My congregation now enjoyed a little respite, and we walked comfortably in the ways of God; but this was of short duration. A gentleman, who came to live in the place, kept a great retinue of servants; who, by their number, countenance, and the assistance of their master's cellar, gave fresh life to the vanquished host. This caused my neighbours to rally their forces for a re-engagement. But, after a few weeks hotter battle than the first, God's Bow appeared bent again. One poor youth, who had long blasphemed at the door, even in my face, when preaching, was taken ill, and put to bed. In the same evening a fellow-servant went to see how he did, and found him dangerously ill. He asked her what hour the clock struck. She answered, Eleven. Oh,' said he,' at twelve I Accordingly, when the clock struck twelve, he swore a dreadful oath; and divine vengeance immediately loosed the hinge of his jaw; it fell; and, having filled up the measure of his sin, he was allowed to swear no more. This was another arrow from the quiver of God.

shall run my last.'

This circumstance, however, put but little stop to the enraged mob. Countenanced as they were by the bench; encouraged from the pulpit; together with the assistance which they received from the parish officers; these were sufficient to strengthen any hands against Christ, especially where preventing grace is withheld. Soon, therefore, were our doors and windows broken to pieces again; and even part of a neighbour's wall was

pulled down, to furnish them with materials for mischief. The owner of the wall, not being a man of our lineage, applied to a clergyman, who held the temporal sword of God, and he found redress; the enemies being obliged to build up the wall again at their own expense: but, as to the damage which we had sustained, we could procure no redress; consequently were obliged to repair the injury done at our own cost. This effectually convinced us that our vain repetitions, formerly put up in a state of ignorance, for magistrates to receive grace, 'to execute justice, and to maintain truth,' were never heard; because Truth appeared the greatest enemy that they had.

Some time after this a man came into the meeting, at a time while I was preaching, dressed in a woman's bonnet, petticoat, and a black oil-skin cloak; his face smeared with tallow, and coloured with soot: he placed himself in a corner of the room, and stood motionless, till the audience were thrown into confusion, and then he withdrew. The next day we were hooted through the village, and were told that the devil had made his appearance at our meeting the night before: and so the event nearly justified; for, not many days after, this very man was sent to Kingston jail for debt; but, as he was a friend to the High Church, a minister, and some others, raised a contribution, in order to release him; which in a short time was effected accordingly. However, although he again appeared abroad, he never afterwards insulted us: but one

day as he was sitting in his chair, the devil entered into him in reality; for he jumped up, cried out, ran to the Bible and Common-Prayer Book quite distracted; then rushed into the street; and was obliged to be brought into the house again by force, and put to bed. He told his fellow-persecutors that he should have one more race, and that would be his last; then made his escape a second time: and, with no other covering but his shirt, ran into the Red Lion yard, where he was again secured, brought back, dressed, and set in a chair. A third time, however, he escaped from all their hands, and ran down what is called Moulsey-lane, his fellow persecutors pursuing him; and, when they had secured him, he bit at them like a dog. By force they brought him back again, and once more set him in his chair, where shortly he closed his eyes in death. His name was Scurving: by trade a barber. Thus God" cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them," Psalm lxxviii. 49.

After this awful display of divine vengeance, we had, if I may be allowed the expression, a cessation of arms; and were allowed to assemble together for prayer and preaching without going with our lives in our hands. The family, whose servants generally led the van, returned to London for the winter season. And now we began to think we had fought as good soldiers of Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. ii. 3; and through God's everlasting

love, were more than conquerors. Our enemies shut their mouths at us, and we were in hopes that the last bow that was bent had discharged the arrows of the Lord's deliverance, 2 Kings xiii. 17.

Accordingly, we were now favoured with some comfortable meetings; our hearts were happily united to each other; and, the more dangers we waded through, the more conspicuous did the hand of God appear, and the more invincible we found his armour to be.

In this day of prosperity we were joyful; but, after a few months were over, came the day of adversity, in which we were obliged to consider; finding, by woful experience, that it is " through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom of God."

In the spring following the family returned to Ditton, which gave fresh hope and life to our adversaries, who had hitherto met with nothing but a constant defeat; therefore on the next preaching night they made a fresh attempt at Lot's door, to see if their former allies would join them again in this impious and unjustifiable war; which they accordingly did. They then threw bricks and stones, until there was not a pane of glass left. The window shutters, which were an inch thick, and barred across, were also shattered to pieces; insomuch that we were obliged to stop up all the windows with brickwork, totally exclude the use of glass, and ever afterwards make use of candle both in summer and winter.

When the engagement was finished, we were informed that our enemies held a council how they should be marshalled the next lecture night. An upper servant, in a certain family, undertook to muster an army, and bound himself, with many oaths, that he would pull the fellow (meaning me) out of his hole, as he was pleased to term the pulpit. But in this undertaking he had no better success than the forty Jews, who bound themselves with a great curse, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. The evening arrived; I heard them sound to arms, attended with a band of rough music. Some called in the scattered troops from their respective quarters by ringing the church bells; some with oaths and halloos shouted for the battle; while others were no less busy in storming the place with bricks and stones. I sat at home and heard their uproar, till my very soul sunk within me; and indeed I entertained some thoughts of turning back in the day of battle. But this word soon put my cowardice to flight, "He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it," Matt. x. 39. I then left I then left my habitation, and went through the confused ranks of this enraged host to our place of worship, with no other armour than half a grain of faith in my heart, and a little Bible in my pocket. Thus armed I delivered my message, and returned home in safety; escaping the threatening of their ungodly leader, who happened, it seemed, to be absent. We were after