“But these are men who yield such bless'd relief, . " That with the grievance they destroy the grief; “ Their timely aid the needy sufferers find, “ Their generous manner soothes the suffering mind; “ Theirs is a gracious bounty, form’d to raise “ Him whom it aids; their charity is praise; “ A common bounty may relieve distress, “ But whom the vulgar succour, they oppress ; “ This though a favour, is an honour too, “ 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 confined, " To him who

gave

the treasure of his mind, “ His time, his health, and thankless found mankind : “ But there is hope that from these founts may flow “A sideway 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!

VOL. II.

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“ Who then can say, but bounty now so free, “ And so diffused, may find its way to me?

“ Yes! I may see my decent table yet “ Cheerd 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; “ Bless'd 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!"

THE BOROUGH.

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 endured ;
Who interposed; what digits were obscured ;
Of all which are already pass'd 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 Panther.

Sects and Professions in Religion are numerous and suc

cessive_General Effect of false Zeal-Deists-Fanatical Idea of Church Reformers—The Church of Rome-Bap

tists—Swedenborgians-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.

THE BOROUGH.

LETTER IV.

SECTS AND PROFESSIONS IN RELIGION.

“ 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;