short time, they became popular preachers, the congregations were large wherever they preached. The former name was revived, and all these gentlemen, with their followers, were entitled methodists."

"In March, 1741, Mr. Whitfield being returned to England, entirely separated from Mr. Wesley and his friends, because he (Mr. Wesley) did not hold the decrees.” Here was the first breach which warm men persuaded Mr. Whitfield to make, merely for a difference of opinion. Those indeed who believed general redemption, had no desire at all to separate. But those who held particular redemption, would not hear of any accommodation, being determined to have no fellowship with men that "were in such dangerous errors." So there were now two sorts of Methodists so called; those for particular, and those for general redemption!

Ina few years, Mr. Romaine, and Mr. Madan, both of London, Mr. Venn, Vicar of Huddersfield, Mr. Berridge, Vicar of Everton, and a few other clergymen, who, although they had no connexion with each other, yet preaching salvation by faith, and endeavouring to live as becometh the Gospel, they were soon denominated Methodists. And this was the general lot of all who preached about the fall and depravity of human nature, the plan of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, and who strenuously insisted upon the necessity of outward and inward holiness.

Perhaps it is necessary to inform the reader, that between Mr. Wesley's return from America, and his beginning to form Societies in England, he had paid a visit to the Unitas Fratrum, or Moravian Brethren, at Hernhuth, in Upper Lusatia, in the dominions of the Emperor of Austria. He had become acquainted with some of this sect on his passage to America, and he enlarged that ac

quaintance during his continuance there. And he had conceived such a high opinion of their piety, their doctrines, and discipline, that he resolved to spend some time at their Head-Quarters for his own personal edification. And indeed, the Moravians were to Mr. Wesley what Acquila and Priscilla were to Apollos, that is, they taught him the way of God more perfectly than he before knew it. It was from them, that he imbibed the doctrine of instantaneous justification by faith, and that of the direct witness of the Spirit. And he also took from them the practices so universal among the Wesleyan Methodists, namely the meeting in classes and bands, as well as the holding of Love-feasts. Methodism, in fact, is but a second edition of Moravianism, amended and enlarged. In some of his first movements, after his return from Hernhuth, he seems to have wished to have cultivated not only a friendship, but a real christian union with the Moravian Brethren then in England, and especially with those in London. But obstacles occurred, and such insuperable difficulties were thrown in the way, that he ceased to assemble with them, as he had done for a little time, and even published the differences between them and him. However, he seems to have retained a great regard for the Moravians as long as he lived. And there can be no doubt, that he, numbers of his followers, and many Moravians, are for ever intermingled with the general assembly who inherit glory, and sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb.

As the Moravians are a remarkable people, and have occupied a distinguished place in the true Church of Christ, and do so at the present; and as it is the intention of the author of this work, to give a choice selection, briefly expressed, of such information as may contribute to the instruction and gratification of his readers, when not foreign to the

main object, a short account of the Moravians will very properly come in here.

The Unitas Fratrum, or United Brethren, or Moravian Brethren, claim spiritual kindred, not only with Martin Luther, John Huss, and Jerome of Prague, but trace their descent from the Waldensis and Albigensis. Martin Luther was born in 1483, in Saxony, and died in 1552. He was the great champion of the Reformation of Christianity from Popery. But the outlines of his history are generally known. John Huss lived more than a century before Luther, being born in Bohemia in 1376, where he became minister of a Church, The writings of our countryman, John Wickliffe, before mentioned, discovered to him the corruptions of the church of Rome, and excited him to promote a reformation, in which he was so far successful as to have a number of followers, who were therefore called Hussites. The clergy instigated the Pope to issue a Bull against these reputed heretics: but as Huss was favoured and protected by the king of Bohemia, he was sheltered for a season, and the work of Reformation went on. When the council of Constance was called, John Huss was cited to appear, to give an account of his doctrine; and to encourage him so to do, the Emperor Sigismund sent him a safe conduct, or pass-port, and engaged for his security. On the strength of this, he made his appearance, but was almost instantly thrown into prison, and treated as a criminal. And after being confined for several months, he was sentenced to be burnt as an incorrigible heretic, which torment he endured in 1415 with steady fortitude. His persecutors threw his ashes into the river Rhine.

Jerome of Prague, so called because he was born at Prague in Bohemia, was a disciple of John Huss, and a man of considerable learning. The council of Constance cited him before them at the same

time as Johan Huss. Upon arriving there, and finding that Huss was thrown into prison, he secretly withdrew. But before he reached home, he was apprehended by his enemies, and sent back to Constance in chains. After being cruelly treated for some time, he was consigned to the flames, which he endured with fortitude and joy, in 1416.

When we observe, in the above accounts, that John Huss is represented as being the disciple of Wickliffe, and Jerome of Prague as being the disciple of Huss, and the Moravian Brethren as claiming their spiritual pedigree from Luther and Huss, it seems to falsify the idea of their being the religious descendents of the Waldensis and Albigensis. But still there may be no inconsistency in the matter. For when we consider, that the Waldenses and Albigenses, had an existence some centuries before Wickliffe, and when we further observe, that many of these worthies, after being hunted out of their native vales and hills, are, by some historians, represented as fleeing into Germany, and especially into Bohemia, the accounts may be as consistent as the distance of time, and other circumstances, will welt admit.

Mr. Wesley gives us some very interesting particulars relating to the chief branch of them, which has attracted so much notice in modern times, in the Journal which he wrote upon his visit to them. Hernhuth, he says, is about thirty English miles from Dresden, lying in Upper Lusatia, on the border of Bohemia. It then contained only about an hundred houses, built on a rising ground, with evergreen woods on two sides, gardens and corn fields. on the others, and high hills at a small distance. It had one long street; fronting the middle of this street was the Orphan-house, in the lower part of which was the apothecary's shop, in the upper, the chapel, capable of containing six or seven hundred.

people. Another row of houses ran at a small distance from each end of the Orphan-house, &c. Mr. Wesley gives some very interesting accounts of the different services at which he was present, and of religious conversations he had with sundry of them, as well as of the Sermons which he heard some of them preach.

It seems that notwithstanding their inoffensive conduct, they have frequently been brought into difficulties and dangers. About the year 1729, the Jesuits informed the Emperor, that Count Zinzendorf was gathering together all the Moravians and Bohemians, forming them into one body, and making a new religion. Commissioners were sent to Hernhuth to examine the truth of this. Through these they said to the Emperor ;-1." We believe the Church of the Bohemian and Moravian Brethren, from whom we are descended, to have been a holy and undefiled Church, as owned by Luther and other protestant divines: we own also, said they, that our doctrine agrees with theirs; but our discipline they have not."

2. But we do not rest upon the holiness of our ancestors it being our continual care, to show that we are passed from death unto life, by worshipping in spirit and in truth, &c.

3. Whoever they are, who being sprinkled by the blood of Christ, are sanctified through faith, we receive them as brethren, although in some points they may differ from us, &c.

4. Discipline we judge to be necessary in the highest degree, for all those who have any knowledge of divine truth and we can therefore in no wise forsake that, which we have received from our forefathers," &c. &c.

And when, three years afterwards, they were again required to give an account of themselves, they said, "None can be ignorant of the religion of