John Wesley

A SCHEME OF SELF-EXAMINATION USED BY THE FIRST METHODISTS IN OXFORD.

Sunday.—Love of God and Simplicity: Means of which are

Prayer and Meditation.

1. Have I been simple and recollected in everything I said or did? Have I (I) been simple in everything, that is, looked upon God, my Good, my Pattern, my one Desire, my Disposer, Parent of Good; acted wholly for Him; bounded my views with the present action or hour? (2) Recollected? that is, has this simple v/ew been distinct and uninterrupted? Have I, in order to keep it so, used the signs agreed upon With my friends, wherever I was? Have I done anything without a previous perception of its being the will of God? Or without a perception of its being an exercise or a means of the virtue of the day? Have I said anything without it?

    2. Have I prayed with fervour? at going in and out of church? in the church? morning and evening in private? Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with my friends, at rising? before lying down? on Saturday noon? all the time I am engaged in exterior work in private? before I go into the place of public or private prayer, for help therein? Have I, wherever I was, gone to church morning and evening, unless for necessary mercy? and spent from one hour to three in private? Have I, in private prayer, frequently stopped short and observed what fervour? Have I repeated it over and over, till I adverted to every word? Have I at the beginning of every prayer or paragraph owned I cannot pray? Have I paused before I concluded in His name, and adverted to my Saviour now interceding or me at the right hand of God, and offering up these prayers?

    3. Have I duly used ejaculations? that is, have I every hour Prayed for humility, faith, hope, love, and the particular virtue of the day? Considered with whom I was the last hour, what I did, and how? with regard to recollection, love of man, humility, self-denial, resignation, thankfulness? considered the next hour in the same respects, offered up all I do to my Redeemer, begged his assistance in every particular, and commended my soul to His keeping? Have I done this deliberately, not in haste, seriously, not doing anything else the while, and fervently as I could?

    4. Have I duly prayed for the virtue of the day? that is, have I prayed for it at going out and coming in? deliberately, seriously, fervently?

    5. Have I used a Collect at nine, twelve, and three? and grace before and after eating? aloud at my own room? deliberately, seriously, fervently?

    6. Have I duly meditated? every day, unless for necessary mercy, (1) From six, etc., to prayers? (2) From four to five? What was particular in the providence of this day? How ought the virtue of the day to have been exerted upon it? How did it fall short? (Here faults.) (3) On Sunday, from six to seven, with Kempis? from three to four on redemption, or God’s attributes? Wednesday and Friday, from twelve to one, on the Passion? after ending a book, on what I had marked in it?

    Monday.—Love of Man.

    1.Have I been zealous to do, and active in doing, good? that is,

    (1) Have I embraced every probable opportunity of doing good, and preventing, removing, or lessening evil?

    (2) Have I pursued it with my might?

    (3) Have I thought any thing too dear to part with, to serve my neighbour?

    (4) Have I spent an hour at least every day in speaking to some one or other?

    (5) Have I given any one up till he expressly renounced me?

    (6) Have I, before I spoke to any, learned, as far as I could, his temper, way of thinking, past life, and peculiar hindrance internal and external? fixed the point to be aimed at? then the means to it?

    (7) Have I in speaking proposed the motives, then the difficulties, then balanced them, then exhorted him to consider both calmly and deeply,’ and to pray earnestly for help?

    (8) Have I in speaking to a stranger explained what religion is not? (not negative, not external) and what it is? (a recovery of the image of God) searched at what’ Step in it he Stops, and what makes him stop there? exhorted and directed him?

    (9) Have I persuaded all I could to attend public prayers, sermons and sacraments, and, in general, to obey the laws of the Church Catholic, the Church of England, the State, the University and their respective colleges?

    (10) Have I, when taxed with any act of disobedience avowed it, and turned the attack with sweetness and firing.

    (11) Have I disputed upon any practical point, unless it was to be practised just then?

    (12) Have I, in disputing,

    (i.)Desired him to define the terms of the question; to limit it; what he grants, what denies?

    (ii.) Delayed speaking opinion? let him explain and prove his? then insinuated and pressed objections?

    (13) Have I after every visit asked him who went with me, ‘Did I say anything wrong?’

    (14) Have I, when any one asked advice, directed and exhorted him with all my power?

    2. Have I rejoiced with and for my neighbour in virtue or pleasure? grieved with him in pain, for him in sin?

    3. Have I received his infirmities with pity, not anger?

    4. Have I thought or spoke unkindly of or to him? Have I revealed any evil of any one, unless it was necessary to some particular good I had in view ? Have I then done it with all the tenderness of phrase and manner consistent with that end? Have I anyway appeared to approve them that did otherwise?

    5. Has goodwill been, and appeared to be, the spring of all my actions towards others?

    6. Have I duly used intercession?

    (1) Before,

    (2) After, speaking to any ?

    (3) For my friends on Sunday?

    (4) For my pupils on Monday?

    (5) For those; who have particularly desired it, on Wednesday and Friday ?

    (6) For the family in which I am, every day?