tory. Indeed the events that require particular notice, are not numerous.

In November, 1800, he met with a very painful affliction which confined him for a long time from his public work, but gave him an opportunity to glorify God in the fires, and proved how graciously qualified he was to suffer all the good pleasure of his will. He thus describes it in a letter to a friend: "The accident happened just after I had left a venerable dying woman, whom I had been to visit. After proper conversation, in which I found much heavenly refreshment, we prepared for prayer, by reading the 12th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Every word was precious; but the 9th, 10th, and 11th verses came with such light and energy to my soul, that I could have immediately preached from them. The matter of my prayer far exceeded the sick woman's case. I prayed that God would prepare us for whatsoever he had prepared for us, and made a particular resignation of myself into the Lord's hand. It was a very heavy, rainy, night. I was at the bottom of a declivity, upon the plainest ground. I never walked more cautiously; but my foot slipped, and the master bone of my leg was broken in two places."

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The fracture appeared extremely remarkable, as he did not strike his foot against a stone, nor bend his leg under him, but fell upon his back. He was near a mile from his house, and as the only chaise in the town was absent, he was conveyed home in the best vehicle that could be procured. Many followed the cart with tears to his cottage. He was taken out, and laid upon the bed-but before he would allow the surgeon to proceed, he begged that all might be permitted to come up into his chamber. He then offered up a prayer with much composure, and with such particularity, entering into all the cases which he commonly noticed in family devotion, that it will never be forgotten by any who heard it.

What the state of his mind was, will appear from the following extract of a letter to the Editor, which he dictated a very short time after." I need not tell you that the consequence is confinement upon the bed, in one posture, and very acute pain; but through the goodness of God, I have an experience to relate that redounds much to his glory; and if I was not disaffected to the egotism I should use it much upon the present occasion. Shall I venture to tell you, that I am a stranger to murmuring and impatience; that I am in a state of

intire resignation; that I have given myself quite up to God and to the surgeon; that though may groan in the dead of the night it is merely to soothe the pain; and that I can soothe it better by prayer and praise, and reciting the word. of God, than by groaning! I have dismissed all anxiety from my mind. I, who am naturally impatient of suffering, had as much happiness as I was capable of containing the night after the accident, and ever since, have known no sorrow. The reason is, that through grace I am the heir of promise, and as is the promise such is the veracity of him that hath made it. His promises are apposite to our exercises, and when the trial comes, then comes the fulfilment, at least to such a degree as the exigency renders necessary. As I am overwhelmed with a sense of the goodness and mercy of God, so I am with the sympathy and kindness of my neighbors in general, and my friends in particular. There is much mercy in the dispensation that I cannot exemplify upon this paper. I believe it is the prevention of some great evil, and that it will be productive of some great good. But though I have thus expressed myself, I remember I am yet in the body, and not out of the reach of the enemies' temptafionis, which many put dimness upon the pure

gold, and cause me to be the very reverse of what I describe. While I think I stand, I hope for grace to take heed lest I fall; and as our continuing constant in prayer is instrumental of security, so to be aided by the prayers of others, I esteem a very great blessing. Pray for me then, my dearest friend, as I do for you, The petition of the present moment is→→ Lord keep all his bones that not one of them may be broken."

He continued to feel and display the same spirit through all the months of his confinement; faith and patience had their perfect work. All who were witnesses of the affliction were powerfully impressed by this passive preaching; and the surgeon who attended him more than once made a remark to this effect"Till I visited this man I thought religion was only a mere opinion, or something to talk about, but if I am not happily possessed of it myself, I am now convinced there is a reality and excellency in it."

At length by the use of his crutch and his stick, he was enabled to reach town, and by sitting in the pulpit, discharged again all the three services of the day. Enervated by his affliction, preaching at this time appeared to him very formidable, and he often thought he

must resign it. But it was rendered a blessing, and the congregation was enlarged.

Owing to the increase of hearers, and also the decayed state of the place, it was deemed desirable and necessary to rebuild the meeting on a larger scale. The people, by all their exertions, could only raise a small proportion of the sum required for this purpose; the remainder was to be obtained by an application to the religious public. This called him forth as a beggar: and few of this order ever met with so much encouragement and success. His name had prepared his way. Many rejoiced to honor his case personally, and to recommend him to their connexions; and the difficulties which arose, from his modesty and reserve, were more than counterbalanced by the promptitude of friendship.

But these excussions not only proved how high he stood in the esteem of thousands, numbers of whom he had never seen before, but gave him opportunities which otherwise he never would have enjoyed, of an interview with many of his old friends, and of seeing the grace of God in the various churches by which he was made glad.

The journies however were often tiresome and painful; and in a multitude of applica