10. Indeed the two latter points, irresistible grace and infallible perseverance, are the natural conscquence of the former, of the unconditional decree. For if God has eternally and absolutely decreed to save such and such persons, it follows, both that they cannot resist his saving grace, else they might niss of salvation, and that they cannot resist. So that in effect, the three questions come into one, "Is predestination absolute or conditional?" The Arminians believe, it is conditional: the Calvinists, that it is absolute. 11. Away then with all ambiguity! Away with all expressions which only puzzle the cause. Let honest men speak out, and not play with hard words, which they do not understand. And how can any man know what Arminius held, who has never read one page of his writings? Let no man bawl against Arminians, till he knows what the terms mean. And then he will know that Arminians and Calvinists are just upon a level.. And Arminians have as much right to be angry at Calvinists, as Calvinists have to be angry at Arminians. John Calvin was a pious, learned, sensible man : And so was James Harmens. Many Calvinists are pious, learned, sensible men: And so are many Arminians. Only the former hold absolute predestination, the latter, conditional. 12. One word more. Is it not the duty of every Arminian preacher, first, never in public or in private, to use the word Calvinist as a term of reproach; seeing it is neither better nor worse than calling names? A practice no more consistent with good sense, or good manners, than it is with christianity. Secondly, To do all that in him lies, to prevent his hearers from doing it, by shewing them the sin and folly of it? And is it not equally the duty of every Calvinist preacher, First, never in public or in private, in preaching or in conversation, to use the word Arminian as a term of reproach? Secondly, to do all that in him lies to prevent his hearers from doing it, by shewing them the sin and folly thereof? And that the more earnestly and diligently, if they have been accustomed so to do? Perhaps encouraged therein by his own example! The Arminian Methodists have several different sorts of societies, and likewise charitable institutions, of which we shall take notice as they lay in ́order, according to their seniority. The first of all these was called the Band Society, because they entered into it upon promises and engagements to abide by a certain number of rules. The design of our meeting, is to obey that comNo. 33. mand of God, Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. To this end, we intend, 1. To meet once a week, at the least. 2. To come punctually at the hour appointed, without some particular reason. 3. To begin, those of us who are present, exactly at the hour, with singing or prayer. 4. To speak each of us in order, freely and plainly the true state of our souls, with the faults we have committed in thought, word, or deed, and the temptations we have felt since our last meeting. 5. To end every meeting with prayer, suited to to the state of each person present. 6. To desire some person among us to speak his own state first, and then to ask the rest in order, as many and as searching questions as may be, con cerning their state, sins, and temptations. Some of the questions proposed to every one before he is admitted among us, may be to this effect. 1. Have you the forgiveness of your sins? 2. Have you peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ? 3. Have you the witness of God's spirit with your spirit, that you are a child of God? 4. Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart? 5. Has no sin, inward or outward, dominion: over you? 6. Do you desire to be told of your faults? 7. Do you desire to be told of all your faults, and that plain and home? 8. Do you desire, that every one of us should tell you, from time to time, whatsoever is in his heart concerning you? 9. Consider! Do you desire we should tell you whatsoever we think, whatsoever we fear, whatsoever we hear, concerning you? 10. Do you desire, that in doing this, we should come as close as possible, that we should cut to the quick, and search your heart to the bottom? 11. Is it your desire and design, to be on this. and all other occasions, entirely open, so as to speak every thing that is in your heart without exception, without disguise and without reserve? Any of the preceding questions may be asked as occasion may offer: the five following at every meeting: 1. What known sins have you committed since our last meeting? 2. What temptations have you met with? 3. How was you delivered? 9 I. 4. What 4. What have you thought, said, or done, of which you doubt whether it be sin or not? 5. Have you nothing you desire to keep secret? You are supposed to have the faith that overcometh the world. To you therefore it is not grievous, I. Carefully to abstain from doing evil: in particular, 1. Neither to buy or sell any thing at all on the Lord's Day. 2. To taste no spirituous liquor, no dram of any kind, unless prescribed by a physician. '3. To be at a word, both in buying and selling. 4. To pawn nothing, no, not to save life. 5. Not to mention the fault of any behind his back, and to stop those short that do. 6. To wear no needless ornaments, such as rings, ear-rings, necklaces, lace, ruffles. 7. To use no needless self-indulgence, such as taking snuff or tobacco, unless prescribed by a physician. II. Zealously to maintain good works; in particular, 1. To give alms of such things as you possess, and that to the utmost of your power. 2. To reprove all that sin in your sight, and that in love and meekness of wisdom. 3. To be patterns of diligence and frugality, of self-denial, and taking up the cross daily. III. Constantly to attend on all the ordinances of God: in particular, 1. To be at church, and at the Lord's table every week and at every public meeting of the bands. 2. To attend the ministry of the word every morning, unless distance, business, or sickness vent. true; and, indeed, there can remain little doubt of it, because, as the Methodists have many enemies, so if a falsehood was advanced in print, it would be no difficult matter to contradict it. The following Account of the Methodist School near Bristol, is thus related. 1. Our design is, with God's assistance, to train up children in every branch of useful learning. 2. We teach none but boarders. These are taken in, being between the years of six and twelve, in order to be taught Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, English, French, Latin, Greek, Hebrew; History, Geography, Chronology; Rhetoric, Logic, Ethics; Geometry, Algebra, Physics; Music. 2. The School contains eight classes: In the first class the children read instructions for children, and lessons for children; and begin learning to write. In the second class they read the manners of the ancient Christians, go on in writing, learn the short English grammar, the short Latin grammar, read Prælectiones Pueriles; translate them into English, and the instructions for children into Latin; part of which they transcribe and repeat. In the third class they read Dr. Cave's Primitive Christianity, go on in writing, perfect themselves in the English and Latin Grammar; read Corderii Colloquia Selecta and Historia Selecta; translate Historia Selectæ into English, and Lessons for Children into Latin: Part of which they transcribe and repeat. In the fourth class they read the Pilgrim's Progress, perfect themselves in writing; learn Dilpre-worth's arithmetic: read Castellio's Kempis and Cornelius Nepos: translate Castellio into English, and manners of the ancient Christians into Latin; transcribe and repeat select portions of moral and sacred poems. 3. To use private prayer every day, and family prayer, if you are the head of a family. 4. To read the scripture, and meditate thereon, at every vacant hour. And, 5. To observe, as days of fasting or abstinence, all Fridays in the year. It is in general a maxim in morals, that there can be no existence of religion without knowledge, and knowledge must be acquired by education, by instructions from those advanced in years, and by conversation with the world. By the world, we mean those people who have a great deal of human knowledge, and behold human nature operating in practice. We shall take it for granted, that what Mr. Wesley says concerning his own schools is In the fifth class they read the life of Mr. Haliburton, perfect themselves in arithmetic; read select dialogues of Erasmus, Phædrus and Sallust: translate Erasmus into English, and Primitive Christianity into Latin; transcribe and repeat select portions of moral and sacred poems. In the sixth class they read the life of Mr. De Renty, and Kennet's Roman Antiquities: they learn Randal's geography: read Cæsar, select parts of Terence and Velleius Paterculus; translate Erasmus into English, and the life of Mr. Haliburton into Latin: Latin: transcribe and repeat select portions of sacred hymns and poems. In the seventh class they read Mr. Law's Christian Perfection, and archbishop Potter's Greek Antiquities: They learn Bengelii Introductio ad Chronologiam, with Marsuan's Chronoligical Tables: read Tully's Offices and Virgil's Eneid: translate Bengelius into English, and Mr. Law into Latin : Learn, those who have a turn for it, to make verses, and the short Greek Granfmar: read the epistles of St. John: transcribe and repeat select portions of Milton. In the eighth class they read Mr. Law's Serious Call, and Lewis's Hebrew Antiquities: They learn. to make themes and to declaim: Learn Vossius's Rhetoric: Read Tully's Tusculan Questions, and and Selecta ex Ovidio, Virgilio, Horatio; Juvenale, Persio, Martiale: Perfect themselves in the Greek Grammar: Read the Gospels and Six Books of Homer's Iliad: Translate Tully into English, and Mr. Law into Latin: Learn the short Hebrew Grammar, and read Genesis: Transcribe and repeat Selecta ex Virgilio, Horatio, Juvenale. 4. It is our particular desire, That all who are educated here, may be brought up in the fear of God: And at the utmost distance as far from vice in general, so in particular from idleness and effeminacy. The children therefore of tender parents, so called, (who are indeed offering up their sons and their daughters unto devils) have no business here; for the rules will not be broken in favour of any person whatsoever. Nor is any child received unless his parents agree, 1. That he shall observe all the rules of the house, and 2. That they will not take him from school, no, not a day, till they take him for good and all. 5. The general rules of the house are these: First, The children rise at four, winter and summer, and spend the time till five in private: Partly in reading, partly in singing, partly in self-examination or meditation, (if capable of it) and partly in prayer. They at first use a short form (which is varied continually) and then pray in their own words. Secondly, At five they all meet together. From six they work till breakfast. For as we have no play-days (the school being taught every day in the year but Sunday) so neither do we allow any time for play on any day. He that plays when he is a child, will play when he is a man. On fair days they work, according to their strength in the garden; on rainy days in the house. Some of them also learn music: And some of the larger will be employed in philosophical experiments. But particular care is taken that they never work alone, but always in the presence of a master. We have three masters; one for teaching reading, and two for the languages. Thirdly, The school begins at seven, in which languages are taught till nine, and then writing, &c. till eleven. At eleven the children walk or work. At twelve they dine, and then work or sing till one. They diet nearly thus; Breakfast, Milk-porridge and water-gruel, by turns. Dinner, Sunday, cold roast beef: Monday, Hashed meat and apple-dumplings : Wednesday, vegetables and dumplings: Friday, vegetables and dumplings. And so in Lent: Saturday, bacon and greens, apple-dumplings. They drink water at meals; nothing between meals. On Friday, if they chuse it, they fast till three in the afternoon. Experience shews, this is so far from imparing health, that it greatly conduces to it. Fourthly, from one to four languages are taught, and then writing, &c. till five. At five begins the hour of private prayer. From six they walk or work till supper. A little before seven the public service begins. At eight they go to bed, the youngest first. Fifthly, They used to lodge all in one room, but now in two, in which lamps burn all night. Every child lies by himself. A master lies at each end of the room. All their beds have mattrasses on them, not feather-beds. Sixthly, on Sunday, at six they dress and. breakfast; at seven, learn hymns or poems; at nine, attend the public service; at twelve, dine and sing; at two attend the public service, and at four are privately instructed. The Second Class. M. 7. Read The Manners of the Ancient Christians. 8. Learn the English Grammar: When that is ended, the Latin Grammar. 10. Learn to write. A. 1. Learn to construe and parse Prælectiones 4. Translate into English and Latin alternately. The Third Class. M. 7. Read Primitive Christianity. 8. Repeat English and Latin Grammar alternately. 9. Learn Corderius, and when that is ended, Historia Selectæ. 10. Write. A. 1. Learn Corderius and Historia Selectæ. 4. Translate. The Fourth Class. M. 7. Read the Pilgrim's Progress. 8. Repeat the Grammar. 9. Learn Castellio's Kempis, and when that is ended, Cornelius Nepos. 10. Write and learn Arithmetic. A. 1. Learn Kempis and Cornelius Nepos.. 4. Translate. The Fifth Class.. M. 6. Read Mr. Haliburton's Life. 8. Repeat the Grammars. All the other classes spend Saturday afternoon in arithmetic, and in transcribing what they learn. on Sunday, and repeat on Monday morning. The price for the board and teaching of a child,including his books, pens, ink and paper, is fourteen pounds a year, while he is in the school; 9. Learn Erasmus; afterwards Phædrus: then after he has gone through the school, twenty, and Sallust. 10. Learn Arithmetic. A. 1. Learn Erasmus, Phædrus, Sallust.. 4. Translate. he is then to find his own books.. The following method is to be observed by thosewho design to go through a course of academical learning. The Sixth Class. M. 7. Read Mr. Renty's Life. 8. Repeat the Grammars. 9. Learn Cæsar; afterwards Terence; then Velleius Paterculus. 10. Learn Geography. FIRST YEAR. Whoever carefully goes through this course, will be a better scholar than nine in ten of the duates at Oxford or Cambridge. gra The only remarks we would make on this plan of education is, that it is far from being a bad one, but some of the books are not well chosen, because they clash with each other in sentiment. It is true, that learning cannot be acquired properly without hearing both sides of the argument; but this would be much better in riper years, than when people are unacquainted with knowledge. As for their Love-feasts, we shall only observe that something of a similar nature was observed in the primitive times; but that arose from motives of necessity, when the poor slaves who had been converted to the Christian religion, were entertained at the public expence. At present there can be no necessity for any such thing, because those who seek to relieve the poor, may do it at their own homes. They are very free in inviting strangers to their Love-feasts, where they eat a biscuit or bun, drink a glass of water, and sing about half a score of hymns. The whole expence for buns, water, and hymns, is one shilling each person; and we are credibly informed, that five-hundred shillings are given in one night. What becomes of all this money, we shall not take upon us to say; but certain it is, that it is not all given to the poor. And we have reason to believe, and really know it, that many assignations are made at these meetings. 9 K They |