into a cloud not likely to be dissipated, he encouraged them in it, choosing rather that he and his children should suffer affliction with the people of God, than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Few men have been so diligent in the pastoral office as he was; none perhaps more so. Though his income may be called small, and his family large, he had always something to give to those in distress. In conversation he was grave, yet instructive, lively, and full of anecdote; and this talent the late Mr. Wesley possessed in a high degree. His last moments were as conspicuous for resignation and christian fortitude, as his life had been for zeal and diligence. His two sons, Mr. John and Charles Wesley, were both with him when he died, and Mr. Charles has given the following interesting account of his death, in a letter to his brother Samuel, dated April 30, 1735.

"Dear Brother,

"AFTER all your desire of seeing my father alive, you are at last assured you must see his face no more till he is raised in incorruption. You have reason to envy us who could attend him in the last stage of his illness. The "few words he could utter I saved, and hope never to forget. Some of them were, "Nothing is too much to suffer for heaven. The weaker I am in body, the stronger and more sensible support I feel from God. There is but a step between me and death; to-morrow I would see you all with me round this table, that we may once more drink of the cup of blessing, before we drink it new in the kingdom of God. With desire have I desired to eat this passover with you before I die." The morning he was to communicate, he was so exceeding weak and full of pain, that he could not without the utmost difficulty receive the elements, often repeating, "Thou shakest me, thou shakest me;" but immediately

after

his

after receiving, there followed the most visible alteration. He appeared full of faith and peace, which extended even to his body; for he was so much better, that we almost hoped he would have recovered. The fear of death he entirely conquered, and at last gave up latest human desires of finishing Job, paying his debts, and seeing you. He often laid his hand upon my head, and said, "Be steady! The christian faith will surely revive in this kingdom; you shall see it, though I shall not." To my sister Emily he said, "Do not be concerned at my death, God will then begin to manifest himself to my family." When we were met about him, his usual expression was, "Now let me hear you talk of heaven." On my asking him whether he did not find himself worse, he replied, "O my Charles, I feel a great deal; God chastens me with a strong pain, but I praise him for it, I thank him for it, I love him for it." On the 25th his voice failed him, and nature seemed entirely spent, when, on my brother's asking, whether he was not near heaven, he answered distinctly, and with the utmost of hope and triumph that could be expressed in sounds, "Yes I am." He spoke once more, just after my brother had used the commendatory prayer; his last words were, "Now you have done all !" This was about half an hour after six, from which time till sun-set, he made signs of offering up himself, till my brother again having used the commendatory prayer, the very moment it was finished he expired. His passage was so smooth and insensible, that notwithstanding the stopping of his pulse, and ceasing of all sign of life and motion, we continued over him a considerable time, in doubt whether the soul was departed or no. My mother, who for several days before he died, hardly ever went into his chamber but she was carried out again in a fit, was far less shocked at the news than we ex

pected,

pected, and told us that now she was heard, in his having so easy a death, and her being strengthened so to bear it."

In going through this work, let the reader consider himself as travelling slowly on a pleasant road where a variety of objects, highly worthy of his attention and regard, present themselves to his view. In passing along this little distance, we have as it were, stood by, and seen two ministers of the gospel die; the one a Nonconformist, and the other a High Church-man. As we see them approach the entrance on eternity, the scene becomes interesting, and will suggest to the reader many important reflections. Dropping their singularities of opinion, and all party distinctions we now view them coalescing, and becoming one in Christ Jesus. Animated with the same spirit of devotion, they look up to God as their common Father, through the same Mediator and Saviour; they praise him for the same mercies, and looking forward to his kingdom and glory with the same humble confidence, both triumph over death as he draws nigh to them: they give satisfactory evidence, that they were united to Christ, belonging to the same family, and were heirs of the same heavenly inheritance, notwithstanding the external differences in their mode of worship. These considerations should teach us to be careful, not to over-value the external differences among christians, nor to exalt the discriminating distinctions of parties into the rank of fundamental articles of christianity. As long as we lay the same foundation, and endeavour to build upon it, gold, silver, and precious stones, we ought to have fellowship with each other as brethren, notwithstanding the different manner in which we manage the materials, and give a varied appearance to the building.

CHAPTER

CHAPTER IV.

Of Mrs. Susannah Wesley.

MRS. SUSANNAH WESLEY, the mother of the

late Mr. John Wesley, was the youngest daughter of Dr. Samuel Annesley, and a few years younger than her husband. Being educated in a very religious family, she early imbibed a reverence for religion; but having a strong understanding, and a great thirst for knowledge, she soon found herself dissatisfied with believing on the authority of her teachers, and was determined, as far as possible, to see what evidence there was for the truth of those things she was required to believe. Before she was thirteen years old, she had examined the whole controversy between the Dissenters and the established church, and from that time became a member of the church of England. And though different men may, and will, judge variously of the choice she made, yet all must acknowledge that this effort to judge for herself at so early an age, and in so complicated a subject, was singularly great, and shewed uncommon resolution and strength of mind. She afterwards examined the evidences of natural and revealed religion with scrupulous attention, and under every article set down the reasons which determined her to believe it. Of these things she speaks thus, in a letter to her son, Samuel Wesley, dated October 11, 1709.

"There is nothing I now desire to live for, but to do some small service to my children; that, as I have brought them into the world, I may, if it please God,

be

be an instrument of doing good to their souls. I had been several years collecting from my little reading, but chiefly from my own observation and experience, some things which I hoped might be useful to you all. I had begun to correct and form all into a little manual; wherein I designed you should have seen what were the particular reasons which prevailed on me to believe the Being of a God, and the grounds of natural religion, together with the motives that induced me to embrace the faith of JESUS CHRIST; under which was comprehended my own private reasons for the truth of revealed religion. And because I was educated among the Dissenters, and there was something remarkable in my leaving them at so early an age, not being full thirteen, I had drawn up an account of the whole transaction, under which I had included the main of the controversy between them and the established church, as far as it had come to my knowledge; and then followed the reasons which had determined my judgment to the preference of the church of England. I had fairly transcribed a great part of it, when, you writing to me for some directions about receiving the sacrament, I began a short discourse on that subject, intending to send them all together; but before I could finish my design, the flames consumed both this and all my other writings.* I would have you, at your leisure, begin to do something like this for yourself, and write down what are the principles on which you build your faith; and though I cannot possibly recover all I formerly wrote, yet I will gladly assist you what I can, in explaining any difficulty that may occur."

In one of her private meditations she reckons the following among the signal mercies which God had bestowed upon her. "Born in a christian country: early initiated

* When their house was burnt down in February, 1709

and