Page:A short account of the life and death of John Dillon..djvu/7

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the Methodists. I now longed for every opportunity of hearing. And the people, seeing a stranger attend so close, came to me after preaching, first one, then another, talking of the things of God, encouraging me to go on, and always pointing me to Christ. After a time, I wanted to see the manner of their meeting together in a class. I met in one, and soon after joined the society.

In a few days the Lord visited my soul and restored the light of his countenance. I walked comfortably again, praising and adoring God. But it was not long before I was grievously attacked by the enemy, concerning the divinity of Christ; and the more I reasoned with him, the more I was perplexed. At length I saw, it was enough for me, to rest in that general declaration, There are three that bear record in heaven, and these three are one. I was then delivered from the force of the temptation, which never after returned with the same violence.

By the time I had heard the preaching about a year, I was clearly convinced, that altho’ juftification was an invaluable blessing, yet without sanctification, without the mind which was in Christ, I was not meet for heaven. Indeed there is not the least doubt, but every child of God, who endures unto the end, shall be put into possession of this; seeing he hath promised who cannot lie. But how long or how short a time before death, this was to be expected, I could not tell. I had heard that many in London had obtained this, and many more were expecting it continually. I considered, it was not of or by works, but the free gift of God: that the heart is purified by faith, and that all things, in Christ, are now ready. I was convinced, that God may do what he pleases with his own, if he could give it at the article of death, so he might give it 10, 20 or 30 minutes, or as many years before death. I found a strong desire to be a partaker of it, and began to pray for it with my