be read them as it were with new eyes. The difficulty was now solved, which had once tempted him to burn the bible; he understood how God could forgive sin, and yet not clear the guilty. Soon after this, his own salvation began to appear not only possible, but probable, and at length certain. This was in May, 1748. He now was convinced, and rejoiced that salvation was of GRACE indeed, and abhorred the Arminian sentiments which had so long held him in dreadful bondage. He remarked long after to a friend, "perhaps 1 should never have detested that system as I do, had I not once drank into it, and felt its effects." On this account he left the minister upon whom he formerly attended, and travelled five miles to another Presbyterian meeting where the gospel was preached, and joined in communion with that people. The minister at this place was a Mr. Dryden, who had a few young men under his care designed for the ministry. Mr. Hall contracted a peculiar intimacy with two of these students, Mr. James Rutherford and Mr. William Peden.

About this time there began to be a great noise in those parts, respecting the Anabaptists, as they were styled, who had licenced a house for preaching, about twelve miles off. Mr. Hall's mother having married again, her eldest son Christopher left her, and went to reside in the county of Durham. And now Robert heard that his brother Christopher had joined these Anabaptists at Hamsterley; he abhorred the very name, and did not like to hear his brother mentioned, because he was one of them, and had married a sister of the man at whose house they had set up preaching, five miles from Hexham. At last, however, be agreed with his two friends,

Rutherford and Peden, to go and dispute with the Anabaptist minister, that, if possible, they might put a stop to his farther progress in that neighbourhood. Accordingly under colour of Mr. Robert Hall's visiting his new relation, they went together to the place, called Juniper-dyehouse, on a Saturday evening, when they knew that the minister, Mr. David Fernie, would be there, ready to preach on the morrow. They were all three kindly entertained, and according to their eager wish, soon got into a close dispute upon baptism. They were three to one; nevertheless, in about two hours, the young men were all entangled and ashamed. They then went out, laid their heads together to muster up fresh arguments, and returned to the company and renewed the debate: but to their great mortification, were again quite silenced, though not convinced. It had been their design to have stopped and heard Mr. Fernie on the morrow, but the two students were so chagrined that they would not stay, but set off homeward. After this repulse, they all three met frequently, to fortify themselves for a future attack, being resolved not to give up the point, but to go again when prepared. But they were disappointed in their purpose of going together, for Mr. Dryden soon after gave up his academy, and that scattered them. However, Mr. R. Hall determined he would go once more, and try what he could do by himself. Accordingly he got what books. he could against the Baptists, intending to confront Mr. Fernie with arguments from them. But upon thinking what Mr. F. might possibly urge in reply to these arguments, he found none of them would stand: so that by searching the scriptures upon the sub

ject, and reading Wilson's Scripture Manual, which fell into his hands, he was convinced of believers' baptism, without any more dispute. The next time that he saw Mr. F. he was baptized by him, Jan. 5, 1752, at Juniper-dye-house aforemention ed, and received into the little church at Hexham it was then a branch of a larger church, whose principal meeting-place was in the county of Durbam, where the minister then resided, but visited this place once a month; another branch of his church met at Marten, in Yorkshire a few miles south of Stockton-upon-Tees.

The church conceiving that Mr. Hall was possessed of ministerial talents, urged him immediately to attempt expounding the scriptures; and by their persuasion he made a trial privately, before the members of the church, and founded his discourse on the same text that he left for his funeral, "It is finished." He has often said, he began where he should have left off, and that if he knew which should be his last sermon, he would preach it from those words. After five or six months trial by the church, Mr. Hall was solemnly called out, by them, to public work, about June, 1752. Mr. Hall was settled at Arnsby in 1753. The church and congregation being small and very poor, never raised him so much as 151. a year: "nor indeed," said Mr. Hall, "for several years after, and my family increased fast, having had fourteen children in all. But I found my heart so united to the people, that I never durst leave them, though I often thought I must. I trust the Lord was with us of a truth, and the fifth chapter of the first epistle of Peter was habitually impressed

on my mind. It appearing pretty clear to myself and any wife, that we were where God would have us to be; this sense of duty and a willingness to live honestly, made us resolve in the strength of the Lord, that we would not run into debt, let us live as hardly as we might: which resolution he enabled us to keep. But many and unknown difficulties we grappled with: However, I am thankful I have been enabled to continue with the people to this day, of whom I can say with truth, I love them in the Lord."

Soon after his settlement at Arnsby, the doubts of his call and qualifications beset him; and on a Monday, he desired his wife to go to the people, and desire they would provide a supply for the next Sabbath, as he could. not preach. not preach. She refused, and said, Try what the Lord will do for you. On the Saturday he repeated the request to her; and she denied, saying, Stay till to-morrow, and if they must be told so, go and tell them yourself, for I cannot. He went; and after telling his dismal ditty to the people, an old father said, Sir, go up into the pulpit and pray; and if you find your mind set at liberty, proceed in preaching; if otherwise, come down and we'll spend the time in prayer: for I trust you are with a sympathizing people. He went to prayer, and soon found his soul at perfect liberty, by the letting in of those words, Come, for all things are now ready. Almost every member present expressed the greatest satisfaction, and the preacher said, he found so great a fulness in the words, that he thought he saw matter enough in them to serve him to preach from as long as he lived.

2. ANOTHER prerequisite to the joys of religion, is the power of distinguishing and relishing spiritual beauty and excellence. Taste, as a faculty of the mind exercised in the perception and appreciation of those beauties which belong to the works of nature, of genius, or of art, has been largely and frequently discussed. But it is not so generally known, that the more interesting ideas of this faculty may be applied to the perception of those beauties which the Christian system exhibits. There is indeed this difference, that the taste which apprehends natural beauty, must be an innate principle; but that which enjoys spiritual beauty, must be implanted by the agency of the Spirit of God. The one is conversant with the fashion of that world which passes away; the other, with that which is far removed from all change. The one conveys to the mind a momentary pleasure; the other imparts a happiness which shall be improved by successive views into the fruition of God. In exhorting christians to the rejection of the more hurtful and malignant passions and vices, the apostle Peter appeals to their spiritual taste, and assumes it as an evident principle, that they would abhor the hideous forms of dissimulation and envy, "If so be they had tasted that the Lord is gracious." And the Psalmist exclaims, "O taste, that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him." Natural taste acquires a very delicate sensibility, not only to beauties but to deformities; receiving pleasure

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from the one, and disgust from the other. The well exercised senses of Christians, "discern good and evil." Their taste apprehends the beauty of the divine character, and derives infinite delight from the contemplation. They can see in Jesus Christ such qualities as render him unspeakably precious to their souls. They perceive in the plan of redemption, such a union of goodness, mercy, faithfulness and truth, as excite their gratitude and wonder. To them there is an evident impress of divinity upon all the parts of that gracious scheme which contains the salvation of sinners. They therefore take pleasure in looking into the perfect law of liberty, and in continuing therein.On the other hand, they are easily excited by the exhibition of evil. Whatever is at variance with the laws of God, whatever bears the stamp of sin, and debases the soul by its influence, is offensive to their just perception, and painful to their well cultivated taste.

Hence it is manifest, that what

we here denominate spiritual taste has some analogy to experience. Let it be observed, however, that experience is much more comprehensive in significa tion, and may be considered as comprising all the vigorous exercises of piety. But that part of it which relates to the happy feelings of the heart in the view of heavenly objects, may express the idea of taste, under consideration.

The pleasures resulting from a view of celestial beauty, order,