after this my master told me he had found a partridge on the garden walk also, but that it stunk. I told him I had found one a little before that time. He said that two males had been fighting, and had killed each other, which was very common. I was enabled to look higher.

But

Carnal reason always traces every thing from God to second causes, and there leaves them floating upon uncertainties; but faith traces them up to their first cause, and fixes them there; by which means God's hand is known, and himself glorified. I believe this battle between the plumed warriors was proclaimed by the Lord: for, if a sparrow falls not to the ground without God's leave, as the scriptures declare, I can hardly think a partridge does.

The third day arrived, and I was still in the same case as before. As I went to my work I saw a bird's nest in one of the shrubs; which, upon examination, I found to be the nest of a large bird, with four young ones in it, just ready to fly. It was with much reluctance I stormed and plundered the little simple citadel, but necessity hath no law; therefore I was forced to rob the poor dam of her young, and leave her mourning and lamenting, while my young one lived upon her's. However, I found it was no sin in God's sight. "If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young ones or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young; but thou shalt in

any wise let the dam go, and take the young to thee, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days," Deut. xxii. 6, 7.

These birds served for that day very well; but the next day found me still unprovided, as before, and brought forth fresh work for faith and prayer. However, the morrow still took thought for the things of itself: for, when I came to take the scythe in my hand to mow the short grass, I looked into the pond, and there I saw three very large carp lying on the water, apparently sick. When my master came to me I told him of it. He went and looked, and said they were dead; and told me I might have them, if I would, for they were not in season. However, they came in due season to me. And I found morning after morning, there lay two or three of these fish at a time, dead, just as I wanted them; till I believe there was not one live fish remaining, six inches long, in that pond, which was near three hundred feet in length.

of

While musing on, and admiring, the tender care my God in his providence, and wondering what could move him thus to pity such a sinner; who was so unworthy of his grace, mercy, and truth, as well as of his providential regard; these words came to my mind," He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish," Psal. cv. 29. Mrs. Webb, the woman before mentioned, has often partaken of these spoils; and the incredulous are very welcome to make inquiry into the matter, for which purpose I have informed them where she lives. My

master told me he thought it was the heat of the sun that killed them; and I believe it was: but I knew that the sun and his heat were both from God; and that the sun shined in due season for me. And it much amazed me to see God so kind, even in temporal matters. It led me to search his blessed word for similar circumstances. And, when I read of the distress and simple covenant of Jacob; of God's changing the colour of Laban's cattle, that they might change their master; and of God's blessing his simple means of peeling the rods, that the pregnant dams might look at them, and bring forth accordingly, and so setting the dams a-longing to bring forth a motley progeny like the rods, which he set in the troughs, and the dream of the speckled ram begetting the spotted inheritance of faith; I could not help weeping, and admiring the unmerited goodness of my God in setting the birds of the air to war, sending the sun-beams with such a hostile force as to slay the inhabitants of the floods, suffering the eel to sleep till the hand of the necessitous had entangled him, and directing my eyes to the little lodgment of birds, when all other supplies seemed to be cut off. It so operated on my mind, that I cannot describe the humility, compunction, love, joy, and peace, which I felt. O the goodness of God to the children of men! I evidently saw that, both in providence and grace, God is the same to us as he was to the saints in days of old, and that they had no preeminence over us in the covenant of grace at all; but that Jesus

Christ was the same yesterday that he is to-day, and will be the same for ever. Let not these providences beget a notion in the weak of the flock of any partiality in God to me in particular; knowing that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation those that fear him and work righteousness are accepted of him, Acts xxxiv. 35.

I found that my pay would hardly support my family with comfort; and it came into my mind that I could mend shoes, if I tried. I accordingly sent my dame to Kingston to buy me some materials for this business; upon which I began, and became a decent proficient in a very little time. This helped me so much, that I got all my things out of pawn, and kept myself entirely out of debt. But it happened one night, that my dame complained to me that she had nothing for the child but barley cake. I told her I had a job of cobbling to do, and would sit up that night to finish it, that in the morning the work might be carried home, when peradventure she might get the money. So we sat up and worked together till between eleven and twelve o'clock; when I heard a person call at my window. I went down, and found several men on horseback, to appearance they were smugglers, who inquired their way to Malden Mills. I went a little way to shew them, for which one of them gave me a shilling. On receiving it my very hair moved upon my head, at the reflection of the daily providences of God. I mention this, because God says that the gold and the silver are his; that it is

he only who maketh poor and maketh rich; and that it is he who bringeth low and lifteth up. These things so endeared God to me, that I often called him my Bank, my Banker, and my blessed Overseer; and earnestly begged that he would condescend to be my tutor, my master, and my provider; and never leave me in the hands of mortals either for tuition, protection, or for temporal supplies. I no longer envied the rich in this world: for if they are gracious, they only see one side of God's face, having an independent stock in hand; and, if graceless, they are of all flesh the most miserable. I clearly perceived that the most eminent saints in the Bible were brought into low circumstances; as Jacob, David, Moses, Joseph, Job, and Jeremiah, and all the apostles; in order that the hand of Providence might be watched.

When harvest came on my dame informed me that she should go to gleaning, in order to pick up some wheat to make bread with. So we generally arose about three o'clock in the morning; and I gleaned with her till six, and then went to my work; but she continued till eight o'clock; then went home with her corn, ate her breakfast, got the child up from bed, which all this time had been left alone, and then she went off for the day. At this time I had begun to preach at Ewell Marsh, which made no small stir that way; therefore the farmers drove my dame out of the fields, and the gleaners came about her like a shoal of small birds attending the funeral of a dead hawk, swearing