47^ MEMOIRS OF JOHN WESLEr. June 29, 



Memoirs of the Reverend Mr. yohn Wejley. 

 John Wesley, one of the moft extraordinary characters 

 that ever exifted, whether we confider him as a various 

 and voluminous writer, a zealous and indefatigable 

 preacher, or the foumler of the mod numerous 

 fei^ in the Chriftian woild, was the Ton of ihe Reve- 

 jend Samuel Wcfley, reftor of Epworth in the ifle of 

 A:rholme, in Lincolnlliire, and was born in that village 

 in the year 1703. His veiy infancy was diftinguifned 

 by ati extraordinary incident. Tiie parfonage houfe at 

 Epworth Vw'as burnt to the ground, and the flames had 

 fpread with fuch rapidity that few things of value 

 could be faved. His mother, in a letter to her fon Sa- 

 muel Wefley then on the foundation at Wertminfler 

 fchool, thanks Ood that no lives were loft, although- 

 for fome time, they gave up Foor yacky, as fhe ex- 

 preffes herfelf ; for his father had twice attempted to 

 refcue the child, but was beaten back by the flames. 

 Finding all his efforts inefFeiflual, he ' rcfigned hirn to 

 divine providence.'' But parental tendernefs prevailed 

 over human fears, and Mr. Wefley once more attempt- 

 ed to fave his child. By fome means equally unex- 

 pefted and unaccountable, the boy got round to a win- 

 dow in the front of the houfe, and was taken out. by 

 one man's leaping on the fhoulders of another, and thus 

 wetting within his reach. Immediately on his refcue 

 from this very perilous fituntion, the roof fell in. — 

 This exlmordinary efcipe explains a certain device, \n 

 a print of Mr. John Wefley, engraved by Vertue, in 

 the year 1745, from a painting by Williams. It re- 

 prefents a houfe in flames, with this motto from the 

 propiiet, " Is he not a brand plucked out of the burn- 

 •' ing ?" Many have fuppofed this device to be mere- 

 ly enibleraatical of his ^zVi'/?/^/ rf(?/tW/-fl««. But froni 



