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two or three trials to attend to, I was particularly attentive both day and night the summer heat seized me, and a slow fever confined me at home for some time. During this interval I was much accustomed to read Milton's Paradise Lost, and thoughts of death often arose; but I was stupid and unfeeling as to the state of my soul, the distance I was at from God, and as to any provision for happiness after death.

also repeated the publican's prayer, "God be merciful to me, a sinner," which was answered by a remission of his sins. She said and did all she could to comfort me. Blessed be God, my distress was not to be healed in a common way; my cords of iniquity were not to be lengthened as they were after that legal alarm on my hearing the sermon at St. Dunstan's church. The sorrows of death were taking hold on The work of God for my salvation ap- me. I moaned incessantly with the lapeared thus. On a certain night, about mentable cry, "Oh! my poor soul, I an hour and a half after I had gone to am going to hell to be damned." Durest, I awoke in dreadful terror, from ring this awful scene, being a stranger a vision wherein I saw myself drop in- to all about me, I gave a reference to to hell in the midst of flames; and as my father's residence at Ripley, with a soon as my eyes were open, I saw and request that when I was dead, he and felt the flames incessantly flashing, and the family might be informed that I smoke ascending at the foot of my bed. was in hell. This fearful message was I felt that death had seized my feet; from a creature perishing without hope, the cold increased gradually upwards, a poor distracted mortal suffering the and drops poured from every part of torments of the damued, while his body my body. În dreadful horror I knock- was gradually dying. My nurse ined loudly against the floor, and the vio- formed me that I was a night and a lent noise soon brought up the mistress, day in this deep state of lamentation and one of the daughters. Upon enter- and woe, when it pleased the Lord to ing my room they heard me constantly suddenly change my awful lamentations lamenting and crying out, "Oh my to the glorious cry of "God be mercipoor soul, I am going to hell to be ful to me, a sinner." This humble and damned, to suffer the just reward of earnest prayer was put into my heart my evil deeds!" The mistress took me after a necessary wounding to make by the hand to soothe me in vain; the coming of Christ truly welcome. and she sent for an apothecary and a I had beauty for ashes, the oil of joy nurse. But the apothecary soon quit- for mourning, and the garment of ted the room, on account of my conti- praise for the spirit of heaviness. This nual awful cry, and his not being able precious work of the Holy Ghost comto do me any good, saying it was a dis- eth forth according to promise, when order of the mind, and not of the body: the set time is fully come to visit Zion. the nurse also in terror left me. An- In the day that the Lord so looked upother nurse was sent for, who, having on me as to favour me with a cry for herself sat under the gospel, held forth mercy, the poor helpless Jonah-like the Way and Word of Life to me; but creature called upon his God out of the without faith it is impossible to please belly of hell. This was a fit time for God. All that my nurse advanced I the gracious appearance of the Lord rejected with unbelief, and declared God, who never forsakes the work of that the Lord would not have mercy his own hands. Herein was Paul "conon me. The most trifling sin from my fident of this very thing, that he who youth up was brought to my remem- hath begun the good work will perform brance, and all were continually before it until the day of Jesus Christ." The me. I could have said as David did, cry of "God be merciful to me, a sin"Thou makest me to possess the ini- ner," was kept up with violence, and quities of my youth." The nurse urged without intermission. I lay fixed, stifto me the mercy shown to the dying fened like a corpse, with my hands thief on the cross, who entreated to be clenched and lifted up, crying out vioremembered of the Lord when he came lently for mercy, when lo! suddenly, to his kingdom, and was answered by there shone round about me, my bedhis Saviour saying, "This day shalt room being filled with the glory of it, thou be with me in Paradise!" She a light above the brightness of the sun;

and at that instant there came forth an audible voice, saying, "Thy sins be forgiven thee." At that instant, death which had reached my hips on each side, and all fear and torment, ceased from proceeding in my soul, and I was so released that I instantly leaped up in my bed, and with joy unspeakable I cried out, 66 Oh! nurse! nurse! did you see the light? did you hear the voice?" She answered "No!" and doubtless it was so, for unto me was the word of salvation sent. I described to her, with inexpressible triumph in Christ what I had seen and heard. "Old things were passed away, and all things became new." A new song was put into my mouth. I sang praise unto that gracious God and Saviour, whose glorious name was so precious to me. This work of the Lord in a distressed soul crying for mercy, and ready to perish, is assuredly miraculous. The greatest of miracles, the conversion of poor sinners, has not yet ceased. I was not found in the way of seeking Christ, nor of reading the Scriptures of truth, but blessed be my gracious God and Father in Christ Jesus, I was stopped in the broad way, and sought out of Him as one that had not sought after Him and this is the case with all the redeemed of the Lord.

The gross doctrine of the efficacy of works for salvation of the elect is amply and prominently set forth in the persons of Saul of Tarsus and Mary Magdalen, and all self-boasting is excluded. The God of salvation will not give his glory to another, nor to the vain imagination of man's heart. Although I knew nothing of the letter of truth, yet through the Holy Spirit of truth, at the instant my soul was delivered, I had many passages of Scripture brought to comfort me, and make me joyful in Christ. Indeed, I had so high and strong a mountain of joy and transport in Christ, that I conclu led I should never be moved. The soul and body work had so forced every power and faculty, that I was deaf and blind for several days, but amidst all my soul was happy, and to me Christ was precious.

A fever ensued, and for some weeks it was uncertain whether I should live or die. The most eminent physician of Bath, Dr. Harrington, attended me.

He had decided I could not live, and my mother was sent for in great haste, from Ripley. She soon arrived. Man had prognosticated my death, and my dear and very affectionate mother, accompanied by another person, went to the churchyard and marked out a spot for my grave. She then settled who were to be the mourners, and soon took, as she supposed, a final farewell of me. Dr. Harrington with great sympathy said, "Poor young man, he will go off about the turn of night." But he and they were all mistaken. For now, upwards of six and forty years afterwards, I am, by the loving kindness of my gracious God and father in Christ Jesus, alive and in health to do somewhat according to the good pleasure of his will before he takes me home.

After about ten weeks' confinement to my bed, which so reduced me that my bones appeared, I was advised to be conveyed to my father's for the benefit of my native air; and a letter was sent to him, and by an immediate answer a day appointed for my depar ture from Bath, and for my brother to meet me at Reading with a suitable conveyance. On the day fixed, I was supported between two persons from my lodgings to the inn, and put into a diligence for Reading. On my arrival there, I found that my brother had been, and by some mistake had returned. This disappointment was severe, for after discharging the dinner bill, I had only sixpence left; and I learned that the only way for me to get home was difficult. For Ripley lay thirty miles across the country from Reading, through Oakingham, over Ascot Heath, and thence branched off over a dreary quagmire heath, through Chobham. At length a man was found who had two horses, and a lad that could go with me. The man made many inquiries, and I stated my case, that I was without a farthing, and should not only need the horses, but some money for expenses on the road. In the end every obstacle was removed, and a boy came on horseback with another horse for me. For a young man just out of a severe fever, after being confined for ten weeks to his bed, unable to walk, utterly weak, with calfless legs, to presume to take a journey of many miles

on horseback, without boots, and without a thick-weather top coat, and through the night, was seemingly impossible. But the day was declining, and I was lifted on my horse, and I believe such a spectacle was never seen. From my childhood I had been much accustomed to ride, and by frequent practice was a good horseman; but from the weakness in my lower limbs I could not rise from the saddle, nor in case the horse trotted, keep my seat without setting my legs out quite straight, which soon wore away the flesh whereon I sat, and cut into my insteps. We had not proceeded so far as Oakingham, about five miles from Reading, when, owing to the hasty spirit of the boy, who, though not one sixth part of the way, spurred his horse to a speedy gallop, which caused mine to get into the same pace. By this rash proceeding of the boy, I was suddenly thrown off, and dragged a short space by my foot in the stirrup; and by the horse treading on my thigh, and breaking away the stirrup and the leather, I escaped being miserably mangled to death. The boy galloped on at full speed, and the loose horse was stopped at Oakingham, while I lay till the boy returned with several persons, who lifted me up on the horse once more. We proceeded to ride again for several hours of the night, through dreary ways. Reader, mark well-the more we are tried, so much the more we are favoured with a wellgrounded knowledge of the Lord's kind hand towards us. This was the experience of David, who was in warfare from the time of his being separated from sheep-feeding and from following the ewes great with young, until the day of his death. Briefly, as to myself, I rejoiced in the midst of acute pain with praise and thanksgiving to God, my pains being as nothing, until I arrived safely at my father's house, about one o'clock in the morning, where I shouted a few times, and a person arrived who took me down from the horse, and carried me in on his back. My very kind and tender-hearted mother, with several others, then appeared; I was soon taken to my bed, and of the Lord's kindness, I rested well in the quiet habitation wherein I was born. "Oh!

that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men."

In the morning the principal thing which I spoke of to my poor mother, was the marvellous mercy of God in Christ Jesus by the revelation of himself to me, and his salvation of my soul. But as no one can receive Christ except it be given him from above to rejoice in him with joy unspeakable, all seemed fabling to my mother. She was an exemplary wife, a loving parent, a kind mistress, aud to all a very tender-hearted woman. In a few years afterwards, my merciful God and Saviour graciously showed himself to her; somewhat in the same way that he made himself known to me, that is to say, without the ordinary means of preaching by men; but now the set time had not yet come, and therefore she expressed fears that I had been hearing the Methodists, and that they would make me mad. Thus my mouth was stopped from striving with her during my stay. In my native air I rapidly recovered health and strength; and in about a fortnight I left Ripley, with a ruddy complexion and full fleshed, and on my re-appearance at my old residence in Bath, I was received with astonishment and joy.

But now commenced fierce warfare. I knew nothing of cleansing my way, and taking heed thereto according to the word of God. In the general way of regeneration there appear gradual convictions; and some experience them much longer than others. By attending to hear the word preached, and by conversing with spiritual companions, a good knowledge of the enemies of Zion is frequently acquired, as described in the Scriptures of truth:-"rough places are made plain,-crooked things are made straight," and stumblingblocks are taken away out of the path of Zion's travellers, who are anxiously seeking the strait and narrow way. But I on the contrary was, as before described, suddenly arrested, like Saul of Tarsus, surrounded by a threefold fire-the fire of sin which hath a vehement flame, the fire of God's wrath revealed in vengeance against me, and the fire of hell in the accusations of Satan as fiery darts piercing me with the sorrows of death. After I had

been to recover strength in my native air at Ripley, and had returned again to Bath with the peace of God in my conscience, and a triumph through Christ in my heart, I verily thought I should never be moved: yea, I proceeded further, for, poor creature! I was not only persuaded to declare that though all men forsook Christ yet would not I; but heart-deceit forced me to believe, that surely all men would admire me on account of my meekness and quietness. However, a contrary spirit to that of gentleness and meekness very soon prevailed; and although I had experienced a wonderful joy and transport of soul in Christ, yet by reason of great darkness I was not able to look back upon what had passed as a reality, but by the mercy of God I was never so left long, for the dear and eternal Comforter so graciously favoured me with faith towards the God of my salvation, that he strengthened me to enter into the joy of the Lord; but never with a mounting up so high as when I was first delivered out of the horrible pit, whence poor Naphtali sprung into the dances of them that make merry with a joy exceeding the joy at harvest.

In Bath there were three religious connexions: Lady Huntingdon's, the Baptists, and the Arminians; and not knowing the difference between them in doctrine, so great and precious to me was Jesus, that I thought that every one who made mention of his name was a good man. I took the advice of the person who nursed me at the time of my conviction and conversion, and she recommended me to attend the word preached by Lady Huntingdon's preachers, at her chapel in Vineyard-walk. At that time there was, as the professors termed it, "a great outpouring of the Spirit;" and her ladyship had her place of meeting for females to exercise their gifts in prayer, and for men were the like. In this case I had no gift for a long prayer to gain the applause of man, but in the short and prevailing prayer of "God be merciful to me a sinner," I had poured out my heart before the Lord, and showed unto him my trouble, therefore none of these things of theirs moved me. I was informed that one poor young man was so strong in the

vain imaginations of his heart, as to believe that he could walk on the water; and, at a deep part of the river close to the Old Bridge, in the presence of several spectators, he attempted his presumptuous performance; at his first step he sunk to the bottom, and contrary to the usual appearances in the act of drowning, where a person comes up twice or thrice, he was not seen again until after several days he was found a floating corpse. Another man, whom I knew, not accustomed to public prayer, suddenly rushed into the men's prayer meeting, burst forth into prayer, and, as they termed it, was so wonderfully "drawn out," that all were astonished; but very soon his great zeal abated; he fell into open sin, and finally he withdrew from her ladyship's connexion, and joined another body of professors. Another poor man had been a flaming professor, without going into soul travail as a preparation for the Christ of God, and without feeling the actual need of him. All he had, made its appearance suddenly, and sprung up with joy under a single discourse of one of her ladyship's preachers. This poor man went forth with his hymn book in his pocket, and taking it out to sing from in any and every society of persons, particularly in public houses, as a stony ground hearer, for lack of moisture and depth of earth, his false joy soon withered away; he then went back again, and committed iniquity with greediness, insomuch that his poor wife became a victim to his crimes. In this state the judgment of God stopped his career, by visiting him with consumption; he took to his bed, and was in constant and unmoved despondency. In Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, a man is represented in the cage of Despair; this poor man's state was precisely like it; for his countenance was ghastly and gloomy, his head hung down, and his conscience was completely seared. A person who knew of the suffering state of my soul, and my wonderful deliverance, requested I would go with him and see the man, and I went; but I, knowing nothing of the scholastic teaching of men, could only tell of what the Lord had done for me. I related all my soul-troubles, and how I had sought and obtained mercy; but to every thing

I spake at that time, and two or three other times, he answered nothing. And at last his wife informed me he had departed without a sigh or groan to lead her to suspect he was dying. Thus "the wicked have no bands in their death."

At Bristol, in May, 1779, I married Frances Maria Stawell, daughter of my widowed landlady, the wine-cooper; and at Bath, the 3rd of June, 1780, my wife brought forth our first-born, whom I named, after myself, "William." The word signifies "a conqueror;" this was verified by my being made, by divine grace, a conqueror over Satan, the foe of God and man, and being turned from darkness to light. Oh! that the like conquest may be verified in William my son, who, by an unexpected appearance of the hand of God towards him, was favoured with great deliverances, and triumph over Lord E-rough, by verdicts of acquittal on his three days' trials for libels, at Guild-Hall, on the 18th, 19th, and 20th of December, 1817. Herein was the signification of his Christian name "William" answered; and as "Hone" signifies "a stone," may he be a lively stone built up in the spiritual house of God!

Soon after I had married I quitted the law, and became clerk and superintendent to Mr. Moody, a coach proprietor and corn factor in Bath. Mr. Moody stated that he had observed me for some time as a person likely to suit him well, particularly in discovering and correcting various frauds which had existed in the colleague of his clerk with many others. He said, "You will find them out ;" and he made to me great overtures, first, by a considerable increase of salary after a short period, and next a partnership in the concern. These allurements won me, and such generally prevail with young beginners in life. I believed every word, and by trusting to the arm of flesh, I was fitly served; for I was altogether deceived when I wanted a friend. Lessons obtained in this way are, by the gracious teaching of God, profitable and lasting.

During my continuance in Bath I much needed a spiritual companion for consolation in a time of much affliction. I also needed the hearing the word of

the Lord to profit, from a preacher who had experienced the blessed Spirit's gracious work, by a teaching of terrible things in righteousness, whereby God wounds the soul, to prepare a way for the coming of the Lord Jesus to heal its wounds according to his saying, "I wound and I heal, and I kill and I make alive." This description of spiritual things from the pulpit is very rare, and I heard it not for several years; but safety is of the Lord, and of the Lord's kindness I found all without a spiritual friend to consult with, or the work of man to teach me. For the word I heard preached did not open and explain the Scripture of truth as wrought in the soul of an elect vessel, which good work is manifestly described there, and to that the blessing of God is confined. "Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law, that thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked." One person who knew of my soul's experience, strongly urged that the Lord had some work for me to do; and therefore advised me to wait upon Lady Huntingdon, who had certain places for raising up and sending forth young men from, as preachers of the gospel. Being ignorant of Satan's devices, and of heart deceit, this opening appeared to be wonderfully great, especially as I should have an opportunity of declaring what the Lord had done for my soul, and have numerous converts and a great congregation. Then I imagined the good figure I should be in the pulpit with my trapping of a gown and powdered head dress. Thus puffed up, I started off to her ladyship's house, by the chapel, on Vineyard-walk, where I saw her; and after having declared to her what the Lord had done for my soul, she directed me to two of her

boys," as she termed them, who were in an adjoining apartment. From these I expected a cheerful acquiescence in my experience, and that their conversation, as young ministers of the gospel, would be so heavenly and angelic, that it would far exceed any thing that I could speak of in things that make for peace, and accompany salvation. Alas! herein I was quite deceived, for as I was very young, a

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