"The next day, as he was walking in the garden, and surveying the ruins of the house, he picked up part of a leaf of his polyglot-bible, on which just these words were legible, Vade; vende omnia quæ habes, & atolle crucem & sequere me. Go; sell all that thou hast and take up thy cross and follow me."

He seems to have been impressed with sentiments of religion at a very early age and par took of the Lord's Supper when he was only eight years old. From all that he himself has related to us, we have reason to believe that he never lost those serious impressions. He was placed when very young at the Charter-house in London, under that eminent scholar, Dr. Walker, with whom he soon became a favourite on account of his sobriety and application. Ever after he retained a remarkable predilection for that place, and was accustomed to walk through it once a year during his annual visit in London. He had some reasons however to complain of the usage he received at the Charter-house. Discipline was so exceedingly relaxed, that the boys of the higher forms were suffered to eat up, not only their own portions of animal food, but those also which were allowed the lesser boys. By this means he was limited for a considerable part of the time he remained at that school, to a small daily portion of bread as his only solid food. One thing he observed, as contribu

ting among others to his general flow of health, and to the establishment of his constitution, was his invariable attention to a strict command of his father, that he should run round the Charter-house garden, which was of considerable extent, three times every morning.

From the Charter-house he was removed to Christ Church College, Oxford, where he took his degree of Bachelor of Arts. In the year 1724, he was elected fellow of Lincoln College, and two years after this, he took his degree of Master of Arts.

He now became conspicuous as a scholar. Nor was he barely acquainted with the learned languages; he read them as a critic, and relished all their beauties.

He conversed fluently in Latin, which he spoke and wrote with remarkable purity and elegance. Those who were judges of the classic writers, and were frequently in his company, were surprised at the readiness with which he quoted the Greek and Latin poets, even to his latest days. The Greek Testament was as familiar to him as the English.

Mr. Wesley's own account of his religious views and impressions while at Oxford, is so worthy of observation, that we give it without any alteration.

"In the year 1725, being in the twenty-third year of my age, I met with Bishop Taylor's

"Rules and exercises of holy living and dying." In reading several parts of this book, I was exceedingly affected: that part in particular which relates to purity of intention. Instantly I resolved to dedicate all my life to God: all my thoughts, and words, and actions: being thoroughly convinced there was no medium: but that every part of my life, (not some only) must either be a sacrifice to God, or myself, that is, in effect to the devil.

"In the year 1726, I met with Kempis's Christian Pattern. The nature and extent of inward Religion; the religion of the heart, now appeared to me in a stronger light than ever it had done before. I saw, that giving even all my life to God (supposing it possible to do this and go no farther) would profit me nothing, unless gave my heart, yea all my heart, to him. I saw that "Simplicity of intention and purity of affection," one design in all we speak or do, and one desire, ruling all our tempers, are indeed "The wings of the soul," without which she can never ascend the mount of God.

I

"A year or two after, Mr. Law's "Christian Perfection" and "Serious Call" were put into my hands. These convinced me more than ever, of the absolute impossibility of being half a Christian.

And I determined through his grace, (the absolute necessity of which I was deeply sensible of) to be all-devoted to God, to

give him all my soul, my body, and my sub

stance.

:

"In the year 1729, I began not only to read' but to study the Bible as the one, the only standard of truth, and the only model of pure religion. Hence I saw, in a clearer and a clearer light, the indispensable necessity of having the mind which was in Christ, and of walking as Christ also walked even of having, not some part only, but all the mind which was in him, and of walking as he walked, not only in many or in most respects, but in all things. And this was the light wherein at this time, I generally considered religion, as a uniform following of Christ, an entire inward and outward conformity to our Master. Nor was I afraid of any thing more, than of bending this rule to the experience of myself, or of other men of allowing in any the least disconformity to our grand Exemplar."

About this time a serious man, whom he had travelled many miles to see, said to him, “Sir, you wish to serve God and go to heaven. Remember you cannot serve him alone. You must therefore find companions, or make them: the Bible knows nothing of solitary religion." He never forgot this. Therefore on his return to the University, he first spoke to his brother, the late Mr. Charles Wesley, and afterwards to

Mr. Morgan, Mr. Hervey, Mr. Whitfield, and others. When they first began to meet they read divinity on the Sunday evenings, and on other nights the Greek and Latin classics. The summer following they began to visit the prisoners in the castle, and the sick poor in the town.

Such advantages accrued from this practice, that in the course of the next year two or three of Mr. John Wesley's pupils desired to be admitted members of this society, as did also a pupil of Mr. Charles Wesley. In these habits they continued till the year 1732, when they were joined by Mr. Ingham, of Queen's college, and Mr. Broughton, of Exeter. Mr. James Hervey was permitted about the same time to meet with them; and in the year 1735 the celebrated Mr. Whitfield was added to their number. They thought the Discipline of the Uni versity too relaxed, and be took themselves to fasting, devout conversation, private prayer, and meditation. They visited, prayed with, relieved, and religiously instructed the sick and prisoners. From their strict observance of the ordinances of the church, they were styled Methodists. Among these, Mr. John Wesley was a principal leader. He possessed considerable learning; and though not a vehement, yet a pleasing, persuasive, winning eloquence. Furnished, with these requisites, he naturally became popular. Much as reformation and the revival of true