The life of Rev. John Welsey, A.M. : founder of the Methodist societies

Front matter

Pt~

V

THE LIFE

Chapter I

Mr. Wesley's Parentage— Mrs. Susannah Wesley—Samuel Wesley jr. — Mr. Wesley at School and College — Religious Impressions and Inquiries— Ordination — College Honors — Charles Wesley's early Life— Methodists at Oxford — Origin of the name Methodist. Page 'i

Chapter II

The Wesleys at Oxford — Their efforts to do good — Opposition — Correspondence with Mr. Wesley, sen. — Mr. Samuel Wesley and Mrs. Wesley— Mr. John Wesley refuses to settle at Epworth— Remarks— Death ot Mr. Wesley, sen. — The Wesleys engage to go out to Georgia — Letter ot Mr. Gambold 19

Chapter VI

Effect of the Labors of the Messrs. Wesley and Mr. Whitefield at Kingswood — Mr. Wesley at Bath — Statement of his doctrinal Views — Separates from the Moravians in London — Formation of the Methodist Society— Mr. Wesley's Mother — Correspondence between Mr. John and Mr. Samuel Wesley on extraordinary Emotions, and the Doctrine of Assurance— Remarks — Enthusiasm — Divine Influence — Difference between Mr. Wesley and Mr. Whitefield— Their Reconciliation — Mr. Maxfield — Mr. Wesley's Defense of his calling out Preachers to assist him in his Work— Remarks 8(5

4 CONTENTS.

Chapter VII

Persecution in London — Institution of Classes— Mr. Wesley charged with being a Papist — His Labors in Yorkshire, Northumberland, and Lincolnshire— Death of Mrs. Susannah Wesley — Labors and Persecutions of Mr. Charles Wesley in Staffordshire and Yorkshire — Increase of the Societies — Mr. Wesley's Danger and Escape at Wednesbury — His first Visit to Cornwall — Riots in Staffordshire — Preaches for the last time before the University of Oxford — Correspondence with the Rev. J. Erskine — His Sermon on "A Catholic Spirit"— First Conference held — Remarks Page 113

CHAPTER, VIII.

Mr. Charles Wesley's Labors in Cornwall, Kent, Staffordshire, and the north of England — Persecution at Devizes — Remarks — Mr. Wesley at Newcastle — His Statement of the Case between the Clergy and the Methodists— Remaiks — Labors in Lincolnshire, etc. — Persecutions in Cornwall— Count Zinzendorf — Dr. Doddridge — Mr. Wesley a Writer of Tracts — His Sentiments on Church Government — Extract from the Minutes of the early Conferences— Remarks — Mr. Wesley's Labors in different parts of the Kingdom — His zeal to diffuse useful Knowledge — Mobs in Devonshire — Visits Ireland — Succeeded there by his Brother — ■ Persecutions in Dublin 139

Chapter IX

Labors of the Preachers — Doctrinal Conversations of the Conferences — Justification — Repentance — Faith — Assurance — Remarks — Fruits of j ustifying Faith— Sanctification — Witness of the Spirit — Remarks — Spirit in which Mr. Wesley sought Truth — Miscellaneous Extracts from the Minutes of the Early Conferences — Notices of the Deaths of Preachers — Remarks 173

Chapter X

Early List of Circuits — Mr. Charles Wesley in London — Earthquake there — Differences between Mr. Charles Wesley and the Preachers — Remarks— Respective Views of the Brothers — Mr. Wesley's Marriage — Mr. Perronet — Kingswood School — Remarks — Mr. Wesley visits Scotland — Letters — Sickness — Mr. Whitefield's Letter to him in Anticipation of his

Death — Mr. Wesley's Remarks on Books — His Address to the Clergy

Remarks — Hervey 's Letters 216

Chapter XI

Methodism in America — Revivals of Religion — Remarks— Mr. Wesley's Labors — Notices of Books from his Journals— Minutes of the Conference of 1770 — Remarks — Mr. Shirley's Circular — Mr. Wesley's "Declaration "• — Controversy respecting the Minutes — Remarks — Increase of the Societies — Projects for the Management of the Connection after Mr. Wesley's Death 239

CONTENTS. 6

Chapter XII

Mr. Wesley's Sickness in Ireland — Letter to the Commissioners of Excise— Visit to the Isle of Man — Opening of City Road Chapel — " Arminian Magazine" — Disputes in the Society at Bath — Mr. Wesley's Letter to a Nobleman — His Visit to Holland — "Deed of Declaration" — Remarks Page 272

Chapter XIII

State of the Societies in America — Ordination of Superintendents and Elders for the American Societies — Remarks — Dr. Coke — Mr. Asbury — Mr. Charles Wesley's Remonstrances — Ordinations for Scotland — Remarks— Mr. Wesley's second Visit to Holland — His Labors in England, Ireland, and the Norman Isles — Return to London — Remarks — Extract from a Sermon by Bishop Coplestone — Mr. Wesley's Reflections on the progress of the Work, and on entering his eighty-fifth year 288

Chapter XIV

Death of Mr. Charles Wesley — His Character — His Hymns — Remarks— Mr. Montgomery's "Psalmist" — Anecdote of the Rev. Samuel Wesley, sen.- — Mr. Wesley's continued Labors — Reflections on entering his eighty-eighth Year- — Last Sickness- — Death — Funeral — Epitaph — Sketches 6f his Character by different Writers 324

Chapter XV

Mr. Wesley and the Church — Modern Methodism and the Church — Charges refuted — Mr. Wesley's Writings — Extent of the Methodist Societies at his death, and at the present time — Conclusion 363

1*

ADVERTISEMENT

Various Lives or Memoirs of the Founder of Methodism have already been laid before the public. But it has been frequently remarked that such of these as contain the most approved accounts of Mr. Wesley, have been carried out to a length which obstructs their circulation, by the intermixture of details comparatively uninteresting beyond the immediate circle of Wesleyan Methodism. The present Life, therefore, without any design to supersede larger publications, has been prepared with more special reference to general readers. But, as it is contracted within moderate limits chiefly by the exclusion of extraneous matter, it will, it is hoped, be found sufficiently comprehensive to give the reader an adequate view of the life, labors, and opinions of the eminent individual who is its subject; and to afford the means of correcting the most material errors and misrepresentations which have had currency respecting him. On several points the author has had the advantage of consulting unpublished papers, not known to preceding biographers, and which have enabled him to place some particulars in a more satisfactory light.

London, May 10, 1831.

ADVERTISEMENT TO THIS EDITION.

In this edition, translations are given of such passages in the dead languages as are left untranslated in the London edition. It is enlarged, too, and we hope enriched, by a variety of notes, on points of peculiar importance in an American edition. The price, nevertheless, is so extremely low as to be justified solely by the confident anticipation of very extensive sales. The profits, if any— as of all other publications from the Methodist Episcopal Press— will be scrupulously applied to the spread of the Gospel, and to strictly-charitable objects. 6

THE LIFE

REV. JOHN WESLEY, A. M.

Chapter I

John and Chakles Wesley, the chief founders of that religious body now commonly known by the name of the Wesleyan Methodists, were the sons of Rev. Samuel Wesley, rector of Epworth, in Lincolnshire.

Of this clergyman, and his wife, Mrs. Susannah Wesley, who was the daughter of Rev. Dr. Annesley, as well as of the ancestors of both, an interesting account will be found in Dr. Adam Clarke's "Memoirs of the Wesley Family," and in the "Life of Mr. John Wesley" by Dr. Whitehead, and the more recent one by Mr. Moore. They will be noticed here only so far as a general knowledge of their character may be necessary to assist our judgment as to the opinions and conduct of their more celebrated sons.

The rector of Epworth, like his excellent wife, had descended from parents distinguished for learning, piety, and non-conformity. His father dying while he was young, he forsook the Dissenters at an early period of life; and his conversion carried him into High Church principles, and political toryism. He was not, however, so rigid in the former as to prevent him from encouraging the early zeal of his sons, John and Charles, at Oxford, although it was even then somewhat irregular, when tried by the strictest rules of Church order and custom; and his toryism, sufficiently high in theory, was yet of that class which regarded the rights of the subject tenderly in practice. He refused flattering overtures made by the adherents of James II, to induce him to support the measures of the court, and wrote in favor of the revolution of 1688; admiring it, probably, less in a political view than as rescuing a Protestant Church from the dangerous influence of a Popish head. For this service he was presented with the living of Epworth, in Lincolnshire, to which, a few years afterward, was added that of Wroote, in the same county.

He held the living of Epworth upward of forty years, and was distinguished for the zeal and fidelity with which he discharged his parish duties. Of his talents and learning, his remaining works afford honorable evidence.

Mrs. Susannah Wesley, the mother of Mr. John Wesley, was, as might be expected from the eminent character of Dr. Samuel Annesley, her father, educated with great care. Like her husband, she also, at an early period of life, renounced non-conformity, and became a member of the Established Church, after, as her biographers tell us, she had read and mastered the whole controversy on the subject of separation; of which, however, great as were her natural and acquired talents, she must, at the age of thirteen years, have been a very imperfect judge. The serious habits impressed upon both by their education, did not forsake them; "they feared God, and wrought righteousness;" but we may perhaps account for that obscurity in the views of each on several great points of evangelical religion, and especially on justification by faith, and the offices of the Holy Spirit, which hung over their minds for many years, and indeed till toward the close of life, from this early change of their religious connections. Their theological reading, according to the fashion of the Church people of that day, was now directed rather to the writings of those divines of the English Church who were tinctured more or less with a Pelagianized Arminianism, than to the works of its founders; their successors, the Puritans; or of those eminent men among the Non- Conformists, whose views of discipline they had renounced. They had parted with Calvinism; but, like many others, they renounced with it, for want of spiritual discrimination, those truths which were as fully maintained in the theology of Arminius, and in that of their eminent son, who revived, and more fully illustrated it, as in the writings of the most judicious and spiritual Calvinistic divines themselves. Taylor, Tillotson, and Bull, who became their oracles, were Arminians of a different class.

The advantage of such a parentage to the Wesleys was .great. From their earliest years they had an example in the father of all that could render a clergyman respectable and influential; and in the mother there was a sanctified wisdom, a masculine understanding, and an acquired knowledge, which they regarded with just deference after they became men and scholars. The influence of a piety so steadfast and uniform, joined to such qualities, and softened by maternal tenderness, could scarcely fail to produce effect. The firm and manly character, the practical sense, the active and unwearied habits of the father, with the calm, reflecting, and stable qualities of the mother, were in particular inherited by Mr. John Wesley, and in him were most happily blended. A. large portion of the ecclesiastical principles and prejudices of the rector of Epworth was also transmitted to his three sons; but while Samuel and Charles retained them least impaired, in John, as we shall see, they sustained in future life considerable modifications.

Samuel, the eldest son, was born in 1692; John, in 1703; and Charles, in 1708.

Samuel Wesley, junior, was educated at Westminster school, and in 1711 was elected to Christ Church, Oxford. He was eminent for his learning, and was an excellent poet, with great power of satire, and an elegant wit. He held a considerable rank among the literary men of the day, and finally settled as head master of the free school of Tiverton, in Devonshire, where he died in 1739, in his forty-ninth year.

Mrs. Wesley was the instructress of her children in their early years. "I can find," says Dr. Whitehead, "no evidence that the boys were ever put to any school in the country, their mother having a very bad opinion of the common methods of instructing and governing children." She was particularly led, it would seem, to interest herself in John, who, when he was about six years old, had a providential and singular escape from being burned to death, upon the parsonage house being consumed.* There is a striking passage in one of her private meditations, which contains a reference to this event, and indicates that she considered it as laying her under a special obligation "to be more particularly careful of the soul of a child whom God had so mercifully provided for." The effect of this special care on the part of the mother was, that, under the Divine blessing, he became early serious; for at the age of eight years he was admitted by his father to partake of the sacrament. In 1714 he was placed at th<-< Charter House, "where he was noticed for his diligence, and progress in learning." (Whitehead's Life.) "Here, for his quietness, regularity, and application, he became a favorite with the master, Dr. Walker; and through life he retained so great a predilection for the place, that on his annual visit to London, he made it a custom to walk through the scene of his boyhood. To most men, every year wouW render a pilgrimage of this kind more painful than the last

* The memory of his deliverance, on this occasion, is preserved in one his early portraits, which has, below the head, the representation of house in flames, with the motto, " Is not this a brand plucked from fc burning V

REV. JOHN WESXEY. T 1

but Wesley seems never to have looked back with melancholy upon the days that were gone; earthly regrets of this kind could find no room in one who was continually pressing onward to the goaL" (Southey's Life.) When he had attained his seventeenth year, he was elected to Christ Church, Oxford, "where he pursued his studies with great advantage, I believe under the direction of Dr. Wigan, a gentleman eminent for his classical knowledge. Mr. Wesley's natural temper in his youth was gay and sprightly, with a turn for wit and humor. When he was about twenty-one years of age, 'he appeared,' as Mr. Babcock has observed, 'the very sensible and acute collegian; a young fellow of the finest classical taste, of the most liberal and manly sentiments.' (Westminster Magazine.) His perfect knowledge of the classics gave a smooth polish to his wit, and an air of superior elegance to all his compositions. He had already begun to amuse himself occasionally with writing verses, though most of his poetical pieces, at this period, were, I believe, either imitations or translations of the Latin. Some time in this year, however, he wrote an imitation of the sixty-fifth Psalm, which he sent to his father, who says, 'I like your verses on the sixty-fifth Psalm, and would not have you bury your talent.' " (Whitehead's Life.)

Some time after this, when purposing to take deacon's orders, he was roused from the religious carelessness into which he had fallen at college, and applied himself diligently to the reading of divinity. This more thoughtful frame appears to have been indicated in his letters to his mother, with whom he kept up a regular correspondence; for she replies, "The alteration of your temper has occasioned me much speculation. I, who am apt to be sanguine, hope it may proceed from the operations of God's Holy Spirit, that, by taking off your relish for earthly enjoyments, he may prepare and dispose your mind for a more serious and close application to things of a more sublime and spiritual nature. If it be so, happy are you if you cherish those dispositions; and now, in good earnest, resolve to make religion the business of your life; for, after all, that is the one thing which, strictly speaking, is necessary: all things beside are comparatively little to the purposes of life. I heartily wish you would now enter upon a strict examination of yourself, that you may know whether you have a reasonable hope of salvation by Jesus Christ. If you have, the satisfaction of knowing it will abundantly reward your pains; if you have not, you will find a more reasonable occasion for tears than can be met with in a tragedy. This matter deserves great consideration by all, but especially by those designed forihe ministry, who ought, above all things, to make their own calling and election sure, lest, after they have preached to others, they themselves should be cast away."

This excellent advice was not lost upon him; and indeed his mother's admirable letters were among the principal means, under God, of producing that still more decided change in his views which soon afterward began to display itself. He was now about twenty-two years of age.

The practical books most read by him at this period, which was probably employed as a course of preparation for holy orders, were, "The Christian's Pattern," by Thomas a Kempis; and Bishop Taylor's "Rules of Holy Living and Dying;" and his correspondence with his parents respecting these authors shows how carefully he was weighing their merits, and investigating their meaning, as regarding them in the light of spiritual instructors. The letters of his mother on the points offered to her consideration by her son, show, in many respects, a deeply-thinking and discriminating mind; but they are also in proof that both she and her husband had given up their acquaintance, if they ever had any, with works which might have been recommended as much more suitable to the state of their son's mind, and far superior as a directory to true Christianity. This to him would have been infinitely more important than discussing the peculiar views, and adjusting the proportion of excellency and defect, which may be found in such a writer as Kempis, whose " Christian's Pattern" is, where in reality excellent, a manual rather for him who is a Christian already, than for him who is seeking to become one.

A few things are, however, to be remarked in this correspondence which are of considerable interest, as showing the bearings of Mr. Wesley's views as to those truths of which he afterward obtained a satisfactory conviction, and then so clearly stated and defended.

The son, in writing to his mother on Bishop Taylor's book, states several particulars which Bishop Taylor makes necessary parts of humility and repentance; one of which, in reference to humility, is, that " we must be sure, in some sense or other, to think ourselves the worst in every company where we come." And in treating of repentance, he says, "Whether God has forgiven us or no, we know not; therefore, be sorrowful for ever having sinned." "I take the more notice of this last sentence," says Mr. Wesley, "because it seems to contradict his own words in the next section, where he says, that by the Lord's supper all the members are united to one another, and to Christ, the head. The Holy Ghost confers on us the graces necessary for, and our souls receive the seeds of, an immortal nature. Now, surely, these graces are not of so little force as that we can not perceive whether we have them or not: if we dwell in Christ, and Christ in us, which he will not do unless we are regenerate, certainly we must be sensible of it. If we can never have any certainty of our being in a state of salvation, good reason it is that every moment should be spent, not in joy, but in fear and trembling; and

14 THE LIFE OJF

then undoubtedly, in this life, we are of all men most miserable. God deliver us from such a fearful expectation as this! Humility is, undoubtedly, necessary to salvation; and if all these things are essential to humility, who can be humble? who can be saved?"

The mother, in reply, suggests to him some good thoughts and useful distinctions on the subject of humility; but omits to afford him any assistance on the point of the possibility of obtaining a comfortable persuasion of being in a state of salvation, through the influence of the Holy Spirit, which he already discerned to be the privilege of a real believer, though as yet he was greatly perplexed as to the means of attaining it. At this period, too, he makes the important distinction between assurance of present, and assurance of future, salvation; by confounding which, so many, from their objection to the Calvinistic notion of the infallible perseverance of the saints, have given up the doctrine of assurance altogether. "That we can never be so certain of the pardon of our sins as to be assured they will never rise up against us, I firmly believe. We know that they will infallibly do so if ever we apostatize; and I am not satisfied what evidence there can be of our final perseverance, till we have finished our course. But I am persuaded we may know if we are now in a state of salvation, since that is expressly promised in the holy Scriptures to our sincere endeavors; and Ave are surely able to judge of our own sincerity."

The latter part of this extract will, however, show how much he had yet to learn as to "the way to the Father." Mrs. Wesley also corrects a defective definition of faith, which her son's letter had contained, in the following sen-

o

sible remarks, which are just, as far as they go, but below the true Scriptural standard, and the proper conception of that saving faith after which her son was inquiring: "You are somewhat mistaken in your notions of faith. All faith is an assent, but all assent is not faith. Some truths are self-evident, and we assent to them because they are so. Others, after a regular and formal process of reason, by way of deduction from some self-evident principle, gain our assent. This is not properly faith, but science. Some again we assent to, not because they are self-evident, or because we have attained the knowledge of them in a regular method by a train of arguments, but because they have been revealed to us, either by God or man; and these are the proper objects of faith. The true measure of faith is the authority of the revealer, the weight of which always holds proportion to our conviction of his ability and integrity. Divine faith is an assent to whatever God has revealed to us, because he has revealed it."

Predestination was another subject touched upon in this interesting correspondence. Mr. "Wesley was probably led to it by his review of the Articles of the Church previous to his ordination, and he thus expresses himself on this controverted subject: "What, then, shall I say of predestination? An everlasting purpose of God to deliver some from damnation, does, I suppose, exclude all from that deliverance who are not chosen. And if it was inevitably decreed from eternity that such a determinate part of mankind should be saved, and none beside them, a vast majority of the world were only born to eternal death, without so much as a possibility of avoiding it. How is this consistent with either the Divine justice or mercy? Is it merciful to ordain a creature to everlasting misery? Is it just to punish a man for crimes which he could not but commit? That God should be the author of sin and injustice, which must, I think, be the consequence of maintaining this opinion, is a contradiction to the clearest ideas we have of the Divine nature and perfections." (Whitehead's Life.)

From these views he never departed; and the terms he uses contain indeed the only rational statement of the whole question.

He was ordained deacon in September, 1725, and the year following was elected fellow of Lincoln College. His previous seriousness had been the subject of much banter and ridicule, and appears to have been urged against him, in the election, by his opponents; but his reputation for learning and diligence, and the excellence of his character triumphed; and, what was probably to him the greates pleasure, he had the gratification of seeing the joy this event gave to his venerable parents, and which was emphatically expressed in their letters. Several specimens of his poetry, composed about this time, are given by his biographers, which show that, had he cultivated that department of literature, he would not have occupied an inferior place among the tasteful and elegant votaries of verse; but he soon found more serious and more useful employment.

He spent the summer after his election to the fellowship with his parents, in Lincolnshire, and took that opportunity of conversing with them at large upon those serious topics which then fully occupied his mind. In September he returned to Oxford, and resumed his usual studies. "His literary character was now established in the university; he was acknowledged by all parties to be a man of talents, and an excellent critic in the learned languages. His compositions were distinguished by an elegant simplicity of style, and justness of thought, that strongly marked the excellence of his classical taste. His skill in logic, or the art of reasoning, was universally known and admired. The high opinion that was entertained of him in these respects was soon publicly expressed, by choosing him Greek lecturer, and moderator of the classes, on the 7th of November; though he had only been elected fellow of the college in March, was little more than twenty-three

KET. JOHN WESLEY. 17

years of age, and had not proceeded master of arts." (Whitehead's Life.) He took this degree in February, 1727; became his father's curate in August the same year; returned to Oxford in 1728, to obtain priest's orders, and paid another visit to Oxford in 1729; where, during his stay, he attended the meetings of a small society formed by his brother Charles, Mr. Morgan, and a fewothers, to assist each other in their studies, and to consult how to employ their time to the best advantage.

After about a month, he returned to Ep worth; but upon Dr. Morley, the rector of his college, requiring his residence, he quitted his father's curacy, and in November again settled in Oxford. He now obtained pupils, and became tutor in the college; presided as moderator in the disputations six times a week; and had the chief direction of a religious society. From this time he stood more prominently forward in his religious character, and in efforts to do good to others; and began more fully to prove that "they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution." It is, however, necessary to turn to the history of Mr. Charles Wesley, whose labors in the early periods of Methodism were inferior only to those of his brother.

Charles Wesley was, as above stated, five years younger than his brother John; and was educated at Westminster school, under his eldest brother, Samuel, from whom he is said to have derived a still stronger tincture of High Church principles than was imbibed under the paternal roof. "When he had been some years at school, Mr. R. Wesley, a gentleman of large fortune in Ireland, wrote to his father, and asked if he had any son named Charles; if so, he would make him his heir. Accordingly, a gentleman in London brought money for his education several years. But one year another gentleman called, probably Mr. Wesley himself, talked largely with him, and asked if

2* he was willing to go with him to Ireland. Mr. Charles desired to write to his father, who answered immediately, and referred it to his own choice. He chose to stay in England." (Whitehead's Life, vol. i, p. 98.) "Mr. John Wesley, in his account of his brother, calls this a fair escape. The fact is more remarkable than he was aware of; for the person who inherited the property intended for Charles Wesley, and who took the name of Wesley, or Wellesley, in consequence, was the first Earl of Mornington, grandfather of Marquis Wellesley and the Duke of Wellington." (Southey's Life.)

The lively disposition of Charles, although he pursued his studies diligently, and was unblamable in his conduct, repelled all those exhortations to a more strictly-religious course which John seriously urged upon him, after he was elected to Christ Church. During his brother's absence, as his father's curate, his letters, however, became more grave; and when Mr. John Wesley returned to Oxford, in November, 1729, "I found him," he observes, "in great earnestness to save his soul." His own account of himself is, that he lost his first year at college in diversions; that the next, he set himself to study; that diligence led him into serious thinking; that he went to the weekly sacrament, persuading two or three students to accompany him; and that he observed the method of study prescribed by the statutes of the university. "This," says he, "gained me the harmless name of Methodist."* Thus

* From the name of an ancient sect of physicians, say some of Mr. Wesley's biographers; but probably the wits of Oxford, who imposed the name, knew nothing of that sect of the middle ages. The Non-Conformists were often called, in derision, Methodists; and the name was probably transmitted from them ; or it might be given merely from the rigid adherence to method in study by Mr. Charles Wesley. It is, however, somewhat worthy of notice, that before the times of non-conformity, properly so called, we find Methodists mentioned as one of the minor sects in conjunction with the Anabaptists; for, as early as 1639, in a sermon preached at Lambeth, they are rated in good set style for it appears that Charles was the first modern Methodist, and that he in fact laid the foundations of the religious society which continues to be distinguished by that appellation. To this society Mr. John Wesley joined himself on his return to reside at Oxford; and by his influence and energy gave additional vigor to their exertions to promote their own spiritual improvement and the good of others. The union of system and efficiency which this association presented well accorded with his practical and governing mind; and, no doubt, under the leadings of a superior agency, of which he was unconscious, he was thus training himself to those habits of regular and influential exertion and enterprise which subsequently rendered him the instrument of a revival of religion throughout the land. Of the little society of which, by the mere force of his character, he thus became the head, Mr. Hervey, the author of the "Meditations," and the celebrated Whitefield, were members.