Dr.

accord, and few which appear to us better calculated to be useful, than these letters. Happears to take a common sense view of every subject in his letters, and these views seem to have been formed from a practical acquaintance with the matters of which he treats. When these letters shall be known, they will be esteemed an important treasure, not only by anxious enquirers, but by those who have any concern in religious instruction; and will be regarded as a valuable closet companion to the practical Christian."

Philadelphia, May, 1833.

G. T. B.

CONTENTS.

LETTER I.

Feelings of privacy commonly accompanying serious im-

pressions-The critical state of an awakened sinner-

An instance of abandoned convictions-Advice.

LETTER II.

Mistaken views-Danger of reliance on feeling-The

duty of avoiding unnecessary association with the

World-Counting the cost-On the opposition of

others—A melancholy instance—Advice-An instance

of the happy effects of Christian prudence-Discou-

ragements from luke-warm Christians-The folly of

relinquishing the subject in consequence of external

difficulties-Encouragement.

LETTER III.

Those difficulties which are of least importance most

generally discouraging-Impatience arising from dis-

appointed expectations-A complaint-Its causes-

The dread of increasing anxiety-A false conclusion-

Evils arising from natural buoyancy of feeling-Diffi-

culty in the doctrine of Election—Inclination and des-

pair aid each other-"I am seeking," a false plea—

"I am waiting for a day of power"-"I am waiting

for God to do his part."

LETTER IV.

Previous misconceptions-Cause of delay-Any delay or

suffering the fault of the sinner-Mistake relating to

the necessity of a certain preparatory process-Scrip-

ture examples-Error relating to prayer-"I am not

prepared"-"I am not holy enough"-The incon-

sistency of the complainer-On insensibility-Want of

clear views of sin-Degrees of conviction not neces-

sary to be observed-Why conviction is more difficult

to be effected in a man of strict morality-The Gospel

invites without reference to the degree of conviction.

LETTER V.

Complaint of irresolution--Nature of unstable resolu-

tions-Peculiarity of situation—The folly of speculat-

ing on the expected change-Vain fancies-" God

will not pardon me."-"I do not see how the promi-

ses can be fulfilled in myself"-The sufficiency of par

don-Advice.

LETTER VI.

Our propension to extremes-Unpardonable sin-Ex-

planation of passages relating to it-An example of

the danger of error on this subject.

LETTER VII.

The disposition to discouragement-Discouraging texts

in the Bible-An explanation of Luke, xiii. 24—Prov.

i. 28-Hebrew, xii. 17—Hosea, iv. 17.

LETTER VIII.

Perplexity in reading the word of God-Complaint of

the want of personal application-Natural aversion to

the Bible-Mistaken expectations—An impious prac-

tice-Failure arising from listlessness in reading—

Want of consideration-Forgetting that God is the au-

thor-Looking for an extraneous something-How

the Spirit imparts the right meaning-Duty of becom-

ing familiar with the plan of salvation-Caution rela-

tive to reading other books-Concluding advice.

LETTER IX.

The folly of spending time in attempting to reconcile

difficult passages-The duty of diligence in examin-

ing the proper application of the truth-The question,

"what part of the Bible shall I read?"—Quotations--

Application of a Parable--A personal appeal to Christ

directed in Scripture-Conclusion.

LETTER X.

On right desires-The Young Man in the Gospel-A

complaint of the Inquirer-One of the marks of right

desires-A misinterpretation of Romans, ix. 3-Right

desires not a mere fear of Hell—The breathings of an

awakened sinner-Reformation of life connected with

sincerity-And the spirit of forgiveness on our part--

Right desires not fitful-Trials-Advice.

LETTER XI.

Difficulties in prayer-Causes-Mistake respecting the

nature of prayer-Confusion in the mind of the In-

quirer-False anticipations in prayer-Perplexity from

an ignorance of the person addressed-Directions in

prayer-The duty of describing personal trials-Habit

of attention-Remedy for wandering thoughts-Ap-

plication of special promises-Scriptural examples-

Seasons for prayer-Ejaculatory desires-Forms-

Does God "ever withhold his Grace, for a season, to

try the sinner?"-Answered.

LETTER XII.

A common error adverted to again-An evil from Theo-

logical distinctions-Different kinds of repentance—

The Scriptural distinction-Sorrow does not consti-

tute repentance-The perversion of legal sorrow to a

false hope-Examples-The error reproved in Scrip-

ture-Its cause-Causes leading to repentance-The

process-Evangelical sorrow follows-Difference be-

tween counterfeit and true repentance-Conclusion.

LETTER XIII.

An Inquirer reviewing his past cares-A remarkable pe-

riod in his life-The simplicity of faith-A temptation