remove the fears and apprehensions, which press so heavily upon your mind, I think it an act of common humanity to give you the best opinion I am able to from on the subject, from a very attentive perusal of Mr. Wilberforce's book, and a very diligent examination of the Sacred Writings.

And, first, there can be no doubt that the love of God and of Christ is a most indispensable duty; and when we consider the very forcible words made use of with respect to the former,• Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength;and when we reflect, that with regard to the latter, it is said- If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema, Maran-atha,—that is, as Doddridge explains it, he will lie under

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the heaviest curse that an Apostle can pronounce, or God inflict,'—it is evident that a very high degree of love, of reverence, of attachment, and of gratitude to our Maker and our Redeemer, is expected from us; and that this command is utterly inconsistent with a cold, lifeless, languid indifference towards them. It is also true, that it is our duty by frequent meditations on the perfections and the goodness of God, by pious contemplation, by frequent and fervent prayer, and by imploring the assistance of the Holy Spirit, to animate and enliven and invigorate these holy affections in our souls, and to raise them to as great a degree of warmth and ardour as we can. Yet still the degree of that ardour must very much depend on the different tempers, constitutions, dispositions, and habits of different men; and therefore

cannot

cannot be expected to be the same in all. Mr. Wilberforce himself allows this

to be the case. He says expressly, that a difference in natural disposition, in the circumstances of the past life, and in numberless other particulars, may occasion a great difference in the predominant tempers of different Christians: but that, in a greater or less degree, a cordial complacency in the sovereignty, an exalted sense of the perfections, a grateful_impression of the goodness, and a humble hope of the favour of the Divine Being, are common to all.

"Now of all these sentiments and affections, in a certain degree, you seem to be possessed. He says also, that the only infallible criterion of a sincere love of God, is an active discharge of the several duties of life, and a conscientious obedience to the laws of the Gospel; and

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this proof you humbly trust you can give, In fine, he asserts, that in this, and all other. Christian duties, it is the willing mind, the sincere wish and endeavour to do our best, which is principally required. Where that is found, every man will be

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judged, according to what he hath, and not according to what he hath not.'

"If we look into the Scriptures themselves, we shall find that the definition, which they give of the love of God, contains nothing that need alarm a really serious and pious mind. They make it to consist solely in obeying God's commands. This is the love of God,' says St. John, that we keep his commandments:' and again- He that hath my commandments and keepeth them,' says our Saviour, he it is that loveth me ;'Ye are my friends,' he says, if ye do whatsoever I command you;' and again,

in still stronger terms we are told, that "Whoso keepeth God's word, in him verily is the love of God perfected.' If, then, you can give this proof of your love; and if moreover you have, as you say, the highest reverence and admiration of his infinite perfections; are deeply impressed with a sense of his goodness; and if, finally, you prefer his favour and approbation to all earthly advantages ;—. though you may not feel so much ardour of affection as you earnestly wish and strive for, you have yet no reason to apprehend the Divine displeasure for falling short of that measure of excellence, which you sincerely aim at, but feel yourself unable to attain.

"Your next source of uneasiness is the occasional languor and coldness and wanderings of your prayers, especially at church, and the want of that rapturous

delight