire - - - ,119 
 
 I-etter I. To Mr. SamuelWejley^from his Mother, ib. 
 
 Letter II. "To his Father - - 122 
 
 Letter III. From Mr. S. Wejley to his Mother 123 
 
 Letter IV. From Mrs, Wejley to her Son Samuel 125 
 
 Letter V. From Mifs Sufannah Wejley to her brother 
 
 Samuel - - - 128 
 
 Letter VI. Mr. S. Wejley in Anjwer 130 
 
 Letter VII. Mr . S . Wejley to his Mother 131 
 
 Letter VIII. Mr. S. Wejley to his Father 132 
 
 Letter IX. From Mr, S. Wejley to his Sijier 
 
 Emily _ - ~ ^33 
 
 Letter X. From old Mr. Wejley to his Son Samuel. 
 
 134 
 
 Letter XI. From Mijs Emily Wejley to her brother 
 
 Samuel - .- - jo^ 
 
 Letter XII. Mifs Sufannah Wejley to her brother 
 
 Samuel - - _ 130 
 
 •^ P^Jf^e'in a letter from his Mother 140 
 
 A Pajfage in a Letter from Mifs Emily to Mr. N, 
 
 ^^''U - - - ib. 
 
 Old 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Old Mr. Welley's Journal, or Diary, tranfcribed 
 
 by his Son John, and from hinn, by his brother 
 
 Samuel - - - 141 
 
 An Account of No'ifes and Dijiurhances in his Houfey at 
 
 Ef worthy Lincohijhire, in December and January^ 
 
 17 16. - - - ib. 
 
 Addenda to and from his Father's Diary 149 
 
 Memorandum of Jack's - - ib. 
 
 General Circumjlances of which mojiy if not ally the 
 
 family were frequent witneffes, 150 
 
 His Mother's Account to Jack - 152 
 
 His Sijler Emily's account to Jack - 156 
 
 His Sijler Mollf s account to Jack - 157 
 
 His Sijler Sukey's Account to Jack - 159 
 
 Sijler Nancfs Account to Jack - 16 1 
 
 "^he Rev. Mr. Hook's Account - 163 
 
 Robin Brown's Account to Jack, - 164 
 
 From Mr. Pope to Mr. Samuel JVeJley 167 
 
 From Lord Oxford to Mr, Samuel WeJley 168 
 
 On Sir Robert Walpole, by Bijhop Alter bury 170 
 
 LETTERS 
 
LETTERS 
 
 ILLUSTRATING 
 
 THE EARLY HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Rev. J. WESLEY. 
 
 LETTER L 
 
 Fro77i Mr. J. Wejley to his brother Samueh 
 
 Lincoln Coll. Oxen, April 4, 1716. 
 
 Dear Brother, 
 T Should have written long before now, had not a 
 -■■ gentleman of Exeter made me put it off from 
 day to day, in hopes of getting fome little poems of 
 his, which he promiled to write out for me. Yef- 
 terday I faw them, though not much to my fatisfac- 
 tion, as being all on very wrong fubjefts, and run 
 chiefly on the romantic notions of love and gallan- 
 try. I have tranfcribed one which is much Ihorter 
 than any of the reft, and am promifed by to-mor- 
 row night, if that will do me any fervice, another of 
 a more ferious nature. 
 
 B I be- 
 
J , LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 I believe, I have given Mr. Leyboiirn, at dliFerent 
 times, five or fix fhort copies of verfes ; the latefl 
 were a tranflation of part of the fecond Georgic, and 
 an innitation of the 65th Pfalm. If he has loft 
 them, as it is hkely he has, in fo long a time, 1 can 
 write them over in lefs than an hour, and fend them 
 by the poft. 
 
 My father very unexpe6ledly, a week ago, fent me 
 in a letter a bill on Dr. Morley for twelve pounds, 
 which he had paid to the Reftor's ufe, at Gainfbo- 
 rough. So that now feveral of my debts are paid, 
 and the expences of my treat defrayed, I have above 
 ten pounds remaining ; and if 1 could have leave to 
 ftay in the country till my college allowa^nce com- 
 mences, this money would abundantly fuffice me till 
 then. 
 
 As far as I have ever obferved, I never Icnew a 
 college befides ours, whereof the members were fo 
 perfedly fatisfied with one another, and fo inoffen- 
 five to the other part of the univerfity; all I have 
 yet feen of the fellows are both well-natured and 
 well-bred; men admirably difpofed as well to 
 preferve peace and good neighbourhood among 
 themfelves, as to promote it wherever elfe they have 
 any acquaintance. 
 
 By 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 
 
 By a cool fountain's flo\v*ry fide, 
 The fair Celinda lay ; 
 
 Her looks encre^s'd the fummer's pride, 
 Her eyes the blaze of day. 
 
 Quick throngh the air to this retreat, 
 
 A bee induftrious flew ; 
 Prepar'd to rifle every fweet, 
 
 Under the balmy dew. 
 
 Drawn by the fragrance of her breath. 
 
 Her rofy lips he found ; 
 There in full tranfport fuck'd in death, 
 
 And droptupon the ground. 
 
 Enjoy bleft bee, enjoy thy fate. 
 
 Nor at thy fall repine ; 
 Each God would quit his blifsful ftate, 
 
 To fnare a death like thine. 
 
 "The feven former Verjes of the /ifith PJalm. 
 
 On God fuprerae our hope depends, 
 
 . Whofe omniprefent fight j 
 Even to the pathlefs realms extends, 
 . Of uncreated night. 
 
 Plung'd in th' abyfs of deep diftrefs, ' 
 
 To him we raife our cry; 
 His mercy bids our forrows ceafe, 
 
 And fills our tongue with joy. 
 
 Tho' earth her ancient feat forfake. 
 
 By pangs convulfive torn j 
 Tho' her felf-balanc'd fabric Ihake, 
 
 And luin'd nature mourn : 
 
 B » tho' 
 
4 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 Tho' hills be in the ocean loft, 
 
 "With all their fhaggy load : 
 No fear fhall e'er moleft the juft, 
 
 Or fhake his truft in God. . 
 
 What tho' th' ungovern'd, wild abyfs 
 
 His fires tumultuous pours ; 
 What tho' the wat'ry legion's rife, 
 
 And lafti Ih' affrighted fliore^ 
 
 What tho' the trembling mountains nod, 
 
 Nor ftand the rolling war ; 
 Sion, fecurie, enjoys the flood. 
 
 Loud echping from afar. 
 
 The God mgft high on Sion's hill, 
 
 Has fix'dTiis fure abode : 
 Nor daresih' impetuous waves aflail, 
 
 Thejcitj; of our God. 
 
 Nations remote, and realms unknown, 
 
 In vain re^eft Eis fway ; 
 For lo ! Jehovah's voice is ftiewn. 
 
 And earth 'ftiall melt away. 
 
 Let war's devouring furgesrife. 
 
 And rage on every fide ; 
 The Lord of Hofts our refuge is, 
 
 And Jacob's God our guide. 
 
 Mr. Le-hunte and Mr. Sherman fend their fer- 
 vice. 1 am. 
 
 Your loving Brother, 
 
 JOHN WESLEY. 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. ^ 
 
 I believe, I could put ofF two or three more re- 
 ceipts if I had them j pray my love to my brother 
 and fifter. 
 
 On Friday St. Peter's church in the Baily, was 
 beaten down by the fall of the fteeple. Saturday 
 morning, a chandler here murdered two men and 
 wounded a third i in the evening afire broke out at 
 the Mitre, but was flopped in a few hours. 
 
 To the Rev. Mr. Welley, 
 in Great Dean's Yard, Wcftminfter. 
 
 4 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 Frcin J. JVeJley to his brother Samuel, 
 Dear Brother*, 
 
 I Return you thanks for your favourable judgment 
 on my fermon, and for the alterations you di- 
 redl me to make in it : yet in order to be ftill better 
 informed, I take the liberty to make feme objec- 
 tions to fome of them, in one or two of which I be- 
 lieve you mifunderftood me. 
 
 *.This letter is without a date, but it appears to have been written 
 from Oxford. 
 
 B3 The 
 
P LETTERS. l^ELATING TO 
 
 The reafons why I conceive the Samaritans to 
 have been idolaters, are, ift. Becaufe our Saviour 
 fays of them, " Ye worfhip ye know not what,'* 
 which feems to refer plainly to the objeft of their 
 worfhip i and 2dly. Becaufe the old inhabitants of 
 Samaria, who fucceeded the Ifraelites, were undoubt- 
 edly fo, and I never heard that they were much 
 amended in after times : " Thefe nations feared the 
 " Lord, and ferved their graven images, both their 
 *' children and their children's children." 2 Kings, 
 c.xvii. V. 41. 
 
 II. Were the Jews obliged to love wicked men? 
 And is not our commandment extended to fome^ 
 cafes to which theirs did not reach ? To the exclud- 
 ing fome inftances of revenge, which were indulged 
 to them ? 
 
 We are doubtlefs to love good men more than 
 others : but to have inferted it, where I was only to 
 prove that we were to love them, and not how much, 
 would not, I think, have been to my purpofe. 
 Where our Saviour exerts his authority againft his 
 oppofers, I cannot think it fafe for me to follow him. 
 1 would much fooner in thofe cafes ad; by his pre- 
 cepts than example j the one was certainly defigned 
 for me, the other poffibly was not. The author 
 had power to difpenfe with his own laws, and wif- 
 dom to know when it wasneceiTary -, I have neither. 
 
 No 
 
 I 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. ^ 
 
 No one would blame a man for ufing fuch fharp- 
 nefs of fpeech as St. Stephen does, efpecially in a 
 prayer made in the article of death, with the fame 
 intention as his. 
 
 What you underfland as fpoken of ruler s, I ex- 
 prefsly fay of private men : " As well every ruler as 
 " every private man muft a6t in a legal way j and the 
 " latter might with equal reafon apply the civil 
 " fword himfelf, as ufe violent means" (by which I 
 here mean reviling, ftudioufly and unneceffarily de- 
 faming, or handing about ill ftories of wicked men) 
 *' to preferve the^ church." 
 
 I believe it to be more efpecially the duty of go- 
 vernors, to try to amend fcandalous offenders. 2, 
 That flagrant immorality is a fufficient reafon to 
 fhun any one. 3. That to the weak and private 
 chriftian, it is an unanfwerable reafon for fo doing. 
 4. That in many cafes a private chriftian, in fame, 
 a clergyman is not obliged to admonifh»more than 
 once. But this being allowed, ftill the main argu- 
 ment ftands, that the fcripture no where authorifes a 
 private perfon to do more than to fliun an heretic, 
 or (which I exprefsly mention) an obftinate offender. 
 I had not the leafl thought of any retrofpeft in them, 
 neither when I wrote or fpoke thofe words : " If Pro- 
 ** vidence has pointed you out, &c." 
 
 My mother's reafon for my cutting off my hair, 
 is becaufe Ihe fancies it prejudices my health. As 
 to my looks, it would doubtlefs mend my complex- 
 
 B 4 ion 
 
 ^^t£^ ^] corner 
 
S LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 ion to have it off, by letting me get a little more 
 colour, and perhaps it might contribute to my mak- 
 ing a more genteel appearance. But thefe till ill 
 health is added to them, I cannot perfuade myfelf to 
 be fufficient grounds for lofing two or three pounds 
 a year. I am ill enough able to fpare them. 
 
 Mr. Sherman fays, there are garrets fomewhere 
 in Peckwater, to be let for fifty Ihillings a year ; 
 that there are too fome honed fellows in College, 
 •who would be willing to chum in one of them j and 
 that could my brother but find one of thefe garrets, 
 and get acquainted with one of thefe honeft fellows, 
 he might very pofTibly prevail upon him to join in 
 taking it j and then, if he could but prevail upon 
 fome one elfe to give him feven pounds a year for 
 his own room, he would gain almoft fix pounds a 
 year clear, if his rent were well paid. He appealed to 
 me whether the propofal was not exceeding reafon- 
 able ? BuLas I could not give him fuch an anfwer 
 as he defired, I did not chufe to give him any at all. 
 
 Leifure and I have taken leave of one another ; 
 I propofe to be bufy as long as I live, if my health 
 is fo long indulged to me. In health and ficknefs I 
 hope I fhall ever continue with the fame fmcerity. 
 
 Your loving Brother, 
 
 JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 My love and fervice to my fifler. 
 
 To Mr. Wefley, 7 
 
 Great Dean's-yard, Weftminfter > 
 
c 
 
 THE REV. J. WESLEY. 9 
 
 LETTER III. 
 
 Mr, y. IVeJley to his brother Samuel, 
 
 Lincoln College, Nov. 17, 1731. 
 
 Dear Brother, 
 
 ONSIDERING the other changes that I re- 
 member in myfelf, I fhall not at all wonder, 
 if the time comes, when we differ as little in our 
 conclufions as we do now in our premifes. In mod 
 we feem to agree already ^ efpecially as to rifing, not 
 keeping much company, and fitting by a fire, which 
 I always do, if any one in the room does, whether 
 at home or abroad. But thefe are the very things 
 about which others will never agree with me. Had I 
 given up thefe, or but one of them,^BKing early, 
 which implies going to bed early (though I never 
 am fleepy now) and keeping fo little company, not 
 one man in ten of thofe that are offended at me, as 
 it is, would ever open their mouth againfl any of 
 the other particulars. For the fake of thefe thofe are 
 mentioned, the root of the matter lies here. Would 
 I but employ a third of my money, and about half 
 my time, as other folks do, fmaller matters would be 
 eafily overlooked. But I think " Nil Tanti ejir 
 As to my hair, I am much more fure, that what this 
 
 enables 
 
30 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 enables me to do, is according to the fcripture, than 
 I am that the length of it is contrary to it. 
 
 I have often thought of a faying of Dr. Hay- 
 ward's, when he examined me for prieft's orders : 
 *' Do you know what you are about ? You are bid- 
 *' ding defiance to all mankind. He that would 
 " live a chriftian prieft ought to know that, whether 
 " his hand be againft every man or no, he muft ex- 
 " ped every man^s hand fhould be againft him." 
 It is not ilrange that every man's hand who is not a 
 chriftian, fhould be againft him that endeavours to 
 be fo. But is it not hard, that even thofe that are 
 with us fhould be againft us; that a man's enemies 
 (in fome degree) fhould be thofe of the fame houf- 
 hold of faith ? Yet fo it is. From the time that a 
 man fets himfelf to his bufinefs, very many, even of 
 thofe who travel the fame road, many of thofe who 
 are before, j^well as behind him, will lay ftumbling 
 
 hi^£ 
 
 blocks in hisway. One blames him for not going 
 faft enough, another for having made no greater 
 progrefs; another forgoing too far, which perhaps, 
 ftrange as it is, is the more common charge of the 
 two. For this comes from people of all forts; not 
 only infidels, not only half-chriftians, but fome of 
 the beft of men are very apt to make this refledion, 
 " He lays unnecelTary burthens upon himfelf; he 
 " is too precife ; he does what God has no where re- 
 " quired to be done.'* True, he has not required it 
 
 of 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. II 
 
 pf thofe that are perfe6lj and even as to thofe who 
 ftre not, all men are not required to ufe all means; 
 l?ut every man is required to ufe thofe which he 
 finds moft ufeful to himfclf. And who can tell bet- 
 ter than himfelf, whether he finds them fo or no ? 
 " Who knoweth the things of a man better than the 
 " fpirit of a man that is in him ?" 
 
 This being a point of no common concern, I 
 defire to explain myfelf upon it once for all, and to 
 tell you freely and clearly, thofe general pofitions on 
 which I ground (I think) all thofe practices, for 
 which (as you would have feen, had you read that 
 paper through) I am generally accufed of fingula- 
 rity. ifl. As to the end of my being, I lay it down 
 for a rule, that I cannot be too happy, or therefore 
 too holy, and thence infer that the more fleadily I 
 keep my eye upon the prize of our high calling, 
 the better, and the more of my thoOghts, and words, 
 and actions, are direftly pointed at the attainment 
 of it. 2d. As to the inftituted means of attaining 
 
 o 
 
 it, I likewife lay it down for a rule, that I am to ufe 
 them every time I may. 3d. As to prudential 
 means, I believe this rule holds, of things indifferent 
 in themfelvesj whatever I know to do me hurt, that 
 to me is not indifferent, but refolutely to be ab- 
 ftained fromj whatever I know to do me good, 
 that to me is not indifferent, but refolutely to be 
 embraced. 
 
 i « But" 
 
12 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 " But" it will be faid, " I am whimfical." True, 
 and what then? If by whtmfical be meant fimply 
 fingular, I own itj if fingular without any reafon, I 
 deny it with both my hands, and am ready to give a 
 reafon to any that afks me, of every cuftom where- 
 in I wilfully differ from the world. I grant, in many 
 fingle aftions, I differ unreafonably from others; 
 but not wilfully; no, I fhall extremely thank any 
 one who will teach me to help it. But can I to- 
 tally help it, till I have more breeding, or more pru- 
 dence, to neither of which I am much difpofed na- 
 turally; and I greatly fear my acquired flock of 
 cither will give me fmall affiftance. 
 
 I have but one thing to add, and that is, as to my 
 being formal. If by that be meant, that I am not 
 cafy and unaffedled enough in my carriage : It is 
 ver}' true ; but how fhall I help it ? I cannot be gen- 
 teelly behaved bfinftind ; and if I am to try after 
 it by experience and obfervation of others, that is 
 not the work of a month, but of years. If by for- 
 mal be meant that I am fcrious, this too is very 
 true ; but why fhould I help it ? Mirth, I grant, is 
 fit for you ; but does it follow that it is fit for me ? 
 Are the fame tempers, any more than the fame 
 words or ad ions, fit for all circumflances ? If you 
 are to " rejoice evermore," becaufe you have put 
 your enemies to flight, am I to do the fame, while 
 they continually affault me ? You are glad, becaufe 
 
 you 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. I3 
 
 you are 'pajjedfrom death to life : Well ; but let him 
 be afraid who knows not whether he is to live or 
 die. Whether this be my condition or no, who 
 can tell better than myfelf. Him who can, whoever 
 he be, I allow to be a proper judge, whether I 
 do well to be generally as ferious as I can. 
 
 John Whitelamb wants a gown much, and I am 
 not rich enough to buy him one at prcfent. If you 
 are willing my twenty Ihillings (that were) Ihould 
 go toward that, I will add ten to them, and let it 
 lie till I have tried my intereft with my friends to 
 make up the price of a new one. I am. 
 
 Dear Brother, 
 
 Your's, and my lifter's, 
 affedlionate Brother, 
 
 JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 To the Rev. Mr. Wefley, \ 
 Great DeanVyard, Weftminfter. 3 
 
 The Reftor is much at your fervice. I fancy I 
 lliall fome time or other, have much to fay to you 
 about him. All are pretty well at Epworth, my 
 fitter Molly fays. 
 
 LET- 
 
H LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 From Charles Wefley to his brother Samuel. 
 
 Ghrift Church, July 31, 1734. 
 
 Dear Brother, 
 
 MANY things have concurred to hinder my 
 fooner thanking you for your laft letter, 
 ftridlly fo called (fuch as end in the fir ft or fecond 
 pages, I cannot allow to be more than notes). Yoti 
 went as far towards fatisfying all my queries, as your 
 paper would well permit. I am heartily glad to 
 hear my fifter and you are fo much mended (in 
 health, the main temporal concern) and that your 
 trouble is lefs than it was at Weftminfter. Let 
 things happen how they can (as you fay) what has 
 already happened (to ufe a Heatheniih word) has, 
 I think, fufficiently juftified your friends in giving, 
 and yourfelf in taking, advice. 1 Ihould be glad to 
 know what your phyficians in the Weft, if you have 
 any there, fay to you. I hope you find others as 
 much better than you expefted, as the fecond maf- 
 ter, and congratulate you upon your difappointment 
 in finding him no drunkard. By your defcription 
 of my fifter in her gardens — Accendis^ quam cupiam 
 magis tin froxmus ejfe — I muft come and make her 
 an arbour, I fee. There is no help for it, but 
 
 want 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 1$ 
 
 want of time and money. This is no hint, take 
 notice ; for when need be, you can bear witnefs to 
 my proficiency in begging explicitly. I am not 
 forry to hear of the offence your regulations are 
 likely to give, for I am more and more convinced, 
 that none efcape being evil-fpoken of, but thofe 
 hat deferve not to efcape it. 
 
 I cannot excufe my brother's mentioning nothing 
 of I'^worth, when he was jufi: come from it. Ta- 
 citurn T as to family affairs, is his infirmity, but 
 not his li'ilt, for I dare fay there is no malice pro- 
 penje in it. \\vi'as much he told me they were all 
 well there; for he dees riit ufe to be fo communi- 
 cative. It was by mere accilrnt I heard of John 
 Whitlamb's having written, for thou^n rny bother 
 had been there, I had known nothing of it till thisday, 
 but for my journey to London. My father, theyfay, 
 is a little diffatisfied at my aunt Nancy's leaving » 
 thoufand pounds (where it can be got) to my mother 
 during life, and as after^;^ard S. Kezzy made a con- 
 fiderable conqueft when my brother was there; of 
 Mr. Hall, I mean, who accompanied him. All 
 parties are pleafed with the match, but Mr. Hall's 
 mother ; and for want of her confent, there it refts. 
 My brother has been much mauled, and threaten- 
 ed more for his Jacobite Sermon on the i ith June ; 
 But he was wife enough to get the Vice Chancellor 
 to read and approve it before he preached it, and 
 
 may 
 
l6 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 may therefore bid Wadham, Merton, Exeter, and 
 Chrift Church, do their worft. The laft week he 
 pafTed at London, chiefly in confulting Mr. Law 
 about one of his pupils ; but he found time, not- 
 withftanding, to difpatch three fheets of Job while 
 there, and ftill goes on with much more expedition 
 than my father did while upon the fpot. I very 
 happily find I have a love left for Dean's-yard ; a/d 
 yet it is all derived to Tiverton, which I hope it /ill 
 not be impoiTible for me to fee before the Paiice is 
 quite finilhed. Mr. and Mrs. Crew conplained 
 when they were here lately, of your w::ih')g to every 
 body but them. Mr. Morgan is in a fairer way of 
 becoming a chrii3:ignvnan we ever yet knew him. 
 Dick Siiith, 1 hope, continues one ftill, that is, is 
 better and better every day. Pray give our love to 
 my ifter and Phill. I am. 
 
 Your affedionate Brother, 
 
 CHARLES WESLEY. 
 
 The Rev.Mr. Wefley, SchooUmafter, > 
 Tiverton, Devon. 5 
 
 LET- 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. IJ 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 45". fFeJIey to bis brother John. 
 
 Chriftmas Day, 1734* 
 jl)ear Jack, 
 
 YESTERDAY I received a letter from my fa- 
 ther, wherein he tells me you are unalterably 
 refolved not to accept of a certain living if you 
 could get it, and that for this reafon, " the queftion 
 ** is not whether I could do more good to others 
 *^ there or here^ but whether I could do more to my- 
 ** felf J feeing wherever I can be moft holy myfelfj 
 " there I am affured I can moft promote holinefs in 
 " others ; but I am equally affured there is no place 
 " under heaven fo fit for my improvement as Ox- 
 " ford." 
 
 After this declaration, I believe no one can move 
 your mind but him who made it, much lefs do I 
 think myfelf qualified for that purpofe. You may 
 perhaps fay I have been too paffive j I left Oxford, 
 with all its opportunity of good, on a worldly ac- 
 count, at my father's defire. I left my laft fettle- 
 ment by the fame determination, and fhould have 
 thought I finned both times if I had not followed it. 
 You may afk, if I fuppofe you not to be perfuaded, 
 
 C and 
 
j8 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 and myfelf not fit to perfuade, why do I write ? 
 For a plain reafon, it is my duty, if I can, to pleafe 
 and profit my father and mother ; and, fecondly, to 
 inform and profit you. The event 1 leave to the 
 Almighty, o xflfuv xp^t^ln, 
 
 I fliall not draw the law of controverfy, and 
 therefore, though I judge every propofition flatly 
 falfe, except that of your being afTured, yet I fhall 
 allow every word, and have neverthelefs this to fay 
 a^ainft your conclufions. i. I fee your love to 
 yourlelf, but your love to your neighbour I do 
 not fee. This was not the fpirit of St. Paul, when 
 he wiflied himfelfaccurfed for his brethren's fake; 
 the lowed fenfe of which muft be thus much, to be 
 deprived of the outward means of grace, and cut off 
 from vifible communion. What, would you not 
 lofe one degree of ^lory, were it poffible to be in- 
 ftru mental in faving feveral, perhaps very many, 
 from the place of torment ? 
 
 2. 1 ou are not at liberty to refolve againft un- 
 dertaking a cure of fouls. You are folemnly en- 
 gaged to do it before God, and his high prieft, and 
 his church. Are you not ordained ? Did you not 
 deliberately and openly piomife to inftrud, to teach, 
 to admonifh, to exhort thofe committed to your 
 charge ? Did you equivocate then \Nith fo vile a 
 refervation, as to purpofe in your heart that you 
 would never have any fg committed ? It is not a 
 
 College, 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. I^ 
 
 College, It is not an Univerficy, it is the order of the 
 Churchy according to which you were called. Let 
 Charles, if he is filly enough, vow never to leave 
 Oxford, and therefore avoid orders. Your faith is 
 already plighted to the contrary ; you have put your 
 hand to the plough, to that plough. 
 
 I mention no lefs confiderations, but reftrain my- 
 felf, though not a little furprifed that you feem to 
 hint, what fcarce ever before entered the head of a 
 chriftian, that a parilli prieft cannot attain to th« 
 higheft: perfe£Uon pofTible on this fide heaveii. 
 
 I am> S?c. 
 
 S. WESLEY, 
 
 C 2 LET- 
 
ao LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 L E T T E R VI. 
 
 From J. Wejley to his brother SamueU 
 
 Oxon, Jan. 15, 1 734-5* 
 Dear Brother, 
 
 HAD not my brother Charles defired it might 
 be otherwife, I fliould have fent you only an 
 extrad of the following letter*. But if you will be 
 at the pains, you will foon reduce the argument of 
 it to two or three points, which, if to be anfwered 
 at all, will be eafily anfwered. By it you may ob- 
 ferve, my prefent purpofe is founded on my prefent 
 weaknefs. But it is not indeed probable, that my 
 father fliould live till that weaknefs is removed. 
 
 Your fecond argument I had no occafion to men- 
 tion before. To it 1 anfwer, that I do not, nor ever 
 did, refolve againft undertaking a cure of fouls. 
 There are four cures belonging to our College, and 
 confiftent with a FelloAfhip: 1 do not know but I 
 may take one of them at Michaelmas. Not that I 
 am clearly aflured that 1 fliould be falfe to my en- 
 gagement, were I only to inftruft and exhort the 
 
 • Written to his father. 
 
 pupils 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 0.1 
 
 pupils committed to my charge. But of that I 
 Ihould think more. 
 
 I defire your full thoughts upon the whole, as 
 well as your prayers, for 
 
 Dear Brother, 
 Your obliged and afFeftionate Brother, 
 
 JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 LETTER VIL 
 
 From J. Wejley to his father* 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 lil. nnHE authority of a parent, and the call of 
 ■*• Providence, are things of fo facred a na- 
 ture, that a queftion in which thefe are any ways 
 concerned, deferves the moft ferious confideration. I 
 am therefore greatly obliged to you for the pains you 
 have taken to fets ours in a clear light i which I now 
 intend to confider more at large, with the utmoft 
 attention of which 1 am capable. And I fhall the 
 more chearfuUy do it, as being affured of your 
 
 C 3 joining 
 
aj LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 joining with me in earneftly imploring his guidance, 
 who will not fufFer thofe that bend their wills to his> 
 to feek death in the error of their life. 
 
 ad. I entirely agree, that " the glory of God, 
 " and the different degrees of promoting it, are to 
 " be our fole confideration and direftion in the 
 " <:hoice of any courfe of life i" and confequently, 
 that it muft wholly turn upon this fingle point, whe- 
 ther I am to prefer a college life, or that of a reftor 
 of a parilh. I do not fay the glory of God is to 
 be my firft, or my principal confideration, but my 
 only one ; fince all that are not imphed in this, are 
 abfolutely of no weight j in prefence of this, they all 
 vanifh away, they are lefs than the fmall dull of the 
 balance. 
 
 3d. And, indeed, till all other confiderations were 
 fet afide, I could never come to any clear determi- 
 nation ; till my eye was fingle, my whole mind was 
 full of darknefs. Every confideration diftin6l from 
 this, threw a Ihadow over all the objeds I had in 
 view, and was fuch a cloud as no light could pene- 
 trate. Whereas, fo long as I can keep my eye fin- 
 gle, and fteadily fixed on the glory of God, I have 
 no more doubt of the way wherein I ihould go, 
 than of the fhining of the fun at noon-day. 
 
 4th. That courfe of life tends moft to the glory 
 of God, wherein we can moft promote hohnels in 
 ourfelves and others. I % in ourfeives and others, 
 
 as 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 23 
 
 as being fully perfuaded that thefe can never be 
 put afunder. For how is it polTible that the good 
 God fhould make our intereft inconfiflent with our 
 neighbours ? That he fhould make our being in 
 one ftate befl: for ourfelves, and our being in an- 
 other befl for the church ? This would" be making a 
 flrange fchifm in his body; fuch as furely never 
 was from the beginning of the world. And if not, 
 then whatever ftate is befl on either of thefe accounts, 
 is fo on the other likewife. If it be beft for others, 
 then it is fo for us j if for us, then for them. 
 
 5th. However, when two ways of life are pro- 
 pofedj I fhould chufe to begin with that part of the 
 queftion, which of thefe have I rational ground to 
 believe will conduce mofl to my own improvement. 
 And that not only becaufe it is every phyfician's con- 
 cern to heal himfelf firfl, but becaufe it feems we 
 may judge with more eafe, and perhaps certainty 
 too, in which ftate we can mofl promote holinefs in 
 ourfelves, than in which we can in others. 
 
 6 th. By holinefs, I mean not falling, or bodily 
 aufterity, or any other external means of improve- 
 ment, but the inward temper, to which dl thelfe 
 are fubfervient, a renewal of the foul in the image 
 of God. I mean a complex habit of lowlihefs, 
 meeknefs, purity, faith, hope, and the love of God 
 and man. And 1 therefore believe, that in the flate 
 wherein I am, I can mofl promote this holinefs in 
 
 C 4 myfelf. 
 
24 LEtTERS RELATING TO 
 
 myfelf, becaufe I now enjoy fevcral advantages^ 
 which are almofl peculiar to it. 
 
 7 th. The firft of thefe, is daily converfe with my 
 friends. I know no other place under heaven where 
 I can have always at hand half a dozen perfons 
 nearly of my own judgment, and engaged in the 
 iame ftudies. Perfons who are awakened into a 
 full and lively conviftion, that they have only one 
 work to do upon earth j who are in fome meafure 
 enlightened fo as to fee, though at a diftance, what 
 that one work is, viz. the recovery of that fingle 
 intention and pure afFeftion which were in Chrift 
 Jefusj who, in order to this, have according to 
 their power renounced themfelves, and wholly and 
 abfolutely devoted themfelves to God: and who 
 fuitably thereto deny themfelves, and take up their 
 crofs daily. To have fuch a number of fuch friends 
 conftantly watching over my foul, and according to 
 the variety of occafions, adminiftering reproof, ad- 
 vice, or exhortation, with all plainnefs, and all gen- 
 tlenefs, is a bleffing I have not yet found any chrif- 
 tians to enjoy in any other part of the kingdom. 
 And fuch a bleffing it is, fo conducive, if faithfully 
 ufed, to the increafe of all holinefs, as I defy any 
 one to know the full value of, till he receives his 
 full meafure of glory. 
 
 8th. Another invaluable bleffing which I enjoy 
 here in a greater degree than I could any where elfe, 
 
 is 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 25 
 
 is retirement. I have not only as much, but as little 
 company as I pleafe, I have no fuch thing as a trif- 
 ling vifitant, except about an hour in a month, 
 when I invite fome of the fellows to breakfaft. Un- 
 iefs at that one time, no one ever takes it into his 
 head to fet foot within my door, except he has 
 fome bufinefs of importance to communicate to me, 
 or I to him. And even then, as foon as he has dif- 
 patched his bufinefs, he immediately takes his 
 leave. 
 
 9th. Both thefe bleflings, the connnual prefence 
 of ufeful and uninterrupted freedom from trifling 
 acquaintance, are exceedingly endeared to me, 
 whenever I have Ipent but one week out of this 
 place. The far greateft part of the converfation I 
 meet with abroad, even among thofe whom I be- 
 lieve to be real chrillians, turns on points that are 
 abfolutely wide of my purpofe, that no way forv/ard 
 me in the bufinefs of life. Now, though they may 
 have time to fpare, I have none j it is abfolutely 
 neceffary for fuch a one as me to follow with all 
 poflible care and vigilance, that excellent advice of 
 Mr. Herbert, 
 
 Still let thy mind be bent, ftill plotting where, ' 
 
 And when, and how, the bufinefs may be done. 
 
 And this, I blefs God, I can in fome meafure do, 
 fo long as I avoid that bane of piety, the company 
 
 of 
 
26 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 of good fort of men, lukewarm chriftrians (as they 
 are called) perlons that have a great concern for, 
 but no fenfe of religion. But thefe undermine in- 
 fenfibly all my refolutions, and quite Ileal from me 
 the little fervour I have J and I never come from 
 among thefe Saints of the World (as J. Valdefib 
 calls them) faint, diflipated, and fhorn of all my 
 ftrength, but 1 fay, " God deliver me from a half- 
 chriftian." 
 
 loth. Freedom from care I take to be the re3ft 
 greateft advantage to freedom from ufelefs, and 
 therefore hurtful, company. And this too 1 enjoy 
 in greater perfeftion here tlian I can ever expe6t to 
 do any where elle. I hear of fuch a thing as the 
 cares of this world y and I read of them^ but I know 
 them not. My income is ready for me on fo many 
 llated days, and all I have to do is to count and carry 
 it home. The grand article of my expence is food, 
 and this too is provided without any care of mine. 
 I have nothing to do, but at fuch an hour to take 
 and eat what is prepared for me. My laundrefs, 
 barber, &c. are always ready at quarter-day, fo I 
 have no trouble on account of thofe expences. And 
 for what I occafionally need, I can be fupplied from 
 time to time without any expence of thought. Now 
 to convince me what a help to holinefs this is (were 
 not my experience abundantly fufficient) I fhould 
 need no better authority than St. Paul's, " I would 
 
 I have 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. I^J 
 
 have you be without carefulnefs." This I fpeak for 
 your own profit, that ye may attend upon the Lord 
 without diftra^flion. Happy is he that careth only 
 for the things of the Lord, how he may pleafe the 
 Lord. He may be holy both in body and fpirit, 
 after the Apoftle's judgment, and I think that he 
 had the fpirit of God. 
 
 nth. To quicken me in making a thankful and 
 diligent ufe of all the other advantages of this place, 
 I have the opportunity of public prayer twice a day, 
 and of weekly communicating. It would be ealy' 
 to mention many more, and likewife to Ihew many 
 dilad vantages, which a perfon of greater courage 
 and Ikill than me, could fcarce feparate from a 
 country life. But whatever one of experience and' 
 refolution might do, I am very fenfible I fhould not 
 be able to turn afide one of the thoufand tempta- 
 tions that would immediately rufh upon me, I 
 could not ftand my ground, no not for one month, 
 againft intemperance in fleeping, eating and drink- 
 ing J againft irregularity in ftudy, againft a general 
 iukewarmnels in my afFedlions, and remiffnefs in my 
 actions j againft fofcnefs and felf-indulgence, direftly 
 oppofite to that difcipline and hardftiip which be-" 
 come a foldier of Jefus Chrift. And then when 
 my fpirit was thus difiblved, I ftiould be an eafy' 
 prey to whatever impertinent company came in my 
 way. Then would the cares of the world, and the 
 
 defire 
 
28 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 defire of other things, roll back with a full tide upon 
 me. It would be no wonder, if, while I preached to 
 others, I nnyfelf fhould be a call away. I cannot 
 therefore but obferve, that the queftion does not re- 
 late barely to degrees of perfedion, but to the very 
 efTence and being of it. j^gitur de vita ^ /anguine 
 ^urni. The point is, whether 1 fhall, or fliall not, 
 work out my falvatioDj whether 1 Ihall ferve Chrift, 
 or Belial. 
 
 1 2th. What dill heightens my fear of this un- 
 tried ftate is, that when I am once entered into it, be 
 the inconveniencies of it found more or lefs — vejiigia 
 nulla retrorjum — when I am there, there 1 muft 
 ftay. If this way of life fhould ever prove lefs ad- 
 vantageous, I have almofl continual opportunities 
 of quitting it; but whatever difficulties occur in 
 that, whether forefeen or unforefeen, there is no 
 returning, any more than from the grave. When 
 I have once launched out into that unknown fea, 
 there is no recovering my harbour; I mufl on 
 among w^hatever whirlpools, or rocks, or fands, 
 though all the waves and ftorms go over me. 
 
 1 3th. Thus much as to myfelf. But you juftly 
 obferve, that we are not to confider ourfelves alone j 
 fince God made us all for a focial life, to which aca- 
 demical ftudies are only preparatory. I allow too 
 that he will take an exaft account of every talent 
 which he has lent us, not to bury them, but to em-, 
 ploy every mite v/e have received in diffufing holi- 
 
 nefs 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 29 
 
 nefs all around us. I cannot deny that every fol- 
 lower of Chrift is, in his proportion, the light of the 
 world, that whoever is fuch can no more be con- 
 cealed than the fun in the midft of heaven ; that 
 being fet as a light in a dark place, his Ihining oift 
 muft be the more confpicuous ; that to this very 
 end was his light given, that it might fliine at lead 
 to all that look towards him ; and indeed that th^re 
 is one only way of hiding it, which is, to put it out. 
 Neither can I deny that it is the indifpenfable duty 
 of every chriftian to impart both light and heat to 
 all who are willing to receive it. I am obliged like- 
 wife, urilefs I lie againft the truth, to grant that there 
 is not fo contemptible an animal upon earth, as one 
 that drones away life, without ever labouring to pro- 
 mote the glory of God, and the good of men; and 
 that whether he be young or old, learned, or un- 
 learned, in a college, or out of it. Yet granting 
 the fuperlative degree of contempt to be on all 
 accounts due to a college drone ; a wretch that 
 hath received ten talents, and yet employs none ; 
 that is not only promifed a reward by his gracious 
 mafter, but is paid before hand for his work by his 
 generous founder, and yet works not at all; allow- 
 ing all this, and whatever elfe can be faid (for I own 
 it is impofTible to fay enough) againft the drowfy 
 ingratitude, the lazy perjury of thofe who are com- 
 monly called harmlefs or good foic of men (a fair 
 
 proportion 
 
30 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 proportion of whom I muft to our fhame confefs 
 are to be found in colleges) allowing this, I fay, I da 
 not apprehend it will conclude againft a college life 
 in general. For the abufe of it does not deftroy the 
 ufe i though there are fome here who are the lumber 
 of the creation, it does not follow that others may 
 not be of more fervice to the world in this ftation, 
 than they could in any other. 
 
 14th. That I in particular could, might, it feems, 
 be inferred from what has been proved already, viz. 
 That I could be holier here myfelf than any where 
 elfe, if I faithfully ufed the bleflings I enjoy ; for to 
 prove, that the holier any maji is himfelf, the more 
 fhall he promote holinefs in others, there needs no 
 more than this one pq/iulaium, the help which is done 
 on earth, God does it himfelf. Iffo, if God be the 
 fole agent in healing fouls, and man only the inftru- 
 ment in his hand, there can no doubt be made, buc 
 that the more holy a man is, he will make ufe of 
 him the more. Becaufe he is more willing to be fo 
 ufed i becaufe the more pure he is, he is the fitter in- 
 ftrument for the God of purity j becaufe he will 
 pray more, and more earneftly that he may be em- 
 ployed, and that his fervice may tend to his maf- 
 ter's glory ; becaufe all his prayers both for em- 
 ployment and fuccefs therein will the more furely 
 pierce the clouds; becaufe the more his heart is 
 enlarged, the wider fphere he may ad in without 
 
 care- 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 3' 
 
 carefalnefs or diftradion. And laftly, becaufe the 
 more his heart is renewed in the innage of God, the 
 more God can renew it in others by him, without 
 deftroying him by pride or vanity. 
 
 I cth. But for the proof of every one of thefe 
 weio-hty truths, experience is worth a thoufand rea- 
 fons. I fee, I feel them every day. Sometimes 
 I cannot do good to others, becaufe 1 am unwilling 
 to do it; fhame or pain is in the way; and I do not 
 defire to ferve God at fo dear a rate. Sometimes I 
 cannot do the good I defire to do, becaufe I am in 
 gther refpefts too unholy., I know within myfelf^ 
 were I fit to be fo employed, God would employ 
 me in this work. But my heart is too unclean for 
 fuch mighty works to be wrought by my hands. 
 Sometimes I cannot accomplifli the good I am em- 
 ployed in, becaufe I do not pray more, and more 
 fervently j and fometimes even when I do pray, and 
 that inftantly, becaufe I am not worthy that my 
 prayer Ihould be heard. Sometimes I dare not at- 
 tempt to afiift my neighbour, becaufe I know the 
 narrownefs of my heart, that it cannot attend to 
 many things, without utter confufion, and diflipa- 
 tion of thought. And a thoufand times have I 
 been mercifully withheld from fuccefs in the things 
 I have attempted ; becaufe were one fo prx)ud and 
 vain enabled to gain others, he would lofe his own 
 foul. 
 
 1 6th 
 
J2 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 1 6th. From all this I conclude, that where I am 
 mod holy myfelf, there I could moft promote holi- 
 nefs in others; and, confequendy, that, I could more 
 promote it here, than in any place under heaven. 
 But I have likewife other reafons befides this to 
 think fo; and the firft is, the plenteoufnefs of the 
 harvefl. Here is indeed a large fcene of various 
 action. Here is room for charity in all its forms. 
 There is fcarce any way of doing good to our fellow 
 creatures, for which here is not daily occafion. I 
 can now only touch on the feveral heads. Here are 
 poor families to be relieved; here are children to be 
 educated ; here are work-houfes wherein both young 
 and old want, and gladly receive the word of ex- 
 hortation ; here are prifons to be vifited, wherein 
 alone is a complication of all human wants; and, 
 laftly, here are the fchools of the prophets ; here are 
 tender minds to be formed and ftrengthened, and 
 babes in Chriftto be inftru6led, and perfeded in all 
 ufeful learning. Of thefe in particular we muft ob- 
 ferve, that he who gains only one, does thereby as 
 much fervice to the world as he could do in a pa- 
 rilh in his whole life, for his name is legion i in him 
 are contained all thole who fhall be converted by 
 him. He is not a Ungle drop of the dew of hea* 
 ven ; but a river to make glad the city of God. 
 
 17th. But Epworth is yet a larger fphere of 
 aftion than this ; there I Ihould have the care of two 
 
 thoufand 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 3^ 
 
 thoufand fouls. Two thcufand fouls, I fee not how 
 any man living can take care of an hundred. At leafl 
 I could not; I know too well ^id valeant humeri. 
 Becaufe the weight that I have already upon me, is 
 almoft more than I am able to bear, ought I to en- 
 creafe it ten- fold? 
 
 ■ ...———— imponere Peiio OJJam 
 
 Scilicet, atqiie OJfe frondofum hi-volvere Olympum. 
 
 Would this be the way to help either myfelf or 
 my brethren, up to heaven? Nay, but the moun- 
 tains I reared would only crufli my own foul, and 
 fo make me utterly ufelefs to others. 
 
 1 8th. I need not but juft glance upon feveral 
 other re^fons, why I am more likely to be ufeful 
 here than any where elfe. As, becaufe I have the 
 joint advice of many friends in any difficulty, and 
 their joint encouragement in any dangers. Becaufe 
 the good bifliop and vice chancellor, are at hand to 
 fupply (as need is) their want of experience; be- 
 caufe we have the eyes of multitudes upon us, who, 
 even without defigning it, perform the moft fubftan- 
 tial office of friendfhip, apprizing us where we have 
 already fallen, and guarding us from falling again; 
 laftly, becaufe we have here a conftant fund (which I 
 believe this year will amount to near eighty pounds) 
 to fupply the bodily wants of the poor, and thereby 
 prepare their fouls to neceive inftrudtion. 
 
 D i9tij. 
 
34 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 1 9th. If it be faid that the love of the people at 
 Epworth balances all thefe advantages here ; 1 alk 
 how long will it laft ? Only till I come to tell them 
 plainly that their deeds are evil, and to make a par- 
 ticular application of that general fentence to fay to 
 each, Thou art the man ! Alas, Sir, do I not know, 
 what love they had for you at firft ? And how have 
 they ufed you fince ? Why, juft as every one will be 
 ufed, whofe bufinefs it is to bring light to them that 
 love to fit in darkncfs. 
 
 20th. Notwithftanding, therefore, their prefenC 
 prejudice in my favour, I cannot quit my firft con- 
 clufion, that I am not likely to do that good any 
 where, not even at Epworth, which I may do at Ox- 
 ford J and yet one terrible objefbion lies in the way ; 
 Have you found it fo in fact ? What have you done 
 there in fo many years ? Nay, have not the very at- 
 tempts to do good, for want either of a particular 
 turn of mind for the bufinefs you engaged in, or of 
 prudence to diredl you in the right method of doing 
 it, not only been unfuccefsful, but brought fuch con- 
 tempt upon you, as has in great meafure difqualified 
 you for any future fuccels ? And are there not men 
 in Oxford who are not only better and holier than 
 you, but who having preferved their reputation, 
 who being univerfally efteemcd, are every way fitter 
 to promote the glory of God in that place ? 
 
 21ft. 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 3$ 
 
 2 1 ft. I am not careful to anfwer in this matter. 
 It is not my part to fay whether God has done any 
 good by my hands j whether I have a particular 
 turn of mind for this or not ; or whether the want 
 of fuccefs in my paft attempts, was owing to want 
 of prudence, to ignorance of the right method of 
 ailing, or to fome other caufe. But the latter part 
 of the objedtion, that he who is defpifed can do no 
 good, that without reputation a man cannot be ufe- 
 flil in the world, being the ftrong hold of all the un- 
 believing, the vain glorious, and the cowardly chrif* 
 tians (fo called) I will by the grace of God, fee what 
 reafon that has thus continually to exalt itfelfagainft 
 the knowledge of Chrift. 
 
 aid. With regard to contempt then (under 
 which term I include all the palTions that border 
 upon it, as hatred, envy, &c. and all the fruits that 
 flow from them, fuch as calumny, reproach, and per- 
 itcution in any of its forms) my firft pofition, in de- 
 fiance of worldly wifdom, is this, " Every true 
 " chiiftian is contemned wherever he lives, by all 
 " who are not fo, and who know him to be fuch, /. e. 
 ** in efFcft, by all with whom he converles -, fince it 
 " is impofiible for light not to Ihine." This pofi- 
 tion I prove both from the example of our Lord, 
 and from his exprefs affertions. Firft from his ex- 
 ample, if the difciple is not above his mafter, nor 
 
 D 2 the 
 
3$ LETTBRS RELATING TO 
 
 the fervant above his Lord, then, as our mafter was 
 defpifed and rejefted of men, fo will every one of 
 his true difciples. But the difciple is not above his 
 i-Viafter, and therefore the confequence will not fail 
 him a hair*s-breath. Secondly, from his own ex- 
 prefs aflertions of this confequence. " If they have 
 " called the mafter of the houfe Beelzebub, how 
 " much more them of his houfhold ?" (Matt. x. 25.) 
 " Remember (ye that would fain forget, or evade 
 *' it) the word that 1 faid unto you, the Servant is 
 "not greater than Lord. If they have perfecuted 
 " me, they will alfo perfecute you." And as for 
 that vain hope, that this belongs only to the firft 
 followers of Chrlfl. Hear ye him, " all thefe 
 " things will they do to you, becaufe they know not 
 "him that fen t me." And again, "becaufe ye 
 " are not of the world, therefore the world hateth 
 " you." (John xvi. 20.) Both the perfons who are 
 hated, and the perfons who hate them, and the caufe 
 of their hating them, are here clearly determined. 
 The ha/ed are all that are not of this world, that are 
 born again in the knowledge and love of God; the 
 haters are all that are of this world, that know not 
 God, fo as to love him with all their ftrengthj the 
 caufe .of their hatred is, the entire irreconcilable dif- 
 ference? between their defires, judgments, and affec- 
 tions; becaufe thefe know not God, and thofe are 
 
 determined 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 27 
 
 'determined to know and purfue nothing befides 
 him J becaufc theleefleem and love the world, and 
 thofe count it dung and drofs, and fingly defire that 
 love of Chrift. 
 
 23d. My next pofition is this, "Until he be 
 " thus contem.ned, no man is in a ftate of falvation." 
 And this is no more than a plain inference from the 
 former; for if all that are not of the world are 
 therefore contemned by thofe that are, then till a 
 man is fo contemned, he is of the world, i. e. Out 
 of a fl-ate of falvation. Nor is it poffible for all the 
 trimmers between God and the world, for all the 
 dodgers in religion, to elude this confequence, which 
 God has eftablilhed, and not man, unlefs they could 
 prove that a man may be of the world, i. e. void both 
 of the knowledge and love of God, and yet be in a 
 ftate of falvation. I muft therefore, with or with- 
 out leave of thefe, keep clofe to my Saviour's judg- 
 ment, and maintain that contem.pt "is a part of that 
 crofs which every man muft bear if he will follow 
 him; that it is the badge of his difciplefhip, the 
 ftamp of his profeffion, the conftant feai of his call- 
 ing; infomuch that, though a man may be defpifed 
 without being faved, yet he cannot be faved with- 
 out being defpifed. 
 
 24th. I ftiould not fpend any more words about 
 <\ns great truth, but that it feems at prefent quite 
 
 D 3 voted 
 
3^ LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 voted out of the v/orldi the mafters in Ifrael, learned 
 men, men of renown, feem abfolutely to have for- 
 gotten iti nay, cenfure thofe who have not forgotten 
 the words of their Lord, as fetters forth of ftrange 
 dodrines. And hence it is commonly afked, h(rju 
 can the/e things be ? How can contempt be neceffary 
 to falvation ? I anfwer, as it is a neceflary means of 
 purifying fouls for heaven, as it is a bleffed inftru- 
 ment of cleanfing them from pride, which elfe would 
 turn their very graces into poifon, as it is a glorious 
 antidote againft vanity, which would otherwife pol- 
 lute and deftroy all their labours; as it is an excel- 
 lent medicine to heal the anger and impatience of 
 Ipirit, apt to infinuate into their beft employments ; 
 and, in a word, as it is one of the choiceft remedies 
 in the whole magazine of God againft love of the 
 world, in which whofoever liveth is counted dead 
 before him. 
 
 afth. And hence (as a full anfwer to the pre- 
 ceding objedlion) I infer one pofition more. That 
 our being contemned is abfolutely neceffary to our 
 doing good in the world. If not to our doing fomc 
 good (for God may work by Judas) yet to our do- 
 ing fo much as we otherwife fhould. For fince 
 God will employ thofe inftruments moft, who are 
 fitteft to be employed, fince the holier a man is, the 
 fitter inftrument he is for the God of holinefs, and 
 fince contempt is fo glorious a means of advancing 
 
 I hoUnels 
 
THE REV. J, WESLEY. 3$ 
 
 holinefs in him that is exercifed thereby. Nay, 
 fince no man can be holy at all without it, who can 
 keep off the confequence ? The being contemned 
 is abfolutely necelTary to a chriftian's doing his full 
 meafure of good in the world. Where then is the 
 fcribe ? Where is the wife .? Where is the difputer 
 of this world? Where is the replier againft God, 
 with his fage maxims. " He that is defpifed can 
 " do no good in the world j to be ufeful, a man mufl 
 " be efteemed, to advance the glory of God, you 
 *' muft have a fair reputation." Saith the world fo ? 
 But what faith the Scripture? Why that God hath 
 laughed all the Heathen wifdom to fcorn ? It faith 
 that twelve defpifed followers of a defpifed Mafter, 
 all of whom were of no reputation, who were ef- 
 teemed as the filth and ofF-fcouring of the world* 
 did more good in it than all the tribes of Ifrael. It 
 faith, that the defpifed mafter of thefe defpifed fol- 
 lowers left a (landing direction to us, and to our 
 children, "BlefTed are ye (not accurfed with the 
 ** heavy curfe of doing no good, of being ufelefs in 
 " the world) when men fhall revile you and perfe- 
 " cute you, and fay all manner of evil of you falfely 
 " for my name's fake. Rejoice and be exceedingly 
 " glad, for great is your reward in heaven." 
 
 26th. Thefe are part of my reafons for chufing 
 to abide (till 1 am better informed) in the ftation 
 wherein God has placed me. As for the flock com- 
 
 D 4 mitted 
 
\ 
 
 40 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 mitted to your care, whom for many years you have 
 
 diligently fed with the fincere milk of the word, I 
 
 truft in God your labour fhall not be in vain, either 
 
 toyourfelf or them; many of them the great fhep- 
 
 herd has by your hand delivered from the hand of 
 
 the deftroyer, fome of whom are already entered 
 
 into peace, and fome remain unto this day. For 
 
 yourfelf, 1 doubt not, but when your warfare is ac- 
 
 complifhed, when you are made perfe6t through 
 
 fufferings, you fhall come to your grave, not with 
 
 forrow, but as a ripe fhock of corn, full of years and 
 
 ' viftories. And he that took care of the poor Iheep 
 
 before you was born, will not forget them when 
 
 you are dead. 
 
 LETTER 
 
THE REV. J.. WESLEY. 4I 
 
 LETTER VIII. 
 
 From Samuel Wejley to his Ir other John. 
 
 Feb. 8th, 1734-5, Devon* 
 Dear Jack, 
 
 CHARLES was in the right to defirc I might 
 have your whole letter. Though you have 
 ftated the point, fo as to take away the queftion, at 
 leaft all poffibility of differing about it, if it be only 
 this. Whether you are to ferve Chrift or Belial ? I 
 fee no end of writing now, but merely complying 
 with your defire of having my thoughts upon it, 
 which I here give in fhort, and I think almoft in 
 full, though I pafs over ftriftures on lefs matters. 
 
 ift. Your friends, retirement, frequent ordinances, 
 and freedom from care, are great bleffings, all ex- 
 cept the laft you may expert in a lower degree elfe- 
 where. Sure all your labours are not come to this, 
 that more is abfolutely neceffary for you, for the 
 very being of your chriftian life, than for the falva- 
 tion of all the parilh priefts in England. It is very 
 ftrange. 
 
 2d. To the queftion, what good have you done 
 at Oxford? you are not careful to anfwerj how 
 
 comes 
 
42 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 comes it then you are fo very careful about the 
 good you might do at Epworth ? " The help that 
 *' is done on earth, he doth it himfelf," is a full 
 folution of that terrible difficulty. 
 
 3. The impoffibility of return, the certainty of 
 being difliked by them that now cry you up, and 
 the fmall (comparative) good my father has done, 
 are good prudential reafons -, but 1 think can hard- 
 ly extend to confcience. You can leave Oxford 
 when you will. Not furely to fuch advantage. 
 You have a probability of doing good there. Will 
 that good be wholly undone if you leave it ? Why 
 lliould you not leaven another lump ? 
 
 4th. What you fay of contempt, is nothing to 
 the purpofe, for if you will go to Epworth, I will 
 anfwer for it you fhall in a competent time, be de- 
 ipifed as much as your heart can wifh. In your 
 doftrine, you argue from a particular to a general. 
 ** To be ufeful, a man muft be efteemed," is as cer- 
 tain as any propofition in Euclid, and I defy all man- 
 kind to produce one inftance of direftly doing fpi- 
 ritual good without it in the whole book of God. 
 You join to contempt, hatred and envy j but the 
 firfl is very hardly confiftent, the latter utterly in- 
 compatible with it, fince none can poflibly envy 
 another, but for fomething that he efteems. 
 
 5th. God, who provided for the flock before, 
 wiU do it after my father. May he not fufFer 
 
 them 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 43 
 
 them to be, what they once were, almofl: heathens ? 
 And may not that be prevented by your miniftry ? 
 It could never enter into my head, that you could 
 refufe on any other ground, than a general refolu- 
 tion againft the cure of fouls. I (hall give no po- 
 fitive reafon for it, till my firft is anfwered. The 
 order of the church flakes you down, and the more 
 you ftruggle, will hold the fafter. If there be fuch 
 a thing as truth, I infift upon it you mult, when 
 opportunity offers, either perform that promife, or 
 repent of it : Utrtim Mavis, 
 
 I am. Dear Jack, 
 
 Yours, &c. 
 
 As fhort as this letter is, it has been a full fort- 
 night in tranfcribing 5 a fair warning not to take 
 copies. 
 
 LET- 
 
44- LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 LETTER IX. 
 
 From J. Wejley to his brother Samuel, 
 
 February 13, 1734. 
 
 Dear Brother, 
 
 NEITHER you nor I have any time to fpare ; 
 fo I mufl be as fhort as I can. 
 There are two queftions between -us, one relating 
 to being good, the other to doing good. With 
 regard to the former, 
 
 I ft. You allow 1 enjoy more of friends, retire- 
 ment, freedom from care, and divine ordinances, 
 than I could do elfe where ; and I add, ift, I feel all 
 this to be but juft enough. 2d, I have always 
 found lefs than this to be too little for me ; and 
 therefore, 3dly, "Whatever others do, I could not 
 throw up any part of it, without manifeft hazard to 
 my falvation. As to the latter, 
 
 2,d. I am not careful to anfwer " what good I 
 " have done at Oxford," becaufe I cannot think of it 
 without the utmoft danger. " I am careful about 
 "what good I may do at Epworth," ift. Becaufe 
 I can think of it without any danger at all. 2d. Be- 
 caufe 
 
CTHE REV. J. WESLEY. 45 
 
 ca\ife as I cannot, as matters now ftand, avoid think- 
 ing of it without:. fin. 
 
 3d. Another can fupply my place at Epworth 
 better than at Oxf6rd, and the good done here is of 
 a far more diffufive nature. Itis a more extenfive 
 benefit to fweeten the fountain, than to do the fame 
 to particular flreams. 
 
 4th. To the objection, you are defpifed at Ox- 
 ford, thereforejou can do no good there. I an- 
 fwer, I ft. A chriftian will be defpifed any where. 
 2d. No one is a chriftian till he is defpifed. 3d. 
 ■His being defpifed will not hinder his doing good, 
 but much further it, by making .hun a better chrif- 
 tian. Without contradicting any of thefe propo- 
 rtions, I allow, that every one to whom you do 
 good, diredlly muft efteem you, firft or laft. — 
 N. B. A man may defpife you for one thing, hate 
 you for a fecond, and envy you for a third. 
 
 5th. God may fufter Epworth to be worle than 
 before. But I may not attempt to prevent it, with 
 fo great hazard to my own. foul. 
 
 Your laft argument is either Ignoratio elenchiy or 
 implies thefe tv/o propofitions. ift. " You ref^lve 
 againft any parochial cure of fouls." 2d. " The 
 prieft who does not undertake the firft parochial 
 cure.that ot+ers, is perjured." Let us add a third, 
 
 '' The 
 
4^ LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 " The tutor, who being in orders, never accepts of 
 a parifh, is perjured." And then I deny all three, 
 
 I am, Dear Brother, 
 Your obliged and afFedionate Brothtf. 
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 From S, Wejley to his brother John, 
 
 Dear Jack, 
 
 ill. "YT^ O U fay you have but jufi: enough. 
 X Had ever man on earth more ? You 
 have experienced lefs to be infufficient. Not in 
 the courfe of priefthood to which you are called. 
 In that way, I am perfuaded, though he that gather- 
 eth much can have nothing over, yet he that gathereth 
 little can have no lack. 
 
 2d. There is danger in thinking of the good you 
 have done, but not of what you may. Vain glory 
 lies both ways. But the latter was your duty : fo 
 
 was 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 47 
 
 was the former; unlefs you can compare two 
 things without thinking of one of them. 
 
 3d. The good at Oxford is more difRifive. It is 
 not that good you have promifed. You deceive 
 yourfelf, if you imagine you do not here think of 
 what you have done. Your want may be better 
 fupplied at Epworth j not if my father is right in 
 his fuccefiions. 
 
 4th. " A chriftian will be defpifed every where ; 
 " no one is a chriftian till he is fo ; it will further 
 " his doing good." If univerfal propofitions, I deny 
 them all. Efteem goes before the good done, as 
 well as follows it. " A man may both defpife and 
 envy." True j he may have a hot and cold fit of 
 an ague. Contempt in general is no more incom- 
 patible with, than neceflary to, benefiting others. 
 5th. See I ft and 3d. 
 
 6th. I faid plainly, I thought you had made a 
 general refolution j as to taking the firft offer, I 
 fuppofed an opportunity, a proper one ; and declare 
 now my judgment, ftiould you live never fo long, 
 in the ordinary courfe of providence, you can never 
 meet another/o -proper. An ordained tutor, who 
 accepts not a cure, is perjured ; alter the term into, 
 " Who refolvesnot to accept;" and I will maintain 
 It, unlets you can prove either of thefe two : ift. 
 There is no fuch obligation at taking orders. 2d, 
 
 This 
 
4^ LETTERS PvELATING TO 
 
 This obligation is diipenfed with. Both which I 
 utterly deny. I am. 
 
 Dear Jack, 
 
 Yours, &c. 
 
 N. B. I forgot the date in the foul copy. 
 
 Exlra5i of my Father' s kiteTy dated Nov. 20, 1734. 
 
 " T7"OUR ftate of the queftion, and only argu- 
 A ment is : The queftion is not whether I 
 " could do more good to others theie or here ; 
 ** but whether I could do more good to myfelf : 
 " Seeing wherever I can be moft holy myfelf, there 
 " I can moft promote holinefs in others. But I 
 " can improve myfelf more at Oxford than at any 
 " other place." 
 
 To this I anfwer, ift. It is not dear felf, but the 
 glory of God, and the different degrees of promot- 
 ing it, which fhould be our main confideration and 
 direftion, in the choice of any courfe of life, Wit- 
 nefs St. Paul and Mofes. 
 
 2d. 
 
THE R%V. J. WESLEV. 49 
 
 2d. Suppofing you could be more holy yourfelf 
 at Oxford, how doe$ it follow that you could more 
 promote holinefs in others there than elfe where ? 
 Have you found many inftances of it, after fo many 
 years hard pains and labour ? Further, I dare fay, 
 you are more modeft and juft than to fay, there 
 arc no holier men than you at Oxford j and yet it 
 is poflible they may not have promoted holinefs 
 more than you have done : as I doubt not but you 
 might have done it much more, had you takea 
 the right method. For there is a particular turn of 
 mind for thefe matters. Great prudence as well as 
 fervour. 
 
 3d. I cannot allow aufterity, or fafting, confider- 
 ed by themfelves, to be proper a6ts of holinefs, nor 
 am I for a folitary hfe. God made us for a focial 
 life ; we are not to bury our talent j we are to let 
 our light fhine before men, and that not barely 
 through the chinks of a bufhel, for fear the wind 
 fliould blow it out. The defigns of lighting it was, 
 that it might give hght to all that went into the 
 houfeofGod. And to this academical ftudies are 
 only preparatory. 
 
 4th. You are fenfible what figures thofe make, 
 who ftay in the Univerfity till they are fuperannuated* 
 I cannot think drowfinefs promotes holinefs. How 
 commonly do they drone away their life, either in 
 a college, or in a country parfonage, where they 
 
 E can 
 
so LE-TTERS RELATING TO 
 
 can only give God the fnuffs of them, having no- 
 thing of life or vigour left to make them ufeful in 
 die world. 
 
 5th. We are not to fix our eye on one fingle 
 point of duty, but to take in the complicated view 
 of all the circumftances in every ftate of life that 
 offers. Thus in the cafe before us, put all cir- 
 cumftances together : If you are not indifferent 
 whether the labours of an aged father for above 
 forty -years in God's vineyard be loft, and the fences 
 of it tfodden down and deftroyed ; if you confider 
 that Mr. M. muft in all probability fucceed me, if 
 you do not, and that theprofpedb of that mighty 
 Nimrod's coming hither, ftiocks my foul, and is 
 in a fair way of bringing down my grey hairs with 
 forrow to the grave. If you have any care for our 
 family, which muft be difmally fhattered as foon as 
 I am dropt. If you refled on the dear love and 
 longing which this poor people has for you, where- 
 by you will be enabled to do God the more fer- 
 vice, and the plenteoufnefs of the harveft, confift- 
 ing of near two thoufand fouls, whereas you have 
 not many more fcholars in the Univerfity ; you 
 may perhaps alter your mind, and bend your will 
 to his, who has promifed, If in all our ways we 
 acknowledge him, he will direfl our paths. 
 
 LET- 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEYa.T £1 
 
 LETtER XL 
 Front Charles Wejley tp his brother Samuel. 
 
 Epworth, April 30, 1735. 
 
 Dear Brother, 
 
 AFTER all your defire of feeing my father alive, 
 you are at laft affured you muft fee his face 
 no more till he is raifed in incorruption. You have 
 reafon to envy us, who could attend him in the laft 
 ftageof his illnefs. The few words he could utter 
 I faved, and hope never to forget. Some of them 
 were, " Nothing too much to fufFer for heaven, 
 *' The weaker I am in body, the ftronger and more 
 " fenfible fupport I feel from God, There is but 
 " a ftep between me and death ; to-morrow I 
 " would fee you all with me round this table, that 
 " we may 'once more drink of the cup of blefling, 
 " before we drink of it new in the kingdom of God. 
 *^ With defire have I defired to eat this paflbver 
 " with you before I die." The morning he was 
 to communicate, he was fo exceeding weak and 
 full of pain, that he could not without the utmoft: 
 difficulty receive the elements, often repeating, 
 " Thou fhakeft me, thou Ihakeft me j" but imme- 
 
 E 2 diatelv 
 
5S LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 diately after receiving, there followed the moft vi- 
 fible alteration. He appeared full of faith and peace, 
 which extended even to his body j for he was fo 
 much better, that we almofl hoped he would have 
 recovered. The fear of death he had entirely con- 
 quered, and at laft gave up his lateft human defires 
 of finifhing Job, paying his debts, and feeing you. 
 He often laid his hand upon my head, and faid, 
 " Be fteady." " The chriftian faith will furely re- 
 '' vive in this kingdojTi ; you fhall fee it, though I 
 ** fhall not.** To my filler Emily, he faid, " do not 
 " be concerned at my death, God will then begin 
 " to manifeft himfelf to my family." When we 
 were met about him, his ufual expreflion was, 
 ^* Now let me hear you talk upon heaven." On 
 my afking him, whether he did not find himfelf 
 worfe, he replied, " Q my Charles, I feel a great 
 ** deal ; God chaftens me with ftrong pain, but I 
 " praife him for it, I thank him for it, I love him 
 ** for it." On: the 25 th, his voice failed him., gind 
 nature feemed entirely fpent, when, on rny bro- 
 ther's afliing, " Whether he was not near h?aven," 
 he anfwered diftinftly, and with the moll of hope 
 and triumph that could be exprefled in founds, 
 " Yes, I am." He fpoke once more jull after my 
 brother had ufed the commendatory prayer j his 
 laft words were, " Now you have done all ! " 
 rhis was about half an hour after fix, from which 
 
 time 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 53 
 
 time till fun fet, he made figns of offering up him- 
 Mf, till my brother, having again ufed the prayer, 
 the very moment it was finifhed he expired. His 
 paiTage was fo fmooth and infenfible, that notwith- 
 ftanding the flopping of his pulfe, and ceafing of all 
 fign of life and motion, we continued over him a 
 confiderable time, in doubt whether the foul was 
 departed or no. My mother (who for feveral days 
 before he died, hardly ever went into his chamber 
 but fhe was carried out again in a fit) was far lefs 
 ihocked at the news than we expeded, and told us 
 that now fhe was heard, in his having fo eafy a death, 
 and her being flrengthened fo to bear it. 
 
 We have now got yours of the 2 ift. My brother 
 had laid afide all hopes (or fears, for I cannot cer- 
 tainly fay which) of fucceeding, as Sir J — s fcem- 
 ed to decline intermeddling -, but by yours we 
 guefs Mr. Oglethorpe has quickened him. A pe- 
 tition might eafily be fent, if now neceffary. A 
 neighbouring clergyman has fent word, that " He 
 " has the living ;" which would be bad news, but that 
 another as confidently affirms he has it. How ma- 
 ny more may be fure of it, we cannot fay, but if 
 
 Providence pleafes, a W will have it after all, 
 
 though in the gift of the crown. I hope, and fo 
 does my brother, that you will have their wifh, and 
 that he may fail of his. 
 
 E 3 - Though 
 
54 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 Though you have loft your chief reafon for com- 
 ing, yet there are others which make your prefence 
 more neceflary than ever. My mother (who will 
 hardly ever leave Epworth) would be exceeding 
 glad to fee you as foon as can be. She does not ad- 
 minifter, fo can neither fue nor be fued. We have 
 computed the debts as near as can be, and find they 
 amount to about one hundred pounds, exclufive of 
 coufin Richardfon's. Mrs. Knight, her landlady, 
 feized all her quick ftock, valued at above forty 
 pounds, for fifteen pounds my father owed her, on 
 Monday laft, the day he was buried ; and my bro- 
 ther this afternoon gives a note for the money, in 
 order to get the ftock at liberty to fell j for fecurity 
 of which, he has the ftock made over to him, and 
 will be paid as it can be fold. My father was bu- 
 ried very frqgally, yet decently, in the church-yard, 
 according to his own defire. It will be highly ne- 
 ceflary to bring all accounts of what he owed you, 
 that you may mark all the goods in the houfe, as 
 principal creditor, and thereby fecure to my mother 
 time and liberty to fell them to the beft advantage, 
 Charias om?tes et EpiftoUs ^recipuas appofitdjerd m ad- 
 ventum tuum refervo. J. Kezzy and Mr. H — Jiave 
 parted for ever. Your advice in hers, and many 
 other cafes, will be abfolutely neceflary. If you 
 t^ke London in your way, my mother defires you 
 
 would 
 
 i 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 55 
 
 would remember fhe is a clergyman's widow. Let 
 the fociety give her what they pleafe, fhe muft be 
 ftill in feme degree hurthenjome to you, as fhe 
 calls it. How do I envy you that glorious bur- 
 then, and wifh I could fhare in it. You muil put 
 me into fome way of getting a little money, that I 
 may do fomething in this fhipwreck of the family, 
 for fomebody, though it be no more than furnifh'- 
 ing a plank. My mother fends her love and blef- 
 
 fing ; we all fend our love to you, and my filler, 
 
 and Phill, and hope of meeting you all once more 
 
 at Epworth. 
 
 I fhould be afhamed of having {o much bufinefs 
 
 in my letter, were it not neceffary. I would chufe 
 
 to write and think of nothing but my father. 
 
 E'er we meet, I hope you will have finifhed his 
 
 elegy. Pray write if there be time. 
 
 I am. 
 Your mofl affectionate brother, 
 
 CHARLES WESLEY, 
 
 To the Rev. Mr. Wefley, 
 at TiTcrton, Devon. 
 
 E4 l^ET. 
 
S6 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 LETTER XII. 
 
 From y. Wejley to his brother Samuel. 
 
 Gravefend, on board the Simmonds, Oft. 15, 1735. 
 Dear Brother, 
 
 IPrefented Job* to the Qiieen on Sunday, and 
 had nnany good words and fmiles j out of what 
 is due to me on that account, I beg you would 
 firft pay yourfelf what I owe you ; and if I live till 
 fpring, I can then dire ft what I would have done 
 with the remainder. 
 
 The uncertainty of my having another oppor- 
 tunity to tell you my thoughts in this life, obliges 
 me to tell you what I have often thought of, and 
 that in as few and plain words as I can. Elegance 
 of ftyle is not to be weighed againft purity of heart, 
 purity both from the lulls of the fiefh, the lufts of 
 the eye, and the pride of life. Therefore whatever 
 has any tendency to impair that purity, is not to 
 be tolerated, much lefs recommended, for the fake 
 of that elegance. But of this fort (I fpeak not 
 from the reafon of the thing only, nor from my 
 
 • A Folio by his Father, in Latin. 
 
 I fingle 
 
THE REV. J, WESLEY. 57 
 
 fingle experience) are the moftof the claflics ufually 
 read in great fchools : nmany of them tending to in- 
 flame the luftsofthe flefli (befides Ovid, Virgil's 
 ^neid, and Terence's Eunuch) and more, to feed 
 the luft of the eye, and the pride of life. 1 befeech you 
 therefore by the mercies of God," who would have 
 us holy, as he is holy, that you banilh all fuch poifon 
 from your fchool, that you introduce in their place 
 fuch chriftian authors, as will work together with 
 you in building up your flock in the knowledge and 
 love of God. For afilire yourfelf, dear brother, you 
 are even now called to the converting of heathens as 
 well as I. 
 
 So many fouls are committed to your charge by 
 God, to be prepared for a happy eternity. You are 
 to infl:ru6t them not only in the beggarly elements 
 of Greek and Latin, but much more, in the gofpel. 
 You are to labour with all your might to convince 
 them, that chrifl:ianity is not a negation, or an exter- 
 nal thing, but a new heart, a mind conformed to 
 thatof Chrifl:, " Faith working by love." 
 
 We recommend you and yours to God. Pray 
 for us. 1 am. 
 
 Your afi^edionate Brother and 
 
 To the Rev. Mr. Wefley, 
 at Tiverton, Devon. 
 
 Servant in Chrifl, 
 
 JOHN WESLEY. 
 
5^ LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 LETTER Xlir. 
 
 From J. JVeJley to his brother Samuel, 
 
 Savannah, Nov. a3d, 1736. 
 
 OPray write (and if it may be) fpeak, that they 
 may remember him again, who did run well, 
 but are now hindered. 
 
 I think, the rock on which I had the neareft made 
 fhipwreck of the faith, was, the writings of the myf- 
 tics: under which term I comprehend all, and only 
 thofe, who flight any of the means of grace. 
 
 I have drawn up a fhortfcheme of their dodrines, 
 partly from converfations I have had, and letters, 
 and parriy from their moft approved writers, fuch as 
 Tauler, Molinos, and the Author of Theologia Ger- 
 manica. I beg your thoughts upon it, as foon as 
 you can conveniently ; and that you would give me 
 them as particularly, fully, and ftrongly as your time 
 will permit. They may be of confequence not only 
 to all this province, but to nations of cbriftians yet 
 unborn. 
 
 ^' All 
 
 J 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. $9 
 
 " All means are not neceflary for all men : there- 
 *' fore each perfon mull iife fuch means, and fuch 
 *^ only, as he finds neceflary for him. But fince we 
 *' can never attain our end by being wedded to the 
 *' fame means j therefore we muft not obftinately 
 " cleave unto any thing, left it become a hindrance, 
 " not a help." 
 
 " Obferve further, when the end is attained the 
 " means ceafe. Now all the other things enjoined 
 *^ are means to love : and love is attained by them 
 " who are in the inferior way, who are utterly di- 
 " vefted of free will, of felf love, and felf aftivity, 
 *' and are entered into the pafllve ftate. Thefe dei- 
 " fied men, in whom the fuperior will has extin- 
 " guiflied the inferior, enjoy fuch a contennplation, 
 " as is not only above faith, but above fight, fuch 
 " as is entirely free from images, thoughts, and dif- 
 ^f courfe, and never interrupted by fins of infirmity, 
 ** or voluntary diftracftiofis. They have abfolutely 
 " renounced their reaforj and underftanding: elfe 
 *' they could not be guided by a divine light. They 
 " feek no clear or particular knowledge of any 
 '• thing) but only an obfcure general knowledge, 
 ** which is far better. They know it is mercenary, 
 ** to look for a reward from God, and inconfiftent. 
 *i^ with perfect love." 
 
 " Having thus attained the end, the means muft 
 f ^ ceafe. Hope is fwallowed up in love. Sight, or 
 
 " fome- 
 
6b LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 " fometbiiig more than fight, takes place of faith. 
 " All particular virtues they poffefs in the effence 
 " (being wholly given xip to the divine will) and 
 " dierefore need not the diftinft exercife of them. 
 *^ They work likewife all good works effentially, not 
 « accidentally, and ufe all outward means, only as 
 « the/ are moved thereto ; and then to obey fupe- 
 ««riors, orto avoid giving offence i but not as ne- 
 '' cefTary or helpful to them." 
 
 " Public prayer, on any forms, they need not; 
 ** for they pray without ceafing. Senfible devotion 
 *^ in any prayer they defpife ; it being a great hin- 
 ** drance to perfedion. The fcripture they need 
 ** not read ; for it is only his letter with whom they 
 " converfe face to face. And if they do read it now 
 " and then, as for expounders living or dead, i eafon, 
 ** philofophy (which only puffs up, and vainly tries 
 " to bind God by logical definitions and divifions) 
 " as for knowledge of tongues or ancient cuftoms, 
 ** they need none of them, any more than the apoftles 
 " did, for they have the fame fpirit. Neither do 
 " they need the Lord's fupper (for they never ceafe 
 " to remember Chrift in the moft acceptable manner) 
 ** any more than failing, fince, by conftant temper- 
 *' ance, they keep a continual faft." 
 
 ** You that are to advife them that have not yet 
 " attained perfeftion, prefs them to nothing, not to 
 " felf-denial, conftant private prayer, reading the 
 
 ** fcriptures. 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 63 
 
 ^ Icriptures, fading, communicating. If they love 
 " heathen poets, let them take their full fwing 
 ** in them: fpeak but little to them (in the mean 
 " time) of eternity. If they are afFeded at any 
 " time with what you fay, fay no more : let them 
 " apply it, not you. You may advife them to fome 
 *' religious books; but ftop there; let them ufe 
 ** them as they pleafe, and form their own reflexions 
 " upon them without your intermeddling. If one 
 " who was religious falls off, let him alone. Either 
 •" a man is converted to God, or not: If he is not, 
 ^* his own y/ill muft guide him in fpite of all you can 
 " do; if he is, he is fo guided by the fpirit of God, as 
 ** not to need your dire6tion." 
 
 " You that are yourfelves imperfed, know love 
 " is your end. All things elfeare but means. Chufe 
 '^ fuch means as lead you moll to love : thofe alone 
 *^ are neceflary for you. The means that others 
 *' need are nothing to you. Different men are led 
 " in different ways. And be fure be not wedded to 
 •^* any means. When any thing helps you no longer, 
 *' lay it afide. For you can never attain your end, by 
 *' cleaving obftinately to the fame means. You 
 " muft be changing them continually. Converla- 
 " tion, meditation, forms of prayer, prudential rules, 
 " fixt return of public or private prayer, are helps. 
 " to fome: but you muft judge for yourfeif Per- 
 
 " haps 
 
6l LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 " haps fading may help you for a time, and per- 
 " haps the holy communion. But you will be 
 " taught by the holy fpirit, and by experience, how 
 *' foon, how often, and how long, it is good for you 
 ** to take it. Perhaps too you may need the holy 
 ** fcripture. But if you can renounce yourfelf with- 
 " out reading, it is better than all the reading in the 
 " world. And whenever you do read it, trouble 
 " yourfelf about no helps: the holy ghoft will lead 
 *' you into all truth." 
 
 " As to doing good, take care of yourlelf firll. 
 *' When you are converted, then ftrengthen your 
 ** brethren. Beware of (what is incident to all be- 
 " ginners) an eager defire to fet others a good ex - 
 " ample. Beware of an earneftnefs to make others 
 *' feel, what you feel yourfelf. Let your light Ihine 
 " as nothing to you. Beware of a zeal to do great 
 " things for God. Be charitable firll ; then do 
 " works of charity : do them when you are not dif- 
 " fipated thereby, or in danger of lofing your foul by 
 *' pride and vanity. Indeed till then you can do no 
 " good to men's fouls j and without that, all done to 
 " their bodies is nothing. The command of doing 
 *' good concerns not you yet. Above all take care 
 " never to difpute about any of thefe points. Dif- 
 " puting can do no * man wicked ? 
 
 ♦ The folding of this letter makes this illegible. 
 
 " Call 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 6^^ 
 
 " Caft not pearls before fwlne. Is he imperfedl? He 
 " that difputes any advice, is not yet ripe for it. Is 
 " he good ? All good men agree in judgment, they 
 ** differ only in words, which all are in their own na- 
 " ture ambiguous." 
 
 May God deliver you and yours from all error, 
 and all unholinefs. My prayers will never, I trufl, 
 be wanting for you, I am. 
 
 Dear Brother, my Sifters, and 
 
 Your moft affedlionate Brother, 
 
 JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 Pray remember me to Philly. 
 
 To Mr. Wefley, Tiverton. 
 
 LETTER 
 
64 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 LETTER XIV. 
 
 John TVeJley to his brother Samuel, 
 
 Briftol, April 4, 1738. 
 
 Dear Brother. 
 
 1 Rejoice greatly at the temper with which you 
 now write, and truft there is not only mildnefs, 
 but love alfo in your heart. If fo, you fhall know 
 of this do6lrine, whether it be of God. Though 
 perhaps not by my miniftry. 
 
 To this hour you have purfued an Ignoratio 
 elenchi. Your ajjurance and mine are a^ different 
 as light and darknefs. I mean, an alTurance that I 
 am 7101JD in a ftate of faivation; you, an afllirance 
 that I fhall perjevere therein. The very definition 
 of the term cuts off your 2d and 3d obfervation. 
 As to the lirfl I would take notice, ift. No kind 
 of affurance (that I know) or of faith, or repentance, 
 effential to their faivation v/ho die infants, ad. I 
 believe God is ready to give all true penitents who 
 fly to his free-grace in Chrid, a fuller fenfc of par- 
 don than they had before they fell. I know diis to 
 be true of leveral: whether thefe are exempt cafes, I 
 know not. 3d. Perfons that were of a melancholy 
 
 and 
 
trtE REV. J. WESLEY. ^3 
 
 ihd gloomy conftitution, even to fome degree of 
 madnefs, 1 have known in a mon:ient (let it be called 
 a miraclej I quarrel not) into a ftate of firm lafting 
 peace and joy* 
 
 My dear brother, the whole queftion turns chiefly^ 
 if not wholly, on matter of fafl. You deny that 
 God does now work thefe effects : at leaft, that he 
 works them in fuch a manner. I affirm both, be- 
 caufe I have heard thofe fadls with my ears, and feert 
 them with my eyes. I have feen (as far as it can be 
 leen) very many perfons changed in a moment^ 
 from the fpirit of horror, feari and defpair, to the 
 fpirit of hope, joy, peace j and from finful defires^ 
 till then reigning over them, to a pure defire of do- 
 ing the will of God. Thefe are matters of faj^j 
 whereof 1 have been, and almoft daily am, eye or 
 ear witneis. V/hatj upon the fame evidence (as to 
 the fuddennefs and reality of the change) I believe, 
 or know, touching vifions and dreams. This I 
 know, feveral perfons in whom this great change 
 from the power of fatan unto God, was wrought 
 either in fleep, or during a ftrong reprefentation 
 to the eye of their minds of Chrift, either on the 
 crofs or in glory. This is the fad:. Let any judge 
 of it as they pleafe. But that fuch a change was 
 then.wrought appears (not from their fhedding tears 
 only, or fighing, or finging pfalms, as your poor 
 
 F eorre- 
 
66 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 correfpondent did by the woman of Oxford, but) 
 from the whole tenor of their life, till then * were 
 not remarked ; from that time holy, juft, and good. 
 
 Saw you him that was a lion till then, and is now 
 a lamb : he that was a drunkard, but now exempla- 
 rily fober : the whoremonger that was, who now 
 abhors the very lufts of the flefh. Thefe are my 
 living arguments for what I affert, that God now, 
 as aforetime, gives remiflion of fins and the gift of 
 the holy ghoft, which may be called, vifions. If it 
 be not fo, I am found a falfe witnefs j but, however, I 
 do and will teftify the things I have both {ttn and 
 heard. 
 
 I do not now exped to fee your face in the flefh. 
 Not that I believe God will difcharge you yet, but I 
 believe I have nearly finifhed my courfef . — O may 
 I be found in him, not having my own righteouf- 
 nefs. 
 
 When I tTiy promls'd Chrift have feen, 
 And clafpt him in my fouls embrace, 
 
 Pofl^fs'd of thy falvation then. 
 Then may I, Lord, depart in peace. 
 
 * The MS. is here injured by folding. 
 
 f How greatly was Mr. Welley miftaken in this his full perfus- 
 fion, when he lived fifty years after this. 
 
 The 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 6? 
 
 The great ble'fllng of God be upon you and your's, 
 lam. 
 
 Dear Brother, 
 Your ever affeftionate and obliged Brother, 
 
 JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 I expert to ftay here fome tinne, perhaps as long 
 as I am in the body. 
 
 TheRev.Mr.Wefley, 7 
 Tiverton, Devon. > 
 
 LETTER XV. 
 
 From Mrs. E. HuttoHf to Mr. Samuel Wejley. 
 
 June 6, 1738. 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 YOU will be furprlfed to fee a letter from me, 
 but Mr. Hutton and I are really under a very 
 great concern, and know not what to apply to, if you 
 cannot help us. After you left London, and your 
 brothers had loft the conveniency of your houfe, be- 
 lieving them good and pious chriftians, we invited 
 
 F 1 them 
 
6S LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 them to make the fame ufe of ours, and thought 
 fuch an offer would not be unacceptable to God, or 
 to them J which they received with figns of friend- 
 fhip, and took up with fuch accommodations as our 
 houfe could afford, from time to time, as they had 
 occafion. Mr. Charles at his arrival in England, 
 was received and treated with fuch tendernefs and 
 love, as he could have been in your houfe, Mr. John 
 the fame J and as occafion has offered at different 
 times, ten or twelve of their friends. But your bro- 
 ther John feems to be turned a wild enthufiafl, or 
 fanatic, and, to our very great affliftion, is drawing 
 our two children into thefe wild notions, by their 
 great opinion of Mr. John's fan6tity and judg- 
 ment. It would be a great charity to many other 
 honefl well-meaning fimple fouls, as well as to my 
 children, if you could either confine, or convert, 
 Mr. John when he is with you. For after his beha- 
 viour on Sunday the 28th 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 defigns, when Mr. Hutton had 
 ended a fermon of Bifliop Blackall's, which he had 
 - been reading in his itudy to a great number of peo- 
 ple; Mr. John got up, and told the people, that five 
 days before he vv'as not a chriftian, and this he was 
 as well affured of as that five days before he was not 
 in that room, and the way for them all to be chrif- 
 
 tians 
 
THE REV. J, WESLEY. 69 
 
 tians was to believe, and own, that they were not now 
 chriftians. Mr. Hutton was much furprifed at this 
 unexpected injudicious fpeech, but only faid, " Have 
 " a care Mr. Wefley, how you defpife the benefits 
 " received by the two facranaents." I not being in 
 the ftudy when this fpeech was made, had heard no- 
 thing of it when he came into the parlour to fupper, 
 where were my two children, two or three other 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 fame wild fpeech again, to which I 
 jnade anfwer, if you was not a chrifcian ever fince I 
 knew you, you was a great hypocrite, for you made 
 us all believe you was one. He faid, when we 
 had renounced every thing but faith, and then got 
 into Chrift, then, and not till then, had we any rea- 
 fon to believe we were chriftians; and when we had 
 fo got Chrift, we might keep him, and fo be .kept 
 from fin. Mr. Hutton faid, " if faith only was ne- 
 " ceflary to fave us, why did our Lord give us that 
 " divine fermon?" Mr. John faid, that was the let ^ 
 ter that killeth. " Hold," fays Mr. Hutton, " you 
 " feem not to know what you fay, are our Lord's 
 *' words the letter that killeth r" Mr. John faid, " if 
 " we had no faith." Mr. Hutton replied, " I did 
 '* not afk you how we fhould receive it ? But why 
 
 F 3 ^^ onr 
 
70 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 " cur Lord gave it; as alfo the account of the 
 "judgment in the twenty-fifth of St. Matthew, if 
 " works are not uhat he experts, but faith only?" 
 
 Now it is a moil melancholy thing to have not 
 only our two children, but many others, to difregard 
 all teaching, but by fuch a fpirit as comes to fome in 
 dreams, to others in fuch vifions as will furprize 
 you to hear of. If there cannot be fome ftop put 
 to this, and he can be taught true humility, the mif- 
 chief he will do wherever he goes among the igno- 
 rant, but well meaning chriftians, will be very great. 
 
 Mr. Charles went from my fon's, where he lay ill - 
 for fome time, and would not come to our houfe, 
 where I offered him the choice of two of my beft 
 rooms, but he would accept of neither, but chofe to 
 go to a poor brazier's in Little Britain, that that bra- 
 zier might help him forward in his converfion, which 
 was compleated on May 2 2d, as his brother John 
 was praying. Mr. John was converted, or I know 
 not what, or how, but made a chrifhian, on May 
 25th. A woman had befides a previous dream, a 
 ball of fire fell upon her, and burfl, and fired her 
 foul. Another young man when he was in St. 
 Dunftan's church, juft as he was going to receive 
 the facrament, had God the Father come to him, 
 but did not ftay with him, but God the Son did 
 ftay, who came with him holding his crofs in his 
 hands, 
 
 I can- 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 7I 
 
 I cannot underftand the ufe of thefe relations, but 
 if you doubt the truth, or your brother denies them, 
 I can produce undeniable proofs of the relation of 
 fuch fails, from the perfons who related the fa<5ts, 
 that they had received fuch appearances. Mr. John 
 has abridged the life of one Halyburton, a prefby- 
 terian teacher in Scotland.. My fon had defigned to 
 print it, to fhow the experiences of that holy man, 
 of in-dwelling, &c. Mr. Hutton and I have for- 
 bid our fon being concerned in handing fuch books 
 into the world ; but if you brother John^, or Charles, 
 think it will tend to promote God's glory, they will 
 foon convince my fon God's glory is to be preferred 
 to his parents commands : then you will fee what I 
 never expedled, my fon promoting rank fanaticifm. 
 If you can, dear Sir, put a flop to fuch madnefs, 
 which will be a work worthy of you, a fingular cha- 
 rity, and very much oblige 
 
 Your fincere, 
 
 and affedionate fervant, 
 
 E, HUTTON. 
 
 To the Rev. Mr. Weiley, 
 at Tiverton, Devon. 
 
 F4 LET. 
 
'72 I^ETTERS REI.ATING TO 
 
 LETTER XVI. 
 
 From S. Wejley to Mrs. Hutton. 
 
 Tiverton, Devon. June 17, 1738, 
 Dear Madam, 
 
 Am fuiKciendy fenfible of yours and Mr. Hut- 
 ton's kindnefs to my brothers, and fliall always 
 acknowledge it; and cannot blame you, either for 
 your concern, or for writing to me about it. Falling 
 into enthufiafm, is being loft with a witnefs, and if 
 you are troubled for two of your children, you may 
 be fure I am fo, for two whom I may in fome fenfe 
 call mine-., who if once turned that way will do a 
 v/orld of mifchief, much more than even otherwife 
 they would have done good; fince men are much 
 eafier to be led into evil, than from it. 
 
 What Jack means by his not being a chriflian till 
 laft month, I underftand not. Had he never been in 
 covenant with God? Then, as Mr. Hutton ob- 
 ferved, baptifm was nothing. Had he totally apof- 
 tatized from it ? I dare fay not : and yet he mufl 
 either be unbaptized, or an apoftate, to make his 
 words true. Perhaps it might come into his crown 
 that he was in a llate of mortal fin unrepented of, 
 
 and 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 73 
 
 and had long lived in fuch a courfe. This I do noc 
 beUeve ; however he muft anfwer forhimfelf. But 
 where is die fenfe of requiring every body elfe tQ 
 confefs that of themfelves, in order to commence 
 chriftians ? Muft they confefs it whether it be fo 
 or no ? Befides a finful courfe is not an abohtion 
 of the covenant ; for that very reafon, becaufe it is 
 a breach of it. If it were not, it would not be 
 broken. 
 
 Renouncing every thing but faith, may be every 
 evil J as the world, the flefh, and the Devil : this is 
 9, very orthodox fenfe, but no great difcovery. It 
 may mean rejefling all merit of our own good 
 works. What proteftant does not do fo ? Even 
 Beliarmin on his death bed, is faid to have renounc- 
 ed all merits but thofe of Chrift. If this renouncing 
 regards good works in any other fenfe, as being un- 
 necelTary, or the like, it is wretchedly wicked j and 
 to call our Saviour's words, the letter that kiUeth^ is 
 no lefs than blafphemy againft the fon of man. It 
 is mere quakerifm, making th? outward Chrift an 
 enemy to the Chrift within. 
 
 When the ball of fire fired the woman's foul 
 (an odd fort of fire that) what reference had it to 
 my two brothers ? Was the youth that had the fa- 
 ther come to him, told any thing about them ? 
 Pid he fee any thing, or only hear a voice ? What 
 >yere the words, if any ? 1 fuppofe he will take 
 
 fhelter 
 
74 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 fhelter in their being unfpeakable. In fhort, this 
 looks like down- right naadnefs. I do not hold it 
 at all unlikely, that perpetual intenfenefs of thought, 
 and want of fleep, may have difordered my bro- 
 ther. 1 have been told that the Quaker's introver- 
 fion of thought, has ended in madnefs. It is a flu- 
 dious flopping of every thought as fall as it arifes, 
 in order to receive the fpirit. I wifh the canting 
 fellows had never had any followers among us, 
 who talk of in-dwellings, experiences, getting into 
 Chrift, Sec. Sec. as I remember aflurances ufed to 
 make a great noife, which were carried to fuch a 
 height, that (as far as nonfenfc can be underftood) 
 they rofe to fruition ; in utter defiance of chriftian 
 hope, fince the queftion is unanfwerable. What a 
 man hath, why does he yet hope for ? But I will 
 believe none without a miracle, who Ihall pretend 
 to be wrapped up into the third heaven. 
 
 I hope your fon does not think it as plainly re- 
 vealed, that he Ihall print an enthufiaftic book, as it 
 is that he fhall obey his father and his mother. 
 Suppofe it were never fo excellent, can that fuper- 
 fede your authority ? God deliver us from vifions 
 that fhall make the law of God vain. I pleafed 
 myfelf with the expedlation of feeing Jack, but now 
 that is over, and I am afraid of it. I know not 
 where to direcfl to him, or where he is. Charles I 
 will write to as foon as I can, and ihall be glad to 
 
 hear 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. J^ 
 
 hear from you in the mean tuTie. I heartily pray 
 God to flop the progrefs of this lunacy. We join 
 in fervice. 
 
 I am, Dear Madam, 
 Your fincere and 
 
 affeftionate friend and fervant, 
 SAMUEL WESLEY. 
 
 To Mrs. Hiitton, 
 College -ftreet, Weftminfter. 
 
 LETTER XVII. 
 
 Fmn Mrs. Hutton to Mr, S. Wejley, 
 
 Dbar Sir, 
 
 I RETURN you thanks for fo obligingly anfwer- 
 ing my letter, for which I ought to beg your 
 pardon, flnce I am fenfible what I related muft af- 
 fli(5t you, though it might not be in your power to 
 leiTen my affliction. For how can I expeft more 
 regard will be had to a brother than is had to pa- 
 
 rents ? 
 5 
 
'^S LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 rents ? Though in reality, your brothers are much 
 more obhgated to you than many children are to their 
 parents ; you doing for them as a moft kind and 
 judicious parent, when you had not the fame ob- 
 ligation. I was in hopes mine to you would have 
 met your brother John at Tiverton, where he faid 
 he was going. If fo, he could have explained to 
 you the meaning of the two vifions I fent you word 
 of. 
 
 Every one of his converts are direfted to get an 
 afTurance of their fins being all pardoned, and they 
 fure of their falvation, which brings all joy and 
 peace. And this is given them in an inftant, fo 
 that every perfon fo converted, is able to defcribe 
 the manner and time when they get it, as they call 
 it. Your brother John writ his refledlions on Mr. 
 Hervey's paper, in thefe words, " RemiiTion of 
 ** fins, and peace with God. The life of God, or 
 ** love in our fouls. The evidence of our own 
 " weaknefs, and the power of Chrifl." My fon 
 felt it on the 25th of April, at the Blefled Sacrament, 
 as the minifter faid, T7;^ body cf our Lord Jefus 
 Chriji, i£c. Your brother Charles felt it at Mr. 
 Bray's, as your brother John was praying for it, 
 for him on the 22d of May. Yoiir brother John 
 felt it on the 25th of May, juft as he awaked. 
 
 Thefe things they make no fecrets j for good 
 Mr. Baldwin told me, he heard your brother Charles 
 
 give 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 77 
 
 give a relation of a young man at Oxford, who 
 had lived, as he himfelf thought, a very good and 
 pious life, but he was firft convinced it was nothing, 
 before he could get this faith j upon which he threw 
 himfelf upon his face upon his chamber floor, and 
 lay fo (I fuppofe praying) an hour or tv/o, and then 
 rofe up with great joy and peace of mind. This af- 
 fedled Mr. Baldwin fo much, that the next oppor- 
 tunity he had to talk with my fon, he put into his 
 hands afermon of Bifhop Bull's^ upon the fubjed of 
 the afllftance we may expedl from the Holy Spirit. 
 But all authors and writings, but the bible, are re- 
 jected, and every man, if he will pradlice what he 
 knows, Ihall have all the light neceffary for himfelf^ 
 taught him from God. 
 
 They are, I think, aiming at fomething more ; 
 for my fon told me, that a woman, who is a Difien- 
 ter, had three years and more, as flie fancied, been 
 under the feal of reprobation, and upon her coming 
 to Mr. Bray's, where your brother Charles, Mr. Bray, 
 and my fon were praying for her, though fhe went 
 home in the fame melancholy, yet in an hour after 
 fhe fent them word fhe was delivered from the pov/- 
 er of Satan, and defired them to return public 
 thanks for the fame in her behalf. I heard a poor 
 fimple barber, whofc name is Wolf, relate fuch a 
 dream that a blackfmith had, as a fign of his beino- 
 juft getting into Chrift, and of his own pweVy 
 
 as 
 
78 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 as put me beyond patience. This poor barber^ 
 fince his converfion*, which I think could afFedt 
 none but fools and madmen. My poor fon lay ill 
 of a fever at the fame time, with fuch a nunhber of 
 thefe fancied faints about him, that I expeded no- 
 thing but his weak brain would be quite turned. 
 I think it is not far from it, that he will not give 
 any, the moft pious or judicious author his father 
 recommends, a reading. 
 
 Now your brother John is gone, who is my fon's 
 pope, it may pleafe God, if you will give yourfelf 
 the trouble to try, he may hear fome reafon from 
 you. If you could bring your brother Charles back, 
 it would be a great ftep towards the reconverfion 
 of my poor fon. Your tv/o brothers are men of 
 great parts and learning -, my fon is good humour- 
 ed and very undefigning, and fincerely honeft, but 
 of weak judgment, fo fitted for any delufion. It 
 would be the greateft charity you ever did, and 
 your charity of all kinds is very extenfive. If you 
 can undeceive your brother Charles and my fon, it 
 would put a ftop to this wild-fire. I fuppofe you 
 received a letter from your brother John, that he 
 came to London the 1 2th at night, fet forward the 
 13th, without feeing your brother Charles, to make 
 a vifit to Count Zinzendorf I know he looks up- 
 
 * Here the MS. which is in the hand writing of Mr. Samuel 
 Weflcy, is imperfect. 
 
 on 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 79 
 
 on his fancies as direftions from the Holy Spirit. 
 What carried hinn 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. Whit- 
 field believed it, he had not proceeded on his voy- 
 age, John had brought him back by the dire6lion 
 of the fpirit. We do nothing but pray for our chil- 
 dren, and all others under this ftrange delufion ; 
 fince arguments from us, which to others feem rea- 
 fonable, have no effe6l upon them. I doubt not 
 of your prayers upon the fame occalion, and all 
 other means your good judgment fhall enable you 
 to ufe. I have been thus long to give you all the 
 light I can into this affair, as a help towards your 
 finding out a curej being with the greatefl value 
 and refpe(5t for your real, not imaginary worth. 
 
 Your moft fincere humble fervant, 
 
 ELIZABETH HUTTON. 
 June 20, 1738. 
 
 To the Rev. Mr. Samuel WeCey, 
 at Tiverton, Devon. 
 
 LETTER 
 
8o LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 LETTER XVIII. 
 
 From J. TVeJley to his brother SamueL 
 
 Marienbourn, near Frankfort, July;, O. S. i^jSf; 
 
 Dear Brother, 
 
 GOD has given me at length the defire of my 
 heart. I am with a church whofe converfa- 
 tion is in heaven, in whom is the mind that was in 
 Chrift, and who fo walks as he walked. As they 
 have all one Lord and one faith, fo they are all par- 
 takers of one fpirit, the fpirit of meaknefs and love, 
 which uniformly and continually animates all their 
 converfation. O how high and holy a thing 
 chriftianity is ! And how widely diftant from that— I 
 know not what — which is fo called, though it neither 
 purifies the heart, or renews the life, after the image 
 of our blefled Redeemer. 
 
 I grieve to think how that holy name, by which 
 we are called, muft be blalphemed among the hea- 
 then, while they fee difcontented chrillians, pafTion- 
 ate chriftians, refentful chriftians, earthly-minded 
 'chriftians. Yea (to come to what we are apt to 
 
 count 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. Si 
 
 count fmall things) while they fee chriflians judg- 
 ing one another, ridiculing one another, fpeaking 
 evil one of another, encreafmg, inftead of bearing 
 one another's burdens. How bitterly would Julian 
 have applied to thefe, " Sec, how thefe chriflians 
 love one another 1" I know I myfelf, I doubt you 
 fonaetimes, and my fifter often, have been under 
 this condemnation. O may God grant we may ne- 
 ver more think to do him fervice, by breaking 
 thofe commands which are the very life of his reli- 
 gion ! But may we utterly put away all anger, and 
 wrath, and malice, and bitternefs, and evil-lpeak- 
 ing. 
 
 I was much concerned when my brother Charles 
 once incidentally mentioned a paflage that occurred 
 at Tiverton, " Upon my offering to read," faid he, 
 " a chapter in the Serious Call," my lifter faid, 
 " Who do you read that to ? Not to thefe young 
 " ladies I prefume i and your brother and I do not 
 « want it." Yes, my fifter, I muft tell you in the 
 fpirit of love, and before God, who fearcheth the 
 heart, you do want it ; you want it exceedingly. 
 I know no one foul that wants to read, and confider 
 deeply, fo much the chapter o{ univerfal love, and 
 that of inter cejfion. The charafter of Sufurrus there, 
 is your own. I fhould be falfc to God and you, did 
 I not tell you fo. O may it be fo no longer \ but 
 
 G may 
 
82 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 may you love your neighbour as yourfelf, both in 
 word and tongue, and in deed and truth. 
 
 I believe in a week Mr. Ingham and 1 fhall fet 
 out forHernhuth, about 350 miles from hence. O 
 pray for us, that God v^ould fanfbify to us all thofe 
 precious opportunities, that we may be continually 
 built up more and more in the fpirit of power and 
 love, and of a found mind. 1 am. 
 
 Dear Brother, 
 Your moll afFedionate friend and brotlier, 
 
 JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 To the Rev. Mr. Wedey, 7 
 at Tiverton, Devon. 3 
 
 LETTER 
 
THE REV, J. WESLEY. 83 
 
 LETTER XIX. 
 
 From Mr» J, Wejley to his brother Samuel. 
 
 London, Odober 30, 1738. 
 
 Dear Brother, 
 
 THAT you will always receive kindly, what is 
 fo intended, I doubt not. Therefore I again 
 recommend the charafter of Sufurrus, both to you 
 and my filler, as (whether real or feigned) ftriking 
 at the root of a fault, of which both fhe and you 
 were (I think) more guilty than any other two 
 perfons I have known in my life. O may God de- 
 liver both you and me from all bitternefs and evil- 
 Ipeaking, as well as from all falfe doftrine, herefy, 
 and fchifm. 
 
 With regard to my own charafter, and my doc- 
 trine likewife, I fhall anfwer you very plainly. By 
 a chriltian, I mean one who fo believes in Chrift, as 
 that fin hath no more dominion over him, and in this 
 obvious fenfe of the word, I was not a chriftian till 
 May the 24th laft paft. For till then fin had the 
 dominion over me, although 1 fought with it con- 
 tinually j but furely then from that time to this, it 
 hath not : Such is the free grace of God in Chrift 
 What fins they were which till then reigned over 
 
 G 2 me,. 
 
§4 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 me, and from which, by the grace of God, I am 
 now free, I am ready to declare on the houfe-top, 
 if it may be for the glory of God. 
 
 If you afk by what means I am made free (though 
 notperfed, neither infaUibly fure of my perfeverance) 
 I anfwer by faith in Chrifh ; by fuch a fort or degree 
 of faith, as I had not till that day. My defire of 
 this faith I knew long before, though not fo clearly 
 till Sunday, January the 8 th lad, when being in 
 the midft of the great deep, I wrote a few lines, in 
 the bitternefs of my foul, fome of which I have 
 tranfcribed ; and may the good God fanftify them 
 both to you and me. 
 
 By the moft infallible of all proofs, inward feel- 
 ing, I am convinced, 
 
 ift. Of unbelief i having no fuch faith in Chrift, 
 as will prevent my heart's being troubled, which it 
 could not be if I believed in God, and rightly be- 
 lieved alfo in him, 
 
 id. Of pride throughout my life paft, inafmuch 
 as I thought I had, what I find I had not. Lord 
 fave, or I perilh ! Save me. 
 
 I ft. By fuch a faith in thee and in thy Chrift, as 
 implies truft, confidence, peace in life and in 
 death. 
 
 2d. By fuch humility as may fill my heart, from 
 this hour for ever, with a piercing uninterrupted 
 
 fenfe. 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 8^ 
 
 fcnfe, ''Nihil eft quod haSiemisfeci" having evi- 
 dently built without a foundation. 
 
 3d. By fuch a recolle6tion, that I may cry to 
 thee every moment, but more efpecially when all is 
 calm (if it Ihould fo pleafe thee) " Give me faith, 
 " or I die ! Give me a lowly fpirit, otherwife Mihi 
 non fit fuave vivere." Amen ! Come Lord Jefus ! 
 Vis Sa^fJ", EMYiaav (MOi. 
 
 Some meafure of this faith, which bringeth fal- 
 vation or vidtory over fin, and which implies peace 
 and truft in God through Chrift, which I now enjoy- 
 by his free mercy ; though in very deed it is in me but 
 as a grain of muftard feed; for the " TtM^otpopia -jz-frss-^, 
 " The feal of the fpirit, the love of God fhed abroad 
 " in my heart," and producing joy in the Holy 
 Ghoft ; " Joy which no man taketh away ; joy un- 
 " fpeakable, and full of glory." This witnels of 
 the fpirit I have not, but I patiently wait for it. I 
 know many who have already received it j more 
 than one or two in the very hour we were praying 
 for it. And having feen and fpoken with a cloud 
 of witnefTes abroad, as well as in my own country, 
 I cannot doubt but that believers who wait and 
 pray for it, will find thefe fcriptures fulfilled in 
 themfelves. My hope is, that they will be fulfilled 
 in me i I build on Chrifl the rock of ages. On 
 his fure mercies defcribed in his word, and on his 
 promifes, all which linow are yea, an4 amen. 
 
 G 3 Thofe 
 
86 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 Thofe who have not yet received joy in the Holy 
 Ghoft, the love of God, and the plerophcry of 
 faith (any, or all of which I take to be the witnefs 
 of the fpirit with our fpirit, that we are the fons of 
 God) 1 believe to be chriftians in that imperfedt 
 fenfe wherein I call myfelf fuch ; and I exhort them 
 to pray, that God would give them alfo " To 
 " rejoice in hope of the glory of God," and to feel 
 " his love fhed abroad in their hearts, by the Holy 
 " Ghoft, which is given unto them." 
 
 On men I build not, neither on Matilda Chip- 
 man's word, whom 1 have not talked with five mi- 
 nutes in my life ; nor on any thing peculiar in the 
 weak, well-meant relation of William Hervey, who 
 yet is a ferious, humble-afting chriftian. But have 
 you been believing on thefe ? Yes ; I find them, 
 more orlefs, in almoft every letter you have writ- 
 ten on the fubjeft. Yet were all that has been faid 
 on " Virions, dreams, and balls of fire," to be fairly 
 propofed in fyllogifms, I believe it would not prove 
 a jot more on one, than on the other fide of the 
 queftion. 
 
 O brother, would to God you would leave dif- 
 puting concerning 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 fhould 
 not you alfo feek till you receive " That peace of 
 " God which paffeth all underftanding ? Who fhall 
 
 " hinder 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. ^7 
 
 " hinder you, notwithftanding the manifold temp- 
 " tations, from rejoicing with joy unfpeakable, by 
 " reafon of glory ?" Amen ! Lord Jefus ! May you, 
 and all who are near of kin to you (if you have it not 
 already) feel his love fhed abroad in your hearts, by 
 his fpirit which dwelleth in you, and be fealed with 
 the Holy Spirit of Promife, which is the earned of 
 your inheritance. 
 
 I am. 
 
 Yours, and my fitter's, 
 
 moft affedtionate brother, 
 
 JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 To the Rev. Mr. Weflcy, 
 at Tiverton, Devon. 
 
 4 LETTER 
 
ZZ' LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 LETTER XX. 
 
 From Mr. S. Wejlcy to his brother Jobu 
 
 Tiverton, Devon, N<5vembcr 15, 1738; 
 Dear Jack, 
 
 ^ I^HE charge of evil-fpeaking is carried as high as 
 •^ it can go, fo that my wife underftands my be- 
 ing included now, as well as 1 did at lirft. Your 
 bitternefs is much better than Mr. Law's, though 
 did Sufurrus fit me even as exadtly as you can fup- 
 pofe, that would by no means excufe his having 
 drawn it, no more than his fault or yours could 
 juflify mine. To convince you I may fometimes 
 pray againft it, I will apply to the fame Magazine 
 that furnifhed me againft falfe dodtrine. " From en- 
 " vy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitablenefs, 
 " Good Lord deliver me." 
 
 I have many remarks to make on your letter, 
 but do not care to fight in the dark, or run my 
 head againft a ftone wall. You need fear no con- 
 troverfy with me, unlefs you hold it worth while to 
 remove thefe three doubts. 
 
 ift. Whether you will own, or difown in terms, 
 the necelTity of a fenfible information from God of 
 
 pardon ? 
 
f 
 
 THE REV. J. WESLEY. 89 
 
 ■ pardon? If you difown it, the matter Is over as to 
 you, if you own it then. 
 
 2d. Whether you will not think me diftra6ted 
 tx> oppofe you with the moft infalHble of all proofs, 
 inward feeling in yourfelf, and pofitive evidence in 
 your friends, while I myfelf produce neither. 
 
 3d. Whether you will releafe me from the horns 
 of your dilemma, that I mufl either talk vvdthout 
 knowledge like a fool, or againft it like a knave ? I 
 conceive neither part ftrikes. — For a man may rea- 
 fbnably argue againft what he never felt, and may 
 honeftly deny what he has felt to be necelTary to 
 others. 
 
 You build nothing on tales, but I do. I fee what 
 is manifeftly built upon them, if you difclaim It, and 
 ^ warn poor fhallow pates of their folly and danger, fo 
 much the better. They are counted figns or tokens, 
 means or conveyances, proofs or evidences of the 
 fenfible information, &c. calculated to turn fools into 
 madmen, and put them without a jeft into the con- 
 dition of Oliver's porter. 
 
 When I hear vifions, &c. reproved, difcouraged, 
 and ceafed among the new brotherhood, 1 Ihall then 
 fay no more of them, but till then, I will ufe my ut- 
 moft ftrength that God fhall give me, to expofc 
 
 thefe bad branches of a bad root -, and thus 
 
 Such do6trine as encourages and abets fpiritual fire- 
 balls, apparitions of the Father, &c, &c. is delulive 
 
 and 
 
go LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 and dangerous. But the fenfible neceffary informa- 
 tion, &c. is fuch J ergo. — I mention not this to enter 
 into any difpute with you, for you feem to difap- 
 prove them, though not exprefsly difclaim, but to 
 convince you I am not out of my way, though en- 
 countering of wind-mills. 1 will do my beft to make 
 folks wifer. 
 
 I will borrow from our litany, a prayer you will 
 join in. " That it may pleafe thee to ftrengthen fuch 
 " as do ftand to comfort and help the weak hearted, 
 " to raife up them that fall, and finally to beat down 
 " Satan under our feet, Wc befeech thee to hear us 
 « good Lord." 
 
 My wife joins with love, we are all pretty well, 
 
 I am, Dear Jack, 
 
 Your fincereand 
 Affe6tionate Friend and Brother, 
 
 SAMUEL WESLEY. 
 
 -' To the Rev, Mr. John Wefley. 
 
 LETTER 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 91 
 
 LETTER XXI. 
 
 From old Mrs. Wepy to her Son Samuel. 
 
 Thurfday, 8th March, 1738-9. 
 
 Dear Son, 
 
 YOUR two double letters came fafe to me lafl 
 Friday. I thank you for them, and have re- 
 ceived much fatisfaflion in reading them ; they are 
 written with good fpirit and judgment, fufficient, I 
 Ihould think, to fatisfy any unprejudiced mind, that 
 the reviving thefe pretenfions to dreams, vifions, &c. 
 is not only vain and frivolous as to the matter 
 of them, but alfo of dangerous confequence to 
 the weaker fort of chriftians. — You have well 
 obferved, " That it is not the method of provi- 
 " dence to ufe extraordinary means, to bring about 
 " that for which ordinary ones are fufficient," there- 
 fore the very end for which they pretend that thefe 
 new revelations are fent, feems to me one of the beft 
 arguments againft the truth of them. As far as I 
 can fee, they plead that thefe vifions, &c. are 
 given to affure fome particular perfons of their 
 adoption and falvation. — But this end is abundantly 
 provided for in the holy fcriptures, wherein all may 
 
 find 
 
92 LETTERS RELATING "^O 
 
 find the rules by which we mud live here, and be 
 judged hereafter, are fo plainly laid down, « That 
 " he who runs may read," and it is by thefe laws we 
 Ihould examine ourfelves, which is a way of God's 
 appointment, and therefore we may hope for his 
 diredion and afliftance in fuch exam.ination. And 
 if upon a ferious review of our flate, we find, that 
 in the tenure of our lives we have, or do now, fin- 
 cerely defire and endeavour to perform the condi- 
 tions of the gofpel covenant required on our parts, 
 then we may difcern, that the holy fpirit hath laid in 
 our minds a good foundation, of a firong, reafon- 
 able, and lively hope of God's mercy through Chrift. 
 This is the aflurance we ought to aim at, which 
 the apoftle calls the full ajjurance ofhofe^ which he ad- 
 monifh us to bold fafi unto the end. And the conle- 
 quence of encouraging fanciful people in this new 
 way of feeking affurance (as all do that hear them 
 tell their filly ftories without rebuke) I think mufl 
 be the turning them out of God's way, into one of 
 their own devifing. You have plainly proved that 
 the fcripture examples, and that text in Joel which 
 they urge in their defence will not anfwer their pur- 
 pofe, fo that they are unfupported by any authority, 
 either human or divine (which you have very well 
 obferved) and the credit of their relations muft 
 therefore depend on their own fingle affirmation, 
 
 which 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 93 
 
 which furely will not weigh much with the fober 
 judicious part of mankind. 
 
 I began to write to Charles before I lafi: wrote to 
 you, but could not proceed : for my chimney fmoked 
 fo exceedingly that I almoft loft my fight, and remain- 
 ed well nigh blind a confiderable time. God's blef- 
 fing on eye- water I make, cured me of the forenels, 
 but the weaknefs long remained. Since I have been 
 informed that Mr. Hall intends to remove his fa- 
 mily to London, hath taken a houfe, and I mult (if 
 it pleafe God I live) go with them, where I hope to 
 fee Charles, and then I can fully fpeak my fentiments 
 of their new notions, more than I can do by writ- 
 ing J therefore I Ihall not finifh my letter to him. 
 
 You have heard, I fuppofe, that Mr. Whitfield is 
 taking a progrefs through thefe parts, to make a col- 
 leftion for a houfe in Georgia, for orphans, and fuch 
 of the natives' children as they will part with, to 
 learn our language and religion. He came hither 
 to fee me, and we talked about your brothel's. I 
 told him I did not like their way of living, wilhed 
 them in fome places of th^ir own, wherein they 
 might regularly preach, &:c. He replied, I could 
 not conceive the good they did in London, that the 
 greateft part of our clergy were afieep, and there 
 never was greater need of itinerant preachers than 
 now. Upon which a gentleman that came with 
 
 him. 
 
94 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 him, faid, that my fon Charles had converted him, 
 and that both my fons fpent all their time in doing 
 good. I then alked Mr. W. if my fons were not 
 for making fome innovations in the church, which 
 T much feared. He afTured me they were fo far 
 from it, that they endeavoured all they could to re- 
 concile dilTenters to our communion ; that my j[bn 
 John had baptized five adult prefbyterians in our 
 way on St. Paul's day, and he believed would bring 
 over many to our communion. His ftay was fhort, 
 fo I could not talk with him fo much as I delired. 
 He feems to be a very good man, and one who truly 
 defires the falvation of mankind. God grant that 
 the wifdom of the ferpent may be joined to the in- 
 nocence of the dove. 
 
 My paper and fight are almoft at an end ; there- 
 fore I fhall only add, that I fend you and your's my 
 hearty love and bleffing. 
 
 Service to Mrs. Berry. 
 
 I had not an opportunity to fend this till Saturday 
 the 17 th ult. 
 
 Love and bleffing to Jacky Ellifon. 
 
 Pray let me hear from you foon. We go in April* 
 
 For the Rev, Mr. Wefley, > From Mrs. Wefley, 
 
 Tiverton, Devon. $ of Epworth, 
 
 LET- 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 95 
 
 LETTER XXir. 
 From Mr. S. Wejley to his. brother John, 
 
 Tiverton, April i6, 1739. 
 
 Dear Jack, 
 
 I Heartily pray God we may meet each other with 
 joy in the next lifej and beg him to forgive 
 either of us as far as guilty, for our not meeting in 
 this. I acknowledge his juftice in making my friends 
 ftand afar off, and hiding my acquaintance out of 
 my fight ! 
 
 I find brevity has made me obfcure. I argue 
 againft afiTurance (in your or any fenfe) as part of 
 the gofpel covenant j becaufe many are faved with- 
 out it. — You own you cannot deny exempt cafes, 
 which is giving up the difpute. Your a[[urance^ be- 
 ing a clear imprefllon of God upon the foul, I fay, 
 muft be perpetual — mufl be irreverfible. Elfe it is 
 not affurance from God, infallible, and omnipotent, 
 , Your feeing perfons reformed is nothing to this. 
 Dear brother, do you dream I deny the grace of 
 God ? But to fuppofe the means whereby they are 
 fo in this fenfe, is in my opinion as very a petltio prin- 
 cipii as ever was. — You quarrel not at the word mi- 
 racle, nor is there any reafon you fhould, , fince you 
 
 are 
 
90 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 are fowell acquainted with the thing. If I was as I 
 have been, I fhould defire fome of the plained. You 
 lay the crofs is ftrongly reprefented to the eye of 
 the mind. — Do thefe words fignify in plain Eng- 
 lifh the fancy ? Inward eyes, ears, and feelings, are 
 nothing to other people. I am heartily forry fuch 
 alloy Hiould be found among fo much piety. The 
 little refieftion on my poor correfpondent at Oxford, 
 is quite groundlefs. I do not remember, he fays, 
 ftnging (adding rollings &c.) was the only fign of 
 her new-birth. It is brought as a fruit of it. May 
 we judge the tree by the fiuit? Such vifions I think 
 may fairly be concluded fallacious, only for being 
 attended with fo ridiculous an effe6t. 
 
 My mother tells me fhe fears a formal fchifm is 
 already begun among you, though you and Charles 
 are ignorant of it. For God's fake take care of that, 
 and banifh extemporary expofitions, and extempo- 
 rary prayers. I have got your abridgment of Ha- 
 lyburton, and have fent for Watts ; if it pleafe God 
 to allow me life and llrength I fhall by his help de- 
 monftrate, — that the Scot as little defer ves prefer- 
 ence to allchriftians but our Saviour, as the book to 
 all writings but thofe you mention. There are two 
 flagrant falfhoods in the very firfl: chapter. But 
 your eyes are fo fixed upon one point, that you over- 
 look every thing elfe. You overfhoot, but Whit- 
 field raves. 
 
 I ~ ■ I in- 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 97 
 
 I intreat you to let me know what reafons you 
 have to think you fhall not live long ? I received 
 yours dated 4th, on Saturday 14th. The pod will 
 reach me much fooner, and I fhall want much to 
 know what ails you ? I fliould be very angry with 
 you if you cared for it, fhould you have broken your 
 iron conftitution already ; as I was with the glorious 
 Pafcal for lofing his health, and living almoft twen- 
 ty years in pain. 
 
 My wife joins in love. We are all in tolerable 
 health, I am. 
 
 Dear Jack, •• 
 
 Your fincere and affeftionate Friend and Brother, 
 
 SAMUEL WESLEY. 
 
 To the Rev. Mr. John Wefley. 
 
 H LET- 
 
~9« LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 LETTER XXIII. 
 
 From Mr, T. Herjey to Mr. S, Wefley^ 
 
 Stoke Abbey, May 7, 1739. 
 Rev. Sir, 
 
 YESTERDAY Mr. Orchard received your 
 letter; and being much afflifted with nervous 
 diforders, which give him a trembling hand, and fo 
 unfit him for a ready ufeof the pen, has refigne4 the 
 office of anfwering it to me. Now Sir, the chief 
 view my honoured friend was afted by in making 
 you a vifit, was to flop as foon as poffible the fpread 
 and prevalence of feveral very ftrange and peftilent 
 opinions. He thought that to mention them to you, 
 and only to reprefent them, was enough to ftimu- 
 late and engage you to oppofe. — He hoped alfo 
 that this might be done efFeilually, and fuccefsfully, 
 by an elder brother of the dear, but deluded man. 
 
 The dangerous and extravagant tenets may pof- 
 fibly have flipt your memory; and if fo, the beft, 
 moft pertinent, and material anfwer I can fend you, 
 will be to relate them. They are fuch as thefe, that 
 the method of education, the diftinftion, order, de- 
 grees, even robes and habits of the univerfity, are 
 all anti-chriftian: that nothing is taught in it but 
 
 learning, 
 I 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 99 
 
 learning, wifdom which oppofes the power of God. 
 That whofo is born of God is alfo taught of God, 
 not in any limited, fcnfe, biitfo as to render the ufe 
 of all natural nneans of no effedt. That all hunman 
 learning (however faid to be fanftified by God) 
 entirely diiqualifies us from preaching the true 
 gofpel of Jejus Chriji j — that none have a right to 
 preach, but fuch as are immediately called to it by 
 the fpirit of God; — that an elfebiihed miniftry is a 
 mere invention of man ; — that our whole church, 
 and all its authority, is founded on and fupported by 
 a lye — and that all who receive a power of preachincr 
 from it, are in a (late of (lavery and bondage, and 
 muft throw oJEf all obedience to it, before they can 
 enjoy the freedom of the gofpel. Whatever was 
 faid in your company, was faid with a defign of pro- 
 voking fo able a fcholar, and fo near a relation of 
 good Mr. Wedey's, to exert his authority, his inte- 
 reft, his learning, all his endeavours, to draw of his 
 valuable brother from thele wild dodlrines; doc- 
 trines fo palpably and fo pernicioufly wrong. If 
 you can. Sir, interpofe and pluck the tares before 
 they are rooted in the bread; — if you can diflodge 
 thefe unhappy miftakes before they are rivetted in 
 the mind; if you may be fo fortunate as to Itrangle 
 thefe delufions in their birth, what fignal fervice will 
 you do the belt of caufes, the caufe of pure religion 
 and true chriftianity. If Mr. Wefley imbibes fuch 
 H 2 erroneous 
 
lOO LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 erroneous notions, he will certainly be zealous, as 
 he is moft confeffedly able to propagate them. He 
 will think it his duty to inform, or rather to infed, 
 others. So that whoever undeceives him, will by 
 that one ftroke cut off a legion of errors. That 
 you may attempt this is the wilh and defire; that at- 
 tempting you may accompliih it lliall be the hearty 
 prayer, of 
 
 Reverend Sir, 
 
 Your moft obedient 
 
 humble fervant, 
 
 T. HERVEY. 
 
 P. S. Mr. Orchard prefents his humble fervice. 
 
 To the Rev. Mr, Weflcy, 
 at Tiverton, Devon. 
 
 LET- 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. lOl 
 
 LETTER XXV. 
 
 From J, Wejley to his brother Samuel, 
 
 Briftol, May 10, 1739. 
 
 . Dear Brother, 
 
 THE having abundance of work upon my 
 hands, is only a caufe of my not writing 
 fooner. The caufe was rather my unwillingnefs to 
 continue an unprofitable difpute. 
 
 The gofpel promifes to you' and me, and our 
 children, and all that are afar off, even as many of 
 thofe whom the Lord our God fhall call, as are not 
 difobedient unto the heavenly vifion, " The witnefs 
 " of God's fpirit with their fpirit, that they are the 
 " the children of God :" that they are mw, at this 
 hour all accepted in the beloved : but it witnefles 
 " not, that they fhall be." It is an affurance of ^r^- 
 Jent falvation only. Therefore, not neceflarily per- 
 petual, neither irreverfible. 
 
 I am one of many witnefles of this matter of facfl, 
 that God does now make good this his proniife 
 daily, very frequently during a reprefentation (how 
 made I know not, but not to the outward eye) of 
 Chrift either hanging on the crofs, or ftanding on 
 the right hand of God. And this 1 know to be of 
 
 H 3 God, 
 
I02 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 God, becaufe from that hour the perfon fo afFetfted 
 is a new creature, both as to his inward tempers 
 and outward hfe. Old things are paft away ; and 
 all things become new. 
 
 A very late inllance of this I will give you. While 
 we were praying at a fociety here, on Tuefday ift 
 infl. the power of God (fo I call it) came fo mighti- 
 ly among us, that one, and another, and another fell 
 down as thunderftruck. In that hour many that were 
 in deep anguilh of fpirit, were all filled with peace and 
 joy. Ten perfons till then in fin, doubt, and fear, found 
 fuch a change, that fin had no more dominion over 
 them: and inftead of the fpirit of fear they are now 
 filled with that of love, and joy, and a found mind. 
 A quaker who flood by was very angry at them, and 
 was biting his lips and knitting his brows, when the 
 fpirit of God came upon him alfo, ib that he fell 
 down as one dead. We prayed over him, and he 
 foon lifted up his head with joy, and joined with 
 us in thankfgiving. 
 
 A byflander, one John Hay don, was quite enraged 
 at this, and being unable to deny fomething fuperna- 
 tural in it, laboured beyond meafure to convince all 
 his acquaintance, that it was a delufion of the devil. I 
 was met in the flreet the next day by one, who in- 
 formed me that John Haydon was fallen raving 
 mad. It feems, he had fat down to dinner, but 
 wanted firfl to make an end of a fcrmon he was 
 
 reading. 
 
THE RBV. J. WESLEY. J03 
 
 reading. At the laft page, he fuddenly changed co- 
 lour, fell off his chair, and began fcreanning terribly, 
 and beating hin:ifelf againft the ground. I found 
 him on the floor, the room being full of people,, 
 whom his wife would have kept awayi but he cried 
 cut, "No; let them all come: let^ll the world lee 
 " the jufl: judgment of God." Two. or ;thr.ee^ "vsfete , 
 holding him as well as they could. He immediately 
 fixt his eyes on me, and faid, " Ay, this is he I faid 
 " deceived the people j but God hath overtaken me. 
 " I faid, it was a delufion of the devil : but thi& is no 
 " delufion." Then he roared aloud, "O thou de- 
 *' vil ! thou curfed devil ! Yea, thou legion of de- 
 " vils ! Thou canft not flay in me. Chrift will call 
 *' thee out. I know his work is begun. Tear 
 " me to pieces, if thou wilt. But thou canll not 
 " hurt me." He then beat himfclf again, and 
 groaning again, with violent fvveats, and heaving of 
 the brealt. We prayed with him, and God put a 
 new fong in his mouth. The words were, which 
 he pronounced with a clear llrong 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. BlelTed be the 
 " Lord God of Ifrael, from this time forth for ever- 
 *' more." I called again an hour after. We found 
 his body quite worn out, and his voice loll. But his 
 
 H 4 foul 
 
I04 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 foul was full of joy and love, rejoicing in hope of 
 the glory of God. 
 
 ♦ T am now in as good health (thanks be to God) 
 as I ever was fince I remember, and I believe fhall 
 befoas long as I live; for I do not expert to have 
 a- lingering death. The reafons that induce me to 
 think 1 fhall not live long old, are fuch as you would 
 not apprehend to be of any weight. I am under 
 no concern on this head. Let my Mafter fee to it. 
 O may the God of love be with you and my filler 
 more and more ! I am, 
 
 Dear Brother, 
 
 Your ever affectionate Brother, 
 
 JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 To the Rev. Mr. Welley, 7 
 at Tiverton, Devon. 3 
 
 LET. 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. I05 
 
 LETTER XXV, 
 
 From S, Wejley to his brother John. 
 
 Dear Jack, 
 
 IT has pleafed God to vifit me with ficknefs, elfe 
 I fhould not have been fo backward in writing. 
 Pray to hini for us, that he would " give us patience 
 " under our fufferings, and a happy iflue out of all 
 " our affliftions ; granting us in this world knov/- 
 " ledge of his truth, and in the world to come life 
 " everlaftino;." 
 
 It is good news that you have built a charity- 
 fchool, and better flill that you have a fecond almofi; 
 up, as I find by yours that Mr. Wigginton brought 
 me. I wifh you could build not only a fchool, but 
 a church too, for the colliers, if there is not any^ 
 place at preient for worfhip where they can meet ; 
 and I fhould rejoice heartily to have it endowed, 
 though Mr. Whitfield were to be the minifter of it, 
 provided the bifhop fully joined. 
 
 Your diftindtion between the difcipline and doc- 
 trine of the church, is, I think, not quite. pertinent. 
 
 For 
 
lo6 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 For furely epifcopacy is matter of doclrine too j but 
 granting it otherwife, you know there is no fear of 
 being caft out of our fynagogue for any tenets what- 
 foever. Did not Clarke die preferred ? Were not 
 Collins and Coward free from anathema ? Are not 
 Chubb and Gordon rK)w carefled. My knowledge 
 of this makes me fufpeft Whitfield, as if he defign- 
 ed to provoke perfecution by his bodings of it. 
 He has already perfonally difobliged the bifhops of 
 Gloucefter and London, and doubtlefs will do as 
 much by all the reft, if they fall not down before 
 his whimfies, and lliould offer to ftand in his way. 
 Now if he, by his madnefs, fhould lay himfelf open 
 to die fmall remains of difcipline amongft us, as by 
 marrying without licence, or any other way, and 
 get excommunicated for his pains, I am very ap- 
 prehenfive you would ftill ftick to him as your dear 
 brother, and fo, though the church would not ex- 
 communicate you, you would excommunicate the 
 church. Then I fuppofe you would enlarge your 
 cenfure, which now takes in only moft of the infe- 
 rior clergy j but you have taught me- to have the 
 worfe opinion of no man on that account, till you 
 have proved your charge againft bifhop Bull. At 
 prefent I am inclined to think, that the being blam- 
 ed with him, is glory. 
 
 You 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. I07 
 
 You yourfelf doubted at firft, and enquired, and 
 examined about the extaciesj the matter is not 
 therefore fo plain as motion to a man walking. But 
 I have my own reafon, as well as your own autho- 
 rity, againft the exceeding clearnefs of divine inter- 
 pofition there. Your followers fall into agonies. I 
 confefs it. They are freed from them after you 
 have prayed over them. Granted. They fay it is 
 God's doing. I own they fay fo. Dear Brother, 
 where is your ocular demonftration ? Where, in- 
 deed, is the rational proof .'' Their living well af- 
 terwards may be a probable and fufficient argu- 
 ment, that they believe themfelves i but it goes no 
 farther. 
 
 I muft afk a few more quellions. Did thefe ao-i- 
 
 tations ever begin during the ufe of any collects of 
 
 the church ? Or during the preaching of any fermoa 
 
 that had before been preached within confecrated 
 
 walls without that effeft, or durino- the inculcatino- 
 
 t> 
 
 any other doftrine befides that of your new birth .? 
 Are the main body of thefe agents, or patients, 
 good fort of people before hand, or loofe and im- 
 rnqral ^ 
 
 My wife joins in love to you, and Charles, if he 
 is with you, or indeed wherever he is. For you 
 know beft his notions, and he is likely to hear from 
 you before me. Phill is very well, my wife indif- 
 ferent. 
 
loS LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 ferent, and I on the mending hand in fpite of foul 
 ^veather. I am. 
 
 Dear Jack, 
 
 Your fincere and afFedtionate 
 
 friend and brother, • 
 
 SAMUEL WESLEY. 
 ^iverto^i Sept. 3, 1739. ^ 
 
 To Mr. John Wcfley. 
 
 LETTER XXVI. 
 
 From Mr. S. Wejley to his Mother. 
 Dear Mother, 
 
 WHEN you were here, as I remember, I was 
 applied to for an account of my father's life 
 and writings, and of my own. I have fince that had 
 the fame requeft made me for the fame book, Wood's 
 Atheyiie Oxonienjes ; and whether I grow vainer than 
 I was then, or really am fomewhat depraved in my 
 
 intelled. 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. IO9 
 
 intelle6l, I begin to think it not altogether Co abfurd 
 as I did at firft. The perfon applying is an old 
 clergyman, who wants to know where and when 
 my father was born, where, when, and by whom 
 admitted into holy orders. I have fent him your 
 epitaph. 
 
 His name is Tomkins, at Kilmington^ near Ax- 
 m-infter, Devon. 1 promifed him to write to you, 
 who could inform him much fuller than myfelf 
 about my father. He wants my two brothers hif- 
 tories alfo ; and as their actions have been important 
 enough to be committed to writing, they are the 
 fitted people alive to fend informations about diem- 
 felves J efpecially now, becaufe it will prevent any 
 mifreprefentations from others. They are now be- 
 come fo notorious, the world will be curious to know 
 when and where they v/ere born, what fchoois bred 
 at, what colleges of in Oxford, and when matricu- 
 lated, what degrees they took, and where, when, 
 and by whom ordained; what books they have writ- 
 ten or publiflied. I wifh they may fpare fo much 
 time as to vouchfafe a litde of their ftory. For my 
 "own part, 1 had much rather have them picking 
 ftraws within the walls, than preaching in the area 
 of Moor Fields. 
 
 It was with exceeding concern and grief, 1 heard 
 you had countenanced a fpreading delufion, fo far as 
 to be one of Jack's congregation. Is it not enough 
 
 that 
 
no LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 that I am bereft of both my brothers, but muft my 
 mother follow too r I earneftly befeech the Almighty 
 to prefcrve you from joining a fchifm at the clofe of 
 your life, as you were unfortunately * engaged in 
 ^.v at the beginning of it. It will coft you many a 
 proteft, fhould you retain your integrity, as I hope 
 to God you will. 
 
 They boaft of you already as a difciple. Charles 
 has told Jo. Bentham that I do not differ much, if 
 we underftand one another. I am afraid I mufl be 
 forced to advertife, fuch is their apprehenfion or 
 their charity. But they defign feparation. Things 
 will take their natural courfe, without an efpecial 
 interpofition of Providence. They are already for- 
 bid all the pulpits in London, and to preach in that 
 diocefe is actual fchifm. In all likelihood it will 
 come to the fame all over England, if the bifliops 
 have courage enough. They leave off the liturgy in 
 die fields j though Mr. Whitfield expreffes his value 
 for it, he never once read it to his tatterdemalions on 
 a common. Their focieties are fufRcient to diffolve 
 all other focieties but their own. Will any man of 
 common fenfe, or fpirit, fuffer any domeftic to be 
 in a bond engaged to relate every thing without re- 
 ferve, to five or ten people, that concerns the per- 
 
 * She was daughter of Dr. Samuel Annefley, one of the Morning 
 Le6\urers againft Popery. See Calamy. 
 
 lbn*s 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. Ill 
 
 fbn*s confclence, how much foever it may concern 
 the family ? Ought any married perfons to be there, 
 unlefs hufband and wife be there together ? This is 
 literally putting afunder whom God hath joined to- 
 gether. As I told Jack, I am not afraid the 
 church fhould excommunicate him, difcipline is at 
 too low an ebb, but that he Ihould excommunicate 
 the church. It is pretty near it ; holinefs and good 
 works are not fo much as conditions of our acceptance 
 with God. Love feafts are introduced, and extem- 
 porary prayers and expofitions of fcripture, which 
 laft are enough to bring in all confufion ; nor is it 
 likely they will want any miracles to fupporc them. 
 He only can flop them from being a formed fe6t, in 
 a very little time, who ruletb the madnefs of the people, 
 Ecclefiaftical cenfures have loft their terrors, thank 
 fanaticifm on the one hand, and atheifm on the 
 other. To talk of perfecution therefore from thence, 
 is mere infult. It is 
 
 To call the bifliop grey beard GofF, 
 And make his pow'r as mere a feoff. 
 As Dagon when his hands were off 
 
 Poor Brown, who gave name and rife to the firft 
 feparatifts, though he repented every vein of his 
 heart, could never undo the mifchief he had done. 
 My Mer Hall has written to me on the fubjeft, 
 whom I will anfwer as foon as ever I can. In the 
 
 mean 
 
! 
 
 Iia LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 mean time I fhall be glad to hear from you, and beg 
 your blefling upon us and ours, and your prayers 
 that we may guided fafely through the painful rem- 
 nant of our lives, and arrive by Chrill's merits to 
 everlafting happinefs. 1 am. 
 
 Dear Mother, 
 Your dutiful and affeftionate fon, 
 
 SAMUEL WESLEY. 
 
 ^iverfonjDevonjOofober 20, 1739. 
 To Mrs.Wefley, fenior. 
 
 N.B. Mr. Samuel Wefley died foon after this, 
 viz. Nov. 6, 1739, in the forty-ninth year of his age. 
 
 LETTER 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. 113 
 
 Copy of the Letter Mr. Wefley was writing his fifter Hall, which 
 was fent her by Poft, under cover to Mrs. Hutton, November 
 14> 1739*- 
 
 LETTER XXVII. 
 
 From Mr, S. Wejley to hisftjier Mrs. Hall. 
 
 Dear Sister, 
 
 OD forbid I fliould ever be unwilling to do 
 
 G 
 
 you any good in my power, either as to this 
 world or the next, and I muft own Mr. Whitfield's 
 affair concerns you in both. Your cafe is more 
 difficult than moft others, for you have not yet 
 learnt the duty of hating literally a hufband, for 
 Chrifl's fake, as fome fanatically expound it. 
 
 There is a plain fchifm evidently forming, and 
 indeed adually begun. If the bifbop of London 
 has forbid any field preacher to officiate in any church 
 within his diocefe, whoever does fo muft be guilty 
 of rebellion again ft the fpiritual governor j nor will 
 it much mend the matter to hold forth in ftreets 
 and commons, fince the bifhop of courfe is ftill a 
 greater enemy to that. It is in vain for Whitfield 
 to pretend he is of the church of England, unlefs 
 there be two, one fubordinate, the other oppofite to 
 
 * There muft be an error either in this date, or that on Mr. S.Wef- 
 ley's tomb-ftone, as given by Mr. Hampfon in his life of Mr.Wefley, 
 according to which Mr. S. Wefley died the 6th of November, 1739. 
 
 I the 
 
114 LETTERS RELATING TO 
 
 the prefent ecclefiaftical eftabliH-iment and authority, 
 one within doors, the other without. The founda- 
 tions are laying for much wider differences. My 
 brothers have the confidence to aflirm, that holinefs 
 and good works are not fo much as conditions of 
 our acceptance with God. Popery is ftrongly 
 charged upon our clergy, whofe fault perhaps it 
 may have been, that they have infifted too little 
 fome times upon faith ; but that will never juflify 
 others, who fo expound one place of fcripture,. that 
 it be repugnant to another, nay to the tenor of the 
 whole book of God. St. Paul manifeftly diftin- 
 guilhes faith, hope, and charity, and on comparifbn 
 prefers the laft. This fingle text will no more be 
 quibbled away than the Epiftle of St. James j 
 though, if it could, there are innumerable others that 
 will take more than a life-time to reconcile to that 
 zeal againfl good works that now feems to be re- 
 viving i but foundations are laying for endlefs dif- 
 fenfions. The extemporary expounding of fcripture, 
 is a natural inlet to all falfe doctrine, herefy, 
 and fchifm. The bands of focieties are fuch a 
 fnare, that I was unwilling to believe it even of 
 Whitfield's wrong-headnefs j but I fee another new 
 brother, Bockler, has feconded him, and I can 
 make no doubt now of the things being genuine* 
 
 LETTER 
 
THE REV. J. WESLEY. II5 
 
 The following is not fully dated. 
 
 LETTER XXVIir. 
 From Mr. C. PP^Iey to his Sifter, 
 
 Briftol, AprQ 29^ 
 
 Dear Sister, 
 
 YOU may fear I am in the land where all things 
 are forgotten, by my long filence : but I have 
 been only paffing between this place and London, 
 without fettling at either. Moft probably I fhall 
 now flay here long enough to hear from you by 
 Phill, if Ihe is not difcou raged by my unpunfluality. 
 You muft make my peace with her, that fhe may 
 inform me how you do. Methinks I could be 
 gladder to afk you myfelf in perfon ; but I do not 
 yet fee a way opened. However, I would net 
 have you over fure thit I fhall not make an elbow 
 to Barnflaple by and by. My heart is full of defires 
 after your happinefs. Love and gratitude to God 
 and mail, conftrains me to wifh your welfare as my 
 ov/n J but God only can remove that mountain of 
 prejudice which is in the way. 
 
 I fpeak not this to upbraid you. No ; was it 
 not for your great afFedion to me, you would be 
 
 I 2 much 
 
Il6 LETTERS RELATING, &C. 
 
 much more prejudiced than you are. But, by na- 
 ture we are averfe to the things of God. We are 
 horn unbelievers j and have no faith till we are born 
 again. This is a hard faying (and yet a kind one) 
 that you, my dear fifter, are not yet horn again. O 
 let me befeech you, to afk our dear Lord whether 
 thefe things be fo j If you have not experienced this 
 change, there ftands an impojfibility betwixt you and 
 falvation. For *' except a man be born of the fpirit, 
 *' he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven : and 
 *' without holinefs no one Ihall fee the Lord." Do 
 not (I again conjure you) flight my words, for you 
 now want Jomething without which it is impojfible for 
 you to be Javed. If you will confent to fee your 
 want, Jefus Chrift -^iW jupply it. For it is no other 
 than himfelf, even " Chrift in you the hope of 
 " glory." 
 
 My love to dear M. Berry. Believe me, with 
 the fincereft affcdion. 
 
 Your moft faithful friend, 
 
 CHARLES WESLEY. 
 
 To Mrs. Urfula Wcfley, 
 at Barnftaple. 
 
 AN 
 
A N 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 o P 
 
 Some Strange Noifes, &c. 
 
 I N 
 
 The Rev. Mr. WESLEY's HOUSE, 
 
 JT EPWORTHy 1716-'?, 
 
 COLLECTED 
 
 By Mr. S. WESLEY. 
 
LETTE RS 
 
 CONCERNIxa 
 
 SOME SUPERNATURAL DISTURBANCES, 
 
 A T 
 
 MY FATHER'S HOUSE, 
 
 At EPWORTH, in Lincolnshire ». 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 ^0 Mr. Sainuel Wejley^ from his Mother. 
 
 January 12, 1716-7. 
 
 Dear Sam, 
 
 THIS evening we were agreeably furprifed with 
 your pacquet, which brought che welcomfe 
 news of your being alive, after we had been in the 
 greateft panic imaginable, almofl: a month, thinking 
 either you" was dead, or one of your brothers by 
 fome misfortune been killed. 
 
 The reafon of our fears, is as follows. On the 
 Firft of December, our maid heard, at the door of 
 
 * The MS. is in the hand writing of Mr. S. Wcfley. The editor 
 has only added the titles of the letters, denoting the writers, and 
 the perfoHS to whom they were written. 
 
 I 4 the 
 
I20 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 the dining-room, feveral difmal groans, like a per- 
 fon in extremes, at the point of death. We gave 
 litde heed to her relation, and endeavoured to laugh 
 her out of her fears. Some nights (two or three) 
 after, feveral of the family heard a ftrange knock- 
 ing in divers places, ufually three or four knocks at 
 a time, and then flayed a little. This continued €ve- 
 ry night for a fortnight ; fometimes it was in the 
 garret, but moft commonly in the nurfery, or green 
 chamber. We all heard it but your father, and I 
 was not willing he fhould be informed of it, left he 
 Ihould fancy it was againft his own death, which, 
 indeed, we all apprehended. But when it began to 
 be fo troublefome, both day and night, that few or 
 none of the family durft be alone, I refolved to tell 
 him of it, being minded he fhould fpeak to it. At 
 firft he would not believe but fomebody did it to 
 alarm us ; but the night after, as foon as he was in 
 bed, it knocked loudly nine times, juft by his bed- 
 fide. He rofe, and went to fee if he could find out 
 what it was, but could fee nothing. Afterwards 
 he heard it as the refl. 
 
 One night it made fuch a noife in the room over 
 our heads, as if feveral people were walking, then run 
 up and down ftairs, and was fo outrageous that we 
 thought the children would be frighted, fo your fa- 
 ther and I rofe, and went down in the dark to light 
 a candle. Juft as we came to the bottom of the 
 I broad 
 
IN OLD MR. Wesley's house. 121 
 
 broad ftairs, having hold of each other, on my fide 
 there feemed as if fomebody had emptied a bag of 
 money at my feet ; and on his, as if all the bottles 
 under the ftairs (which were many) had been dafh- 
 ed in a thoufand pieces. We paffed through the 
 hall into the kitchen, and got a candle, and went to 
 fee the children, whom we found afleep. 
 
 The next night your father would get Mr. Hoole 
 to lie at our houfe, and we all fat together till one or 
 two o'clock in the morning, and heard the knock- 
 ing as ufual. Sometimes it would make a noife 
 like the winding up of a jack, at other times, as that 
 night Mr. Hoole was with us, like a carpenter 
 plaining deals j but moft commonly it knocked 
 thrice and flopped, and then thrice again, and fo 
 many hours together. We perfuaded your father 
 to fpeak, and try if any voice would be heard. One 
 night about fix o'clock he went into the nurfery in 
 the dark, and at firft heard feveral deep groans, then 
 knocking. He adjured it to fpeak if It had power, 
 and tell him why it troubled his houfe, but no voice 
 was heard, but it knocked thrice aloud. Then he 
 queftioned it if it were Sammy, and bid it, if it were, 
 and could not fpeak, knock again, but it knocked no 
 more that night, which made us hope it was not 
 againft your death. 
 
 Thus it continued till the 28th of December, 
 when it loudly knocked (as your father ufed to do at 
 
 the 
 
122 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 the gate) in the nurfery, and departed. We have va- 
 rious conjedures what this may mean. For my 
 own part, I fear nothing now you are fafe at London 
 hitherto, and I hope God will ftill preferve you. 
 Though fome times I am inclined to think my bro- 
 ther is dead. Let me know your thoughts on it. 
 
 S. W. 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 51? my Father. 
 
 January 30, Saturday. 
 
 Honoured Sir, 
 
 MY mother tells me a very flrar.ge ftory 
 of difturbances in your houfe. 1 wifh I 
 could have fome more particulars from you. I 
 would thank Mr. Hoole, if he would favour me" 
 with a letter concerning it. Not that I want to be 
 confirmed myfelf in the belief of it, but for any 
 other perfon's fatisfadlion. My mother fends to me 
 to know my thoughts of it, and I cannot think at all 
 of anv interpretation. Wit, I fancy, might find 
 many, but wifciom none. 
 
 Your dutiful and loving Son, 
 
 "^ S. WESLEY. 
 
 5 
 
IN OLD MR, WESLEY S HOUSE. I2J 
 
 LETTER III. 
 From Mr. S. Wejley to bis Mother. 
 
 Dear Mother, 
 
 THOSE who are fo wife as not to believe any 
 fupernatural occurrences, though ever fo well 
 attefted, could find a hundred queftions to aik about 
 thofe flrange noifes, you wrote me an account of; 
 but for my part, I know not what queftion to put, 
 which if anfwered, would confirm me more in the 
 belief of what you tell me. Two or three I have 
 heard from others. Was there never a new maid, 
 or man, in the houfe, that might play tricks ? Was 
 there no body above in the garrets, when the walk- 
 ing was there ? Did all the family hear it together 
 when they were in one room, or at one time ? Did 
 it feem to all to be in the fame place, at the fame 
 time? Could not cats, or rats, or dogs, be the 
 fprights ? Was the whole family afleep, when my 
 father and you went down flairs? Such doubts as 
 thefe being rephed to, though they could not, as 
 God himfelf afTures us, convince them who believe 
 not Mofes and the prophets, yet would ftrengthen 
 fuch as do believe. As to my particular opinion, 
 
 concerning 
 
124 ACCOUNT OP DISTUkBANCES 
 
 concerning the events fbrboded by thefe noifes ; I 
 cannot, I mult confefs, form any — I think fince it 
 was not permitted to fpeak, all gueffes muft be vain. 
 The end of fpirits adlioits is yet more hidden than 
 that of men, and even this latter puzzles the mod 
 fubde politicians. That we may be firuck fo as to 
 prepare ferioufly for any ill, may, it is poflible, be 
 one defign of providence. It is furely our duty and 
 wifdom to do fo. 
 
 Dear Mother, 
 
 I beg your blefling, 
 
 on your dutiful and afFefbionate Son, 
 
 S. WESLEY. 
 
 Jan. 19, 1716-7, Saturday, > 
 Dean's Yaid, Weftminfter. > 
 
 I expert a particular account from every one. 
 
 LET- 
 
IN OLD MR. WESLEY S HOUSE. I25 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 From Mrs. Wejley to her Son Samuel, 
 
 Jan. zsf or a;, 1716^7. 
 Dear Sam, 
 
 THOUGH I am not one of thofe that will be- 
 lieve nothing fupernatural, but am rather in- 
 clined to think there would be frequent intercourfe 
 between good fpirits and us, did not our deep lapfe 
 into fenfuality prevent it; yet I was a great while 
 e'er I could credit any thing of what the children and 
 fervants reported, concerning the noifes they heard 
 in feveral parts of our houfe. Nay, after I had 
 heard them myfelf, I was willing to perfuade myfelf 
 and them, that it was only rats or weafles that dis- 
 turbed us ; and having been formerly troubled with 
 rats, which were frighted away by founding a horn, 
 I caufed a horn to be procured, and made them blow 
 it all over the houfe. But from that night they be- 
 gan to blow, the noifes were more loud, and dif- 
 tindl, both day and night, than before, and that night 
 we rofe, and went down, I was entirely convinced, 
 that it was beyond the power of any human creature 
 to make fuch ftrange and various noifes. 
 
 As 
 
ti6 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCE? 
 
 As to your queftions, I will anfwer them particu- 
 larly, but withal, I defire my anfwers may fatisfy 
 none butyourfelfj for I would not have the matter 
 imparted to any. We had both man and maid new 
 this laft Martinmas, yet I do not believe either of 
 them occafionedthedifturbance, both forthereafon 
 above mentioned, and becaufe they were more af- 
 frighted than any body elfe. Befides, we have often 
 heard the noifes when they were in the room by us; 
 and the maid particularly was in fuch a panic, that 
 fhe was almoft incapable of all bufinefs, nor durft 
 ever go from one room to another, or ftay by her- 
 felf a minute after it began to be dark. 
 
 The man, Robert Brown, whom you well know, 
 was moft vifited by it lying in the garret, and has 
 been often frighted down bare foot, and almoft 
 naked, not daring to ftay alone to put on his cloaths, 
 nor do I think, if he had power, he would be guilty 
 of fuch villainy. "When the walking was heard in the 
 garret, Robert was in bed in the next room, in a 
 fleep fo found, that he never heard your father and 
 me walk up and down, though we walked not foftly, 
 I am fure. All the family has heard it together, 
 in the fame room, at the fame time, particularly at 
 family prayers. It always feemed to all prefent in 
 the fame place at the fame time, though often be- 
 fore any could fay it is here, it would remove to an- 
 other place. 
 
 All 
 
IN OLD MR. WESLEY S HOUSE. I27 
 
 All the family, as well as Robin, were afleep 
 when your father and I went down flairs, nor did 
 they wake in the nurfery when we held the candle 
 clofe by them, only we obferved that Hetty trembled 
 exceedingly in her fleep, as fhe always did, before the 
 noife awaked her. It commonly' was nearer her 
 than the reft, which Ihe took notice of, and was 
 much frightened, becaufe fhe thought it had a parti- 
 cular fpight at her, -I- could multiply particular in- 
 flances, but I forbear. I believe your father will 
 write to you about it fhortly. Whatever may be 
 the defign of providence in permitting thefe things, 
 I cannot fay. Secret things belong to God ; but I in- 
 tirely agree with you, that it is our wifdom and duty 
 to prepare ferioudy for all events. 
 
 S. WESLEY. 
 
 LETTER 
 
128 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 From Mtfs Sufannab Wejley to her brother SamueL 
 
 Epworth, Jan. z\. 
 Dear Brother, 
 
 ABOUT the firft of December, a mod terrible 
 and aftonifhing noife was heard by a maid fer- 
 vant, as at the dining room door, which caufed the 
 up ftarting of her hair, and made her ears prick forth 
 at an iinufual rate. She faid, it was like the groans 
 of one expiring. Thefe lb frighted her, that for a 
 great while fhe durft not go out of one room into 
 another, after it began to be dark, without company. 
 But, to lay afide jelling, which fhould not be done 
 in ferious matters ; I afliire you that from the firft to 
 the laft of a lunar month, the groans, fqueaks, ting- 
 lings, and knockings, were frightful enough. 
 
 Though it is needlefs for me to fend you any ac- 
 count of what we all heard, my father himfelf hav- 
 ing a larger account of the matter than I am able 
 to give, which he defigns to fend you ; yet, in com- 
 pliance with your defire, I will tell you as briefly as I 
 can, what I heard of it. The firft night I ever 
 heard it my fifter Nancy and I were fet in the dining 
 room. We heard fomething rulh on the outfide of 
 
 the 
 
IN OLD MR. WESLEY S HOUSE. 129 
 
 the doors that opened into the garden, then three 
 loud knocks, immediately afcer other three, and in 
 half a minute the fame number over our heads. 
 We enquired whether any body had been in the 
 garden, or in the room above us, but there was no- 
 ■^ body. Soon after my fifter Molly and I were up 
 after all the family were a bed, except my fifter Nan- 
 cy, about fome bufinefs. We heard three bounc- 
 ing thumps under our feet, which foon made us 
 throw away our work, and tumble into bed. Af- 
 terwards the tingling of the latch and warming pan, 
 and fo it took its leave that night. 
 
 Soon after the above-mentioned, we heard a noife 
 as if a great piece of founding metal was thrown 
 down on the outfide of our chamber. We, lying 
 in the quieteft part of the houfe, heard lefs than the 
 reft for a pretty while, but the latter end of the night 
 that Mr. Hoole fat up on, I lay in the nurfery, where 
 it was very violent. I then heard frequent knocks 
 over and under the room where I lay, and at the 
 children's bed head, which was made of boards. It 
 feemed to rap againft it very hard and loud, fo that 
 the bed lliook under them. I heard fomethin^ walk 
 by my bedfide, like a man in a long night gown. 
 The knocks were fo loud, that Mr. Hoole came out 
 of their chamber to us. It ftill continued. My father 
 fpoke, but nothing anfwered. It ended that night 
 with my father's particular knock, very fierce. 
 
 K It 
 
t^O ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 It is ROW pretty quiet, only at our repeating the 
 prayers for the king and prince, when it ufually be- 
 gins, efpecially when my father fays, " Our moft 
 " gracious Sovereign Lord," &c. This my father is 
 angry at, and defigns to fay three inflead of two for the 
 royal family. We all heard the fame noife, and at 
 the fame time, and as coming from the fame place. 
 To conclude this, it now makes its perfo'nal appear- 
 ance; but of this more hereafter. Do not fay one 
 word of this to our folks, nor give theleaft hint^c-^^ 
 
 I am. 
 
 Your fincere friend and affe<5lionate Sifter, 
 
 SUSANNAH WESLEY.: 
 
 (Tl ■ 
 
 LETTER VL 
 
 , Mr. S, IJ^eJley in Anjwer. 
 
 Dean's Yard, Feb. 9, 1716-7* 
 
 -. ■ orrrLD 3L 
 
 .....t. Dear Sister SuKY, 
 
 YOtJR telling me the fpirit has made its per- 
 fonal appearance, without faying how, or to 
 whom, or when, or how long, has excited my cu- 
 
 riofity 
 
IN OLD MR. WESLEY S HOUSE. 13I 
 
 riofity very much. I long mightily for a farther 
 account of every circumftance by your next letter. 
 Do not keep me any longer in the dark. Why need 
 you write the lefs, becaufe my father is to fend me 
 the whole ftory. Has the difturbance continued 
 fince the 28th of December? I underftand my fa- 
 ther did not hear it all, but a fortnight after the reft. 
 What did he fay remarkable to any of you when he 
 did hear it ? As to the devil's being an enemy to 
 King George, were I the king myfelf, 1 (hould ra- 
 ther old Nick fhould be my enemy, than my friend. 
 I do not like the noife of the night gown fweeping 
 along the ground, nor its knocking like my father. 
 Write when you receive this, though nobody elfe 
 fnould, to your loving brother, 
 
 S. W. 
 
 LETTER VII. 
 
 uinr. \rc hvn. 
 
 Mr. S. JVeJl^ to his Mother. 
 
 Dear MoTHEBL, 
 
 YOU fay you could multiply particular inftances 
 of the fpirit's noifes, but I want to know whe- 
 ther nothing was ever feen by any. For though it 
 K 2 is 
 
€ 
 
 13^ ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 is hard to conceive, nay, morally impoflible, that the 
 hearing of fo many people could be deceived, yet 
 the truth will be ftill more manifeft and undeniable, 
 if it is grounded on the teftimony of two fenfes. 
 Has it never at all difturbed you fince the 28th of 
 December? Did no circumftance give any light into 
 the defign of the whole ? 
 
 Your obedient and loving Son, 
 
 S.WESLEY. 
 
 Feb. I a. 
 
 Have you dug in the place where the money 
 feemed poured at your (ttt. 
 
 LETTER VIII. 
 
 Mr. S, IVeJIey to bis Father, 
 
 Honoured Sir, 
 
 I Have not yet received any anfwer to the letter I 
 wrote fome time ago, and my mother in her laft 
 feems to Hiy, that as yet I know but a very fmall 
 part of the whole flory of ftrange noifes in our houfe. 
 I Ihall be exceedingly glad to have the entire ac- 
 count from you. Whatever may be the main de- 
 fign of fuch wonders, I cannot think they were ever 
 
 meant 
 
IN OLD MR. Wesley's HOUSE. 133 
 
 meant to be kept fecret. If they bode any thing 
 remarkable to our family, I am fure I am a party 
 concerned. 
 
 Your dutiful Son, 
 
 S, WESLEY. 
 
 Feb. It, 
 
 LETTER IX. 
 
 From Mr, S. Wejley to his Stfier Emily. 
 
 Dear Sister Emily, 
 
 IWifh you would let me have a letter from you 
 about the fpirit, as indeed from every one of my 
 fillers. I cannot think any of you very fuperftiti- 
 ous, unlefs you are much changed fince I faw you. 
 My filler Hetty, I find, was more particularly 
 troubled. Let me know all. Did any thing appear 
 to her? I am. 
 
 Your afFe(5lionate Brother, 
 
 S. WESLEY. 
 
 Feb. la. 
 
 K3 
 
134 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 LETTER X. 
 From old Mr, JVeJley to his Son Samuel, 
 
 Feb. II, 1716-7. 
 
 Dear Sam, 
 
 AS for the noifes, &c. in our family, I thank 
 God we are now all quiet. There were fome 
 furprifing circunaftances in that affair. Your mo- 
 ther has not written you a third part of it. When I fee 
 you here, you ihall fee the whole account, which 
 I wrote down. It would make a glorious penny 
 book for Jack Dunton : but while I live I am not 
 ambitious for any thing of that nature. I think that's 
 all, but blefTings, from 
 
 Your loving Father, ^ : 
 
 SAM. WESLEY. 
 
 LETTER 
 
IN OLD MR. WESLEY S HOUSE. 135 
 
 The following Letter I received at the fame time, though it has 
 no date. 
 
 LETTER XI. 
 
 From Mifs Emily Wejley t9 her brother Samuel, 
 
 Dear Brother, 
 
 I Thank you for your lafV, and jfhall give you what 
 fatisfaftion is in my power, concerning what has 
 J^pened in our family. I am fo far from being fu- 
 perflitious, that I was too much inclined to infide- 
 lity, fo that 1 heartily rejoice at having fuch an op- 
 portunity of convincing myfelf paft doubt or fcru- 
 ple, of the exiftence of fome beings befides thofe 
 we fee. A whole month was fufRcient to convince 
 any body of the reality of the thing, and to try all 
 ways of difcovering any trick, had it been poflible 
 for any fuch to have been ufed. I fhall only tell you 
 what I myfelf heard, and leave the reft to others. 
 
 My fifters in the paper chamber had heard noifes, 
 and told me of ihem, but I did not much believe, 
 till one night, about a week after the firft groans 
 were heard, which was the beginning, juft after the 
 clock had ftruck ten, I went down ftairs to lock the 
 doors, which 1 always do. Scarce l^d I got up the 
 
 K4 beft 
 
13^ ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 bcft frairs, when I heard a noife, like a perfon 
 throwing down a vaft coal in the middle of the fore 
 kitchen, and all the Iplinters feemed to fly about 
 from it. I was not much frighted, but went to my 
 fifter Sukey, and we together went all over the low 
 rooms, but there was nothing out of order. 
 
 Our dog was fall afleep, and our only cat in the 
 other end of the houfe. No fooner was I got up 
 flairs, and undrelTing for bed, but I heard a noife 
 among many bottles that (land under the bcft ftairs, 
 juft like the throwing of a great ftone among tiiem, 
 which had broke them all to pieces. This made 
 me haften to bed s but my fifter Hetty, who fits al- 
 ways to wait on my father going to bed, was ftill 
 fitting on the loweft ftep on the garret ftairs, the 
 door being ftiut at her back, when foon after there 
 came down the ftairs behind her, fomething like a 
 man, in a loofe night gown trailing after liim, which 
 made her fly rather than run to me in the nurfery. 
 
 All this time we never told our father of it, but 
 foon after v/e did. He fmiled, and gave no an- 
 fwer, but was more careful than ufual, from that 
 time, to fee us in bed, imagining it to be fome of 
 us young women that fat up late, and made a noife. 
 His incredulity, and cfpecially his imputing it to 
 us, or our lovers, made me, I own, deftrous of 
 its continuance till he was convinced. As for my 
 mother, Ihe firmly believed it to be rats, and fent 
 * for 
 
IN OLD MR. WESLEY S HOUSE. I37 
 
 for a horn to blow them away. I laughed to think 
 how wifely they were employed, who were ftriving 
 half a day to fright away Jeffrey, for that name I 
 gave it, with a horn. 
 
 But whatever it was, I perceived it could be 
 made angry. For from that time it was fo outrageous, 
 there was no quiet for us after ten at night. I heard 
 frequently between ten and eleven, fomething like 
 the quick winding up of a jack, at the corner of the 
 room by my bed's head,jufl; the running of the wheels 
 and the creaking of the iron work. This was the 
 common fignal of its coming. Then it would 
 knock on the floor three times, then at my fitter's 
 bed's head in the fame room, almoft always three 
 together, and then flay. The found was hollow, 
 and loud, fo as none of us could ever imitate. 
 
 It would anfwer to my mother, if Ihe ftamped 
 on the floor, and bid it. It would knock when I 
 was putting the children to bed, juil under me 
 where I fat. One time little Kefy, pretending to 
 fcare Patty, as I was undrefling them, ftamped with 
 her foot on the floor, and immediately it anfwered 
 with three knocks, juft in the fame place. It was 
 more loud and fierce if any one faid it was rats, or 
 any thing natural. 
 
 I could tell you abundance more of it, but the 
 
 reft will write, and therefore it would be needlefs. 
 
 I was not much frighted at firft, and very little at 
 
 5 ^ lafti 
 
ijS ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 laft ; but it was never near me, except two or three 
 times, and never followed me, as it did my filler Hetty. 
 I have been with her when it has knocked under 
 her, and when fhe has removed has followed, and 
 ftill kept juft under her feet, which was enough to 
 terrify a ftouter perfon. 
 
 If you would know my opinion of the reafon of 
 this, I fhall briefly tell you. I believe it to be 
 witchcraft, for thefe reafons. About a year fince, 
 there was a difturbance at a town near us, that was 
 undoubtedly witches ; and if fo near, why may 
 they not reach us ? Then my father had for feveral 
 Sundays before its coming, preached warmly 
 againft confulting thofe that are called cunning men, 
 >vhich our .people are given to j and it had a parti- 
 cular fpight at my father. 
 
 Befides, fomething was tlirice feen. The firft 
 time by my mother, under my filler's bed, like a 
 badger; only without any head that was difcernible. 
 The fame creature was fat by the dining- room fire 
 one evening ; when our man went into the room, 
 it run by him, through the hall under the flairs. 
 He followed with a candle, and fearched, but it 
 was departed. The laft time he faw it in the kitchen, 
 like a white rabbit, which feems likely to be fome 
 witch ; and I do fo feally believe it to be one, that 
 I would venture to fire a piftol at it, if I faw it long 
 
 enough. 
 
IN OLD MR. WESLEY S HOUSE. 139 
 
 enough. It has been heard by me and others Imce 
 December. I have filled up all my room, and have 
 only time to tell you, I am, 
 
 Your loving fifier, 
 
 EMILIA WESLEY, 
 
 LETTER Xn. 
 
 Mifs Sujannah Wejley to her brother Samuel, 
 
 March 27: 
 
 Dear Brother Wesley. 
 
 I SHOULD farther fatisfy you concerning the 
 difturbances, but it is needlefs, becaufe my fif- 
 ters Emilia and Hetty write fo particularly about 
 it. One thing I believe you do not know, that is, 
 laft Sunday, to my father's no fmall amazement, 
 his trencher danced upon the table a pretty while, 
 without any body's ftirring the table. When lo i 
 an adventurous wretch took it up, and fpoiled the 
 fport, for it remained ftill ever after. How glad 
 fhould I be to talk with you about it. Send me 
 fome news, for we are fecluded from the fight, or 
 hearing, of any verfal thing except Jeffrey. 
 
 SUSANNAH WESLEY. 
 
I40 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES, &C. 
 
 A Pajfage in a Letter from my Mother to me, dated 
 March 1"]^ 17 17. 
 
 I CANNOT imagine how you Ihould be fo 
 curious about our unwelcome gueft. For my part, 
 I am quite tired with hearing or fpeaking of it ; 
 but if you come among us, you will find enough 
 to.fatisfy all your fcruples, and perhaps may hear, 
 or fee it yourfelf. 
 
 S. WESLEY. 
 
 A Pajfage in a Letter from my Sifler Emily to Mr. N. 
 Berry, dated Afril i. 
 
 TELL my bcpther the fpright was with us laft 
 night, and heard by many of our family, efpecially 
 by our maid and myfelf. She fat up with drink, 
 and it came juft at one o'clock, and opened the 
 dining room door. After fome time it fhut again. 
 She faw as well as heard it both fliut and open ; then 
 it began to knock as ufual. But I dare write no 
 longer, left I fliould hear it. 
 
 EMILIA WESLEY. 
 
MY FATHER'S J0URNAL, 
 
 Or, diary. 
 
 TRANSCllBED BT 
 
 MY BROTHER JACK, 
 AUGUST 47, i7j6, 
 
 AND FROM HIM Br ME, 
 
 FEBRUARY 7, 17301, 
 
 An Account of Noifes and Dijlurbances in my Houfey -at 
 Epworthy Llncclnjhire, in December and January, 
 1716. 
 
 FROM the FIrft of December, my children and 
 fervants heard many flrange noifes, groans, 
 knockings, &c. in every ftor)'", and mod of the 
 rooms of my houfe. But I hearing nothing of it 
 mvTelf, they would not tell m.e for fome time, be- 
 caufe, according to the vulgar opinion, if it boded 
 any ill to me, I could not hear it. When it in- 
 
 creafed. 
 
142 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 creafed, and the family could not eafily conceal it, 
 they told me of it. 
 
 My daughters Sufannah and Ann, were below (lairs 
 in the diPiing room, and heard firft at the doors, then 
 over their heads, and the night after a knocking 
 under their fett, though nobody was in the chambers 
 or below them. The like they and my fervants 
 heard in both the kitchens, at the door againft the 
 partition, and over them. The maid fervant heard 
 groans as of a dying man. My daughter Emilia 
 coming down flairs to draw up the clock, and lock 
 the doors at ten at night, as ufual, heard under the 
 Hair- cafe, a found among fome bottles there, as if 
 they had been all daihed to pieces ; but when fhe 
 looked, all was fafe. 
 
 Something like the fleps of a man, was heard 
 going up and down Hairs, at all hours of the night, 
 and vaft rumblings below (lairs, and in the garrets. 
 My man, who lay in the garret, heard fome one 
 come flaring through the garret to his chamber, 
 yatding by his fide, as if againft his flioes, though 
 he had none there -, at other times walking up and 
 down flairs, when all the houfe were in bed, and 
 gobling like a turkey cock. Noifes were heard in 
 the nurfery, and all the other chambers ; knocking 
 firfl at the feet of the bed and behind it ; and a 
 found litke that of dancing in a matted chamber 
 
 next 
 
i 
 
 IN OLD MR. WESLEY S HOUSE. I43 
 
 next the nurfery, when the door was locked, and 
 no body in it. 
 
 My wife would have perfuaded them in was rats 
 within doors, and fome unlucky people knocking 
 without ; till at lad we heard feveral loud knocks 
 in our own chamber, on my fide of the bed ; but 
 till, I think, the 21ft at niglit, I heard nothing of 
 it. That night I was waked a little before one, by 
 nine diftinft very loud knocks, which Teemed to be 
 in the next room to ours, with a fort of a paufe at 
 every third ftroke. I thought it might be fome- 
 body without the houfe, and having got a flout 
 maftifl^ hoped he would foon rid me of it. 
 
 The next night I heard fix knocks, but not fo 
 loud as the former. I know not whether it was in 
 the morning after Sunday the 23d, when about feven 
 my daughter Ejpily called . her mother into the nur- 
 (ery, and told her fhe might now hear the noifes 
 there. She went in, and heard it at the bedfteads, 
 then under the bed, then at the head of it. She 
 knocked, and it anfwered her. She looked under the 
 bed, and thought fomething ran from thence, but 
 could not well tell of what fhape, but thought ic 
 moft like a badger. 
 
 The next night but one, we were awaked about 
 
 one, by the noifes, which were fo violent, it was in 
 
 vain to think of fleep while they continued. I rofe, 
 
 and my wife would rife with me. We went into 
 
 I everv^ 
 
144 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 every chamber, and down flairs j and generally as 
 we went into one room, we heard it in that behind 
 us, though all the family had been in bed feveral 
 hours. When we were going down ftalrs, and at 
 the bottom of them, we heard, as Emily had done 
 before, a clafhing among the bottles, as if they had 
 been broke all to pieces, and another found diftin6t 
 from it, as if a peck of money had been thrown 
 down before us. The fame, three of my daugh- 
 ters heard at another time. 
 
 We went through the hall into the kitchen, when 
 our maftifFcame whining to us, as he did always after 
 the firft night of its coming ; for then he barked 
 violently at it, but was filent afterwards, and feemed 
 more afraid than any of the children. We ftill 
 heard it rattle and thunder in every room above 
 or behind us, locked as well as open, except my 
 ftudy, where as yet it never came. After two, we 
 went to bed, and were pretty quiet the reft of the 
 night. 
 
 Wednefday night, December 26, after, or a little 
 before, ten, my daughter Emilia heard the fignal of 
 its beginning to play, with which fhe was perfedly 
 acquainted ; it was like the ftrong winding up of a 
 jack. She called us, and I went into the nurfery, 
 where it ufed to be moft violent. The reft of the 
 children were afleep. It l^gan with knocking in 
 the kitchen underneath, then feemed to be at the 
 
 bed's 
 
IN OLD MR. WESLEY S HOUSE. I45 
 
 bed's feet, then under the bed, at laft at the head 
 of it. I went down flairs, and knocked with my 
 flick againft the joifls of the kitchen. It anfwered 
 me as often and as loud as I knocked; but then I 
 knocked as I ufually do at my door, i — 2 345 6 — 7, 
 but this puzzled it, and it did not anfwer, or not in 
 the fame method ; though the children heard it do 
 the fame exactly twice or thrice after. 
 
 I went up (lairs, and found it flill knocking hard, 
 though with fome refpite, fometimes under the bed, 
 fometimes at the bed's head. I obferved my chil- 
 dren that they were frighted in their fleep, and 
 trembled very much till it waked them. I Itayed 
 there alone, bid them go to fleep, and fat at the 
 bed's feet by them, when the noife began again. I 
 afked it what it was, and why it difturbed innocent 
 children, and did not come to me in my ftudy, if 
 it had any thing to fay tome. Soon after it gave 
 one knock on the outfide of the houfe. All the reft 
 were within, and knocked off for that night. 
 
 I went out of doors, fome times alone, at others 
 with company, and walked round the houfe, but 
 could fee or hear nothing. Several nights the latch 
 of our lodging chamber would be lifted up very 
 often, when all were in bed. One night, when the 
 noife v/as great in the kitchen, and on a deal parti- 
 tion, and the door in the yard, the latch whereof 
 was often lift up, my daughter Emilia went and 
 
 L held 
 
146 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 held it faft on the infide, but it was ftill lifted up, 
 andjthe door pufhed violently againft her, though 
 nothing was to be feen on the outfide. 
 
 When we were at- prayers, and came to the 
 prayers for King George, and the Prince, it would 
 make a great noife over our heads conftantly, whence 
 fome of the family called it a Jacobite. I have been 
 thrice pufhed by an . invifible power, once againft 
 the corner of my defk in the ftudy, a fecond time 
 againft the door of the matted chamber, a third 
 time againft the right fide of the frame of my ftudy 
 door, as I was going in. 
 
 I followed the noife into alm.oft every room in 
 the houfe, both by day and by night, with lights 
 and without, and have fat alone for fome time, and 
 when I heard the noife, fpoke to it, to tell me what 
 it was, but never heard any articulate voice, and 
 only once or twice two or three feeble fqueaks, a 
 little louder than the chirping of a bird, but not like 
 the noife of rats, which I have often heard. 
 
 I had defigned on Friday, December the 28th, 
 to make a vifit to a friendj Mr. Downs, at Nor- 
 mandy, and ftay fome days with him, but the noifes 
 were fo boifterous on Thurfday night, that I did 
 not care to leave my family. So I went to Mr. 
 Hoole, of Haxfey, and defired his company on Fri- 
 day night. He came, and it began after ten, a little 
 later tlian ordinary. The younger children were 
 
 gone 
 
IN OLD MR. Wesley's house. i47 
 
 gone to bed, the reft of the family and Mr. Hoole 
 were together in the matted chamber. I fent the 
 fervants down to fetch in fome fuel, went with them, 
 and ftaid in the kitchen till they came in. When 
 they were gone, I heard loud noifes againft the 
 doors and partition, and at length the ufual fignal, 
 • though fomewhat after the time. I had never 
 heard it before, but knew it by the defcription my 
 daughter had given me. It was much like the turn- 
 ing about of a windmill when the wind changes. 
 When the fervants returned, I went up to the com- 
 pany, who had heard the other noifes below, but 
 not the fignal. We heard all the knocking as ufual, 
 from one chamber to another, but at its going off, 
 like the rubbing of a beaft againft the wall -, but 
 from that time till January the a4th, we were quiet. 
 Having received a letter from Samuel the day 
 before, relating to it, I read what I had written of it 
 to my family ; and this day at morning prayer, the 
 family heard the ufual knocks at the prayer for the 
 king. At night they were more diftinft, both in 
 the prayer for the king and that for the prince 5 
 and one very loud knock at the amen^ was heard by 
 my wife, and moft of my children, at the infide of my 
 bed. I heard nothing myfelf. After nine, Robert 
 Brown fitting alone by the fire in the back kitchen, 
 fomething came out of the copper hole like a rab- 
 bit, but lefs, and turned round five times very 
 
 L 2 fwiftlv. 
 
148 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 fwiftty. Its ears lay flat upon its neck, and its little 
 fcut flood flraight up. He ran after it with the 
 tongs in his hands, but when he could find nothing, 
 he was frighted, and went to the maid in the par- 
 lour. 
 
 On Friday the 25th, having prayers at church, 
 I fhortened, as ufual, thofe in the fannily at morn- 
 ing, omitting the confelTion, abfolution, and prayers 
 for the king and prince. 1 oblerved when this is 
 done, there is no knocking. I therefore ufed them 
 one morning for a trial i at the name of king George, 
 it began to knock, and did the fame when I prayed 
 for the prince. Two knocks I heard, but took no 
 iiotice after prayers, till after all who were in the 
 room, ten perfons befides me, fpoke of it, and faid 
 they heard it. No noife at all the reft of the 
 prayers. 
 
 Sunday, January 27. Two foft flrokes at the 
 morning prayers for king George, above flairs. 
 
 Addenda 
 
IN OLD MR. Wesley's house. 149 
 
 Addenda to and from my Father'* s Diary. 
 
 FRIDAY, December 21. Knocking I hearl 
 firft, I think, this night j to which difturbances, I 
 hope, God will in his good time put an end. -^ 
 
 Sunday, December 23. Not much dlfturbed 
 with the noifes that are now grown cuftomary to 
 me. 
 
 Wednefday, December 26. Sat up to hear 
 noifes. Strange ! fpoke to it, knocked ofF. 
 
 Friday, 28. The noifes very boifterous anddif- 
 turbing this night. 
 
 Saturday, 29. Not frighted, with the continued 
 difturbance of my family. 
 
 Tuefday, January i,- 1717. My family have 
 had no difturbance fince 1 went. 
 
 Memorandum of Jdck\s, 
 
 THE firft time. my mother eV-er' heard any uri- 
 ufual noife at Epworth^ was long before the dis- 
 turbance of - old Jeffrey. My brother, lately come 
 from London, had one evening a Iharp quarrel 
 
 L 3 with 
 
I^O ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 ■with my fifter Sukey, at which time my mother 
 happening to be above in her own chamber, the 
 door and windows rung and jarred very loud, and 
 prefently feveral diftind ftrokes, three by three, 
 were ftruck. From that night it never failed to 
 give notice in mush the fame manner, againft any 
 fignal misfortune, or illnefs of any belonging to the 
 family. 
 
 Oj the general Circumjlances which follow ^ mofty if mt 
 ally the family were frequent witnejjes. 
 
 I. TJRESENTLY after any ncife was heard, the 
 -*' wind commonly rofe, and whiftled very 
 loud round the houfe, and increafed with it. 
 
 2. The fignal was given, which my father likens 
 to the turning round of a windmill when the wind 
 changes j Mr. Hoole (Redor of Haxey) to the 
 plaining of deal boards -, my fifter to the fwift wind- 
 up of a jack. It commonly began at the corner of 
 the top of the nuifery. 
 
 3. Before it came into any room, the latches 
 "were frequently lifted up, the windows clattered, 
 
 and 
 
IN OLD MR. WESLEY S HOUSE. I^X 
 
 and whatever iron or brafs was about the chamber, 
 rung and jarred exceedingly. 
 
 4. When it was in any room, let them make what 
 noife they would, as they fometlmes did on pur- 
 pofe, its dead hollow note would be clearly heard 
 above them all. 
 
 5. It eonftantly knocked while the prayers for 
 the king and prince were repeating, and was plain- 
 ly heard by all in the room, but my father, arid 
 fometimes by him, as were alfo the thundering 
 knocks at the amen, 
 
 6. The found very often feemed in the air in the 
 middle of a room, nor could they ever make any 
 fuch themfelves, by any contrivance. 
 
 7. Though it feemed to rattle down the pewter, 
 to clap the doors, draw the curtains, kick the man's 
 ihoes up and down, &c. yet it never moved any 
 thing except the latches, otherwife than making it 
 tremble j unlefs once, when it threw open the nur- 
 fery door. ^ 
 
 8. The maftlff, though he barked violently at it 
 the firft day he came, yet whenever it came after 
 that, nay, fometimes before the family perceived it, 
 he ran whining, or quite filent, to fhelter himfeif 
 behind fome of the company. 
 
 9. It never came by day, till my mother ordered 
 the horn to be blown, 
 
 L 4 10. After 
 
I^ A<:COUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 ,- ijQ. After that time, fcarce any one could go from 
 one room into another, but the latch of the room 
 t^,ey.. went to was lifted up before they touched it. 
 ..-,1-1. fit never came once into my father's ftudy^: 
 t'ill he talked to it fharply, called it'deafajfd dumb 
 devil, and bid it ceafe to difturb the innocent children, 
 and come to him in hisiludy, if it had any thing to 
 fay to him, ■ , , . , . . 
 
 ' 11,. From, the- time, of my moth^'s. d^iring it 
 not to difturb her from five to, fix, it was never heard 
 in her chamber from five till fhe came down ftairs, 
 nor a^t any ..pther tipq^e, whenlhe was erppj^oyed in 
 
 devodon._^ ., '-.'^^'/''C^, ■..^.y^iJ.-i']'^.:' .:,: 
 13. Whether oiir dock went ri^h.t c>r, -y^rpng^ it 
 always came, a,3 near, as ,cpuld be gj^eiTed, when by 
 the flight it wanted ; a . quarter ^f ten. , , i^ , 
 
 TTTT 
 
 My Mether^s Account to Jack. 
 
 Aug.,. 27, i?a6. 
 
 ABOUT ten days after Nanny- Marfhall, had 
 heard unufu^l groans at the dining room door, 
 Emily came and told me that the feivants and 
 children, had been feveral times frighted with 
 
 ftrangc 
 
I^ OLD MR. WES-LEY S HOUSE, 153 
 
 flrange groans and knockings, about the houfe. I 
 anfvvered, that the rats John Maw had frightened 
 from his houfe, by blowing a horn there, were come 
 into ours, and ordered that one fliouki be fent for*. 
 Molly was much difplea-fed at it, and faid, if it was any- 
 thing fupernatural, it certainly would be very angry, 
 and m.ore troublefome. Hovvever, the horn was 
 blown in the garrets; and. the efFecSt was, that 
 whereas before the noifes were always in the night, 
 from ithis time they were heard at all hours, day 
 and night. 
 
 Soon after, about feyen in the morning, Emily 
 came and defired me to go into the nurfery, where 
 I ihould be convinced they were not ftartled at no^ 
 thing. On my coming thither, I heard a knocking 
 at the feet, and quickly after at the head of , the bed. 
 I defired. if it was a fpirit, it would anfwer me, and 
 knocking feveral times with my foot on tht ground, 
 with feveral paufes, it repeated under the fole of my 
 feet, exadlly the fame number of ftrokes, with the 
 very fame intervals. Kezzy, then fix or feven years 
 old, faid, let it anfwer me too, if it can, and {lamp- 
 ing, xhe fame founds were returned that flie made 
 many times, fucceffively. 
 
 Upon my looking under the bed, fomething ratt 
 out pretty much like a badger, and feemed to run dl- 
 redly under Emilv's petticoats, who fat oppofiie to 
 me on the other fide. 1 went out, and one or twq 
 
 nights 
 
154 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 nights after, when we were juft got to bed, I heard 
 nine flrokes, three by three, on the other fide the 
 bed, as if one had ftruck violently on a cheft with a 
 large ilick. Mr. Wefley leapt up, called Hetty, 
 •who alone was up in the houfe, and fearched every 
 room in the houfe, but to no purpofe. It continued 
 from this time to knock and groan ffequently at all 
 hours, day and night; only I earneftly defired 
 it might not difturb me between five and fix in the 
 evening, and there never was any noife in my room 
 after during that time. 
 
 At other times, I have often heard it over my 
 mantle tree, afi'd once, coming up after dinner, a 
 cradle feemcd to be ftrongly rocked in my cham- 
 ber. When 1 went in, the found feemed to be in 
 the nurfery. When I was in the nurfery, it feemed 
 in my chamber again. One night Mr. W. and I 
 were waked by fome one running down the garret 
 ftairs, then down the broad flairs, then up the nar- 
 row ones, then up the garret ftairs, then down again, 
 and fo the fame round. The rooms trembled as it 
 paffed along, and the doors fhook exceedingly, fo 
 that the clattering of the latches was very loud. 
 
 Mr. W. propofing to rife, I rofe with him, and 
 went down the broad ftairs, hand in hand, to light a 
 candle. Near the foot of them a large pot of money 
 feemed to be poured out at my waift, and to run 
 jingling down my night gown to my feet. Pre- 
 
 ■fently 
 
IN OLD MR. Wesley's house. 155 
 
 Jently after we heard the noife as of a vaft ftone 
 thrown among feveral dozen of botdes, which lay 
 under the flairs : but upon our looicing no hurt was 
 done. In the hall the maftiff nnet us, crying and 
 ftriving to get between us. We returned \up into 
 the nurfery, where the noife was very great. The 
 children were all afleep, but panting, trembling, and 
 fweating extremely. 
 
 Shortly after, on Mr. Wefley's invitation, Mr. 
 Hoole ftaid a night with us : as we were all fitting 
 round the fire in the matted chamber. He afked 
 whether that gentle knocking was it ? I told him 
 yes, and it continued the found, which was much 
 lower than ufual. This was obfervable, that while we 
 were talking loud in the fame room, the noife, feem- 
 ingly lower than any of our voices, was diftinfbly 
 heard above them all. Thefe were the moll re- 
 markable palfages I remember, except fuch as were 
 common to all the family. 
 
 My 
 
15^ ACCOUNT OF DISTUltBA^CES 
 
 My Sifter Emilfs account to Jack, 
 
 ABOUT a fortnight after the time when, as I 
 . was told, the noifes were heard, I went from 
 my mother's room, who was juft gone to bed, to 
 the befl: chamber, to fetch my filler Suky's candle. 
 When I was there, the windows and doors began to 
 jar, and ring exceedingly, and prefentiy after I heard 
 a found in the kitchen, as if a vail ftone coal had 
 been thrown dovjrn, and mafhed to pieces. I went 
 down thither with my candle, and found nothing 
 more than vfuaJj butas I was going by the fcreen, 
 fpmething began knocking on the other fide, juft 
 even with my head. W,hen I looked on the infide, 
 the knocking was on the outfide of itj \mt as foofi 
 as I could get round, itwas at the mfide.ag^in. I 
 followed to and fro feveral times,, till at laft, find- 
 ing it to no purpofe, and turning about to go away 
 before I was out of the room, the.jatch of the back 
 kitchen door was lifted up many times. I opened 
 the door and looked out, but could fee nobody. I 
 tried to fhut the door, but it was thruft againft me, 
 and I could feel die latch, which I held in my hand, 
 moving upwards at the fame time. I looked out 
 ugain, but findinf^ it was labour loft, clapped the 
 
 door 
 
IN OLD MR. WESLEY S HOUSE, I57 
 
 daor to, and locked it. Immediately the latch was 
 moved flroni^ly up and down, but I left it, and went 
 up the word ftairs, from whence 1 heard, as if a 
 crreat ftone had been thrown among the bottles, 
 which lay under the belt (lairs. However I went to 
 
 bed. 
 
 From this time, I heard it every night, for two 
 or three weeks. It continued a month in its full 
 majefty, night and day. Then it intermitted a 
 fortnight or more, and when it began again, ic 
 knocked only on nights, and grew lefs and lels 
 troublefome, till at laft it went quite away. To- 
 wards the latter end it ufed to knock on the outfide 
 of the houfe, and feemed farther and farther off, till 
 it ceafed to be heard at all. 
 
 My Sifter Mollf s account to Jack. 
 
 Aug. 27. 
 
 I Have always thought it was in November, the 
 relt of our family think it was the ill of Decem- 
 ber 17 16, when Nanny Marfhall, who had a bowl 
 of butter in her hand, ran to me, and two or three 
 more of my filters, in the dining room/ and told ns 
 I ilie 
 
158 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 fhe had heard feveral groans in the hall, as of a dy- 
 ing man. We thought It was Mr. Turpine, who 
 had the ftone, and ufed fometinnes to come and fee 
 us. About a fortnight after, when my Sifter Suky 
 and I were going to bed, fhe told me how fhe was 
 frightened in the dining room, the day before, by a 
 noife, firft at the folding door, and then over head. 
 I was reading at the table, and had fcarce told her, I 
 believe nothing of it, when feveral knocks were 
 given juft under my feet. We both made hafte 
 into bed, and juft as v/e laid down, the warming pan 
 by the bedfide jarred and rung, as did the latch of 
 the door, which was lifted fwiftly up and down, pre- 
 fently a great chain feemed to fall on the outfide of 
 the door (we were in the beft chamber) the door, 
 latch, hinges, the warming pan, and windows, jarred, 
 and the houfe fhook from top to bottom. 
 
 A few days after, between five and fix in the even- 
 ing, I was by myfelf in the dining room. The door 
 feemed to open, though it was ftill fhut, and fome- 
 body walked in a night gown trailing upon the 
 ground (nothing appearing) and feemed to go 
 Icifurely round me. I ftarted up, and ran up ftairs 
 to my mother's chamber, and told the ftory to her 
 and my fifter Emily. A few nights after, my father 
 ordered me to light him to his ftudy. Juft as he 
 had unlocked it, the latch was lifted up for him. 
 The fame (after we blew the horn) was often done 
 
 to 
 
IN OLD MR. WESLEY S HOUSE- 159 
 
 to me, as well by day as by night. Of many other 
 things all the family as well as me were witnefles. 
 
 My father went into the nurfery from the matted 
 chamber, where we were, by himfelf in the dark. 
 It knocked very loud on the prefs bed head. He 
 adjured it to tell him why it came, but it feemed to 
 take no notice j at which he was very angry, fpoke 
 fharply, called it deaf and dumb devil, and repeated 
 his adjuration. My filters were terribly afraid it 
 would fpeak. When he had done, it knocked his 
 knock on the bed's head, fo exceeding violently, as 
 if it would break it to Ihivers, and from that time 
 we heard nothing till near a month after. 
 
 My Sijier Sukey's Account to Jack. 
 
 I Believed nothing of it till about a fortnight after 
 the firft noifes, then one night I fat up on pur- 
 pofe to hear it. While I was working in the beft 
 chamber, and earneftly defiring to hear it, a knock- 
 ing began juft under my feet. As I knew the room 
 below was locked, I was frightened, and leapt into 
 bed with all my cloaths on. I afterwards heard as it 
 were a great chain fall, and after fome time, the 
 
 ufual 
 
l6o ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 iifual noifes at all hours of the day and night. One 
 night hearing it was moil violent in the nurfery, I 
 refolved to lie there. Late at night, feveral ftrono; 
 knocks were given on the two loweft fteps of the 
 the garret ftairs, which were clofe to the nurfery 
 door. The latch of the door then jarred, andfeena- 
 ed to be fwiftly moved to and fro, and prefently 
 began knocking about a yard within the room on 
 the floor. It then came gradually to fifter Hetty's 
 bed, who trembled ftrongly in her fleep. It beat 
 very loud three ftrokes at a time, on the bed's head. 
 My father came, and adjured it to fpeak, but it 
 knocked on for fbme time, and then removed to the 
 room over, where it knocked my father's knock on 
 the ground, as if it would beat the houfe down. I 
 had no mind to flay longer, but got up, and went to 
 fifter Em and my mother, who were in her room. 
 From thence we heard the noifes again from the nur- 
 fery. I propofed playing a game at cards, but we 
 had fcarce begun, when a Icnocking began under our 
 feet. We left ofF playing, and it removed back again 
 into the nurfery, where it continued till' towards 
 
 i£., 
 
 Sipr 
 
IN OLD MR. Wesley's HOUSE. tSt 
 
 Sijier Nancy* s Account to Jack. 
 
 Sept. ic. 
 
 THE firfc noife my fiftcr Nancy heard, was in 
 the bell chamber, with my lifter Molly and 
 my fifter Siikey; foon after my father had ordered 
 her to blow a horn in the garrets, where it was 
 knocking violently. She was terribly afraid, being 
 obliged to go in the dark, and kneeling down on the 
 ftairs, defired that, as fhe a6ted not to pleafe her- 
 felf, it might have no power over her. As foon as 
 fhe came into the room, the noife ceafed, nor did it 
 begin again till near ten ; but then, and for a good 
 while, it made much greater and more frequent noifes 
 than it had done before. When fhe afterwards came 
 into the chamber in the day time, it commonly- 
 walked after her from room to room. It followed, 
 her from one fide of the ted to the other, and back 
 again, as often as fhe weft back ; and whatever fhe 
 did which made any fore of noife, the fame thing 
 feemedjuft to be done beiind her. 
 
 When five or fix were fet in the nurfery toge- 
 ther, a cradle would feem "o be ftrongly rocked in 
 the room over, though no cadie had ever been 
 there. One night fhe was fitting on the prefs bed, 
 
X62 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 playing at cards with fome of my fillers, when my fifter 
 Molly, Etty, Patty, and Kezzy, were in the room, 
 and Robert Brown. The bed on which my fifter 
 Nancy fat^ was lifted up with her on it. She leapt 
 down and faid, " furely old Jeffery would not run 
 "^ away with her." However, they perfuaded her 
 to fit down again, which fhe had fcarce done, when 
 it was again lifted up feverai times fucceflively, a 
 confiderable height, upon which (he left her feat, 
 and would not be prevailed upon to fit there any 
 more. 
 
 Whenever they began to mention Mr. S. it pre- 
 fently began to knock, and continued to do fo till 
 they changed the difcourfe. All the time my fifter 
 Suky was writing her laft letter to him, it made a 
 very great noife all round the room, and the night 
 after fhe fet out for London, it knocked till morn- 
 ing with fcarce any interrniffion. 
 
 Mr. Hoole read prayers once, but it knocked as 
 ufual at the prayers for th'; king and prince. The 
 knockings at thofe prayers were only towards the 
 beginning of the difturbances, for a week or there- 
 abouts. 
 
 Mr. 
 
IN OLD MR. Wesley's HOUSE. 163 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Hook's Account. 
 
 Sept. 16. 
 
 AS foon as I came to Epworth, Mr. Wefley tell- 
 ing me, he fent for me to conjure, I knew 
 not what he meant, till fome of your fillers told me 
 what had happened, and that I was fent for to fit up. 
 I expe»5led every hour, it being then about noon, to 
 hear fomething extraordinary, but to no purpofe. 
 At fupper too, and at prayers, all was filent, contrary 
 to cuftom, but foon after one of the maids, who 
 went up to flieet a bed, brought the alarm, that 
 Jefi^ery was come above fl:airs. We all went up, 
 and as we were fl:anding round the fire in the eaft 
 chamber, fomething began knocking juft on the 
 other fide of the wall, on the chimney piece, as 
 with a key. Prefently the knocking was under our 
 feet, Mr. Wefley and I went down, he with a great 
 deal of hope, and I with fear. As foon as we were 
 in the kitchen, the found was above us, in the room 
 we had left. We returned up the narrow flairs, 
 and heard at the broad ftairs head, fome one flaring 
 with their feet (all the family being now in bed be- 
 fide us) and then trailing as it were, andrufthng with 
 a filk night gown. Quickly it was in the nurfery, at 
 M2 the 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
35. 
 
 164 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES 
 
 the bed's head, knocking as it had done at firll, 
 three by three. Mr. Wefley fpoke to it, and faid he 
 believed it was the devil, and foon after it knocked 
 at the window, and changed its found into one like 
 the plaining of boards. From thence it went on 
 the outward fouth fide of the houfe, founding fainter 
 and fainter, till it was heard no more. 
 
 I was at no other time than this during the noifes 
 at Epworth, and do not now remember any more 
 circumftances than thefe. 
 
 Epworth, Sept. i. 
 My fifter Kezzy fays fhe remembers nothing 
 elfe, but that it knocked my father's knock, ready 
 to beat the houfe down in the nurfery one night. 
 
 Rohin Browns Account to Jack, 
 
 THE firft time Robin Brown, my father's man, 
 heard it, v;as when he was fetching down fome 
 corn from the garrets. Somewhat knocked on a 
 door juft by him, which made him run away down 
 flairs. From that time it ufed frequently to vifit 
 him in bed, walking up the garret Hairs, and in the 
 
 garrets. 
 
 O 
 
IN OLD MR. WESLEY S HOUSE, 165 
 
 garrets, like a man in jack boots, with a night gown 
 trailing after him, then lifting up his latch and mak- 
 ing it jar, and making prefently a noife in his rdonl 
 like the gobhng of a turkey cock, then ftumbling 
 over his Ihoes or boots by the bed fide. He was 
 refolved once to be too hard for it, and fo took a 
 large maftiff we had juft got to bed with him, and 
 left his fhoes and boots below ftairs; but he might 
 as well have fpared his labour, for it was exa<5lly the 
 fame thing, whether any were there or no. The 
 fame found was heard as if there had been forty 
 pairs. The dog indeed was a great comfort to him, 
 for as foon as the latch began to jar, he crept into 
 bed, made fuch an howling and barking together, 
 in fpite of all the man could do, that he alarmed mod 
 of the family. 
 
 Soon after, being grinding corn in the garrets, 
 and happening to flop a little, the handle of the 
 mill was turn round with great fwiftnefs. He faid 
 nothing vexed him, but that the mill was empty. 
 If corn had been in it, old Jeffrey might have ground 
 his heart out for him j he would never have dis- 
 turbed him. 
 
 One night, being ill, he was leaning his head upon 
 the back kitchen chimney (the jam he called it) 
 with the tongs in his hands, when from behind the 
 oven flop, which lay by the fire, fomewhat came out 
 like a white rabbit. It turned round before him 
 M 3 feveral 
 
lS6 ACCOUNT OF DISTURBANCES, &C, 
 
 feveral times, and then ran to the fame place again. 
 He was frighted, ftarted up,, and ran with the tongs 
 into the parlour (dining-room J, 
 
 D. R, Epvvorth, Aug. 31. 
 
 BETTY MASSY one day came to me in the 
 parlour, and afked me if I had heard old Jeffrey, for 
 fhe faid fhe thought there was no fuch thing. When 
 we had talked a little about it, I knocked three times 
 with a reel I had in my hand, againft the dining room 
 cieling, and the fame were prefently repeated. She 
 defired me to knock fo again, which 1 did, but they 
 were anfwered with three more fo violently as 
 ihook the houfe, though no one was in the cham- 
 ber over us. She prayed me to knock no more for 
 fear it fhould come into us. 
 
 Epworth, Auguft 31, 1726. 
 
 JOHN and Ketty Maw, who lived over 
 againft us, liftened feveral nights in the time of the 
 difturbance, but could never hear any thing. 
 
 From 
 
MR. POPE TO MR. S. WESLEY. 1^7 
 
 From Mr. Pope to Mr. Samuel Wefley. 
 
 Twitenham, 0(5t. ax. 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 YOUR letter had not been fo long unanfwered, 
 but that I was not returned from a journey of 
 feme weeks, when it arrived at this place. You 
 may depend on the money, for the Earl of Peter- 
 borow, Mr. Bethel, Dr. Swift, and Mr. Eckerlhall, 
 which I will pay before hand to any one you Ihall 
 direfti and I think you may fct down Dr. Delaney, 
 whom I will write to. I defired my Lord Oxford 
 feme months fince to tell you this: it wasjuft upon 
 my going to take a laft leave of Lord Peterborow, 
 in fo much hurry, that I had not time to write, and 
 my Lord Oxford undertook to tell it you for me. 
 I agree with you in the opinion of Savage's flrange 
 performance, which does not deferve the benefit of 
 the clergy. Mrs. Wefley has my fincere thanks for 
 her good wifhes in favour of this wretched taber- 
 nacle my body J the foul that is fo unhappy as to in- 
 habit it, deferves her regard fomething better, be- 
 caufe it really harbours much good will for her 
 hufband and herfelf, no man being more truly. 
 Dear Sir, 
 Your affedionate and faithful fervant,- 
 
 M 4 A. POPE* 
 
l6f LORD OXFORD 
 
 From Lord Oxford to Mr. Samuel Wejley, 
 
 Dover- flreet, Auguft 7, 1734. 
 
 Reverend Sir, 
 
 I Am forry, and afhamed, to fay it, but the truth 
 mufl: come out, that I have a letter of your's 
 dated June the 8th, and this is Auguft the 7 th, and I 
 have but now fet pen to paper to anfwer it. I af- 
 fure you I was very glad to hear from you \ and 
 lince that you are much mended in your health, 
 change of air will certainly be of great fervice to 
 you, and I hope you will ufe fome other exercife 
 than that of the fchool. I hear you have had an in- 
 creafe of above forty boys fince you have been down 
 there. I am very glad for your fake, that you are 
 fo well approved of. I hope it will in every refpeft 
 anfwer your expedlation. If your health beeftablifh- 
 cd, I make no doubt that all parts will prove to 
 your mind, which will be a great pleafure to me. 
 
 There is very little news ftirring : they all agree 
 tiiat the Bifhop of "Winchefler is dying. They fay 
 Hoadly is to fucceed him, and Potter Hoadly ; but 
 how faither I cannot tell, nor does the town pre- 
 tend, which is a wonderful thing. 
 
 I am 
 
TO MR. S. WESLEY. 169 
 
 I am very glad you was reduced to read over 
 Hudibras three times with care, and I find you are 
 perfedtly 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 Ihould be. I do not know one fo 
 capable of doing it as yourfelf. I fpeak this very 
 fincerely. Lilly's life I have, and any books that I 
 have you fl:iall fee, and have the perufal of them, 
 and any other part that I can affill. I own I am 
 very fond of the work, and it would be of excel- 
 lent ufe and entertainment. 
 
 The news you read in the papers of a match 
 with my daughter and the Duke of Portland, was 
 compleated at Mary- le- bonne Chapel. I think 
 there is the greateft profpect of happinefs to them 
 both. I think it muft be mutual i one pai^ cannot 
 be happy without the other. There is a great har- 
 mony of temper, a liking to each other, which is, 
 I think, a true foundation for happinefs. Compli- 
 ments from all here attend you. 
 
 I am. Sir, 
 
 Your moft afFe6lionate humble fervant, 
 
 OXFORD. 
 
 The two boys are very well. 
 Pray let me hear from you foon, and let me 
 know, under your own hand, how you do» 
 
 i On 
 
On Sir Robert Walpoky by Bijhop Atterhury, 
 
 Three Frenchmen, grateful in their way. 
 
 Sir Robert's glory would difplay. 
 
 Studious by fifter arts t' advance. 
 
 The honour of a friend of France ; 
 
 They confecrateto Walpole's fame, 
 
 Pi6lure, and verfe, and anagram. 
 
 With mottos quaint the print they drefs, 
 
 With fnakes, with rocks, with goddcflfes. 
 
 Their lines beneath the fubje£l fit. 
 
 As well for quantity, as wit. 
 
 Thy glory, Walpole, thus enroll'd. 
 
 E'en foes delighted may behold. 
 
 For ever (acred be to thee. 
 
 Such fculpture, and fuch poetry. 
 
 A CATA- 
 
A 
 
 CATALOGUE of BOOKS, 
 
 WRITTEN BY 
 
 Dr. PRIESTLEY, 
 
 AND PRINTED FOR 
 
 J. JOHNSON, Bookfeller, No. 72, St. Paul's Church Yard, London, 
 
 i.tT^HE Hiftory and Prefent State of Electricity, with ori* 
 i ginal Experiments, illultrated with Copper-plates, ^.th 
 Edition, corre6ted and enlarged, 4to. il. is. 
 
 N. B. ^ Ne-iv Edition of this Work is in the Prefs, andiuillfoon he 
 puhiijhed, together 'ly/zi a Continuation of it, and original Ex- 
 periments by Mr. Nicholfon, in 2 'vols. Qu^arto, in boards^ 
 il. zs. The Continuation will be fold alone, il, is. in boards. 
 
 7.. A Familiar Introduction to the Study of Electrici- 
 ty, 5th Edition, 8vo. 2s. 6d. fewed. 
 
 3. The Hiltory and Prefent State of Difcoveries relating to Vi- 
 sion, Light, and Colours, 1 vols, 4to. illuftrated with a great 
 Number of Copper- plates, il. iis. 61I. in boards, il. i8s. bound, 
 
 4. Experiments and Observations on different Kinds of 
 Air, and other Branches of Natural Philosophy, connected 
 with the fubjeff, 3 vols. il. is. boards ; being the former fix Vo- 
 lumes abridged ai»d metho(.jized, with many Additions. 
 
 5. A Familiar Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Per- 
 spective, with Copper-plates, ad Edition, 5s. in boards, 6s. 
 bound. 
 
 6. A Nevi^ Chart of History, containing a View of the prin- 
 cipal Revolutions of Empire that have taken Place in the World ; 
 with a Book defcribing it, containing an Epitome of Univerlal 
 Hiltory, 4th Edition, los. 61. 
 
 7. A Chart of Biography, with a Book containing an Ex- 
 planation of it, and a Catalogue of all the Names inferted in it, 6th 
 Edition, very much improved, los. 6d. 
 
 N. B. The/e Charts mounted on Canvas and Rollers, to be hung up 
 in a Studj, &c, are 14/. each, 
 
 8. The 
 
BOOKS nuritten by Dr. PRIESTLEY. 
 
 8. The Rudiments of Englfsh Grammar, adapted to the 
 Ufe of Schools, a new Edition, is. 6d. bound. 
 
 9. The fame Grammar, with Notes and Obfervations, for the 
 Ufe of thofe who have made fome Proficiency in the Language. 
 The 4th Edition, 5s. bound. 
 
 10. Lectures on Hiftory and General Policy \ to which is 
 prefixed, an EfTay on a Courfe of Liberal Education, for Civil 
 and Active Life, Qo^arto in boards, il. is. 
 
 11. Observations relating to Education t more efpecially 
 ti it refpefts the Mind. To whicli is added. An EfTay on a Courfe 
 ot Liberal Education tor Civil and Active Life, ad Edition, 3s. 6d. 
 in boards. 
 
 la. A Course of Lectures on Oratory and Criticism, 
 
 4to. los. 6d. in boards, 14s. bound. 
 
 s 3. An Eflay on the firft Principles of Government, and on the Na- 
 ture ot Political, Civil, and Religious Liberty, 2d. Edition, much 
 enlarged, 4s. in boards, 5s. bound. In this Edition are imrociuced 
 the Remarks on Church Autht^ity, in Anfwer to Dr. Balguy, 
 formerly publijhed Jeparately. ^. 
 
 14. Letters to the Right Hon. Mr. Burke on his Refleflions 
 on the Revolution in France, 8vo. third Edition, as. 6d. iewed. 
 
 jj. A Letter to the Right Honourable William Pitt, 
 Firft Lord of the Treafury, and Chancellor of the Exchequer j 
 on the Subjeft of Toleration and Church Establish- 
 ments ; occafioned by his Speech againft the Repeal of the 
 Test and Corporation Acts, on Wednefday the 21ft of 
 March, 1787, the fecond Edition, is. 
 
 16. A Sermon preached before the Congregations of the Old 
 and New Meetings, at Birmingham, November 5, 1789, re. 
 commending the Conduct to be obferved by DilTenters in order to 
 procure the Repeal of the Corporation and Teft Afts, 6d. 
 
 17. Familiar Letters, addrefled to the Inhabitants of the 
 Town of Birmingham, in Refutation of feveral Chaiges advanced 
 againft the DifTenters, and Unitarians, by the Rev. Mr. Madan» 
 — Alfo Letters to the Rev. Edward Burn, in Anfwer to his on 
 the Infallibility of the Apoftolic Teftimony concerning the Perfon 
 of Chrift. And Confiderations on the Differences cf Opinion 
 among Chriflians, in Anlwer to the Rev. Mr. Venn, the fecond 
 Edition, 5s. fewed. 
 
 18. An 
 
THE FOLLOWING 
 
 LETTERS AND DISCOURSES 
 
 ARE HEREBY PUBLISHED AS A 
 
 MEMORIAL 
 
 Secouti Jjaptfst <?tliurcli oi Clirfst, 
 
 CONGREGATION 
 
 .llEETIllfG IIV FLEET STREET, 
 
 BALTIMORE. 
 
 AT THEIR REQUEST. 
 
 ,/ 
 
 BY JOHN HEALEY, PASTOR, 
 
 Baltfmor^: 
 
 PRINTED BY BULL & TUTTLE. 
 
 1636. _____ 
 
LETTERS. 
 
 Baltimore, JYovember, 1832. 
 Dear Brother Allen: Our origin as a body was as 
 follows: In the year 1794 three families of us, viz: John 
 Healey and wife, Matthew Hiilse and wife, and William 
 Lynes and wife, all members of the Baptist church in 
 Leicester, determined to emigrate to the United States, 
 and to remain together as a religious community. We 
 arrived in New York on the 25th of October, where we 
 remained till February following, when we embarked 
 for Baltimore, with twelve children, and a young lady, 
 sister of Mrs. Hulse, in all nineteen persons. The church 
 having called me to the work of the ministry previous to 
 our leaving England, my mind was fixed, as to our des- 
 tination, on Baltimore. I thought it favorable ground 
 for preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ. And, 
 weak as my endeavors have been, I have reason to hope, 
 through the tender mercy of my heavenly Father, that 
 he has given me many souls for my hire. When I began 
 to preach, my mite was constantly thrown in with the 
 rest for the support of the pastor, until the brethren said 
 it was wrong to pay and preach too. Being a mechanic, 
 my design in coming to America was to preach one-half 
 the time and labor the other for the maintenance of my 
 family, and so it has been; nor have I lost any thing by 
 it, though I would not be guilty of egotism, for every 
 minister cannot do this. The Lord hath said, "Thou 
 shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out 
 the corn." . The great apostle to the Gentiles understood 
 
this to be figurative of the support which the ministers 
 of Christ ought to receive. I am of the same mind. Our 
 Baptist brethren might well question their sincerity to 
 Christ, when of all people the majority of them give such 
 a slender support to his cause! As a denomination, we 
 come as near perhaps to the explanation of the third 
 verse of the eleventh chapter of Revelations, as any sect, 
 seeing that we have for at least 1,200 years been every 
 where spoken against — Acts xxviii. 22; consequently, 
 prophesying in sackcloth and ashes has been awarded us! 
 This, notwithstanding, is an honor. 
 
 ^n the spring of 1795, on our arrival in Baltimore, the 
 Rev. Dr. Bend, of the Episcopal church, who preached 
 once a month in a place fitted up for his church, very 
 kindly gave us the use of it, rent free, for three weeks in 
 a month. This was liberal indeed to strangers. 
 
 In a short time, however, our little congregation scat- 
 tered in consequence of my severe affliction of pleurisy, 
 terminating in fever and ague. During this period two 
 of our number, out of six, were dismissed and left us. 
 After frequently preaching for our good brother Rich- 
 ards, of the First Church, we began to travel in church 
 capacity in June, 1797. In the same year we built a 
 meeting house of brick 27 feet by 40. While in the 
 prosecution of this work we lost half of our little compa- 
 ny by the yellow fever. Being the only male member 
 left, I went through great tribulation, laboring with my 
 hands, preaching and begging to finish the house. In 
 this place the half cannot be told. I found, as Young 
 describes it, that 
 
 Friends grow not thick on every bough, 
 Nor every friend unrotten at the core. 
 
 My tribulation lasted about ten years, which frequently 
 impressed me with thoughts of moving to the west. 
 
Something, however, always prevented it. In the year 
 1807 we united with the Baltimore Association, and then 
 enjoyed a little tranquillity. But in 1809, a schism took 
 place in the church, while I was absent, as a messenger 
 to the Philadelphia Association. Nine or ten persons, 
 as the church record says, attempted ^^secretly to call 
 William McPherson to the pastoral care of this church, 
 contrary to the wishes of the church, and without their 
 knowledge." This person I had invited to preach for 
 me in my absence! Mr. McPherson and his adherents 
 had embraced the Haldane scheme, and such w^as the 
 course they took, although they acknowledged they had 
 nothing against my doctrine or moral deportment. They 
 forgot, it seems, the Saviour's golden rule, "as ye would 
 that men should do to you, do ye also to them.'^ These 
 schismatics were excluded, and the same year ten were 
 added to our number by baptism. 
 
 In 1811 we sold the house in Bank street, and built 
 one, which we now occupy, 40 by 50 feet, on Fleet 
 street, in that part of the city called Fell's Point. 
 
 In the years 1821-22 we were exercised, as a church, 
 ■with great afflictions and frequent deaths by yellow fever. 
 At one period our meeting house was closed for ten 
 weeks, in which time the congregation and Sabbath 
 school were much scattered and diminished. We never 
 had more at one time, I believe, than 157 members. At 
 present we have reason to bless the Lord for the good 
 attention now paid to the gospel, and for the union and 
 fellowship of the brethren in love, which we hope will 
 continue. Yours to serve, for Jesus sake, 
 
 JOHN HEALEY. 
 
Lord's (lay, March Sd, 1833. 
 The Secoxd Baptist church^ jmeeting in Fleet 
 STREETj City of Baltimore. 
 Dearly beloved in the Lord Jesus; beloved and longed 
 for by me! and I might add my joy and crown; it would 
 have been a sweet satisfaction to my soul^ to have met 
 you in the house of the Lord: to hear his word from the 
 mouth of his servant, our brother Davis, in the assembly 
 of his Saints: but this pleasure is denied me by an all- 
 wise Disposer of eventsi and I do cheerfully submit to 
 his decision. But as your pastor, I must be permitted 
 to say, that no enjoyment in this life is worthy to be 
 compared with that of holding forth the word of life — 
 with preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ; and 
 more especially as the Master of Assemblies hath given 
 unto me a number of you as seals to my ministry, and 
 unworthy as I am and less than the least of all saints, the 
 blessed Jesus hath crowned my labors with success, for 
 he knew — and many of you know that it was not yours 
 that I sought, but you; and that it might be said to you 
 at the great day — "come ye blessed of my Father, inhe- 
 rit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of 
 the world.'' This short epistle I have thought proper to 
 address to you, because I am admonished to abide in my 
 habitation for the present. An additional reason may 
 also be given: your very affectionate inquiry, during my 
 very severe indisposition, has made a lasting impression 
 on my mind which, added to a fellowship in Christ, and 
 acquaintance between thirty and forty years continuance 
 with some of you, will never, I presume, be forgotten! 
 And what is more important — the prospect and promise 
 
 of eternal inheritance together in the paradise of God 
 
 when we shall go no more out — when He shall wipe 
 away all tears from our eyes — when no separation by 
 
sickness or death can ever take pk\ce. Now my dear 
 brethren I must say that^ in the furnace of affliction^ the 
 Lord gave me hope, and that hope was Hvely; a good 
 hope through grace, founded on the Blessed Rock, 
 Christ; that if he had talven me away he would, in mer- 
 cy, have received me^ so that I could say — 
 
 "Here I raise my Ebenezer, 
 Hither by thy help I'm come; 
 And I hope by thy good pleasure 
 Safely to arrive at home." 
 
 He who ever liveth to make intercession for us has 
 promised never to leave or forsake his people; and I can 
 say, and blessed be his name that I can say it — "This is 
 my beloved and this is my friend, O! daughters of Jeru- 
 salem." And I trust you will join me in saying with the 
 apostle — "For, of him, and through him, and to him, are 
 all things — to him be glory forever, amen." My love be 
 with you all in Christ Jesus, amen. From your unwor- 
 thy pastor, 
 
 JOHN HEALEY. 
 
THE SUBSTANCE 
 
 OF 
 
 A DISCOURSE 
 
 PREACHED IN THE BAPTIST MEETING HOUSE, 
 
 FELL'S POINT, 
 
 BY JOHN HE ALE Y, 
 
 PASTOR OF THE SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH, 
 
 Jlpril 5th, 1807. 
 [the power of god in the salvation of his people.] 
 
 "i/e came unto his oim, and his own received him not; but 
 as many as received him, to them gave he power to be- 
 come the sons of God, even to them that believe on his 
 name; which were born not of blood, nor of the will of 
 the flesh, nor of the will of man but of God^ 
 
 John 1. XI. XII. xiii. 
 
 My Dear Brethren: When I stand up to speak 
 of the glorious character referred to in the text, it makes 
 me feel the force of the apostle's observation, ^^and who 
 is sufficient for these things;" but when the edification 
 of the "sons of God," is taken into my view, it is a de- 
 lightful employment, and I may say my happiest mo- 
 ments are frequently enjoyed, w^hile "holding forth the 
 word of life;" conscious, in my own soul, that the salva- 
 tion of sinners, and the glory of Christ, is my only and 
 highest aim; I therefore request your candor and atten- 
 tion, while I attempt, through Divine assistance, to elu- 
 cidate and enforce the truth contained in the text — 
 2 
 
10 
 
 First I shall inquire what we are to understand by 
 the Lord Jesus Christ coming to his ow^n; 
 
 Secondly, the non-reception he met with from them; 
 
 Thirdly, the character and experience of them who 
 received him: 
 
 1st. It appears evident that the people of the Jews 
 are here referred unto as a peculiar people, the seed of 
 Abraham, whom God called "^ 'alone and blessed him and 
 increased him;" Isaiah 51, ii. Saying ^^in thee shall all 
 famihes of the earth be blessed." Gen. 12, iii. "a cove- 
 nant was established between God and Abraham, and 
 his seed also;" Gen. 17, vii. afterwards they are called 
 the Lord's people, and the rite of circumcision enjoined 
 upon them, and in the neglect of which the delinquents 
 were to be cut off from his people, verse 14; the Lord 
 calls them his people when speaking by Moses unto 
 Pharoah; "let my people go, that they may serve me;" 
 and in a peculiar sense they w^ere the Lord's own, 
 brought out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of 
 bondage by his outstretched arm! he bore them as on 
 eagle's wings, and after leading them about, and proving 
 them, forty years, brought them into a wealthy place; it 
 is true, all souls are his, as his creatures, he is the maker 
 of them, as John 1, iii. observes, "all things were made 
 by him;" but it is not said of, or unto his creatures in 
 general, as unto the Israelites, in particular, thy Maker 
 is thy husband: Isaiah 54, v. and when inclining to apos- 
 tacy; "turn, O! backsliding children, saith the Lord, for I 
 am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, 
 and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion, Jer. 
 3, xiv. therefore this people were considered one with 
 the Lord," "and w^herefore one.^" for the express pur- 
 pose "that he might seek a godly seed." Mai. 2, xiv. 
 hence says Paul "he that is joined to the Lord is one 
 
11 
 
 spirit." 1 Cor. 6, xvii. the seed above mentionedj is 
 the seed of Abraham^ which Christ was, therefore of 
 them, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, "who is God 
 over all blessed forever more;" in this point of view the 
 Lord Jesus came to his own; a people of all others under 
 the greatest obligations unto their Lord, to love and 
 serve him, "for he is thy Lord and worship thou him;" 
 Psl. 45, xi. and as he had not dealt so with any nation, 
 and being the seed of the friend of God, they were en- 
 trusted with the lively oracles, from which circumstance 
 much profit might be derived, and the Lord had a right 
 to expect much from this his vineyard, which he had 
 planted and watered, every moment, hedged it about 
 and protected it; but alas! how can a clean thing come 
 out of an unclean? not one: this people verified the awful 
 truth of Job's proposition; for although they were the 
 seed of Abraham, yet they were, as to the mass of the 
 nation, a seed of evil doers, M^hose neck were an iron 
 sinew: Isaiah 48, iv. and as a bullock unaccustomed "to 
 the yoke!" Jer. 31, xviii, whose father after the flesh 
 was an Amorite, and their mother an Hittite; Ezek. 16, 
 iii. always inclining to Idolatry, and spiritual whoredom; 
 dealing treacherously with the wife of their youth; Mai. 
 2, XV. changing the ordinances, and transgressing the 
 laws; in consequence of which, the land was defiled: 
 Isaiah 24, v. and above all, teaching for doctrines the 
 commandments of men: the priests bearing rule by their 
 means, and they who ought to have fed the people with 
 knowledge and understanding, fed themselves, eating 
 the fat and clothing themselves with the wool: Jer. 5, 
 xxxi. Ezek. 34, iii. iv. x. a practice my brethren, which 
 I am sorry to say obtains very much in our day, by more 
 than one-half of the professed preachers of the gospel; 
 thus giving evidence to the people of their charge that 
 
12 
 
 the fleece (i. e. their property) the good things of this 
 life, are the principle objects they have in view! at the 
 same time prophesying smooth things, and knowing the 
 people love to have it so, are at perfect agreement; and 
 *^so they wrap it up!" Micah 7, iii. but we may ask 
 such wicked shepherds and ungodly ministers of the 
 gospel, Oh, what will ye do in the end thereof, "being 
 bhnd leaders of the blind:" I am afraid ye will fall into 
 hell; as Dives did: "wo! unto them, for they have gone 
 in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of 
 Balaam for reward," and I fear will perish "in the gain- 
 saying of Core!" Jude 11: thus the Lord's own people 
 were corrupted, blinded, scattered upon the dark moun- 
 tains of superstition, and will worship! He notwithstand- 
 ing spoke unto them, by his servants, the prophets, ris- 
 ing early and sending them; but the gross darkness which 
 the people were accustomed unto, rendered them callous, 
 and by being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, 
 loved "darkness rather than light; because their deeds 
 were evil:" and even when this glorious "Sun of Righ- 
 teousness arose upon them with healing in his wings; 
 Mai. 4, ii. then did they reject this wonderful counsellor, 
 who taught as one having authority, and not as the 
 Scribes;" yet they "received him not:" which leads me, 
 2dly. To notice the non-reception he met with from 
 them. It was their sin to have merely rejected him and 
 his counsel or doctrine, but the height of madness and 
 wickedness, to persecute him, and ascribe to satan the 
 power by which he did the many works of mercy, before 
 all the people! It may be necessary here also to notice 
 the manner of the Lord's coming to them, which greatly 
 aggravated their guilt in not receiving him; for he says, 
 "if I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not 
 had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin," John 
 
13 
 
 15; xxii. "he that liateth me, hateth my father also/' verse 
 xxiii. and for the unreasonableness thereof, as it is v/rit- 
 len in their law, "they hated me without a cause;" John 
 15, XXV, Psl. 109, iii. the amiable manner and deport- 
 ment of the Saviour ought to have impressed their minds 
 with reverential awe! Inasmuch as he was born a Jew, 
 circumcised, submitting himself also to John's baptism, 
 as a divine institution! And Luke informs us that after 
 his baptism he was led of the Spirit into the wilderness; 
 from whence he returned to Nazareth, where he had 
 been brought up; and as his custom vras, he went into 
 the Synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to 
 read, and there was delivered unto him the book of the 
 prophet Esaias, and when he had opened the book, he 
 found the place where it was written, "the spirit of the 
 Lord is upon me, because he hath annointed me to preach 
 the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the bro- 
 ken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and 
 recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them 
 that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the 
 Lord;" Luke 4, xvi, xvii, xviii, xix. It appears when 
 the Lord told them, that very day this scripture was ful- 
 filled in their ears; they w^ondered at the gracious words 
 which proceeded out of his mouth — how lovely does the 
 blessed Redeemer appear, yea the "altogether lovely and 
 the chiefest among ten thousand;" Song. 5, x. 
 
 "Thy hands dear Jesus, were not arm'd, 
 
 With a revenging rod, 
 No hard commission to perform, 
 
 The vengeance of a God." Watts. 
 
 Justly might he have appeared as on Mount Sinai in the 
 days of old; but he did not "deal with them after their 
 sins, or reward them according to their iniquities;" Psl. 
 103, x. he did not come to destroy men's lives, but to 
 
14 
 
 save them; his uniform conduct was going about doing 
 goodj yet all his loving kindness did not secure their fa- 
 vor towards him; the cause therefore must be^, that the 
 ^'carnal mind is enmity against God;" a plain proof that 
 outward rites and ceremonies cannot lead men to God 
 or the love of the brethren; Christ tells them if God 
 were their father they would love him! hence my bre- 
 thren we see that men when left to themselves go about 
 to kill their fellow creatures; and if able would dethrone 
 the Deity; this is evident by their setting themselves 
 against the Lord and against his annointed^ Psl. 2, ii. 
 However there were some who "received him though 
 the greater part rejected him;" and so fulfilled Isaiah's 
 prophesy^ "he is despised and rejected of men^ a man of 
 sorrows and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were 
 our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed 
 him not;" Isaiah 53^ iii. "Thus the non-reception of 
 Christ was attended with contempt! and wherefore doth 
 the wicked contemn God?" Psl. 10^ xiii. the cause is en- 
 mity, a rooted enmity! which every man brings with him 
 into the world against God, his people, and his ways, 
 "had they known him, they would not have crucified the 
 Lord of glory;" 1 Cor. 2, viii. We admit Paul's asser- 
 tion was truth; but the spirit and principle of the Jews 
 were tried fairly, by his virtuous adherence to the law 
 and the innocence of his life; yet they finished their non- 
 reception of him by the awful words of, "his blood be on 
 us, and on our children;'' thus "all the people said;" Mat. 
 27, XXV. I come now to consider, 
 
 3dly. The character and experience of them who re- 
 ceived him. Whatever may be said of the dignity of 
 human nature, those who receive the Lord Jesus Christ 
 ought to have some knowledge of man; inasmuch as the 
 great apostle of the Gentiles says, "he that is spiritual 
 
15 
 
 judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man:" 
 1 Cor. 2, XV. in their judgement, men b}^ nature are 
 dead in trespasses and sins;" Eph. 2, i. and that all men, 
 without a single exception, are conceived in sin and 
 shapen in iniquity;" Psm. 51, v. consequently are under 
 the curse of the righteous law of God, for "how can he 
 be clean that is born of a woman?" Job 2o, iv. and as 
 Paul observes "we have before proved both Jews and 
 Gentiles, that they are all under sin;" Rom. 3, ix. 
 and therefore under the curse; Gal. 3, x. neither have 
 they power to remove themselves from under it; but on 
 the contrary are as the impotent man, who could not 
 help himself; John 5, vi. and what is worse, have no de- 
 sire or will to come to Christ for salvation; "ye will not 
 come unto me that ye might have life:" John 5. xl. now 
 before a cordial reception of the Lord Jesus Christ takes 
 place, a man must be born again, and except this is ex- 
 perienced he cannot see the kingdom of God; John 3, 
 iii. and however inexplicable it may appear, it must take 
 place in every soul, that has any good ground of hope 
 to inherit eternal life, for all they who have arrived in 
 glory, experienced this operation; and all who shall 
 hereafter be admitted into those blessed mansions, must 
 also, be made partakers of the Divine nature; 2 Pet. 1, 
 iv. (i. e. renewed in the spirit of their mind) this birth 
 being of heavenly origin, it is called being "born from 
 above;" and as no man can ascend up to heaven by his 
 own power, in order thus to be born, there is a necessi- 
 ty for an Almighty power to descend; we are informed 
 the Holy Ghost was sent down from heaven; 1 Pet. 1, 
 ii. Titus 3, V. by whose power the disciples were re- 
 new^ed, or "regenerated;" the Lord Jesus Christ gave 
 this power (or privilege) to them that they might "be- 
 come the sons of God:" this power therefore rested en- 
 
16 
 
 tirely in the mind and will of God^ the believers being 
 considered previous to this change, ^^children of wrath 
 even as others;" Eph. 2, iii. besides, if the very idea of 
 adoption into the family of heaven had not originated in 
 the divine mind, it could never have taken place. Now 
 for a person to wish or desire to be adopted into the fa- 
 mily of a being whom he hates, is a contradiction! "the 
 wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not 
 seek after God." God is not in all his thoughts; Psl. 
 10, iv. this characteristic, applies alike to all the fallen 
 race of Adam, (while in an unregenerate state), whose 
 first child was a murderer! Admitting, however, that 
 God is pleased to adopt any of the human race, men are 
 by nature averse to it, which aversion would never be 
 removed, if it was left to the will, or in the least under 
 the control of sinners; "ye will not come unto me," says 
 the Saviour; some will say, they may if they will: true; 
 but it is in the will the impotence lies; besides, the text 
 says the children of God were born not of the will of the 
 flesh; and as to being born of blood, it is repugnant to 
 common sense, and whatever parents may teach their 
 children that they are born Christians! the assertion is 
 untrue, nor will it mend the matter, to say that by sprink- 
 ling a little water upon them, they are made the children 
 of God, the text says — "not of blood;" and whatever 
 those who are called great among men, may say about 
 noble blood, the scriptures say — "he hath made of one 
 blood all the nations of the earth;" Acts 17, xxvi. and 
 the Lord says all flesh had corrupted its way; and when 
 ^'the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children 
 of men, to see if there were any that did understand and 
 seek God, (the result of the inquiry was), they are all 
 gone aside, they are altogether become filthy, there is 
 none that doeth good, no not one;" Psl. 14, ii. iii. the 
 
17 
 
 concurrent testimony and experience of the children of 
 God, h, that they were made to differ from others by the 
 power of his spirit upon their souls, "thy people shall be 
 willing in the day of thy power," is an axiom that can- 
 not be denied with propriety; Psl. 110, iii. And it is 
 equally true that Adam assisted in his own creation! as 
 to say that a sinner, any sinner, assisted in his conver- 
 sion; no, my brethren, they are not born of the will of 
 man, it is not a power within them, but a power without 
 them, by which they are created anew in Christ Jesus; 
 "we are his workmanship," says the apostle; Eph. 2, x. 
 and it is according to the good pleasure of his will, "of 
 his own will begat he us with the word of truth;" James 
 1, xviii. Here is presented to our view the saints ori- 
 gin, God is their father, they are "begotten of him;" 1 
 John 5, i. and because they are sons, he hath sent forth 
 the spirit of his son into their hearts crying Abba father; 
 this was their destination, and predestination, unto the 
 adoption of children "by Jesus Christ to himself;" and this 
 accords with and is agreeable to the good pleasure of his 
 wull; Eph. 1, V. which is the real and substantial ground 
 why any are saved; hence "'he so loved the world, that he 
 gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in 
 him, should not perish, but have everlasting hfe:" John 3, 
 xvi. which shews they were in a perishing condition; and 
 when he saw "there was no man, no intercessor, therefore 
 his arm brought salvation;" Isaiah 59, xvi. yet he was not 
 under any obligation to any of the sons and daughters of 
 Adam, to prevent them from going down to eternal perdi- 
 tion; he might have left the whole human race to perish, 
 in their own gainsaying — and remained a just God: but 
 blessed be his name: he has added the word Saviour to 
 it, so that he is "'a just God and a Saviour; there is none 
 beside me;" Isaiah 45, xxi. This is enough to let his 
 3 
 
18 
 
 babes see (to whom he has revealed it) that they^ and 
 their salvation should all redound to the glory of his 
 grace^ wherein he hath made them accepted in the be- 
 loved; Eph, 1^ vi. neither will they attempt to rob God 
 of his glory; as is said of the Jews! — "Will a man rob 
 God? yet ye have robbed me^ even this whole nation: ye 
 have said it is vain to serve God;" Mai. 3, viii. xiv. — 
 they would rather be a door keeper in the house of their 
 God^ than dwell in the tents of wickedness; Psl. 84, x. 
 Ungodly men may serve divers lusts and pleasures, "but 
 the children of God will serve the Lord;" Joshua 24, xv. 
 again, their eye is single to his glory, their body is full 
 of light; they have Christ in them, the hope of glory, in 
 "whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, 
 and who is head over all things to his church; Col. 29, 
 Eph. 1, xxii. and would wish to "honor the son even as 
 they honor the father," knowing him to be one with the 
 father; for having an unction from the Holy one, they 
 know all things, (i. e. necessary to be known); John 2, 
 XX. they know that mere theory in soul concerns will not 
 profit them; and that the Lord Jesus Christ has loved 
 them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, 
 and made them kings and priests unto God and his fa- 
 ther; Rev. 1, vi. therefore they say to him be glory and 
 dominion for ever and ever. Amen; Rev. 1, v. vi. When 
 thus born again they also receive him in his offices, as 
 that prophet that "should come into the world," and say 
 not my will but thine be done; they wish to follow him 
 in all his ordinances to be baptised into his death, and 
 buried with him by baptism, (i. e. covered with water) 
 if he command it, as he says ye are my friends if ye do 
 whatsoever I command you; Mat. 28, xix. John 15, xiv. 
 and as they are bought with a price, not being their own, 
 they desire to "glorify God in their bodies and souls. 
 
19 
 
 which are his, yea the purchase of his blood; they are 
 children that will not he;" so he is their Saviour; Isaiah 
 63, viii. Acts 21, xxviii. ^^a peculiar people," who will 
 not be the servants of men, and are not so very solicitous 
 to know whether the rulers of the earth have believed 
 on their Saviour, or to take them for their guide; they 
 are afraid of calling any man master upon earth, they 
 have a master in heaven to whom they "must stand or 
 fall;" knowing it to be useless to try to evade his all-see- 
 ing eye: hence they are the true worshippers, who wor- 
 ship God in "spirit and in truth;" John 4, xxiii. xxiv, 
 which they could" not be, except the spirit of truth had 
 enlightened their understandings; Eph. 1, xviii. They 
 do not look upon any the least (if any such there be) 
 of their Lord's commands as non-essential! Neither do 
 they wish or attempt to teach men so, for in so doing 
 they know they would be called the least in the kingdom 
 of God; thus it is their desire to cast off the works of 
 darkness, and to "walk as children of light," upon whom 
 the sun of righteousness has shined; Mai. 4, ii. they also 
 receive the Lord Jesus as their high priest to atone for 
 them; and however they might go about to establish their 
 own righteousness previous to their new birth, now they 
 look upon their righteousness as filthy rags; Isaiah 64, 
 vi. Rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in 
 the flesh; and though some professed believers in his 
 name reject his atonement, and also his imputed righ- 
 teousness, although David and Paul positively assert it; 
 Psl. 32, ii. Rom. 4, vi. (caUing it imputed nonsense); 
 yet they make their boast in the Lord — even calling him, 
 by divine direction, the Lord our righteousness; Jer. 23, 
 vi. and as by nature they are poor, miserable, blind and 
 naked, they earnestly desire to be cloathed with the beau- 
 tiful garments of his salvation, and say — in the Lord have 
 
20 
 
 I righteousness and strength; Isaiah 45^ xxiv. yet while 
 their dependance is upon the finished righteousness of 
 the Lord Jesus Christy they own him, and receive him 
 in his kingly office and capacity, ^' whose right it is to 
 reign," and who is "^'king of kings, and lord of lords;" 
 Ezek. 21, xxvii. Rev. 19, xvi. and whose name is "call- 
 ed the word of God," verse xiii. this prince of peace 
 works effectually in his saints both to will and to do of 
 his good pleasure; and truh^ they are called the temples 
 of the hving God, "Christ being in them the hope of glo- 
 ry," they look for him to come, the second time, (not in 
 the likeness of sinful flesh), but without sin, unto their 
 eternal salvation; now" he that hath wrought them for the 
 self same thing is God; 2 Cor. 5, v. who also hath given 
 unto them the earnest of the spirit, and as he hath said 
 "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," Heb. 13, v. 
 "they love him, because he hath first loved them: now 
 love is the fulfilling of the law;" they love their neigh- 
 bor, and especially the household of faith; and all who 
 love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity: these are some 
 of the characteristics and experiences of the souls of the 
 saints who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the 
 flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God: and not rather 
 as they are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that 
 we say,) let us do evil that good may come: on the con- 
 trary, they believe the damnation of such persons to be 
 just, because it is written "be ye holy for I am holy;" 
 and instead of making void the law through faith, they 
 wish to establish the law; Rom. 3, xxxi. and to walk 
 worthy the vocation wherewith they are called; Eph. 4, 
 i. earnestly desiring to shine as lights in the world, and 
 to serve their generation before they fall asleep! Know- 
 ing that the time is short, they must give diligence to 
 make their calling and election sure, looking for, and 
 
21 
 
 hastening unto, the coming of the day of God; when they 
 have a good hope (through grace) to have it said unto 
 them, "come ye blessed of my father, inherit the king- 
 dom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;" 
 Mat. 25, xxxiv. This is promised to them, and God 
 willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of pro- 
 mise (i. e. his adopted sons) the immutability of his 
 counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two '^'^immutable 
 things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might 
 have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to 
 lay hold upon the hope set before us;" Heb. 6, xvii. xviii. 
 being therefore made heirs of God, and joint heirs with 
 the Lord Jesus Christ; and as all the promises of God 
 are yea, and amen, in him; let us rejoice in the Lord 
 alway, and again I say rejoice, seeing he is gone to pre- 
 pare a place for us, that where he is, there his servants 
 shall be also, to behold his glory; and to go no more out, 
 but to reign w^ith him as kings and priests unto God and 
 his father! 
 
 Then all the chosen seed, 
 
 Shall meet around the throne, 
 Shall bless the conduct of his grace, 
 
 And make his wonders known. Watts. 
 
 Yes, my brethren, at that glorious period, such as have 
 followed the Lord Jesus Christ in the regeneration, shall 
 be arrayed in w^hite robes^ having them w- ashed and made 
 white in the blood of the Lamb; as they were not re- 
 deemed W'ith corruptable things, such as silver and gold, 
 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb with- 
 out blemish and without spot; 1 Pet. 1. xix. and being 
 complete in him, they shall be presented unto himself 
 without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; Eph. 5, xxvii. 
 and then will the blessed Redeemer say — behold I and 
 the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs 
 
22 
 
 and for wonders in Israel, from the Lord of Hosts which 
 dwelleth in Mount Zion — yes, then shall he see of the 
 travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; Isaiah 1, xviii. 
 and 53, x'l. so also shall his people "be satisfied when 
 they awake with his likeness;" Psm. 17, xv. And now, 
 my brethren, the time would fail me to tell of the tri- 
 umphs of the sons of God, who, by the powder of him 
 who dwelleth in them, are made "more than conquer- 
 ors;" for "greater is he that is in them, than he that is 
 in the world;" 1 John 4, iv. This is the primary cause 
 why the saints, the people of God, persevere and over- 
 come the world, the flesh, and the devil; their Lord 
 "overcome the world;" therefore they may "be of good 
 cheer;" John 16, xxxiii. He also suffered in the flesh, 
 and his people are enabled to arm themselves "likewise 
 with the same mind;" for "he that hath suffered in the 
 flesh hath ceased from sin;" 1 Pet. 4, i. It was also the 
 determinate counsel of God, that the Lord Jesus, "through 
 death might destroy him that had the power of death," 
 that is, the devil; Heb. 2, xiv. therefore, "death cannot 
 make their souls afraid, if God be with them;" as says 
 the sweet singer of Israel — "yea, though I walk through 
 the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for 
 thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff" they comfort me;" 
 Psl. 23, iv. while praying that mortality might be swal- 
 lowed up of life; thus shall they have an abundant en- 
 trance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Sa- 
 viour Jesus Christ; 2 Pet. 1, xi. to whom be all honor 
 and glory, for evermore. Amen. 
 
THE SUBSTANCE 
 
 OF 
 
 A DISCOURSE 
 
 DELIVERED BEFORE THE SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH, 
 
 Jin the oritg oC 3aaIttmore, 
 
 July I9th, 1835. 
 BY JOHN HEALEY, PASTOR. 
 
 "/ have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I 
 have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me 
 a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righte- 
 ous Judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me 
 only, hut unto all them also that love his appearing^ 
 
 2 Timothy^ iv. vii. viii. 
 
 The miraculous conversion of this great apostle of the 
 Gentiles was, perhaps^ one of the greatest displays of di- 
 vine power ever witnessed by any individual recorded 
 in the book of God! at the same time it gives undoubted 
 evidence of the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 Infinite wisdom having ordained in the council of 
 peace, Zech. Q, xiii. a sure foundation for the redemp- 
 tion of Zion; the Lord God saith — "Behold, I lay in Zion 
 for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner 
 stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make 
 haste," Isaiah 28, xvi. And as in an incipient state of 
 grace, the convinced sinner, like the apostle, is led to see 
 his deplorable condition, and cries out "Lord what wilt 
 thou have me to do.^" He is directed by a note of ad- 
 
24 
 
 miration as above, to notice — there is some hope for a 
 lost soul like him — not only a foundation, but a sure one, 
 to rest upon; yea, a stone, "the stone of Israel," Gen. 
 49, xxiv. the rock of ages — a tried one! who furnished 
 water to the Church in the wilderness! so precious as to 
 support them with bread, (i. e. manna) Deut. 8, iii. Here 
 they found sustenance, for though it was a land not sown, 
 they did not make haste w^ith anxiety or perturbation. 
 Now, what Christ w^as to Israel in ancient times past, he is 
 ,noAv to his people; and what Paul describes him to be, Heb. 
 13, viii. "the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever," 
 and so he found him, and was taught by him how great 
 things he must suffer for his name's sake — and which he 
 did cheerfully, and in the close of his career informs Ti- 
 mothy — "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of 
 my departure is at hand." 
 
 In speaking from these words I would notice — 
 
 First — his conflict — I have fought a good fight. 
 
 Secondly — his course and the finishing of it. 
 
 Thirdly — his prospect and promise of a crown of righ- 
 teousness. 
 
 Being enlisted into the service of Christ, he could 
 adopt the language of the Church in Psl. 20. v. "in the 
 name of our God we will set up our banners!" therefore 
 he puts on the wdiole armour of God; Eph. 6. xi. Having 
 fought against and done many things contrary to the name 
 of Jesus of Nazareth, Acts 26, ix. he now preached Christ 
 in the Jewish synagogues, "that he is the son of God," 
 and "boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus," 9, xxvii. 
 Here the Lord was strength to him who "turned the cat- 
 tle to the gate," Isaiah 28, vi. Here Christ took a cham- 
 pion from satan: hence he calls himself "the prisoner of 
 the Lord," but who now made him a polished shaft in 
 his quiver — thus leading captivity captive; and though a 
 
25 
 
 governor under Aretas^ the king was desirous to appre- 
 hend him in Damascus^ yet through a window in a bas- 
 ket was he let down by the wall^ and escaped his hands, 
 2 Cor. xi. xxxiii, when thus it pleased God to reveal his 
 son in the apostle, that he might preach him among the 
 heathen, immediately he conferred not with flesh and 
 blood; but following the footsteps of the captain of his 
 salvation, who was made perfect through sufferings, and 
 who immediately after his baptism was led up of the 
 spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil! 
 Then the battle of that great day of God Almighty was 
 commenced, (i. e. the great gospel day), and there has 
 been no cessation of it, or will be, until the mystery of 
 God is finished: Rev. x. vii. in this battle or fight the 
 apostle was engaged, and which he calls a good fight, 
 appointed by a good God, in a good cause, and for a 
 good end! It is righteousness against sin, heaven against 
 hell, God against satan! and how the battle will termi- 
 nate is not doubtful. This warrior says "the weapons 
 of our w^arfare are not carnal but mighty through God, 
 to the pulhng down of strong holds; casting down imagi- 
 nation and every high thing that exalteth itself against 
 the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every 
 thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Cor. x. iv. v. for 
 "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against 
 principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the 
 darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in 
 high places;" Ephes. vi. xii. So when speaking in high 
 places, he said that "Christ should suffer, and that he 
 should be the first that should rise from the dead, and 
 should show light unto the people and to the Gentiles." 
 Here he is charged with madness by Festus, but he re- 
 pels the charge with meekness, (here was fighting with 
 
 tempers and dispositions) and appeals to king Agrippa, 
 4 
 
26 
 
 "the king knoweth of these things, before whom I speak 
 freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are 
 hidden from him, for this thing was not done in a corner/' 
 Acts 26, xxvi. At Athens he contends against their super- 
 stition and folly, which God passed by or winked at; but 
 now commands all men every where to repent, 17, xxx. 
 A new era now takes place — not some men, but all men! 
 every where, are commanded to repent or perish. Also 
 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the 
 Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name, 15, 
 xiv. and it is evident that this great apostle did urge up- 
 on all men to repent, and believe the gospel — which he 
 says was preached to every creature under heaven, 
 "whereof I Paul am made a minister," Col. 1, xxiii. 
 This is consonant with the idea suggested in Mark 16, 
 xvi. by the command of Christ. Gill on this verse, says 
 to every creature, that is, to every man — he (Paul) that 
 fought against those Jews and Greeks, or Gnosticks, who 
 forbid him to preach to the Gentiles, that they might be 
 saved. Such, says he, please not God, and are contrary 
 to all men, 1 Thes. 2, xvi. This characteristic of some 
 professors of Christianity in modern times, is manifest, 
 who, like bigoted Jews, say they have no dealings with 
 Samaritans; but blessed be God, one Jew, even Jesus of 
 Nazareth, hath dealings with thousands of broken heart- 
 ed Samaritans, "telling them all things that ever they 
 did," John 4, xxix. and his sent servants, who are chief 
 men among the brethren, are willing to be servants to all 
 and to become all things to all men; that by all means 
 they might save some. Such, yea, many of them also 
 which used curious arts brought their books together and 
 burned them before all men; and they counted the price 
 of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver: so 
 mightily grew the word of God — and prevailed, Acts 19, 
 
27 
 
 xix. Such were the effects of the word of truth, in the 
 mouth of this apostle, while disputing or fighting in the 
 school of one Tyrannus, verse 9 in Ephesus. And this 
 continued by the space of two years; now to these Gnos- 
 ticks, Christ would have the gospel preached, as well as 
 unto Jews, even to all, without any distinction of people 
 — Jews and Gentiles, Barbarians, Scythians, bond and 
 free, male and female, rich and poor, greater or lesser 
 sinners, fifty or five hundred pence debtors! All who 
 have nothing to pay, therefore, must be saved by sove- 
 reign grace, or lost eternally! The Jcavs, however, would 
 have revoked and made null this commission of Christ — 
 this word of peace and reconciliation, by his atoning sa- 
 crifice. Hence the doctrine of free and full pardon by 
 his blood, and of justification by his righteousness, and of 
 complete salvation through him — ^because in him ^'^dwel- 
 leth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," Col. 2, ix. 
 Therefore every oiUce he assumed — as prophet, priest 
 and king — for which purpose he became incarnate, and 
 for which, in the divine purpose, he suffered death, arose 
 from the dead, ascended to glory; therefore his session 
 at the right hand of God, and intercession there is re- 
 plete with benefits to his believing people — seeing he 
 ever liveth for this purpose, until his second coming to 
 judgment; and as God has given assurance unto all men, 
 in that he hath raised him from the dead for this design, 
 the Lord sent his servant to inculcate every doctrine re- 
 lative to the grace of God the Father, who had chosen 
 his people through sanctification of the spirit unto obedi- 
 ence, Eph. 1, iv. — 1 Pet. 1, ii. Christ, therefore, was 
 given as a covenant of the people for a light of the Gen- 
 tiles, Isaiah 42, vi. hence the safety of the church is here 
 concentrated, and stable as on the rock of ages. The 
 command is to publish and declare in the most free, plain 
 
28 
 
 and open manner — with all boldness^ faithfulness and 
 constancy. A compendium and summary of which is 
 given in Mark 16, xvi. ^^he that believeth and is baptised 
 (i. e. immersed) shall be saved: but he that beheveth 
 not shall be damned. According to Dr. Campbellj of 
 Aberdeen^ "to dip, to plunge, immerse; and was render- 
 ed by Tertullian^ the oldest of the Latin fathers, tingere, 
 the term used for dying cloth, which was by immersion;'' 
 see notes or 3d of Matthew; and who observes — "it is to 
 be regretted that we have so much evidence that even 
 good and learned men allow their judgments to be warp- 
 ed by the sentiments and customs of the sect w^hich they 
 prefer." And I might say, what will they "do in the 
 end thereof," Jer. 5, xxxi. 
 
 Secondly, notice his course and the finishing of it — as 
 his commission was to preach Christ among the hea- 
 then, he began with the Arabs, he went into Arabia and 
 returned again to Damascus; afterwards he came into 
 the regions of Syria and Celicia, travelled to Corinth in 
 . Greece, where he met with great opposition from blas- 
 pheming Jews; this was a wicked and lewd place! fre- 
 quently burnt to ashes! almost ruined once by an earth- 
 quake! At this time the Lord blessed them with a 
 preached gospel, and many of the Corinthians hearing, 
 believed, and were baptised, (i. e.) immersed! The 
 Lord spake to Paul in the night, by a vision, "Be not 
 afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace, for I am with 
 thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, for I 
 have much people in this city," Acts, xviii. viii. ix. x. 
 and he continued there a year and six months teaching 
 the w^ord of God among them, verse xi. At Ephesus God 
 WTOught special miracles by the hands of Paul — hence 
 we clearly discover that it is the mind of Christ that "in 
 every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and 
 
29 
 
 a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the 
 heathen," Mai. i. ii. saith the Lord of hosts. As a dis- 
 putant or courser, few if any ever equalled him; in his 
 argument to those called to be saints at Rome, he says 
 of the gospel, "for therein is the righteousness of God 
 revealed from faith to faith, (i. e.) in the Gospel the 
 power of God is displayed in the salvation of every one 
 that believeth! and although numbers to whom it is 
 preached look upon it as foolishness; yet it pleases God 
 by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe; 
 but the question how shall they preach e3:cept they be 
 sent.-^ all who are sent are born again, (i. e.) under the 
 influences of the holy spirit! "As my Father hath sent 
 me, even so send I you, and when he said this he 
 breathed on them and said unto them — receive ye the 
 Holy Ghost," John 20, xxi. xxii. No man, without re- 
 generation, is capable of speaking the truth as it is in Je- 
 sus, and speak it in love; neither can he know these 
 things, because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2, 
 xiv. and the learning of the schools merely^ is entirely 
 inadequate to the task. Those able ministers of the New 
 Testament, who are sent of Christ and taught of God, 
 are workmen that need not be ashamed of "rightly di- 
 viding the word of truth." Like Paul and Barnabas, 
 willing to hazard their lives for the name of the Lord Je- 
 sus Christ. Therefore God gives them souls for their 
 hire, to encourage them to press on with the work, and 
 especially at Antioch. Barnabas with Saul was separat- 
 ed by the Holy Ghost for the work, "whereunto I have 
 called them," Acts 13, ii. So they being sent forth by 
 the Holy Spirit, departed unto Celicia, sailed to Cyprus, 
 and when they were at Salamis, they preached the word 
 of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and came to Pa- 
 phos, and found a certain sorcerer or false prophet, a Jew, 
 
30 
 
 whose name was Barjesiis^ which was with the deputy 
 of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man, who call- 
 ed for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word 
 of God; but Elymas, the sorcerer, withstood them, seek- 
 ing to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, 
 (wdio is also called Paul), filled with the Holy Ghost, set 
 his eyes on him and said — O, full of all subtlety, and all 
 mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righ- 
 teousness — wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways 
 of the Lord? and now behold the hand of the Lord is 
 upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun 
 for a season, and immediately there fell on him a mist 
 and a darkness. Acts 13, x. xi. Here we discover the 
 course of our aposile was onward, and which devils could 
 not impede! This servant of the Lord imitated the dis- 
 ciples that were scattered abroad; he went every where 
 preaching the word, 8, iv. As the master said all man- 
 ner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, but 
 the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be for- 
 given unto men. Matt. 12, xxxi. So Paul said "it is a 
 faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ 
 Jesus came into the world to save sinners," 1 Tim. 1, xv. 
 Now, as Christ being the captain of our salvation was 
 made perfect through sufferings — so some of his eminent 
 servants come nearer to the perfection of their master 
 than others, and Paul was one who could energetically 
 exhort Timothy, Titus and others, to be good soldiers of 
 Jesus Christ — to put on the whole armour of God, that 
 they might be able to withstand in the evil day. And 
 having done all to stand — stand, therefore, having your 
 loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast- 
 plate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the pre- 
 paration of the gospel of peace — above all taking the 
 shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all 
 
31 
 
 the fiery darts of the wicked^ &,c. Eph. 6, xiii. xvi. He 
 not only could exhort others, but himself, through divine 
 aid, had been able to stand, and to fight with beasts at 
 Ephesus. Here then is exhibited by this holy apostle, 
 example as well as precept — the glory of God and the 
 good of souls was his highest aim. 
 
 Thirdly — In the prospect of the resurrection from the 
 dead, and the crown of righteousness, he could and did 
 endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also 
 obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal 
 glory, 2 Tim. 2, x. Therefore, in the prosecution of this 
 noble work, he had stripes above measure, in prisons 
 more frequent, in deaths oft, and among his perils; the 
 one among false brethren seemed to swallow up all the 
 rest, 2 Cor. xi. xxvi. If it had been an enemy I could 
 have borne it, but it was thou mine acquaintance, says 
 David^ Psl. 55, xiii. Knowing, however, that an eternal 
 separation would take place between them shortly, he 
 said — none of these things move me, neither count I my 
 life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course 
 with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the 
 Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God — 
 henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteous- 
 ness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me, 
 (not a fading crown of leaves of olives, laurels of pine, or 
 of parsley, green or dried, as in the Grecian games); yes^ 
 a crown of glory that fadeth not away, 1 Pet. 5, iv. Christ 
 gave his apostles glory while on earth, as the Father had 
 given him; (i. e.) love one to another — a oneness in love 
 to do all the good in their power for their welfare, even 
 to lay down their lives for the brethren, 1 John 3, xvi. in 
 imitation of Christ for them, on earth: following him in 
 the regeneration which eventually leads to glory in hea- 
 ven. Now, as no man is crowned except he strive law- 
 
32 
 
 fully, 2 Tim. 2, v. by which we discover that salvation is 
 of grace, without money or price, for the law of the spi- 
 rit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law 
 of sin and death, (his zeal Avas not the less on this ac- 
 count), he had been favored with a sight of the Lord Je- 
 sus; he had also been caught up to the third heaven, 1 
 Cor. 9, i. — 2 Cor. 12, ii. We need not wonder that he 
 pressed his brethren at Rome, by the mercies of God, to 
 present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy and accepta- 
 ble unto God, as a reasonable service: for he did the 
 same, and manifested it by preaching or publishing the 
 son of God, that he is very Christ, Acts 9, xxii. and 
 that there is "none other name under heaven given among 
 men wdiereby we must be saved," 4, xii. Now, in con- 
 nection with this name we are to understand, 1st — he 
 w'as named Jesus by the angel for a certain reason, name- 
 ly: for he shall save his people from their sins, Matt. 1, 
 xxi. Here we discover a special Saviour, to save a spe- 
 cial people (or peculiar) from their sins, they are called 
 his, because chosen in him before the foundation of the 
 world, that they should be holy and without blame before 
 him in love, Eph. 1, iv. He is called Immanuel (or the 
 strong God with us) because no arm, either angels or 
 men, could save or redeem sinners from their sins, or 
 give to God a ransom for them — either their bodies or 
 their souls, Psl. 49, vii. viii. It must be him whose name 
 is "the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of 
 peace," Isaiah 9, vi. who through the eternal Spirit of- 
 fered himself without spot to God, in order to purge the 
 consciences of sinners from dead works, to serve the liv- 
 ing God, Heb. 9, xiv. or the thing can never be effected; 
 for the Saviour says — "without me ye can do nothing, 
 therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; 
 old things are passed away: behold all things are become 
 
33 
 
 new," 2 Cor. 5, xvii. The reason is obv ious — the same 
 writer says, such are ^'^renewed in knowledge after the 
 image of Him who created him/' Col. 3, x. Now, here 
 is evidence of a Creator, which is the eternal logos — who 
 made all things, and without him was not any thing made 
 that was made, John 1, iii. And, a creature thus renew- 
 ed after his image is consequently a member of his body, 
 which is the church. Col. 1, xxiv. who are all taught of 
 God, Isaiah 54, xiii. and are all born of water and of the 
 spirit, John 3, v. ^'Know ye not," says Paul to the 
 church at Rome, 6, iii. iv. ^'that so many of us as were 
 baptized (i. e. immersed) into Jesus Christ, were baptiz- 
 ed (i. e. immersed) into his death! Therefore, we are 
 buried with him by baptism (i. e. immersion) into death; 
 that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the 
 glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in new- 
 ness of life." He also speaks to the faithful brethren in 
 Christ which are at Colosse, 2, xi. xii. in whom also ye 
 are circumcised with the circumcision made without 
 hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by 
 the circumcision of Christ; buried with him in baptism 
 (i. e. immersion) wherein also ye are risen with him 
 through the faith of the operation of God, who hath rais- 
 ed him from the dead. The apostle's language to the 
 church at Rome, on the ordinance of baptism, (i. e. im- 
 mersion), is explicit — "like as Christ was raised up from 
 the dead by the glory of the Father;" and in 1 Cor. 15, 
 iv. "and that he was buried, and that he rose again the 
 third day, according to the scriptures." Now, it is self- 
 evident, that baptizo (from bapto) signifies to immerse 
 or bury; and rising up from the water signifies a resur- 
 rection: while rhantizo (from rhaino) a Greek word, sig- 
 nifies to sprinkle, and never can signify burial or resur- 
 rection. [See notes.] Besides, it is not only the mode 
 
34 
 
 in this initiating ordinance into the church of Christy but 
 the subjects are persons who are Jews inw^ardly, in 
 order to be proper subjects, Rom. 2, xxix. ^"^for he 
 is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is 
 that of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter, 
 whose praise is not of men but of God:" Avherefore, 
 saith Paul, ^^my brethren ye also are become dead to 
 the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married 
 to another, even to him who is raised from the dead 
 that we should bring forth fruit unto God," Rom. 7, iv. 
 Again, these marks and characteristics apply only to re- 
 generated persons — sinners who are broken in heart and 
 contrite in spirit, who are passed from death unto life, 
 who know what it is to groan, being burdened with sin, 
 who look on him whom they have pierced, and they shall 
 mourn for him as one mourneth for an only son, and shall 
 be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for 
 his first born, Zech. 12, x. with such — "this is the cove- 
 nant that I will make with them, after those days, saith 
 the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in 
 their minds will I write them, and their sins and iniqui- 
 ties will I remember no more," Heb. 10, xvi. xvii. Now, 
 these appellations are not to those of the seed of Abra- 
 ham after the flesh, or the seed of Gentiles after the flesh: 
 for, says the apostle, we have before proved both Jews 
 and Gentiles, that they are all under sin, Rom. 3, ix. 
 consequently, they which are the children of the flesh, 
 and walk after the flesh, are not the children of God — 
 but the children of the promise are counted for the seed, 
 Rom. 9, viii. Let not men, therefore, reject the counsel 
 of God against themselves, for whatsoever things were 
 written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we, 
 through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might 
 have hope, 15, iv. And I trust that you, my brethren — 
 
35 
 
 among whom I have gone^ preaching the kingdom of God 
 these forty years — can adopt the language of 1 Peter 1^ iii. 
 blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 whichj according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten 
 us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus 
 Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptable, 
 and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in hea- 
 ven for you who are kept by the power of God through 
 faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. 
 Wherefore (says this same writer) beloved, seeing ye 
 look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of 
 him in peace, without spot, and blameless; and account 
 that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation, even as 
 our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wdsdom 
 given unto him, hath written unto you. 
 
 And now", my dear brethren, as my time is short on 
 the earth, pray for me, that I may be faithful unto death 
 — that in mercy I may receive a crown of life; and I also 
 now commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, 
 which is able to build you up, and to give you an inhe- 
 ritance among all them which are sanctified. Amen. 
 
NOTES. 
 
 Bossuetj bishop of Condom and Muese^ in France, 
 says: to baptize, signifies to plunge, as is granted by all 
 the world. 
 
 Presbyterian Dr. Doddridge on Rom. 6, iv. says," bu- 
 ried with him by baptism." It seems the part of candor to 
 confess, that here is an allusion to the manner of baptiz- 
 ing by immersion, as most usual in these early times. 
 
 The rev. John Wesley has informed us: "that Mary 
 Welch, aged eleven years, was baptized according to the 
 custom of the first church, and the rule of the church of 
 England, by immersion. The child was ill then, but re- 
 covered from that hour."' Ext. of rev. J. Wesley's 
 Journal, from his embarking for Georgia, p. 11, Ed. 
 Note on Rom. 6, iv. 
 
 N. B. The Catholics are more candid than any 
 other Pedo Baptists. They acknowledge that sprink- 
 ling is authorised by the tradition of their church. But 
 a few years ago, in a pamphlet published in Baltimore, 
 they asked the Presbyterian Synod where they found 
 "infant sprinkling," for it was not in the scriptures! So, 
 gentle reader, on the subject of baptism (i. e.) immer- 
 sion, the Pedo Baptists are in error; however, I have 
 had the pleasure of addressing thousands in Baltimore 
 in the last forty years, and have baptized some hundreds; 
 Catholics, Church of England people, Presbyterians, 
 Methodists, Quakers, Mennonists, Independants, &c. 
 and as it respects countries, English, French, Scotch, 
 Irish, Germans or Dutch, Swedes, Danes, Ceylonese and 
 Americans. Having read Morse's Geography, relative 
 to Baltimore, that the greater part of the inhabitants at 
 that time were nothingarians in religion, my mind was 
 made up to come over to their help. 
 
THE CHRISTIAN. 
 
 L. M. Fawcett. 
 Remembering all the way the Lord has led him. 
 Deut. viii. 2. 
 
 Thus far my God hath led me on, 
 And made his truth and mercy known; 
 My hopes and fears alternate rise, 
 And comforts mingle with my sighs. 
 
 Through this wide wilderness I roam. 
 Far distant from my blissful home; 
 Lord, let thy presence be my stay. 
 And guard me in this dangerous way. 
 
 Temptations every where annoy, 
 And sins and snares my peace destroy; 
 My earthly joys are from me torn, 
 And oft an absent God I mourn. 
 
 My soul with various tempests toss'd. 
 Her hopes o'erturned, her projects cross'd, 
 Sees every day new straits attend. 
 And wonders where the scene will end. 
 
 Is this dear Lord, that thorny road 
 Which leads us to the mount of God? 
 Are these the toils thy people know, 
 While in the wilderness below? 
 
 'Tis even so thy faithful love 
 Doth all thy children's graces prove; 
 'Tis thus our pride and self musi fall, 
 That Jesus may be All in All.