"A common bounty may relieve distress,
"But whom the Vulgar succour, they oppress;
"This though a favour, is an honour too,
σε Though Mercy's duty, yet 'tis Merit's due;
"When our relief from such resources rise,
"All painful sense of obligation dies;
"And grateful feelings in the bosom wake,
"For 'tis their Offerings, not their Alms we take.

"Long may these founts of Charity remain, "And never shrink, but to be fill'd again; "True! to the Author they are now confin'd, "To him who gave the Treasures of his Mind, "His Time, his Health, and thankless found Mankind: "But there is hope that from these founts may flow "A side-way stream, and equal good bestow; "Good that may reach us, whom the day's distress "Keeps from the fame and perils of the Press : "Whom Study beckons from the Ills of Life, "And they from Study; melancholy strife! "Who then can say, but Bounty now so free, "And so diffus'd, may find its way to me?

"Yes! I may see my decent Table yet "Cheer'd with the Meal that adds not to my Debt; "May talk of those to whom so much we owe,

"And guess their names whom yet we may not know; "Blest we shall say are those who thus can give, "And next who thus upon the bounty live; "Then shall I close with thanks my humble Meal, "And feel so well-Oh! God! how I shall feel!"

LETTER IV.

SECTS AND PROFESSIONS IN RELIGION.

But cast your eyes again,

And view those errors which new Sects maintain,
Or which of old disturb'd the Churches' peaceful reign:
And we can point each period of the time,
When they began, and who begat the crime;
Can calculate how long th' eclipse endur'd;
Who interpos'd; what digits were obscur'd:
Of all which are already past away,

We knew the rise, the progress, and decay.

Dryden.-Hind and Panther, Part II.

Oh! said the Hind, how many sons have you,
Who call you mother, whom you never knew?
But most of them who that relation plead,
Are such ungracious youths as wish you dead;
They gape at rich revenues which you hold,
And fain would nibble at your grandame gold.

Hind and Fanther.

SECTS

Are numerous and successive.-General Effect of false Zeal.Deists.-Fanatical Idea of Church Reformers.-The Church of Rome.-Baptists.-Swedenburgeans.-Universalists.-Jews.

Methodists of two kinds; Calvinistic and Arminian.

The Preaching of a Calvinistic Enthusiast.-His Contempt of Learning. Dislike to sound Morality: Why.-His Idea of Conversion.-His Success and Pretensions to Humility.

The Arminian Teacher of the older Flock.-Their Notions of the Operations and Power of Satan.-Description of his Devices.Their Opinion of regular Ministers.-Comparison of these with the Preacher himself.-A Rebuke to his Hearers: introduces a Description of the powerful Effects of the Word in the early and awakening Days of Methodism.

LETTER IV.

SECTS AND PROFESSIONS IN RELIGION.

16

SECTS in Religion?"—Yes, of every race
We nurse some portion in our favour'd place;
Not one warm Preacher of one growing Sect
Can say our Borough treats him with neglect;
Frequent as Fashions, they with us appear,

And you might ask "how think we for the year?"
They come to us as Riders in a Trade,

And with much art exhibit and persuade.

Minds are for Sects of various kinds decreed,
As diff'rent Soils are form'd for diff'rent Seed;
Some when converted, sigh in sore amaze,
And some are wrapt in Joy's ecstatic blaze;
Others again will change to each extreme,
They know not why-as hurried in a dream;
Unstable they, like water, take all forms;

Are quick and stagnant; have their calms and storms;
High on the Hills, they in the sun-beams glow,
Then muddily they move debas'd and slow;
Or cold and frozen rest, and neither rise nor flow.

Yet none the cool and prudent Teacher prize, On him they doat who wakes their ecstasies;

}

With Passions ready prim'd such Guide they meet,
And warm and kindle with th' imparted heat;
"Tis he who wakes the nameless strong desire,
The melting rapture, and the glowing fire;
'Tis he who pierces deep the tortur'd breast,
And stirs the terrors, never more to rest.

Oppos'd to these we have a prouder kind,
Rash without heat and without raptures blind;
These our Glad Tidings unconcern'd peruse,

Search without awe and without fear refuse;

The Truths, the Blessings found in Sacred Writ,
Call forth their spleen, and exercise their wit;
Respect from these nor Saints nor Martyrs gain,
The Zeal they scorn, and they deride the Pain;
And take their transient, cool, contemptuous view,
Of that which must be tried, and doubtless-may be true.

Friends of our Faith we have, whom Doubts like these, And keen Remarks, and bold Objections please; They grant such Doubts have weaker Minds opprest, Till sound Conviction gave the Troubled rest.

"But still," they cry, (6 let none their censures spare, "They but confirm the glorious hopes we share; "From doubt, disdain, derision, scorn, and lies, "With five-fold triumph sacred Truth shall rise."

Yes! I allow, so Truth shall stand at last, And gain fresh glory by the conflict past :As Solway-Moss (a barren mass and cold, Death to the Seed and poison to the Fold,)