180. Kirk’s Mother of the Wesleys, p. 89, 90.

181. Wesley’s History of England.

182. Whitehead’s Life of John and Charles Wesley.

183. Clarke’s Wesley Family, vol. i. p. 391.

184. Methodist Magazine, 1846, p. 667.

185. Pious Communicant, p. 189–193.

186. Methodist Magazine, 1846, p. 50.

187. Methodist Magazine, 1846, p. 53.

188. Methodist Magazine, 1846, p. 251.

189. Methodist Magazine, 1846, p. 253.

190. Wesley’s Reply, p. 154.

191. Methodist Magazine, 1846, p. 575.

192. Methodist Magazine, 1846, p. 576.

193. This is taken from Clarke’s Wesley Family, but it is not correct; for, in her twenty-fourth year, she was at Epworth, where she was courted by her father’s curate, John Romley; and, at Christmas, 1723, when the Romley courtship was broken off, her father removed her to a situation in the family of Mr Grantham, of Kelstern.—See original letter in Wesleyan Times, Jan. 29, 1866.

194. Westminster Magazine, 1774.

195. See also the Journals of J. and C. Wesley; also, Clarke’s Wesley Family.

196. Whitehead’s Life of J. and C. Wesley, vol. i. p. 75.

197. Journal, vol. ii. p. 272.

198. C. Wesley’s Life, vol. ii. p. 493.

199. Methodist Magazine, 1846, p. 1087.

200. C. Wesley’s Life, vol. ii., p. 495.

201. Moore’s Life of J. Wesley, vol. i. p. 112.

202. Stonehouse’s History of Axholme.

203. Methodist Magazine, 1845, p. 148.

204. Moore’s Life of J. Wesley, vol. i. p. 565.

205. Life of Dr Clarke, by a member of his family, vol. ii. p. 402.

206. Burnet’s History, vol. ii. p. 542.

207. Wesley’s History of England, vol. iv. p. 75.

208. It is entitled, “The Speech of Henry Sacheverell, D.D., upon his impeachment at the bar of the House of Lords, in Westminster Hall, March 7, 1710. London, 1710.” It was published by Sacheverell himself, and is a small octavo of twenty-four pages.

209. Complete History of the Affair of Dr Sacheverell. London, 1711.

210. Wesley’s History of England, vol. iv. p. 76.

211. Life of Queen Anne; also, Lathbury’s History of Convocation.

212. At this time, says Bishop Burnet, there appeared an inclination in many of the clergy to a nearer approach to the Church of Rome. Hicks, who was now at the head of the Jacobite party, had, in several books, promoted the notion that there was a proper sacrifice made in the eucharist. He also openly condemned the supremacy of the crown in ecclesiastical affairs, and the method in which the Reformation was carried. One Brett preached a sermon, in several of the pulpits of London, which he afterwards printed, in which he said no repentance could serve without priestly absolution, and affirmed that the priest was vested with the same power of pardoning that our Saviour himself had. Another conceit was the invalidity of lay baptism, and that, as dissenting teachers were laymen, they and their congregations ought to be rebaptized. Dodwell left all who died without the sacraments to the uncovenanted mercies of God; and maintained that none had a right to give the sacraments except the apostles, and, after them, bishops and priests ordained by them. The bishops thought it necessary to put a stop to such doctrines, and agreed to a declaration against the irregularity of all baptism by persons not in holy orders; but yet allowing that, according to the practice of the primitive Church, and the constant usage of the Church of England, no baptism ought to be reiterated. Archbishop Sharpe (the friend of Samuel Wesley) refused to sign the declaration, pretending that it would encourage irregular baptisms. The Archbishop of Canterbury, with most of the bishops of his province, submitted the matter to the convocation. It was agreed to in the Upper House, but the Lower House refused even to consider it, because it would encourage those who struck at the dignity of the priesthood. This was all that passed in the convocation of 1712.—(Burnet’s History of His Own Times, 1st edit., vol. ii. p. 605.)

213. Methodist Magazine, 1781, p. 313.

214. Methodist Magazine, 1781, p. 313.

215. Whitehead’s Life of Wesley, p. 54.

216. Gentleman’s Magazine, 1788.

217. Ibid., 1785, p. 411.

218. Methodist Magazine, 1784, p. 608.

219. Ibid., p. 654.

220. Methodist Magazine, 1784, p. 656.

221. Priestly, p. 139.

222. Ibid., p. 140.

223. See Clarke’s Wesley Family, vol. i. p. 286.

224. Wesleyan Times, March 7, 1864.

225. Wesley Family.

226. Methodist Magazine, 1784, p. 606.

227. Priestley’s preface to Original Letters by John Wesley, &c., p. 14.

228. Wilberforce’s Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 390.

229. Southey’s Life of Wesley.

230. Priestley, p. 138.

231. Priestley’s Letters, p. 135.

232. Wesley’s Works, vol. xiv. p. 276.

233. Wesley’s Works, vol. iii. p. 108.

234. Southey’s Life of Wesley.

235. Knight’s History of England.

236. Clarke’s Wesley Family, vol. i. p. 327, and Everett’s Methodism in Sheffield, p. 7.

237. Nicholl’s Literary Anecdotes.

238. Clarke’s Wesley Family, and Nicholl’s Literary Anecdotes, vol. iv. p. 548.

239. Nicholl’s Ibid.

240. Chambers’s Biographical Dictionary.

241. Clarke’s Wesley Family and Nicholl’s Literary Anecdotes, vol. vi. p. 110.

242. Wesley’s Works, vol. i. p. 354.

243. Ibid., p. 384.

244. Ibid., p. 465.

245. Ibid., vol. ii. p. 99.

246. Ibid., vol. viii. p. 29.

247. Wesley’s Works, vol. ii. p. 221.

248. Ibid., vol. xii. p. 6.

249. Ibid., p. 22.

250. Methodist Magazine, 1778, p. 183.

251. Wesley’s Works, vol. i. p. 356.

252. Methodist Magazine, 1778, p. 185.

253. Ibid.

254. Methodist Magazine, 1778, p. 185.

255. Ibid., 1845, p. 151.

256. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

257. Methodist Magazine, 1845, p. 151.

258. Stonehouse’s History of the Isle of Axholme.

259. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

260. The rector of Epworth was under considerable obligations to Lord Oxford, as appears from the dedication of his son Samuel’s poems to that nobleman. He writes:—“Neither obscurity of condition, nor distance of place, could prevent your lordship from distinguishing and encouraging a worthy clergyman, my father, in his indefatigable researches after truth, and his unfashionable studies in divinity; which, perhaps, might have been left unfinished without that encouragement.”—Poems on Several Occasions, by S. Wesley, London, 1736.

261. Priestley’s Original Letters, p. 56.

262. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

263. Gentleman’s Magazine, 1785, p. 246.

264. Nicholl’s Literary Anecdotes.

265. In reality, it was much more than this.

266. Nicholl’s Literary Anecdotes.

267. The editor of Dr Clarke’s Wesley Family has thrown out the hint that it is not improbable that the “Clergyman’s Vade Mecum” was written by Samuel Wesley; but I can find no evidence of this. The third edition of this work, published, in 2 vols., in 1709, is now before me. The full title of the first volume is, “The Clergyman’s Vade Mecum; or, an Account of the Ancient and Present Church of England; the Duties and Rights of the Clergy, and of their Privileges and Hardships; containing full Directions relating to Ordination, Institution, Induction, and most of the Difficulties which they commonly meet with in the Discharge of their Office.” The title of the second volume is, “The Clergyman’s Vade Mecum, Part II.; containing the Canonical Codes of the Primitive, Universal, Eastern, and Western Church, down to the year of our Lord 787. Done from the Original Greek and Latin; omitting no Canon, Decree, or any part of them that is curious or instructive. With explanatory Notes, a large Index, and a Preface showing the usefulness of the work; with some Reflections on Moderate Nonconformity, and the Rights of the Church.”

268. In an article in the Athenian Oracle, vol. i. p. 459, on the use of extempore prayer, Samuel Wesley seems to be in favour of a medium between the use of extempore prayer and a form of prayer. This he calls “premeditated prayer;” that is, premeditated not in reference to words but things. At the same time he says—“There are very few who have command of words enough to express themselves as they ought on such an occasion, and therefore a form is the safe way.”

269. Methodist Magazine, 1798, p. 35.

270. Mr Kirk says the living of Wroot is now worth £400 a year with residence.

271. Stonehouse’s History of Axholme.

272. Ibid.

273. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

274. Moore’s Life of Wesley, vol. i. p. 149.

275. Probably Dr Morley, Rector of Lincoln College. John Wesley, at this time, was embarrassed for want of money. Three weeks before, his father had sent him £5, and had promised further kindness. (MS. letter; see also Wesley’s Works, vol. xii. p. 16.)

276. John Wesley was now thinking of entering into deacon’s orders. He was ordained deacon in the month of September following.

277. This letter is copied from a manuscript copy of the original, in the hand-writing of John Wesley. Part of it was published in the Arminian Magazine, for 1778, p. 29; and also in Coke and Moore’s Life of Wesley, p. 47; but the reader will perceive, that, in the letter as now given, there are several interesting facts and statementsstatements, omitted in both the works just mentioned.

278. The letter from which this is taken, I believe, has never been published.

279. MS. letter.

280. Moore’s Life of Wesley, vol. i. p. 134.

281. MS. letter.

282. Whitehead’s Life of Wesley, vol. i. p. 22; also Clarke’s Wesley Family, vol. i. p. 296.

283. MS. letter.

284. His right hand was already palsied.

285. MS. letter.

286. Moore’s Life of Wesley, vol. i. p. 139.

287. MS. letter.

288. Probably Lewis Fenton. See Moore’s Life of Wesley, vol. i. p. 149.

289. MS. letter.

290. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

291. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

292. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

293. Charles had been idle. He says, “My first year at college I lost in diversions; the next I set myself to study.”—Moore’s Life of Wesley, vol. i. p. 153.

294. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

295. Mr Morgan.

296. Wesley’s Works, vol. i. p. 8.

297. Moore’s Life of Wesley, vol. i. p. 171.

298. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

299. The “Testimonia Arianorum,” and the Appendix, mentioned in this letter, were not published. It is evident that Samuel Wesley, jun., had the completion of the “Dissertations on the Book of Job.”

300. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

301. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

302. Clarke’s Wesley Family, vol. i. p. 309.

303. Clarke’s Wesley Family, vol. ii. p. 256.

304. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

305. Ibid.

306. Wesley Family.

307. See Moore’s Life of Wesley, vol. i. pp. 174–210.

308. See Original Letters, published by Priestley, pp. 20–48.

309. Original Letters, published by Priestley, p. 48.

310. Methodist Magazine, 1845, p. 38.

311. Wesley Family.

312. Wesley Family.

313. Oglethorpe arrived on the 16th of June.

314. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

315. General Oglethorpe subscribed for nine copies of the “Dissertations on the Book of Job,” a greater number than was subscribed for by any other person.

316. Clarke’s Wesley Family.

317. Methodist Magazine, 1824, p. 810.

318. Wesley Family.

319. Wesley Family.

320. Wesley Family.

321. Methodist Magazine, 1845, p. 151.

322. Wesley Family.

323. Wesley Family, vol. ii. p. 175.

324. Moore’s Life of Wesley, vol. i. p. 234.

325. His son-in-law, who was a doctor at Epworth.

326. Samuel Wesley, jun., wrote to his brother John the day after he received this letter from his father; and a sharp correspondence was carried on between the two brothers, until the 4th of March 1735, which was within two months of their father’s death. John, however, at that time, remained as firmly convinced as ever that he could serve God and his Church better at Oxford than he could if he removed to Epworth.—Moore’s Life of Wesley, vol. i. p. 231.

327. This was the rich man who married Sukey Wesley, and whom Mrs Wesley spoke of as being little inferior to the apostate angels in wickedness.

328. This again shows the high importance which Samuel Wesley attached to the mission in Georgia; and is proof sufficient that had he been alive, the going of his two sons, John and Charles to that colony, would have had his hearty approval.

329. The Duke of Newcastle was at this time Secretary of State, and had probably been requested to obtain the consent of Queen Caroline to allow Mr Wesley to dedicate to her his “Dissertations on the Book of Job.”

330. Wesley Family.

331. Wesley Family.

332. Ibid., vol. ii. p. 324.

333. C. Wesley’s Journal, vol. i. p. 59.

334. “This is a sly hit at Matthew Wesley, who is supposed to have been a Dissenter, and who was thought by some to be indifferent to all forms of religion.”—See Wesley Family, vol. i. p. 86.

335. This shaft seems to be levelled against the Duke of Newcastle, or perhaps Sir Robert Walpole.

336. The value of the Epworth living, during the time that Mr Wesley held it, was never more than £200 per annum. Mr Kirk states that the same living is now worth £952 per annum.

337. Wesley Family, vol. i. p. 239.

338. Wesley Family.

339. Wesley Family.

340. “This letter was written during a controversy with Secker, respecting the doctrine of the witness of the Spirit.”—Wesley’s Works, vol. xii. p. 93.

341. Wesley’s Works, vol. vii. p. 475.

342. From this, good old Henry Moore deduced the inference that he now, for the first time, received the witness of the Spirit; and that, until now, “this good man had laboured in the fear of God through a long legal night of nearly seventy years.” Absurd nonsense!

343. Strange words these, and gloriously fulfilled.

344. Another remarkable utterance, remarkably fulfilled.

345. Original Letters, published by Priestley, p. 55.

346. The following appeared in the Gentleman’s Magazine for 1735:—“Died, April 25, at Epworth, in Lincolnshire, the Rev. Mr Samuel Wesley, M.A., rector of that parish, a person of singular parts, piety, and learning; author of several poetical and controversial pieces. He had for some years been composing a critical ‘Dissertation on the Book of Job,’ which he has left unfinished, and almost printed. He proved, ever since his minority, a most zealous asserter of the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England.”

347. Wesley Family.

348. Some writers have been disposed to think that this poem was at least, in part, the production of Mehetabel Wesley, but John Wesley always declared that it was written by his father.—Moore’s Life of Wesley, vol. i. p. 48.