the Gospel and the salvation of souls; a willingness to undertake any labors, and an alacrity in undergoing them; a ready submission to inconvenience, and a constancy amidst difficulties; being capable even of bearing contempt and censure, or poverty, when laid in the way of our duty; a warm benevolence; and that kind of humility, which can condescend to the meanest offices for the sake of doing good; are the indispensable dispositions for a faithful minister of the gospel. We are to live at the altar: but a living, a bare decent maintenance, without any avaricious or ambitious views of advancing ourselves or our families, or hankering after indulgences, should content us. We are required to set an example of moderation, and trust in God and his promises; of heavenly mindedness; laying up our treasures in heaven; setting our affections on things above; having food and raiment being therewith content; in order that, with the greater advantage, we may, as we are in duty bound, inculcate these things on our flocks; all this I have learned, or confirmed to myself, and have, by God's grace, fixed my resolution to endeavor to attain. And, being assured that, if I do so, he will never leave me destitute, I am perfectly contented, as far as relates to this affair, only desiring that I may be able to per severe in my duty, and, with an entire dependence, leaving the further disposal of my concerns to God."

My last extract is from a letter to Mrs. Webster, dated Ravenstone, October 15, 1775. In "what you say of my religious scruples, you seem in several errors concerning me and my conduct, which I must endeavor to rectify. You seem afraid I should lose all this world's goods. Remember our Savior's words, Whosoever he be that forsakeṭh not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple: that is, if he be not ready to forsake all that he hath, when his duty requires it. Not that I have any reason to apprehend I am likely to be put to that severe trial. Thanks to the Almighty, my circumstances mend, my friends multiply, and I have reason to think that my reputation, as a faithful minister, increases rather than diminishes,-if one may judge by external respect, civilities, and favors. Not that I am so far ruled in my opinion of myself by what others judge of me, as to be reconciled to my faults because they are willing to pardon them. My conscience must be my judge in this world, and my Savior in the next: and to them I appeal for the rectitude of my intentions. But even were I to be put to the trial of losing

.....

would you have me

all my worldly goods, let me ask you, follow the example of the young man in the Gospel, who, sorrowing, left Christ, rather than part with his large pos'sessions? What think you of what our Lord says, But seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things shall be added unto you? Dare you believe this promise or not? I DARE: and will act accordingly, by God's assistance. As to what you argue of my family, &c. I will take every honest precaution to provide for them: and I dare confidently submit the event to God, without once distrusting his veracity and goodness. Nor will I ever violate my conscience to provide for my family: at least I hope I never shall. . . . . . Were I in your condition, as a private Christian, the subjects of my scruples would give me no concern: and I join in the whole liturgy of the church, some very few things excepted, with the highest satisfaction. As to my preaching, I neither preach for or against any human inventions. The word of God, is my subject, and my rule; and my preaching, I may venture to say, is more calculated to satisfy than to raise doubts and scruples. Without preferment I may live, and live comfortably and happily: but without a clear conscience I cannot. I am a minister of the church of England, and hope to continue so, as I prefer her liturgy, her discipline, and her doctrine, to that of any other society of Christians in the universe: and if, by subscribing her Articles, they will declare they mean no more than such a preference, I will subscribe: but, if they mean by subscription an implicit belief of all their doctrines, it is a price I will not pay for preferment. ... . Mr. Lindsay I think in many dangerous errors, and I am sorry my father has got his book."

All this appears to me to present as fine an exhibition, in proportion to the stage on which it was passing, as can, perhaps, be pointed out since the days of Luther, of a man resolutely taking the right side in a severe case of that conflict, which is continually, in one form or other, carrying on in the world, between conscience and present interest; and in which so few are proof against the various assaults that temptation makes upon them. These letters demonstrate that, though the writer was yet far from having obtained just views of Christian doctrines; even of those doctrines which are most essential to the formation of the Christian spirit and character; he yet had received that great principle of "obedience to the faith," which was sure, under the divine blessing, ultimately to bring him

right; to lead him to the reception of every truth, and to submission to every duty, as they might be successively brought home to his conviction. Indeed almost all the great lineaments of my father's subsequent character are here presented to us in embryo, or indeed in a stage of considerable developement:-his decision and boldness-his inflexible integrity-his acknowledgment of God in all hist ways-his firm faith in His word, and his providence-his superiority to the world-his exalted views of the service which Christ requires of us, especially in the sacred ministry;-views, be it observed, which, however familiar they may be to any of us, open upon him with all the air and impression of a new discovery. Let a few sentences be recalled to the reader's notice: "It has pleased providence, that, by means of those very studies, on which I founded my hopes of advancement, I have arrived at what is totally incompatible with it. The supreme Director has turned it into an insurmountable obstacle.-This is the far better side of the question"-namely, poverty, contempt, censure, with a good conscience.-"I have chosen this side, and hope by God's assistance to persevere therein. I will never violate my conscience to provide for my family; at least, I hope I never shall.-Without preferment I may live, and live happily; but without a clear conscience I cannot. I was bold, and did not betray the cause of God.Would you have me follow the example of the young man. in the gospel? God hath promised and I dare believe him.— Dare you believe his promise? I dare: and by his assistance will act accordingly.-I do not fear that he will leave me destitute. By reading the gospels, with prayer to God, I have arrived at that state of mind, as to be ready to resign all my worldly expectations, and to sell all that I have, take up my cross, and follow my Lord and Master-I have discovered the importance of that trust which is committed to me; what is the extent of that duty it requires; and how it ought to be performed: and I find it inconceivably different from what is generally supposed.-I was apt to judge by comparison, and to think I did enough if I did rather more than others: but now I find that, as I have been solemnly dedicated to the service of God and religion, I can never do enough, so long as I leave any thing undone, which it was in my power to do, towards the growth of religious knowledge and virtuous practice.-We are to live at the altar: but a living, a bare decent maintenance, without any

avaricious or ambitious views of advancing ourselves or our families, or hankering after indulgences, should content us." I must be pardoned if I cannot contemplate with mere calm approbation sentences like these, not artfully arranged

'to serve an occasion,'

but whispered, in sincerity of heart, where, as we have already seen, they were not likely to be received with approbation, and where there was no prospect of their ever emerging to public notice:-sentences, too, accompanied with unquestionable marks of sobriety of mind and deliberate judgment; expressive of a severe sacrifice then actually taking place; and conveying sentiments which, after some further fluctuations and delays, eventually governed the whole future life of their author. Surely there is something in them which bespeaks even the Christian hero. The occasion, indeed, which first called these principles into action, was, as he soon afterwards found, a fundamental misconception of Christian truths; but the principles themselves were noble.-From my father's conduct at this crisis, Mr. Newton augured well of him: but it would be a very small part of what is now before us, that could be submitted to Mr. N's. observation. Had he known all that passed, he might well have anticipated all that followed.

The comparative poverty in which my father spent his days has been lamented: and on some grounds it might justly be so: but, had his lot been materially different, is it not manifest that sentiments like the above, which pervade his future writings, would in his mouth have lost more than half their force?

One further remark suggests itself. No one I should conceive can doubt, especially when these letters are viewed in connexion with what subsequently took place, that the writer of them was, at the time, praying to God in an acceptable manner, as well as profitably reading the scriptures. The right use of prayer-making God our refuge in time of need-is apparent in them; and the genuine effect of true prayer follows, which is composure of mind in committing events to God, while we keep the path of duty. And this falls in with a persuasion which my father always entertained, and which has in effect been already quoted from the 'Force of Truth,' that he prayed spiritually, and consequently with acceptance, even while, to a considerable degree, involved in Socinian errors. No doubt,

in such a case, he was assisted by a Spirit which he did not confess, and accepted through a Mediator, of whom, as yet, he had little explicit knowledge. But then, let it be observed, he was at this time no stationary and self-satisfied Socinian: he was now a sincere and earnest inquirer after truth: he desired "to know," in order that he might "do, the will of God:" he had already received that impulse, which was ere long to carry him far off from the Socinian ground. And accordingly the very next paragraph, in the Force of Truth,' to those which are quoted as an introduc tion to the above letters, informs us, that the result of his great mental conflict was, to bring him "to this important determination: not so to believe what any man said, as to take it upon his authority; but to search the word of God with this single intention, to discover whether the Articles of the Church of England, in general, and the Athanasian creed in particular, were or were not agreeable to the scriptures." And hence may be dated that deep practical study of the oracles of God, with constant earnest prayer for divine teaching; and that entire change of sentiments and of character, resulting from it; which the 'Force of Truth' describes.-I cherish, not with a superstitious, yet certainly with a sort of reverent and grateful regard, a fragment of that Greek Testament in which, in the course of these inquiries, my father read and deeply meditated upon every part of that volume of revelation; spending usually, as I have heard him say, during that one perusal, three hours upon every chapter: frequently, when the weather would permit, passing this time in the park of Weston Underwood, which has been subsequently immortalized in the writings of Cowper.

Before we return to the narrative, I shall here introduce one more extract of a letter, shewing his views of some important doctrinal points. Though it appears from the 'Force of Truth,' that he was not established in the orthodox faith concerning the Trinity till the latter part of the year 1777, yet he wrote as follows upon some topics, appa rently connected with it, as early as December 30, 1775. "I think my father's books lead him into errors of conside erable consequence: but, though I wish, and pray to God to set him right, yet I seem very unwilling to offer myself as an instrument. The error I mean in chief is, the supposition that man wanted an instructor, more than a Savior: or, in other words, that the merits of Christ were not so