and sympathy for the distresses of others, while I was distressed myself, hurried me into imprudence; but the Lord upheld my soul, and integrity and uprightness preserved me. I was not so happy yet as to be under the eye and guidance of one who might watch over me. Intemperate zeal and imprudence, in many instances discovered themselves; and I was afraid of spiritual sloth, and of any thing that was contrary to the life and power of godliness. I bless God that he afforded me cause to be thankful, and that, from that period, his mercy has been like a current, not to be obstructed. It has run to this moment. Bless the Lord, O my soul, bless the Lord, my ever dear friend, to whom this history is addressed. I bless him on your account. Interested in all the mercies he has conferred upon you.

I remain, ever,

Yours, affectionately, &c.

LETTER VI.

MY VERY DEAR FRIEND,

IN reviewing the history of my life, and addressing it to you, I conceive that I am giving glory to God. My object is, as far as I am the subject of it, and that is far indeed, to utter the memory of his great goodness. When the breach between my relation and myself became entire, I knew not what to do. The trade I had been brought up to did not afford many masters; but I was in hope I might obtain work somewhere, or be directed into some other line. He who knoweth all things,

knows how unambitious my mind was, how sincerely I was attached to manual labour, and how conscientiously I intended to engage myself under another employer. But not knowing what to do, immediately on my sudden separation from Mr. Winter, I betook myself to Mr. How, to give vent to an heart big with sorrow. Mr. How was an excellent man, and though in trade, at which he worked hard, of good preaching talents, and some learning. After labouring with reputation and success in the ministry for a few years, he was taken home to enjoy an early reward. He ministered what consolation he could to me. He was going to Chatham for the ensuing sabbath, prevailed upon me to bear him company as far as Gravesend, and advised me to stop there a few days to divert my distress of mind. While at Gravesend, the congregation of Chatham sent me an invitation to preach to them, and desired me to fix the time for my coming. my embracing the invitation. going was fixed, and it being chose the angel's message to the shepherds, as proper for the season, and for a stranger to introduce himself with into a new congregation. But what a situation did I seem to be in! 1 never can forget the moment I entered the pulpit, the deadness that seized my soul, and the cloud that overspread my understanding. I was so shut up that I did not think it possible any thing spoken could gain acceptance. I was ashamed to see any body afterwards, and continued in the pulpit till the congregation was quite gone, though several loitered about the door. I had various conjectures

Mr. How urged The day for my near Christmas, I

concerning the treatment I might receive in going into the house; upon the whole, I concluded that though humanity might be exercised towards me, disapprobation of my service must be expressed; and that I should be forbidden to enter the pulpit again. But, to my great surprise, I found the people lingering about the door, anxious to embrace an opportunity to express the satisfaction they received; the dwelling-house, likewise, was full of friends, all of whom took me by the hand, gave me their blessing, and said they had been reminded of old times; and without consulting me upon the matter, proceeded to plan me out a round for preaching for many days; but I opposed the motion, telling them that I only came into the country by the advice of my friend Mr. How, to relax my mind for a few days, and that I must return to London, to seek after business. They op. posed my determination, remarking that I was a young man, free of incumbrance, and quite at liberty; that they thought preaching the Gospel was business sufficient for me, to which I might attend without being burdensome to the Church. I spent a few weeks between Gravesend and Canterbury, but was under great uneasiness of mind, and on my return to London, visited the Rev. Mr. Elliot, with whom I had a prior acquaintance, and who, as well as Mr. Green, had encouraged me to embark in the work of the ministry.

I know not whether any one has put forth Mr. Elliot's life, therefore would devote a few lines to represent him. He was born in the west of England, -finished his education at Bennet's College, Cambridge. His principal preferment was

a chaplainship at St. George's Hospital, Hydepark. He was a profound mathematician, of very deep and close thought upon divinity subjects, a very humble, holy man, who exercised great grace in deep poverty. Dr. Dodd endeavoured to raise himself at the expense of this good man's reputation, and exciting an alarm at a sermon he preached upon Gal. ii. 21. became the means of his being turned out of his chaplainship. He printed the exceptionable sermon under a title that made it still more exceptionable. He publicly addressed the Doctor in a letter, at the reading of which, I have good reason to say, he fainted. Mr. Elliot, whose propensity to close thinking led him to weigh exactly every subject he took in hand, found no difficulty in leaving the establishment. He became the pastor of a church of his own raising, which was well organized, and assembled at a meeting house in Cannonstreet. He was universally esteemed by christians of all denominations; and was requested, in the year 1762, the time of Mr. Whitefield's long suspension from labour, to become his assistant at Tottenham-court; but his gifts by no means suited that congregation, and it dwindled under him to such a degree, that he could not be continued. Mr. Watts, bookseller, near Moorfields, a man of learning and close reasoning, became one of his church members. In a conferencemeeting, Mr. Watts entered into a very warm debate with him upon the doctrine of the Trinity; the debate was occasioned by some little accidental circumstance, which arose in the course of the conference, and it drove poor Mr. Elliot

into Sabellianism. By this event he lost his respect and popularity, lived in poverty and obscurity, and died in the pulpit while preaching to a small congregation, which constantly heard him in Glass-house-yard, Goswell-street. He once had a very violent fever which threatened his life; in the delirium of which he went through a service, supposed by him public, repeated his text, and preached his sermon with the strictest propriety. He once told Mr. How, that he studied the doctrine of election with that intenseness, that he knew not whether he came out of his study upon his head or upon his heels. His wife was a considerable trial to him. She acquired good property by the millinary business, but denied him the comfort of it. He was sometimes obliged to sell his books for bread; but while poor himself, he was a friend to the poor. By the hard measures he latterly met with, he became a little petulant; but he bore his persecutions for Christ's sake, and his family trials, with great temper and composure, and was a great ornament to his profession. He has left several performances. Those in favor of his new sentiment I am a stranger to. Those relating to the peculiar truths of the gospel, are worthy of attention; he was very harsh in his delivery, close in his reasoning, and unembellished in his style.

Of Mr. Green, above mentioned, it is to be observed, that he was a fine classical scholar, and that he also understood the mathematics well. He said he was a competent master of eight languages, but he was a very uncouth reader and speaker. He never could gain a congregation at