and instructed in the first principles of the christian religion: good examples in parents and several of the family good books and ingenious conversation: preserved from ill accidents, once from violent death: married to a religious orthodox man; by him first drawn off from the Socinian heresy, and afterwards confirmed and strengthened by Bishop Bull."

About the year 1700, she made a resolution to spend one hour, morning and evening, in private devotion, in prayer and meditation; and she religiously kept it ever after, unless sickness hindered, or some absolutely necessary business of her family obliged her to shorten the time. If opportunity offered, she spent some time at noon in this religious and profitable employment. She generally wrote down her thoughts on different subjects at these times; and great numbers of her meditations have been preserved in her own hand-writing. We shall select a few, and make some extracts from others; because they shew us this excellent woman in her most private retirement, conversing without disguise with him who knows the heart,

Noon. "To know God only as a philosopher; to have the most sublime and curious speculations concerning bis essence, attributes, and providence; to be able to demonstrate his Being from all, or any, of the works of nature, and to discourse with the greatest propriety and cloquence of his existence and operations; will avail us nothing, unless at the same time we know him experimentally; unless the heart know him to be its supreme good, its only happiness; unless a man feel and acknowledge that he can find no repose, no peace, no joy, but in loving and being beloved by him, and does accordingly rest in him as the centre of his being, the fountain

Bull.

In the manuscript it stands thus, B. B. which seems intended for Bishop

fountain of his pleasures, the origin of all virtue and goodness, his light, his life, his strength, his all; in a word, his Lord, his God. Thus let me ever know thee,. O God!"

Evening. "The mind of man is naturally so corrupt ed, and all the powers thereof so weakened, that we cannot possibly aspire vigourously towards God, or have any clear perception of spiritual things, without his assistance. Nothing less than the same Almighty power that raised JESUS CHRIST from the dead, can raise our souls from the death of sin to a life of holiness.-To know God experimentally is altogether supernatural, and what we can never attain to, but by the merits and intercession of JESUS CHRIST. By virtue of what he has done and suffered, and is now doing in heaven for us, we obtain the Holy Spirit, who is the best instructor, the most powerful teacher we can possibly have; without whose agency, all other means of grace would be ineffectual.--How evidently does the Holy Spirit concur with the means of grace? and how certainly does he assist and strengthen the soul, if it be but sincere and nearty in its endeavours to avoid any evil, or perform any good. To have a good desire, a fervent aspiration towards God shall not pass unregarded. I have found,

by long experience, that it is of great use to accustom one's self to enter into solemn engagements with God against any particular sin; but then I would have them never made for a longer time, than from morning till night, and from night till morning, that so the impression they make on the mind, may be always fresh and lively. This was many years tried with good success, in the case of Glory be to thee, O Lord."

i

Evening. "Give God the praise for any well spent day. But I am yet unsatisfied, because I do not enjoy enough of God; I apprehend myself at too great a distance from him; I would have my soul united more closely

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closely to him by faith and love.-I can appeal to his omniscience, that I would love him above all things. He that made me, knows my desires, my expectations, my joys all centre in him, and that it is he himself I desire; it is his favour, his acceptance, the communications of his grace, that I earnestly wish for more than any thing in the world; and that I have no relish or delight in any thing when under apprehensions of his displeasure. I rejoice in his essential glory and blessedness; I rejoice in my relation to him, that he is my Father, my Lord, and my God. I rejoice that he has power over me, and desire to live in subjection to him; that he condescends to punish me when I transgress his laws, as a father chasteneth the son whom he loveth-I thank him that he has brought me so far, and will beware of despairing of his mercy for the time which is yet to come; but will give God the glory of his free grace.”

Morning. "It is too common with me upon receiving any light, or new supply of grace, to think, now I have gained my point, and may say, "Soul, take thine ease;" by which means I think not of going any further; or else fall into dejection of spirit, upon a groundless fear, that I shall soon lose what I have gained, and in a little time be never the better for it. Both these are sins. The first proceeds from immoderate love of present ease and spiritual sloth: the other from want of faith in the all-sufficiency of my Saviour.

"We must never take up our rest on this side of heaven; nor think we have enough of grace, or enjoy enough of God till we are perfectly renewed and sanctified in body, soul, and spirit; till we are admitted into that blessed region of pure and happy spirits, where we shall enjoy the beatific vision according to the measure of our capacities! Nor must we, out of a pretended humility, because we are unworthy of the least mercy, dare to dispute or question the sufficiency of the merits

of

of Jesus Christ. It was impossible for God incarnate to undertake more than he is able to perform."

Morning. "Though man is born to trouble, yet I believe there is scarce a inan to be found upon earth, but, take the whole course of his life, hath more mercies than afflictions, and much more pleasure than pain. I am sure it has been so in my case. I have many years suffered much pain, and great bodily infirmities; but I have likewise enjoyed great intervals of rest and ease. And those very sufferings have, by the blessing of God, been of excellent use, and proved the most proper means of reclaiming me from a vain and sinful conversation, insomuch, that I cannot say I had better have been without this affliction, this disease, loss, want, contempt, or reproach. All my sufferings, by the admirable management of Omnipotent goodness, have concurred to promote my spiritual and eternal good. And if I have not reaped that advantage by them which I might have done, it is merely owing to the perverseness of my own will, and frequent lapses into present things, and unfaithfulness to the good Spirit of God; who, notwithstanding all my prevarications, all the stupid opposition I have made, has never totally abandoned Eternal glory be to thee, O Lord!"

me.

Evening. "If to esteem and to have the highest reverence for thee! If constantly and sincerely to acknowledge thee, the supreme, the only desirable good, be to love thee, I do love thee!

"If comparatively to despise and undervalue all the world contains, which is esteemed great, fair, or good; if earnestly and constantly to desire thee, thy favour, thy acceptance, thyself, rather than any or all things thou hast created, be to love thee, I do love thee!

"If to rejoice in thy essential majesty and glory! if to feel a vital joy o'erspread and cheer the heart at each perception of thy blessedness, at every thought that

thou

thou art God; that all things are in thy power; that there is none superior or equal to thee-be to love thee, I do love thee !"

Notwithstanding Mrs. Wesley allotted two hours. in the day for meditation and prayer in private, no woman was ever more diligent in business, or attentive to family affairs than she was. Remarkable for method and good arrangement both in her studies and business, she saved much time, and kept her mind free from perplexity. She had nineteen children, ten of whom, at least, grew up to be educated, and this duty fell upon her; and it was almost impossible for the children to have had a better instructor. From several things which are found in her papers, it appears that she had acquired some knowledge of the Latin and Greek languages in her youth, though she never makes any pretensions to it. She had read niuch, and thought deeply, and in general very accurately, on every part of natural and revealed religion, and on the common affairs of life. She had studied human nature well, and knew how to adapt her discourse either to youth or age; and without this no person is properly qualified to instruct others. She had set out in life with a determination to think and judge for herself; and not to be influenced by custom in matters of importance, unless when custom appeared to be founded in reason and truth. It was this principle which governed her in the education of her children; for disapproving of the common methods of governing and instructing youth, she adopted those methods which appeared to her the most rational and proper. Their rising, dressing, eating, exercise, and every thing that related to them was managed by rule, unless when sickness hindered. They were very early taught obedience to their parents, and to wait their decision in every thing they were to have or do. As soon as they could speak, they were taught the Lord's prayer, and made

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