Wesley Corpus

Another instance of his tenderness of conscience occurred when he was about seven years of age : He was one day reproved by the nursery-maid, saying, “You are a naughty boy. Do you not know, that the devil is to take away all naughty children?” He was no sooner in bed, than he began to reflect very deeply upon her words: He thought, “I am a naughty boy; and how do I know but God may let the devil take me away this night?” He then got up and wrestled with God in prayer for a considerable time; and he would not go to bed again till he believed God had forgiven him. 4. The following accounts Mr. Fletcher himself gave to Mr. Samuel Webb, of London, then residing at Madeley:-- “When I was a lad, I had a design to get some fruit out of my father's garden: The door being locked, I could not get in, but by climbing over the wall. This was very high; but with some difficulty I got to the top of it. As I was walking upon it, my foot slipped, and I fell down to the bottom. But just where I fell a large quantity of fresh made mortar was laid. I fell exactly upon it. This broke my fall, or it might have cost me my life. 5. “Once, as I was swimming by myself in a deep water, one end of a strong riband which bound my hair, getting loose I know not how, and twisting about my leg, tied me as it were neck and heels. I strove with all my strength to disengage myself; but it was to no purpose. No person being within call, I gave myself up for lost. But when I had given over struggling, the riband loosed of itself. 6. “Another instance of the tender care which God had over me was as follows:--One evening I and four young gentlemen, in high spirits, made a solemn agreement with each other to swim the next day to a rocky island, five miles distant from the shore. But this foolish adventure was within a very little of costing us all our lives. I and another indeed did with great difficulty and hazard swim to the island; but when we came thither, the rock was so steep and smooth, that we could not possibly climb up.