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    cessation from horror , so long as they suspect that - they may be liable to endure never-ending torment . Such an idea would disqualify a man of reflective habits from thinking or speaking of any tiling else ; and , if he were set at tolerable ease respecting his own soul , he would still be in constant terror in behalf of those who are near

    or dear to him . If Moses and Paul had entertained such an opinion of futurity , I am quite certain that the one never would have expressed his willingness to be blotted out of God ' s book , and the other tb be accursed of Christ for the sake of their

    countryjmen . The fact appears to be , that they , would gladly have foregone the special privileges of elective grace , if , by such a sacrifice , they could have ensured the salvation of their people . The expression is no where censured .

    and yet . for indulging a feeling far short of theirs , you regard me as in a dangerous state . i You tell me that I cannot be a judge pf your experience : I grant it ; but by the same rule you cannot judge of mine . We have each beea conducted

    by different paths . I hope and trust tlipy will eventually lead us to the desired end . " If we confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus , and believe in our hearts that God hath raised him from the dead , " ( that is , so to believe as to submit to hU authority , " we

    shall be s&ved . " Let us not qualify the terms thus defined by an inspired apostle , but exercise charity towards each other . It is not the mere assertion that we are taught certain doctrines by the Holy Spirit , that will suffice to persuade others that what we belteve is true . The Jewish

    Christians , Peter among the rest , could not , even after they had received the Holy Spirit , at the day of Pentecost , perceive the extent of the scheme of the gospel , without an express revelation . Our Lord told his disciples that he

    had many things to say to them , which their prejudiced minds were then incapable of receiving : the extension of jnercy to , the . Gentiles was probably oae of those things . I consider modern professors as being much in the same condition of mind as the Jews

    were ; and I will freely declare that I do clearly perceive in many , not to say the greater part of those with whom I , am acquainted , strong indica-

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    tions of spiritual t > ride under the garb of humble acknowledgments of their own uuworthiness . In spite of all this exclusive feeling , however , they are compelled to act as though the gospel contained glad ^ tidings for all . This is as it should be , and I rejoice at it .

    If you wish to convince me of error in point of doctrine , you must go through the process of examining all the texts which bear upon the subject in dispute ; and you must manifest a disposition to part with even longcherished errors , if they will not stand the test of such an examination .

    Unless a man shall become a 3 a little child , he cannot go through such a process with any chance of profit . 1 do not require you to submit to it . It is quite foreign from your habits to read controversial divinity ; and it is now too late perhaps to begin . I come , therefore , to this conclusion , that we shall do well to leave each

    other to learn from the great Teacher what are the stupendous heights and unfathomable depths of his love to his creatures , and content ourselves , if we enter at all upon the subject of

    religion , with provoking each other to love and to good works . Fear is , no doubt , salutary , so long as sin has any place in us ; but although it may serve to quicken our steps in running from evil , it is not favourable to

    clearsightedness . It led the disciples to mistake their Lord and Master for a spectre ; and we must not be too lavish in our praise of a feeling of mind which belongs to an unregenerate state . The fearful are classed

    sometimes with the unbelieving . The Lord loveth those that put their trust in him . May you and I attain to that state in which we may say with David , " We will not fear though the earth be moved , and the mountains be cast

    into the depths of the sea" ! They , " says he , " who know thy name" ( i . e . thy true character , ) " will put their trust in thee . " I profess not to have realized this happy feeling , but , nevertheless , I will not therefore deny that it does not properly belong to the righteous .

    And now , I will freely confess , that taliang upon the grandest and most vital questions does not tend to edification , unless the heart be suitably affected . I never will allow , for an instant , that a deep-seatejl concern for

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    108 J Friendly Correspondence between un Unitarian and a ' Cafoinkt .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1824, page 108, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2521/page/44/