eth in God, and God in him. He that hateth his brother, is in darkness, is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." Now, if love, the love of God and man is the very effence of holiness; and he who has it not, knows not God, is a liar, hath not the truth in him; or, as St. Paul expreffes it, "is nothing," however he may boast of knowledge, eloquence, miracle-working faith, zeal for a party, and boundlefs charity, even to the giving of all his goods to feed the poor: do we go too far in saying, that fuch a one is threatened with an exclufion from the believer's privileges here? And are we not equally warranted in declaring, that he is in the fame predicament with respect to thofe of the life to come, when the same authority has told us, that fuch as want love are accurfed: that they who are deftitute of holiness shall not see God!

The neceffity then of personal holiness, is indifputable, and so evident to all who believe the Scriptures, that one would wonder, how any serious mind should not discern it. Yet it is a fact, though a melancholy one, that many, very many, to whom we find no difficulty of giving the appellation of serious perfons, fee no kind of need for it; and therefore do not aim at, and confequently cannot obtain it. But we cannot, even from the Chriftian charity we feel for those brethren, give up the poffibility or neceffity of a believer's holiness. Therefore we proceed to fhew,

2. The poffibility of our attaining holinefs. This is evident, 1. From, the commands of God, who would be justly charged as a hard mafter, were it impoffible for us to do what he enjoins. But he requires that we fhould be holy: Therefore we may be affured, that it is poffible for us to attain the bleffing of loving him with all our hearts, and our neighbour as ourselves.

2. This is poffible; elfe were the promifes vain, and worse than vain, even delufory, as holding out to us what we can never attain. And who would, to juftify themfelves in floth, or the love of fin, expose themselves to the dangerous effects of calling the veracity of God in queftion, and fo robbing God and man; God of his highest glory, and man of his chief felicity?

3. The poffibility of this is evident, when you confider, first, That it was the end of the incarnation and birth of Chrift, to fave his people from their fins to deliver them from their enemies, that they might ferve God in that perfect love which cafts out fear, in holiness all the days of their life and to destroy the works of the Devil, for which St. John exprefsly fays Chrift was manifefted. Secondly, That it was the end of the death of Chrift, to redeem us from all iniquity: And, thirdly, the end of his Afcenfion, to fave to the uttermost all who come to God by him.

This is furely poffible, if not for man, yet for the great Agent who is to effect it, the Holy Spirit. Will any fuppofe he cannot fo renew us in holinefs, by dwelling in us, and walking in us? And is it not plain, that it is He, who breathes defires into every believing heart after this great bleffing, (unless he be grieved or

quenched,)

quenched,) equal to thofe he breathed into the Saints of old. Liften to them. "As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, fo panteth my foul after thee, O God. My foul thirfteth for God; for the living God. My heart and my flesh crieth out for God. I fhall be fatisfied, when I awake with thy likenefs. Let Ifrael hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption: and he fhall redeem Ifrael from all his iniquities! " And all thofe prayers put up by St. Paul for the Ephefian, Philippian, and Theffalonian churches, are fure evidences of its poffibility. Yet it is still a truth, that many attain it not, because they fee neither the neceffity nor poffibility of it. And this is no wonder at all, when we confider, first, That a vast majority imbibe wrong notions of the Gofpel. Secondly, from hence they use little or no felf denial. Thirdly, They hereby lose tenderness of confcience; and with it, that fear of God, recommended in my text: and, of confequence, fourthly, make little, very little real application to the Blood of Jefus, which alone can cleanse from fin. Fifthly, Hereby they lofe their communion with God and having by all these errors and faults grieved the Spirit of God, they become fhort-fighted, and cannot fee afar off. Having loft their fpiritual ftrength, they become weak, and like unto other men; and fo lofing their relish for holinefs, fall into too great conformity to the world. And rather than own they are fallen believers, they maintain their profeffion of faith, and coldly or presumptuously lay claim to the Chriftian's privileges. They now shelter themselves under the mistaken interpretations put upon fundry paffages of Scripture, especially the 7th to the Romans: and joining to these all they can glean up of the miscarriages of profeffors of religion, ancient or modern, especially of the abettors and profeffors of holinefs, they fecure themselves in the delufion, that holiness is impoffible and unneceffary; and confequently, not only neglect this great falvation, but defpife all who enforce it as the Chriftian's privilege. And as thefe Laodiceans make, alas! a large majority of the profeffors of our day, it is no wonder fo few poffefs the bleffing.

4. The fourth reason for this is, many who are of a different fpirit from the above, and therefore do aim at, but do not attain to holiness, feek it not by faith, but as it were by the deeds of the law. And as by these no flefh living can be juftified, fo neither can any believer by them be fully fanctified, or made holy: no, nor can he make any great proficiency in perfecting holiness, even though aimed at in the fear of God. 1. They feek. it as it were by the deeds of the law. That is, they look for and expect it on account of their being, 1. Diligent in attending upon every means of grace. 2. By carefully obferving their own hearts and lives, that no word or work, temper or affection, may be allowed, which would difhonour God, or hurt their confciences. 3. By exerciling felf-denial in all things, and mortifying every member of the old man. 4. By being in all refpects merciful towards all

men:

men to their bodies, in vifiting, helping and relieving them, as their ability enables them; to their fouls, in advising, reproving, . and encouraging them, as opportunity allows.

That the uniform practice of thefe things is the duty of every believer, must be granted by all who acknowledge the Bible. Yet they who have used them diligently, are beft able to teftify, how far they have answered the end of perfecting holiness; and if I may be allowed the liberty to speak for them, I would deliver their fentiments as follows:

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1. "All these things have I fteadily done from my firft receiv "ing of the grace of God, which is, (perhaps) five, ten, twenty, "or thirty years ago. And what lack I yet, feeing I feel myself "far, very far from holiness; yea, from any very fenfible advance "in perfecting holiness. 2. Indeed I do find, I am enabled to keep up a fenfe of my acceptance and adoption, and a measure of confcioufnefs of the Divine prefence, and daily communion "with God: for which I am thankful. 3. I do alfo find a clear "difcovery of the world's vanity; of fin's odioufnefs; of what "is true religion, conformity to God; of the beauty of holiness; " and I experience a more ardent defire for it; and all these in a "larger measure than I have ever done before. 4. Yet, alas ! "I muft own, I do not find one evil affection entirely removed, one wrong temper totally deftroyed, or my will wholly subjected "to the will of God. And although by a continual attention I "am enabled to keep all in fubjection, yet I perceive my nature "unclean; yea, I perceive in it more impurity than I ever faw "before; and fuch a continual propenfity to wander from the "God I love, as I could not believe was in me, if I did not fee "and feel it as I now do. And fo ftrong is the warfare I often experience between the flesh and the fpirit, between nature and "Grace, that I fear the conqueft will be very difficult, if ever gained."

All this is not to be wondered at; because you hoped, when the work was fo complete as you defired it fhould be, and faw it ought to be, then the Lord would give you that holiness, the beauty whereof had fo attracted your foul: yea, that he would enable you to attain this, by delivering you from one evil after another. But you had no direct attention to the Lord Jefus for the accomplishment of that falvation in your foul, through an immediate exertion of his power, and through faith alone in him. Therefore you are not a partaker of it, nor can be while you fo feek as by the deeds of the law, as above ftated, without this faith. Which leads us to the confideration of the fecond part of this reafon, viz.

2. They feek it not by faith: that is, they do not, in the ufe of all the above means, expect to receive it as a free gift from God through Chrift alone. Therefore they do not come in confidence that he is able, willing, now, thus to fave all who fo come to God by him. But if the foul now feels all its own vileness and helpleffnefs;

2

leffness if it be refolved to venture upon the all-fufficient power of Chrift to effect its deliverance, and his meritorious Blood to cleanse from all unrighteoufnefs, even now; then will it be thoroughly confcious of the weaknefs of its prayers, tears, watchings, faftings, &c. and depending wholly on the faithfulness of Him who hath promifed, and who alfo will do it. Thus it feeks by faith, without any eye to its own worth or power. And will not Jefus fave to the uttermost all who fo come to God by him? Surely he will in no wife caft out fuch. Heaven and earth fhall pafs away, but his Word fhall stand.

Now when all these are put together, 1. That Believers (fo called) do not cleanse themselves as the text enjoins: 2. Do not walk in the practical fear of God: 3. See neither the neceffity nor poffibility of perfecting holinefs: Or, 4. feek it by the deeds of the law, and not by faith; it is no wonder fo few attain to this hope of their calling. For, alas! the defcription given above, takes in a vast majority of the profeffing believers in our day, and fully discovers the neceffity of the next part of our application. [To be concluded in our next.]

An Extract of the CONVERSION of a DEIST. Written by himself, in a feries of .Letters to the Rev. Mr. JOHN NEWTON.

[Continued from page 63. ]

URING the following years I advanced diligently in my philofophical ftudies. I compofed an academical differtation and defended it, was firft created batchelor, then mafter of arts and teacher of philofophy. A fmall differtation of mine. obtained the honour of being entered among the acts of the fociety of S. I afterwards published a fmall volume, and intended a fecond part, but many hinderances, after my converfion, interpofed to prevent it. Thus were my pride of heart and extravagant ambition every day encreased, and every day I propofed to myself the glory of fome new enterprize in the literary way, that I might acquire the reputation of genius and learning, and be celebrated far and near. As to riches, I cared little about them. My fummum bonum confifted altogether in the gratification of the most boundless ambition, and of my carnal appetites. But thanks be to God, who fruftrated all my various attempts to make myself illuftrious!

Almoft a year before my converfion, it happened, by the good providence of God, that I went to spend fome time in my native place, where, to my great joy, I found Mifs E. I now made, an offer of my heart in perfon, and was happy to cbferve that it did not difplease her. After feveral converfations, ftill, as ever, evincing a fingular love and reverence of her parents, the affured me

that

that he would not engage in matrimony till I fhould have firft difclofed my attachment and made my propofals to them; neither would fhe refufe me her hand fhould the parents of us both prové favourable to my wifhes. This affurance contented me, and I could not but commend the tenderness of her filial conduct. I was now elevated to the pinnacle of joy. I accounted myfelf completely happy, and my heart, alas! full of idolatry, looked for felicity to the creature, regarding lightly the Creator who is over all bleffed for ever.

During all this time the power of fin was moft prevalent in me. In appearance modeft, but I was deftitute of religion. I feldom went to church, and when I went was manifeftly inattentive, fitting there as a fpectator merely, and occupied with any trifle. My meditations there were vain and finful, and I was often too impatient to stay till the fermon was ended. To fuch a height did my impiety rife, that I accounted it an honour and boafted of it among my friends, that I feldom made one in the congregation. I fhould have blushed to have been frequently feen there, or when there, to have been feen with a Bible, or any religious book, in my hand. But there was no great fear of either. I made no use of fcripture but to oppofe it, or to confult it perhaps in the course. of my studies; much lefs had I any inclination to explore the contents of other books of practical divinity. I had not therefore even the appearance of religion, and though externally I feemed entitled to the praife of much decency, in my heart I cherished. all manner of depravity and malice, which I fuffered, not seldom, to break forth in private. Among my fcanty remnants of virtue (if any virtue I had) I ftill poffeffed a compaffionate and beneficent difpofition. I could not think much of any man oppreffed with want and mifery, without grief and painful fympathy. If the poor applied to me for relief, I affifled them willingly and gladly, and had fometimes a lively and grateful fenfe of my privi Jege. Yet even on fuch occafions I adverted not to the commandment of God, nor propofed to my felf his glory as my object, but obeyed merely the dictates of natural inftinct and fenfibility. At the fame time, I was not only infufferably proud, but my heart was full of hatred and envy, and as vindictive as malice could make it. Tendencies fuch as thefe could hardly have failed to betray me into open and public crimes, had not God, whom I neither knew nor honoured, by fingular means preferved and reftrained me. Occafionally I felt fome ftrokes and gnawings of confcience, but they were neither effectual nor lafting.

From the time of my firft acquaintance with the university, I had doubted the truth and divine origin of the chriftian religion. I hated the chofen people and the minifters of God. Frequently I fpoke to others in fcoffing and contemptuous terms of the Methodifts fo called, and of all who profeffed to be under the conduct of the Holy Spirit. My mother, in many letters which I received from her, exhorted me earnestly to fincere conversion and

continual