in the evening to a few friends, whom he would invite. I complied with his request, and accordingly preached; where three gentlemen gave me each a guinea. The good man also went to some of his friends, and made up the sum nine guineas, with which I got proper clothing and other necessaries; and there was a little money left to pay some debts which I had contracted. Thus I went home with a full answer to my prayers, and in my second suit of parsonic attire. This circumstance much encouraged my faith in God's providence, and caused me perpetually to beg of God to be my only provider, teacher, and master; and that he would always direct my steps, and supply my wants, and not leave me dependant on an arm of flesh. In my prayers I often made this my plea, that, as he had called me, without the instrumentality of any preacher, and sent me out without the approbation or disapprobation of any one, and had in a way of providence opened many doors before me, and blessed my labours to the good of many souls, he would also let his providence appear to me as I might stand in · need of it; that I might not be burdened with cares about what I should eat, or what I should drink, or wherewithal I should be clothed; but that I might devote body, soul, time, and talents, to the glory of his name, and to the good of his chosen. These petitions God has been pleased to answer in some measure ever since. "I have been young, and now am old; yet have

I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."

At my return from London I could not help making my boast of God, even in the pulpit. And, as my persecutors had burnt me in effigy a little while before, I told my audience that God had sent me a new suit of clothes as it were out of the ashes, my persecutors having burnt a suit, with which they clothed the effigy, not much unlike my old one. Seeing me thus clad was a great grief to the opposers of God: they were sorry to see any raised up to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

I had now a pleasing gale of prosperity for some time; but shortly after another cloud of frowning providences gathered thick over my head, and kept me long in suspense, until I had ran fourteen or fifteen pounds in debt, more by ten pounds than I had ever owed before. But, as my faith in providence had been sharply tried, and was strengthened by these trials, a greater burden was laid upon me. And thus I found Faith's task to be always proportionable to her strength. the midst of this trouble, the little flock at Woking desired me to take the charge of, and to be ordained over, them; to which I consented, and gave my promise. On my return home afterwards, however, Satan violently tempted me; and unbelief and carnal reason fell in with the temptation. It was for having refused some calls in the country, where the people would have supported me as

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their pastor, if I would have accepted their call; but now, as I had agreed to take the charge of a flock that could not support me, I should be for ever tied down from accepting any other call; that my family was still increasing; that I was deeply in debt; that my clothes were got as bad as ever; that my year was now out; and that my gracious Master had not given me a new livery, nor was there any appearance of it. But, blessed be God, I had the inward recompense of a good conscience, because I did not take the oversight of God's flock for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.

Having waded some time in this dreadful flood, I began at length to reason, from past experience, that God had hitherto been gracious; and, as he had set me to work, I must look to him for my wages. But this Satan attempted to overthrow, by suggesting that I was never so much in debt before; which I knew to be true; so that my faith began to fail, and I mistrusted the providence of God. But these words came so sweet to my mind, and with so much power, that they bore down all that the tempter could suggest; "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."

The next day in the evening I preached at Hammersmith: and when I came down from the pulpit a gentleman desired me to call at his house, where he had ordered a tailor to measure me for

a suit of clothes, of which he intended to make me a present. As soon as the words were out of his mouth the same scripture recoiled with power on my mind; "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." I hung down my head, and wept for joy at the goodness of my God to one who was so slow of heart to believe. In a few days my clothes were made, and I went and received them. This was one sharp blow to my unbelief; and led me to see that God took care to order apparel for me as well as for Aaron and his sons.

Now the principal and most difficult work of faith was, to reconcile my mind as to the discharge of my large debt. And how this was to be done I knew not: but this I knew, that I had not imprudently presumed on God's providence, having contracted it merely to supply my wants; and, as the Lord made me trust him for the fulfilment of his promises, I was forced to get others to trust me till my faith could get her wages in. Thus I scored up my blessed Master, who, in his own time, always discharged my debts with honour. That God, who wrought a miracle to clear the debt. of a poor widow by Elisha the prophet, will surely clear the just debts of his poor ministers.

Soon after this my friend in London asked me, and I agreed, to preach at his house and on the day appointed I went; when he told me that he had consulted the managers of Margaret-street

chapel about my preaching there; to which they had agreed, and it was advertised that I should preach there that night. At this I was sorely offended, being very much averse to preaching in London, for several reasons. First, because I had been told it abounded so much with all sorts of errors, that I was afraid of falling into them, there were so many that lay in wait to deceive: secondly, because I had no learning, and therefore feared I should not be able to deliver myself with any degree of propriety; and, as I knew nothing of Greek or Hebrew, nor even of the English grammar, that I should be exposed to the scourging tongue of every critic in London. However, I preached that night; and soon after found myself induced, by sundry persuasions, to preach the word of God statedly in that very chapel. During many weeks I laboured under much distress of mind respecting my want of abilities to preach in this great metropolis. But God in due time removed that distress, by condescending to bless his word, even from my mouth; and he was pleased to deliver a young man from a capital error by the first discourse I ever delivered at that place; which appeared not only a great encouragement to me at that time, but also a prelude to that future success which I might expect under God's promised blessing. The abovementioned young man is now a preacher of the gospel, and has been instrumental in calling others. So that I am become a grandfather from my first London discourse.