some measure, perhaps, be led towards a folution of this queftion, by attending to the following

DIALOGUE

Between a METHODIST and an UNIVERSALIST.

Univerfalift. IF I mistake not, Sir, in the fermon which you have juft delivered, you made the following affertion---" The wicked will never come to be happy; and I will challenge any here to produce a paffage in Scripture that fays, the wicked ever fhall." Now, Sir, in oppofition to this, give me leave to quote two paffages of Scripture.

Methodift. Certainly.

U. "All thy works fhall praise thee, O Lord, and thy faints fhall bless thee." Pfalm cxlv. 10. "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the fea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Bleffing and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that fitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." Rev. v. 13. Now, Sir, where there is univerfal praise there must be univerfal happiness.

M. But, young man, the word ALL is used in a limited fenfe in the Scripture.

U. Yes, Sir, hiftorically, but not in doctrinal points *.

M. Having quoted feveral paffages where the word all is ufed in a limited fenfe, but every inftance from hiftory, as he himJelf acknowledged] Well, you are a Winchefterian; and as we both agree in the practical part of religion, what does it fignify troubling ourselves about doctrines ?

U. Why, Sir, as Deism is on one hand, and fuperftition on the other, I think it behoveth every one to come forward for truth.

M. Well, we both believe the wicked will go to hell: how long they will remain there, you or I cannot tell.

U. Yes, Sir, till Chrift has fubdued all things to himself. M. Well, I don't know but what I may come to believe as you do. But the wicked will fay, We fhan't be long in hell, and fo what does it fignify what we do?

U. It must be from want of confideration, fhould any one fpeak thus.

us.

M. I think the doctrine of the Reftoration is of no use to

Miscellany, vol. i. p. 414.

U. And

U. And I think no part of the word of God is useless. M. There are good people of all denominations, and that your minifter was when a Calvinift, and fo he is now.

U. I think fo too; but when he believed the doctrine of the Univerfal Restoration, had he monopolized it, he would not have been upright; and I think the fame by you; if you ever believe it, and do not preach it, you cannot act uprightly.

M. I have had two or three of Mr. Winchefter's books to read, but did not give them a fair inveftigation: if I had, and was to feek for that doctrine, I think I fhould believe it.

U. The Methodists preach with great fuccefs, for God bleffes their labours, and they are the happieft fociety under the fun the Univerfalifts do not preach with so much success as we do.

U. If the greatest number of profeffors is an argument for truth, I think the Mahometans have the majority.

A CONSTANT READER.

IN

LUXURY.

'N a former article under this title, we noticed the great profufion, with respect to eating, fhewn at an ancient feast in this country. Affifted by the page of hiftory, we will fhew what laws the prudence of our ancestors made against luxury in dress.

In the reign of Edward III. we find no fewer than seven fumptuary laws paffed in one feffion of parliament to restrain the gaiety of the people. It was enacted, that men servants of lords, as alfo tradefinen and artifans, fhall be content with one meal of fish or flesh every day; and the other meals daily fhall be of milk, cheese, butter, and the like. Neither fhall they use any ornaments of gold, filver, or embroidery; nor their wives or daughters any veils above the price of twelve-pence. Artifans and yeomen fhall not wear cloth above forty fhillings the whole piece (the finest being then about 61. the whole piece) nor the ornaments before named. Nor the women any veils of filk, but those of thread made in England. Gentlemen under the degree of knight, not having tool. yearly in land, fhall not wear any cloth above four marks and a half the whole piece. Neither fhall they or their females ufe cloth of gold, filver, or embroidery, &c. But efquires having 200). per annum, or upwards, of rent, may wear cloth of five marks Ff2 the

the whole piece; and they and their females may also wear ftuff of filk, filver, ribbons, girdles, or furrs. Merchants, citizens, burghers, and artificers of tradefmen, as well of London as elsewhere, who have goods and chattels of the clear value of 500l. and their females, may wear as is allowed to gentlemen and efquires of 100l. per annum. And merchants, citizens, and burgeffes, worth above 1000l. in goods and chattels, may (and their females) wear the fame as gentlemen of 200l. per annum. Knights of 200 marks yearly may wear cloth of fix marks the piece, but no higher; but no cloth of gold, nor furred with ermine: but all knights and ladies, having above 400 marks yearly, up to 1000l. per annum, may wear as they please, ermine excepted; and they may wear ornaments of pearl and precious ftones for their heads only.

Clerks, having degrees in cathedrals, colleges, &c. may wear as knights and efquires of the fame income. Plowmen, cartters, fhepherds, and fuch like, not having 40s. value in goods and chattels, fhall wear no fort of cloth but blanket and ruffet lawn of 12d. and fhall wear girdles and belts; and they shall eat and drink fuitable to their stations. And whofoever uses other apparel than is prefcribed by the above laws shall forfeit the fame.

IN

QUERY.

N1 Cor. xv. 12. we read, that " If in this life only we have hope in Chrift, we are of all men the most miserable:" What does the apoftle here mean, feeing that, on the fuppofition of there being no refurrection, and the Chriftian's hope a delufive hope, yet, as the deception is never discovered, how are Chriftians more miserable than other men?

CURIO.

POETRY.

POETRY.

MONTHLY OCCURRENCES.