victions were very deep: fo that many times, when I have been praying for her, fhe hath been like a perfon convulfed : at other times like a woman in labour, travailing through the pangs of the new-birth. At laft the Lord gave her an affurance of his pardoning love under the preaching of Mr. Samuel Meggitt.

About this time I went to fee my fifter near Epworth, to inform her what the Lord had done for my foul. At first, when I converfed with her, fhe thought I was out of my mind; but at length hearkened to me. She told me a remarkable dream fhe had fome time before, in which fhe had been warned to lay aside the vain practice of card-playing, which she had been fond of. After I had returned home, fhe began to revolve in her mind what I had faid; and thought, "How can my brother have any view to deceive me? What intereft can he have in fo doing? Certainly my ftate is worse than I imagine, he fees my danger and I do not? Befides, he feems to be another man, he does not look, or speak, or act as he used to do." She therefore could not reft until fhe came to my father's houfe; and before the returned was thoroughly convinced she was a miserable finner.

In a fhort time I vifited her again, and afked her to go to hear Samuel Meggitt preach. She heard him with great fatisfaction. Afterward there was a love-feaft, and fhe being defirous to stay, at my request was admitted. As the people were finging a hymn on Chrift's coming to judgment; fhe looked up and faw all the people finging with a smile upon their countenance. She thought, "If Chrift was to come to judgment now, I fhall go to hell, and they will all go to heaven." Inftantly fhe funk down as if he was dying, and lay sometime before she was able to walk home. She continued praying and waiting upon God for about a fortnight; when one day going to the well to fetch water (like the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well) the found the God of Jacob open to her thirsty foul his love, as a well of water springing

up

up within her unto everlasting life; and as fhe returned from the well, her foul magnified the Lord, and her spirit rejoiced in God her Saviour.

So merciful was the Lord to my family, that four of them were brought to God in less than a year. My mother lived a happy witness of the love and favour of God three years and died in great peace. My father lived upwards of four years, happy in God his Saviour, and used to fay, "Now I am a little child turned of four years old." Meaning (although near fixty-five) that he had never lived to any good purpose or to the glory of God before. About half a year before his death, the Lord circumcifed his heart, fo that I believe he loved God with all his heart; and received a conftant abiding witnefs, that the blood of Chrift had cleanfed him from all fin.

When he was taken ill, I was preaching in Yorkshire; and as I returned home, it was impreffed upon my mind that my father was fick or dying. When I came near home I met two friends, one of whom told me, he believed my father lay a dying. As foon as he faw me he was much affected, for he longed to see me before he died. He faid to me, "Son, I am glad to see thee; but I am going to leave thee: I am going to God: I am going to heaven." I faid, "Father, are you fure of it?" Yes, faid he, "I am fure of it. I know that my Redeemer liveth. Upward of four years the Lord pardoned all my fins; and half a year ago he gave me that perfect love that cafts out all fear. At present I feel a heaven within me. Surely this heaven below muft lead to heaven above." When I perceived he was departing, I kneeled down by him, and with fervent prayer commended his foul to God, and I praise his holy name that he died in the full affurance of faith.

ago

My fifter lived a faithful witness of the love of Jefus sixteen years. She was remarkable for faith and prayer; and enjoyed the perfect love of God feveral years before her

death.

death. She had eight or nine children; had nothing of this world's goods to leave them; but left them a good example, and fent up prayers to heaven for them; and wished more to fee grace in their hearts than if fhe had thousands of gold and filver to leave them. She used to say to me, "Brother I believe all my children will be faved." When I feemed to doubt it, she answered, "But I pray in faith; and whatsoever we ask in prayer believing we fhall receive." Her eldest daughter died before her a little, aged twenty-one, in the triumph of faith. And it is remarkable fince her death, her children, as they grow up, one after another, are convinced of fin, brought to God, and join the Society.

I had a relation, Alice Shadford, who continued in earnest prayer for my converfion for twenty years as fhe told me ; and I believe that God heard and anfwered her prayers in my behalf. She was indeed a mother in Ifrael, lived a single life, and enjoyed the fear and love of God above fifty years. She died full of days, and full of grace, aged ninety-fix years. I often think there is fcarcely a perfon converted upon earth, but it is in answer to fome pious perfon's prayer, whom the Lord hath ftirred up to plead for them.

I had many doubts of my call to preach at first. I knew it was my duty to do good in the little way I began with. But, the important work of going forth publicly to call finners to repentance made me tremble. After a great ftruggle in my mind, at last I refolved to make the trial. The first place I went to from home was a little place called Wildfworth. Į believe there were not any there that knew God at that time. On Saturday night I continued three or four hours until past. midnight, in fervent prayer, that the Lord might point out my way. On Sunday morning I fet out to the little village alone; only I believed the Friend of finners was with me, As foon as I came there I gave notice of my errand; and quickly we had near a house full of people. In the first prayer was much affifted, and fome prefent began to drop

tears.

tears. Under the preaching feveral appeared cut to the heart; and the Lord bleffed his word to many. As foon as I had done, I gave notice that I would preach in the street at Eaft-Ferry. Several attended me thither, and when I had concluded, I went home perfectly fatisfied that God had called me to the work.

But very foon I was fadly difcouraged, feeing my own ig norance, and feeling my weakness. I reasoned with myfelf and Satan, until I thought the Lord required impoffibilities: that he gathered where he had not ftrewed. I would go to preach his word, but he had not given me a talent fufficient for the important work. How happy thought I are they in a private capacity, who have nothing to do but to be faithful in their little sphere; and have not the charge of the fouls of others! I gave way to this kind of reafoning for a month: till at times I made myself almoft as miferable as a demon. Then the Lord laid his chaftening rod upon me, and afflicted me for a feason; and fhewed me the worth of poor fouls perifhing in the broad way to deftruction. After this, I was made willing to go wherever he pleased to send me. So that when I began again to speak for him, his word was like the flaming fword which turned every way, to every heart; for, finners trembled and fell before it, and were both convinced and converted to God. I was often amazed at the condefcenfion of God, and his favour to me in all my weakness. I was like Gideon. I required token after token. As foon as the Lord made way and opened a door in any place, I formed a Society; and got the travelling Preachers to take it under their care as foon as I could.

But by loud, and long preaching, by walking more and farther than my ftrength could bear; by fitting up praying and reading many times until morning; I was foon worn. down and appeared to be in a fwift decline. At laft I fell into a fevere fever that continued seven weeks; and I expected to die, as did most that faw me. I never had any affliction,

in

in which I enjoyed fo much of the prefence of God as this. He was with me every moment night and day. I continually faw him, who is invifible, and rejoiced in hope of the glory of God. O! how did I defire to depart and to be with Chrift. had fuch views of my Father's houfe, the glory and happiness of that place, that I longed to be there. But one day as I was in bed, full of the love of God, I had a vifionary fight of two prodigious fields, in which I faw thousands of living creatures praying and wrestling in different places, in little companies. It appeared to me that I must be employed in that work too; and must go to help them. Whilft I was confidering what this could mean, I took up my Bible, and opened on these words in the Pfalms, "Thou fhalt not die but live, and declare the work of the Lord." I now believed I should recover, but was not fo refigned to live as to die. I compared myself to a ship tossed upon the tempestuous ocean for weeks and months together in great danger; at laft I got in fight of the wifhed for haven; when fuddenly a contrary wind drives me back to fea again. From this time I began gradually

to recover.

[To be continued.]

An Account of the Death of JANE NANCARROW.

[By Mr. John Moon.]

ANE NANCARROW was born at Grampound, in the

JANE

county of Cornwall, on the 27th of July 1752. Her parents, though mean, endeavoured to bring her up in the fear of God. At nine years of age she was bound apprentice to a Clothier at Penryn. From this time the Lord followed her with convictions; fo that at times under the word, she would cry with the jailer, "What must I do to be faved ?" But VOL. XIII. being

A a