The rent of the house I had taken was fifteen pounds a year, payable quarterly, and the taxes in addition, made it more than twenty pounds, so that our income was about twelve shillings a week for food, clothing, &c.; but the Lord was very gracious, and inclined the hearts of some friends to minister to our necessities. I well remember, that in June we were run to such a low ebb, the last morsel was to be put on the table for dinner. For some days previous I had been wrestling with the Lord in prayer for help, but got no answer; on the 10th day in the morning after breakfast, when the before mentioned last morsel was to be partaken of for dinner, I was sitting at the end of the garden in a little bower, with my bible in my hand, but I could not read it; for the things of this life were so predominant on my mind, that I wept before the Lord, and felt a liberty to show him all my trouble, and tell him "there was nothing too hard for him: he had delivered me, and could deliver me now, and I trusted that he would deliver me." While I was thus pouring out my complaint before him, he very graciously spoke to me, saying, "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small" (Prov. xxiv. 10). I felt his power accompanying the word; and an assurance arose in my heart, that it was all right: this enabled me to do as Paul did, "He thanked God and took courage" (Acts xxviii. 15): so I arose and went into the house, and told my wife, that deliverance was near, for I had the assurance thereof in my heart, and that it would come before sunset, whether she believed it or not.

Being confident the Lord would appear, I sat down with the family with a thankful heart; and we finished our stock of food, which consisted of a little pork and some potatoes. The house was now empty, but the Lord was faithful; after dinner was over, I took my then youngest daughter and walked up with her into Gibbon's field; but I could not stay, for my mind was

I

at home waiting for the Lord's blessing to come. therefore returned, that my body and mind might wait together; and when I came at the head of the street, I saw a friend coming up, whereupon I said in my heart, "Dear Lord, deliverance is come!" I met him at the door of my house, and after the usual salutation, he said, I have not called on you since you came to Plymouth, therefore I am now come to see how you are. He walked in, and we talked together of the things concerning Jesus Christ and his great salvation; and when he departed, he put something into my hand. I thanked him for his kindness, and went into the kitchen to my wife, and opened my treasure; to our astonishment it was a five-pound note! We sat and wept one against the other; not a word could we speak for some time, the mercy was so great. Reader, my God is the faithful God, and his name is Jehovah Jireh is he thy God and dear provider? if so, thou wilt join with me saying, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name: bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits" (Psa. ciii. 1, 2).

Here I pause, and desire the reader to ponder over these things with me; if he be one of the Lord's tried poor ones, and have received things from the Lord in the same way, he will enter into my feelings on the account of such manifest mercies, better than I can describe them, and we will join in heart and soul saying, it is all to the praise of the glory of his grace, that hath made us accepted in the beloved (Eph. i. 6).

If rich and graceless professors read, or hear of such things, they may deride me for recording such distinguishing mercies; and, with modern sceptics, may deny the particular providence of God, or set God's providence aside altogether, and ascribe what they have to luck, chance, and fortune,-the trinity of fools; "but whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord" (Psa. cvii. 43). This, with many such like mercies,

confirmed me, that as the Lord had called me to plough in hope, he who took care of oxen, did also take care of me; and though I was born as a wild ass's colt (Job xi. 12), nevertheless, I thank my ever blessed Lord, I have lived to know, that "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib" (Isa. i. 3); and I will also thank my precious Lord Jesus, and rejoice before him, for that he hath enabled me to say with Jacob, from the experience of the truth of it in my heart, "The Alehim hath fed me all my life long unto this day; the angel which redeemed me from all evil" (Gen. xlviii. 15, 16). Surely these things will cause thankfulness and praise to flow forth from the heart to the Lord, and will give a sinner encouragement to go with boldness to a throne of grace (Heb. iv. 16), and to carry all his hard cases unto the Lord, and cast his burden upon him, who will sustain him (Psa. lv. 22). Thus the poor and needy are brought to know the blessedness of that dear name, which Abraham called the Lord, after a particular providence, and conspicuous deliverance; namely, "And Abraham called the name of the place the heva, the Immutable one Jehovah Jireh, as it is said this day, In the Mount Jehovah it shall be seen (Gen. xxii. 14). Real necessity hath kept me many an hour on my watch-tower pleading with the Lord, for faith must be tried: and the Lord waiteth to be gracious, "Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel" (Ezek. xxxvi. 37).

Trials and deliverances make the Lord's people familiar with God as hearing and answering prayer. They will keep a person from trifling with the mercies of the Lord. Yea, I have often rejoiced from the advice which our most glorious Christ gives his disciples in these words, "Therefore take no thought saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (for after all these things do the Gentiles seek :) for your heavenly Father

knoweth that ye have need of these things; but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. vi. 31-33).

However I was straitened in family affairs, the Lord was very gracious unto me in the pulpit, by granting me his presence, and enabling me to speak his holy word with boldness; and he blessed his word to the people. This was, and is now, more to me than my necessary food: yea, I well remember, that preceding the last mentioned mercy, which was on a Friday, I preached in the evening with light, life, and liberty from the words of the Lord to Job; "Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off. Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she" (Job xxxix. 27—30).

I have had such continual proofs of the Lord's goodness and mercy, in sending me meat and money, that I could mention the names of many, whose hearts the Lord inclined towards me; but as they did it in secret, I will not proclaim their names openly without their permission. The Lord knows them, and loves them too. But I must acknowledge that dear saint of God, Dr.Hawker, who is now in glory, for he acted as a father unto me; and his ministry, name and memory, will be dear to me as long as I live.

On July 10, I had a sovereign sent me by a friend; on the 15th, a quarter sack of flour; on the 16th, a large piece of pork; on the 23rd, a like money from my friend who gave me the five pounds; September 5, from the same person, a shoulder of mutton and six bottles of wine; and from another friend two bottles; for my health appeared to be declining, probably from the change of situation, as I had removed from the open country to a close town. My digestive organs were very weak; but the Lord nourished me;

and the reader will see how the Lord provided for me. On Monday September 12, I received a quarter of coals from a friend; on Saturday 17th, a leg of mutton; on Saturday 24th, another five pounds from my former friend, who is a minister of the gospel; October 4th, I received a goose, and also a letter from a friend in Exeter, with a sovereign in it. Thus, the Lord blessed me both in my basket and in my store (Deut. xxviii. 5), so that I must say with David, "I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever; every day will I bless thee, and praise thy name for ever and ever" (Psa. cxlv. 1, 2).

I must now relate another display of the Lord's tender mercy towards me. My children were very badly off and in want of clothes. By reason thereof, they had not been able to go into the chapel for many weeks. I had as usual spread my trouble and necessities before the Lord, and was looking for him to appear on my behalf; and I really believed he would, and so it came to pass; for a friend called at my house on Monday, October 11, and told my wife, that she wanted to see me! I called on her the next morning, when she asked how it was I did not call to see her: I told her that as I was poor and she was rich, I was afraid she would think I called on her for what I could get; but she replied, such would not be the case, and therefore told me to call on her often. She also said, "I want to see your children, and you must send them to my house." I thanked her, and after awhile rose up to go, when she gave me something wrapped up in paper, at the same time saying, I have had that in my pocket for you this fortnight past, thinking I might meet you in the street, to give it you! I again thanked her, and when I came home I found the parcel contained ten sovereigns. This was a manifold mercy from the Lord, and I must say, it was so great in my estimation, that language fails to describe the feelings of my mind on the subject; but this I can say, it was the Lord's