sinner casts away his weapons, and accepts of the terms of reconciliation, that God will then put on an altered look, and be less willing to be reconciled to the penitent sinner, now that he is supplicating for mercy at his feet, than when he was an enemy? Is it not evident to yourself that the ideas you have entertained, as stated at the beginning of this letter, are visionary and unjust? Do not those which I have suggested appear scriptural and rational? Certain I am, that if you give them a place in your belief, those imaginary phantoms, shall, as a dream in the night, vanish away, before the light of God's reconciling countenance. 66 Say not a word respecting any trouble you may imagine me to be at in writing so many letters to one so unworthy." You are worthy of all this, and a thousand times more, especially from a fellow sinner like the writer. True, my sins are forgiven; my soul is cleansed; but then I owe the more unto my Lord, and to the precious soul for whom he died. I shall feel myself abundantly compensated, when I learn that God has visited your soul with his pardoning love. When I learn that— "The winged hopes which glanc'd and sang In joys' melodious atmosphere, returned have, Till then believe me to be, your interceding friend and brother in Jesus Christ, our advocate with the Father, J. C. P.S. Please direct your next letter to me in Limerick. LETTER XXXVII. TO THE SAME. My dear Brother, Limerick, January 20, 1842. I am not at all surprised that your feelings are so much changed for the better, the cause is plain; your views of your heavenly Father, are materially improved. Had you continued to entertain those wrong thoughts of God, your soul should still have been involved in clouds and darkness. I perceive however, that the state of your mind is yet "the spirit of bondage again to fear." You are more encouraged than happy. You have some light, but no heat,—no love; I think you have the daylight of religion, but not the sunshine. Daybreak you know is often cold and cheerless; sometimes there is quite an uncertainty, as to the indications of the heavens, as well as to the aspect and identity of surrounding objects. But when the sun ascends the horizon, uncertainties vanish, the appearances of things have changed wonderfully, a flood of day comes forth from the east, the heavens and the earth are showered with rays; a sunny glow spreads itself over all nature, a new creation appears everywhere to the admiring eyes: all is soft and glowing variety,-light, heat, animation, bustle, and surrounding joy, render a doubt of day impossible. Thus it is with the soul; there is a promise which runs thus,-" But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings." Until this takes place, the sky of the mind, and the surface of the heart shall be like the heaven and earth on a winter's daybreak, bleak and cheerless. At such a time, it is not surprising if the unhappy sinner is compelled by his wretchedness and dread uncertainty, to say with Arbuthnot "Almighty power, by whose most wise command, Light may have come, and faith have recognized it too, but unbelief is not asleep; the voice of the demon will be heard from the murky shades of the soul. Unbelief will say to glimmering faith, as Zebul to Gaal, when he reported at such an hour-" Behold there come people down from the top of the mountains."- "Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men." Increasing light may silence unbelief on this point, but the comfortless state of the soul, shall invite it to others, just as annoying: light may encourage, but it is only love which can render the soul happy. "There is no fear in love" says St. John: love is the sunshine of religion. God's love towards us, produces love in us. What but love can beget love? "We love him because he first loved us," says the same Apostle. Confidence is the daughter of love. A poet might well term it-" loveborn confidence." But this can never take place, till the command is applicable to the soul," Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee;" then shall the "Sun of Righteousness" arise upon the soul "with healing in his wings." All then shall be real, conscious sunshine. God's lovely countenance beams friendship upon the irradiated mind; the soul through all her powers feels the glowing influence; or, in the language of the Apostle St. Paul,-" The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." How expressive is this language of the Apostle; and yet some will tell us that a converted person cannot enjoy this in such a measure as to remove all doubt whether he is a child of God. But what is that to thee or me, seeing that it is written, "He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself." As in nature, it is not long from the break of day till sun rise; so I trust the period is not far distant, when you shall sing with a glad heart and free, "The Sun of Righteousness on me Hath rose, with healing in his wings; My help is all laid up above; Thy Nature, and thy Name is Love." Your ever affectionate brother in the Lord Jesus, LETTER XXXVIII. TO THE SAME. J. C. Limerick, February 2, 1842. My dear Brother, As you wish me to enlarge a little upon a subject, which appears to have afforded you much light, and some comfort." That is, that we should honour the Father, even as we honour the Son; I shall offer you a few additional thoughts upon the subject. I do this, the more willingly, because I do believe your faith is yet quite defective upon this point. It is not to be wondered at, that your mind is continually lapsing into "the spirit of bondage again to fear," when there is such a frequent recurrence of the unhappy sentiment, that God the Father stands at such an infinite remove from reconciliation. When your weak faith, or rather unbelief, represents the Trinity as divided, and disagreeing in their desires to save and bless; your soul cannot but be confused as well as unhappy. Were it even possible for you to honour the Son of God, with love in return for love, your chilling and alienating views of the everlasting Father, would speedily destroy the affection. Love would soon give place to fear. The probable impotency of Jesus, to bring the Father to a reconciliation, should very soon displace the pleasurable sensation; and others; such as distrust, disquietude, perplexity, and despair, should, ere long, succeed, and sway their sceptre over a heart, in which a single tender emotion could not be found. Allow me, therefore, to correct the evil, by carrying your mind forward to a set of just and scriptural notions upon this important subject. When Christ had made the atonement, the point was not really then to be settled, whether the Father was on reconcileable terms with the world; but whether the world would accept the terms of reconciliation, and be reconciled to him. Every particular connected with the incarnation of Jesus Christ, implied that God was desirous of a reconciliation between himself and the creatures who had revolted from him. Observe farther; the whole phraseology of the New Testament goes to show, that the very first overtures for a reconciliation, were made by the Father; and that these proposals were offered under circumstances, and from affections, which should for ever enthrone the Almighty Father, in the grateful hearts of his redeemed creatures. I might quote a variety of passages from the word of God, to illustrate and prove this point;-passages which shall be everlasting witnesses between God and us; whether we are finally saved or damned. Perhaps two or |