1. Have I embraced every probable opportunity of doing good, and of preventing, removing, or lessening evil? 2. Have I thought any thing too dear to part with, to serve my neighbour? 3. Have I spent an hour at least, every day, in speaking to some one or other? 4. Have I, in speaking to a stranger, explained what religion is not, (not negative, not external) and what it is, the recovery of the image of God; searched at what step in it he stops, and what makes him stop; 5. Have I persuaded all I could to attend public prayers, sermons, and sacraments? and in general, to obey the laws of the Church universal, the Church of England, the State, the University, and their respective Colleges? 6. Have I, after every visit, asked him who went with me, did I say any thing wrong? 7. Have I, when any one asked advice, directed and exhorted him, with all my power? 8. Have I rejoiced with and for my neighbour, in virtue, or pleasure? Grieved with him in pain, and for him in sin? 9. Has good-will been, and appeared to be, the spring of all my actions towards others? &c. &c. for their scheme of self-examination extended to a very considerable length.

His father's health had been on the decline for several years, and he now seemed to be approaching towards the close of life. The old gentleman, conscious of his situation, and desirous that the living of Epworth should remain in the family, wrote to his son John, requesting him to apply for the next presentation. We have already seen, that, when the subject was mentioned to him last year, he hesitated, and could not determine one way or the other. But now he was determined not to accept of the living, if he could obtain it, and stated to his father, some reasons for refusing to comply with this request. His father and brother Samuel were disappointed, and both attacked him, with every argument they could possibly bring to bear upon him. He acted on the defensive only, and maintained his ground. But the mode of attack, and of his defence, will give us. the best view of his principles and disposition of mind at this time.

His father's letter is dated November 20, and runs as follows:—"Your state of the question, and only argument is: The question is not, whether I could do more good to others, there or here; but whether I could do more good to myself; seeing wherever I can be the most holy myself, there I can most promote holiness in others. But I can improve myself more at Oxford than any other place.'

"To this I answer, 1. It is not dear self, but the glory of God, and the different degrees of promoting it, which should be our main consideration, and direction in any course of life. Witness St. Paul and Moses. 2. Supposing you could be more holy yourself at Oxford, how does it follow that you could more promote holiness in others, there than elsewhere? Have you found many instances of it, after so many years' hard pains and labour? Further, I dare say, you are more modest and just than to say, there are no holier men than you at Oxford; and yet it is possible they may not have promoted holiness more than you have done as I doubt not but you might have done it much more, had you taken the right method. For there is a particular turn of mind for these matters: great prudence as well as great fervour.

3. I cannot allow austerity, or fasting, considered by themselves, to be proper acts of holiness, nor am I for a solitary life. God made us for a social life; we are not to bury our talents; we are to let our light shine before men, and that not barely through the chinks of a Bushel, for fear the wind should blow it out. The design of lighting it was, that it might give light to all that went into the house of God. And to this, academical studies are only preparatory.

4. "You are sensible what figures those make, who stay in the university till they are superannuated. I cannot think drowsiness promotes holiness. How commonly do they drone away their lives, either in a college, or in a country parsonage, where they can only give God the snuffs of

them, having nothing of life or vigour left to make them useful in the world.

5. We are not to fix our eye on one single point of duty, but to take in the complicated view of all the circumstances in every state of life that offers.. Thus in the case before us, put all the circumstances together: if you are not indifferent whether the labours of an aged father for above forty years in God's vineyard be lost, and the fences of it trodden down and destroyed; if you consider that Mr. M. must, in all probability, succeed me, if you do not, and that the prospect of that mighty Nimrod's coming hither shocks my soul, and is in a fair way of bringing down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave: : if you have any care for our family, which must be dismally shattered as soon as I am dropt: if you reflect on the dear love and longing which this poor people has for you, whereby you will be enabled to do God the most service, and the plentiousness of the harvest, consisting of near two thousand souls, whereas you have not many more scholars in the university; you may, perhaps, alter your mind, and bend your will to his, who has promised, if in all our ways we acknowledge him, he will direct our paths."

.

The old gentleman wrote to his son Samuel on the subject, who warmly took part with his father, and wrote to his brother at Oxford in December, 1734.—" Yesterday, (says he) I received a letter from my father, wherein he tells me, you are unalterably resolved not to accept of a certain living if you could get it. After this declaration, I believe no one can move your mind but him who made it. I shall not draw the saw of controversy, and, therefore, though I judge every proposition flatly false, except that of your being assured, yet I shall allow every word, and have, nevertheless, this to say against your conclusions: 1. I see your love to yourself, but your love to your neighbour I do not see. 2. You are not at liberty to resolve against undertaking a cure of souls. You are solemnly engaged to do it, before God, and his high priest, and his

church. Are you not ordained? Did you not deliberately and openly promise to instruct, to teach, to admonish, to exhort these committed to your charge? Did you equivocate then with so vile a reservation, as to purpose in your heart that you would never have any so committed? It is not a college, it is not an university, it is the order of the church, according to which you were called. Let Charles, if he is silly 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."-This is strong language, and the argument, if good, was like playing heavy cannon upon his brother, Mr. John Wesley, however, kept himself within his fortress, and answered his brother Samuel with caution. His letter is dated, January 15, 1735, and having explained himself at some length to his father, he sent a copy of that letter to his brother. He observes, "Had not my brother Charles desired it might be otherwise, I should have sent you only an extract of the following letter. But, if you will be at the pains, you will soon reduce the argument of it, to two or three points, which, if to be answered at all, will be easily answered. By it you may observe my present purpose is founded on my present weakness. But it is not, indeed, probable, that my father should live till that weakness is removed.

"Your second argument I had no occasion to mention before. To it I answer, that I do not, nor ever did resolve against undertaking a cure of souls. There are four cures belonging to our college, and consistent with a fellowship: I do not know but I may take one of them at Michaelmas. Not that I am clearly assured, that I should be false to my engagement, were I only to instruct and exhort the pupils committed to my charge. But of that I should think

Though the letter to his father is long, yet it contains such a distinct view of his manner of thinking and reasoning, and of the energy of his language, at this period, that it cannot, with propriety, be omitted.

"DEAR SIR,

"1st. The authority of a parent, and the call of Providence, are things of so sacred a nature, that a question in which these are any ways concerned, deserves the most serious consideration. I am, therefore, greatly obliged to you for the pains you have taken to set ours in a clear light; which I now intend to consider more at large, with the utmost attention of which I am capable. And I shall the more cheerfully do it, as being assured of your joining with me in earnestly imploring his guidance, who will not suffer those that bend their wills to his, to seek death in the error of their life.

"2d. I entirely agree, that the glory of God, and the different degrees of promoting it, are to be our sole consideration and direction in the choice of any course of life; and, consequently, that it must wholly turn upon this single point, whether I am to prefer a college life, or that of a rector of a parish. I do not say the glory of God is to be my first or principal consideration, but my only one: since all that are not implied in this, are absolutely of no weight; in presence of this they all vanish away, they are less than the small dust of the balance.

"3d. And, indeed, till all other considerations were set aside, I could never come to any clear determination; till my eye was single, my whole mind was full of darkness. Every consideration distinct from this, threw a shadow over all the objects I had in view, and was such a cloud as no light could penetrate. Whereas, so long as I can keep my eye single, and steadily fixed on the glory of God, I have no more doubt of the way wherein I should go, than of the shining of the sun at noon-day.

"4th. That course of life tends most to the glory of God, wherein we can most promote holiness in ourselves and others. I say in ourselves and others, as being fully persuaded that these can never be put asunder. For how is it possible that the good God should make our interest inconsistent with our neighbour's?—That he should make our being in one state best for ourselves, and our being in an