FRIENDS’

sometimes anxious fears about thy doing toomuch
for thy tender frame, but have to remember that
the Lord takes care of those that love him. In
dear love to you all, Lam thy affectionate father,

Druwelleator

DAVID COOPER TO MARTHA ALLINSON.
11th Mo. 30th, 1783.

My dear:—As thy mouth is opened in the
great Master’s cause, I much desire thy growth
in strength and experience, that so all thy pub-
lic appearances may be in the beauty of the
gospel. Then will his name be honored, his
cause advanced, and thy peace of mind abun-
dantly exceed all thy exercises and labor in ob-
taining it. Toattain to this thou must dwell in
the stillness, in which alone the small voice can
be heard and distinctly understood. Here thou
wilt discover the cunning devices of the enemy
to deceive and mislead thee, sometimes by push-
ing too fast, at other times to reason duty away.
But ever observe the injunction in one of the
Select Queries; “always to minister in the
ability God gives.’ This implies that every
right eoncern (as the eye is kept single to the
leader) is accompanied with strength sufficient
to perform. The same Word that said to the

raging sea, “be still,” will silence the disturbing |}

doubts and fears, and tremors of the creature.
In this holy quiet it is safe to move; but never
in the agitation of the mind, which is creaturely
weakness. Often read Samuel Bownas’ letter;
there’s much instruction in it; and also the
16th, 17th, and 18th verses of sixth chapter of
Matthew. Persons under exercises of the min-
istry often talk themselves poor, and increase
their distress, as children frighten themselves
by talking of bugbears. They offend the Mas-
ter by asking counsel and expecting help from
fellow servants.

I have been sensible, my dear, and had a feel-
ing of thy exercises; but was cautious of saying
much to thee thereon, being desirous thy whole
dependence should be on Him who can indeed
help thee. But I may now caution thee against
a rock which few wholly escape: Children un-
dertaking the services of full age, speaking in
large meetings, which, though it may sometimes
be right, much oftener gives pain than edifies ;
as also the delivering for doctrine of their own
distresses and exercises, or mixing these with
what they have to deliver ; an error to which, I
believe, above all others, young ministers are
subject.

These hints are drawn from me by my love for
thee and my desires for thy improvement, and
not from any thing from thee that has given me
pain. And if at any time thou shouldst miss it,
be not cast down overmuch. All do miss, more
or less. Let it increase thy attention to thy
Guide in future. Leave the things that are be-
hind and press forward; ever bearing in mind

 

REVIEW. 85
how great a thing it is to be mouth for the Lord
in the congregation of his people, and that of
ourselves we can do nothing; and also that with
the assistance of his power nothing is too mighty
for us. And in so great a service, how muc
safer to under-do than to over-do. With these
cautions sufficiently impressed there’s nothing
to fear. Therefore beware of complaining, or
of a murmuring thought that thy Master’s ser-
vice is hard, or that thy trials and exercises are
greater or harder than others. They are but as
the drop of a bucket to what thousands have
had to pass through. Is there not abundantly
more reason to rejoice and be exceeding glad
that we are found worthy to be made a little use
of by a Master, so gracious, that all who have
ever served him have experienced his yoke to
be easy and his burden light? It is our own
stubborn will only that speaks a different lan-
guage. Let that be wholly subject; then will
his service be as thy meat and drink; and thou
wilt have to rejoice as in the time of harvest,
and thy soul shall delight itself in fatness, and
having to walk in the light of the Lord there
will be no cause of stumbling.

Such is the establishment [ earnestly wish for
thee, my dear daughter, as for my own soul;
who am thy affectionate father, _

DD. Cooprr.

DAVID COOPER TO MARTHA ALLINSON.
Woodbury, 12th mo. 8th, 1784.
Dear Daughter :—Thou hast given many in-

stances of thy endeavor to preserve and promote
harmony and love among thy acquaintance.
This disposition must be pleasing to thy heay-
enly as it is to thy natural parent, but as every
virtue requires, so'in a particular manner does
this require wisdom, more than human, to guard
it at all times from defeating its own purpose.
If we possess pearls, we ought to use them in
accordance with their worth, and not cast them
before swine, or such as will not receive them.
It is next to impossible to give advice for the
purpose of removing hardness and renewing love,
that can be accepted from those who are them-
selves parties; it is generally cast back with—
“(physician heal thyself’ I thought this was
sensibly the case in the morning at ay
as also once at S——’s. It implies the opinion
of the giver of the counsel that himself is clear,
and that all the fault is on the other side; which,
instead of healing the wound, is apt to increase
the festering humor. The mere offer of advice
is assuming a superiority which mankind is not
fond of admitting, especially in one they are
desirous of pulling down. The most effectual
way of healing wounds of this sort is, if we
know ourselves faulty, frankly to acknowledge
it; if innocent, let the offence wear away and
be forgotten, unnoticed, under the mollifying
balsam of a kind and friendly deportment,
equally distant from a mean and fawning beha-