"I should have been glad to be at Birmingham, but could not:-especially to have met you there....

"Desiring to remember you in my prayers, and requesting your prayers, I remain your very affectionate friend and brother, THOMAS SCOTT."

CHAPTER IX.

FROM THE CLOSE OF HIS MINISTRY AT OLNEY TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF HIS COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLE.

SUCH was the nature of my father's situation, and such the course he was pursuing, when events occurred, by which he was very unexpectedly called to occupy higher ground, and to enter upon a new field of service and of trial. But he himself shall furnish both the introduction to this change, and the history of what took place. Thus he speaks in his narrative:

"My outward circumstances were now in some measure improved at Olney; and my ministry, though unpopular, was in many instances evidently blessed: yet I never could make up my mind to continue there. The vicar, the Rev. Moses Browne, was very old, and there was no doubt, that, in the event of his death, I should be presented to the living, if I remained on the curacy. But this very circumstance tended to render me dissatisfied. I cannot, and need not convey to others a particular account of all things which rendered the thoughts of spending my days at Olney painful to me; and the change of situation, from curate to vicar, would, with respect to some of them, have rather aggravated than relieved my difficulties. In part my views might be erroneous; but, in the far greater part, I should feel the same objection still, if Olney were what it was then: which in some respects it certainly is not.

"I had not, however, the most distant prospect of any other situation: and my unpopularity at Olney was itself a powerful bar to my obtaining any. This may be judged of by the following incident. I went to London, as I was accustomed to do once a year, and I was asked to preach by a friend whom I had heard with profit, as early as I so heard any one, and for whom I had repeatedly preached before. But, just as I was going into the pulpity

he said to me, 'Do not scold my people, as I have heard you do the people at Olney? This did not seem well timed. He, however, unreservedly testified his approbation of the sermon, which I was, notwithstanding, enabled to preach. But it shews the representations which were spread of my ministry, and how unfavorable they would be to my desire of a change of situation.

"Mr. Cowper, in letters to Mr. Newton, which have since been published by Mr. Hayley, and which pretty generally found their way into the Reviews, brought the same charge against me, in strong terms; which, coming from so eminent and popular a character, must have great weight. But Mr. C., it should be known, never heard me preach: neither did Mrs. Unwin; nor their more respectable friends. Mr. C.'s information concerning my preaching was derived from the very persons, whose doctrinal and practical antinomianism I steadily confronted.-Notwithstanding these harsh censures, however, God blessed my ministry at Olney to the conversion of many; and to effectually repressing the antinomian spirit which had gone forth in the place: and thus it was made subservient to the usefulness of my successors, who were not bowed down with the same load of unpopularity that I was."

In explanation of what is here mentioned concerning Mr. Cowper's never hearing my father preach, it should be remembered, that one feature of the unhappy illusion, under which that admired character labored, was a persuasion that it was his duty to abstain from religious worship. I believe I am correct in stating the fact thus generally: certainly, at least, he abstained from public worship, as from a blessing prohibited to him: and I think I have a distinct recollection, that, though he might suffer prayer to be of fered in the room with him, he declined joining in it.—Mrs. Unwin never quitted the object of her assiduous care.

On the success of his labors, as here represented, my father thus speaks in a letter written in the year 1793. "The effect of my ministry in the vicinity of Olney now appears much more evidently than when I left that situation: and this encourages me amidst the manifold discouragements of my present station."-I believe there are comparatively few ministers, really having their hearts in their work, who do not find their situations, on one ground or another, dis couraging. It is natural that it should be so: for in this evil world the Christian minister's employment is all struggling

against the current. I gladly therefore present all these passages, which may tend to strengthen the hands of my brethren, and may animate us still to struggle on: and I consider them all as laying a ground for what I regard as one grand lesson afforded by my father's history, namely, that a very discouraging course, properly sustained, may eventually prove useful beyond all expectation.-But we continue the

narrative.

"While I was thus, in some respects, dissatisfied with my only prospect as to future life, on my return home from one of my irregular excursions, in September, 1785, I found a letter from the Secretary of the Lock Hospital, written in the name of several governors, saying, that it had been resolved to appoint a person to the office of morning preacher in the chapel, and visiting chaplain to the patients; that, from what they had heard concerning me, they were of opinion that I should be a very suitable person for the situation; and that it was their request that I would come to London, and give them the opportunity of hearing me.Nothing could be more contrary to my own views of what my peculiar talent, whatever it was, qualified me for, than this proposal-except as the poor patients were concerned. I therefore wrote a very plain answer, stating my views of the gospel, and my determination to speak my mind in the plainest language, wherever I might be called to preach; and my consciousness of being totally destitute of those attractions of manner and elocution, which such a situation demanded. My friends, who afterwards saw the letter, approved it much, except the last clause, in which I consented to come and preach, if the governors still desired it.—Accordingly I did go, and preached two sermons, in as plain and faithful a manner as I possibly could; without attempting any thing different from my homely style in other places. I really thought that this specimen would be sufficient; and I hoped good might be done to some individuals, by such addresses delivered in that place.

"When about to return home, (after having my expenses much more than defrayed by individuals, without any charge on the funds of the charity,) I was asked, whether I would propose myself as a candidate at the ensuing election? I answered in the negative, peremptorily. 'But will you accept of the situation,' it was then said, 'should you be chosen, without proposing yourself?" I replied, 'I cannot tell: but certainly not, unless that choice should be almost unani

mous. Having preached in the chapel, I shall now return home; and, if I hear no more from you, you will hear no more from me.'-In a few weeks the election took place: no other person was proposed; and I was appointed, with only three opposing voices. This was unexpected: and I saw more and more reason, on every consideration and inquiry, to conclude that, if I acceded to this appointment, I should be plunged into difficulties and trials of a most dismaying nature. Yet I did not dare to give a direct refusal, without taking further advice upon the subject. It might be an opening to more enlarged usefulness: and my own personal feelings must not be allowed much weight in such a case —I am conscious that I wished to know and do my duty: and I went again to London, on purpose to consult such ministers as I thought most competent to advise me. But most of those whom I consulted, assuming, groundlessly, that I was bent on coming, did not think it worth while to waste counsel (as they supposed,) on one who would not take it. Their objections were suppressed till the die was cast; and then I heard them in abundance. Mr. Robinson of Leicester, indeed, to whom I wrote, gave me his sentiments faithfully and unreservedly; stating every objection strongly, yet not absolutely deciding that they ought to prevail.

"Here I must observe, that it is a very great fault, and instance of unfaithfulness, especially in senior ministers, when, from a supposition that a person who consults them has already made up his mind, they decline giving him their plain and honest opinion. This leads inexperienced persons to conclude that, as little or no objection is made, the proposed measure is approved by those who are consulted, and has their sanction. Yet, as, in many instances, respectable men find that their advice is not followed, and in few is received with implicit submission; they often consider themselves justified in withholding counsel from those who ask it. Now, not as one requiring advice, but as one that has been long in the habit of giving it, I must say, that I think implicit compliance with advice given ought not to be expected. If those who seek counsel are willing to give it attentive consideration, accompanied with prayer for divine direction, it is all that we are entitled to look for: and, even if this is not done, yet, in giving the best advice in our power, we deliver our own souls: whereas, by withholding it, we render ourselves partakers of other men's sins;

and much of the blame of that conduct, which perhaps we severely censure, really belongs to us.

"For myself I am conscious, that I was fully disposed to give to the most faithful advice, about, or against, acced ing to the proposal of the governors of the Lock, an attentive hearing, and careful consideration; and the Lord knoweth, that every step in the business was taken, on my part, with many earnest and anxious prayers for direction: but, not finding the objections urged which I had expected, I began to consider the offer made me as a call to a self-denying duty; and was really afraid that I should commit a great sin if I pertinaciously refused it. Had I heard all those things previously to my consent, which I heard subsequently, I certainly should never have consented at all. Thus I should have escaped much distress: but, taking the whole together, I now think I should have been far less useful."

This subject of giving advice, and of what may reasonably be expected from those who ask it, was one on which my father frequently spoke; and from his letters it appears that it was one on which he early formed very just opinions. Thus in 1773 he writes to one of his sisters: "I shall, I hope, ever be obliged to my friends for advice, but I do not promise always to obey it. I will promise to add the reasons they offer to my own, to give them a vote in the consultation, and at last to let the majority carry the day, as far as I am able to discern it. That is, so long as advice serves to direct my own judgment, I shall be glad of it: but will not supersede it." Again: "One friend gives me this advice, another that: one advises me to act in this manner, another directly contrary: and what am I to do? The answer is plain: Has not God given me reason? and for what purpose, but to direct my conduct? But to what then tends advice? To inform that reason: and, if two persons give me different counsel, I am not at liberty to act (implicitly) according to either one or the other; but to weigh the arguments on which they are both founded, and to act accordingly."There is not here that humble appeal to superior direction, which he would never, at a later period, have omitted to mention, but in other respects the principle is the same as he ever afterwards maintained. And, if this be a just rule for the conduct of the person asking counsel, it forms also the just measure for the expectations of the persons giving it. In this way likewise he early applied it. In 1777 he says to the same relative: "You ask my pardon for not