Wesley Corpus

X HE Rev. Charles Wesley was descended from a long line of learned and pious ances tors, who had the honour of being sufferers, in the different ages wherein they lived, for their steady adherence to their religious principles. His great-grandfather, Bartholomew Wes ley, John, son to him, and his maternal grand father the celebrated Samuel Annesley, LL. D. first cousin to Lord Annesley, Earl of Anglesea, were all ejected from their livings Dr. Samuel Annesley was one of the preachers at Whitehall ; but after them urder of the King he withdrew from all intercourse with the men in power, and attended solely to his parochial duties. He was Vicar of Cripplegate and Lecturer at St. Paul's. King Charles II. on his restoration re-appointed him to his living, but his enemies found means to eject him again. All parties acknow ledged his integrity. a 2 iv by the act ofuniformity, and enrolled amongst those illustrious names who chose rather to sacrifice every worldly advantage than vio late their conscience ; affording bright exam ples of heroic firmness and Christian resig nation, under the oppressions of a violent party and malicious enemies. ' His father, the Rev. SamuelWesley, quitted the Dissenters when a boy, from reading a de fence of the death of King Charles I. From a private academy he entered himself at Exeter College, Oxford, where by his erudition and abilities he" soon acquired academic honours, and maintained himself without the assistance of his friends on a slender stipend, till he ob tained orders and a curacy. His loyalty being so remarkable at such an age, he was strongly solicited by the party of James to support the measures of the court in favour of popery, with promises of high preferment. But he absolutely refused to read the declara tion ; and when surrounded by courtiers, sol diers, and informers, preached a bold and