piness going hand in hand. There is humbleness of mind, gentleness, long-suffering, the whole image of God, and at the same time a peace that passeth all understanding, and joy unspeakable and full of glory.

"Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind;

Each prayer accepted, and each wish resign'd;
Desires compos'd, affection ever even,

Tears that delight, and sighs that waft to heaven."

"This religion we long to see established in the world, a religion of love, and joy, and peace, having its seat in the heart, in the inmost soul, but ever shewing itself, continually springing forth, not only in all innocence, (for love worketh no ill to his neighbour,) but likewise in every kind of beneficence, spreading virtue and happiness all around it."

This religion have we been following after for many years, as many know, if they would testify: but all this time, seeking wisdom we found it not; we were spending our strength in vain. And being now under full conviction of this, we declare it to all mankind: for we desire not that others should wander out of the way, as we have done before them; but rather that they may profit by our loss, that they may go, (though we did not, having no man to guide us,) the straight way to the religion of love, even by faith."

"Now faith (supposing the scripture to be of God) is the demonstrative evidence of things unseen, the supernatural evidence of things invisible, not perceivable by eyes of flesh, or by any of our natural senses or faculties. Faith is that divine evidence, whereby the spiritual man discerneth God and the things of God. It is with regard to the spiritual world, what sense is with regard to the natural. It is the spiritual sensation of every soul that is born of God."

"Perhaps you have not considered it in this view; I will then explain it a little further."

Faith, according to the scriptural account, is the eye of the new-born soul. Hereby every true believer in God "seeth him who is invisible." Hereby (in a more particular manner, since life and immortality have been brought to light by the gospel) he "seeth the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ;" and beholdeth what manner of love it is, which the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we (who are born of the spirit) should be called the sons of God."

"It is the ear of the soul, whereby a sinner "hears the voice of the Son of God and lives;' even that voice which alone wakes the dead, "Son, thy sins are forgiven thee."

It is (if I may be allowed the expression) the palate of the soul: for hereby a believer "tastes the good word, and the powers of the world to come;" and hereby he both tastes and sees that "God is gracious, yea, and merciful to him a sinner."

"It is the feeling of the soul, whereby a believer perceives, through "the power of the highest overshadowing him," both the existence and presence of him, in whom he lives, and moves, and has his being ;" and indeed the whole invisible world, the entire system of things eternal. And hereby, in particular, he feels the love of God shed abroad in his heart."

"By this faith we are saved from all uneasiness of mind, from the anguish of a wounded spirit, from discontent, from fear and sorrow of heart, and from that inexpressible listlessness and weariness both of the world and of ourselves which we had so helplessly laboured under for many years, especially when we were out of the hurry of the world, and sunk into calm reflection. In this we find that love

of God, and of all mankind, which we had elsewhere sought in vain. This, we know and feel, and therefore cannot but declare, saves every one that partakes of it both from sin and misery, and from every unhappy and every unholy temper."

"Soft peace she brings, wherever she arrives,
She builds our quiet, as she forms our lives;
Lays the rough paths of peevish nature even,
And opens in each breast a little heaven."

Mr. Wesley adds, this faith is the free gift of God, which he bestows, not on those who are worthy of his favour, not on such as are previously holy, and so fit to be crowned with all the blessings of his goodness, but on the ungodly and unholy; on those who, till that hour, were fit only, for everlasting destruction; those, in whom was no good thing, and whose only plea was "God be merciful to me a sinner." No merit, no goodness in man, precedes the forgiving love of God; his pardoning mercy supposes nothing in us but a sense of mere sin and misery, and to all who see and feel and own their wants, and their utter inability to remove them, God freely gives faith, for the sake of him" in whom he is always well pleased."

"This," adds he, " is a short rude sketch of the doctrine we teach; these are our fundamental principles; and we spend our lives in confirming others herein, and in a behaviour suitable to them."

After the above statement, Mr. Wesley was prepared to ask even Deists, "What is it that you can here condemn? What evil have we done to you, that you should join the common cry against us? Why should you say, away with such fellows from the earth, it is not fit that they should live ?"

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After expostulating with Deists at some considerable length, meeting them upon their own

ground, and fighting them with their own weapons, in which great ability is displayed, he proceeds to address those who believe the Holy Scriptures, but who, nevertheless, do not take upon them the character of religious men. These, as well as the Deists, he considered himself obliged to address as men of reason. And he begins by asking, "Are you such indeed?" that is, men of reason. "Do you answer the character under which you appear? If so, you are consistent with yourselves; your principles and your practice agree together. Let us try whether this be so or not? Do you take the name of God in vain? Do you remember the sabbath-day, to keep it holy? Do you not speak evil of the ruler of your people? Are you not a drunkard, or a glutton, faring as sumptuously as you can every day, making a God of your belly? Do you not avenge yourself? Are you not a whoremonger or adulterer? Answer plainly to your own heart, before God, the Judge of all."

"Why then do you say you believe the scripture? If the scripture be true you are lost: you are in the broad way that leadeth to destruction: your damnation slumbereth not; you are heaping up to yourself wrath against the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Doubtless, if the scripture be true, (and you remain thus) it had been good for you if you had never been born."

"How is it that you call yourselves men of reason? Is reason inconsistent with itself? You are the farthest of all men under the sun from any pretence to that character: a common swearer, a sabbath breaker, a whoremonger, a drunkard, who says he believes the scripture is of God, is a monster upon earth, the greatest contradiction to his own, as well as the reason of all mankind. In

the name of God, (that worthy name whereby you are called, and which you daily cause to be blasphemed) turn either to the right hand or to the left; either profess you are an infidel, or be a christian, Halt no longer thus between two opinions; either cast off the bible or your sins; and, in the meantime, if you have any spark of your boasted reason left, do not count us your enemies, (as I fear you have done hitherto, and as thousands do wherever we have declared, "they that do such things shall not inherit eternal life,") because we tell you the truth: seeing these are not our words, but the words of him that sent us. Yea, though in doing this we use great plainness of speech, as becomes the ministry we have received: for we are not as many who corrupt or soften, and thereby adulterate the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ."

But it may be you are none of these, you abstain from all such things; you have an unspotted reputation, you are a man of honour, or a woman of virtue; you scorn to do an unhandsome thing, and are of an unblameable life and conversation; you are harmless, (if I understand you right) and useless from morning to night; you do no hurt, and no good to any one, no more than a straw floating upon the water; your life glides smoothly on from year to year, and from one season to another; having no occasion to work,

"You waste away

In gentle inactivity the day."

"I will not now shock the easiness of your temper by talking about a future state, but suffer me to ask you a question about present thingsAre you now happy? I have seen a large company of reasonable creatures called Indians, sit