12. Of the first fort, things prefcribed as Chriftian Holinefs, although flatly contrary thereto, is Idolatry: How has this, in various fhapes, been taught, and is to this day, as effen'tial to Holinefs? How diligently is it now circulated, in a great part of the Chriftian Church? Some of their idols are. filver and gold, or wood and fione, graven by art and man's device: fome, men of like paffions with themfelves; particuJarly the Apoftics of our Lord, and the Virgin Mary. To thefe they add numberlefs faints of their own creation, with no fmall company of angels.

13. Another thing as directly contrary to the whole tenure of true religion, is, what is diligently taught in many parts of the Chriftian Church: I mean, the Spirit of Perfecution; of perfecuting their brethren even unto death. So that the earth has been often covered with blood by thofe who were called Chriftians, in order to make their calling and election fure. It is true, many even in the Church of Rome, who were taught this horrid doctrine, now feem to be afhamed of it. But have the heads of that community as openly and explicitly renounced that capital doctrine of devils, as they avowed it in the Council of Conftance, and practifed it for many ages? Till they have done this, they will be chargeable with the blood of Jerome of Prague, bafely murdered, and of many thoufands, bath in the fight of God and man.

14. Let it που be faid, This does not concern us Proteflants: we think and let think. We abhor the spirit of perfecution, and maintain as an indifputable truth, that every rational creature has a right to worship God, as he is perfuaded in his own mind. But are we true to our own principles? So far, that we do not ufe fire and faggot. We do not perfecute unto blood, thofe that fcruple to fubfcribe to our opinions. Bleffed be God, the laws of our country do not allow of this: but is there no fuch thing to be found in England, as Domeftic Perfecu tion? The faying or doing any thing unkind to another, for following his own confcience, is a fpecies of perfecation. Now

are

are we all clear of this? Is there no Hufband, who in this fenfe perfecutes his Wife? Who uses her unkindly in word or deed, for worthipping God after her own confcience? Do no Parents thus perfecute their Children: no Maflers or Miftreffes. their Servants? If they do this, and think they do God fervice therein, they must not caft the first tone at the Roman Catholics.

15. When things of an indifferent nature are represented as necessary to falvation, it is a folly of the fame kind, though not of the fame magnitude. Indeed it is not a little fin, to reprefent trifles as necessary to falvation: fuch as going of pilgri mages, or any thing that is not exprefsly enjoined in the holy Scripture. Among these we may undoubtedly rank Orthodoxy, or right Opinions. We know indeed that wrong opinions in religion naturally lead to wrong tempers or wrong practices; and that consequently it is our bounden duty to pray, that we may have a right judgment in all things. But ftill a man may judge as accurately as the devil, and yet be as wicked as he.

16. Something more excufable are they, who imagine Holiness to confift in things that are only a part of it. (That is, when they are connected with the reft; otherwife they are no part of it at all:) Suppofe in doing no harm. And how exceeding common is this? How many take Holinefs and Harmleffnefs to mean one and the fame thing? Whereas were a man as harmless as a poft, he might be as far from Holiness, as heaven from earth. Suppofe a man therefore to be exactly honeft, to pay every one his own, to cheat no man, to wrong no man, to hurt no man, to be just in all his dealings: fuppofe a woman to be uniformly modeft and virtuous in all her words and actions: suppose the one and the other, to be fleady practisers of Morality, that is, of Juffice, Mercy, and Truth: yet all this, though it is good, as far as it goes, is but a part of Chriftian Holinefs. Yea, suppose a perfon of this amiable character to do much good, wherever he is, to feed the hungry, cloath the naked, relieve the ftranger, the fick, the prifoner, yea, and to fave many fouls from death: it is poffible he may ftill fall far fhort of that holinefs, without which he cannot fee the Lord.

17. What

17. What then is that Holinefs, which is the true Wedding Garment, the only qualification for glory? In Chrift Jefus (that is, according to the Christian Inftitution) whatever be the cafe of the heathen world, neither circumcifion availeth any thing, nor uncircumcifion, but a new creation, the renewal of the foul in the image of God wherein it was created. In Chrift Jefus neither circumcifion availeth any thing nor uncircumcifion, but faith which worketh by love. It first, through the energy of God, worketh love to God and all mankind; and by this love, every holy and heavenly temper. In particular, lowliness, meeknefs, gentleness, temperance, and long-fuffering. It is neither circumcifion, the attending on all the Chriftian ordinances, nor uncircumcifion, the fulfilling of all heathen morality, but the keeping of the commandments of God; particularly thofe, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself. In a word, Holiness is, the having the mind that was in Chrift, and the walking as Chrift walked.

18. Such has been my judgment for these threescore years, without any material alteration. Only about fifty years ago, I had a clearer view than before, of Juftification by Faith: and in this, from that very hour I never varied, no not an hair's breadth. Nevertheless an ingenious man has publicly accused me of a thousand variations. I pray God, not to lay this to his charge! I am now on the borders of the grave, but by the grace of God, I ftill witnefs the fame confeílion. Indeed fome have supposed, that when I began to declare, By grace ye are faved through faith, I retracted what I had before maintained, Without holiness no man shall fee the Lord. But it is an entire mistake; these Scriptures well confist with each other: the meaning of the former being plainly this, " By faith we are faved from fin, made holy. The imagination that Faith fuperfedes Holinefs, is the marrow of Antinomianifm.

19. The fum of all is this, The God of love is willing to fave all the fouls that he has made. This he has proclaimed

to them in his word, together with the terms of falvation, revealed by the Son of his love, who gave his own life, that they that believe in him might have everlasting life. And for these he has prepared a kingdom, from the foundation of the world. But he will not force them to accept of it: He leaves them in the hands of their own counsel: He faith, Behold I fet before you, life and death; blessing and curfing: chufe life, that ye may live. Chufe Holiness by my grace, which is the way, the only way to everlasting life. He cries aloud, Be holy, and be happy; happy in this world, and happy in the world to come. Holiness becometh his houfe for ever! This is the Wedding Garment of all that are called to the Marriage of the Lamb: cloathed in this, they will not be found naked: They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. But as to all those who appear in the laft day without the Wedding Garment, the Judge will fay, Caft them into outer darkness: there fhall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Madeley, March 26, 1790.

An Account of Mr. WILLIAM BLACK.

[Written by Himself.]

[Continued from page 125.]

Now longed vehemently that all should know the sweetness and precioufnefs of Chrift. I had a feeling fenfe of their unhappy condition, as ftrangers to the grace of God, and could scarce refrain from weeping over them. I loved them fo, that I thought I could willingly have facrificed my life on a gibbit, if that would have been a means of bringing them to the knowledge of themfelves, and of Jefus Chrift. One evening when we met at St. Lawrence, I gave vent to the fulness of my heart, and entreated them by the mercies of God, and the preciousness of their own fouls, not to quench the Spirit, and VOL. XIV. destroy

Y

destroy themselves eternally. Soon after this we had meetings at Amherst. Here allo the love of Chrift, and the love of fouls, conftrained me to befeech them in Chrift's ftead to be reconciled unto God. My heart feemed to melt down while I fpoke, and tears flowed from my eyes.

I now began to play or exhort almost at every meeting, and God was with us of a truth, both to convince and to comfort. We feldom met together, but the fhout of a king was heard in our camp. I found the Lord graciously ftood by my weaknefs, and his fpirit helped my infirmities; fo that many times, though my body trembled, and my knees fmote one against another, yet God delivered me from these fears, fo that I could fpeak with confidence, freedom, and tender affection.

In the winter following, being invited to go over to Tantramar and give a word of exhortation; I did fo, and God fent the word with power to the hearers' hearts. From that time an awakening began. Many, both young and old enquired the way to Zion, and afterwards believed in Jefus. Three other young men and I, agreed to vifit in our turns, every Sabbath-day, Profpect, St, Lawrence, and Amherst. The word did not fall to the ground in vain; for in every place, God gave us to fee the fruit of our labours. We met with little oppofition, except by hard names, (which were plentifully bestowed upon us, both by the Pharifees and Sadducees,) and being once taken prisoners to the garrifon, where after we had been detained two hours, they fet us at liberty. The work ftill went on with greater fwiftnefs during the winter, and many found the word to be the power of God unto falvation.

In the fpring following we were vifited by a young man from Falmouth, who was very zealous in the cause. He laboured feivently, and at his firft coming, was made a great bleffing to many. After flaying about seven or eight weeks he returned; but before he left us, propofed that we should give up the Methodist difcipline; and form ourselves into a congregational

church,