BY T. CARLTON HENRY, D.D.
Late Pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church, Charleston, S.C.

WITH A

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR.

THIRD EDITION.

PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION.

WILLIAM S. MARTIEN, PUBLISHING AGENT.

Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 1840, by A. W. MITCHELL, M. D., in the office of the Clerk of the District Court, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

CONTENTS.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR.

INTRODUCTION.

LETTER I.

Feelings of privacy commonly accompanying serious

impressions—The critical state of an awakened sin-

ner-An instance of abandoned convictions-Ad-
vice.

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 in-

stance of the happy effects of Christian prudence—

Discouragements from luke-warm Christians-The

folly of relinquishing the subject in consequence of

external difficulties-Encouragement.

(RECAP)

LETTER III.

Those difficulties which are of least importance

most generally discouraging-Impatience arising

from disappointed expectations-A complaint-Its

causes―The dread of increasing anxiety-A false

conclusion-Evils arising from natural buoyancy of

feeling-Difficulty in the doctrine of Election-In-

clination and despair aid each other-"I am seek-

ing," 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 rela-

ting to the necessity of a certain preparatory pro-

cess-Scripture examples-Error relating to pray-

er-"I am not prepared"-"I am not holy enough"—

The inconsistency of the complainer-On insensi-

bility-Want of clear views of sin-Degrees of

conviction not necessary to be observed-Why con-

viction is more difficult to be effected in a man of

strict morality-The Gospel invites without refer-

ence to the degree of conviction.

LETTER V.

Complaint of irresolution-Nature of unstable resolu-

tions-Peculiarity of situation-The folly of specu-

lating on the expected change-Vain fancies—“God

will not pardon me.”—“I do not see how the pro-

mises can be fulfilled in myself”—The sufficiency

of pardon-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

practice-Failure arising from listlessness in read-

ing-Want of consideration-Forgetting that God

is the author-Looking for an extraneous some-

thing-How the Spirit imparts the right meaning-

Duty of becoming familiar with the plan of salva-

tion-Caution relative to reading other books-Con-
cluding advice.

LETTER IX.

The folly of spending time in attempting to reconcile

difficult passages-The duty of diligence in exam-

ining 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.

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