their business, and greatly surprised me, as I had never heard a word of it before, neither from the girl or her parents, nor had I any thoughts of it; though I knew in my own conscience what I might justly have expected. However, this was not to be my wife by any means; she was appointed for another; and I have got the woman that was appointed for me. I believe these things are as firmly settled in God's decrees, as the certain salvation of God's elect. But to return

I went up stairs, and informed my master of the affair; who wrote a letter to a counsellor in the neighbourhood, and sent it by me; which I delivered, and then went with the men to Cranbrook, where I met with the father of the girl and the parish officers. When I appeared before the bench, the magistrates had a written order drawn up, expressive of the sum I was to pay; but I prevented them, by telling them there was no call for that, if I chose to marry her. The father of the girl said I should not have her; the parish officers said the same. Their reason for that was, because I belonged to their parish at that time, and they were afraid of a large family coming on them as a parish charge. The counsellor, to whom my master sent the letter, dissuaded me from it also. So I thought I had no right to pay. However, I was given to understand that, as she was very young, I must pay, though the man refused to give me his daughter.

However, there was not a year's difference between her age and mine; and, as she was old enough for a mother, she was old enough for a wife. But I knew no more of law than law knew of me; therefore what they said I was obliged to stand to. I honourably paid down what was demanded at that time, and received an order to pay a stated sum quarterly; which I did punctually, until it pleased God to lay his afflicting hand on me, which occasioned me to quit my place; and, being ill a considerable time, so reduced me to penury, that I could not pay it. Being again afflicted at my place at Charren (as is related in my BANK OF FAITH) kept me still poor, so that I found it impossible for me to pay the money: therefore, as soon as I recovered health, I took my leave of Cranbrook. And after my departure I found my love sickness come on me, as strong at times as ever, and I was vexed for consenting to pay the money; because my perpetual afflictions would render it impossible for me ever to do it; and, if I could not, I could never return, for fear of a prison; and all hope of that object, as a wife, was cut entirely off. Thus the door behind me was shut; and, go wherever I would, I carried nothing but the pressures of hopeless love. Conscience also begun to make strange work within for what I had done; insomuch, that at times my sleep departed from me, and I scarcely closed my eyes for whole

nights together; and yet, at certain intervals, cruel jealousy gathered a desperate balm from the crime itself; for I should never have been able to endure the thought of her dropping as a pure maiden into the hands of another, after all these fatigues of baffled love. To be plain-I was glad that I had not allowed that beloved prize to escape out of my hands, to gratify and satisfy a rival of mine with the honourable tokens of her virginity, Deut. xxii. 15-20. But, notwithstanding jealousy's cure, a guilty conscience would often lay open, before God, the wounds healed by that desperate remedy.

However, I kept my vows and promises that I made to her until I heard that she was married to another; and, if I remember right, I heard of her death before I married.

Providence frowning perpetually on me, and the many afflictions that followed me, rendered it an impossibility with me to pay the money. But some time after I was called by grace, and I found the Lord began to smile a little in a way of providence; I went down to Marden, in Kent, to a capital farmer, whose name is Mainard, with whom I was well acquainted; and as I had been informed that he professed the gospel, I told him of the dealings of God with me, and begged him to go to Frittenden, and settle this matter with the parish, on my behalf; and that I would shortly remit him the money. He wept when

he saw the grace that God had given me, and promised to settle the affair; but he failed of the performance of his promise, which I attributed to his forgetfulness, or the indisposition of his mind to it. Howbeit, as soon as Providence had put a little money into my hands, he sent the parish officers to me; and, though I knew that they could not recover any money of me by law, on account of her marrying, and for other reasons, yet I honourably gave the parish thirty pounds, exclusive of what I had paid before.. And now, to be brief with my reader, this crime of mine was blotted out of the book of God's remembrance, when the Saviour entered the Holy of Holies, with his own blood; it was blotted out of the book of my conscience almost twelve years ago, by the application of the Saviour's atonement; and the receipt that I have in my study shews that it is blotted out of the pa

rish books of Frittenden in Kent.

Thus, courteous reader, I have given thee a punctual account how this matter was settled, both in heaven and in earth; and I believe my dear brethren, who have been so busy in carrying the tidings, and who have so often varied in the story, will readily agree to settle it also, as soon as I am laid in my grave:-though, to be plain, I do not think that all of them are offended at the crime; but I am afraid some are more offended at the rays of superabounding grace.

My reasons for these fears are, because they often mention the former with a degree of pleasure; but hear of the latter with apparent grief. But enough of this; it is only a hint by the way.

Notwithstanding every report that is spread, and every crime that I have committed, I verily believe I shall be found, in the great day, among those "which were not defiled with women,' who are called virgin souls, Rev. xiv. 4. The ground of this my confidence is, because "he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body," 1 Cor. vi. 18; that is, he sins against his own flesh and blood. But our vile bodies must be changed, Phil. iii. 21; for "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither can corruption inherit incorruption."-Behold then I have shewn (my reader) a mystery, 1 Cor. xv. 50, 51. But I must return, and shew my reader another crime, which, according to the judgment of some, is an iniquity to be punished by the judges, Job xxxi. 11; and that is with regard to my name.

Various reports have been spread abroad about this weighty matter; without considering that a person who is a partaker of two natures, has a just right to two Names. Names are subject to change, according to scripture, unless they are unalterably fixed by the Lord's shall; as, for instance; Thou shalt no more be called Jacob;