because he was appointed to assist Mr. Wesley in the government of the societies, and in his absence to enforce the rules, and direct every part of the discipline in the same manner Mr. Wesley would have done, had he been present.

Every member of the society was obliged to meet in class. But those, who, being justified by faith, had peace with God, and the love of God shed abroad in their hearts, were again divided into smaller companies, called Bands; the men and women ` apart. Each band had a person called the leader, who met the little company once a week, and also received a small contribution for the poor. At the quarterly visitation, when the tickets were changed, these persons received a ticket with a b. printed upon it, signifying that they met in band. These are called band-tickets, and admit those who hold them into the meetings where the bands alone are assembled. The following are the

DIRECTIONS given to the BAND SOCIETIES.

"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 liquors, 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. 6. To wear no needless ornaments, such as rings, ear-rings, necklaces, lace, ruffles. 7. To use no needless selfindulgence,

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 uttermost 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 public ministry of the word every morning,* unless distance, business, or sickness prevent. 3. To use private prayer every day and family prayer, if you are the head of a family. 4. To read the scriptures, and meditate therein, at every vacant hour. And, 5. To observe, as days of fasting and abstinence, all Fridays in the year."

On his return from Newcastle, Mr. Wesley again visited Wednesbury, where he found the society already increased to several hundreds. But a cloud was gathering over them which threatened a dreadful storm. The Sunday following the scene began to open. "I think (says Mr. Wesley) I never heard so wicked a sermon, and delivered with such bitterness of voice and manner, as that which Mr. Egginton preached in the afternoon. I knew what effect this must have in a little time, and therefore judged it expedient to prepare the poor people for what was to follow, that when it came, they might not be offended. Accordingly, I strongly enforced those words

of

This was always at five o'clock, winter and summer, in all kinds of weather.

of our Lord, If any man come after me, and hate not his father and mother-yea, and his own life, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple."

Having visited Bristol, and Wales, he returned to London; and May 29, began to officiate at the chapel in West-street, near the Seven-Dials; built about sixty years before, by the French Protestants. By a strange chain of providences, a lease was obtained of this chapel, and the Methodists continue to hold it to the present time.

At this period Mr. Wesley staid but a short time in any place; he was, what the Reverend Mr. Lewis, of Holt, some time after called him, an individuum vagum, a mere wanderer; for purposes however, which appeared to him of the utmost importance to the happiness of men. After having visited the classes, and set in order such things as required his care and attention, he set out for the North, taking the societies in Staffordshire, and various other places in his way to Newcastle, and again reached London in the latter end of July. In August, he observes, Having found for some time a strong desire to unite with Mr. Whitefield as far as possible, to cut off needless dispute, I wrote down my sentiments as plain as I could in the following terms. There are three points. in debate, 1. Unconditional election; 2. Irresistible grace; 3. Final perseverance. With regard to the first, unconditional election, I believe,

"That God before the foundation of the world, did unconditionally elect certain persons to do certain works; as Paul to preach the gospel that he has unconditionally elected some nations to receive peculiar privileges, the Jewish nation in particular: that he has unconditionally elected some nations to bear the

gospel,

gospel, as England and Scotland now, and many others in past ages: that he has unconditionally elected some persons to many peculiar advantages, both with regard to temporal and spiritual things: and I do not deny, though I cannot prove it is so, that he has unconditionally elected some persons to eternal glory.

"But I cannot believe, That all those who are not thus elected to glory, must perish everlastingly: or, that there is one soul on earth, who has never had a possibility of escaping eternal damnation.

"With regard to the second, irresistible grace; Ι believe, That the grace which brings faith, and thereby salvation into the soul, is irresistible at that mo ment that most believers may remember some time when God irrestibly convinced them of sin that most believers do at some other times, find God irresistibly acting upon their souls: yet I believe, that the grace of God, both before and after those moments, may be, and hath been resisted and that, in general, it does not act irresistibly, but we may comply therewith, or may not. And I do not deny, that in some souls the grace of God is so far irresistible, that they cannot but believe, and be finally saved.

"But I cannot believe, that all those must be damned, in whom it does not thus irresistibly work: or, that there is one soul on earth, who has not, and never had any other grace, than such as does in fact increase his damnation, and was designed of God so to do.

"With regard to the third, final perseverance, I am inclined to believe, that there is a state attainable in this life, from which a man cannot finally fall: and that he has attained this, who can say, Old

things are passed away; all things in me are be

come new."

Mr.

August 26. Mr. Wesley set out for Cornwall, where his brother and two of the preachers had already laboured with great success: but he made no considerable stop, till he came to St. Ives. Some time before, Captain Turner, of Bristol, connected it seems. with the Methodists, had put in here, and was agreeably surprised to find a little society formed upon Dr. Woodward's plan, who constantly met together. They were greatly refreshed and strengthened by him, as he also was by them. This was the occasion of introducing the Methodists to this place. Wesley spake severally with those of the society, now increased to about a hundred and twenty; near a hundred of whom had found peace with God. He spent three weeks in preaching here, and in Zennor, Morva, St. Just, Sennan, St. Mary's (one of the Isles of Scilly) Gwenap, and on several of the Downs throughout the West of Cornwall. It has pleased God, to give increase to the seed sown by his servants, so that it has since produced an abundant harvest. There is hardly any part of the three kingdoms where a change has been more visible and general, in the manners of the people. Hurling, their favourite diversion, at which limbs were often broken, and frequently lives lost, is now hardly heard of: and that scandal of humanity, so constantly practised on the coasts of Cornwall, the plundering vessels that struck upon the rocks, and often murdering those who escaped out of the wreck, is now either quite at an end, or the gentlemen, not the poor tinners, are to be blamed. And more has been done to suppress smuggling, by preaching in this county and enforcing the rules of the society, than either the laws of the

country,