Church, and encouraging such a set of "outcast vagabonds" as were going about the country. He has been threatened with ecclesiastical law, and I know not what; but he withstood all, bidding them do the worst, and being upheld by a divine hand he suffered no loss, and lived to see something of Zion's prosperity.

My dear mother was also particularly and very blessedly distinguished in the knowledge of the truth, as I shall have hereafter occasion to show. My brother and myself were their only children, and they took care to restrain us from outward vice; watching over our conduct, and daily instructing us in the word of God, or giving us to understand, as well as they could, that to sin against God was an infinite offence; and it was always expected that we should attend public worship, which, I think, we generally did, as much from choice as in obedience to their commands.

But, alas! we soon gave evidence that the seeds of evil derived from our first parents, were deeply sown in our hearts; they grew up, and gave sad proof that like other children, we were born in sin and shapen in iniquity. I well remember to have

felt some very early emotions of the mind; from what quarter they proceeded the Lord himself knows, but I thought there was something very lovely in religion, and sometimes expressed my wishes for the enjoyment of it: yet I do not know that I had any spiritual enlightening, but dearly loved to be with some old Christians: to be in their company and hear them talk of Christ's love and their faith in him, was my delight, and I believe I was beloved by them; for they frequently invited me to visit them, particularly two old ladies who had been long taught of God, and whose end was peace.

At an early age I became fond of reading, and had a choice selection of little books suited to the taste I had imbibed, and some parts of the sacred Scripture I loved to dwell upon. But here, before I proceed farther, I shall introduce an occurrence which happened when I was about five years old.

I had been placed under the care of a woman to learn to read, who was strict in her outward deportment, and I now suppose quite a pharisee in religion. One Friday afternoon, my mother's ser

vant having as usual left me with this person, and no one being with her but myself, I thought my governess looked different from what she usually did; she was at the fire-side reading in the New Testament, and as she read she wept. I well remember, that now and then she would throw the book down, and wring her hands in apparent anguish of spirit. Full of astonishment, I crept forward to look at the part of Scripture which so affected her; and being satisfied, I returned to my seat again. She continued to weep and read alternately, and wrung her hands as before. What ailed her I dared not ask, and her looks were so wild that I felt afraid to move, yet steadily looked towards her. The room was large, and I sat at the very opposite end to that where she was seated; when at length I was terrified by seeing her approach me with a horrid grin upon her countenance, and with hands extended she hastily made towards me, as if she would tear me to pieces; just at that moment, it was put into my mind to spring forward, and escape for my life by an open door on my right hand. But surely a greater than I, yea even the Omnipotent God

saved me that day from destruction and death; for none but he could have preserved me, and enabled me his infant child to escape safely to my father's house, through a long and solitary path, where no human aid conducted my trembling and feeble steps. My parents soon learnt that irons and a straight-waistcoat were resorted to, for in her madness she attempted the life of her own son ; and she was speedily removed to a place of confinement, from which she was only released by the hand of death.

Such, and so wonderful, is the distinguishing mercy. of our God!

Plymouth, February 1, 1821.

LETTER III.

Ir is mercy on mercies that I am enabled again to take my pen in hand, after so great an indisposition, which has continued more or less since the month of December last; and I now feel incompetent to prosecute the work begun. A thousand thoughts at times pervade my mind as to whether I shall go on, or recal what I have already written; these intrude themselves most when I am hanging, as it were, out of my right place, not wholly on the well-fastened "nail," Christ Jesus ; and when I am not trusting to him as a bulwark against all the devices of the enemy. What I have undertaken is his; but except I turn the eye of faith to him as the bright Sun of Righteousness, peace and daylight, my soul is sure to sink into complete darkness, and become cold to the calls of duty; my faculties seem torpid and confused. I sometimes compare my state to that of a decayed tree, full of worms, insects, rottenness, and dust; almost without life, vigour, sap, or fruitfulness.