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CONTENTS.
Preface to the American Edition
Account of the Character and Dying Moments of the
Author, by the Rev. Thomas Lewis
Extracts from the Sermon on the Death of the Author,
by the Rev. B. Gildersleeve
PAGE
xix
xxix
xlii
An undue disposition to privacy commonly accompany-
ing serious impressions. Hurtful tendency of such
feelings. The critical state of an awakened sinner.-
Higher aggravations attach to sin.-Small circum-
stances become solemnly important.-An awful in-
stance of abandoned convictions.-Advice adapted to
such a crisis .-
LETTER II.
Too sanguine views.-Danger of reliance on present,
though strong, feelings.-The duty of avoiding unne-
cessary association with men of the world.-Import-
ance of duly estimating the great concern.-On the
opposition and seductions of mistaken friends.-A
melancholy instance.-The opposition of the irre-
ligious should be regarded as an additional motive to
diligence.-Prudential advice.-An instance of the
happy effects of Christian prudence.—Discourage-
ments from luke-warm professors of religion.-The
folly of relinquishing the pursuit in consequence of
external difficulties.-The great source of encourage-
ment
23
LETTER III.
Sincerity diminishes difficulties.-Those of little real
importance generally the most discouraging.—Im-
patience of disappointed expectation.-A fallacious
complaint. Its causes.-The dread of increasing anxi-
ety.-A most dangerous presumption.-Evils from
natural buoyancy of feeling.—Difficulty from the doc-
trine of Election.-Inclination and despair aid each
other.-False pleas;-"I am seeking,"-" I am
waiting for a day of power,"-"I am waiting for God
to do his part."
4.5
LETTER IV.
Common misconceptions.-Mistaken idea of a propriety
in delay. Any delay or suffering, the fault of the sin-
ner.-Mistake relating to the necessity of a certain
preparatory process.-Scripture Examples.-Errors
relating to the duty and acceptance of prayer.-“ I am
not yet prepared."-"I am not holy enough."-The
inconsistency of such complaints.—Apprehended in-
sensibility.-Analogies and illustrations.-Want of
more clear views of sin.-Exact degrees of conviction
not necessary, nor even possible, 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, upon the ground
of universal and most urgent necessity
LETTER V.
Complaint of irresolution.-Its baneful effects.-Defec-
tive nature of unstable resolutions.-Remedy.-Ima-
gined peculiarity of situation.-How to be counter-
acted. The sin and folly of speculating on the
expected change.-Extreme danger of this state of
mind.-Unscriptural and perverse objections.-"God
will not pardon me.' "-"I do not see how the promises
can be fulfilled in myself."-The glorious sufficiency
of pardon. The grand duty, ever incumbent -
LETTER VI.
The propensity to opposite and alternate extremes.—
Apprehension of having committed the unpardonable
sin.-Explanation of passages supposed to refer to it.
-An instance of the dangerous influence of error on
this subject
70
104
129
LETTER VII.
The disposition to cherish discouraging feelings.-Pas-
sages of scripture often wrongly interpreted, or mis-
applied. Explanations of several.-Luke xiii. 24.—
Prov. i. 28.-Hebrews xii. 16, 17.-Hosea iv. 17.
151
LETTER VIII.
Perplexity in reading the word of God.-Complaint of
the want of personal application.-Natural aversion
from 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 something.-
How the Holy Spirit imparts the right meaning.—
Duty of becoming familiar with the plan of salvation.
-Caution relative to reading other books.-Conclud-
ing advice
164
LETTER IX.
The folly of expending 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 parabie.-A personal appeal to
Christ directed in scripture.-Conclusion
180
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 own
part. Right desires not capricious.-Trials from a
disposition to dictate to God;-and from wicked
thoughts. A recommendation
194
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 our ignorance of the Person addressed.-Direc-
tions in prayer.-The duty of describing personal
trials. Habit of attention.-Remedy for wandering
thoughts.-Application of special promises.-Scrip-
tural examples.-Seasons for prayer.-Ejaculatory
desires. Forms of prayer.-Does God ever withhold
his grace, for a season, to try the sinner?-This
query examined
208
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 selfish sorrow to
a false hope.-Examples.-The error reproved in
scripture. Its cause.-Causes leading to genuine re-
pentance. Conviction of sin.-Why not to be
effected without divine power.-Looking to Christ a
means of repentance.-Evangelical sorrow follows.-
Difference between counterfeit and true repentance.
-The practical effects of real repentance
-
227
LETTER XIII.
An Inquirer reviewing his past distress.-A remarkable
period, and an eventful pause.-The simplicity of
faith.-A temptation to hold back from Christ.--Na-
tural incredulousness.-The afflicted father's appli-