of the gospel as the means of salvation. Secondly, it implies experimental religion, or the love of God shed abroad in the heart. Thirdly, it implies the kingdom of glory beyond the grave. Now, I am inclined to think, that you will not be able to find any expression in the Bible, but what may, without difficulty, be ranged under one of the preceding heads. When, therefore, I observed to you, that I thought you not far from the kingdom of God, I intended to use the expression in the second sense above stated.

'Secondly, you ask, 'How shall I know when I am thus saved, restricting the expression, kingdom of God, to mean "salvation?" I admit, with you, that the common answer,' By the witness of the Spirit,' is vague and indefinite; and perhaps a particular definition is impossible. There are, however, certain characteristic marks which are properly descriptive, although they convey no definition of the thing. First: The soul that experiences the salvation of God feels gratitude towards him for every spiritual blessing. Secondly: This gratitude is accompanied with a degree of love towards him— and we love him because he first loved us. Thirdly: Gratitude implies confidence in his mercies; and this confidence is faith, whether prospectively or retrospectively exercised. Fourthly This gratitude leads to obedience, not from a dread of punishment, but from a sense of duty and obligation. Fifthly This gratitude is accompanied with internal peace; and peace presupposes a removal of condemnation. These are marks of a spiritual salvation. But in what degree these must be experienced, so as to form a distinguishing criterion, perhaps none but God can discern. If we feel these marks in any degree, let us be thankful; and, through the exercise of thankfulness for past mercies, we shall assuredly have more.

"You say, that complete salvation implies justification and 'sanctification also.' I readily admit the truth of your observation. But salvation does not, in every stage of its existence, imply perfect completion; for, if this were the case, it would imply glorification also, seeing this is included in its final consummation. St. John, in his gospel, says, we must be born again. In his epistles he says, that we are first babes,

then young men, then fathers in Israel. To be born is to be justified. This is salvation in primitive possession. Afterward the work is progressive. On this side the grave, it has its completion in sanctification, or the purification of our natures; and on the other side, in complete glorification. You may perceive from hence, that these conclusions even coincide with the language of your objections, viz. It is but 'reasonable to believe, that, when the penitent sinner is op'pressed by a painful apprehension of his guilty state, and of 'the punishment due to his transgressions, God will, on his ' reconciliation to such a person, relieve him from his painful 'oppression in a considerable degree, and inspire the penitent ' with a confidence in his mercy.' I admit, with you, that such a confidence in the divine mercy as is thus inspired, has a future aspect; but I must contend, that it is retrospective likewise. Relief from painful oppression, resulting from reconciliation, cannot be prospective. The blessings are already enjoyed, and the belief of this is founded upon the evidence which actual possession gives. In the same manner, without doubt, it is the privilege of every child of God to have all the blessings he has promised on this side eternity in actual enjoyment; and when this is the case, faith may be said to be wholly retrospective, so far as this is possible with respect to beings whose mode of existence implies progression. But, although I admit it to be the privilege of all, to have every blessing thus in actual possession, and to have an indubitable evidence of it, I dare not say that we are under the displeasure of God without it, on all occasions. I have already admitted, that the degrees of evidence are so various, that the perfect discrimination of them is known only to God. With every evidence of the divine favour we should be delighted; and though it be but small, yet we should be careful not to cast away our confidence which hath great recompence of reward.

"You say, 'It seems to be a general maxim, that a sense of pardon must precede sanctification; but if the Almighty withhold or suspend this assurance, the doctrine cannot be invariably true.' I believe the maxim to be just; but I do not see, in all cases, that the evidence of assurance is necessary to

establish its existence. Assurance is highly desirable, and certainly attainable; but I could not infer from hence that assurance is essentially necessary, when taken in its full import, to render the maxim true; neither can I perceive that the maxim will be falsified, if assurance should sometimes give place to a less luminous degree of evidence. A sense of pardon is an evidence of God's particular favour. to be conceived, that he would purify the soul of one who was not an object of his favour. Indeed the supposition seems to involve a plain contradiction. But, if the soul must be in the favour of God prior to its being sanctified, then justification must precede sanctification.

Now it is hardly

"You also say 'If I rely upon the atonement of Christ 'for salvation, and strive, with God's assistance, to obey the precepts of the gospel, why should I despair of his mercy?' I reply, you have no reason whatever to despair, under these circumstances; and to you, the lines of the hymn you quoted are strictly applicable

And again

'Drooping soul shake off thy fears,' &c.

'Give to the winds thy fears;

Hope, and be undismayed.'

"A want of faith,' you add, is generally assigned as the cause of this despondency.' Perhaps it is; but I think, the weakness, infirmity, and ignorance of human nature, presents us with a cause that is more reasonable.

"You cannot,' you observe, conceive, that if I believe 'my sins are blotted out, they will be immediately blotted out.' I answer, neither can I; neither, I should conceive, could any man who possesses two grains of common sense. It is an inversion of the order of nature. It is making the fact depend for its existence upon that evidence which the fact alone can impart. And yet, absurd as it is, I have heard it sometimes roundly asserted from the pulpit, and Mark xi. 24. urged as a proof of its reality What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye [shall] receive them, and ye shall have them.' In this passage, the first future tense is evidently implied, and as such it is considered by almost every

commentator. Dr. Clarke has passed over this verse in silence, only referring us to a parallel passage in Matt. vii. 7, ‘Ask, and it shall be given seek, and ye shall find — knock, and it shall be opened to you,' &c. You will plainly perceive, that I must draw to a conclusion. Endeavour, my dear son, to hold fast whereunto you have attained. Wait for a brighter manifestation of God's favour than you have; but do not despair, if it should be withholden. Praise him for what is past, and trust him for what is to come.

"It is needless to say, how affectionately I love you, and long for your prosperity, both temporal and eternal. May the Lord bless and keep you, and make you his for ever.

"So prays your affectionate father,

"I really wonder at your doubts respecting your spiritual condition, when you furnish far more substantial evidence of safety than all the tumult of passion, and raptures of a heated imagination can boast. You say, that your doubts partially arise from your being unable to name the time and place when the important change was wrought. And can you really think, that none are safe but those who can specify such particulars? Remember the case of him who had been born blind. When questioned as to particulars, his reply was, 'One thing I know, whereas I was blind, now I see.' This was an argument that the whole Jewish sanhedrim could not answer. I, however, remember, many years ago, when you could state particulars; and on one occasion when you got into doubting castle, you found deliverance in your new chapel, under a sermon.

"There was a time when no one was thought converted, who could not answer the three following questions-time when,

manner how, and place where?' But these are now become partially obsolete. Let me entreat you to 'cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward.' 'Be thou faithful unto death, and God will give thee a crown of life.' 'Give to the winds thy fears;

Hope, and be undismayed.'

Both threatenings and promises, in the Bible, are always connected with a certain description of character, either expressed or implied; and the character must be ours, before either the former or the latter can be applicable to us. For the want of attending to this, many rejoice when they ought to mourn, and many mourn when they ought to rejoice. Let me entreat you to attend to this, and then I shall hardly again hear, in the language of despondency — Do you think there is any hope for 'me?'

"I know the natural bent of your mind is to dwell on the gloomy sides of life and death, of the dispensations of Providence, and even of time and eternity. A mind thus constituted will feel with agonizing acuteness a portion of suffering that, on another, accustomed to look on the luminous side of the picture, would operate with only a diminished degree of influence. It is this morbid sensibility that leads you, in spiritual matters, to doubt your safety, even when every thing in scripture, reason, and the experience of all genuine Christians, dictates a different result, and points to a different conclusion. This, I should apprehend, arises from your making the momentary feelings of your mind the criterion of your safety. Amidst all your fears and apprehensions, I could never see any occasion for them; and would advise you, if possible, to give them to the moles and to the bats, and calmly rely on the merits of a crucified Saviour, in whom you have trusted, and who has promised you shall never be confounded.

"Your affectionate brother,

"SAMUEL DREW."