At the time to which the above extracts from his Journal refer, Mr. Wesley had, however, no reason to complain of any want of respect, or of a due appreciation of his labours evidently by a candid and liberal feeling, though not without being influenced by some of those mistaken views which will be corrected at the close of this account of Mr. Wesley's life : "And here, not only candour and equity, but a just sense of the constitution of Christ's church, compels me to draw a marked line of distinction between those whose religious assemblies are supplementary, as it were, to our own establishment, offering spiritual comfort and instruction to hundreds unable to find it elsewhere, and those organized communities which exclude from their society any that communicate in the blessed sacrament of the Lord's supper with the national church. "Of the former, I would not only think and speak mildly, but in many cases I would commend the piety and zeal which animates them, full of danger as it is to depart from the apostolic ordinance, even in matters of outward discipline and order. The author and founder of those societies (for he was careful himself to keep them from being formed into a sect) was a regularly ordained minister, a man orthodox in his belief, simple and disinterested in his own views, and adorned with the most amiable and distinguished virtues of a true Christian. He found thousands of his countrymen, though nominally Christians, yet as ignorant of true Christianity as infidels and heathens; and in too many instances (it is useless to conceal or disguise the fact) ignorant, either through the inattention of the government in not providing for increased numbers, or through the carelessness and neglect of those whom the national church had appointed to be their pastors. "But the beginning of schism, like that of strife, is as when one letteth out water. The gentle stream of piety and benevolence in which this practice originated, irrigating only and refreshing some parched or barren lands, soon became a swelling and rapid torrent, winding as it flowed on, and opening for itself a breach which it may yet require the care and prudence of ages to close. And even the pious author himself was not proof against that snare of Satan which, through the vanity and weakness of human nature, led him in his latter years to assume the authority of an apostle, and to establish a fraternity within the church, to be called after his own name, and to remain a lasting monument of his activity and zeal. But over errors such as these let us cast a veil; and rather rejoice in reflecting on the many whom he reclaimed from sin and wickedness, and taught to seek for salvation through the merits of their Saviour. "Of such, I repeat, wherever a like deficiency of religious means is found, we ought to speak not only with tenderness, but with brotherly love and esteem." It seems pretty obvious that Bishop Coplestone has taken his impressions from Southey's life of the founder of Methodism, although by the serious of all parties, although he regarded it not with improper exultation, but passed through "honour," as he somewhat modified by better views of spiritual religion. The moral destitution of the country, and the negligence of the church, are acknowledged, as well as the important effects produced by Mr. Wesley's labours, at least in their early stages; and yet these results are spoken of as somewhat of a religious calamity! The beginning of "schism," as to church order, is compared to the letting out of water; and a fearful "breach" out of the established church completes the picture. How little does this sensible and amiable bishop know of the facts of the case!-as, for instance, 1. That the Methodist societies were in great part gathered not out of church-goers but churchneglecters. 2. That the effect was generally, for many years, to increase the attendance at church, and to lay the foundation in a great number of places, especially in the more populous towns, of large church congregations which have continued to this day. 3. That the still more extensive and ultimate result was, after persecution or silent contempt had been tried in vain, and when it was found that obstinate perseverance in neglect would not be any longer tolerated, that the establishment was roused into an activity by which it has doubtless been greatly benefited as far as respects its moral influence, the only influence of a church which can be permanent or valuable. 4. That very few of the Methodists of the present day would in all probability have been, in any sense which Bishop Coplestone would value, churchpeople; and so this supposed loss of ecclesiastical members affords but an imaginary ground for the regrets with which he seems to surround it. The intimation of Mr. Wesley's ambition is imitated from Southey. But of this enough has been said in refutation. Bishop Coplestone, indeed, regards it mildly as an infirmity, which he would charitably cover with Mr. Wesley's numerous and eminent virtues. That is kind; but Mr. Wesley himself would have taken a severer view of this "weakness," had he been conscious of the passion of ambition, in the sense in which it is here used. One might ask this respectable prelate to review the case, and say where Mr. Wesley, allowing him his conscientious conviction that he was bound to incessant activity in doing good to the souls of men, could have stopped? how he could have disposed of his societies, in the then existing state of the church? And whether, if he had this "ambition" to be the head of a sect, his whole life did not lay restraints upon it, since, from nearly the very first outset of his itinerancy and success, it has been shown in this work by extracts from the minutes of his first conferences, that he took views of ecclesiastical polity which then set him quite at liberty, had he chosen it, to form his societies into a regular church, to put himself at their head, and to kindle up a spirit of hostility to the establishment, and of warm partizanship in his own favour, throughout the land? A vicious ambition would have preferred this course. But it is not necessary to anticipate the remarks which will follow on these subjects. had passed through "dishonour" in the former years of his life, as "seeing Him who is invisible." This period of his life must have been to him, on a much higher account, one of rich reflection. In his Journal of 1785, March 24, he observes, "I was now considering how strangely the grain of mustard seed, planted about fifty years ago, had grown up. It has spread through all Great Britain, and Ireland, the Isle of Wight, and the Isle of Man; then to America, through the whole continent, into Canada, the Leeward Islands, and Newfoundland. And the societies, in all these parts, walk by one rule, knowing that religion is in holy tempers, and striving to worship God, not in form only, but likewise in spirit and in truth." He must, indeed, have been insensible to the emotions of a generous nature, had he not felt an honest satisfaction, that he had lived down caluinnies; and that where mobs formerly awaited him, he met with the kind and cheering attentions of the most respectable persons of all religious persuasions, in every part of the country. But, more than this, he could compare the dearth and barrenness of one age with the living verdure and fertility of another. Long-forgotten truths had been made familiar;-a neglected population had been brought within the range of Christian instruction, and the constant preaching of the word of life by faithful men ;-religious societies had been raised up through the land, generally distinguished by piety and zeal;-by the blessing of God upon the labours of Mr. Whitefield, and others of his first associates, the old dissenting churches had been quickened into life, and new ones multiplied; the established church had been awakened from her lethargy; the number of faithful ministers in her parishes greatly multiplied; the influence of religion spread into the colonies, and the United States of America; and above all, a vast multitude, the fruit of his own ministerial zeal and faithfulness, had, since the time in which he commenced his labours, departed into a better world. These thoughts must often have passed through his mind, and inspired his heart with devout thanksgivings although no allusion is ever made to them in a boastful manner. For the past, he knew to whom the praise belonged; and the future he left to God, certain at least of meeting in heaven a greater number of glorified spirits of whose salvation he had been, under God, the instrument, than any minister of modern ages. That" joyful hope" may explain an incident, which occurred towards the close of life, at the City-road chapel, London. After prayers had been read one Sunday forenoon, he ascended the pulpit; where, instead of announcing the hymn immediately, he, to the great surprise of the congregation, stood silent, with his eyes closed, for the space of at least ten minutes, rapt in thought; and then, with a feeling which at once conveyed to all present the subject which had so absorbed his attention, gave out the hymn commencing with the lines:"Come, let us join our friends above, Who have obtained the prize," &c. It was also his constant practice to preach on All Saints' Day, which was with him a favourite festival, on communion with the saints in heaven; a practice probably arising out of the same delightful association of remembrances and hope. On his attaining his eighty-fifth year, he makes the following reflections: "I this day enter on my eighty-fifth year. And what cause have I to praise God, as for a thousand spiritual blessings, so for bodily blessings also! How little have I suffered yet, by 'the rush of numerous years! It is true, I am not so agile as I was in times past: I do not run or walk so fast as I did. My sight is a little decayed. My left eye is grown dim, and hardly serves me to read. I have daily some pain in the ball of my right eye, as also in my right temple, (occasioned by a blow received some time since,) and in my right shoulder and arm, which I impute partly to a sprain, and partly to the rheumatism. I find likewise some decay in my memory, with regard to names and things lately past but not at all with regard to what I have read or heard, twenty, forty, or sixty years ago. Neither do I find any decay in my hearing, smell, taste, or appetite, (though I want but a third part of the food I once did,) nor do I feel any such thing as weariness, either in travelling or preaching, and I am not conscious of any decay in writing sermons, which I do as readily, and I believe as correctly, as ever. "To what cause can I impute this, that I am as I am? First, doubtless, to the power of God, fitting me for the work to which I am called, as long as he pleases to continue me therein and next, subordinately to this, to the prayers of his children.-May we not impute it, as inferior means: 1. To my constant exercise and change of air? 2. To my never having lost a night's sleep, sick or well, at land or sea, since I was born? 3. To my having sleep at command, so that whenever I feel myself almost worn out, I call it, and it comes, day or night? 4. To my having constantly, for above sixty years, risen at four in the morning? 5. To my constant preaching at five in the morning, for above fifty years? 6. To my having had so little pain in my life, and so little sorrow or anxious care?—Even now, though I find pain daily in my eye, temple, or arm, yet it is never violent, and seldom lasts many minutes at a time. "Whether or not this is sent to give me warning that I am shortly to quit this tabernacle, I do not know: but, be it one way or the other, I have only to say,— 'My remnant of days I spend to His praise, Who died the whole world to redeem: And they all are devoted to Him!"" And, referring to some persons in the nation who thought themselves endowed with the gift of prophecy, he adds, “If this is to be the last year of my life, according to some of these prophets, I hope it will be the best. I am not careful about it, but heartily receive the advice of the angel in Milton, 'How well, is thine; how long, permit to heaven.'' CHAPTER XIV. THE brothers, whose affection no differences of opinion, and no conflicts of party, could diminish, were now to be separated by death. Of the last days of Mr. Charles Wesley, Dr. Whitehead gives the following account :— "Mr. Charles Wesley had a weak body, and a poor state of health, during the greatest part of his life. I believe he laid the foundation of both at Oxford by too close application to study and abstinence from food. He rode much on |