Fight the good fight, and stand secure
In faith's impenetrable shield;
Hell's prince shall tremble at its power,
With all his fiery darts repell'd.

Prevent thy foes, nor wait their charge,
But call their lingering battle on;
But strongly grasp thy seven-fold targe,
And bear the world and Satan down.

The helmet of salvation take,

The Lord's, the Spirit's conquering sword;
Speak from the word,-in lightning speak;
Cry out, and thunder,-from the word.

Champion of God, thy Lord proclaim,
Jesus alone resolved to know;
Tread down thy foes in Jesus' name,
Go conquering, and to conquer go.

Through racks and fires pursue thy way,
Be mindful of a dying God;

Finish thy course, and win the day;

Look up, and seal the truth with blood.

NOTE TO PAGE 143.

The following epitaph upon Dr. Coke was written by the Rev. Richard Watson. It is inscribed upon a marble tablet in the City-road chapel, London, near the tablets which have been erected there in memory of the Rev. John and Charles Wesley, and Mr. Fletcher. Mr. Watson greatly admired the missionary zeal of Dr. Coke; and has, with a master's hand, sketched the peculiarities of his character, and his public labours :

"ETHIOPIA Shall soon stretch out her hands unto God,
And the isles shall wait for his law."

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF

THE REV. THOMAS COKE, LL. D.,

OF JESUS COLLEGE, OXFORD;

WHO WAS BORN AT BRECON, THE IX OF SEPTEMBER,

MDCCXLVII;

AND DIED THE III OF MAY, MDCCCXIV.

After a zealous ministry of several years in the established

Church,

He gave up himself, A. D. MDCCLXXVI, to the direction of the Rev. John Wesley, M. A.,

And did the work of an Evangelist with much success in various parts of Great Britain and Ireland.

He was appointed, A. D. MDCCLXXXIV, the first Superintendent
of the "Methodist Episcopal Church,"
in America.

To him also were confided the foreign Missions
of the Methodists;

In support of which he expended nearly all his patrimonial

fortune;

And encountered toils and self-denials,

Which the Christian world beheld with admiration.

By the blessing of GoD on the Missions to the Negroes
in the West Indies,

Commenced by him A. D. MDCCLXXXVI,

Fifteen thousand persons had been formed, before his death, into religious societies,

And a foundation laid for the civilization and salvation
of that degraded class of human beings

To the Negro Race upon their native continent, as well as in the islands of their bondage

His compassions were extended;

And he set the first example, in modern days, of efforts for the spiritual emancipation of Western Africa.

After crossing the Atlantic eighteen times, in the service of the souls of men,

His unwearied spirit was stirred within him
To take a part in the noble enterprise of evangelizing
British India;

And he sailed from England, A. D. MDCCXIII, as the Leader of the first Methodist Missionaries sent to Ceylon. But this "burning and shining light," which in the western world, had guided thousands into the paths of peace,

Had now fulfilled its course; and suddenly, yet rich in evening splendour, sunk into the shadows of mortality.

He died on the voyage; and his remains were committed to the great deep, until the sea shall give up her dead.

His days were past; but his purposes were not broken off: The work which he had planned has been made to

prosper;

And through the preaching of the Gospel, the circulation of the Scriptures in the native tongues,

And the establishment of Christian Schools,
Many once-deluded Cingalese have exchanged the
wretchedness of an Atheistic Creed,

And the worship of idols and of devils, for the light and
comfort of the true religion.

The same love of CHRIST, which made him long the Advocate and the Pattern of exertion in behalf of foreign lands,

Constrained him also to works of pious charity at home.

Into many neglected districts of England, Wales, and Ireland,
The means of grace were carried by his private bounty,
or through his public influence:

And his "praise is in the Gospel throughout all
the churches."

This monument was erected, A. D. MDCCCXXII, at the personal expense of the Methodist Ministers and Missionaries, As a record of their respectful gratitude for the disinterested services, the eminent usefulness,

And the long-tried and faithful attachment of their now glorified friend.

"He that winneth souls is wise."

21

RULES OF THE SOCIETY OF THE PEOPLE

CALLED METHODISTS.

1. In the latter end of the year 1739, eight or ten persons came to me in London, who appeared to be deeply convinced of sin, and earnestly groaning for redemption. They desired, (as did two or three more the next day,) that I would spend some time with them in prayer, and advise them how to flee from the wrath to come, which they saw continually hanging over their heads. That we might have more time for this great work, I appointed a day when they might all come together; which, from thenceforward, they did every week, namely, on Thursday, in the evening. To these, and as many more as desired to join with them, (for their number increased daily,) I gave those advices from time to time which I judged most needful for them; and we always concluded our meetings with prayer suited to their several necessi ties.

66

2. This was the rise of the UNITED SOCIETY, first in London, and then in other places. Such a society is no other than a company of men having the form, and seeking the power, of godliness; united, in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they may help each other to work out their salvation."

3. That it may the more easily be discerned, whether they are indeed working out their own salvation, each society is divided into smaller companies, called classes, according to their respective places of abode. There are about twelve persons in every class; one of whom is styled the leader. It is his business,

I. To see each person in his class, once a week at least, in order To inquire how their souls prosper;

To advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as occasion may require;

To receive what they are willing to give toward the support of the gospel :

II. To meet the ministers and stewards of the society once a week, in order

To inform the minister of any that are sick, or of any that walk disorderly, and will not be reproved;

To pay to the stewards what they have received of their several classes in the week preceding; and

To show their account of what each person has contri, buted.

4. There is only one condition previously required of those who desire admission into these societies, namely, 66 a desire to flee from the wrath to come, to be saved from their sins." But wherever this is really fixed in the soul, it will be shown by its fruits. It is therefore expected of all who continue therein, that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

First, by doing no harm, by avoiding evil in every kind: especially that which is most generally practised, such as The taking the name of God in vain :

The profaning the day of the Lord, either by doing ordinary work thereon, or by buying or selling :

:

Drunkenness buying or selling spirituous liquors, or drinking them, unless in cases of extreme necessity :

Fighting, quarrelling, brawling; brother going to law with brother; returning evil for evil, or railing for railing; the using many words in buying or selling.

The buying or selling uncustomed goods:

The giving or taking things on usury; that is, unlawful interest:

Uncharitable or unprofitable conversation; particularly speaking evil of magistrates or ministers :

Doing to others as we would not they should do unto us Doing what we know is not for the glory of God; as, The putting on of gold or costly apparel;

The taking such diversions as cannot be used in the name of the Lord Jesus;

The singing those songs, or reading those books, which do not tend to the knowledge or love of God:

Softness, and needless self-indulgence:

Laying up treasure upon earth;

Borrowing without a probability of paying; or taking up goods without the probability of paying for them.

5. It is expected of all who continue in these societies, that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

Secondly, By doing good, by being in every kind merciful after their power, as they have opportunity; doing good of every possible sort, and as far as is possible, to all men :

To their bodies, of the ability that God giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing the naked, by helping or visiting them that are sick, or in prison :

To their souls, by instructing, reproving, or exhorting all we have any intercourse with; trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine of devils, that "We are not to do good, unless our hearts be free to it."

By doing good, especially to them that are of the household of faith, or groaning so to be; employing them preferably to