are undone for ever; but if you omit it a few days longer, it may be that something will turn up in your favor;" this was attended with a small degree of hope, that if I waited a little while, it should not be altogether in vain: and I thought I felt thankful that God had prevented me from sending my soul to everlasting misery.

About this time, there was much talk about the people called Methodists, who were lately come into the western part of New-England. There were various reports and opinions concerning them, some saying they were the deceivers that were to come in the last times; that such a delusive spirit attended them, that it was * dangerous to hear them preach, lest they should lead people out of the good old way, which they had been brought up in that they would deceive if possible the very elect; some on the other hand said they were a good sort of people.

A certain man invited Hope Hull to come to his own town, who appointed a time when he would endeavour, if possible to comply with his request. The day arrived, and the people flocked out from every quarter to hear as they supposed a new gospel: and I went to the door and looked in to see a methodist; but to my surprise he appeared like other men. I heard him preach from-"this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." And I thought he told me all that ever I did.

The next day he preached from these words: "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no Physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my peo ple recovered? Jer. viii. 22."

As he drew the analogy between a person sick of a consumption and a sin-sick soul, he endeavoured also to show how the real balm of Gilead would heal the consumption; and to spiritualize it, in the blood of Christ healing his soul; in which he described the way to hea ven, and pointed out the way marks; which I had never heard described so clearly before. By which means I was convinced that this man enjoyed something that I was destitute of, consequently that he was a servant of God.

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He then got upon the application, and pointing his fin

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ger towards me, made this expression; "Sinner, there is a frowning providence above your head, and a burning hell beneath your feet; and nothing but the brittle thread of life prevents your soul from falling into endless perdition. But, says the sinner, What must I do? You must pray: But I can't pray: If you don't pray then you'll be damn'd;" and (as he brought out the last expression) he either stamped with his foot on the box on which he stood, or smote with his hand upon the bible, which both together came home like a dagger to my heart. I had like to have fallen backwards from my seat, but saved myself by catching hold of my cousin who sat by my side, and I durst not stir for some time for fear lest I should tumble into hell. My sins and the damnable nature of them, were in a moment exhibited to my view; and I was convinced that I was unprepa red to die.

After the assembly was dismissed, I went out of doors; all nature seemed to wear a gloomy aspect; and every thing I cast my eyes upon seemed to bend itself against me, and wish me off the face of the earth.

I went to a funeral of one of my acquaintance the same day, but durst not look upon the corpse, for fear of becoming one myself: I durst not go near the grave, fearing lest I should fall in, and the earth come in upon me; for if I then died, I knew I must be undone. So I went home with a heavy heart.

I durst not close my eyes in sleep, until I first attempted to supplicate the throne of grace for preservation through the night. The next morning, as I went out of doors, a woman passing by told me that my cousin the evening past, had found the pardoning love of God.— This surprised me, to think that one of my companions was taken and I was left. I instantly came to a resolution to forsake my sins and seek the salvation of my soul. I made it my practice to pray thrice in a day for about the space of a week; when another of my cousins. brother to the former, was brought to cry for mercy in secret retirement in a garden, and his cries were so loud that he was heard upwards of a mile. The same evening he found comfort.

Shortly after, several persons in the neighbourhood.

professed to have found the pardoning love of God, among whom was my brother-in-law FISH, and his brother.

Sorrows arose in my mind, to think that they were heavenward, whilst I, a guilty one, was in the downward road. I endeavoured to double and treble my diligence in prayer, but found no comfort to my soul. Here the doctrine of unconditional reprobation was again presented to my view, with strong temptations to end this mortal life; but the thought again arose in my mind; if I comply, I am undone for ever, and if I continue crying to God, I can but be damned at last.

One evening there being (by my desire) a prayermeeting appointed by the young converts, I set out to go; and on my way by the side of a wood, I kneeled down and made a solemn promise to God, if he would pardon my sins and give me an evidence of my acceptance, that I would forsake all those things, wherein i had formerly thought to have taken my happiness, and lead a religious life devoted to him; and with this promise I went to meeting.

I believe that many present felt the power of God; saints were happy and sinners were weeping on every side but I could not shed a tear: then I thought within myself, if I could weep I would begin to take hope, but, oh! how hard is my heart. I went from one to another to know if there was any mercy for me. The young converts answered; "God is all love; he is all mercy;" I replied, "God is just too, and justice will cut me down:" I saw no way how God could be just and yet shew me mercy.

A certain woman bound upon a journey, tarried at this house that night; discovering the distress of mind I was in, broke through the crowd with the hymn-book in her hand, and after reading a part of a hymn, said to me; "My friend, I feel for you; my heart aches for you, but this I can tell you, that before I leave town in the morning, you will come down here praising God:" I told her, no; I believed I should be in hell before morning. After the meeting had concluded, which was about nine o'clock, and previous to the foregoing circumstance, I had, by the advice of my parents, set out for home,

thrice, but by a strong impression, as it were a voice whispering to my heart, " you must not go yet; but go back and pray to God: I turned about and went into a wheat field, and kneeled down; and striving to pray, I felt as if the heavens were brass and the earth iron; it seemed as though my prayers did not go higher than my head.

At length I durst not go home alone, fearing I should be carried away by the devil, for I saw destruction before me.

Several of the young converts accompanied me on my way; one of whom was Roger Searle; they since have told me that I fell down several times by the way; which I do not remember, as my distress was so great, that I scarcely knew what position I was in. When I got home, I went into my bed room, and kneeling down strove to look to God for mercy again, but found no comfort. I then lay down to rest, but durst not close my eye's in sleep, for fear I should never awake, until I awaked in endless misery.

I strove to plead with God for mercy, for several hours, as a man would plead for his life; until at length being weary in body, as the night was far spent, I fell into a slumber; and in it I dreamed that two devils entered the room, each with a chain in his hand; they laid hold on me, one at my head, the other at my feet, and bound me fast, and breaking out the window, carried me a distance from the house, and laid me on a spot of ice, and whilst the weaker devil flew off in flames of fire, the stronger one set out to drag me down to hell.And when I got within sight of hell, to see the blue blazes ascending, and to hear the screeches and groans of devils and damned spirits, what a shock it gave me, I cannot describe: I thought that within a few moments, this must be my unhappy lot. I cannot bear the thought, I will struggle and strive to break these chains; and if I can, and get away, it will be gain, and if I cannot, there will be nothing lost, and in my struggle I waked up, and, oh! how glad was I that it was only a dream. Still I thought, that within a few hours it would surely be my case. I again strove to lift my heart to God for mercyand these words struck my mind; "In that day there

shall a fountain be opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; for sin and for uncleanness." A thought darted into my mind that the fountain was Christ; and if it were so deep and wide for the wicked numerous inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash in and be clean; why not for the WHOLE WORLD? why not for me? Here hope sprang up, that there was a Saviour offered to ALL instead of a certain few; and if so, possibly there might be mercy yet for me; but these words followed; (C woe to them that are at ease in Zion;" here discouragements arose, concluding that if there had been a time when I might have obtained mercy, yet as I had omitted it so long, the day of grace is now past, and the woe denounced against me. I thought myself to be the unprofitable servant, who had wrapped his talent in the napkin, and buried it in the earth: I had not on the wedding garment, but was unprepared to meet God.

I thought I heard the voice of God's justice saying, "take the unprofitable servant, and cast him into utter darkness. I put my hands together, and cried in my heart, the time has been, that I might have had religion; but now it is too late; mercy's gate is shut against me, and my condemnation for ever sealed:Lord, I give up; I submit; I yield; I yield; if there be mercy in heaven for me, let me know it; and if not, let me go down to hell and know the worst of my case. As these words flowed from my heart, I saw the Mediator step in, as it were, between the Father's justice and my soul, and these words were applied to my mind with great power; "Son! thy sins which are many are forgiven thee; thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.”

The burden of sin and guilt and the fear of hell vanished from my mind, as perceptibly as an hundred pounds weight falling from a man's shoulder; my soul flowed out in love to God, to his ways and to his people; yea, and to ALL mankind.

As soon as I obtained deliverance, I said in my heart, I have now found Jesus and his religion, but I will keep it to myself; but instantly my soul was so filled with peace and love and joy, that I could no more keep it to myself, seemingly, than a city set on a hill could be bid-At this time day-light dawned into the