This is that same kind of religion which the devil thought Job possessed, and which he knew was good for nothing. Because when the Lord told Satan what an excellent man Job was, Satan replied," Doth Job fear God for nought? hast thou not made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? and thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now and touch him, and he will curse thee to thy face, * Observe the import of Satan's language. Job fears God, because he is a good servant to him, who takes care of every thing that he hath. But, said he to the Lord, put forth thine hand and touch him-withdraw your service-and by your conduct assert yourself his master, who will dispose of him and his as you please, and he will curse you to your face.

We must naturally conclude that Satan, who is present with all the lost spirits in the eternal world, and hears their complaints, knows much about the manner in which they were deceived while here on earth. Consequently, he knew that this kind of selfish religion did not arise from any real change of heart implanted in the soul of man by the Holy Ghost. Although, in external appearance it may often bear a very near resemblance to the true religion of God's people.

*Job i. 9. 11.

Besides, Jesus himself hath illustrated this same fact. In the days of his flesh, there were certain disciples following, and calling him Rabbi, or Master. He who knew the hearts of all men, said to these followers, ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ve did eat of the loaves, and were filled.* That is, ye are pleased with me for my service to you, and for nothing more. Ye are not reconciled to me as your Master indeed; and he made them prove this by their own conduct; because a little after, in the same chapter, he says to them.

"No man can come unto me except it were given him of my Father." Then we read, that many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. If these disciples had been as truly reconciled to him to be their Master, as the other disciples were, they would not have been offended more than they; but would have been willing to trust the Father's goodness to draw as many as he saw fit.

Likewise, when Jesus preached this doctrine in the synagogue, saying, there were many widows in Israel, in the days of the famine, but Elijah was sent to none but the widow of Serepta; and that there were many lepers in Israel, but none were cleansed but Naaman, the Syrian; notwithstanding the people, to whom Christ preached, were Jews, who professed to worship the true God, yet they would not hear.

this doctrine; because it evidently represented God as a sovereign Master, who would dispose of his favours as he pleased. Consequently we are told, by the Evangelist, that all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him to the brow of a hill, (whereon their city was built,) that they might cast him down headlong.* In short, wherever we turn to the Bible, we find that it hath ever been characteristic of the unregenerated, to oppose the idea of God's disposing of his favours among sinful men, as he pleased. on the contrary, says one of the righteous, "It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good;" and, says another," but our God is in the heavens, he hath done whatsoever he pleased;" and another, "The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice," &c.

+

But,

It will not comport with our general design of brevity, to pursue this point as far as we might. This has been done by many eminent protestant writers. But we would still further observe, that Christ says of the wicked in his day, now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.§ Here we ask, with reverence, did Christ declare the truth? and, if so, what do men hate God for? Surely they cannot hate him for his power or wisdom, for these

Luke iv. 28.
Psalms cxv. 3.

+ 1 Samuel iii. 18.

John xv. 24.

are necessary to constitute him a good servant to men, and in this the Most High God is superior to the gods of the heathen, because he can be viewed as possessing attributes which render him a better servant than their gods. By these attributes he creates, and governs, and gives us all things richly to enjoy. Neither can they possibly hate him for his goodness and mercy; provided that be extended as far as the Methodists say it is. The General Conference, in one of their abusive strains, say to us," then you have either found a new god or made one; this is not the God of the Christians; our God is just in all his ways: he reapeth not where he hath not strewed."* There they have hit upon the very root of difference between them and the true protestant church; for the reader will remember that, according to the Bible, the Lord acknowledged the charge to be true, that he did reap where he had not strewed, and it was for this, that the wicked servant hated him, and he would naturally hate him until his heart was renewed, or else he could be made to believe that the Lord possessed a different character from what he really did.

Accordingly their doctrines represent, that after the Lord had created a world of intelligent beings, and they, by their conduct, had for ever destroyed themselves, He sent his Son to die,

*Tract 5, page 151.
+ Matthew xxv. 26.

and thus set open another door of happiness, and place them all as their own masters here on earth, with power to accept of this proffered salvation, whenever they were pleased to wait upon him for it; and the power of determining their own will to do so; and, at the same time, the Lord is doing all he can to prevent the ruin of many of them; and making the way of salvation so easy, that he requires of sinful men no more than what they have power to perform, in order to escape punishment for their past sins.

We appeal to every one who has ever read the book of Doctrinal Tracts, published by order of the General Conference, if we have not here drawn the character of the Deity very near, if not precisely, as they have drawn it. And, according to this, we ask, what carnal man ever hated God, as Christ hath said? Surely none; because that hatred would be contrary to every principle of human nature. Christ himself says that sinners also love those that love them. But the truth is, sinners, while in a state of nature, think so little about God, that they do not really know what he is; hence it is that they can never be persuaded that they do hate him, until they become a little awakened and begin to learn his true character. Then they find that while he is a servant to his creatures, yet he exercises that service as a Master, who will kill and make alive, pull down, and build up, sanctify and save, or harden and