laid the foundation of introducing me both into a more profitable employ, and of bringing me acquainted with a new branch of business; in the pursuit of which, in the after stages of my life, as it turned out, my God had designed me for his glory. Oh! how needful it is for the people of God to keep a steady eye upon the Lord's hand in all the Lord's doings. How little we attend to that scripture, and yet how much depends upon it: In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

I had made it a subject of prayer, in my search for employment, that the Lord would be my guide. I felt inclined to ask among the shipwrights, who employ carpenters in certain branches of their work, if they needed one in my way. By this means I fell into the service of a Mr. Hancock, who, by religious persuasion was a Quaker, and a man of great probity and kindness. My diligence recommended me to his regard, and his generosity endeared him to my affection; so that he was pleased with his servant, and I with my master.

The exercises I had with my poor wife's conduct, soon reached his knowledge, and excited his pity. His boat-house was my dining parlour: for instead of going home at the usual hours of meals, I repaired to this part of the

C

yard, and taking my piece of bread, and fetching a little water from the pump, passed many a dinner. And oh! how sweetly at the same time hath my soul fed on Jesus! How greatly have I been refreshed on those occasions with the blessed draught my Lord hath given me of the water of life! Oh! did the great ones of the earth but know what a feast of fat things is enjoyed by the Lord's humble waiters at his table, how gladly would they exchange their pampering tables for the spiritual food of Christ in the soul!

My master had taken notice of my not going home to dinner, but repairing to his boathouse. He took occasion one day to drop in upon me while I was at dinner, and with his usual good humour he said, "Henry, how dost thou live?" I cheerfully answered, “By faith.” "By faith, indeed! I never saw such a man in all my life." My blessed Lord, no doubt it was, which put it into the heart of my master; for he shewed me many acts of kindness, and seeing me much disposed to learn the art of ship-building, afforded me every assistance, in putting me frequently into the lofts, whereby I might acquire the knowledge of it; which, through the Lord's gracious communication of wisdom, I soon obtained-a

circumstance which afterwards became of great

importance.

My poor unhappy wife, in the mean time, was hastening on in the broad way to destruction. Frequently on my return from work in the evening, instead of supper I should find her wallowing on the floor in drunkenness, and giving me no other language. but oaths and abuse. My heart bled for her, but more if possible, for my child, whom, as the neigh bours told me, she frequently left the greater part of the day locked in, and had no food but what the neighbours put in under the door. My other child was with my father at this time in Exeter. But amidst all these trials my heart was with the Lord. All (I could say) is well; for it is as my God would have it. He might, I knew, change the scene in a moment, whenever he pleased: to him I resigned all.

But, while I thus bowed down before the Lord, in dutiful submission to his holy will, I did not suffer my poor wife to go on, without using very earnest and affectionate expostula tions with her. Oh! how frequently did I be seech her, by the mercies of Christ, to turn from her evil way; and, as I told her upon these occasions, that if she was determined to go to hell, she should go with the name and

blood of Jesus sounding in her ears.

At times she would listen to me, confess her sins, and express great sorrow, and say she could not help it; she knew not how it was, but the temptations were too strong to be resisted. And when this was the case, how hath my soul been melted down, and how have I been led to admire distinguishing grace, which maketh all the difference. At other times, she would fly into a passion; threaten to poison me---that she would have me pressed, and sent on board a man of war. And once, indeed, after having left me for a whole day and night, and spent her time in a house of ill-fame, she actually went to the mayor to give information against me, and, drunk as she then was, she wanted the mayor to believe that I kept the company of bad women. As soon as this was known to my master, (for I was at the time on board one of his ships at work,) he sent for me, and went with me to the mayor, who, as soon as he saw me, said, "Is this the man? I have known this person for many years, a man of good character." "You had better, my friend," said the mayor,

put your wife into the workhouse." To which I answered, "I cannot do that." "Then," said he, "you must bear the burthen." So we parted. I took home my poor deluded part

ner, amidst the pity of some, and the ridicule of others; and I blessed God my Saviour, that I was counted worthy to bear reproaches for my patience.

The prosecution of her dreadful life, was at -length become so offensive to the neighbourhood, that no one would allow me to rent a room to live in; and I was obliged to beg permission of my master, to convert one of his old lumber rooms, into an habitation. The old sails which were in it, answered for a bed; and though there was no chimney in it, and it was swarming with rats, yet glad was I of this, until it should please the Lord to open the heart of some humane person to take us in. Here I was led to reflect upon Him, who, while the foxes had holes, and the birds of the air had nests, yet he had not where to lay his head. This was a soul-trembling reflection to me; and led me to conclude, that the disciple should not covet greater things than his Lord. Beside, the great consideration which constantly wrought upon my mind, was the distin guishing grace of God, which made all the difference between my conduct and that of my poor wife. It was an applied sense of this, which made me bear and forbear, and enabled