of true believers depended upon themselves, none would persevere. But it does not depend upon themselves. "In the Lord have they righteousness and strength." They build upon that "sure foundation-stone which can never be moved." They trust in Him who says to his people, "I will never leave nor forsake you." And, saith the apostle, "God is true. All the promises of God in Christ Jesus are yea and amen." In another place he says, "I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." And what were his reasons for this persuasion? Did it proceed from confidence in himself? No, "We are more than conquerors," says he, "through Him that loved us." To "the saints in Christ Jesus which were at Philippi," he says, I am "confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." And the Saviour says that his "sheep"-those that "hear his voice," "shall never perish," and that he will "give unto them eternal life." To believe that any who have been truly regenerated, will totally fall away and perish, would, therefore, in my view, be to impeach the faithfulness of God.

Some have thought that the belief of this doctrine is calculated to make us remiss in the performance of duty, that it tends to make us relax our exertions, to live near to God, and to glorify him by a life of devotedness to his service. The speculative belief of it may, indeed, produce this effect upon the formalist and the hypocrite; but the belief of it with the heart, will have no such influence upon the real Christian. And the reason is this; the former performs all his duties, solely because he feels that he must perform them to get to heaven, while the lat

ter endeavours to be faithful, chiefly because he loves the service of God for its own sake. The former is entirely actuated by selfish principles; the latter, though he values the welfare of his soul, is principally actuated by a regard to the glory of God. The consequence is, that the former, when he thinks he is safe, omits or slightly performs duties, which he never loved, because he has no further use for them, as his own end is, he thinks, accomplished; whereas the latter performs them still, though he has attained the assurance of hope, not as a duty only, but as a pleasure. His confidence of being personally interested in that covenant which is ordered in all things and sure, makes him, if possible, more desirous, than he was before he attained to such a measure of grace, to glorify, by a well ordered life and conversation, that God, the breadth and length and depth and height of whose love for his soul, he finds, pass his knowledge. The saints in heaven know assuredly that they shall never fall from grace; but this does not damp the ardor of their love and zeal. This very knowledge increases the rapture, with which they give glory to Him who redeemed them unto God by his blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation.

Were I not writing to a friend, and had you not requested my opinion upon the several subjects mentioned in your letter, I should consider some apology necessary for the character and length of this reply. In the present case, however, it is unnecessary.

TO A FRIEND AT N. H.

Killingworth, December 20, 1808.

I have been reading Foster's Essays. I admire them greatly. You recollect, I presume, what he

says respecting romantic friendship. I fear his remarks are too true. He is certainly a man of great discernment, and has an extensive knowledge of human nature. I was surprised to observe with what facility he makes the minutest events in nature subservient to the design of his work; and how, even those circumstances or occurrences of life which we should judge of no importance, are, by him, recorded with an accuracy of recollection which we admire, and an energy of expression which makes them more fully illustrate his ideas than, perhaps, any thing else could have done. The essay on decision of character is an admirably well executed piece; and, were the world more virtuous, we should rejoice in its principles being instilled into every breast. Ardor and invincibility in a good cause, would be the source of numberless blessings to the world. But when we consider the depraved state of the minds and morals of men, I think we have reason to bless the benevolent Parent of the universe, that he has not endowed a greater number of individuals with this fixedness of determination in any favourite pursuit; as from it, when not controlled by virtuous principle, must result innumerable and unheard of dangers and distresses. Were it probable that, with all this inflexibility of temper, the influential motives which prompted the execution of any design would be good; and that the heart which was the subject of this firmness and decision, would be capable of that refinement, humanity, and deference to the opinions of others, which characterize beings of a more flexible stamp; we might wish every person in possession of it; as virtue and the good of all mankind, would be the ultimate object to which all its energies would be directed. These, however, Foster himself acknowledges, are rarely united; and he regrets that almost all the examples of decision which he mentions, are among the cruel and tyrannical part of mankind. The rea

son, you recollect, which he assigns for it is, that a man of a decided character will, almost unavoidably, become indifferent to the opinions and advice of others; or, from a consciousness of possessing superior talents, consider himself as having an almost exclusive right of judging, and therefore, condemn all opinions which do not exactly coincide with his. Such a man would, I should think, become a cynic or misanthrope, a torture to himself, and a source of misery to his friends; more especially, if he had not some great object in view, to employ his time and attention; or, most of all, if his schemes should, in the end, disappoint his expectations.

TO MISS L., OF N. H.

Killingworth, Jannary 20, 1309.

The subject of your letter, my dear friend, is one of infinite importance, and certainly claims our first and most earnest attention. Could we realize the tremendous consequences connected with it, we should, I think, cease to view it with so much supineness and indifference, and give it that careful consideration which it deserves. When we reflect that, upon our possessing real religion, depends our happiness, both for time and eternity, that the least mistake may be productive of evils, the nature and extent of which exceed our powers of conception, and that this religion must be diligently sought for, before it can be obtained; we must surely, unless our hearts are totally blinded by sin, and harder than the nether mill-stone, be excited to exclaim, with sincerity and earnestness, What must I do to be saved? It is a small thing to profess Christianity, to acquire a theoretical knowledge of its doctrines, to speak of its nature and excellence, and, in a pharisaical manner, to mould our external behaviour to its precepts; to

do all this is but a small thing; but when done, if unaccompanied with that grace of God which is like a refiner's fire or the fuller's soap, it is but washing the outside of the cup and platter, while inwardly we are full of corruption. The work of sanctification is a great work, which nothing but the mighty power of God can accomplish; for who but He can bring a clean thing out of an unclean, and release the creature, dead in trespasses and sins, from his bondage to Satan, when he is himself opposed to his deliverance, and bring him into the glorious liberty of the sons of God? But great as is the work, and diverse as it is from any thing which men or devils can effect, it is nevertheless one which Satan and the corruptions of our own hearts, use all their efforts to counterfeit. The adversary, we are told, can "transform himself into an angel of light," and "the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked " On these two affecting and alarming truths, is reared that strong delusion by which so many are led blindfold to eternal despair. How necessary then is it that we should, frequently and carefully, examine ourselves whether we be in the faith? My dear M., when looking into this heart of mine, and finding so many sinful propensities existing and operating within it, I am sometimes led to fear, almost to conclude, that I have never yet been renewed in the spirit of my mind. Oh! the infinite consequences depending upon our embracing, from the heart, that religion, and being the subjects of that repentance and faith, without which we shall not be saved! I cannot, even to you, fully express my feelings on this interesting and all important subject; it is too vast and solemn in its nature and consequences. I can only say, search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting I do think however, notwithstanding the many reasons I have