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1. Letters to a Friend, intended to relieve the Difficulties of an anxious Inquirer, under Serious Impressions on the Subjects of Conversion and Salvation. By the late Rev. Thomas Charlton Henry, D.D., of Charleston, South Carolina. Second Edition, revised and corrected, with Memoirs of the Author, and other prefatory Matter. 12mo. pp. 266. Price 5s. 6d. London, 1829. 2. Advice to Religious Inquirers, respecting some of the Difficulties arising from the present State of Society. By James Matheson, Minister of the Gospel, Durham. 12mo. pp. 232. Edinburgh, 1828.

THESE two volumes have in a great measure a common object, although the specific difficulties for which they aim at providing relief and remedy, are of a somewhat different character; and they belong to a class of works of which there is confessedly a deficiency. While the religious public have been well provided with doctrinal and practical works, yet, there are few that contain that advice and counsel which are suited to the varied states of individual feeling under the pressure of religious anxiety. Dr. Henry's work appears under the fraternal auspices of the Rev. Dr. Pye Smith, who has been induced to undertake the task of preparing these Letters for the press, by a conviction that, with much originality and independence of 'sentiment, they exhibit a picture of the human mind in some ' of its most interesting states of feeling.

S.

The invaluable treatises of Preston and Sibbes, Shepard, Alleine, and Baxter, Halyburton, Doddridge, and Witherspoon', continues Dr. a part of the richest treasures of the true church of God,-enter only upon some of the sides and sinuosities of this ample field, and fall far short of exploring its obscure and dreary extent. Dr. Henry's prompt and vigorous mind formed a boldly comprehensive idea of the object which it was so desirable to accomplish. That he has carried every point, and left nothing further to be attempted or to be wished for, it would be absurd to pretend. But, by a few rapid and masterly strokes, he has done much; and he has done it well. He has left his dying legacy; a work which could have been produced only by a fine natural genius, aided by extensive scriptural study, habits of deep experimental self-knowledge, large intercourse with men, penetrating observation, and, above all, a very abundant measure of sanctifying influence from the Almighty and Holy Spirit.'

To this encomium on the volume, we feel it unnecessary to add any recommendation of our own; and we shall merely say, that the religious public are laid under fresh obligations to the learned Editor, who, amid his multiplied avocations, academic, pastoral, and literary, has found time to discharge this humbler office of kindness and usefulness. The contents of the letters are too diversified to admit of analysis within convenient limits,

and a specimen seems almost unnecessary. The following very judicious remarks, however, will admit of being detached, and we transcribe them with pleasure into our pages.

You ask, whether God ever withholds his grace from the Inquirer, in order to try him further, after he is already endued with a penitent and humble frame of feeling?" The whole tenor of my letters is against the affirmative of this question. But it deserves more explicit notice.

I have more than once known persons in deep distress, advised to persevere, under the idea that the Dispenser of pardon may be putting their patience to a test; or, in other words, waiting until they acquire this virtue, as a preliminary to the reward of acceptance. This is very injudicious and unscriptural. Instead of proving an incentive to perseverance, as it is intended to be, it is discouraging in the extreme. The unregenerate sinner can achieve nothing to entitle him to favour : and there is no intermediate state, in which he can ever be supposed, between ruin and grace. Nor can any withholding, on the part of God, when the sinner approaches aright, detain him in the former of these conditions. If it were otherwise, and we were allowed a supposition on this subject, then the death of the sinner, in that intermediate state, would leave the fault of his final rejection from heaven at the door of the Author of his being.

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The examples which you have quoted, in the Syrophenician woman, the importunate widow, and the neighbour soliciting bread, were never designed to encourage such a conclusion; nor have they any reference whatever to the case. The trials which God may suffer his people to undergo, while he supports them at the same time, and improves some grace within them to their ultimate good, is no indication that he ever would stand back, a single moment, from the penitent sinner. To require immediate and unconditional submission on our own part; and to tender the promises in return, and then delay their fulfilment; has never been the manner of the Divine dealing. The prayer of the true penitent is answered at once, although it may not be in a way perceptible to himself, nor with the immediate consequences to his own mind, which he had fondly anticipated. We must learn to distinguish between the manner and the thing; between an utter refusal and the mode of conferring the boon. I should not hesitate to say to any complainer on this subject, that either his prayer was already answered, or the fault was entirely his own. We cannot escape this inference, if we consider the Creator as consistent with himself. I cannot, therefore, restrain an expression of regret, when I read a contrary sentiment, in works expressly designed to relieve or assist the Inquirer. The question seems to be so clearly and unequivocally settled in the word of God, that it is a matter of surprise how it should involve a doubt in any other mind, than one harassed by its fears, and confused by its perplexities.' pp. 225, 226.

The contents of Mr. Matheson's work are as follows: Chap. I. The nature of religious inquiry, and the best means of pursuing it.-II. The influence of erroneous preaching on the

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minds of religious inquirers.-III. The influence of human writings.-IV. The influence of intimate intercourse with open transgressors of the Divine law.-V. The influence of worldly professors.-VI. The influence of ridicule.-VII. The difficulties arising from the case of backsliders.-VIII. The difficulties arising from the existence of so many different denominations in the Christian church.-IX. The difficulties arising from the imperfections of real Christians.-These difficulties, it will be seen, are chiefly such as are referred to in Scripture under the denomination of offences,' or stumbling-blocks; and they are such as arise out of the existing state of society, secular and religious. The work is more argumentative, therefore, and enters less into the interior workings of the heart and conscience, than Dr. Henry's Letters. It is designed, indeed, to administer succour and advice at a different stage, and one scarcely less critical than that to which Dr. H. has addressed himself; to rescue not so much from anxiety with respect to personal safety, as from scepticism and fatal declension under circumstances of outward difficulty and temptation. Nothing can be more judicious than the manner in which Mr. Matheson has executed his task; and the work is well adapted to do extensive good. If a little more of the vivacity of familiar correspondence could have been thrown into its pages, it might have rendered the perusal more attractive to young persons; but to those who are really in earnest in their inquiries, the substantial value of the advice it tenders, the candour, discrimination, and sound judgement by which the Author's remarks are characterized, and the kindness of his aim and manner, will render it a most suitable and acceptable present. And it may, we think, be very especially useful to younger ministers, and indeed to Christians generally, in supplying them with useful hints as to the best way of dealing with a large and interesting class of the community, whose eternal interests are often placed in jeopardy by the difficulties here combated. As a specimen of the work, we take from the fourth chapter, the Author's statement of a difficulty with which, under some circumstances of a distressing character, it is a more painful and delicate task to engage than with, perhaps, any other.

If it be indeed true, that evil results from the example of mere acquaintances who are amiable, but destitute of religious principles; we may readily conclude, that when religious inquirers are exposed to the influence of relations, or dear and intimate friends who are irreligious, the injurious effects will be much greater than in the former case. It may be that they are parents, or at least those whose opinions have been adopted as wise, and whose example has powerfully influenced their formation of character. The very supposition, that these persons, so beloved, and so venerated, are exposed to the displeasure of God—that

they are living constantly in a state of the greatest danger, is painful in the extreme. "What", they feel constrained to ask themselves, "are those individuals, whom they have loved and honoured, the enemies of God? Can those who have been so useful in the spheres of life they occupy, be notwithstanning this, among the number who are described as 'having no hope and without God in the world?'" Their minds revolt at the statement.

Here we perceive that not only has the natural unbelief of the heart been strengthened against the Bible by an evil example; but even filial atfection, and the claims of friendship unite to oppose its unbending statements. All the endearments of domestic life, all the pleasures of the social circle, seem to be blighted; and the very idea of receiving tenets which so intimately and fearfully affect a Father's or Mother's welfare, appears little less than parricide. There is a rising up of the spirit against the fearful declarations of Scripture; and the suggestion of the "evil one" may lead them to fancy, that after all, as far as it regards their present peace, they should take their chance with their friends.

But such a state of mind cannot long continue. These persons cannot proceed far in their search after truth, without discovering that their friends are really in the state of danger represented in the word of God. Still, however, the doubt comes across their minds, and they feel inclined sometimes to welcome it—that all this cannot be; and that in some way or other their friends may yet escape, though destitute of even the form of religion.

Why are their minds thus agitated and distressed? Why do they for a moment cherish thoughts which bear the stamp of infidelity? Because they are not yet sufficiently acquainted with the character of God, the extent of his law, and the nature of sin; and consequently they do not know the fearful transgressions of which their friends have been, and are still guilty, while rejecting religion. They cling to the idea, that God will not be strict to mark iniquity; while they forget, that if God were to mark iniquity at all, the holiest must perish.

While a better acquaintance with divine truth will rectify the above and other mistakes, one or two difficulties which disturbed their minds at first may still linger. They may still ask, "how can we account for the fact, that persons possessed of sound judgement, and who are conscientious, respected, and useful in the world, should yet in the matter of religion be so careless and opposed to God? Or how is it that there is so much in their conduct that is excellent and amiable, even while they make no profession of Christianity, and refuse to be called religious people?"

They will find these questions also answered, as they proceed in their inquiries after truth. They will soon ascertain, that no natural or acquired talents-no amiability of disposition, will of themselves have any influence in leading men to seek the knowledge of God. Alas! how frequently is a contrary effect produced. These individuals have never seriously examined Christianity, or considered its high and paramount claims: their powers of mind, and their desires after knowledge, have been directed to other pursuits, and exercised

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Henry's Letters to a Friend, &c.

on very different objects. They have willingly allowed the love of error and indifference to keep them from the investigation of divine truth. Conscientious in worldly matters between man and his fellows, they have not been so between God and their own souls. They have been earnest and sincere in the pursuit of knowledge, as far as it was connected with natural and physical truth; but they have shrunk from the investigation of the moral and spiritual truths of Jehovah. The external evidences of Christianity they have indeed glanced at; but they have no wish to find them true. And why is this? Because the heart is diseased, and they dislike God. Because the very character they sustain among men induces them the more readily to reject true religion. They cannot endure a system which seeks to overthrow all their fondest hopes, and bring them down from the fancied elevation on which their pride of heart had placed them, to the level of the guiltiest in the sight of God. Possessing the esteem of men, they try to persuade themselves that they can do well enough without the favour of God: or that if the latter is really needed, their good qualities of heart and life will secure it. All that is respectable, and amiable, and benevolent, they attribute to themselves, and claim boldly the merit of a useful life. Can we wonder, then, that with such inadequate views of God--with such high thoughts of themselves-with so much in the heart that is opposed to spiritual religion, they should altogether reject the Gospel of Christ?

Nor need we be surprised, that in the conduct of such persons before their fellow-creatures, there should be many things to commend. Much of this may be accounted for from the circumstances of life in which they have been placed. They may from early life have associated with those who sustained a high character for kindness and integrity. The principles of honesty and benevolence may have been early instilled into their minds; and being also placed in affluence or comfort, there has been no temptation to do any thing mean or dishonourable. Besides, they have heard benevolent actions extolled as the very essence of virtue, and being naturally of a kind disposition, they have the more readily performed those actions. The grosser vices (at least their display before men) have been described to them as injurious to health, property, and reputation, and they have abstained from many of these.

There is, however, another way, by which we may account for the conduct of such persons, even while they reject true religion; and perhaps what is about to be mentioned, has the most powerful effect upon some minds. Thus it may safely be affirmed, that the very religion which they will not acknowledge to be true, that very system, which they declare to be unable, beneficially to influence the morals of men, even when believed, has yet produced a good effect upon them. They may not be willing to admit the fact, but it is nevertheless true. A brief reference to this view of the subject, may therefore be useful.

Had these individuals been born in a country where Christianity is unknown, they might have been amiable, as it regarded their natural disposition, but they would not have had the same opportunities of displaying their benevolence. Mere science and philosophy, or ci