taken of the bread of life, how can he distribute it to others? and if he has never proved the invincible armour-provided for the holy warfare, it is quite impossible he can declare "There is none like it." From our own tasting, handling, and looking upon the word of life, must arise the being "ready to distribute, and willing to communicate;" for if these things be not so, how can we be fitted for the service of the sanctuary?

Regeneration is well known by every novitiate under the Gospel dispensation to be the only way of admission into the kingdom of Christ, so fully declared by that infallible Teacher, in those memorable words, "Ye must be born again." Men untaught of God teach the doctrine abscondere vitia, a mere suppression or hiding; not so those who are taught to know the plague of their heart. It must be enforced with the authority of Christ abscendere vitia, a rooting up; so true is it that from a heart not under the power of divine grace, things concerning salvation can never proceed. How can it be expected that even the Bishop of Oxford, if never brought from nature to grace in his own enjoyment, could speak of its vast importance so as to make it lovely and desirable unto others? It is only when felt with power, the argumentum ad hominem will come with power; and if with the majority of your brethren on the bench, you have assumed the mitre with no higher view of regeneration than that said to take place in baptism, you are not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God; and no doubt in its train will follow apostolical succession, divine right of kings, with the infallibility of your Church. Alas! how unit are men of this creed to be rulers in the Church of God! and if the Bishop of Oxford differs, as I trust he may, in these things, how will he proceed in the ministration of his office in performing that unseemly and unmeaning service of confirmation, when the candidates can only be received of their own avowal of what was promised for them in that said regenerating baptism which the bishop himself does not believe? If he be a regenerated character, on the other hand, can anything be more solemn, or the end in view more awful, than to see any man from mere family connection, or state policy, made a bishop, and thus rushing presumptuously, and in an unhallowed person offering unhallowed fire on the Lord's altar?

From my Stall,
Amen Corner.

(To be continued.)

CRISPIN.

F

WILDERNESS MERCIES.

LETTER XVI.

EVERY dark line which is drawn across our path, however gloomy and distressing, must have its design accomplished for Jehovah's glory, which cannot be effected in any other way than by putting the recipient of his favour into the hottest furnace; and though it sometimes appears in its operation that destruction must speedily follow, how blessedly does his omnipotent hand throw a protection over the whole process; the poor, tried soul is humbled, the will of Satan frustrated, and praise goes up to the God of heaven. At this trying period, my master taking an unfavourable view against me, the tongue of censure, and infamy, and bitter reproach followed; the world and professors launched out against me, and but for the secret rein of God, who restrained them, I had fallen a prey altogether. Truly when I afterwards considered the case, I found myself to have committed an error in judgment, contrary to standing orders, but my conscience acquitted me of any breach of confidence or trust, which my employer could not see, though he had several letters written to him on my behalf, as well as other persons expostulating with him on my part; yet nothing would do but I must lose my situation, notwithstanding I had the full charge and the same trust of books and large sums of money, for more than six weeks after my offence was given; and in that very time my master wrote to a gentleman for a place for me, and even recommended me to his notice; but even here the Lord was not unmindful of me: he knew the deep sorrow of my heart, and saw the cruel revilings of the enemy which I had to put up with; and then did the wicked put out their tongue against me; yea, and even a part of the dear Church of Christ expressed their prejudices against me, and appeared ashamed to be in my company when I met with them in the house of prayer. O how did my soul agonize, and my life was most bitter, for many sat in judgment against me.

What course to take, and what to do, I knew not. Thus I held my situation in jeopardy, till one Monday morning a stranger appeared to take my charge, and I was dismissed, but was allowed to remain in my house free of rent for a month. Sometimes I appeared in my feelings to choose strangling rather than life; at other times I had the commiseration of those, in seeming pity, who sought my destruction; and I believe even my master was sorry he had followed so precipitate a course, which was then too late to revoke. Finding things went so against me I journeyed off, with many cries, and looking up to God to succour me, walked to see an elder brother who lived more than seventy miles distant, who received me very affectionately, and assisted me greatly. At this time my daughter, who had been my housekeeper, was about being married to a respectable young man, who kept a boarding-school, with

whom I placed two of my little boys; and one girl went to her grandmother at Sudbury. My eldest son was then in London; I afterwards went there to see him in connection with a few other friends I had in town. This for a week or two seemed a little relief; but my means being small I wandered about, and was as miserable, I thought, as one could well be. I attended upon the word, heard one and another of the Lord's servants preach the Gospel-but there was nothing for me. But one night calling upon a friend, I sat down thinking upon my hard case, and the many struggles I had met with, yet endeavouring to encourage myself in the Lord, all at once these words came upon my mind, "God is a refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; "Be still and know that I am God." I thought the more of it because it began with God and ended with God, from which I was enabled to suck a little sweetness, and thought who can tell, I may yet live to see my head lifted up above my enemies, for the Lord will not cast off for ever, though he has hid his face from me, and suffered men to triumph.

I was then staying with a relative of my former wife's, a wine cooper, from whom I received great kindness, and by this means got a recommendation to one of the directors of the West India docks, in order to solicit a situation in some small capacity, and from him was directed to the dock captain, but there was no vacancy; yet I had liberty to become a common dock labourer, which I accepted, furnished myself with jacket and trowsers, and went to work upon the sugar quay, with a number of Irish, unloading India cargoes. This was altogether a new and unhappy employment to me; their language and manner so jaded down my poor mind, that I could not brook it; and such was my trouble from day to day to be rid of this dreadful employment, that I said, "Lord, do help me. Must I be doomed to this servitude continually to hear thy name blasphemed? Oh, deliver me, and let me seek some other refuge." Nor did I less groan out my complaint to him, throughout the midnight shades, when deep sleep generally falleth upon man. Then was I often engaged with the Lord in prayer how to be directed; and one morning, after I had waited some time, with many others, to be called to work, as I sat in the outer yard, greatly agonizing in soul, not knowing what to do, something seemed to say, "Arise and go hence; you cannot stay here." I immediately obeyed the summons; passed through the gates; left one day's wages behind, with a determination never more to return, and the next morning left London with a view to walk to my daughter's house, a distance of nearly forty miles. Here were my children, and here I sought an asylum for a few days; but again I was obliged to leave all that was near and dear to me, and once more journeyed far away to see a friend who I thought would have compassion upon me in my bonds.

After I had walked about nine miles, I fell in with an old pilgrim, one that I had many times been made the instrument of doing him great temporal good; but he had now taken up report against me, and said, if I was one of the Lord's family, I should have to smart greatly, as all I was then labouring under was the fruit of my own backslidings. This

to me was striking the dying dead; and the more so, coming from one I had ever treated as my friend and companion-one too, with whom I had formerly held sweet communion, and had laid myself out in many ways to serve. And the if which he put to the threatening for the Lord to execute upon me, it was like a sword in my heart. I said, "Dear friend, you have quite mistaken the matter. "Tis true, I may appear before you a deceiver and a hypocrite, and in my present situation you have no pity, which I had when I could command your friendship, but now your heart towards ine is as hard as a stone. I bid you farewell, but mark, I shall yet have to praise the Lord, and all my foes shall see it. The Lord will yet appear for me, for he is a faithful God." He asked where I was going. I said, "The Lord only knows. tention is to reach brother G-n's, at B-g-h-t, who you know very well." We parted, but it was with additional sorrow to my fainting spirit, and drew from me a flood of tears.

My in

From this combat without, and the suggestions of Satan within, I found it hard work to make head in the midst of sorrow and persecution; and I have often wondered since how it was my life was sustained, and my mind supported, naturally speaking; and no one but those who have travelled in such a path can tell how it is. I believe the family of God often travel much in the night, yet every step is sure--wisely guided and watched over by the Lord.

Having at night nearly reached my friend's abode, I had great workings of mind as to how I might be received by him; and standing upon an eminence at a near approach, I said, “O Lord, his line has fallen in a pleasant place. Thou hast given him a goodly, and I trust a godly heritage; constrain him to treat me kindly, for thou knowest I cannot bear much at this time "-wept sore, and proceeded. When I arrived, my friend came to the door, and bid me go in. Now I saw the Lord had opened the door and the heart likewise, for I met with a hearty welcome. He pressed me to stay with him a week, and as it was the hay season I made myself useful. Truly did he as a friend and brother sympathize with me. At that time he was a widower, was left with a large and young family, and as his deceased wife was a gracious woman, well known to me, we poured out our complaints together before the Lord, and my visit proved a prelude to future good. I used while there, to rise very early, almost at day-break, and walk to a high hill, or mount, surrounded by trees, upon which many rooks built their nests; it was called "Mount Pisgah," and on this spot I put up many supplications before these birds, who received their food from the Lord in as providential a manner as I did; and here the Lord heard my prayer.

My friend having promised to look out for me should any situation offer, furnished me with money, and told me to return by his house in my way back. I left him to travel fifteen miles farther into the county of Suffolk, but was directed quite the contrary way from a secret impulse, and went towards Cambridgeshire. I walked around the country, but heard of nothing. At length I came near

Hadleigh, to the small village of Oldham, where Dr. Rowland Taylor was burnt for the cause of God and truth; here I stayed a few days and was almost driven to desparation in my feelings; rebellion wrought hard within; my mind as dark as death; unbelief, as a mountain, stopped up all intercourse between my God and me; though I pleaded and cried aloud, he seemed to mock at my calamity; all his former deliverances were hid from my eyes; I roared like a bull in a stronghold. On Sunday morning I went into the fields with a view to tell the Lord how destitute and unhappy my poor soul was; and in the breathings of my heart I tried to remember Zion, when she sat down by the side of the rivers of Babylon, and to fasten, if possible, upon some portion of the Lord's word to comfort my soul, for here I sat solitary. I returned to the house where I was staying; as I drew near, a man came towards me with a letter; he said he had come fourteen miles to find me, and I must go with him. This was a wonderful providence indeed. The storm had beat hard upon me, and the powers of darkness in my mind had well nigh prevailed over me at this time; yea, it was night with my soul, but my life was yet founded in Christ, and could not be destroyed.

How blessed it is to trace out the will of God in the belief that he rules all things for the best, both human and divine, notwithstanding clouds with threatening aspect do sometimes cause dismay, his almighty arm can remove them, and clear the doubtful sky-so it was his good pleasure to do at this time; for he was now about displaying another great act of his kindness to me-to worthless me-and to bring up my feet from a great deep over which a cloud had so heavily hung, to prove his arm was not shortened, nor his ear heavy, nor his love abated, that he could not save; tribulation had marked my steps; I had travelled in the path of dejection for several months subject to the taunts of many who were glad to see my debasement, but now, contrary to all their thoughts, I was once more looked upon by the Lord, who had his eye upon his poor wandering sheep.

My friend, whose hospitable dwelling I had left, in my absence had been in company with a gentleman who wanted a foreman to take charge of a large water corn mill, which being a separate establishment from where he resided, the confidence and responsibility were very great. My friend said he knew a person who was well qualified for the situation, and one whom he could recommend to his notice, though at that time labouring under some disadvantages from misstatements. The matter being explained, I was ordered to have an interview with the gentleman as soon as convenient. Here I must remark the goodness of the Lord in preferring me above many that had made application the very day my friend spake for me, and patience given to wait till I could be found.

When I read the letter my heart leaped for joy, but when I understood who it was, my heart sank again, as I had heard for more than twenty years what a troublesome bad master this gentleman was; however I felt it my duty to obey the desire of my friend. This account