Susanna Wesley

TEACHING AND TRAINING. 41
his sister Anne was twelve months old ;
so that the
tale of his father's absence from home for a whole
year falls to the ground. The strength and tenacity of
Mrs. Wesley's political feelings is shown by passages in
her " Occasional Papers/' written two or three years
later. The country was at war, and the object of
Marlborough's campaigns was to break the power of
France, though there were some special pleaders
who declared that their end and aim was the preservation
of Protestantism.
" As for the security of
our religion/' she
" writes, I take that to be a still
more unjustifiable pretence for war than the other.
For, notwithstanding some men of a singular complexion
may persuade themselves, I am of opinion
that as our Saviour's Kingdom is not of this world,
so it is never lawful to take up arms merely in defence
It is like the presumption of Uzzah, who
of religion.
audaciously stretched out his hand to support the
tottering ark ;
which brings to mind those verses of
no ill poet :
In such a cause 'tis fatal to embark,
Like the bold Jew, that propped the falling ark ;
With an unlicensed hand he durst approach,
And, though to save, yet it was death to touch.
And truly the success of our arms hitherto has no
way justified our attempt ; but though God has not
much seemed to favour our enemies, yet neither hath
He altogether blest our forces. But though there is
there is
often many reasons given for an action, yet
commonly but one true reason that determines our
practice, and that, in this case, I take to be the securing
those that were the instruments of the Revolution
from the resentments of their angry master, and the
preventing his return and settling the succession in an