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or his works. You rather wish to be totally delivered from them; to have sin entirely rooted out of you.

"There is a remarkable passage in John Bunyan's Holy War :

"When Immanuel had driven Diabolos (the devil) and all his] forces out of the city of Mansoul, Diabolos petitioned to Immanuel, that he might have only a small part of the city. When this was rejected, he begged to have only a little room within the walls. But Immanuel answered, 'He shall not have any place in it at all, no, not to rest the sole of his foot.' Had not the good old man forgot himself? Did not the force of truth so prevail over him here, as utterly to overturn his own system? For if this is not complete salvation from all sin, I cannot tell what is.

"No, says a great man, this is the error of errors: I hate it from my heart. I pursue it through all the world with fire and sword. Nay, why so vehement? Do you seriously think there is no error under heaven equal to this? Here is something I cannot understand. Why are those that oppose salvation from sin, few excepted, so eager, I had almost said furious! Are you fighting pro aris and focis?

for God and your country; for all you have in the world; for all that is near and dear unto you; for your liberty; your life? In God's name, why are you so fond of sin ? What good has it ever done you? What good is it ever likely to do you, either in this world, or in the world to come? And why are you so violent against those who hope for a deliverance from it? Have patience with us, if we are in an error: yea, suffer us to enjoy our error. If we should not attain it, the very expectation of it gives us present comfort, yea, and ministers strength to resist those enemies which we expect to conquer. Now we are saved by hope: from this very hope a degree of comfort springs. Be not angry at those who are happy in their mistake. For, be their opinion right or wrong, your temper is undeniably sinful. Bear with us, as we do with you, and see if the Lord will not deliver us; whether he is not able, yea, and willing, to save them to the uttermost that come unto God through him."

Such is the reasoning of Mr. Wesley, the reputed founder of Methodism, upon the belief in universal holiness! He thought Bunyan forgot his own system, when he refused the

devil any place in the city of Mansoul; but had not Wesley also forgot his belief in the endless suffering of a part of mankind, when contending for universal holiness? He could not conceive why this doctrine should be so odious, and why some should be so earnest and furious in their opposition to it, seeing that sin had never done them any good. Setting prejudice aside, he thinks that all would desire to see holiness universally diffused. And so do we the same. And to our Methodist brethren, and to all others, we would say, with Wesley," What can you wish for in comparison with this? Why should you be averse to, or entertain any prejudice against it? Is there any thing more to be desired by every child of man?" UNIVERSAL HOLINESS! Think of it, brethren. Is there, in reality, no error under heaven equal to it? If sin is the greatest evil among men, will not an entire deliverance from it prove the greatest blessing under heaven? And what is this but the doctrine of Universalism,- -a doctrine looked upon as the error of errors; hated and opposed with the most furious and vehement opposition? O, why should any be so violent against us, because we hope for universal deliverance from

all sin? From this very hope a degree of salvation springs; and we earnestly pray that our opposers may yet obtain this hope, and be saved by it, as were the holy men of old.

If we indeed be in error, will our enemies have patience with us, and suffer us at least to enjoy our error? For there is great joy and peace in believing that the time will assuredly. come in which every tongue shall say, -1 In the Lord have I righteousness and strengthwhen all shall be made alive in Christ, to love the Lord their God with all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their mind, and each other as themselves."

We pray that none may be angry with us, even if they consider us to be in a mistake; for such a temper is not justifiable in any case whatever. Rather let them wait and see if the Lord will not change our vile body, and fashion it like unto his own glorious body; see if he will not have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth.

CHAPTER VII.

PROMISES TO THE SICK AND AFFLICTED.

Job 11:16. Thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away.

Ps. 68: 13. Though ye have lain among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.

Ps. 71:20. Thou which hath showed me sore and great trouble, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

Jer. 31: 13. I will turn their mourning into joy, and wilt comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

Hos. 6:1. Come, and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

Ps. 136:23. Who remembered us in our low estate for his mercy endureth forever.

Ps. 31:7. I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy; for thou hast considered my trouble: thou hast known my soul in adversity.

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