pedibus incedens, circumpositas veniebat ad villas, et viam veritatis prædicabat errantibus; quod ipsum etiam Boisil suo tempore facere consueverat. Erat quippe moris eo tempore populis Anglorum, ut veniente in villam clerico vel presbytero, cuncti ad ejus imperium, verbum audituri confluerent, libenter ea quæ dicerentur audirent, libentius ea quæ audire et intelligere poterant operando sequerentur.-Solebat autem ea maxime loca peragrare, et illis prædicare in viculis, qui in arduis asperisque montibus procul positi, aliis horrori erant ad visendum, et paupertate pariter ac rusticitate sua doctorum prohibebant accessum: quos tamen ille, pio libenter mancipatus labori, tanta doctrinæ excolebat industria, ut de monasterio egrediens, sæpe hebdomada integra, aliquando duabus vel tribus, nonnunquam etiam mense pleno domum non rediret : sed demoratus in montanis, plebem rusticam verbo prædicationis simul et exemplo virtutis ad cœlestia vocaret. Beda, 1. 4. c. 27.

St. Chad used to itinerate on foot. "Consecratus ergo in episcopatum Ceadda, maximum mox cœpit Ecclesiasticæ veritati et castitati curam impendere; humilitati, continentiæ, lectioni operam dare; oppida, rara, casas, vicos, castella, propter evangelizandum non equitando, sed Apostolorum m re pedibus incedendo peragrare. (Beda. 1. 3. c. 28.) In this he followed the example of his master Aidan, till the primate compelled him to ride: Et quia moris erat eidem reverendissimo antistiti opus Evangelii magis ambulando per loca, quam equitando perficere, jussit eum Theodorus, ubicumque longius iter instaret, equitare; multumque renitentem studio et amore pii laboris, ipse eum manu sua levavit in equum; quia nimirum sanctum virum esse comperit, atque equo vehi quo esset necesse, compulit.-Beda. I. 4. c. 3.

NOTE XVII. Page 156.

The Select Bands.

"THE utility of these meetings appears from the following considerations. St. John divides the followers of God into three classes, (1 St. John, ii. 12.) St. Paul exhorts ministers to give every one his portion of meat in due season. And there were some things which our Lord did not make known to his disciples till after his ascension, when they were prepared for them by the descent of the Holy Ghost. These meetings give the preachers an opportunity of speaking of the deep things of God, and of exhorting the members to press after the full image of God. They also form a bulwark to the doctrine of Christian perfection. It is a pity that so few of the people embrace this privilege, and that every preacher does not warmly espouse such profitable meetings."-Myles's Chronological History of the Methodists, p. 34.

The following letter upon this subject (transcribed from the original, which was written by Mr. Wesley a few weeks only before his death) shows how easily a select society was disturbed by puzzling questions concerning the perfection which the members professed.

"To Mr. Edward Lewly, Birmingham.

66 My Dear Brother,

London, Jan. 12, 1791.

"I Do not believe a single person in your select society scruples saying,

Every moment Lord I need
The merit of thy death.

This is clearly determined in the "Thoughts upon Perfection." But who expects common people to speak accurately? And how easy is it to entangle them in their talk! I am afraid some have done this already. A man that is not a thorough friend to Christian Perfection will easily puzzle others, and thereby weaken, if not destroy any select society. I doubt this has been the case with you. That society was in a lively state, and well united together, when I was last at Birmingham. My health has been better for a few days than it has been for several months. Peace be with all your spirits. I am your affectionate Brother,

"J. WESLEY."

NOTE XVIII. Page 162.
Psalmody.

"ABOUT this time, David's Psalms were translated into English metre, and (if not publicly commanded) generally permitted to be sung in all churches.

The work was performed by Thomas Sternhold, (an Hampshire man, esquite, and of the privy chamber to King Edward the Sixth, who for his part translated thirty-seven selected psalms,) John Hopkins, Robert Wisedome, &c., men, whose piety was better than their poetry; and they had drank more of Jordan than of Helicon. These Psalms were therefore translated, to make them more portable in people's memories, (verses being twice as light as the self-same bulk in prose,) as also to raise men's affections, the better to enable them to practise the Apostle's precept, 'Is any merry? let him sing psalms.' Yet this work met afterwards with some frowns in the faces of great clergymen, who were rather contented, than well pleased, with the singing of them in churches. I will not say, because they misliked so much liberty should be allowed the laity (Rome only can be guilty of so great envy) as to sing in churches: rather, because they conceived these singing-psalms erected in conviviality and opposition to the reading-psalms, which were formerly sung in cathedral churches: or else, the child was disliked for the mother's sake; because, such translators, though branched hither, had their root in Geneva.

Since, later men have vented their just exceptions against the baldness of the translation, so that sometimes they make the Maker of the tongue to speak little better than barbarism; and have in many verses such poor rhyme, that two bammers on a smith's anvil would make better music. Whilst others (rather to excuse it, than defend it) do plead, that English poetry was then in the non-age, not to say, infancy thereof; and that, match these verses for their age, they shall go abreast with the best poems of those times. Some, in favour of the translators, allege, that to be curious therein, and over-descanting with wit, had not become the plain song, and simplicity of an holy style. But these must know, there is great difference between painting a face and not washing it.Many since have far refined these translations, but yet their labours therein never generally received in the church; principally, because un-book-learned people have conned by heart, many psalms of the old translation, which would be wholly disinherited of their patrimony, if a new edition were set forth.— However, it is desired, and expected by moderate men, that, though the fabric stand unremoved for the main, yet some bad contrivance therein may be mended, and the bald rhymes in some places get a new nap, which would not much discompose the memory of the people."-Fuller's Church History, Cent. XVI. book vii. p. 406.

In a letter of Jewel's, written in 1560, he says, "that a change appeared now more visible among the people. Nothing promoted it more than the inviting the people to sing psalms. That was begun in one church in London, and did quickly spread itself, not only through the city, but in the neighbouring places. Sometimes at Paul's Cross there will be six thousand people singing together. This was very grievous to the Papists.”—Burnet's Reformation, part iii. p. 290.

"There are two things," says Wesley, "in all modern pieces of music, which I could never reconcile to common sense. One is, singing the same words ten times over; the other, singing different word's by different persons, at one and the same time; and this in the most solemn addresses to God, whether by way of prayer or of thanksgiving. This can never be defended by all the musicians in Europe, till reason is quite out of date."-Journal, xiii. p. 56.

And again, officiating in the church at Neath, he says: "I was greatly disgusted at the manner of singing. First, Twelve or fourteen persons kept it to themselves and quite shut out the congregation. Secondly, These repeated the same words, contrary to all sense and reason, six, eight, or ten times over. Thirdly, According to the shocking custom of modern music, different persons sung different words at one and the same moment-an intolerable insult on common sense, and utterly incompatible with any devotion.”—Journal, xv. p. 24.

"From the first and apostolical age, singing was always a part of divine service, in which the whole body of the church joined together; which is a thing so evident, that though Cabassutius denies it, and in his spite to the reformed churches, where it is generally practised, calls it only a protestant whim; yet Cardinal Bona has more than once not only confessed, but solidly proved it to have been the primitive practice. The decay of this first brought the order of psalmista or singers into the church. For when it was found by experience, that the negligence and unskilfulness of the people rendered them unfit to perform this service, without some more curious and skilful to guide and assist them, then a peculiar order of men were appointed and set over this business, with a

design to retrieve and improve the ancient psalmody, and not to abolish or destroy it.”—Bingham, b. iii. c. 7. § 2.

Whitefield was censured once for having some of his hymus set to profane music, and he is said to have replied, “Would you have the devil keep all the good tunes to himself?"

NOTE XIX. Page 163.

Service of the Methodists.

MR. WESLEY prided himself upon the decency of worship in his chapels. He says: "The longer I am absent from London, and the more I attend the service of the church in other places, the more I am convinced of the unspeakable advantage which the people called Methodists enjoy. I mean, even with regard to public worship, particularly on the Lord's Day. The church where they assemble is not gay or splendid; which might be an hindrance on the one hand: ner sordid or dirty, which might give distaste on the other; but plain as well as clean. The persons who assemble there are not a gay, giddy crowd, who come chiefly to see and be seen; nor a company of goodly, formal, outside Christians, whose religion lies in a dull round of duties; but a people, most of whom know, and the rest earnestly seek to worship God in spirit and in truth. Accordingly, they do not spend their time there in bowing and curtseying, or in staring about them: but in looking upward and looking inward, in hearkening to the voice of God, and pouring out their hearts before him.

"It is also no small advantage that the person who reads prayers (though not always the same) yet is always one, who may be supposed to speak from his heart; one whose life is no reproach to his profession; and one who performs that solemn part of divine service, not in a careless, hurrying, slovenly manner, but seriously and slowly, as becomes him who is transacting so high an affair between God and man.

"Nor are their solemn addresses to God interrupted either by the formal drawl of a parish clerk, the screaming of boys, who bawl out what they neither feel or understand, or the unreasonable and unmeaning impertinence of a voluntary on the organ. When it is seasonable to sing praise to God, they do it with the spirit, and with the understanding also: not in the miserable, scandalous, doggrel of Hopkins and Sternhold, but in psalms and hymns which are both sense and poetry; such as would sooner provoke a critic to turn Christian, than a Christian to turn critic. What they sing is, therefore, a proper continuation of the spiritual and reasonable service; being selected for that end, (not by a poor hum-drum wretch, who can scarce read what he drones out with such an air of importance, but,) by one who knows what he is about, and how to connect the preceding with the following part of the service: nor does he take just two staves, but more or less as may best raise the soul to God, especially when sung in well composed and well adapted tunes; not by a handful of wild unawakened striplings, but by a whole serious congregation; and then not lolling at ease, or in the indecent posture of sitting, drawling out one word after another, but all standing before God, and praising him lustily, and with a good courage."

NOTE XX. Page 174.

Strong feelings expressed with levity.

FULLER relates a remarkable example of this:-" When worthy master Samuel Hern, famous for his living, preaching, and writing, lay on his death bed, (rich only in goodness and children,) his wife made much womanish lanentation what should hereafter become of her little ones. Peace, sweetheart,' said he; that God who feedeth the ravens will not starve the Herns. A speech, censured as light by some, observed by others as prophetical, as indeed it came to pass that they were well disposed of."-Fuller's Good Thoughts.

NOTE XXI. Page 186.
Methodism in Scotland.

THE Methodists thus explain the cause of their failure in that country :---There certainly is a very wide difference between the people of Scotland, and the inhabitants of England. The former have, from their earliest years, been accustomed to hear the leading truths of the Gospel, mixed with Calvinism, còn.

stantly preached, so that the truths are become quite familiar to them; but, ia general, they know little or nothing of Christian experience; and genuine religion, or the life and power of godliness, is in a very low state in that country. I am fully satisfied that it requires a far higher degree of the Divine influence, generally speaking, to awaken a Scotchman out of the dead sleep of sin, than an Englishman. So greatly are they bigoted to their own opinions, their mode of church government, and way of worship, that it does not appear probable, that our preachers will ever be of much use to that people and, in my opinion, except those who are sent to Scotland exceed their own ministers in heart-searching, experimental preaching, closely applying the truth to the consciences of the hearers, they may as well never go thither."-Pawson.

NOTE XXII. Page 188.

Effects of the Reformation upon Ireland.

"IRELAND, and especiallic the ruder part, is not stored with such learned men as Germanie is. If they had sound preachers, and sincere livers, that by the imbalming of their carian soules with the sweet and sacred flowers of holie writ, would instruct them in the feare of God, in obeieng their princes, in observing the lawes, in underpropping in ech man his vocation the weale publike; I doubt not but, within two or three ages, M. Critabolus his heires should heare so good a report run of the reformation of Ireland, as it would be reckoned as civill as the best part of Germanie. Let the soile be as fertile and betle as anie would wish, yet if the husbandman will not manure it, sometime plow and eare it, sometime harrow it, sometime till it, sometime marle it, sometime delve it, sometime dig it, and sow it with good and sound corne, it will bring foorth weeds, bind-corne, cockle, darnell, brambles, briers, and sundrie wild shoots. So it fareth with the rude inhabitants of Ireland; they lacke universities; they want instructors; they are destitute of teachers; they are without preachers; they are devoid of all such necessaries as apperteine to the training up of youth: and, notwithstanding all these wants, if anie would be so frowardlie set as to require them to use such civilitie, as other regions, that are sufficientlie furnished with the like helps, he might be accounted as unreasonable as he that would force a creeple that Jacketh both his legs to run, or one to pipe or whistle a galiard that wanteth his upper lip."-Stanihurst, in Holinshed's Chronicles, vol. vi. p. 14.

The ecclesiastical state of Ireland in 1576, is thus described by John Vowell alias Hooker, the Chronicler :-"The temples all ruined, the parish-churches, for the most part, without curates and pastors, no service said, no God honoured, nor Christ preached, nor sacraments ministered: many were born which never were christened: the patrimony of the church wasted, and the lands embezzled. A lamentable case, for a more deformed and a more overthrown Church there could not be among Christians."—Holinshed's Chronicles, vol. vi. p. 382.

"The Kernes, or natural wild Irish, (and many of the better sort of the nation also.) either adhere unto the Pope, or their own superstitious fancies, as in former times. And, to say truth, it is no wonder that they should, there being no care taken to instruct them in the Protestant religion, either by translating the Bible, or the English Liturgy, into their own language, as was done in Wales; but forcing them to come to church to the English service, which the people understand no more than they do the mass. By means whereof, the Irish are not only kept in continual ignorance, as to the doctrine and devotions of the Church of England, and others of the Protestant churches, but those of Rome are furnished with an excellent argument for having the service of the church in a language which the common hearers do not understand. And, therefore, I do heartily commend it to the care of the State (when these distempers are composed) to provide that they may have the Bible, and all other public means of Christian instruction, in their natural tongue."-Heylyn's Cosmography, p. 341.

I transcribe from the "Letters of Yorick," (Dublin, 1817,) this "description of a parish in the county of Waterford :"-" Kilbarry is a lay impropriation. Mr. Fox, of Bramham Hall, Yorkshire, the patron and proprietor, maintains no curate, nor any other service than that of the occasional duties, for which he allows 31. 16s. 3d. per annum. The lauds are set tithe-free. There is but one Protestant family in the parish, Mr. Carew's, of Ballinamona. The church is in ruins, but is accommodated with a church yard."

NOTE XXIII. Page 182.

Wesley's political Conduct.

IN a letter written in 1782, Mr. Wesley says, "Two or three years ago, when the kingdom was in imminent danger, I made an offer to the Government of raising some men. The Secretary of War, by the King's order, wrote me word that it was not necessary but if it ever should be necessary, His Majesty would let me know.' I never renewed the offer, and never intended it. But Captain Webb, without my knowing any thing of the matter, went to Colonel B. the new Secretary of War, and renewed that offer. The Colonel (I verily believe to avoid his importunity) asked him how many men he could raise? But the Colonel is out of place; so the thing is at an end."

NOTE XXIV. Page 221.

Wesley's Separation from his Wife.

THE separation between Mr. and Mrs. Wesley is represented by all his biographers as final. Yet, in his journal for the ensuing year, 1772, she is mentioned as travelling with him: Tuesday, June 30. Calling at a little inn on the moors, I spoke a few words to an old man there, as my wife did to the woman of the house. They both appeared to be deeply affected. Perhaps Providence sent us to this house for the sake of those two poor souls."

NOTE XXV. Page 263.
Trevecca.

THE following curious account of a society instituted partly in imitation of Lady Huntingdon's College, is taken from the preface to a tract entitled "The Pre-existence of Souls, and Universal Restitution considered as Scripture Doctrines. Extracted from the Minutes and Correspondence of Burnham Society." Taunton, 1798. The editor was a singular person, whose name was Locke. Mr. Wesley used to preach in the Society's room in the course of his travelling; and Mr. Fletcher, John Henderson, Sir Richard Hill, and the Rev. Sir George Stonhouse were among the corresponding members.

"The small college, or rather large school, established at Trevecca, in Wales, for the maintenance and education of pious young men, of different religious sentiments, suggested the idea of constituting a religious society at Burnham, in the county of Somerset, upon a similar plan, with regard to the difference of opinion. It was intended to ensure to its members not only all the advantages enjoyed by common benefit-clubs, from their weekly contributions, but to raise a fund sufficient to enable those who attended the monthly meetings to enjoy all the pleasures of one of Addison's Social Convivial Societies, subject, however, to a heavy fine for drinking to excess, because the entertainment was to be conducted upon the principles of a primitive Love-Feast, which was to enjoy all things in common.

"As the first or chief business of this society was to study philosophy and polemic divinity, and debate on the difference of religious opinions, in brotherly love; so ancient and modern controversy was to be introduced, and, of course, candidates, of any religious denomination, admitted as members of this philosophical society. But in order that religious controversy should not operate as a check upon the general good humour of the members, all personal reflections or invectives, tart or sour expressions, harsh severe speeches, with every other impropriety of conduct, either by word, look, or gesture, contrary to patience, meekness, and humility, were punishable by fines and penalties; and for noncompliance, the delinquents were either to be sent to Coventry, or excluded.

"The resolution entered into of living in brotherly love, in the same manner as we conceive angels would live, were they to sojourn with men, and the liberal and rational plan upon which this society was founded, gathered to it upwards of five hundred members; upon which a resolution was made, that no spe ker should harangue more than five minutes at one time, supposing any other member arose to speak. Hence arose the necessity for disputants to con. clude their debates in writing, with references to authors, who had written upon

Lady Huntingdon, the founder, leaned to the Supralapsarians; the Rev. Walter Shirley, the president, to the Sublapsarians; the Rev. John Fletcher, the superintendent master, defended the Arminian tenets of John Wesley; and John Henderson, teacher of the higher classics, was an Universalist, after Stonhouse.