were concerned in it, that we should go thither, there being two houses, and land enough for us both. When we came to Allerton, all the inhabitants shewed great favour and respect unto us, and thanked God for bringing us thither; and above them all, Joshua Bailey, another of my wife's uncles was wonderous kind to us, so that we have often stood admiring at the goodness of God to us herein, especially I being but a little while acquainted with them. He abated us forty shillings in the year of the land, of what it had been let for. One time he saw we had too few cows for the pasture, and went and bought us a new-calved-cow, and sent his man with them freely. Another time, he brought us a purse with twenty-pounds in it, and gave us it freely. Nay, he, and his wife too, were so open-hearted to us every day, as exceeded our utmost expectations. And this his affection to us was not like a sudden and short land-flood, but it lasted to his dying day. By his last will, he gave my wife and her heirs for ever, the land we lived on, worth twenty pounds a year. Thus God raised us up friends, and turned the hearts of every body to love us.

Here we lived comfortably many years; during which time, both my uncle and aunt died, and also my dear wife's mother. My father-in-law was left alone to keep house with a maid, of which growing weary, he solicited us to come and live with him.

We had almost consented to comply with his invitation; but alas! who can tell what one day will bring, forth! God so ordered it in his wise providence, that

before the time came, in which we were purposed to remove he fell sick, and his master sent for him to heaven, where he had longed to be. He would sometimes say to me, in the time of God's withdrawments, "Oh! son Lister, I am not able to bear up under God's absence!" He was as gracious and holy a man as most I knew. When he was near death, there were two or three christian friends in the room; and he said to me, "I desire one of you would pray with me." "Which of us?" said I. "Why, whom you please," said he; so I desired George Ward; but says my father, "I would speak to him first," "Well, say what you will," said George, "and I will hear." So having got his breath he said, "there is nothing that I would have you to beg for me, for God is come into my soul, and I am brimfull; if there was no more heaven than I do now enjoy, it is enough; let your prayers be turned into praises; for it is enough, my clay vessel can hold no more." In a few hours after he had said this, he departed.

My own dear mother died also, after she had served the Lord, and faithfully followed him many years. She was an honour to her profession, a woman of a thousand, every way exemplary in her conversation, a pattern of holiness, and an heir of a kingdom that fades not away, which she now is possessed of for ever. She left me rich in a stock of prayers, the answers whereof I am reaping every day.

O! what losses have I sustained, of dear friends, who are gone to heaven and glory, and have left me in a waste howling wilderness. Yet blessed be God!

he hath directed me, and led me in the right way towards a City of habitation, whose builder and maker is God! At this time after the passing of the Black Bartholomew 2 act we were hard put to it, for bread for our souls. On account of this act many Godly ministers turned nonconformists, preaching and praying were esteemed such crimes in England, that great fines and imprisonments were imposed upon many, that were found breaking that cursed law. Yet we had many good preachers, who adventured to come and help us; and God did so well keep and care for us, that our meeting was never broken up, though we never missed to keep the Lord's day, either in the morning, or the light part of the day, or the evening.

We had several houses where we met; as that at Kippin, and John Berry's and our house; and sometimes at Horton. We had Mr. Kuther one year, and then he had a call to London; sometimes. Mr. Root Senr, and Mr. Koot Junr, Mr. Ness, Mr. Marsden, Mr. Cotes, Mr. Bailey and many others. At last, we got a man, called Mr. Whitehurst, and he became our pastor. But after some years as has been before mentioned, a difference fell out betwixt him, and several of the church; who withdrew from him, and I was one of those that did so. About two years after we heard of Mr. Smith a young man, who had lived with his father a year. He was a man of fine parts: to him we sent desiring him to come and preach with us and so he did, and staid about a month, ti!l we had proof of him in part, and found, he was not altogether of our judgment. Yet we dealt plainly and faithfully

E

2

with him, and gave him an account of the breach, that fell out amongst us. We gave him a call to preach the Gospel to us, which he accepted, and the Church sending me for him, he came along with me. He was boarded... at the Kippin with Dr. Hall, and great satisfaction both he and we had. After he had been with us about seven or eight years, the good people about Mixenden and Warley invited him to preach with them occasionally on the week days, and they began to covet him, and made some offers to him to come and preach every other Lord's day there, and the other day at Kippin as he had done. To this motion he inclined, and told us, he had a call, and would have us to give way to it. As it was but three miles off, we might go with him. Lord's day, and he would continue his boarding at Kippin, and he of all the use to us that he could. His heart being already gone, we could use no arguments to stay him with us, that were prevalent, so we left him to his liberty. Accordingly he preached at Mixenden every other Lord's day:. I went thither for several years winter and summer; but my dear wife was deprived of the means, being not able to travel so far.

every

other

Our Son Accepted, being now fit for university learning, and because of his weakness, unable to go far, we spoke to Mr. Smith to instruct him, which he was willing to do, knowing him to be a very good scholar. With him he was about three years. In his last year, he broke his thigh in going down the stairs, the tidings whereof, did at first almost sink my dear wife; yet in a little time, she recovered her spirits again, and bore

it like a christian. The bone was well set, and mended

fast.

He stayed his time there, and so came home.

32

Because of the weakness of his joints, we feared he could not be able to stand to preach; so we purposed to provide for his teaching scholars, and I built a room very convenient for that purpose. But a neighbouring school-master, who pretended much respect and kindness to him, did betray him, (I do not say into the spiritual but) into the spiteful court at York whence he was prosecuted for teaching without license.

And though he had both ability, and a fine faculty of teaching, to the great profit of his scholars; and though I had some friends, who used their utmost endeavours to get him a license; yea though the Vicar of Pemberton, and some other great men, that were none too good, writ for him, because they saw he was likely to be of great use; yet all would not do, unless he would subscribe and swear to that, to which he was not able to see how he could subscribe with a clear conscience. He therefore desisted to the great trouble of the parents of the scholars.

So he gave himself up to the study of the Scriptures, the better to prepare himself for the work of the ministry. About this time Mr. Smith, upon some slight occasion resolved to leave the Kippin, and go to Mixenden altogether, which he did all on a sudden. In a little time he repented, and would have come again; but we had no desire for him, as he had gone away in such a blameable manners, VI