He was now sixteen, and the next year was elected to Christ Church, Oxford. Here he pursued his studies with great advantage, I believe under the direction of Dr. Wigan, a gentlemen eminent for his classical knowledge. Mr. Wesley's natural temper in his youth was gay and sprightly, with a turn for wit and humor. When he was about twentyone years of age, "he appeared" as Mr. Badcock has observed, "the very sensible and acute collegian―a young fellow of the finest classical taste, of the most liberal and manly sentiments.* His perfect knowledge of the classics gave a smooth polish to all his compositions. He had already begun to amuse himself occasionally with writing verses, though most of his poetical pieces of this period, were, I believe, either imitations or translations of the Latin. Some time in this year, however, he wrote an imitation of the 65th Psalm, which he sent to his father, who says, "I like your verses on the 65th Psalm, and would not have you bury your talent." CHAPTER III. From his entrance in College, 1720, to his leaving England for America, Oct. 14th, 1735-a period of fifteen years. Mr. Crowther, in the Portraiture of Methodism, after giving an account of Mr. Wesley's paternal and maternal relatives, observes: "When we survey Mr. John Wesley rising into public notice, and having sprung from such a venerable stock of ancestors, both on the side of his father and his mother, and surrounded with such respectable brothers and sisters, we feel our minds prepared for something great and good, beyond what is common: and when we proceed * Westminster Magazine. to remark his education, and his religious instruction particularly, we shall see the best foundation laid for useful knowledge, and genuine Christianity." He was educated for the church and in 1720, he entered a student at Christ Church College, in Oxford, and not long after, took his degree of Bachelor of Arts. He soon became very thoughtful and pious. This was considerably promoted by reading Bishop Taylor's Rules and Exercises of Holy Living, and Mr. Law's Serious Call to a holy Life. His example and advice, under God, induced his brother Charles, who was also at College, to become pious. They gave great attention to reading books of devotion, prayed much and fervently, and received the Lord's Supper every week. Others imbibed the same spirit, and associated with them for the purpose of piety. They regulated their time and employments by certain rules, which accidentally got them the nickname of Methodist. And as the disciples of Christ were first called Christians in Antioch, so John Wesley and his followers, were first called Methodists at the University of Oxford. It is well worthy of attention, that this name of Methodist, which was originally given in derision, has since been contended for by the Arminians and Calvinists, as being peculiarly honorable; while others have gone as far as conscience would permit, and perhaps sometimes a little farther, to escape what they deemed an odious appelation. The founders of the Methodists were students at the University of Oxford, and were first called the Sacramentarians, then the Godly Club, and finally Methodist. A Fellow of Merton College, observing the regular method in which they divided their time between their devotions, their studies, their rest, &c. said, "Here is a new sect of Methodists sprung up;" alluding to an eminent College of Physicians at Rome, who were so called on account of putting their * patients under a peculiar regimen. But it is not generally known, that the name of Methodist had been given long before the days of Mr. Wesley, to a religious party in England, which was distinguished by some of those marks which are supposed to characterize the present Methodist. This might have been known to the Fellow of Merton College, who gave the Oxonian Pietists the name of Methodists, though it seems probable Mr. Wesley never caught the idea. Toward the close of this year, [1724,] Mr. Wesley began to think of entering into Deacon's Orders; and this led him to reflect on the importance of the ministerial office, the motives of entering into it, and the necessary qualifications for it. On examining the step he intended to take, through all its consequences, to himself and others, it appeared of the greatest magnitude, and made so deep an impression on his mind, that he became more serious than usual, and applied himself with more attention to the subject of divinity. Some doubts arising in his mind on the motives which ought to influence a man in taking Holy Orders, he proposed them to his father, with a frankness that does great credit to the integrity of his heart. His father's answer is dated the 26th of January, 1725. "As to what you mention of entering into Holy Orders, it is indeed a great work, and I am pleased to find you think it so." His mother wrote to him in February on the same subject, and seemed desirous that he should enter into Orders as soon as possible. "I think," says she, "the sooner you are a Deacon, the better, because it may be an inducement to greater application in the study of practical divinity, which of all other studies, I humbly conceive to be the best for a candidate for orders." * See Mosheim's Eccl. Hist. 17th Cent. Sec. 2, p. 1. He began now to apply himself with diligence to the study of divinity, and became more desirous of entering into Orders. He wrote twice to his father on this subject. His father answered him in March, and informed him that he had changed his mind, and was then inclined that he should take Orders that summer; "But in the first place," says he, "if you love yourself or me, pray heartily." The books, which at this time, had the greatest influence on his mind, were the imitation of Christ, by Thomas à Kempis, and Bishop Taylor's Rules of Holy Living and Dying. He did not indeed implicitly receive every thing they taught; but they roused his attention to the whole spirit of the Christian religion. "He began to see that true religion is seated in the heart, and that God's law extends to all our thoughts, as well as words and actions."* This was a singular feature in Mr. Wesley's character. Contrary to the dispositions of most young men who have been educated in the habits of study, he was diffident of his own judgment; and this disposition is visible through the whole of his life. On this occasion, he consulted his parents, stated his objection to some things in Kempis, and asked their opinion. His mother's letter, in answer to this, is dated June theSth, in which she says, "I take Kempis to have been an honest, weak man, who had more zeal than knowledge, by his condemning all mirth or pleasure, as sinful or useless, in opposition to so many direct and plain texts of Scripture. Would you judge of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of the pleasure, of the innocence, or malignity of action-take this rule: Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things; in short * Wesley's Works, in 32 Volumes, Vol. XXVI, p. 274. This is tender, yea, awful ground. Kempis meant the mirth and pleasures of the world. whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent be in itself." it may His father's letter is dated July 14. "As for Thomas à Kempis," says he, "all the world are apt to strain either on one side or the other; but for all that, mortification is still an indispensable Christian duty. The world is a Syren, and we must have a care of her; and if the young man' will 'rejoice in his youth,' yet let him take care that his joys be innocent; and in order to this, remember that 'for all these things God will bring him into judgment.' I have only this to add of my friend and old companion, that, making some grains of allowance, he may be read to great advantage; nay, that it is almost impossible to peruse him seriously, without admiring, and I think in some measure imitating his heroic strains of humility, piety, and devotion." Having now determined to devote himself wholly to God, his letters to his parents carried a savor of religion, which before they had wanted; this made his father say to him in a letter of August 2d, "if you be what you write, you and I shall be happy, and you will much alleviate my misfortune." He soon found that his son was not double minded. The time of his Ordination now drew near. His father wrote to him on this subject, in a letter, dated September 7, in which he says, "God fit you for your great work! Fast, watch, and pray; believe, love, endure, and be happy; towards which you shall never want the most ardent prayers of your affectionate father." In preparing for his Ordination, he found some scruples on his mind respecting the damnatory clauses in the Athanasian Creed,* which he proposed to his father, who afterwards gave him his opinion upon it. Having prepared himself with the most conscientious care for * See his sermon on the Trinity. |