tail corn, which I sell for swine and fowls.' My wife told him that would do; but did not inform him for what use it was intended. This was ground at the mill, and was very cordially received by us ; as the love of God which we enjoyed in our hearts, more than counterbalanced all the poverty we laboured under: for I well knew it was decreed by God himself that his people should have tribulation in this world, but in Christ Jesus they should have peace. And love made the yoke easy, and the burden light; for, if at any time a murmuring thought entered my mind, it was soon quelled by considering that Christ lived on the alms of his poor followers, and that he was worse off than either the foxes or the birds; as it is written, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." This has often made my bowels yearn within me, silenced all my murmurings, and dissolved my heart in gospel gratitude.

My dame and I now kept house at a very cheap rate; two shillings and sixpence per week carried us through tolerably well. As for the world's dainties, we were satisfied without them; for we knew that the grace of God had enabled us to choose that good part which shall never be taken from us; therefore patience had, in a manner, her perfect work. We soon saved upwards of twenty shil-. lings; with which, on the Saturday night, I set off to Kingston, to get some of my clothes out of pawn, leaving money in the hands of my dame to get half

a bushel of barley. It so happened that the apparel which I went to redeem came to so much, with the interest, that I had not any money left to bring home. This was a great trial to us; because our poor little girl, who had been but lately weaned, had nothing to carry her through the week but bare barley cakes; and, though she would eat barley, yet I could not endure to see her live on that only. On the Monday following I went heavily to work, and very much distressed to know how my poor little one was to live. I reflected with indignation on myself for parting with my money; thinking I had better have gone without my clothes, than have exposed my poor little one to want the necessaries of life. But, as I went over a bridge that led to my work, I cast my eye on the right hand side, and there lay a very large eel on the mud by the river side, apparently dead. I caught hold of it, and soon found it was only asleep. With difficulty I got it safe out of the mud upon the grass, and then carried it home. My little one was very fond of it, and it richly supplied all her wants that day. But at night I was informed the eel was all gone, so the next day afforded me the same distress and trouble as the preceding day had done. When going to my work, cruelly reflecting on myself for parting with all my money, .just as I entered the garden gates I saw a partridge lie dead on the walk. I took it up, and found it warm; so I carried it home, and it richly supplied the table of our little one that day. A few days

after this my master told me he had found a partridge on the garden walk also, but that it stunk. I told him I had found one a little before that time. He said that two males had been fighting, and had killed each other, which was very common.

I was enabled to look higher.

But

Carnal reason always traces every thing from God to second causes, and there leaves them floating upon uncertainties; but faith traces them up to their first cause, and fixes them there; by which means God's hand is known, and himself glorified. I believe this battle between the plumed warriors was proclaimed by the Lord: for, if a sparrow falls not to the ground without God's leave, as the scriptures declare, I can hardly think a partridge does.

The third day arrived, and I was still in the same case as before. As I went to my work I saw a bird's nest in one of the shrubs; which, upon examination, I found to be the nest of a large bird, with four young ones in it, just ready to fly. It was with much reluctance I stormed and plundered the little simple citadel, but necessity hath no law; therefore I was forced to rob the poor dam of her young, and leave her mourning and lamenting, while my young one lived upon her's. However, I found it was no sin in God's sight. "If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young ones or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young; but thou shalt in

any wise let the dam go, and take the young to thee, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days," Deut. xxii. 6, 7.

These birds served for that day very well; but the next day found me still unprovided, as before, and brought forth fresh work for faith and prayer. However, the morrow still took thought for the things of itself: for, when I came to take the scythe in my hand to mow the short grass, I looked into the pond, and there I saw three very large carp lying on the water, apparently sick. When my master came to me I told him of it. He went and looked, and said they were dead; and told me I might have them, if I would, for they were not in season. However, they came in due season to me. And I found morning after morning, there lay two or three of these fish at a time, dead, just as I wanted them; till I believe there was not one live fish remaining, six inches long, in that pond, which was near three hundred feet in length.

While musing on, and admiring, the tender care of my God in his providence, and wondering what could move him thus to pity such a sinner; who was so unworthy of his grace, mercy, and truth, as well as of his providential regard; these words came to my mind," He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish," Psal. cv. 29. Mrs. Webb, the woman before mentioned, has often partaken of these spoils; and the incredulous are very welcome to make inquiry into the matter, for which purpose I have informed them where she lives. My

master told me he thought it was the heat of the sun that killed them; and I believe it was: but I knew that the sun and his heat were both from God; and that the sun shined in due season for me. And it much amazed me to see God so kind, even in temporal matters. It led me to search his blessed word for similar circumstances. And, when I read of the distress and simple covenant of Jacob; of God's changing the colour of Laban's cattle, that they might change their master; and of God's blessing his simple means of peeling the rods, that the pregnant dams might look at them, and bring forth accordingly, and so setting the dams a-longing to bring forth a motley progeny like the rods, which he set in the troughs, and the dream of the speckled ram begetting the spotted inheritance of faith; I could not help weeping, and admiring the unmerited goodness of my God in setting the birds of the air to war, sending the sun-beams with such a hostile force as to slay the inhabitants of the floods, suffering the eel to sleep till the hand of the necessitous had entangled him, and directing my eyes to the little lodgment of birds, when all other supplies seemed to be cut off. It so operated on my mind, that I cannot describe the humility, compunction, love, joy, and peace, which I felt. O the goodness of God to the children of men! I evidently saw that, both in providence and grace, God is the same to us as he was to the saints in days of old, and that they had no preeminence over us in the covenant of grace at all; but that Jesuś