Under these impressions, Mr. Sloper turned his thoughts towards one who was ever the willing, affectionate, and judicious adviser of pious youth,—the truly Reverend Cornelius Winter, of Painswick. While he was expressing, in a letter to this excellent man, his views and inclinations, Mr. Winter went to Cheltenham on a visit to Sir Richard Hill. He favoured Mr. Sloper with several interviews; and at one of them introduced, in the course of conversation, the very subject which was uppermost in the mind of his young friend. When informed of the purport of the letter which Mr. Sloper had partly written to him, he was struck with the singularity of the circumstance, and proposed corresponding on the subject in question. Several letters were exchanged. The value of the advice which Mr. Sloper had secured, and its probable influence upon his future character, conduct, and circumstances, will be best estimated from the following extracts. “My ever dear Isaac, “If you had not been peculiarly near to me, I could not have spared a moment for you to-day. Your desire has more weight with me than a command would have from many of your superiors. I therefore drop you a hasty line, to exhort you to give yourself unto prayer; to watch and wait for the openings of providence; and to be fully satisfied, upon the strictest and narrowest examination, that you stand prepared for all the difficulties of the gospel ministry, as well as to be disposed to promise yourself all the comforts it affords, in conjunction with the improvement preparatory to it. I am truly glad you can lay yourself unreservedly open to _Him_ who seeth and knoweth all things, even the secret recesses of the soul, and the spring and motive of every action. “I see you will find some difficulty to get disengaged from Mr. P. I need not say, behave handsomely upon the occasion; and while you are firm in your resolution, be prudent. You remind me of the great difficulty I was under when a young man; how sanguine, and consequently, how restless to carry my point. Though, in fact, it was God’s point I could not move in my own time, nor in my own way. {202} Your line is drawn, and you will be that which God would have you. Maintain communion with him, and when he hides his face, beg him to show you the cause, that your humiliation may be in proportion to the sin he means to resent. Remember, my dear fellow, that there are seasons wherein faith must be called into exercise, that when you talk of faith, you may talk by experience. At all times look unto Jesus; and when you cannot look immediately to him, look after him. Resist that enemy, stedfast in the faith, who is permitted to buffet you; and every blow he gives you will recoil upon himself. “You may be sure I will keep the object in view. I am praying for direction, and as directed, will act . . .