Robinson The method! sts THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD ENDOWMENT FUND ,*^^ ^c^^m.^^^^^^4^ ^^'^ : ^ THE METHODISTS. [ Price S I X - P E N C E. ] THE METHODISTS: A N ECLOGUE. By J. ROBINSON. 8 ! i 8 i i $ 2 i 8 I I &' I i 8 i 88 I |8! _ NORWICH: Printed and Publifhed by JOHN GROUSE: And fold by THOMAS LONGMAN and STANLEY CROWDER, in Pater- Nofter Row; and A. and C. CORBETT, Bookfellers, oppcfite -St. Dunflan's Church, Flect-ftreet ; LONDON. ALDCC.LXIII. *$ <&- oyv r v\s cr*" 1 '*> ' a. , a. "*" 57*^ "' <)r to aooo M* g^.ocoacaoi <{gj PR, THE METHODISTS. H E Clock ftruck Five ; and, tho* no friendly Light Broke from the Eaft, a Methodift devout To N- h Tabernacle took his Way, In melancholy Mood, produced by Fear Of everlafting Pain ; for yet he knew No Feelings, fave what fprung from nat'ral Caufe : But certain inward Wamblings muft be felt, His Paftor taught, 'ere Guilt has loft its Hold. Mufmg he walk'd ; when fudden to his Ear A Patten's Clink, light-wafted thro' the Air, B Declar'd 870485 6 The M E T H O D I S T S. Declar'd fome female Step ; the thick'ning Sound Told its Approach ; and foon a Sifter-Saint O'ertook him : One who, long in Myft'ries train'd, Her wond'rous Feeling;s, and Salvation fure, Beyond the Pow'r of Hell to hinder, told. Their Greeting paft ; but, 'ere the Tale proceed, The Rife of Methodifm the Mufe fhall fing. A MOUNTEBANK haranguing once a Croud, Found all his Rhet'ric vain, his famous Pills And wonder-working Powders left unfold : Deeply chagrin'd, th' itinerant Sage bewail'd His empty Stomach, and his empty Purfe. At length, when much he'd ponder'd to contrive Means to relieve the prefent dire Diftrefs, Which Health-reftoring Med'cines fail'd t'effeft, A new Expedient brought Supply of Pence. Thus he began : " Since as I guefi, my Friends, " No Powders and no Pills your Bodies need, " I'll deal fome Phyfic to your fickly Souls." In formal Cant, with Eye-Balls upward turn'd, Sermon and Exhortation; then he gave ; He preach'd up Charity ; told his own Cafe ; And Merry- Andrew, Clerk-like, faid Amen. Then held his Hat to all the Hearers round, And chink'd the Half-pence, as they dropp'd them in. Henceforward, The M E T H O D I S T S. 7 Henceforward, elevated on a Stool, His Hair ilrait-hanging, thrown afide his Bag, Sable his Coat, a Band beneath his Chin ; In open Field, in Market, Square, or Street, The fkilful Doftor pour'd his Precepts forth To lifl'ning Throngs ; and Andrew fet the Pfalm. This to the Methodiftic Scheme gave Birth : Nor cred'lous Fools, nor fly Pretenders, long Were wanting to take up the gainful Trade. At length, grown Rich and Proud, they fcorn'd the Stool, And then the goodly Tabernacle rofe. So firft, at Athens, on Theatric Cart, The Tragic Verfe, by Thefpis fram'd, was bawl'd, 'Till Elegance and Tafte improv'd the Plan, And bade the fplendid Theatre appear. B u T to return, our godly Pair trudg'd on : Alternate thus their pious Converfe flow'd. MAN. WELL-DONE, Good, Faithful, Servant, you, I find, When Saints to Worihip go, ne'er lag behind. Thrice blefs'd are you ; when Safari's Net is caft To drag off Sinners, you Hand firm and faft : Your 8 The M E T H O D I S T S, Your Goodnefs fhines abroad on ev'ry Side, As from your Lanthorn gleams the Light far* wide. For Me ; I fear, Old Nick will (hut my Soul Eternal Pris'ner in fome fiery Hole. WOMAN. JUST are your Fears ; for you ne'er feel within Proofs that you are not in the Yoke of Sin. You have not learnt your worldly Cares to leave, Tho' of Salvation they your Soul bereave. I fpend the Days in finging Hymns ; in Pray'r ; I feldom work : My Soul's my only Care. What tho' I frequent faft for Want of Food ; Tho' Rags around me fhake ; my Heart is good. 'Ere Saints too much fhould fuffer, well I think, The Skies would rain down Cloaths, and Meat and Drink. MAN. EACH Morn at Tabernacle I attend ; ". But 'till late Night my Labour knows no End. Myfelf could fail ; but Children mufl be fed : I've two, alas ! whom Sicknefs holds in Bed. WOMAN. N o Matter : When this Morn I came away, My helplefe, hungry, Infant crying lay j And The M E T H O D I S T S. 9 And yet a Penny, (all I have) I'll give To help our Paflor, blefled Man ! to live. Oh, had you heard lafl Night our heav'nly Guard ! Sinners had Hearts, he faid, like Iron hard ; Like Iron, which on Stith he us'd to beat, Before his Heart grew hot with pious Heat. He told, that once, as by his Forge he flood, His Face turn'd pale, and icy-cold his Blood ; His Eyes were flaring fix'd ; his Brains turn'd round ,- And flrait he tumbled proflrate on the Ground : Said that a Voice (furely from Heav'n it came) Bade him rife up, and call'd him by his Name ; Bade him his Hammer and his Forge forfake ; The Teflament, the Gofpel-Hammer, take : To knock down Sin therewith bade him be bold ; And bade him preach the Word. Moreo'er, he told How Satan tempted him (which made me weep) Bafely to leave his Flock of fimple Sheep ; That wicked Wolves, eager on us to prey, Might fafely fleal the harmlefs Sheep away : But no Temptation him, he faid, fhould win, 'Gainft his weak Lambs fo cruelly to fin. Were it ; how much each Sifter-Saint might grieve ! For none, like him, could then our Wants relieve. Heav'n grant no fad Difafler may befall This pious Man, who lives to ferve us all. C I well to i he METHODISTS. I well remember that unlucky Day, When bleffed W*****Y fled from hence away ; (Forc'd by bad Men, 'caufe he, for holy Ends, Dear Man ! was civil to his female Friends :) We curs'd his Foes, who bore fuch deadly Hate ; And ev'ry Woman mourn'd his haplefs Fate, MAN. S o have I heard : Alas ! I knew not then That heav'nly Angel, or that Beft of Men. WOMAN. HAPPY was I ; for, oh, I knew him long, Tall as a May-pole, and as Samfon ftrong : His Looks were Saint-like, and directed high ; He flapp'd his Fat, left Fopp'ry took his Eye. Moil wond'rous Things he preach'd of Heav'n and Hell ; Things fuch as none, fave he'himfelf, could tell. Much Knowledge he difplay'd ; for more than once I've heard him prove ev'n Solomon a Dunce : Yet all his Wifdom was pure heav'nly Light ; For he but poorly read, nor knew to write. He told whatever the bleffed Saints had done : One kept a Brandy-Shop ; an Alehoufe one ; A Third, like him, wove Cloth ; like him, refign'd His worldly Trade, to ferve and fave Mankind, How The M E T H O D I S T S. How have I figh'd and fobb'd to hear him yell, " Stop, flop ; Turn back : Ye're in the Road to Hell." Thus would he call, and warn us without End : Ah ! what a Lofs to lofe fo good a Friend ! MAN. AH ! Woe is me ! Wou'd I had heard his Call ; Perchance I'd now been free from Safans Thrall ; Nor been of equal Value with the Throng Who fpend their leifure Hours in Dance and Song ; Who read vile Plays and Poems, and ne'er look In Pilgrim s Progrefs, or like godly Book ; Who wear fine Cloaihs, and in fine Coaches ride $ Things by the D 1 contriv'd to pamper Pride : I might have priz'd myfelf above them all ; Ah ! Woe is me ! that I ne'er heard his Call \ W O M A N. FROM Death I fav'd him once : Blefs'd be the Day, When from his Foes I help'd him fafe away. A wicked Mob his holy Garments rent ; ^For Mobs purfu'd him wherefoe'er he went ^) His brawny Limbs, Good Man, expos'd to View., By. many a cruel Thump made Black and Blue. I fkw't, and fwiftly flew to give him Aid, Aad 'mongft the hellifli Crew much Havock made ; is The M E T H O D I S T S. In either Hand a Patten whirl'd I round, And many a Villain imote I to the Ground ; Doubtlefs by Miracle my Strength increas'd, For twice two Pair. of Heads I broke, at leaft : Mean-while he Tcap'd ; for which he faid was giv'n Security of Reft for me in Heav'n. . THERE ever with the Good Man fhall I dwell ; Thence fee his Enemies in burning Hell ; Some in deep Pits fwept down, perhaps, by Shoals ; Some laid to broil, like Bacon, on the Coals ; Some thrown about from Fiend to Fiend with Forks ; Some laid on fiery Seas to float like Corks ; MAN. BUT fee ; the Tabernacle, now, is near : One Kifs, Good Sifter, then we'll in to Pray'r. FINIS. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 2 2 1970 Form L9-50m-7,'54(5990)444 THE LIBRARY TY OF CALIFORNIA LOS The methodists IN ; 7 PR 3669 Rl83i A 000000