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 possi"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."

66

ble. "I think," says she,

* 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 the 8th, 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 our mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself." :

"As for Thomas à

His father's letter is dated July 14. 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.

the ministerial office, he was ordained Deacon, on Sunday, the 11th of this month, by Dr. Potter, then Bishop of Oxford.

Mr. Wesley's Ordination supplied him an additional motive to prosecute the study of Divinity, which he did, by directing his inquiries into the evidences and reasonableness of the Christian Religion. But Mr. Wesley did not employ all his time in these studies. His private Diary shows how delighted he was in the study of the Classics, and other books in different branches of science, and in the performance of his academical exercises.

Mr. Wesley's uncommon seriousness, however, was against him; and he did not escape the banter and ridicule of his adversaries at Lincoln College, on this occasion. In reference to this, his father observes, in a letter of August, "As for the gentlemen Candidates you write of-does any body think that the devil has no agents left? It is a very callow virtue, sure, that cannot bear being laughed at. I think our Captain and Master endured something more for us, before he entered into glory; and unless we follow his steps, in vain do we hope to share that glory with him. Nor shall any who sincerely endeavor to serve him, either by turning others to righteousness, or keeping them steadfast in it, lose their reward." And in his letter of October 19, he exhorts him to bear patiently what is said to him at Lincoln. "But be sure," says he, "never to return the like treatment to your enemy. You and I have hitherto done the best we could in that affair; do you continue to do the same, and rest the whole with providence."

66

His mother writes to him on this occasion more in the way of encouragement and caution. "If it be," says she, a weak virtue that cannot bear being laughed at; I am sure it is a strong and well confirmed virtue that can bear the test of a brisk buffoonery. I doubt too many people, though well inclined, have yet made shipwreck of faith and

good conscience, merely because they could not bear railery. Some young persons have a natural excess of bashfulness; others are so tender of what they call honor, that they cannot endure to be made a jest of. I would therefore advise those who are in the beginning of a Christian course, to shun the company of profane wits as they would the plague, and never to contract an intimacy with any, but such as have a good sense of religion."

But notwithstanding the warm opposition which his opponents made against him, Mr. Wesley's general good character for learning and diligence, gave such firmness and zeal to his friends, that on Thursday, March the 17th, 1726, he was elected fellow of Lincoln college.* His father very emphatically expresses his satisfaction on this occasion, in a letter of the first of April. "I have both yours, since your election; in both, you express yourself as becometh you. What will be my own fate before the summer be over, God knows; sed passi graviora—Whatever I am, my Jack is fellow of Lincoln." His mother, in a letter of March 30th, tells him, in her usual strain of piety, "I think myself obliged to return.great thanks to Almighty God, for giving you good success at Lincoln. Let whoever He pleased be the instrument, to Him, and to Him alone, the glory appertains."

His parents now invited him to spend some time with them in the country. Accordingly he left Oxford in April, and staid the whole summer at Epworth and Wroote. During this time he usually read prayers and preached twice on the Lord's day, and in various ways assisted his father as occasion required. Mr. Wesley returned to Oxford on the 21st of September, and resumed his usual course of studies. His literary character was now established in the university.

* Private Diary.