humbly with God. I appeal to your conscience, if you have not come short in every one of these duties. Have

you dealt with every man as you would have him to do to you, in all circumstances, ever since you knew good from evil? Suppose you had, have you dealt justly with God, and employed every talent that he has committed to your charge, to his glory; both time, wisdom, and learning, your house, land, health, and trade? If you have used any one talent, and not to the glory of God, you have robbed him." Then I spoke of the other two. He said, "There is repentance." But I replied, "Not for you; for you are to be saved for doing justly, for loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. If you come short of these duties, you must be damned." He said, "Lord, have mercy on me! you are enough to make any man despair.” "Yes, I said, of saving himself, that he may come to Jesus Christ and be saved." He argued no more; but he heard me patiently, and departed friendly.

One Sunday I was at a chapel, where the Minister laboured much to persuade the people that there was no such thing as the forgiveness of sins in this world. When he had done, he sent the clerk to desire me to call upon him: I did so; and he told me, he understood I was he that went about to delude the people, telling them they might know their sins forgiven in this world: and there is no such thing, he said; he did not know his own sins were forgiven, and he had talked with several learned Divines, and there was not one of them that did; and several believed they must never know it, till the day of judgment. I answered, "Sir, what will become of their souls till then? will they lie in heaven or hell?" He said, "It was an unfair question." I replied, "Sir, if what you say be true, every time we use the Church prayers, we offer the sacrifice of fools, and mock God to his face : For this day you and all the congregation, in my presence, prayed that God would forgive you all your sins, negligences, and ignorances. And you affirmed in the presence of God, that he pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe the gospel: if

he

he do not, you are a false witness and a deceiver of the people; yea, and a contemner of the word of God; for St. Peter saith, To him give all the prophets witness, that whosoever believeth in him shall receive forgiveness of their sins.' And St. Paul saith, By him all that believe are justified from all things.' He doth not say they shall be justified at the day of judgment, but all that believe are justified. And St. John saith, I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his Name's sake." He replied, "You take some part of scripture." I answered, "I leave all the rest to you, to contradict me if you can. For this day you have denied the faith of the Church you call yourself a minister of; as she saith, Before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, no good work can be done.' But you say, there is no such thing as inspiration to be expected in this age. And yet you prayed that God would cleanse the thoughts of your heart by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit !?? Then he said, "You have too good a memory for me: landlady, bring us a pint of ale."-So I left him.

One man in our town, that had run well for a season, but had turned from us, and was become a happy sinner, now invited the Germans to preach at his house. One of their chief preachers came, and said, (after preaching,) they had been asking their Saviour about preaching in Birstal; and the Lamb had made it plain to them, the time was come that they should have a church in Birstal: which when one came and told me, I said, "God hath shewed me to the contrary; and you may go and tell the preacher, that that Lamb who told him so is a liar." They came several weeks together, but to no purpose. Then the preacher said, "It is not the Lamb's will that they should come any more." When they told me, I replied, "Their Lamb is much given to change: he hath not continued in one mind for three months."

After this, as I was going to Staincliff to work at my business, about five in the morning, I met with a Dissenting minister he stopped me, and said," John, you go often this way; I would have you come and spend an

G2

hour

hour with us, for I want to talk with you."

I answered, "I have not an hour to spare, for I go to my work at five in the morning, and work till six at night; then I have always somewhere to go and preach: so that I have scarcely time to read a chapter in the Bible, but at my dinner hour; and sometimes I have to preach in that hour." He said, "What do you mean by Redemption? Do you mean that Christ hath died for all?" I replied, "I do believe he did, or he cannot judge all: for truth itself cannot condemn any man, because he will not be lieve a lie." He said, "What do you mean?" I answered, "Every man is bound to believe that by nature he is a child of wrath, and by wilful sin an heir of hell; and that while he was in that lost condition, the eternal Son of God, for his sake, took upon him our nature; and did in that nature fulfil all righteousness for him; and, at the last, gave his soul an offering for sin: he must consciously believe that the Lord Jesus Christ loved him, and gave himself for him, or he must be damned eternally. And if the Lord did not give himself for him, he must be damned because he does not believe a lie. But you know it is said, He, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man ; and he gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due season. And St. John saith, He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world.' Sir, there are numberless scriptures that say he did die for all; but shew me one that saith he did not die for all?" He answered, "If he died for all, why are not all saved?" I replied, "Let the Lord answer for himself: Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life.' """ He then said, "You say, 'It is of him that willeth."" I answered," It is Christ that saith, Ye will not come to me.' Do not pretend to be wiser than the Lord that made you. You say you will have no ifs; but I say, If you give the promise without the condition, God will take your name out of the Book of Life. I hope you will weigh these things; I shall be glad to converse with you at some other opportunity, for my time is now expired."

Almost

Almost every day some came to dispute with me as I was at work. And I saw every day more clearly, that he who insists on men being saved from their sins by Christ in this world, is like a speckled bird, for all sects and parties, that have not the life of Christ in them, to mock at.

One day two Quakers fell upon me very hotly, and told me I was carnal, or else I should not make use of carnal ordinances, nor seek the living among the dead. I told them, those ordinances they called carnal, I knew to be spiritual; for God had refreshed my soul in the use of them by his Spirit. "You say, I seek the living among the dead, but I do not; for I have found the Lord of life in the great congregation. But if I would leave the Church, where must I go to find a people that are truly alive to God?" They told me, if I was right I should come to them; for they were the only people that had spiritual worship amongst them. They talked much about George Fox and William Penn, and said, "What thinkest thou of them?" I answered, “I think well of them; but their graces will profit you nothing, except the same change be wrought in your hearts as was in them: neither do I see that you are God's people any more than those who go to church; for the Lord hath set a mark upon his children, and it will rest on them as long as the world endureth." They asked, “What is that mark?" I replied, "They are hated of all men that know not God: for they who live after the Spirit must be persecuted by those that live after the flesh. I do not see that this is your case, any more than of those who go to the church. Your forefathers had the spot of God's children; but you have lost it as much as the church." Then one of then turned pale, and said, "Do you believe that God hath no people in the land but the Methodists?" I replied, "I did not say so." He said, "They are the only people that are persecuted now." They then went away, seemingly much discontented.

As I was passing through part of Lancashire, I found the Lord reviving his work among the people. After I had done preaching at one place, a man and his wife came to

me,

me, both in tears, and desired me to pray with them: I did so. When I had done, I was exhorting them to abstain from all evil, and to continue in prayer, and told them, God would shew mercy unto them for the obedience and blood-shedding of his dear Son. Presently a Dissenter broke out, and said, "You are deceiving the people, and setting them to lean on a broken reed, by telling them that another man's obedience and blood would atone for their sins." I asked him how he could stand before that God who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, if there were no merit in the blood of Christ to atone for his sins?" He said, "Man has such noble faculties, that if he improve them, he will thereby qualify himself for Heaven; but you degrade man's nature in your preaching, and set him on a level with the brute beasts." I said, "Did I so?" He replied, "Yes, you did; for I heard you myself." I replied, "Then, Sir, heard me preach false doctrine; for if I set a natural man upon a level with the beasts, I set him greatly out of his place. I believe he is far worse; for he has not only all the faculties of the beast, which are lust and earthlymindedness, but the nature of the devil, wrath, pride, malice, and ambition; he is therefore three degrees worse than a beast, till he is created anew in Christ Jesus: so that if I ranked him with the beasts, I set him above his place." Then he burst out into anger. But I said, “ Sir, make use of that reason you speak of, and let me see you save yourself from anger." At which he was ready to strike me; and went away, leaving me, as he said, in my stupid condition.

you

When I got about ten miles farther into the country, another Dissenter came into the house, where I was at prayer with a poor man. When I had done, I exhorted him not to rest, till he was sure that the Lord Jesus had loved him, and washed him from his sins in his own blood. At which words, the Dissenter spoke out, saying, "I hate to hear people talk of being assured of any such thing, or of perfection in this world." I replied, "Is the Lord of life able to do what he came from Heaven to do?" He

said,

.