torrent of impiety stop not, become absolutely fatal."

Mr. Robert Southey, when alluding to the same period, remarks that the people were "Christians but in name, for the most part in a state of heathen, or worse than, heathen ignorance."

The Rev. Robert Hall likewise says that such doctrines as "the corruption of human nature, the necessity of the new birth, and justification by faith, were either abandoned to oblivion, or held up to ridicule and contempt. The consequence was, that the creed established by law had no sort of influence in forming the sentiments of the people the pulpit completely vanquished the desk: piety and puritanism were confounded in one common reproach: an almost pagan darkness in the concerns of salvation prevailed; and the English became the most irreligious people upon earth."

Bishop Copleston, when alluding to Mr. Wesley, says, "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 through the inattention of government in not providing for increased numbere, or through the carelessness and neglect of those whom the National Church had appointed to be their pastors."

And lastly, the Rev. Richard Watson observes, "The body of the clergy neither knew, nor cared about systems of any kind. In a great number

of instances they were immoral, often grossly so. The populace in large towns were ignorant and profligate; the inhabitants of villages added to ignorance and profligacy, brutish and barbarous manners. A more striking instance of the rapid deterioration of religious light and influence in a country scarcely occurs, than in our own, from the Restoration till the rise of Methodism."

Thus we perceive, from unimpeachable testimonies, that this country, before Methodism sprang up, was not only in a most deplorable, but also in a most alarming condition. The land was filled with iniquity, and an overwhelming flood of immorality, infidelity, profanity, and irreligion, had burst upon, and covered the entire nation. Darkness covered the minds of the ministers of religion, and thick darkness enveloped the minds of the great masses of the community. There was a licentious clergy, and a licentious people. The cause of God suffered a most calamitous stagnation, and the whole country was in a state of spiritual bankruptcy. This was the condition of the nation before the rise of Methodism. But we shall presently see that this dark and dismal "valley of dry bones;" this land of spiritual death and desolation,-received the vivifying, animating, influence of the Holy Spirit, and then arose 61 an exceeding great army" of men, full of spiritual life, and zealous in the cause of God Through the powerful preaching, and active, but unwearied labours, of John Wesley and his coadjutors, the country was aroused from the drowsy lethargy into which it had fallen with

regard to spiritual things, and genuine religion began to revive and flourish with the most astonishing rapidity. The sun of Methodism burst unexpectedly upon the chaotic mass of our national wickedness, dissipating the gloomy shades of scepticism, and dispelling the thick darkness of accumulated ignorance and impiety.

CHAPTER III.-The early life of John Wesley.

The

John Wesley, as we have before remarked, was born on June 17, 1703, at Epworth, in Lincolnshire. Humanly speaking, he owned his existence to very precarious circumstances. His parents having disagreed concerning King William, his father left his mother, and went up to London. Here he attended the Convocation, and did not return home during the year. death of the king, however, putting a termination to the disagreement, the Rector of Epworth returned to his wife, and John Wesley was the first-fruits of their happy re-union. This remarkable circumstance caused him to say, "Were I to write my own life, I should begin it before I was born.'

When he was about six years of age the parsonage-house was burnt to the ground; and his

escape from the furious flames may justly be considered miraculous. He was the last in the burning building, and was rescued a moment before the roof fell in, which would have inevitably destroyed him. When old Mr. Wesley found himself surrounded by his wife and children, little Jacky even being safely among them, he exclaimed, "Let the house go, I am rich enough." The memory of this providential deliverance was preserved by Mr. Wesley in one of his early prints. Beneath his portrait there was engraven a house in flames, with this inscription appended, "Is not this a brand plucked out of the burning.

His excellent mother, who, with never-ceasing anxiety, trained up all her children in the way they should go, considered, that this wonderful deliverance of her son John laid her under a peculiar obligation to instruct his mind, and regulate his heart. Thus, in a beautiful meditation composed a short time after the conflagration took place, she says, with regard to him and his escape from the fire, "I do intend to be more particularly careful of the soul of this child that thou hast so mercifully provided for, than ever I have been, that I may do my endeavour to instil into his mind the principles of thy true religion and virtue. Lord give me grace to do it sincerely and prudently, and bless my attempts with good success. Having such a pious and intelligent mother, was to him an unspeakable advantage. She spared no trouble, she withheld no attention, so that to her exertions (under God) may be awarded the praise of forming the charac

D

ter of her celebrated son. This expecial carefulness on her part appears to have been accompanied and followed with the most happy results; for at eight years of age he was so decidedly serious that his father permitted him to partake of the sacrament of the Lord's supper.

In April, 1712, he, with four others of the children, had the small pox: and, it seems, he manifested considerable patience under his affliction; for his father being in London, his mother wrote to him as follows:-" Jack has bore his disease bravely like a man, and indeed like a christian, without any complaint, though he seemed angry at the small-pox when they were sore; so we guessed by him looking sourly at them, for he never said anything.

In 1714 he was placed at the Charter House where he was noticed, as a biographer observes, "for his diligence and progress in learning." He became a favourite with Dr. Walker, the Head Master, because of his seriousness and constant application.

In 1719, he was sent to Westminster School, a place celebrated all over Europe. Here he made great and rapid progress in the Greek and Hebrew languages. His father hesitating at this period what should be done with his third son, Charles Wesley, who was now about 11 years of age, the elder brother Samuel, who was at Westminster School, wrote to the Rector of Epworth, saying, "My brother Jack, I can faithfully assure you, gives you no manner of discouragement from breeding your third son a scholar." And in two