The very language of want and diftrefs! The voice of one that is afflicted and groaning under his burden; What fhalt thou do? Why, are not thofe at the door, whom God hath appointed to receive what thou canft fpare? What fhalt thou do? Why, difperfe abroad and give to the poor. Feed the hungry. Cloath the naked. Be a father to the fatherlefs, and a hufband to the widow. Freely thou haft received, freely give. O no! He is wifer than this comes to: he knows better than fo. And he faid, This will I do-without afking God's leave, or thinking about him any more than if there were no God in heaven or on earth--I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I beflow all my goods and all my fruits. My fruits! They are as much thine as the clouds that fly over thy head! As inuch as the winds that blow around thee; which doubtlefs thou canfl hold in thy fifts !—And I will fay my foul, Soul, thou haft much goods laid up for many years. Soul, thou haft much goods! Are then corn, and wine, and oil, to the goods of an immortal spirit? Laid up for many years. Who told thee fo? Believe him not, he was a liar from the beginning. He could not prolong thy life, if he would. God alone is the giver of life and death. And he would not if he could, but would immediately drag thee to his own fad abode. Soul take thy cafe, eat, drink and be merry! How replete with folly and madnefs is every part of this wonderful foliloquy! Eat and drink! Will thy fpirit then eat and drink? Yea, but not of earthly food! Thou wilt foon eat livid flame, and drink of the lake. of fire burning with brimftone. But wilt thou then drink and be merry? Nay, there will be no mirth in thofe horrid fhades. Thofe caverns will refound with no mufic, but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. 3. But while he was applauding his own wifdom, God faid unto him, Thou fool! This night fhall thy foul be required of thee. And then whofe fhall thofe things be, which thou haft prepared? 4. Let us confider his words a little more attentively. He faid within himfelf, What fhall I do? And is not the anfwer ready! Do good. Do all the good thou canft. Let thy plenty fupply thy neigbours' wants, and thou wilt never want fomething to do. Canft thou find none that need the neceffaries of life? That are pinched with cold or hunger? None that have not raiment to put on? Or a place where to lay their head? Canft thou find none that are wafted with pining fickness? None that are languifhing in prifon? If you duly confidered our Lord's words, The poor have you always with you, you would no more ask, What shall I do? 5. How different was the purpose of this poor madman? I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I beflow all my goods. You may juft as well bury them in the earth, or caft them into the fea. This will just as well answer the end, for which God intrufted thee with them. 6. But let us examine a little further, the remaining part of his refolution. I will fay to my foul, Soul, thou haft much goods laid up for many years, take thy eafe, eat, drink and be merry. What, are these the goods of a never-dying fpirit? As well may thy body feed on the fleeting breeze, as thy foul on earthly fruits. Excellent counsel then to fuch a fpirit, to eat and drink, to a spirit made equal to angels, made an incorruptible picture of the God of glory, to feed not on corruptible things, but on the fruit of the tree of life, which grows in the midst of the paradife of God. 7. It is no marvel then, that God fhould fay unto him, Thou fool! For this terrible reason, were there no other, This might fhall thy foul be required of thee! "And art thou born to die, To lay this body down? And muft thy trembling fpirit fly Into a land unknown? B 2 A land A land of deepest shade, Unpierc'd by human thought; Where all things are forgot?" And whofe then fhall all the things be which thou haft provided? [To be concluded in our next.] I An Account of Mr. WILLIAM BLACK. [Written by Himself.] Was born at Huddersfield in Yorkshire, in the year 1760. When I was about fix years old, I had ferious impreffions on my mind, and the thoughts of my ftate fo diftreffed me, that I frequently faid within myself, “O that I were a toad, a ferpent, or any thing but what I am! Oh! that I had never been born, or else, had been greater than God, and then he could not have punished me for my daring fins." I found enmity in my heart, rifing against the bleffed Author of my being; particularly against his sovereignty, holiness and juftice: fo that before I was ten years old, had it been in my power, I would have overturned God's throne, and put down the judge of all the earth. At this time I lived at Otley, near Leeds, with my uncle. Here I went to school; but was inattentive to my learning, and affiduous in wickednefs; particularly, fighting, quarrelling, lying, ftealing, and difobedience to my uncle. When I was about twelve or thirteen years old, I ran away to my father's, who lived about twenty miles diftant. He gave me a severe correction; but, as he had thoughts of going to North America, he did not fend me back to my uncle. O! how I defire at this day to be humbled, at the remembrance of these my youthful iniquities, iniquities, and praise the God of grace who had mercy on my worthlefs foul. In the year 1774, my father left England, and went to NovaScotia. After going through feveral parts of the province, he purchased an estate at Amherst,near Cumberland, and in the fall of the year returned. While he was in America, my dear mother paid particular attention to the concerns of my foul. She frequently took me afide into her clofet to pray with, and talk to me; after relating God's gracious dealings with herself, and affectionately preffing the neceffity of the New birth on my confcience. Her godly admonitions were not altogether in vain. Many times they deeply affected me, and sent me in my closet to my knees, where, with tears I befought the Lord for mercy; which I furely fhould have found, had I not believed the subtle fiend, who whispered, "It is too foon for you to be religious: I will destroy your happiness, cut off all your pleasures, and make you a laughing stock for every boy in the school." With this, and fuch like temptations, he prevailed. I quenched the fpirit of God, and drove away my concern, fo that I could fin on nearly as I did before. In April 1775, we failed from Hull, on board the Jenny, Captain Fofler, and had a good paffage, until we came within fight of Halifax, where we ftruck upon the rocks with great violence, and were afraid the fhip would have been loft: but it being low water when she struck, through mercy, she was got off again without much damage. Captain Fofter was a pattern to mariners, efpecially to maf ters of veffels, both with refpect to his private walk as a Christian, and his government as a mafter. I never heard him fpeak a rash word; nor did I hear a rafh oath from the time. we left England, until we arrived in Halifax harbour, either by mariner or passenger, although we had about ninety on board. There was religious worship in the cabin, conftantly morning and evening, to which the Captain invited all to come, that could be fpared from the management of the veffel. 1 He He used to fing and pray with the people, and affectionately to advife and exhort them to make fure of the one thing needful. What pity it is that fo few imitate him! After ftaying about a fortnight at Halifax, we failed for Cumberland, and arrived in June. Here I grew in wickedness, grace of God into lafcivi as I advanced in age, turning the oufnefs; spending whole nights together in the ridiculous practice of fhuffling spotted pieces of pafleboard, with painted kings and queens on them; and dancing for four or five nights in the week; until the fpring of 1779, when the Lord again began to work upon my mind in a moft powerful manner. A few old Methodists, who emigrated from England foine. years before, and had retained fomething of the work of grace in their fouls, began to keep meetings amongst themselves, for prayer and exhortation. God bleffed thefe means, fome being awakened, and feveral fet at liberty: and when this was ru moured abroad, the people began to think and enquire whether these things were so or not? One day my brother John, had been over at Fort-Lawrence, and on his return told me that two of our acquaintances were converted and knew their fins forgiven; and that he thought it was high time for him to set out, and seek the same blefling. I replied, "Brother, whether they are converted or not, it is certain we muft alter our courfe of life, or we cannot be faved." He faid, he intended to do it; but faid I, "Let us determine to fet out now, and left we should be drawn back, let us covenant together." We did fo and shook hands, as a confirmation of the fame. Yet, as our conviction was not deep, this covenant chiefly refpected outward things; as the leaving off card-playing, dancing, fabbath-breaking, &c. and refolving to attend the meetings, to read and to pray, &c. About this time I went over to Mr. Oxley's, (whofe family were under concern for their fouls) who exhorted me to fet out with all speed, to feek God; and not to reft, until my peace |