tained with compassion and forgiveness, without resent. ment or hatred. We sued for this charitable mind and demeanour towards those mistaken persons, who, prejudiced to their own opinions, represent us as not preaching the word of God soundly. Lord, it is thy pleasure to try me with the reproaches of the wanton and careless; and with the misapprehensions of those who, having conceived unsafe evidences of faith, blame me that I speak not as they do, and ignorantly oppose themselves. Lord, keep me in a charitable temper to endure with meekness the outrages of the one and the prejudiced mistakings of the other of these, betwixt whom my lot is fallen to me! We intreated also thy blessing on our society of ministers. Grant, O God, that it may be a blessed instrument of reviving true practical religion. Keep us from pride, and debate, and jealousy! grant us to watch over one another in love! and be thou ever with us enlarging all our hearts with zeal, constancy, and charity, and mortifying the world and our lusts continually; that as we are separated to the ministry, we may mind this one thing, to feed the sheep. And to me, O my Gon, give all needful direction, that I may speak boldly and prudently among them, humbly and affectionately, without pride or resentment. See now, my soul, the work before thee; but shrink not: Remember how God hath visited thee this day. Be strong and of good courage, and yet be fearful lest thou let any thing of all this slip. Thou great Shepherd, leave me not. Amen."

Tuesday, April 27, 1756. "I have found myself this day greatly exercised by fear of men. I would, I hope, be, and live wholly to GoD's glory, and act as his interests require; but I experience a lurking desire of man's esteem mixing with the natural timidity of my constitution, which makes me inwardly draw back from any approaching trial, in which I am to look in the face persons of an angry and violent temper. It is to the free and mighty influence of the Spirit of GoD I owe it, that this fear hath not dominion, and that, in despite of it, I am enabled to persist in the ways of Gon and the discharge of my duty, in opposition to this secret enemy. Yet I have reason to suspect, that though it doth not hinder me from doing, yet it cramps me in doing. I desire to wait with patience, to be humbled, to be thankful for the measure of liberty bestowed on me, and to believe always that his grace is sufficient for me. How hard is it to be angry and sin not! as much as self mixes, it is sinful. I think, not more than

twice in my life have I been angry without plainly seeing sin. I suppose true gospel Znλos [zeal] does not ruffle the temper, nor leave any perturbation behind it. It must be perfectly consistent with meekness, and is sinful, if not accompanied with compassion: He looked about upon them with indignation, being grieved at the hardness of their hearts. Surely our zeal and meekness bear proportion to our humility. I have most zeal and least wildfire when I am most humbled in the sense of my sins. Lord, make me humble! Lord, keep me humble!"

Tuesday June 15, 1756. "I know not how many evil tempers I have found working this day, particularly conceit, when conversing with. I have been kept from trials this day, so can say nothing what degrees of prevalence I am under of fear of men. I have come very short of that actual communion with GoD by meditation and ejaculation that I wish for."

Monday, June 28. "Sloth and business have prevented me on the days past from continuing my journal, but I am sensible of the want of it. I cannot walk closely with GOD without daily watchfulness and examination. Yesterday's sermon related to a sense of the sinfulness of sin, as the great principle on which conversation stands contradistinguished from servile fear. I cannot be so clear as I wish on this point.--In private exercises I find a desire to serve GOD, and wish to see him glorified: But my heart I find exceedingly selfish in the world.-This day on the road to, I enjoyed useful meditation two hours; my heart much drawn up to Gon, and approving his service and presence: But in the remainder of my journey I was confused, and sometimes found myself carried away by carnal fears and proud reasonings. Í resolved to be silent in the company I was to meet, if I might not be serviceable, and have found this evening the need and difficulty of being so: GOD grant me the spirit of meekness and charity."

Wednesday, June 30. "I find it exceeding difficult to hold communion with GoD when not more immediately engaged in ministerial duties. Conversation this day has been rather about religion than religious. I want more of Christ's temper of meekness, having reason to suspect myself too solicitous when blamed unjustly. I see how vain it is to think of gaining Christ without forsaking all. Lord, make me more and more dead to the world."

Monday, July 5. "I was striving much in prayer last night and this morning for a sense of the sinfulness of sin. My heart seems to have been quickened by it through the

day,

day, to keep close with GoD: Yet how often have I forgotten him! O that I could love him more! I have been kept pretty much from fear respecting an approaching trial, being possessed with desire of professing Christ, with some confidence in his protection, and with compassion toward gainsayers. I have seen this day how needful it is to watch against a party spirit, and to love all that love Christ, leaving them to their own opinions, and to avoid love-destroying debates. I was rather affected than piously devout in the prayers at a funeral.-I ought to guard against a sort of desponding thoughts from external circumstances, and from carnal proud reasonings in my own heart."

Wednesday, July 7. "Frame disordered at waking, though otherwise when I lay down. My comfort is, my salvation depends not on me, but Christ the same yesterday, to day, and for ever, though I am so changeable.Do I choose God for my portion? If so, why do I forget him so often, and think of him so coldly ?"

Monday, July 26. On reflection, I see my safest way is sitting down and abiding in the place I am called to. When absent from it, though in the way of duty, I do not so well retain the possession of my own mind. This day I observed at waking, as I have often done, that the application of my heart to think on GoD was rather by force, it was not easy to keep him in view, though I had so many causes of thankfulness, I have been engaged all this day in some needful service, yet find myself apt to seek my own pleasure even in doing God's work. I ought to be more sensible of the importance of my office, and to depend upon and pray most earnestly for the influences of GOD's Spirit on myself and labours. To be humble in the sense of my vileness, and to believe the sufficiency of Christ, I find the two hardest things I have to attain."

Tuesday, August 10. "This club-day. I have not found such desire after it as formerly. This is a great fault. I am not thankful as I ought for such friends and opportunities: Nor do I meet them with suitable desires of receiving and communicating good. I should regard the club as a distinguished blessing, and as laying me under peculiar obligations, and be continually influenced by the expectations which the world has from us. GOD has removed some outward trials I have been under, yet I would remember that Christ is our peace."

Wednesday, August 11. "Apt to wander in family prayer. My state is of very low advancement; more especially this appears by the unfrequent applications of my

heart

heart to God; a true spirituality of temper I suspect I need for this reason, and that suspicion demands my strictest inquiry. Last week, when in trials, I seem to have been better than this when out of them: Let me inquire, whether I am driven to Christ by necessity, or drawn by love?" Monday, August 23. The devotions of this morning were shortened by the expectation of business. Somewhat like this often happens, and demands my greater attention. -Great experience this day of a corrupted heart; though not signally overcome, yet not watchful as I ought."

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Tuesday, August 24. Public duty encroached on the morning's private exercise.--Had this day for some hours a peculiar fear of falling away: I observed the actings of faith were weak, yet could not get them lively: Seemed, however, determined for GoD in Christ.-I am certainly influenced by a principle which makes me not unwatchful against sin, and not altogether unready to duty: But is it from the right motive, faith working by love?--Greatly wanting in thankfulness."

Jan. 6, 1757. "I am well satisfied, the desire of esteem or fear of men hath too much influence on my conduct. Lord, turn the fear of men's faces into a love of their souls."

We now come to finish this account of Mr. Walker's life and ministry, by shewing his behaviour during his last illness, and what support he found from religion while in the near views of approaching death. This, it will be confessed on all hands, is a scene in which the truth and sincerity of a man's religion is put to the test. To disarm the king of terrors of every appearance of horror, and to welcome his summons as a call from a vain and miserable world to a world of endless and unspeakable felicity, is the sole property of a firm faith in the GoD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again into a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Now, as our Author perceived his soul to be greatly strengthened and established in grace the nearer he advanced towards eternity, so will the attestation of this matter of fact, which was ground of comfort to himself, be to others a special confirmation of the truths he maintained, when they are assured that under the influence of them he finished his days in peace, and committed his soul and body into the hands of GOD, without the least doubt of being received into an happy immortality. After the 27th of April in the year 1760, as was before observed, Mr. Walker was disabled from performing any farther service in the public congregation.

At

At this time he was seized with a fever, which confined him several weeks to his room at Truro: When he had in some degree recovered his strength after the abatement of the fever, a cough still hung upon him, for which, as it foreboded a consumption, he was ordered to Bristol for the use of the waters in the month of August. Having staid two months there with little or no benefit, he went in the autumn to Kington in Warwickshire, with an intention of spending some time with the Reverend Mr. Talbot, vicar of that parish, and afterwards of St. Giles's in Reading: but, a bad season of the year coming on, he was ordered back to the Bristol wells. There he continued till the middle of December, when it was judged proper that he should be removed to some dry healthy spot in the neighbourhood of London, where he could enjoy the benefit of a good air. Upon this, having before been invited by the Earl of Dartmouth to try the air at Blackheath, he went thither a few days before Christmas. Being situated in a place so near London, he had an opportunity of having the best advice; but it was not in the power of medicine to stop the progress of his disease. It is worthy our notice to observe how remarkably the providence of God raised up friends to supply his several wants throughout his illness. After resigning the vicarage of Talland, the curacy of Truro was the whole of his income. The pay was but small, and his expences were necessarily increased to a great degree by a long continued sickness. But he had resigned himself into the hands of Gov, and found the promise verified, that he never will forsake those [Psal. xxxvii. 25. Matth. vi. 33.] who commit themselves to the care of his fatherly protection. Being in the house of the Earl and Countess of Dartmouth, he had all the assistance that his critical situation could require. Presents also were conveyed to him from his friends at Truro, and at other places, whose love to him was such, that they were ready to have furnished him with whatever supplies of money he might have stood in need of. And to the honour of those gentlemen of the faculty who were consulted, it must be recorded, that as soon as they were severally apprized of the circumstances of their patient, they not only gave their attendance gratis, but seemed to take delight in offering him their service.

It appeared to be ordered, by a peculiar appointment of Divine Providence, that Mr. Walker, after he had finished his ministry at Truro, should abide a considerable time in the large and populous city of Bristol, and that he should afterwards