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but, juft as I had completed the affair, the wind began to blow, it rained very heavy, and fuch a sea arose that I was afraid to venture, fo cut the rope and let the cheft go by itself; I tried the fame fcheme the next night, but without effect, and I believe the next day we failed for Antigua. Then I began to fear, having no God to truft in, and believing I fhould die under it; I wished that God would forgive my fins, and take me out of my mifery; this was only for fear of the fcourge. At length we arrived in English Harbour, Antigua, where the Portland lay; then my fears began to come on, and I was quite caft down. To explain my feelings is impoffible.

A boat was fent to fetch us, when, after a few compliments from the captain, we were ordered to be put in irons, and, a day or two after, ordered to prepare for a court-martial; which shortly took place, when we were fentenced to receive one hundred and fifty lalhes each. When I had heard my sentence, I asked them to grant me a favour; upon being asked what that was? I replied, To hang me. On which I was ordered to be put with both legs in irons, and a sentinel placed over me with a drawn cutlass, and that I should drink nothing but water till I was punished. The day arrived; John Moor, my old companion, was taken ill, and fent to the hofpital for recovery, when he was to receive his punishment; my shipmates had provided a dose for me enough to kill a horfe, it was rum and gunpowder

powder mixed together, which they tell you is to deaden the flesh, but I felt it fharp enough; I drank fome of it, and then received one hundred lafhes, at the end of which I died away, being cut fo bad, and they all, even the doctor, thought I was dead; when I came to I was naked, in a large tub of warm water, and they bathing me. Here the Lord wonderfully fpared me to praise his holy name, for when I am brought to look back to fee what my God has faved me from, it melts my heart in love to him; for I little thought, when I blafphemed his name, that he had respect unto me in the covenant; but blefs his holy name, who hath brought me to loath myself in my own fight for my iniquities.

It would be tedious to tell of all the battles I have been in: I have feen many fall, yea, clofe to me, in feveral engagements, but the Lord never fuffered one shot even to wound me, though I was in it from the beginning of the American war to the end, which I believe was near ten years. Oh! the faithfulness of God to his chofen! I have often thought, if I had fuffered these things for Chrift's fake, as the apostle Paul did, I fhould have fomewhat to glory in before the Lord, that I was counted worthy to fuffer for him; but these words ftrike me, Haft thou not procured all these things to thyself?—Yes, Lord; with fhame I own it.

Now, as the Lord the Spirit fhall bring to my remembrance, I will relate my cail and converfion in my fimple way; for I knew nothing about re

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ligion of any kind, neither did I know even what the name of Jefus Chrift meant; but God, in his infinite mercy, was determined I fhould know him whom I had fo grofsly abused.

The first convictions I can remember to have had concerning my foul, was the laft voyage I went, which brought me to look at the wicked life I had lived and was then living; this brought me on my knees to God, vowing, that if he would be pleafed to bring me fafe home, and provide me something to do on fhore, I would amend my life and go to church; this I had a hope he would do, because I prayed. In the space of a year he brought me home, and, agreeable to my request, found me employment. I fet about to perform my vow in going to church, but the devil was too ftrong for me; for I foon fell into the old track of fabbath-breaking and finning, and carried it on to as high a pitch as The Lord fuffered me to go on here a little time, to fhew me what man is by nature; but I ceived it not. I believe I went on in the old way of finning for two years, and when any checks of confcience troubled me, I ftrove to fmother them by going to clubs to fing and drink. I remember I was learning fome new fongs, when the Lord was pleafed, at my work, to bring all my fins to my remembrance, which spoiled all my finging; for I was fo wrought upon, that I thought I should as furely be damned as I was born: it continued, and I could not shake it off; my companions, they came, but

ever.

per

all

all would not do, I could not go with them; my wife, then being in a natural ftate, feeing that I was diftreffed in my mind, cried over me, begging to know what was the matter; yea, told me fhe would go on her knees to me if I would but tell her. I faid I could not tell her what was the matter with me; but I believed I should go to hell. These words came on my mind, and I could not get rid of them: What woman is there having ten pieces of filver, if fhe lofe one of them, will she not light a candle and fweep the boufe diligently till fhe has found it? Thought I, this is fomething of fcripture; for the Bible was a book I had not looked into for many years before, but now I did, and it brought me on my knees to God, hoping that, if I confeffed and prayed to God, read my Bible, and went to church, that God would have mercy upon me; however I fet to, with a refolution to get no further in debt, to pay fome off the old fcore. those people called methodifts, for many years I was ignorant of the meaning of the word methodist; I was informed they were a good fet of people, fuch as Wefley's and Whitefield's. The first I found out was Wefley's, in the City Road; I thought furely they were angels come down from heaven, and began to think, if I went according to my refolution, God would look over what was paft, and I fhould foon be fit for heaven; but, oh! the goodness, mercy, and loving-kindness of God! he did not let me reft here; for when I was

but if possible I inquired into

being away fo

getting

getting up to that pinnacle, he threw me down and broke all my bones, by fending his law home to my heart: then I faw myfelf in a dreadful ftate; not only that I had been a finner, but now was, and could do nothing good. In reading the Bible, what gained my greateft attention was, God's anger against fin, and his commands to fanctify myself holy unto the Lord. Well, I enquired how a man might fanctify himself to the Lord; and was informed, the people who frequented the tabernacle went there on Saturday evening to fanctify themselves against Sunday. When Saturday evening came I fet off and went; but when I came out, found myfelf more like a devil than a faint. At this time I was quite ignorant of the way of falvation by Jefus Christ: what makes me fay fo is, because there are many who, to my knowledge, never had a change of heart, that know it is through the merits of Jefus Chrift they must be faved; but then, fay they, Jefus Chrift died for all: but I was quite ignorant even of the name of Jefus Chrift. Thefe workmongers fet me many tasks to do; I began to read the Bible and pray to God, as I called it, and worked hard too; till at laft I began to feel fuch enmity fpring up in my heart, that I faid on this wife, Surely God is a hard God! for he fets man to do more than he is able. Why fhould he be fo hard with a creature that he has made? I laboured under this a long time, yet durft not utter the hard thoughts and enmity I had against him.

I became

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