II Chron. xxxiii. 12. That of Mary Magdalen, Luke vii. 37, and that of the thief upon the cross, Luke xxiii. 43. Each of these instances undoubtedly shews, that great offenders, upon turning to God, have been forgiven. But their cases gyere peculiar. Not only had the guilt of all been incurred before they were enlightened by the gospel; but the two last received pardon immediately from him who had power on earth to dispense that blessing, and knew the hearts of those who might deserve it: and the first, notwithstanding his Jewish obstinacy, manifested his contrition by the most undeniable tokens of sorrow, prayer, and humiliation.

These examples were therefore singular, and the error lies in making them a ground of confidence to those who have sinned against the light and authority of the gospel. In teaching such unhappy persons that a sudden impulse of the holy spirit, will convert them at once, and enroll them in the number of the elect; and in depreciating a moral and virtuous deport

ment." *

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But, it is the common argument of the new evangelists to vindicate their doctrine by such a kind of exemplification, and thence to draw a general conclusion in favour of their votaries. Mr. Rowland Hill has applied it to this purpose, in his village dialogues, an extract from which

* Willat's Apology, p. 37.

may serve as a corollary to Mr. Willat's proposition.

Thomas Newman, a convert to his creed, speaking of Mr. Lovegood's sermon, says, "he shewed all the Bible over, that never did poor sinner sue for mercy but he had it. He told us of Manasseh, of Saul, the Philippian gaoler, and the thief upon the cross: that all these poor bleeding penitents were at once accepted, without any other righteousness but what was to be found in him who died to justify the ungodly; and that whosoever, and again he said it," whosoever cometh to him, he will in no wise cast out." Oh! what a time of love was this! How Edward looked at me, and I at him; while we both began, for the first time, to look to Jesus Christ, who died for the redemption of our poor ruined souls.

Farmer. And was this all you did for your salvation?

Thomas.-Why master, nothing more could be done; for the love of Christ broke our hearts into a thousand pieces: from that moment we felt the chains of sin drop off from the soul, and we were at liberty to love and serve the Lord. For now we began to experience what it was to be made new creatures in Christ Jesus. "Old things passed away, and all things became

There is no need to dwell long upon this passage, since the remarks already made on the preceding extract from Mr. Willat's apology may be applied to the village dialogues. Let it merely be observed that the multitude of Mr. R. Hill's proselytes is easily accounted for, on the principles here avowed. Is there an ungodly person in the world, whose ignorance and self deceit are equal to his wickedness, that will not eagerly resort to the standard which this hierarch hath set up?

We are justly alarmed by the allurements of Papal superstition; but, surely there is no less cause of alarm from blind fanaticism, while Methodism is thus attractive; and while it proposes terms of salvation, easier even than those which are sanctioned by the church of Rome. That church must abolish the performance of penance and pilgrimages, the counting of beads, the aspersion of holy water, and the repetition of Rosaries and Ave Marias, in order that the Catholic communion may cope, upon equal ground, with a sect which maintains such doctrines as these: viz. "That never did any poor sinner sue for pardon but he had it,"-without any righteousness but what was to be found in Christ and " that nothing more can be done for our salvation."

Wonderful is the effrontery of these teachers, in asserting that the "work of the Lord is the

same now, that it was then :"* the same new miracles have ceased, and the gospel of Christ is fully revealed, as it was during his ministry, and first promulgation of the gospel! When extraordinary gifts of the spirit were dispensed, and the sinner was called from the darkness of Pagan ignorance, or Jewish error, to the light of knowledge, and of truth. This unwarranted position would indeed excite surprize, if any presumption were surprising in these mistaken

men.

The text by which this opinion is supported, viz. 1 Cor. vi. 10. if compared with the context, proves the very reverse of the doctrine respecting regeneration and grace, which it is quoted to

* The author of "Christianity not founded in Argument," says Bishop Law, to give this extraordinary scheme of his a scriptural air, lays hold on some passages of scripture history, and draws in several detached parts of texts, about the spirit of God, or such as sound that way, which he applies to this point indiscriminately, whether they concern those ordinary assistances, and imperceptible operations, that may be expected from the Holy Ghost, in every age; or are confined to his extraordinary miraculous gifts, that were, we think, peculiar to the first publication of the gospel, and produced those wonderful effects which this writer alludes to, and which he with some modern sectaries seem still to claim, upon that ever weak foundation, of believing strongly that he has the same, without being able to bring any of the same proofs in justification of such his belief. Well might the bishop term this "a self-destructive scheme."-Law's Theory of Religion, p. 21.

prove. The Corinthians were "yet carnal," iii. 3. of which their "envying, strife, divisions," were a melancholy instance: but what then? Were they unregenerate ?-Were they unredeemed? Far from it. The inspired apostle convinces them of the contrary in this earnest expostulation, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?" iii. 16. And again, "What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God, in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." vi. 19, 20. Were not these sufficient assurances of their regenerate state? Not only had they been washed, but sanctified, not only sanctified, but justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of God. Still they were not treading in the steps of their blessed master, and consequently not walking in the way of salvation. "I speak to your shame," says St. Paul, vi. 5. "Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another." 7.

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Nay ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?" 8, 9.

Let this be a warning to these rash and inconsiderate teachers; first, that they endeavour to comprehend the entire import of holy writ; and next, that they lay aside all confidence of