knows my size, having clothed me in a miraculous manner for near five years. When you are in trouble, Sir, I hope you will tell my Master of this, and what you have done for me, and he will repay you with honour.

This is as near as I am able to relate it; and I added,

I cannot make out I. S. unless I put I for Israelite indeed, and S for Sincerity; because you did not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do.

About that time twelvemonth I got another pair of breeches in the same extraordinary manner, without my ever being measured for them. But perhaps my reader may blame me for this relation; and think that as the good man gave his alms entirely in secret, it ought not to be published to the world. To which I answer; our blessed Saviour, when he was on earth, spake his parables openly; but, when in private, he communicated to his disciples all the rich treasures of wisdom and knowledge that lay couched in them. Thus Christ gave his spiritual alms in secret; yet he commanded them to proclaim the riches of his grace upon the house tops. It is true, he charged his patients, when he healed them, not to tell any man what he had done; to shew them that he sought not the applause of man, but the honour of God, while he remained a bond-servant under

the law, and in a state of humiliation: yet, after his death, they were to proclaim the whole of it to all the world. And all that Christ healed by the disciples were allowed to proclaim it; and sometimes were presented before the councils as witnesses of his power. And, though our alms are to be in secret, and we are commanded to say we are unprofitable servants, yet the Redeemer, who graciously condescends to receive and accept the fruits of our faith, will proclaim them one day before all the offspring of Adam. "I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me." And, being stripped of all Arminianism, they said, "Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, &c. &c. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

These things plainly shew us that our alms ought to be given in secret, and that the giver ought to be silent about it: but the receiver ought not to be mute, but proclaim it to the honour of God, who opens the heart; and to the praise of his brother, who has done well through grace. Thus Paul and John, in their epistles, commend many who abounded in the grace of liberality.

As I was one frosty night going to Richmond to preach, when there was much snow on the ground, I met a poor cripple in a very deplorable condition. He solicited an alms of me; and I re

fused him, because I had but one shilling in all the world, and did not choose to part with that; however, I found myself greatly distressed because I did not give it to him, he appeared in such a miserable condition. I thought perhaps, in such a severe night as that was, he might perish for want of the necessaries of life. When I came to Richmond I told a friend of it, and said I thought him to be in a dreadful situation, because I was so much distressed about refusing to relieve him; declaring that if I met him again, I would give it him, if I never had another shilling of my own. The next night, as I was going to preach at a village adjacent, I met the same poor object, and had got the same shilling in my pocket, and no more. The poor creature passed me, but asked nothing of me; however, I turned back and gave him the shilling. The poor man received it with great joy and thankfulness, and told me a deal of his sufferings, which fully convinced me he was in great want; and this blessed passage of scripture came to my mind, "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again," Prov. xix. 17. I went that night and delivered my discourse; and when I had done a woman took me aside into a room, and put three half-crown pieces into my hand, saying, 'I was commanded to give you that.' I asked her, 'By whom?' She replied, 'By a gentleman; but you are not to know his name.' Thus I received my shilling again, with

very considerable interest; and thus also the fulfilment of the word took place, "There is that scattereth and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, and it tendeth to penury," Prov. xi. 24.

One providence I had almost forgot. We were at that time very badly off for beds and bedding; my children were no better provided than the Saviour when he laid in a manger, for they slept upon bags of hay: but prayer at a long run brought in these things also. Some of my most intimate acquaintances knew how I was tried in this respect, though I never made it known to any body who was capable of helping me out of my trouble. But one night, after I had done preaching at Richmond, a person invited me home to his house, and shewed me a large bundle tied up, saying it was for me. I asked who the donor was; he replied, You are not to know that.' I carried it home, when lo it proved to be bedding, and the very things I stood so much in need of! Thus the blessed Saviour fulfils his gracious promise which he made to his servants, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."

Some time after this I took gospel courage, and asked my Master to give me a new bed; and importuned his ever-blessed and most excellent Majesty until I got it. Perceiving that the Lord approved of a bold, though not of a presumptuous

beggar, agreeable to his word, Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, &c. I boldly asked him the favour, and persevered in it, until I was one day informed by a friend that four or five pious people were coming on such a day from London to visit me. Then my faith told me I should soon have the bed. Accordingly they came, and we had some comfortable conversation together. Toward evening they departed, giving me four guineas. O! what Christian in his right mind would murmur and complain at his poverty, when, with a watchful eye, he sees such liberal supplies poured forth from the inexhaustible stores of Providence! Thus God, who provided a comfortable lodging for Elisha the prophet, provided me a bed, a table, a stool, and a candlestick, 2 Kings iv. 10.

I was determined to keep this money for a bed; and therefore went to a good man in London, and bespoke one; which he very soon sent me, with a rug also, and a pair of very good blankets. Soon after I called to pay him for it; when he told me to pay his clerk, who gave me a receipt for the same; but afterwards the gentleman went a little way with me, and at his departure gave me all the money back again. How sweet are temporal mercies, when received by those who are under the influence of grace! when they are seen to come from a covenant God and Father, in answer to the simple prayer of faith! Surely he that will observe these things, even he shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord, Psalm cvii. 43. The pro