kingdom to the beast until the words of God should be fulfilled. Dan. ii. 40. But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the Lord thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate; (what for?) that he might deliver him into thy hands, as appeareth unto this day. Ex. xiv. 5. I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them, and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh and upon all his host. It appears that the Lord will be master in spite of us all, and will find means to make men willing to do what he pleases. So again says Psalm. cx. 2, 3. The Lord shall send the rod of his strength out of Zion rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.[Well, what of that seed the Father gave the Son to serve him? They are children of wrath, by nature, even as others.]" Thy pe ple shall be willing in the day of thy power," says the text. Acts. xiii-48. As many as were ordained unto eternal life, believed. In perfect accordance. with this, see Phil. ii. 13. For it is God which worketh in you both to, will and to do, of his good pleasure. Heb. xiii. 21. The God of peace, &c. make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight. 2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing, but our sufficiency is of God." And, says the Methodist, mankind have "liberty and power to accept of proffered salvation ;' *Isa. liii. 10. Eph. ii. 3.

the reader can believe them or the Bible, just as he pleases; he hath heard what they both say.

This is an important point; it is a main pillar in the system. Every reflecting man must perceive, and they themselves do perceive, that except this part of their doctrine be true, the whole scheme will prove at last to be fallacious and absurd. Yet they have not even attempted to support it by one express declaration of Scripture. Neither do we know of one text that could have been presented so as to prove this doctrine; notwithstanding there are many expressions in the Bible, as well as other. books, that are capable of more than one literal meaning, God in his word hath thoroughly guarded against it, so that the honest man might not mistake it for truth.

Therefore it appears, that the main pillar of this hope for eternity stands entirely on human t reasoning, and that reasoning expressly contra dicts the word of the Lord. O! that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end. "For

2dly. The General Conference say, who is bound to seek after that which is impossible! certainly it were mocking men to bid them do so.*

This is another fundamental doctrine, and very essential to the whole free-will scheme. It stands intimately connected with this last

Tract 4, p. 63.

doctrine, which we have already reviewed. There is much stress upon the assertion, that God commands nothing but what man, in his present condition, has power to perform. But, like the other, it is barely an assertion, which stands entirely unsupported by the word of God. Notwithstanding the General Conference, and all Methodist writers which we have seen, are careful to produce every scripture which can be turned to suit the free-will scheme; yet here also they have not even attempted to produce one text in proof of so important a point; neither do we now recollect one which they could have bent into their service. Therefore we have nothing to do on this point at present, only to show the humble inquirer after truth, that the Lord says this assertion is not true. Jer. xiii. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may we also do good, who are accustomed to do evil. Rom. viii. 8. So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Are not natural men, or men in the flesh, bound to please God and keep his commandments, as well as others? If so, they had better remain in the flesh, and be as gods, as Satan promised them they should be. Again,, Heb. xi. 6. But without faith it is impossible to please him. Hosea xiii. 9. O! Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help. Jer. ii. 22. For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine ini

quity is marked before me, saith the Lord. Mat. xix. 24. And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Here we ask, if men in the flesh and rich men are not commanded to obey God, or to believe in Jesus Christ, and enter inte the kingdom of heaven, as well as others? But again, Mark xii. 34. (The scribe said to Je sus,) And to love him (God) with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself,-(as Jesus had just told him he was commanded to do.) [Said the scribe, this-is more than whole burnt-offerings and sa crifices. And when Jesus saw that he answer ed discreetly, he said unto him, thou art not far from the kingdom of God.

Here we observe, that if this scribe had lived among us at this day, it is not probable that any man would have persuaded him to join the Methodists, and put his name on the class-paper. Because he had proceeded too far in a knowledge of the truth, to be made to believe, either that a man could live perfect, and keep the whole law of God in this world. Or, that

God had not commanded more than mankind in their fallen state were able to perform. These are two important points of the Methodist doctrine But this scribe had advanced too far to. wards the kingdom of God to believe either of

them. Sull Christ tells him that although he was in a fair way, he was not yet there.

The young man in the gospel of whom Christ says, a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven, he could have been made to believe both these doctrines. Because when Jesus repeated the law of God to him for a rule of obedience, he answered, all these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? He was a perfect man in his own estimation, and he could have easily been persuaded to believe, that other men could also be perfect in this life; and that God had not commanded them to do more than they had power to perform.

We are aware, that this observation may possibly wound the feelings of some of our readers. But, dear reader, why should you be offended? We are all here in a world of moral darkness, all bound to one judgment-bar, where nothing but truth will stand the test. In the midst of all the errors which may prevail in this world, the word of God is the only sure guide. We make this observation, in order to show our fellow-creatures the danger of making a hasty stand in the things of eternity.

But to return. From these scriptures it is evident that this main pillar of the free-will system is founded on nothing but an assertion, made by the carnal reasoning of short-sighted man, who would rise in rebellion against the