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dear sister on the subject of religion; but the sound of the Gospel, conveyed in the admonition of a sister, was grating to my ears." The first result of her tender exhortations and earnest endeavors was very discouraging: a violent conflict took place in her brother's mind, between his convictions of the truth of what she urged and his love of the world; and, for the present, the latter prevailed: yet sisters, similarly circumstanced, may learn from this case not merely their duty, but from the final result, the success they may antici pate from the faithful discharge of it."I think," he observes, when afterwards reviewing this period with a spirit truly broken and contrite, "I do not remember a time, in which the wickedness of my heart rose to a greater height, than during my stay at home. The consummate selfishness and exquisite irritability of my mind were displayed in rage, malice, and envy, in pride and vain glory and contempt of all; in the harshest language to my sister, and even my father, if he happened to differ from my mind and will: O what an example of patience and mildness was he! I love to think of his excellent qualities, and it is frequently the anguish of my heart, that I ever could be base and wicked enough to pain him by the slightest neglect. O my God and Father, why is not my heart -doubly agonized, at the remembrance of all my great transgressions against thee ever since I have known thee as such! I left my sister and father in

October, and him I saw no more. I promised my sister that I would read the Bible for myself, but on being settled in college, Newton engaged all my thoughts."

At length however it pleased God to convince Henry by a most affecting visitation of his providence, that there was a knowledge far more important to him than any human science; and that, whilst contemplating the heavens by the light of astronomy, he should devote himself to His service, who having made those heavens, did in his nature pass through them as his Mediator and Advocate. The sudden and heart-rending intelligence of the death of his father was the proximate, though doubtless not the efficient cause of his receiving these convictions. How poignant were his sufferings under this affliction, may be seen in the account he himself has left of it:from whence it is evident, that it was not only a season of severe but of sanctified sorrow; a seed time of tears, promising that harvest of holiness, peace, and joy which succeeded it.

"At the examination at Christmas 1799," he writes, "I was first, and the account of it pleased my father prodigiously, who I was told was in great health and spirits. What was then my consternation, when, in January, I received from my brother an account of his death! But while I mourned the loss of an earthly parent, the angels in heaven were rejoicing at my being so soon to

find an heavenly one. As I had no taste at this time for my usual studies, I took up my Bible, thinking that the consideration of religion was rather suitable to this solemn time; nevertheless I often took up other books to engage my attention, and should have continued to do so, had not * * * advised me to make this time an occasion of serious reflection. I began with the Acts, as being the most amusing; and, whilst I was entertained with the narrative, I found myself insensibly led to inquire more attentively into the doctrine of the Apostles. It corresponded nearly enough, with the few notions I had received in my early youth. I believe on the first night after, I began to pray from a precomposed form, in which I thanked God, in general, for having sent Christ into the world. But though I prayed for pardon, I had little sense of my own sinfulness: nevertheless I began to consider myself as a religious man. The first time I went to chapel, I saw, with some degree of surprise at my former inattention, that, in the Magnificat, there was a great degree of joy expressed at the coming of Christ, which I thought but reasonable. * * * had lent me Doddridge's Rise and Progress. The first part of which I could not bear to read, because it appeared to make religion consist too much in humiliation; and my proud and wicked heart would not bear to be brought down into the dust. And *** * *, to whom I mentioned the gloom which I felt, after

reading the first part of Doddridge, reprobated it strongly.—Alas! did he think that we can go along the way that leadeth unto life, without entering in at 'the straight gate!'

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It was not long after Henry had been called to endure this gracious though grievous chastening from above, that the public exercises commenced in the University; and although the great stimulus to exertion was removed by the loss of his father, whom it was his most anxious desire to please, he again devoted himself to his mathematical studies with unwearied diligence. That spiritual danger exists in an intense application of the mind to these studies, he was so deeply sensible at a latter period of his life, as on a review of this particular time, most gratefully to acknowledge, that "the mercy of God prevented the extinction of that spark of grace which his spirit had kindled." At the moment of his exposure to this peril he was less conscious of it; but we may perceive, from the following letter to his youngest sister, that he was not wholly devoid of circumspection on this head. Having shortly, and with much simplicity, announced that his name stood first upon the list at the college examination, in the summer of the year 1800, he thus expresses himself: "What a blessing it is for me, that I have such a sister as you, my dear ***, who have been so instrumental in keeping me in the right way. When I consider how little human assist

ance you have had, and the great knowledge to which you have attained in the subject of religion,

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-especially observing the extreme ignorance of the most wise and learned of this world, I think this is itself a mark of the wonderful influence of the Holy Ghost, in the mind of well-disposed persons. It is certainly by the spirit alone that we can have the will, or power, or knowledge, or confidence to pray; and by Him alone we come unto the Father through Jesus Christ. Through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.' How I rejoiced to find that we disagreed only about words! I did not doubt, as you suppose, at all about that joy, which true believers feel. Can there be any one subject, any one source of cheerfulness and joy, at all to be compared with the heavenly serenity and comfort, which such a person must find, in holding communion with his God and Savior in prayer-in addressing God as his Father, and, more than ali, in the transporting hope, of being preserved unto everlasting life, and of singing praises to his Redeemer when time shall be no more. O I do indeed feel this state of mind at times; but, at other times, I feel quite humbled at finding myself so cold and hard-hearted. That reluctance to prayer, that unwillingness to come unto God, who is the fountain of all good, when reason and experience tell us, that with him only true pleasure is to be found, seem to be owing to Satanic influence.

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