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 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— 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 to hold back from Christ-Natural incredulousness- LETTERS TO AN ANXIOUS INQUIRER. LETTER I. Feelings of privacy commonly accompanying serious impressions-The critical state of an awakened Sinner-An instance of abandoned convictions-Advice. MY DEAR SIR, How shall we account for that secrecy of feeling which you have found it so difficult to infringe, and which is so common to the experience of awakened sinners? That delicacy which guards the threshold of religion, and restricts the conversation of intimate friends to its exterior and general matters? Shall we attribute it to a greater degree of refinement, or to a nicer sense of decorum? But it is as prevalent among the ruder, as among the more polished classes of society. Shall we ascribe it to an unwillingness to obtrude our griefs upon the sympathy of friends? This would be an apology in which fact would not sustain us; for he to whom we unbosom our sorrow, is supposed to take a deep and unaffected interest in our spiritual welfare. And, moreover, this privacy is discoverable in the very man, who, instead of comprehending the sentiment of a Christian poet, that "with the soul who ever felt the sting "Of sorrow, sorrow is a sacred thing," would, at other times, drag you rudely through all the minutiae of his private woes. Nor is a want of confidence the cause of this restraintfor every other feeling may be imparted with freedom. Nor can it be wholly, if at all, owing to the confessed etiquette of irreligious society, which proscribes the subject of evangelical truth, much as a law of Athens prohibited the name of Death: Nor to that disgust which arises from a familiar and ill-timed use of scriptural terms: Nor to any thing else which could furnish an excuse, while it implies a compliment to our refinement, our taste, or under-. standing. These questions and answers, if they serve no other purpose, may at least lead you to the |