Who squanders all his time and treasures, And courtly arts, too low to mention. In sleep, and dress, and sport, and play, But takes from leading Beaux the ton; He on the rif-raf crowd looks down: Taught by the Great his smiles to sell, And lives an ape, and dies a fool! Had Mr. Charles Wesley engaged in the higher walks of verse, there is no doubt but he would have been esteemed a considerable poet, even by those who now despise his hymns. He chose the most excellent way-the writing of hymns for the instruction and edification of the many, rather than devote all his life in attempts to please the fancy of the few. Some of his hymns are certainly among the best pieces in that species of composition. The following hymn has, through mistake, been attributed to his brother. Written Written after a Riot. "Ye simple souls that stray To life and happiness ;) Madness and misery Ye count our life beneath; Poor pensive sojourners, O'erwhelmed with griefs and woes, And pleasure's mortal foes; More irksome than a gaping tomb So wretched and obscure, Can witness better things; For he whose blood is all our boast, VOL. I. A a Riches Riches unsearchable In Jesus' love we know, Of wisdom, grace, and power; Angels our servants are, And keep in all our ways, Our guardians to that heavenly bliss, And Jesus is our Friend. With him we walk in white, Mr. Charles Wesley wrote short hymns on the most important passages in the Old and New Testament. In these he has expressed his opinion, on the leading doctrines of the Gospel, with energy and beauty. The The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed. Matt. xiii. 31. "A grain of grace may we not see This moment, and the next a tree? Or must we patiently attend, Our Lord declares it must be so; And striking deep our root, we grow, Till Christ transplant us to the skies." The following comment on a much disputed passage shews his humanity and benevolence. To-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me. 1 Sam. xxviii. 19. "What do these solemn words portend? Not in a state of hellish pain, If Saul with Samuel doth remain, THE LIFE OF THE. Reverend John Wesley. BOOK THE SECOND. CHAPTER I. Giving some Account of Mr. John Wesley, from his Birth to the Year 1729. WHEN we view Mr. Wesley rising into public notice, from the bosom of a family which had long been venerable for christian knowledge and piety, the mind feels a degree of prepossession in his favour, and our expectation is raised of something great and good from him. As we proceed to examine his education, and the principles instilled into his mind, at an early period of life, we shall see a solid foundation laid of sound knowledge and genuine piety. But that every one may judge for himself in this matter, we shall endeavour to trace, step by step, the circumstances of his early life, during the period mentioned in this chapter. He |