these four years, experienced many refreshing seasons. How I wish to have my evidences brightened, as it respects personal interest in the Lord Jesus Christ! I desire to cast my all upon him, and wait his will concerning me. However short my experience in the divine life has been, can I not appeal to God, and say, 'Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee?"

I hope that my reasons for wishing to be a labourer in the Lord's vineyard are sincere, and that they do not spring from any improper motives. If I should be called into it, I pray that I may be kept faithful, and never shun to declare the whole counsel of God. As I know something of the excellency of the ways of wisdom, I am anxious that my fellowmortals may be partakers of the same grace, and that they may be brought to know God, and experience the riches of divine love and mercy in Christ Jesus and if God should so honour me, as to make me an instrument in his hand, of doing them real good, how happy should I be; how willing to endure hardships for Jesus' sake. As I trust God has given me a desire to act for his glory, and I know that he is glorified in the salvation of sinners, I am willing, if He should call me to the work, to engage in it. I am aware, that it is an arduous and a difficult work, yet from these principles, I would fain be a faithful minister of Jesus Christ. I would follow the leadings of Divine Providence. By the good hand of my God upon me, I am brought hitherto s

and although some circumstances are against me. yet, where he appoints, I'll go and dwell.' I am not quite sixteen years old, yet young as I am, I have committed many sins, and experienced many mercies. Now, unto Him that is able to keep me from falling, and to present me before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, forever and ever. Amen."

"I believe in one God as the object of religious worship; that this God is from everlasting; and that in our Jehovah there are three distinct persons, viz. the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and yet these three are one; that this is a mystery which we cannot explain, yet must believe, because it is declared in holy writ. That man was created holy, but fell from his original rectitude, and sunk himself and all his posterity into sin and wo. I believe also, that God from all eternity elected and chose his own people unto eternal salvation; that men are in a lost state and condition, and are spiritually dead; that they cannot be saved by any merit or works of their own, but only by the righteousness of Christ the Saviour; that it is by the operation of God the Holy Spirit on the mind of man, that he becomes a sensible sinner; that his understanding must be enlightened before he can choose God for his portion, or the paths of religion as those in which he will walk. It was for this end and purpose that Christ Jesus came into the world, viz. to save sinners by his own blood; and I am persuaded that there is sal

vation in no other but in him, and that he is able to save to the very uttermost all that come unto God by him.' I believe that he is the eternal God, the sume yesterday, and to-day, and forever;' that his grace is all sufficient, his name, person, and all that concerns him, is precious to them that believe; that those who exercise a living faith upon him, are justified from all their sins-at the same time I know, that believers are called to be holy, and that it is by the consistency of their walk, that they are to evidence to those around them, that their profession is sincere, for without holiness no man shall see the Lord.' As I am fully satisfied with respect to the divine origin of the scriptures, and the inspiration of the holy men who wrote them, so I believe, that they are the unerring standard by which to try our faith, and upon which we are to rest our opinions. I believe, that the people of God should form themselves into separate churches, that they may enjoy the benefit of divine ordinances, such as baptism and the Lord's supper, together with the hearing of the word, &c. I believe, that the ordinance of baptism is to be administered to the children of believers, inasmuch as it is a sign of their admission into the visible church, and as it is emblematical of the giving of the Holy Ghost, and that it is to be administered by sprinkling. I believe, that, notwithstanding all the Christian's enemies and dangers, he shall hold on his way, and grow stronger and stronger; and though the doctrine of final perseverance has been much abused, as well as its truth much questioned, it is an article of my faith, because God's word declares it. I believe in the approach

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of a judgment day-the eternal glory of believers, and the insufferable torments of the wicked in hell. I believe that God will have the whole glory of the salvation of those who are saved forever and ever; and that through all eternity they will ascribe dominion, power and glory to Him who loved them, and washed them in his own blood-at the same time, sinners will everlastingly blame themselves for their perdition and wo."

On the 7th of January he appeared at Hoxton, before the committee, and underwent the examination which he had so long and so anxiously anticipated with success and honour: was admitted a student, and became immediately an inmate of the house. In a letter to his friend, Mr. Hordle, dated Hoxton, January 21st, 1807, he says

I

"Two things make this day remarkable to me— one is, that it is my birth day, as I am now sixteen years old; the other is, that I have been a fortnight in this house. On Wednesday the 7th inst. that long dreaded day, I appeared before the committee. Your imagination may represent a little boy speaking before them. I felt a good deal of timidity, and waited the event with feelings of anxiety."“ Į hope I can say, I feel the importance of that work for which it appears God in his providence has designed me but oh! I need larger degrees of grace to fill that station in such a manner, as that my own soul, and the souls of my fellow creatures, may be benefitted thereby."- "I recall to my mind occurrences which transpired when I was at HarwichO may I have all God's dealings sanctified unto me. I want a deeper acquaintance with my own heart,

and a more influential knowledge of God my Saviour."

That, on his entrance into the Academy at Hoxton, Mr. Spencer was no novice in the knowledge and experience of divine things, is obvious from a perusal of the papers above cited. With a mind already the subject of considerable culture, and habits formed for the pursuits of science, he commenced his academical course under circumstances the most auspicious. The importance of such a previous preparation in candidates for the Chrisian ministry, and the patronage of our dissenting colleges, is not, perhaps, sufficiently considered. It is to be regretted, that so many enter without having previously obtained the lowest rudiments of general science, or even a tolerable acquaintance with their native tongue. The time allotted for a student's residence is, in the most liberal institutions, but short, compared with the immense labour and magnitude of the object to be obtained. But much of this time, short as it is, must be expended in the inculcation of those first principles of knowledge, which might be easily obtained elsewhere; and then when the student is somewhat prepared for studies more suitable to the dignity of a college, he begins to preach. Thus an attention which ought to be undividedly devoted to the labours of the study and the exercises of the class, is partly lavished on preparations for the pulpit and public services. Hence arose the plan, so judiciously adopted in certain cases, in connexion with the college of which Mr. Spencer was a member, and of the beneficial tendeney of which he was so striking an example, of