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love, such grace, such a redemption, such a salvation, for lost, lost man, never, never, never entered into his heart to conceive.

If this demonstration of the Spirit to the love of God, fails to convince, to satisfy, to overpower the soul-to encourage, relieve, transform, establish, elevate, and transport it, to what evidence can we refer? If this be received, how can distrust live, and fear prevail. For,

"If IMMANUEL'S face appear,

My hope, my joy begins ;

His NAME FORBIDS my slavish fear,

His grace removes my sins!"

The incarnation," the word made flesh," and dwelling among us, revealing, performing, and suffering the will of the Father, for the redemption and salvation of man,-these are the things of which the Jews themselves, in general, had no conception, much less the Pagan sages. Many, however, "waited for this salvation," anticipated “this DAY," which Jesus called "my day," with the joy of faith. And now" they that love him," and they only, can enjoy these "things prepared."

The medium is REVEALED truth; WORDS of the Spirit; “My words," saith the Saviour. Dwell for an hour on John, xiv. 21, 23. Then read, believe, meditate on, pray over, "keep his ward;" and mark the promise, "I will manifest myself to him!" Kind regards to Mr. and Mrs. Walker, and Mrs. Bridgewater. Your's, &c.

J. COOKE.

Dear Sir,

LETTER XXXII.-TO A FRIEND.

On the Strivings of the Spirit.

YOUR letter demanded an earlier answer, and you should have re ceived one, had not the Sunday-school Society called me to London. Accept my thanks for your letter, as an accomplishment of your promise, and for the freedom of communication, and the natural ease of its style. It appears that God has been striving with you from your childhood, by your parents, the Gospel Ministry, valuable books and afflictive dispensations. This striving of the Spirit of

God, is, in my opinion, more or less felt in the conscience of every person, righteous and wicked. It has often been objected to this, that God never strives, but upon the minds of his elect; and that it is a proposition involving absurdity, if not blasphemy, to suppose Omnipotence should strive and not prevail. But such persons must be inattentive to the plain meaning of the voice of Scripture, which in reference to the most licentious characters, said, "My spirit shall not always strive with man, for he is flesh. Gen. vi. 2, 3, 5, 6, 8.

The meaning of the term strive, has been equally misunderstood; and one person has argued against another, as if God strove physically, and must prevail, as a strong man in striving with a weak one. But God strives morally, as a witness, by faithful testimony; as an advocate by seasonable and rational pleas;—as a governor, by righteous laws;--as a judge, by passing sentence upon impenitent and unbelieving sinners; and as a Saviour, by pressing invitations, faithful promises, melting expostulations, and alarming warnings.

Thus it appears, that God has been striving with you, from a very early period of life. From this part of the divine conduct, we may account for the power of conscience in the wicked; deep convictions which restrain them from the execution of their evil

purposes,-fears

of future punishment,-strong cries for mercy,-self-reproach,-anticipations of the sentence at the judgment seat,-resolutions of amendment under threatening disorders-and desire of the counsels and prayers of Christians, whom in health they despised. These moral strivings have the most beneficial influence in the government of the world, although they should not terminate in the conversion of the soul. They are worthy of the holiness and goodness of the divine character, as their tendency is to expose the evil of sin-to suppress, or prevent it: and they will afford a vindication of the righteous conduct of God, and prove an aggravation of their abuse and goodness.

But, if even the wicked may be the subjects of such strivings, and of their effects, how may we distinguish these from those operations of the spirit of God, which are peculiar to the heirs of salvation?To this I answer-by the quality and permanency of the effects produced by his sacred influence on the mind. By the quality rather than the degrees of these effects: for degrees rather distinguish one Christian from another, than a Christian from an unconverted man. And indeed, the constituted apathy in one man, and ardour in ano

ther, might induce us to believe the babe in Christ, a possessor of more grace than the most mature christian; as the fire of the former is generally more ardent than that of the latter. The love of sin is natural to fallen man, as the affection to holiness is to a renewed man. It is as impossible for an unconverted man to hate sin and love holiness, as for a converted man to love sin. A holy principle, or disposition, manifests itself in aversion to sin, grief for the least inclination to it, and steady opposition to its power. Such a mind appears under the power of grace, by its believing application to Christ for strength against the force of sin, and righteousness to justify him from its condemning power.

This pure effect of gracious influence accords with the work of Christ, which was to take away sin; with the office of the Spirit, as the Spirit of holiness; with the promises that sin shall not have dominion; with the character of God, as glorious in holiness; and with heaven itself, for which it makes them meet. No one, therefore, can rationally entertain a single doubt, for a moment, that bo liness is an effect of special grace. Sin dwells in the Christian: he perceives and feels it, as a burden, from which he sighs to be de vered; as an enemy which he desires to destroy; as a disease for which he seeks a cure; as a defilement from which he endeavours to be cleansed; as a vexatious inmate, which he resolves to expel.

Your's, &c.

JOHN COOKL.

LETTER XXXIII.-TO SIR EGERTON LEIGH.

Dear Sir Egerton,

SINCE I saw and prayed with you at Maidenhead, you have seldom been long from my thoughts. The extreme weakness of your body, the coldness of the weather, the length of your journey, and the determination of your mind to proceed, left little hope in me or Mr. Bishop, that you would reach Newbury. The thought of dying in your carriage, or at an inn, to a mind borne up by supernatural aid, was a mere circumstance in your esteem. I rejoiced to hear you say, "I am in the Lord's hands ;-I look to a better world;"'— My heart travelled with you, and I went home and relieved my mind

by venting my tears of sympathy, in fervent prayer that, "as your day, so your strength might be."

I am amazed at your reaching Bath.—I am thankful that you are accompanied by faithful and tender servants, who watch every expression of your will, and anticipate your wants: and am greatly obliged by the letter of this morning, which one of them (whose name I know not) sent me.

Remember Him, my dear Sir Egerton, who remembers you in your low estate. He is the same, yesterday, to-day, and for ever. The same in his faithfulness to his promise, -"I will never leave thee nor forsake thee," the same in his affectionate sympathy and all-sufficient grace. The same in his wisdom, to regulate all your trials, your changes, and your end. The same in his power to support your mind, shield you in your conflicts, and render you superior to the fear of death, Now is the time to rely on his atoning blood for pardon ;-for pardon in its completeness, freeness, perpetuity, and influence. Now is the time to honour his righteousness for justification and peace with God. Now, in "this time of need," look through the dignity, merit, and intercession of Jesus, to the Father on "a throne of grace; that you may obtain mercy, and find grace to help you." You have no voice; but God looketh on the heart." He hears the desire of the humble." "His ear attends the softest call."

I will not forget you, but commend you with imploring earnestness, to the all-sufficiency, the infinite mercy, and parental providence, of your heavenly Father.

Your race is near the end, -your conflicts are almost finished. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth you. Look up to him in humble confidence, pleading, " thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever; forsake thou not the work of thine own hands." Forget not that your trying "times are in his hands."

That the Lord, in blessing, may bless you, with the enjoyment of forgiveness, acceptance, and the lively hope of eternal life;-that he may support your patience, your resignation, your gratitude, and your peace of mind, is the fervent prayer of him, whom you affectionately called

Your dear Brother,

P. S. Your kind servant will write again.

JOHN COOKE.
If the Rev. Mr. Jay

of Bath, is at home, his visits would be highly interesting to you. "He is a faithful man, and fears God, above many."

LETTER XXXIV.-To A YOUNG MAN WHO MET WITH AN

ALARMING ACCIDENT.

My Young Friend,

had

Ox my return from Abingdon, I was informed that you fallen from your horse, and received an injury. The following thoughts occurred to my mind on the subject; and to show you that you have a place there, I transcribe them for your sake. "A horse is counted but a vain thing for safety"-yea, is often the instrument of man's death! Creatures then, are good or evil to us, as the Lord makes them to be one or the other. How precarious our worldly comforts! A youth, near twenty, in danger of losing his breath by a fall from a horse! After all the care of parents, how soon the fruit of their anxious attention may be blasted.

Our obligations to divine providence are singularly great. God has warned you, by casting you to the brink of death; and preserved you, I trust, to improve his goodness through your future. You went out cheerful-you came home sad. What a mercy, at the fall which broke a bone, did not break your neck!

"Tis to his care we owe our breath,

And all our near escapes from Death."

How necessary for our safety and comfort, to be found only in the path of duty. Then, whatever we meet with, we may attribute to a kind providence, without the severe self-reproach of having brought on our disasters, by rebellion against God. I do not intimate that you were not then in the path of duty; but suggest the consequent reflection if you had not been so. The incident may also remind you, how near we dwell to eternity! since the stumbling of a horse may dispatch us, in a moment, from the stage of time. I dare venture to say, that the event has occasioned an inquiry to be instituted in your breast, like the following:-"What, if in falling from my horse, I had lost my life---was I prepared to go? should I have" died in the Lord?" How has my mind been occupied lately by the best things?

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