with sitting up till twelve o'clock on the Saturday night, and having eleven miles to walk, and three times to preach on the Lord's day, rendered my labours too hard for me, as my living was very inconsiderable: however, God made this circumstance of great use to my soul; therefore it was one of the all things that work together for good.

I had naturally a very great flow of spirits; so that this poor way of living gradually brought on me an inward weakness, attended with the loss of appetite; which rendered me incapable of taking that nourishment my labours necessarily required. I could drink nothing but water or small beer for some years together, which at times brought me so low that I was obliged to gird my stomach with a handkerchief as tight as I could bear it, in order to gather strength to enable me to deliver three discourses a-day. At length I got so low that one pint of good small beer rendered me incapable of walking steady; and Satan violently tempted me on this head. Some of my friends, who saw the case I was in, fearing that I should shortly come to an end, laboured hard to dissuade me from this mode of living; but in vain. Sometimes they would mix my small beer with a little ale; which I could immediately detect, and was apt to view them my enemies for so doing; but they did it through fear that I should throw myself into a consumption, and that one little branch of the church of Christ might thereby sustain a loss. For five years I went on in this manner, till there

was scarce one step between me and death. But I gradually got rid of this habit, as the Lord appeared more precious to me in a way of providence, and God sanctified it to the good of my soul; for this poverty and bad living brought many infirmities on me, which have at times lain as a canker-worm at the root of my natural levity. I now began clearly to see that God intended to establish me as a preacher of the gospel, by his opening many doors for me, and because many souls were awakened by my instrumentality. Blessed be God, such shall be my joy and crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus.

I found it, however, impossible to preach five or six times a-week, and carry on the business of cobbling at the same time; especially, as it generally came in so fast at the latter end of the week, a time when I wanted to study the scriptures, in order to furnish myself with matter for the Lord's day. Wherefore I determined to give up this employment, and continue in the work of God only, whatever I might suffer by it. In consequence of this resolution, I went to a poor cobbler, who lived in the same place with me, and to him I gave my kit of tools, threw myself entirely on the propitious arms of kind Providence, and gave myself wholly to the ministry of the word and prayer.

At this time I had left my ready-furnished lodgings, and rented a little cottage at three pounds eighteen shillings per annum; and we had

about half as much furniture to put in it as a porter would carry at one load.

Having thus left off my cobbling business, Providence exercised my faith and patience very sharply at times, and suffered me to get a little behind-hand in the world; which caused me to cry and pray day and night; for I knew that the cause in which I was embarked would be exposed to contempt if I contracted a debt and could not pay it. And, though this is not felt by the rich, yet it lies heavy on the mind of the poor honest Christian. But, in answer to prayer, God sent to my house a gentleman of great property, very much noted in the religious world for liberality; who, after he had stayed with me a few hours, ordered his carriage, and at his departure gave me five guineas; at which I was amazed, he being a stranger to me, and one whom I had never before seen. This served to buy me some few household necessaries, as also to pay off the debt which I had contracted. Oh, who would not choose the precious life of dependency on God, when the tender regard of Providence in our poverty is so clearly seen in those rich supplies which are poured forth in answer to the simple, though powerful, prayer of faith!

At this time I stood in great need of linen, and of a new suit of clothes, my old black ones being almost worn out. I often begged this favour of God, agreeably to his own word. "If God so clothe the grass, which to-day is, and to-morrow

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is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" But God exercised my patience long, teaching me the necessity of importunity in prayer; and at last answered me by terrible things in righteousness; for he sent a violent storm of persecution, which, from its ing intolerable, obliged me to seek redress from the law of the land, as I was legally licensed. My appeal, however, proved in vain; for, upon the trial, my license proved an improper one, from the word teacher, or preacher, being left out of it; which was not my fault, as I had applied and procured it legally. I was now obliged to go to London, and get another license. And here the answer to my former prayers appeared. I was obliged to tarry in town all night; and, as there was a person who had long wanted to see me, not from any personal knowledge of me, but from various reports he had heard of the Lord's dealings with me, I endeavoured to find him out; and accordingly did. He received me very courteously, and kindly entertained me, at a time of my undergoing a sharp trial." A man's heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps.

As answers to prayer now seemed to be wholly denied, my faith in God's providence began to fail. And in very deed I was determined to leave my ministerial work, and go and settle at Guildford, where I thought I could get employment as a gardener, and preach to my little flock at Woking on the Lord's day. But, alas! "there are many

devices in a man's heart, nevertheless the counsel of the Lord that shall stand." However, in order to accomplish this with some degree of conscience, I endeavoured to get a supply of ministers for the various places I preached at. But all my efforts were in vain. And indeed there was little encouragement for any to undertake to supply them, as they were so distant from London, and as it was in much opposition that the cause was carried on; besides, there were neither tithes, offerings, nor surplice fees, attending their labours. Those who undertook the work must have gone on this warfare entirely at their own expense.

As I could not possibly get any assistance in my ministerial labours, I knew not how to go on, having no clothes fit to be seen in. I suffered, too, even for want of the common necessaries of life; for I had as much travelling and preaching as I was able to do, had I lived ever so well; but, being obliged to live very low, I was hardly able to go through the work in any shape. I was as bad off as poor Paul; I suffered hunger, cold, and nakedness.

The good man, whom I have before mentioned, and at whose house I lodged that night, purposed that I should go into Sussex, to preach at the place of his nativity. I told him that the apparel I then had on was all the clothes I was possessed of, wherefore I was really not fit to be seen any where; and that I was likewise in debt. He asked me if I would stay and preach in one of his rooms