sense, that we have, in some measure, actually attained that knowledge. These two kinds of assurance, instead of being inconsistent, are mutually subservient to each other; as Mr. Erskine says,

Faith gives sense both life and breath,

And sense gives joy and strength to faith.

But it must be acknowledged that the assurance of sense is less constant than the assurance of faith. The latter will often continue, when the former disappears. "If experience," says Dr. Sibs, "should wholly fail, "there is such a Divine power in faith, that a very "little beam of it, having no other help than a naked "promise, will uphold a soul." The ground of the assurance of faith is the unchangeable promise of God in Christ whereas the ground of the assurance of sense is our gracious but variable experience of the work of the Holy Spirit in our souls. Hence Aspasio had reason to say of the assurance of sense, that "what "measure of it is already attained, may soon be unset"tled by the incursions of daily temptations or by the "insurrection of remaining sin. At such a juncture, "how will the assurance of sense keep its standing! "How retain its being! It will fare like a tottering "wall before the tempest; or be as the rush without "mire, and the flag without water." Aspasio here cautions us against the danger of leaning on any sensible assurance we may seem to have attained; when we are grievously assaulted by inward corruptions and outward temptations. In such a case, our own attainments, while we look to them, instead of looking to the righteousness of Christ and the promise of God for defence, will prove but a tottering wall. Every true Christian desires to have the assurance of sense; and where there is no sincere pursuit of it, there is no evi-` dence of saving faith. But it is deplorable, when the

degree of that kind of assurance which a person seems

have attained, is rested in, and occasions remissness In his endeavours to renew the direct acts of faith in the gospel-promise. David shews us, from his own experience, the danger of doating on any assurance of sense we may seem to have already attained, Psal. xxx, 7. Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mauntain stand strong: Thou didst hide thy face; and I was troubled. And no wonder, that the Lord is hereby provoked to hide his face from a Christian: for this is a sin exceedingly grieving to the Holy Spirit. It is directly contrary to the end for which he grants sensible manifestations or sensible comfort to any; which end is, that they may be encouraged to persevere in the exercise of faith. Christians often find that the strong bias of their hearts to rest in sensible attainments includes many great evils; such as, an obstinate attachment to the idol of self-righteousness, sloth, carnal security; evils which are highly dishonouring to God, pernicious to the soul, and gratifying to the devil. Paul had much sensible assurance; but did he live by it? No; he says, I live by the faith of the Son of God. Did he stand by it? No; says he, By faith we stand. Did he confide or glory in it? He abhorred the thought. of doing so. God forbid, says he, that I should glory, save in the cross, that is, the blood and righteousness, of our Lord Jesus Christ. I count all things, but loss and dung, that I may win Christ and be found in him, not having my own righteousness which is of the law, but. that which is by the faith of Christ. Did he rest in it No, says he forgetting the things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which were before, I press. toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Hence appears the great injustice of Mr. Bellamy's accusation against Aspasio on account of the passage

just now quoted. It is true, as Mr. Bellamy says, when the storm arises, the house that is built upon "the sand, will be like a tottering wall." Yes, and that is the very reason why Aspasio cautions us so much against resting on what we seem to have already attained; and directs us to build upon nothing as our foundation but the righteousness of Christ and the free promises of God in him. Mr. Bellamy also remarks, that "the faith of the saints is victorious:" But it is obvious that what Aspasio represents as apt to fail, is not the faith of the saints, but their sense or feeling rested in. He adds, "None will eat of the tree of life, "but he that overcometh." This was never denied by Aspasio. But he judges, that the way to overcome, iş to make use of the shield of faith, whereby the fiery darts of satan may be quenched; and not to sit down upon what sensible evidences of a gracious state may have been already attained.

In short, Mr. Bellamy's opponents have taught nothing on this head, from which it can be inferred, that they meant to decry or depreciate the assurance of sense. On the contrary, they always represented it as very precious, as the beginning of heaven; and pressed their hearers and readers to use the most vigorous endeavours to attain it. Only, in such passages as those now quoted, they directed Christians to keep it in its proper place, and put them on their guard against the abuse of it; particularly, that which arises from the remainder of legalism in the hearts of believers; and also to give faithful warning to many formal professors, who have a pretended assurance founded on some experience of superficial conviction and delusive.comforts, while they are strangers to the very first step of true godliness, that of believing the testimony of God concerning his Son Jesus Christ.

Before we conclude this letter, it may be proper to take notice of another passage in Mr. Marshal's treatise; where, after several remarks concerning selfexamination, he adds these words: "You need not "trouble yourself to find out a multitude of marks and "signs of true grace; if you can find a few good ones. "Particularly, you may know, that you are passed from "death to life, if you love the brethren: that is, if you "love all whom you can in charity judge to be true "believers, and for the truth's sake that dwelleth in "them." This passage Mr. Bellamy censures in the following words: "Your few good ones are all coun"terfeit, if alone, separate from other good ones. For "the true saint receives every grace from Christ, John ❝i. 16. Nor did Christ mean to single out a few in "his sermon; but to give a brief summary of the whole "Christian life. And he that heareth these saying ofa "mine and doth them,-not a few of them, but doth "them one and all. If there is not all, there is none."

On these words we may observe, that they imply a charge against Mr. Marshal, as if he taught, that a person might have one of the genuine, saving graces of the Spirit, without the rest. But this is a supposition directly contrary to the scope of his whole treatise, which is to shew, that we are by faith to receive a new holy frame of soul, which includes all the graces of the Spirit, out of the fulness of Christ; and that all spiritual life and holiness continue, grow. or decay in us, according as faith continueth, groweth or decayeth in vigour. Because Mr. Marshal intimates that a true believer does not always discern every grace of the Spirit in himself and his doing all the sayings of Christ, as marks or signs of true grace; it will not follow, that he ever meant to teach, that a true believer is destitute of any of the graces of the Spirit, or allows himself in

the neglect of any of the sayings of Christ. For while our sanctification is imperfect, it will still be one thing to have in reality the graces of the Spirit and a universal regard to the sayings of Christ; and another thing to be sensible of these attainments, and able to reflect upon them and discern them as certain marks of grace. The actings of one grace in a Christian may be more distinct and sensible, than those of another grace. Hence the scripture represents particular saints as excelling, some in one grace, some in another; Moses in meekness, Job in patience, and so forth. This seems to be the case, in some measure, with every Christian. Now, if there be any one particular gracious exercise which is more distinct than another, more sensible, and more easily traced to an unfeigned faith as its principle; why may not this be allowed to be a sufficient mark of a saving interest in Christ, even when the other graces of the Spirit may be much out of sight; provided always that the supposed exercise is attended with an abiding concern to have the exercise of all the other graces of the Spirit?

This way of speaking is not peculiar to Mr. Marshal. "If you can find but one mark," says a valuable writer, you may draw a favourable conclusion. Should "you have reason to conclude, that you love the bre "thren, that you love them for the image of Christ in "them, you need not hesitate about your state: for this "love is the exercise or going out of that grace which "God has implanted. Sometimes one mark appears ❝ visible and sometimes another. If you have but one, be thankful, and give God all the glory*."

* See the xxvith of Pike and Hayward's Cases of Conscience