feres for particular purposes; but fuch purposes are represented to be of a nature very awful and fublime,-when a guilty people are to be destroyed,-when an oppreffed nation is to be lifted up, and some remarkable change introduced into the order and arrangement of the world. With this kind of theology we can have no quarrel; we bow to its truth; we are fatisfied with the moderation which it exhibits; and we have no doubt of the salutary effect which it produces upon the human heart. Let us now come to those special cafes of the interference of Providence as they are exhibited in the publications before us.

An interference with respect to the Rev. James Moody.

• Mr James Moody was defcended from pious ancestors, who refided at Paifley; his heart was devoted to mufic, dancing, and theatrical amusements; of the latter he was fo fond, that he used to meet with fome men of a fimilar caft, to rehearse plays, and ufed to entertain an hope that he should make a figure upon the ftage. To improve himself in mufic, he would rife very early, even in feverely cold weather, and practise on the German flute: by his fkill in mufic and finging, with his general powers of entertaining, he became a defireable companion: he would fometimes venture to profane the day of God, by turning it into a season of carnal pleafure; and would join in excurfions on the water, to various parts of the vicinity of London. But the time was approaching, when the Lord, who bad defigns of mercy for him, and for many others by his means, was about to flop him in his vain career of fin and folly. There were two profeffing fervants in the house where he lived; one of these was a porter, who, in brushing his clothes, would fay, "Mafter James, this will never do you must be otherwife employed you must be a minister of the gofpel. This worthy man, carnestly wifhing his converfion, put into his hands that excellent book which God hath fo much owned, Allein's alarm to the unconverted.

• About this time, it pleafed God to vifit him with a disorder in his eyes, occafioned, as it was thought, by his fitting up in the night to improve himself in drawing. The apprehenfion of lofing his fight occafioned many serious reflections; his mind was impreffed with the importance and neceffity of feeking the falvation of his foul, and he was induced to attend the preaching of the gofpel. The first fermon that he heard with a defire to profit, was at Spa-fields Chapel: a place which he had formerly frequented, when it was a temple of vanity and diffipation. Strong convictions of fin fixed on his mind; and he continued to attend the preached word, particularly at Tottenham-Court Chapel. Every fermon increased his forrow and grief that he had not earlier fought the Lord. It was a confiderable time before be found comfort from the gofpel. He has ftood in the free part of the chapel, hearing with fuch emotion, that the tears have flowed from his eyes, in torrents; and, when he has returned home, he has continued a great part of the night on his knees, praying over what he had heard.

The change effected by the power of the Holy Spirit on his heart,

now

now became vifible to all. Nor did he halt between two opinions, as feme perfons do; he became at once a decided character, and gave up for ever all his vain pursuits and amusements; devoting himself with as much refolution and diligence to the fervice of God, as he had former. ly done to folly.' Ev. Mag. p. 194.

An Interference respecting Cards.

• A clergyman not far diftant from the fpot on which these lines were written, was spending an evening, not in his clofet wrestling with his Divine Mafter for the communication of that grace which is fo pe culiarly neceffary for the faithful discharge of the minifterial function, not in his ftudy fearching the facred oracles of divine truth for materials wherewith to prepare for his public exercifes and feed the flock under his care,-not in paftoral vifits to that flock, to inquire into the ftate of their fouls, and endeavour, by his pious and affectionate converfation, to conciliate their efteem, and promote their edification, but at the card table. After stating that when it was his turn to deal, he dropt down dead, It is worthy of remark (fays the writer) that within a very few years this was the third character in the neighbourhood which had been fummoned from the card table to the bar of God.' Ev. Mag. p. 262.

Interference respecting Swearing,-a bee the instrument.

A young man is ftung by a bee, upon which he buffets the bees with his hat, uttering at the fame time the most dreadful oaths and imprecations. In the midst of his fury, one of these little combatante ftung him upon the tip of that unruly member (his tongue), which was then employed in blafpeming his Maker. Thus can the Lord engage one of the meaneft of his creatures in reproving the bold tranfgreffor who dares to take his name in vain." Ev. Mag. p. 363.

Interference with respect to David Wright, who was cured of Atheism and Scrofula by one sermon of Mr Coles.

This case is too long to quote in the language and with the evidences of the writers. The substance of it is what our title implies.-David Wright was a man with scrophulous legs and atheistical principles;-being with difficulty persuaded to hear one sermon from Mr Coles, he limped to the church in extreme pain, and arrived there after great exertions ;-during church time he was entirely converted, walked home with the greatest ease, and never after experienced the slightest return of scrofula or infidelity.-Ev. Mag. p. 444.

The displeasure of Providence is expressed at Captain Scott's going to preach in Mr Romaine's Chapel.

The sign of this displeasure is a violent storm of thunder and lightning just as he came in to town.-Ev. Mag. p. 537. Interference with respect to an innkeeper who was destroyed for having appointed a cock-fight at the very time that the service was beginning at the Methodist Chapel.

"Never mind," fays the innkeeper, " I'll get a greater congregation than the Methodist parfon ;-we'll have a cock-fight." But what is

man!

man! how infignificant his defigns, how impotent his ftrength, how illfated his plans, when opposed to that Being who is infinite in wifdom, boundless in power, terrible in judgment, and who frequently reverfes, and fuddenly tenders abortive, the projects of the wicked! A few days after the avowal of his intention, the innkeeper fickened. &c. &c. And then the narrator goes on to ftate, that his corpfe was carried by the meeting-houfe, on the day, and exally at the time, the deceased had fixed for the cock-fight.'-Meth. Mag. p. 126.

In page 167. Meth. Mag. a father, mother, three sons, and a sister, are destroyed by particular interposition.

In page 222. Meth. Mag. a dancing-master is destroyed for irre ligion,-another person for swearing at a cock-fight,-and a third for pretending to be deaf and dumb. These are called recent and authentic accounts of God's avenging providence.

So much for the miraculous interposition of Providence in cases where the Methodists are concerned: we shall now proceed to a few specimens of the energy of their religious feelings.

Mrs Roberts's feelings in the month of May 1798.

But, all this time, my foul was ftayed upon God; my defires inereased, and my mind was kept in a fweet praying frame, a going out of myself, as it were, and taking fhelter in Him. Every breath I drew, ended in a prayer. I felt myself helpless as an infant, dependent upon God for all things. I was in a conftant, daily expectation of receiving all I wanted; and, on Friday May 31ft, under Mr Rutherford's fera mon, though entirely independent of it, (for I could not give any account of what he had been preaching about), I was given to feel that God was waiting to be very gracious to me; the fpirit of prayer and fupplication was given me, and fuch an affurance that I was accepted in the Beloved, as I cannot defcribe, but which I shall never forget.' Meth. Mag. p. 35.

Mrs Elizabeth Price and her attendants hear sacred music on a sudden.

A few nights before her death, while fome neighbours and her hufband were fitting up with her, a fudden and joyful found of mufic was heard by all prefent, although fome of them were carnal people: at which time fhe thought the faw her crucified Saviour before her, speaking these words with power to her foul, "Thy fins are forgiven thee, and I love thee freely." After this fhe never doubted of her acceptance with God; and on Chriftmas-day following, was taken to celebrate the Redeemer's birth in the Paradife of God. MICHAEL COUSIN. '-Meth. Mag. 137. T. L. a Sailor on board the Stag frigate, has a special revelation from our Saviour.

• Ŏober 26th, being the Lord's day, he had a remarkable manifestation of God's love to his foul. That bleffed morning, he was much grieved by hearing the wicked use profane language, when Jefus revealed himself to him, and impreffed on his mind thofe words, " Follow Me." This was a precious day to him.'-Meth. Mag. p. 140.

VOL. XI. NO. 22.

The

The manner in which Mr Thomas Cook was accustomed to accost S. B.

• Whenever he met me in the ftreet, his falutations used to be, "Have you free and lively intercourfe with God to-day? Are you giving your whole heart to God?" I have known him on fuch occafions fpeak in fo pertinent à manner, that I have been aftonished at his knowledge of my ftate. Meeting me one morning, he said, "I have been praying for you, you have had a fore conflict, though all is well At another time he asked, "Have you been much exercifed thefe few days, for I have been led to pray that you might efpecially have fuffering grace. "Meth. Mag. p. 247.

now.

Mr John Kestin on his deathbed.

"Oh, my dear, I am now going to glory, happy, happy, happy. I am going to fing praifes to God and the Lamb; I am going to Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob. I think I can fee my Jefus without a glass between. I can, I feel I can, difcern my title clear to manfions in the fkies. Come, Lord Jefus, come! why are thy chariot-wheels fo long delaying "Ev. Mag. p. 124.

The Reverend Mr Mead's sorrow for his sins.

This wrought him up to temporary defperation; his inexpreffible grief poured itfelf forth in groans: "O that I had never finned against God! I have a hell here upon earth, and there is a hell for me in eter nity!" One Lord's day, very early in the morning, he was awoke by a tempeft of thunder and lightning; and imagining it to be the end of the world, his agony was great, fuppofing the great day of divine wrath was come, and he unprepared; but happy to find it not fo.' Ev. Mag. p. 147.

Similar case of Mr John Robinson.

• About two hours before he died, he was in great agony of body and mind it appeared that the enemy was permitted to ftruggle with him; and, being greatly agitated, he cried out, Ye powers of dark. nefs, begone!' This, however, did not last long: the prey was taken from the mighty, and the lawful captive delivered,' although he was not permitted to tell of his deliverance, but lay quite ftill and compofed.'-Ev. Mag. p. 177.

The Reverend William Tennant in an Heavenly Trance.

"While I was converfing with my brother,' faid he, on the state of my foul, and the fears I had entertained for my future welfare, I found myfelf, in an inftant, in another state of existence, under the direction of a fuperior being, who ordered me to follow him. I was ac cordingly wafted along, I know not how, till I beheld at a distance an ineffable glory, the impreffion of which on my mind it is impoffible to communicate to mortal man. I immediately reflected on my happy change; and thought, Well, bleffed be God! I am safe at last, notwithtanding all my fears. I faw an innumerable host of happy beings furrounding the inexpreffible glory, in acts of adoration and joyous wor

fhip; but I did not fee any bodily fhape or reprefentation in the glorious appearance. I heard things unutterable. I heard their fongs and hallelujahs of thanksgiving and praise, with unfpeakable rapture. I felt joy unutterable and full of glory. I then applied to any conductor, and requested leave to join the happy throng.' - Ev. Mag. p. 251.

The following we consider to be one of the most shocking histories we ever read. God only knows how many such scenes take place in the gloomy annals of Methodism.

A young man, of the name of SC; grandson to a late eminent Diffenting minifter, and brought up by him, came to refide at K- -g, about the year 1803. He attended at the Baptist place of worship, not only on the Lord's Day, but frequently at the week-day lectures and prayer-meetings. He was fuppofed by fome to be seriously inclined; but his opinion of himself was, that he had never experienced that divine change, without which no man can be saved.

However that might be, there is reafon to believe he had been for fome years under powerful convictions of his miserable condition as a finner. In June 1806, thefe convictions were observed to increase, and that in a more than common degree. From that time he went into no company; but, when he was not at work, kept in his chamber, where he was employed in finging plaintive hymns, and bewailing his loft and perishing ftate.

He had about him feveral religious people; but could not be induced to open his mind to them, or to impart to any one the cause of his diftrefs. Whether this contributed to increase it or not, it did increase, till his health was greatly affected by it, and he was scarcely able to work at his business.

While he was at meeting on Lord's Day, September 14, he was obferved to labour under very great emotion of mind, especially when he heard the following words. "Sinner, if you die without an interest in Chrift, you will fink into the regions of eternal death.”

On the Saturday evening following, he intimated to the mistress of the house where he lodged, that fome awful judgment was about to come upon him; and as he should not be able to be at meeting next day, requested that an attendant might be procured to ftay with him. She replied, that she would herself stay at home, and wait upon him; which he did.

On the Lord's Day he was in great agony of mind. His mother was fent for, and fome religious friends vifited him; but all was of no avail. That night was a night dreadful beyond conception. The horror which he endured brought on all the fymptoms of raging madness. He defired the attendants not to come near him, left they should be burnt. He faid that "the bed-curtains were in flames,-that he smelt the brimstone, that devils were come to fetch him,-that there was no hope for him, for that he had finned against light and conviction, and that he fhould certainly go to hell. " It was with difficulty he could be kept in bed. · An

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