give himself the trouble to refer the question to them. They may support or refute it, for any thing he knows of their decisions: he has another mode of disposing of theological questions. In discussing religious doctrines with one who has so much fundamental error remaining, we ought, therefore, to refer to first principles, of which he has very inadequate notions, before subjects which so much depend upon them can be fairly mooted. He considers the assurance taught by Mr. Wesley as "an enthusiastic confidence, excessive as the outrageous self-condemnation by which it was to be preceded, and in which it was to have its root." It is evident from this passage, that the doctrine of assurance could not be satisfactorily debated with Mr. Southey, until previous questions respecting the guilt and danger of men in their unregenerate state, and the degree of "self-condemnation" implied in the Scripture doctrine of repentance, were disposed of. Into such an enquiry I shall not, of course, enter; but lest those who are not disposed to give up as lightly as himself the very principles on which the Christian system is founded, and by which alone it was rendered necessary, the natural corruption, and the actual guilt and danger of every human being without exception, should be misled as to the doctrine of assurance by charges of enthusiasm, it shall be briefly examined.

If, then, it is the doctrine of the inspired records, and of all orthodox churches, that man is by nature prone to evil, and that in practice he violates that law under which as a creature he is placed, and is

thereby exposed to punishment ;-if also it is there. stated, that an act of grace and pardon is promised on the conditions of repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ;-if that repentance implies consideration of our ways, a sense of the displeasure of Almighty God, contrition of heart, and consequently trouble and grief of mind, mixed, however, with a hope hope inspired by the promise of forgiveness, and which leads to earnest supplication for the actual pardon of sin so promised, it will follow from these premises-either, 1. that forgiveness is not to be expected till after the termination of our course of probation, that is, in another life; and that, therefore, this trouble and apprehension of mind can only be assuaged by the hope we may have of a favourable final decision on our case ;—or, 2. that sin is, in the present life, forgiven as often as it is thus repented of, and as often as we exercise the required and specific acts of trust in the merits of our Saviour; but that this forgiveness of our sins is not in any way made known unto us: so that we are left, as to our feelings, in precisely the same state as if sin were not forgiven till after death, namely, in grief and trouble of mind, relieved only by hope ;-or, 3. the scriptural view is, that when sin is forgiven by the mercy of God through Christ, we are, by some means, assured of it, and peace and satisfaction of mind take the place of anxiety and fear.

The first of these conclusions is sufficiently disproved by the authority of Scripture, which exhibits justification as a blessing attainable in this life, and represents it as actually experienced by true

believers. "Therefore being justified by faith." "There is now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus." "Whosoever believeth is justified from all things," &c. The quotations might be multiplied, but these are decisive. The notion that though an act of forgiveness may take place, we are unable to ascertain a fact so important to us, is also irreconcileable with many Scriptures in which the writers of the New Testament speak of an experience, not confined personally to themselves, or to those Christians who were endowed with spiritual gifts, but common to all Christians. "Being justified by faith we have peace with God." We joy in God, by whom we have received the reconciliation." "Being reconciled unto God by the death of his Son." "We have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear, but the spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba, Father." To these may be added innumerable passages which express the comfort, the confidence, and the joy of Christians ; their "friendship" with God; their "access" to him; their entire union, and delightful intercourse with him; and their absolute confidence in the success of their prayers. All such passages are perfectly consistent with deep humility, and self-diffidence; but, they are irreconcileable with a state of hostility between the parties, and with an unascertained, and only hoped-for restoration of friendship and favour. So likewise the services of the Church, which, with propriety, as being designed for the use not of true Christians only, but of mixed congregations, abound in acts of confession; and the expressions of fear and spiritual grief, exhibit this

confidence, and peace, as objects of earnest desire and hopeful anticipation, and as blessings attainable in the present life. We pray to be made children by adoption and grace; to be "relieved from the fear of punishment by the comfort of thy grace;" not to be "left comfortless, but that God, the King of Glory, would send to us the Holy Ghost to comfort us ;" and that by the same Spirit having a right judgment in all things, "we may evermore rejoice in his holy comfort." In the prayer directed to be used for persons troubled in mind or in conscience, we have also the following impressive petitions. "Break not the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. Shut not up thy tender mercies in displeasure, but make him to hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Deliver him from the fear of the enemy, and lift up the light of thy countenance upon him, and give him peace." Now unless it be contended that by these petitions we are directed to seek what we can never find, and always to follow that which we can never overtake, the Church, in the spirit of the New Testament, assumes the forgiveness of sins, and the relief of the sorrows of the penitent state to be attainable, (1) with those

(1) "The third part of repentance is faith, whereby we do apprehend and take hold upon the promises of God, touching the free pardon and forgiveness of our sins; which promises are sealed up unto us, with the death and blood-shedding of his Son Jesus Christ, For what should it avail and profit us to be sorry for our sins, to lament and bewail that we have offended our most bounteous and merciful Father, or to confess and acknowledge our offences and trespasses, though it be done never so earnestly, unless we do steadfastly believe, and be fully persuaded, that God, for his Son Jesus

consequent comforts and joys which can only arise from some assurance of mind, by whatever means, and in whatever degree obtained, that we have a personal interest in the general promise, and that we are reconciled to God by the death of his Son. For since the general promise is made to many who will never be benefited by it, it cannot of itself be the ground of a settled religious peace of mind. As it is a promise of blessings to be individually experienced, unless I can have personal experience of them, it holds up to hope what can never come into fruition. (2)

Christ's sake, will forgive us all our sins, and put them out of remembrance and from his sight? Therefore they that teach repentance without a lively faith in our Saviour Jesus Christ, do teach none other but Judas' repentance," &c.

"It is evident and plain then, that although we be never so earnestly sorry for our sins, acknowledge and confess them, yet all these things shall be but means to bring us to utter desperation, except we do steadily believe that God our heavenly Father will, for his Son Jesus Christ's sake, pardon and forgive us our offences and trespasses."-Homily on Repentance.

(2) "Faith is not merely a speculative but a practical acknowledgment of Jesus as the Christ,-an effort and motion of the mind towards God; when the sinner, convinced of sin, accepts with thankfulness the proffered terms of pardon, and in humble confidence applying individually to himself the benefit of the general atonement, in the elevated language of a venerable father of the church, drinks of the stream which flows from the Redeemer's side. The effect is, that in a little he is filled with that perfect love of God which casteth out fear,-he cleaves to God with the entire affection of the soul. And from this active lively faith, overcoming the world, subduing carnal self, all those good works do necessarily spring, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”Bp. Horsly's Sermons.

"The purchase, therefore, was paid at once, yet must be severally reckoned to every soul whom it shall benefit. If we have not an hand to take what Christ's hand doth either hold or offer, what is sufficient in him cannot be effectual to us.

The spiritual hand,