truth and the doctrines of it's faithful minifters, they would have proved of much greater fervice. For as the truth is in itself unspotted, and it's excellency unchangeable, the glory and dignity thereof would have fhined forth very amiably and attractively in the eyes of the nations, had not the mifconduct of it's profeffors too frequently and extensively eclipsed it's genuine luftre; which merits the folid confideration of all, who have been educated, or have joined in profeffion with us; both when they attend fuch meetings, and at all other times.

(1727.) Being arrived at my fifteenth year, my mother was anxious to have me put to some bufinefs. Through her perfuafion, my father in the course of his travels, spoke to David Hall (the me moirs of whofe life are extant, and for whom my mother had an honourable esteem) and agreed with him to take me as ufher to his school, defiring no other terms for me but my board, and fuch inftruction as he might fee I yet needed: which gave my mother great fatisfaction.

She accompanied me to his house at Skipton in Yorkshire. And here I experienced the advantage of the education fhe had given me, for thereby I was prepared to fubmit more willingly to continual

employ and hardfhip. And though many of the boys coming from full houses and plentiful tables, thought their fare here mean (as indeed the price for both boarding and tuition, was but eight pounds per annum,) yet to me it was in general otherwise.

There happened to be in the family at this time two youths, whofe cafes or events in life, I think not improper to mention by way of caution: but, their names I would wish to be buried in oblivion, unless they may yet be favoured with repentance to falvation.

The one was a lodger in the house. He was a valuable pattern and very helpful in the family.: I esteemed him to be in a happy condition, and ftill believe he was fo at that time. He had a few words in the miniftry, and grew in his gift; but afterwards becoming exalted, and too fond of ap-. plaufe, he fell into the fnares of the grand enemy, and brought a reproach on the truth, and on the ministry. What need hath he that standeth, or thinketh he standeth, to take heed left he fall!

The other was at that time an apprentice to David Hall. He was afterwards a minister well efteemed among many friends; but alas! he alfo

fhamefully fell. And what renders the case of these my formerly well-beloved friends ftill more melancholy, is, that though there is balm in Gilead, yet they and others, whom the enemy has thus wounded and poisoned, will not turn to the physician there, but rather endeavour to have their wounds deceitfully healed.

I remember to have heard one, who had bafely fallen in an unguarded hour, boasting a few years after, that he had been washed in the bottom of Jordan, and had brought up stones of memorial; and this in an affected minifterial way, when it appeared not to be the cafe to any but himself: but rather that the poor man was still under the deceptions of the crafty enemy, willing to deceive himself, and wanting to deceive others, while he was at best but very fuperficially washed from deep defilements. Judgment had not had it's perfect work, though he was very willing to think and have it thought by others that it had. And to evade that awful confideration, that the most pure and righteous God is jealous of his honour, and requires our going clean through all that humiliation, labour and patience, which his light in the conscience difcovers to be neceffary for repairing the dishonour incurred. All palliations or foftening excufes; all

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arts to conciliate human, compaffion and favour, are but like fig-leaf coverings, through which the nakedness of tranfgreffors is manifeft to such as are endued with true fight, and like dawbing over deftructive breaches with untempered mortar. But enough of this digreffion, wishing it may prove useful where needed.

(1728.) When I had stayed in my service at Skipton a little more than a year, my mafter gave me leave to return to Kendal to fee my relations. He made me the bearer alfo of a letter to my father, wherein he fignified, that confidering my years, he approved of my qualifications and conduct, and offered wages for my future fervice. My mother took little notice of, the offer; but was exceedingly rejoiced at the other part of the letter, as giving her better hopes on my behalf than the hitherto had.

In the course of the fucceeding year, by agreement between my father and my master, I spent three months with Richard Kennedy, writing master in Liverpool, to improve my felf in, writing, and learning fome branches of the mathematicks. One feventh day while here, I (having a great propen. fity to fee towns and places that were new to me) went to the city of Chester, and lodged two nights, at Peter Leadbetter's; in my return by Eastham

Ferry, which is five miles athwart to Liverpool, an elderly gentlewoman having got fome play-books in the boat, I offered to read for her: as I was reading, fome horfes in the boat grew unruly, which terrified her very much, so that she put by her play-books, and would no more (while we were in the boat) touch them herself, nor suffer me to touch one of them.

Many remarkable prefervations I had in my younger days: but the most remarkable was during this my refidence at Liverpool which happened as follows. One firft day in the afternoon I went with fome other boys a boating in the dock, which by means of flood-gates was kept fo full of water. as to keep the fhips afloat, when the tide was out. We rowed feveral times from one end of the dock. to the other. At length some rude boys, that were ftronger than we, took from us our oar, or oars, and this in all probability proved the means of our preservation. For now we found ourselves obliged to work our way with our hands by the ships to the upper end of the dock; which just as we reached, we heard a noife as of the loudeft thunder: climbing up from the boat unto the quay, we foon: found that the dock gates being grown old were

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