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fill the duties of that sphere which you profess to fulfil, and do not. But until you have leave of absence by your Master, to the extent now taken, "mind your own business" more, and do not idly sacrifice your studies for stolen sermons, to the neglect of your own soul's prosperity, and the profit of your hearers.

With deep humility for the freedom taken, although requested,

I am,

Your affectionate friend,

JOHN COOKE.

LETTER LXVI. TO A MINISTER, UNKNOWN.

(On the best Style for Sermons.)

Dear Brother,

"You think your style and mode of preaching good, but you are open to conviction." I do not affirm that your style is not good as a writer, but as a preacher. The use of long, compound, hard words in the pulpit, I dislike. Surely I could use them too; I have the best dictionaries. But although a few hearers may understand them, they would also understand more simple language; and they do not, or ought not, to be gratified at the expense of your usefulness. The poor and illiterate are the majority of your hearers, and their profit cannot go beyond their understanding. You may make a display, preach yourself and please yourself, by a lofty and affected style, but you starve the poor, provoke their prejudices, waste their time, and abuse your opportunity of usefulness. Your best hearers of education, can gratify their taste by reading the best composition; and, however long and obscure the periods, they can read them over, two or three times. This cannot be done in hearing. You should, therefore, preach not only so plainly that you may be understood, but so as you cannot be misunderstood.

Your plan will lessen the esteem of your hearers for you; especially when they hear another minister whose aim is to convince and impress. This will excite your jealousy, and disturb your peace. The great John Howe called such conduct, "playing the fool." An able minister, on hearing a brother preach in a sublime style,

under which the hearers slept, said to him, "Brother, I think if I had your talents, I would endeavour to make a better use of them." When I heard clergymen read in language above my reach, I admired the men, and said they preached fine sermons: but after I heard "a crucified Christ preached in a crucified style," I trembled for such stage actors.-"Look unto Jesus" as your example: “let the mind be in you which was in him." You read, "the common people heard him gladly:" would this have been so if he had preached or read in a composition and style, above their understanding? Remember you are not writing in the pulpit, but speaking; and your congregation not reading, but hearing. Consider the end of your office;-to convert sinners, edify believers, and take the lead in worship. Speak not in "an unknown tongue;" put not a veil on the truth, like a minister who said he was addressing a congregation of lace-makers and farmers' servants, and then informed them," his text contained a noble prosopopéia; that is, be added, a fine personification." And another, who said he should "consider his subject theologically, metaphysically, and morally." With "great plainness of speech commend yourself to every man's conscience as in the sight of God." Seek out acceptable words; but they cannot be such, if unintelligible. You have tried your plan some years, and " what fruit have you?" I have tried an opposite plan, which God has sealed by numerous converts. I could use i language above my hearers, but then I should only "beat the air, and give an uncertain sound." As a preacher, "by thy WORDS thou shalt be justified, or by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Your's sincerely,

JOHN COOKE.

LETTER LXVII.-TO THE SAME.

Dear Brother,

"You are pleased with my faithfulness, but think that many who ar understood, are very disgusting." True; by a vulgar, coarse, light chit-chat manner of preaching, they make the people laugh,-"co a grin when they should woo a soul." They strain a metaphor unt it evaporates. Never at a loss, they coin a story which they ass

you they heard, and say many witty things. They preach themselves; but not in the same way as the vain actor does. But whether too high or too low, both miss the mark. Yet you observe, "they do good." True; and so may a quack, by the medicine he sells; but, like him, they do more hurt than good; while both may promote their temporal profit, aad obtain the applause of the ignorant. The wise, faithful, and diligent apothecary, does good intentionally; restores health, preserves life, and raises his character. If patients die under such, "their blood will not be required at their hands." Apply this to yourself,

And your's, faithfully,

JOHN COOKE.

Dear Sir,

LETTER LXVIII.

(On the Holy Spirit's Influences.)

THE subject of the Holy Spirit's operations in the present day, as you express it, is of transcendent importance. I may possess even the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, without his graces: yet one “fruit of the Spirit," as the Spirit of holiness, is of more value to me than all mere gifts. Gifts may dwell in a wicked man; but grace changes the heart and character. Gifts fail: but love never faileth,--NEVER! Nor does conversion necessarily follow, in those who witness miracles witness the miracles of Moses, of the prophets, the apostles, and those of Christ. "Seeing and hearing, they saw and heard not." Some blasphemed the doctrines, and stoned the preachers. But real Christians are said to be quickened and born of the Spirit: to be enlightened and sanctified, comforted, led, and sealed by the Spirit.

Sound sentiments and decent forms may exist, without the spirit of the gospel, as really as zeal against forms, phrases, and opinions; singularity of dress and of speech, may cover guile, fraud, pride, and bad tempers. Sound sentiments, fiery zeal, and bold profession of the truth, may be found where "the HEART is not SOUND in God's statutes.".

The gifts of preaching and praying, the advantages of hearing

the best preachers, and reading the best books;-the warnings of providence in others, the greatest personal afflictions have left many professors unchaste, dishonest, covetous, ambitious, and malignant. What influence then can convert the soul to God? The influences of the spirit of God, in his gracious operations. But how are you to decide-when the effects are from the Spirit of God? By the same rule that you decide that the creation, miracles, prophecy, the gift of tongues, are from the divine Spirit. The evidence that I am the subject of the saving influences of the Holy Spirit, is within me. I am conscious of my own feeling: I know that I feel love, joy, peace, gentleness, meekness, goodness, faith. I feel a love to "all goodness, righteousness, truth. This is a fact: of this I am as certain as of my own thoughts and feelings. But I cannot prove from my consciousness, that these holy principles and tempers are the effects of the Spirit's operation. I am conscious of them, and the word of God ascribes them to the Holy Spirit.- Ephes. v. 9.Gal. v. 22.

Your's, in the truth,

JOHN COOKE

My dear Sir,

LETTER LXIX.-TO THE SAME.

You are wrong in limiting the operations of the Holy Spirit to time, manner, or degree. You overlook the sovereignty of his ope rations, and the sufficiency of his grace. The wind bloweth where, when, and as it listeth," and we may have more wind in one hour than in six months following. This accounts for the slow progress of some, and the rapid increase of faith, fortitude, patience, and peace in others. Witness the penitent on the cross! and the case of those condemned malefactors in Newgate, 1748-who prayed and sang, under a sense of pardoning mercy. The bell-men came at the appointed hour, as usual, to announce, "remember this day you must die!" They exclaimed, "welcome news, welcome news!" Is the spirit of the Lord straightened? Read, pray, trust, wait, and "this free spirit" will work in you to will, and to do, of his

good pleasure." And his pleasure is, that "as your day" of duty and trial, "so your strength shall be," to you and Your's, in one spirit,"

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J. COOKE.

LETTER LXX.-To A MINISTER, UNKNOWN.

(On the Danger of Starting Difficulties.)

My dear Brother,

You appear too fond of raising objections against the most important truths of revelation, in conversation with your hearers, and brother ministers. Whatever may be your motives, they are suspected, and not without reason. First, because you make it your amusement. Like the spider, you spread your web to entangle souls in difficulty, and feel gratified in what gives them pain.

Secondly, You leave the difficulty unexplained, unsettle those minds you ought to establish, and afford the enemy of souls an advantage against them.

Thirdly,-You diminish their esteem of you; excite suspicions that you are as ignorant of what you believe as they are; and instead of inducing them to think you are a wonderful man, you compel them to think you are trifling with their souls and your own; disgracing instead of "magnifying your office." Your vanity may deem it very clever; but when your eyes are opened, you will find "the serpent has beguiled you;" that you have alienated your hearers, and formed a thick cloud "of guilt over your soul." I asked Mr. J—, minister at R, what was the first step towards that complication of errors, into which he had gradually fallen? I was the more concerned to know, because he had reduced a congregation of six hundred hearers, to fifty.

His answer was, "I cherished a love of disputation, not caring which side I took, until I reasoned myself too far to retract; and believed that as true, which before I believed to be false."

I inquired his motive? He answered, "It was my amusement; it fed my vanity, which was often flattered by those who admired my

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