The Poetical Works of the REV. George Crabbe (Volume 3); In Eight Volumes (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1834. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Sects and Professions in Religion are numerous and successive -- General Effect of false Zeal -- Deists -- Fanatical Idea of Church Reformers -- The Church of Rome -- Baptists -- 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. 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. (1) " The fact is curious in the history of trade, and little known, that the practice of travelling about the country to solicit orders for goods, began among the Quakers, as an incidental consequence of the life led by their errant-preachers: Francis Bugg, of unsavoury name, tells us this. 'We no sooner had our liberty, ' he says, * but all our London preachers spread themselves, like locusts, all over England and Wales. Some went east, some west, yea, north and south; and being generally tradesmen, we not only got our quarters free, our horses free and well maintained in our travels; a silver watch ...