Abstract
As founder of the Methodist Church, John Wesley (1703-1791) is primarily known for his work as an evangelist and church organizer. Wesley was also a prolific publisher, however, who produced religious literature designed to edify Christians as well as educate them on a variety of topics. One of these publications was a multivolume natural philosophy text that discussed subjects now dispersed throughout diverse fields such as human physiology, biology, astronomy, and botany. First published in 1763, the Survey of the Wisdom of God in Creation, Or a Compendium of Natural Philosophy was written for a general audience and marketed by Wesley's preachers to Methodist Societies throughout Britain. After Wesley's death new editions of the Survey reflecting recent discoveries or updated theories continued to be produced by denominational publishing houses. The last edition was published in 1842.