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Children," which greatly affected him, and made him retire into a corner to pray; but his serious beginnings wore off; and he at length made such progress in sin, that he gloried in his shame.

Mr. C's father, intending him for business, placed him in a considerable House in the City: from this he was removed to another, where he staid longer; but returned home through illness. He felt wholly averse to trade, but was devoted to literature and the arts. At a very early age he wrote pieces, which he sent on hazard to the editors of the periodical publications, who thought them worthy of insertion. His father, a man of extensive reading, and who had himself received a classical education, accidentally met with a poetical piece which he greatly admired: his son affirmed himself the author of it; but his father thought it incredible,

ness of the cases, which occupy and harass the mind. He had been much exercised and depressed by some circumstances of domestic trial. They had almost wholly occupied his thoughts, and appeared of deep interest and importance. But he compared them now with that far heavier trial which his family was so near encountering, of seeing him brought home a corpse, and he then felt them to be comparatively trifles, and to be treated as trifles.

A third lesson, he said, was very obvious, but it was now brought home with peculiar force to him, and that was-to be always ready." I went out yesterday, and I came in again with safety. I am going out to-day, and I shall return when my business is finished"-" No!"-the Lord may say concerning me, "you shall return no more. Your time is come. My messenger waits for you with a summons!"

He attended divine service on the following Sunday, though he did not think it prudent to preach. Thanks were publicly returned by him in the congregation, and the psalms sung in the course of the service bore such an allusion to his deliverance, and were so admirably selected for this purpose, that the congregation was evidently much affected by the service.

till his son, taking another subject given him by his father, and retiring a short time, produced a poem which satisfied his father that he was the author of the one in question.

Mr. Cecil had a marvellous power and flexibility of mind, which would have rendered him distinguished, in whatever he had pursued. He had an affection for all the Arts, but his predominant passion was for painting. This he pursued insatiably. He attended all picture sales, and practised at home; and was so intent on his point, that he set out unknown to his parents on a ramble to France, from a desire to see the paintings of the greatest Masters, and would have proceeded to Rome, had not the means of travelling failed. He returned home, and continued to live with his father; who perceiving his ardour for painting did not abate, at length proposed his going to Rome, (where he had an acquaintance) as an Artist. To this proposal Mr. C. agreed; but a circumstance took place which prevented it, and he remained still under the roof of his father for some timesunk in the depths of sin, and hardening his conscience by reading books of infidelity, till he became a professed Infidel himself. He endeavoured to instil the same principles into others: with some he awfully succeeded, whom he since endeavoured to reclaim, but in vain.

While Mr. C. was proceeding in such a course of evil, it pleased God by his Spirit to rouse his

mind to reflections, which gave a turn to his future life.

Lying one night in bed, he was contemplating the case of his mother. "I see," said he, within himself, "two unquestionable facts. First, my mother is greatly afflicted, in circumstances, body, and mind; and yet I see that she cheerfully bears up under all, by the support she derives from constantly retiring to her closet and her Bible. Secondly, that she has a secret spring of comfort of which I know nothing; while I, who give an unbounded loose to my appetites, and seek pleasure by every means, seldom or never find it. If however there is any such secret in religion, why may not I attain it as well as my mother?—I will immediately seek it of God." He instantly rose in his bed and began to pray. But he was soon damped in his attempt, by recollecting that much of his mother's comfort seemed to arise from her faith in Christ. Now," thought he, "this Christ have I ridiculed: He stands much in my way, and can form no part of my prayers." In utter confusion of mind, therefore, he lay down again. Next day, however, he continued to pray to" the Supreme Being:" he began to consult books and to attend preachers: his difficulties were gradually removed, and his objections answered; and his course of life began to amend. He now listened to the pious admonitions of his mother, which he had before affected to receive with pride and scorn: yet they

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had fixed themselves in his heart, like a barbed arrow; and, though the effects were at the time concealed from her observation, yet tears would fall from his eyes as he passed along the streets from the impression she had left on his mind. Now, he would discourse with her, and hear her without outrage; which led her to hope, that a gracious principle was forming in his heart, and more especially as he then attended the preaching of the Word. Thus he made some progress; but felt no small difficulty in separating from his favourite connections. Light, however, broke into his mind, till he gradually discovered that Jesus Christ, so far from "standing in his way," was the only way, the truth, and the life, to all that come unto God by Him.

While Mr. C. pursued this new course, his father began to take alarm; and said to him one evening

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I know not what to do with you. I have made two experiments for your subsistence: I have offered to bring you into my own business, which at my death will be as good as an estate to you: you have rejected all my proposals. You now seem to be taking a religious turn: but I tell you plainly, that, if you connect yourself with Dissenters or Sectaries, I will do nothing for you, living or dying; but if you chuse to go regularly into the Church, I will not only bear the expense of a University, for which you have had some education, Mr. Cecil's own expression.

but I will buy you a Living on your entering into Orders." Mr. C. promised to consider this proposal; and, finding his father continued in the same mind, he went (on the recommendation of Dr. Bacon, an old family acquaintance) to Queen's College, Oxford, May 19, 1773.

I have heard him mention, with much feeling, many deep and secret conflicts of mind with which he was exercised while at College: added to which, he had to meet many insults which profligate men offer to piety. Under these impressions, he was one day walking in the Physic Gardens, where he observed a very fine Pomegranate Tree, cut almost through the stem, near the root. On asking the gardener the reason of this, "Sir," said he, "this tree used to shoot so strong, that it bore nothing but leaves. I was therefore obliged to cut it in this manner; and when it was almost cut through, then it began to bear plenty of fruit." The The gardener's explanation of this act conveyed a striking illustration to Mr. C's mind, and he went back to his rooms comforted and instructed by this image.

On Sept. 22d, 1776, Mr. Cecil was ordained Deacon on the Title of The Rev. Mr. Pugh, of Rauceby, in Lincolnshire. In the Lent Term following, he took the degree of B. A. with great credit; and, soon after, took his name off the books. On Feb. 23d, 1777, he was admitted to Priest's Orders. With Mr. Pugh he staid but a short time; for at Mr. Pugh's request, he went to serve three

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