view; I saw it was the mercy of God that I was out of hell, and promised to amend my life in future-I went home under awful sensations of a future state; my convictions increased, and I began to read my bible with attention, and saw things in a different light from what I had ever seen them before, and made many promises to God, with tears and groans, to forsake sin; but I knew not the way to Christ for refuge, being ignorant of the nature both of con. viction and conversion. But, blessed be God, he still gave me light, so that the work was deepened in my soul day by day: The preacher came to preach in our neighbourhood, and I went to hear him again; it being a new thing in the place, brought many together to hear him. Some were presbyterians, some baptists, and others without any professions of religion. He took his text and preached with power; the word reached my heart in such a powerful man. ner that it shook every joint in my body; tears flowed in abundance, and I cried out for mercy, of which the people took notice, and many others were melted into tears; when the ser mon was over, the people flocked round the preacher, and began to dispute with him about principles of religion. I said that there never was such preaching as this; but the people said, Abbot is going mad.

I returned home with my family in sore distress and pondered these things in my mind: I saw it was the mercy of God that I was out of hell. I cried to God for mercy, but it seemed all in vain. It brought to my mind the many times his holy Spirit had strove with me from time to time when I was a small boy, and from that time to this; Satan suggested to me that my day of grace was now over, and that I was one of those damned reprobates that God had as.

signed over to him from all eternity; therefore, Imight pray and cry, but he was sure of me at last. Being brought up in the doctrine of elec tion and reprobation, I concluded that I should be damned do what I could: by this time my case became desperate. I knew not what to do, and was almost in despair. One day going to mill, I felt such a hell in my breast arising from a guilty conscience, and being belated in my res turn, as I was passing through a piece of woods, the devil suddenly suggested to my mind, that as I was one of the reprobates and there was no mercy for me, I had better hang myself and know the worst of it. While I was looking for a suitable place for that purpose, I thought I heard a voice saying, (alluding to the anxiety and distress of soul that I then felt) "This torment is nothing to hell." I immediately changed my mind and drove home under the greatest anxiety imaginable, for it appeared to me the devil was behind me in the waggon with his hand just over my head, threatening to take me away both soul and body. I cannot express my feelings at that time, my hair arose on my head through fear. I was afraid to look back, lest I should visibly see him. In this deplorable condition I returned home; when I got into the house I dared not go outside of the door, for fear the devil would take me away. My wife saw that something was the matter with me, and enquired what it was; for, said she, "You look like death." I was constrained to turn from her and weep, for I expected she knew my condition, as she had been a member of the presbyterian church for many years, and was a praying woman.

Bed

time being come, I told her I should sleep by myself; when I lay down, and fell into a doze, my mind was filled with awful apparitions. I thought I saw devils ready to take me; hell open

ready to receive me and that I was rolling, bed and all, into the flames, while other huge devils stood ready to receive me. Then I would suddenly awake in the greatest distress imaginable, and so I continued during the night. Next morning, being the 9th of October 1772, having a piece of grass to cut, I arose and went to it: as soon as I began to mow, I was taken with fainting fits, and it seemed to me that the earth would open and swallow me up, while my troubled heart beat so loud that I could hear the strokes, and could compare it to two men a boxing or threshing, more than like its usual motion. It occurred to my mind, what is all the world to me; I shall be dead and damned before the setting sun.This caused me to lay down my scythe, while I stood weeping for my sins; but alas! all in vain. I still grew worse, and went back to the house under great distress, where I read some hymns, that I had in a book, of the sufferings of our bles sed Lord and Saviour. Here my heart was tendered and I could weep freely, until my very cheeks were sore with wiping them. It was press. ed upon me to pray, and perhaps the Lord would have mercy upon me. I endeavoured to comply with the impression, and went to a lonely place and kneeled down to pray; but the devil suggested to my mind that there was somebody hid in the woods, and they would laugh at me, so I arose and looked all round for them, but could see no one, yet I dared not pray there. However I went to the other end of my field and kneeled down again; here the enemy suggested the same thing, but the Lord gave me strength to pray, it being the first time I ever prayed with a vocal voice. My prayer was not like the pharisee; but like the poor publican, I cried, "God be merciful to me, a sinner!" God have mercy on me! I believe I might have been heard half a mile; my

distress was not so great when I rose from prayer as when I kneeled; for I believe I could not have continued in the body, if God had not moderated the pain and anxiety that I was in,' but must have expired before the going down of the sun. Glory to God, I felt my distress somewhat removed! I then returned to the house and sat down to dinner, but my soul was still in so great distress that I could not eat; although I put food into my mouth and chewed it, yet I could not swallow it; so, in as private a manner as possible, that my wife should not discover my anxiety, I threw it to the dog, and asked her if she would go with me to meeting, as a methodist preacher was to preach in the neighbourhood that afternoon, she agreed, and we went. When we got there, the people not being assembled, I retired into the woods to pray, and got in among the boughs of a fallen tree, and then in the utmost anguish of my soul I cried unto God for mercy, so loud that the people at the house heard me. After this, I felt something easier, but still had no peace. I then went to one of the near neighbours, and advised them to go with me and hear the preacher, whom I spake so highly of, that they all went. When we got there the preacher had come, and there was a large concourse assembled a great many more than could get into the house. I went in, sat down, and took my little son upon my knee-the preacher began soon after. His word was attended with such power that it ran through me from head to foot, and I shook and trembled like Belshazzar, and felt that I should cry out, if I did not leave the house, which I determined to do, that I might not expose myself by crying out among the people but when I attempted to put my little son down and rise to go, I found that my

strength had failed me, and the use of my limbs was so far gone that I was utterly unable to rise. Immediately I cried aloud, like the penitent of old, Save, Lord, or Iperish-But before the preacher concluded, I refrained and wiped my eyes; my heart gave way to shame, and I was tempted to wish I was dead or could die, as I had so exposed myself that my neighbours and acquaintance would laugh at and despise me. When meeting was over I thought to speak, to the preacher, but such a croud got round him, disputing points of doctrine, that I could not conveniently get an opportunity. That evening I set up family prayer, it being the first time I ever had attempted to pray in my family. My wife being a strict presbyterian and professor of religion, she was a praying woman and much pleased with having family prayer: so that she proved a great help to me and endea. voured to encourage me in my duty; although, dear creature, at that time, she knew nothing of experimental religion.

Saturday 10th of October, 1772, my distress continued, although not so great as the day be fore.

Sunday the 11th, my wife and I went eleven or twelve miles to meeting, in order to hear the same methodist preacher again. When we arrived at the place, the preacher was walking across a field; I went and related to him my distress of soul, and told him that I had a desire to be baptised, hoping it would be of service to make me better, and relieve me of my distress; for I had no idea of faith in Christ, He asked me if I was a quaker. I told him no, I was nothing but a poor wretched condemned sinner. He then exhorted me to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and applied the promises of the gospel: I replied, I could not believe that Christ would have mercy on such a sinner as I