me, to find my way as I could, to a Place, and a Perfon I had never heard of before: but I had a line to the man: Providence brought me to the place; but the man was not at home. However he came the next day, and received me kindly. Here I ftayed till about Midfummer, and then removed to a diftant Relation's, where I ftayed 'till November. It was then judged I might go home fafely: but when I came, my Father would not let me come into his house. Nay he went and made information against me to the commanding Officer; and I should have been fent to prifon, had not a Gentleman of the town interfered for me, and procured leave for me to lodge at my Father's houfe. In the morning a file of mufqueteers came, to take me into cuftody, and brought me to the Officer. After afking many queftions, he told me, “You may go home." But when I came to the door, the foldiers, not knowing his order, were going to carry me to prison: 'till he looked out of the window, and bade them let me go. However, my Father would not put me to School any more, but kept me to his bufinefs, that of baking.

8. I continued with my Father 'till the beginning of May, 1751: when being well acquainted with my business, I determined to go abroad. I fet out with another young man, who was engaged in Perth. Here a place was provided for me in a pious family, where I remained till after Chriflmas. Two perfons then came from London; with one of whom I contracted an intimate acquaintance. One Lord's day fhe afked me to go with her to the Epifcopal Meeting. It affected me much, and from that time I attended it whenever I could. And I cannot but fay, it was of great use to my foul, and has proved fo ever fince.

9. About this time I formed a purpose of going to Londo and having took leave of my Relations, we fet fail from Montrofe, about the middle of June, 1752. When I came to London, I knew no one there: but the kind hand of God was over me. I found a brother of my Father's, who being

of

of the fame trade, took me to work with him, 'till he procured me a place, in a serious family at Billing/gate. But as I was a foreigner, my Mafter was fummoned to Guildhall, and obliged to put me away. In a little time I got me another place, near Whitechapel-Bars. And as I was strong and active, my Mafter perfuaded me to engage for a year certain. Afterwards he did not ufe me well: 'till one day being in a paffion, he ordered me, inftantly to quit his houfe; which I immediately did.

10. In the year 1753, my present Wife, who was born near where I was, and had lived feveral years with my parents in my infancy, heard I was in London, and refolved to fee me. We had not feen one another for many years, and were both glad of the meeting: and as I was then out of place, we had opportunity of feeing each other frequently. On Feb. 14,

we were married. I had then forgot the resolutions I had often made of living wholly to God, whenever I fhould marry : but He foon brought them back to my remembrance, by laying affliction upon my Wife. I now began to be in good earnest for falvation; I bought up all opportunities for Prayer. I refolved to break through all oppofition, and to serve God with all my heart.

11. But it still lay heavy upon my mind, that I had not performed my vow of praying with my Wife. And my Convictions increased day by day, till my appetite was gone, and my fleep departed from me: my bones were filled as with a fore disease, and my tears were my meat day and night. I now broke through and prayed with my Wife, and we never after left the practice. It was not long after this, that she knew. God to be a pardoning God. And all that fummer we continued praying and ftriving together, and steadily walking in all the ordinances of God.

12. After living at Hampflead fome time, I removed to a place in St. Katherine's. While I was here, I was one day going haftily along the ftreet, and a loaded cart flood in it which

nearly

nearly filled it up. However I went on, thinking I could get by but juft as I was going by, it moved, caught my basket, crushed me up against the wall, and dragged me along till we came against a shop-window which gave way and releafed me. Every one that faw it fuppofed I fhould be crushed to death; or at least that my arms or legs would be broken. But I received no hurt at all, befides a little bruife on the back of my hand. 13. In September 1753, I was hired to Mr. Merriot. Our meeting was not expected on either fide: he had been enquiring the character of another, which he did not approve off: and I was enquiring for a Master, when he came and afked me if I was out of place? I answered, yes. He asked if I would keep good hours? Which I promifed to do. So we agreed, and I entered upon his fervice. Here I found what I had long defired, a family wherein was the worship of God. This ftirred me up to be more earnest in feeking him; to be exact in praying by myfelf every morning, and with my Wife every afternoon. And we continued feeking Him with our whole heart and fhunning whatever we thought offenfive to Him. We used likewife, every means of grace. I have fometimes gone to my knees when I was going to bed, and have continued in that pofition 'till two o'clock, when I was called to go to work.

14. My wife had sometime fince found a degree of peace with God. But I could find no peace, nor could I tell what hindered, unless it were the baking of pans, as they called it, on Sundays. I would gladly have refrained from this, but then I must have left my place; and I had no hope of finding another place which would not have been liable to the fame inconvenience. However I refolved, as foon as Chriftmas was over, to give up my place at all events. Meantime my flesh confumed away, like as a moth fretting a garment. And my bones were ready to ftart through my fkin; for I had no rest day or night. The following Sunday my Wife and I ventured for the firft time, to the Holy Communion; and I

found

found fome comfort; but the sense of my profaning the Sabbath, foon took it away. I now refolved to delay no longer than the next day, being willing to fuffer rather than to fin. Accordingly on Monday morning as foon as my Mafter came down flairs, I gave him warning: he did not then speak one word: but foon after he came into the fhop, and asked me, "If I had got another place ?" I answered, no. He faid, Why then would you leave this ?" I answered, "Because I dare not commit fin by breaking the Sabbath, as I have done." He used many arguments with me, but in vain. I told him, "I must abide by the word of God, whatever be the confequence but I will not go away 'till you fuit yourself with another man."

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15. God now gave me much confidence, and I found much power to pray, that if it was not his will we should part, he would incline my Mafter to give it up. And the fame day he went with a neighbouring Baker, to all of the trade in Shoreditch and Bishop's-gate Without: propofing that they should all enter into an agreement to give it up at once. All but two agreed. He then advertised for a meeting of Mafter Bakers upon the fubject: but nothing could be concluded. Afterwards I supposed he asked the advice of our Brethren at the Foundry. After he had taken all these steps, more than I could reasonably expect, he told me, “I have done all I can, and now I hope you will be content." I fincerely thanked him for what he had done, but told him, I could not stay any longer than 'till he had fuited himself. But I continued in prayer. And on Sunday evening, after family worship, he ftopped me and faid, "I have done to day what will pleafe you: I have flayed at home and told all my Customers, I will no more bake on a Sunday." I told him, "If you have done this out of confcience toward God, be affured it will end well." And fo it did. That very year, his trade confiderably increafed. And he had a large augmentation of his fortune, fo that he was enabled to relieve many that were in want, and VOL. III.

N

alfo

alfo to lay up abundance for his children. May they herein tread in their father's fleps!

16. He then asked me, how I came to fcruple baking on Sundays? And I told him fimply, how God had dealt with my foul. And I believe it was then he first felt that affection for me, which continued to his dying day. (From that time both he and my good Miltress were particularly kind to me and mine. And when fome years after, my ftation in London placed me in fome fenfe over them, there were none in the Society that more fully fubmitted to every branch of Difcipline.) It was then he asked me to go with him to the Foundry, which I did at five the next morning. When I came back, I told my Wife where I had been. It grieved her much as the believed all the idle reports fhe had heard; many of which the rehearfed, and added, "Now our peace is broken for ever." This flirred me up to be more earnest in prayer, but did not prevent my going every morning. On Sunday fhe was perfuaded to go with me, tho' much afraid of my being drawn into fome wrong way. John Nelfon preached an alarming difcourfe, which I hoped would affect her much. But on the contrary, fhe was much disgusted, faying, "He has fhewn me the way to hell; and not the way to get out of it. But I thank God, He has shewn me that Jefus Chrift is the way: and has brought me out of it too." However he went again the next Sunday. Mr. Charles Wesley then preached, and defcribed the whole procefs of the work of God in the foul. She followed him ftep by ftep, 'till he came to the abiding witness of adoption, and here he left her behind. She was now both pleased and profited, and we now went on hand in hand, in the ways of God. But ftill I did not find the fpirit of adoption, tho' I fought it diligently, continuing inftant in prayer, and attending the word every morning and evening. Indeed this was not without difficulty: for I had no time for either but what I took from my fleep, which should have been from fix to ten in the

evening,