should not have been half so good if they had not washed away my sins at Loughborough."

or

By what a strange train of occurrences are the most important events of our lives frequently connected! Who would have thought that Saul of Tarsus was so near his conversion to the Christian faith when he set out on his journey to Damascus? who would have supposed that when Mr. Morris left his paternal home to enter the army he would so soon have been brought to renounce allegiance to sin, and to take his stand on the Lord's side? While he was under the care of kind parents, who consulted his spiritual welfare, the instructions with which he was favoured took no apparent effect; but when in the midst of all the dissipation of a soldier's life, the, power of divine grace wrought a change as unexpected as it was great.

It was not "the word preached" which first reached his conscience effectually, and led him in good earnest to sue for mercy, but a circumstance altogether accidental, as we should suppose, but without doubt under the superintendence of Divine Providence. By. the powerful energy of him who has "the hearts of all men in his bands," the most trifling occurrences shall arrest the attention, give rise to reflections the most serious and alarming, and speak to the inmost soul with a tongue of eloquence which awakens an almost stupified conscience, and calls into exercise the strongest feelings of the mind. The wasting of a candle-the tolling of a bell-the striking of a

clock-the sounding of a trumpet- are common incidents, which in the minds of thousands may not in the least disturb their ordinary track of thought; while to another an incident of this kind may be the turning point of his eternal destiny, and the means of "saving his soul from death." Mysterious and powerful are the

"quickens" theperations of that Divine agent who

are" dead in trespasses and sins." "The wind whoweth where it listeth, thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

With a strong feeling of the worth of his soul, and a decided determination to seek salvation, how hscure, for a time, were our friend's perceptions of the gospel! This must have occasioned considerable bondage of mind; and hence he imposed on himself the severe task of fasting, for thirty-eight hours successively, every week. Happy are they who when thy begin to "hunger and thirst after righteousness," attend a ministry which leads them to the "bread of life," and "the waters of salvation;" who are surrounded with Christian friends who rejoice to shew to them "the way of God more perfectly!" Mr. M. does not here state any particular manner in which his mind was relieved from the terrors of conscience, or time when "peace with God" was first enjoyed. Too much stress has often been laid on the mere circumstantials of conversion. Many weak minds and tender consciences have been unnecessarily dis-.

tressed because the time when convictions were first felt, and peace first enjoyed, and the immediate cause of these feelings, could not be ascertained. But if what is essential to this change exist, if "repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ," have been, and are exercised, it is of little consequence if we cannot ascertain when or how these were produced, since we know that they are the certain marks of salvation. The mind of Mr. M. seems gradually to have been opened to discover the glory of the gospel, and as gradually to have imbibed its consolations.

It is no wonder that the change which took place in his conduct, excited at once the surprise and opposition of his comrades. It has ever been the lot of real religion, whose Founder was called “a madman, and one that had a devil," to be contemned and persecuted. But its gentle spirit breathes the prayer"Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." The persecution which Mr. M. suffered, and the manner in which he bore it, copying him "who when he was reviled, reviled not again," afforded a proof, both of the sincerity and the heavenly nature of that religion, with which he now began to be experimentally acquainted. May we, my dear friend, drink more deeply into this lovely spirit of the Saviour, and have grace to exemplify all its holy effects!

I am, &c.

P.S. The case of Mr. Morris brings to my mind that of several others, who were made subjects of

divine grace in circumstances equally remarkable. I need not mention to you the conversion of the late venerable Newton. I know a person who now serves God in the gospel of his Son, and has been many years a minister of Jesus Christ, who after having long heard in vain the prayers of a pious parent, and the preaching of the gospel, left his native shores, and on the bosom of the deep, amidst the blasphemy of 'the profane, was brought as a wanderer back to God, and spent many hours unperceived in the long boat in "strong crying and tears." I have by me a letter, which breathes the true spirit of Christianity, written by a soldier in the Oxford Blues, whose first permanent religious impressions were received on a field of battle in Spain, and who afterwards fell on the sanguinary plains of Waterloo. "The Lord's arm is not shortened." Let us hope that in our army and navy many such instances occur.

LETTER III.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

AT any time and in any circumstances, it is pleasing to see the power and purity of real religion displayed amidst the surrounding vices of a world" alienated from the life of God." But here are some things which render its appearance

t

unusually interesting. A young man, scarcely twentyfour years of age,-in the army, a situation most unfavourable to any thing serious,-without a friend to be the guide of his youth,-seeking with an ardour which nothing could damp, the favour of God and the welfare of his soul;-enduring with calmness and constancy the frowns of his officers and the opposition of his fellow-soldiers, while he was in fact but a babe in grace." That part of his history which I now send you will shew, that "the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day."

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My next quarters (continues the narrative) were at Nottingham, in the year 1771. Here I had an opportunity of hearing a great variety of preachers, and among the rest Mr. Medley, on his journey from Watford to Liverpool, with whose sermons on the Lord's day I was much pleased and profited. One of his texts, I remember, was from 1 Kings xxii. 34: 'And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host, for I am wounded.' Many things which he said in his sermon were peculiarly important and useful to me; and particularly his observations on the desire of every convinced sinner to be kept from the noise and bustle of this sinful world, while speaking from the latter part of his text, carry me out of the host for I am wounded.'