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ceived that the professional man was indisposed to advise any legal measures. Upon this discovery, he said: "O, I perceive the gentlemen have already been with you, and confessed the whole business. You are too honourable a man to deny it should I want evidence, you cannot refuse to acknowledge that you are acquainted with their guilt. Good day; I have nothing more to say."

The result of this interview was, that the legal man advised the gentlemen immediately to accede to Mr. C.'s proposals, as the best way of preventing a public exposure; assuring them, at the same time, that Mr. C. had them as fast as a nail." The offending gentlemen then made application to be permitted to comply with his terms. The time was fixed-not their time, his own, and one that would suit the convenience of his friends.

The parties met, the expense of repairing the window was readily defrayed, the apology was made in polite and suitable terms; and "Now, gentlemen," said Mr. Cooke, laying his watch on the table, you are each to hear me for the space of five minutes."

He first addressed the military man, and reminded him, that his commission imposed on him the obligation of protecting the lives and property of his majesty's peaceable subjects. He showed him the crime and disgrace of being the first to break the peace, and endanger life: he faithfully admonished him of the guilt of drunkenness and disorder in a man of his profession.

He then turned to the clergyman; and, with a power of description and feeling peculiar to himself, and strikingly appropriate, he exhibited the scenes of the judgment-day. He described the awful situation in which he would find himself involved, when his ruined parishioners should point to him, and cry, "Lord! there is my teacher!-he led me in the way of drunkenness, riot, and sin; he was the cause of my everlasting misery!" Thus he laid open the scenes before him, and then exhorted him to repent, to study his Bible, and to set a better example to his parishioners.

The parties deeply felt the propriety and force of his address, and were overcome by his kindnes and pity, in the midst of the severity with which he had treated their offence. They reported, that they had never met with such a man in their lives; and that he was qualified to be made chief magistrate of the town.

Upon this singular occurrence, we find the following laconic

-, envy

observations among Mr. Cooke's papers:-" Mr. ing a dissenting minister in his neighbourhood, in a fit of intoxication, broke the windows of the dissenter-endangered the life of his wife, the large stones falling near her pillow. The clergyman was detected, mortified, and so confounded, by the dissenting minister's faithful address and ready forgiveness of the offence, that he left his situation, deeply in debt to the neighbouring inns, and occasioned many of his late hearers to attend the dissenting meeting. Many of those who first dissent from disgust, afterwards become dissenters from principle. Whatever doctrines may be established, they cannot establish bad characters in the esteem of the hearers of such clergymen. Such men may condemn infidels, while their own levity, intemperance, profaneness, and hypocrisy, increase the number of infidels, and afford the absurd plea of their justification."

ANECDOTE OF A BOY WHO ROBBED HIS GARDEN.

"As ye have opportunity, do good unto all men.' Young master P, caught a cold at the Blue Coat School; although wet to the skin, was not allowed to change his clothes. The cold seized his lungs, and he was sent to Maidenhead for change of air. He robbed my garden of its fruit daily; and when detected, endeavoured to conceal the theft by lies. I convicted him, and he was overwhelmed with the loss of character which he anticipated. I assured him of my forgiveness, and directed him to pray to God to forgive him, for Christ's sake. I treated him kindly, and gained his ear and his heart. He took every opportunity of being in my company; and came to hear me. His attention was fixed-his understanding was opened-his memory filled with the truths he heard his conscience was awakened, and his heart won to Christ.

"He returned home, was confined to his bed, and in a short time died. I met his father, who with a full heart and broken sentences, thanked me for my attention to his little son. 'Never before,' said he, ' did I see religion so lovely. My dear boy talked of you, your sermons, the Saviour, and heaven, with such hope, and joy, and patience, and thankfulness, and

resignation to God, as I shall never forget. He feared not death; he had no wish to live.' His mother visited me. With tears of grateful joy, she bowed to the will of God, whose wisdom and mercy had rendered so painful and so speedy a change, the greatest blessing of her dear little boy's earthly existence. So I had assured him it would prove. May its effects be found an eternal memorial of the grace of God in the souls of his relations."

CONVERSATION

WITH A STRANGER IN TRAVELLING.

After an easy introduction on the weather, politics, and accidents, on perceiving that my companion was a rich farmer, I asked him some questions on agriculture, which he readily answered; and was pleased with my inquiries.

At length, I admired the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, in the progress and multiplication of the grain, from thirty to sixty and a hundred grains from one; and in the eastern countries, to three and four hundred. I pitied the farmer who walked over his fields without seeing God and acknowledging his providence. I mentioned the knots in the stalk of wheat, without which it could not support the ear; but would break. I noticed the chaff in covering the grain, and the knots as so many filtering stones for the juices; the power of the sun, in drawing up the juices to nourish the

corn.

He said, "I like farming; but not farming and religion."

"But, sir, the art of husbandry cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts, who is wonderful in council and excellent in working' (Isai. 28); and that wonderful operation of the God of nature, should be acknowledged with grateful admiration."

He said, "he bad done very well without religion by industry and care, and could not see the advantage of mixing religion with farming." You have prospered, by a blessing on your labours, said I; for it is "God who giveth the increase." "Pray, sir, will affectionate gratitude to God injure your land, your corn, or your health? Is it a loss of time to possess a

grateful heart? Does not gratitude increase enjoyment, and is not this an advantage? Do not God and conscience approve of gratitude, as well as prayer, for his blessing."

"I hope to go to heaven, sir, as well as others."

"But you might as well hope for a crop of corn without ploughing and sowing, as to hope for heaven without using the means of obtaining it."

"The scripture declares, that what a man soweth, that shall he also reap.' You must plough and sow spiritually, by faith and prayer, repentance and diligence, if you would reap spiritual blessings. If you sow beans, you do not reap wheat. If you sow wheat sparingly, you do not reap wheat plentifully. Do you think, sir, if you sow to the flesh, by indulging sloth and the lusts of the flesh, that God will reward your sins with heaven? No, if you sow sin, you will reap punishment. Life is your seed time, and you will reap in eternity, what you sowed in time."

"All have their faults, sir, and God is merciful."

"True and therefore he gives a blessing to industry; and you cannot expect a harvest without a seed-time; neither can you expect salvation without the means of obtaining it. And God is merciful in appointing the means of salvation and granting success in using the means."

"I have done without religion,' said he,—that is, said I, 'God has exercised patience towards you, and blessed your labours with success. This proves his goodness also. Your wealth is a talent for which you must give an account."

"Then, I had rather be without these talents."

"No, sir, you desired wealth, and God has granted it: you also desire to use it for yourself, not for him; and for this you must give an account."

"I don't like religion, (with a sneer), and I told you so." "You are not a singular farmer, sir; I have read of one whom you greatly resemble. The farmer to whom I allude, finding his ground very productive, and his barns too small, resolved on building larger barns and filling them; and saying to his soul, I have goods laid up for many years, take thine ease; eat, drink, and be merry. But God said, ' thou fool! this night shall thy soul be required of thee:- then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided??

"Now sir, I think you must see yourself in this picture. Here is a farmer, very rich,-living to himself in health, ease, and pleasure, without God in the world.' No doubt his neighbours envied and flattered him; but no one dared to reprove so rich a man. And if no one reproved his sins, and

many flattered them, as virtues, he never heard the truth. This accounts for our Lord's words, how hardly shall they that have riches enter the kingdom of God.' But although he thought himself wise, and others wished to be like him, God addresses him differently,- Thou FooL!'

"Why, sir, do you suppose, the only wise God called him a Fool?" He was silent.

"But, candidly, do not you think he was a fool ?" "I shall not say, sir."

"Well, sir, if you will allow me to hazard an opinion, he appears a fool:

First, Because he preferred his body to his soul. "Secondly,-Because he preferred the world to God: "eat, drink, and be merry," was the extent of his aim.

"Thirdly,-Because he preferred time to eternity; “thou hast goods laid up for many years."

"Fourthly,-Because he lived as if he should never die; and whilst presuming on many years, exposed his soul to all the horrors of sudden death, without repentance, without forgiveness, without holiness, and without hope."

[Here the conversation appears to have ended.]

CONVERSATIONS WITH A RICH FARMER IN ILLNESS.

The following conversations will illustrate the power of practical deism and unbelief, in a farmer, who lived to the age of seventy, seeking his chief good in this life, and expecting to live longer, against the warnings of friends-the faithful testimony of medical gentlemen, and the strongest symptoms of mortal disease.

Mr. Cooke. I hope, sir, you have made your will, that your anxiety occasioned by your worldly affairs, may not counteract your medicine.

Farmer. I hope to do that when I get a little better; I know it is very proper to make my will.

Mr. C. I have made mine in health, to avoid the pain and distress to myself and friends, of having to make it in illness. I shall not die one moment sooner for discharging this duty.

Farmer. It is quite right; but I think of waiting until I have got in my harvest; and then I shall know what I am worth, and can better divide it among my children.

Mr. C. You can as well make it now, leaving what pro

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