did zealously and familiarly press upon me truths of the greatest concern: as the preciousness of the soulthe misery of man by nature-the necessity of conversion-the brevity of life-and the importance of eternity. She used to take me along with her to hear Mr. Horrocks of Dean Church, Mr. Harrison of Walmsley, Mr. Johnson of Ellinborough, and sometimes to Denton, to hear Mr. Angier, I confess I took much delight in waiting upon her abroad, but what my ends were I cannot tell, yet this I believe, that God disposed of it for much good to my poor soul." Being expected to give an account of the sermons he heard, he was accustomed to take notes at the time of preaching, and when his notes and memory failed, he looked to his kind mother for help. Sometimes she would converse with him when returning home, on the subject they had been hearing. By these means he was early habituated to pay attention to God's word, and early impressions of divine truth were made on his mind. How much he felt himself indebted to his pious mother as the instrument of his conversion, may be learned from what he says in her life, which he afterwards wrote: "I may say, I owe much to her as the instrument under God, of that saving good I at first received; and I hope I shall never forget the instructions of a mother." When only fourteen years of age, he was admitted into the company of some religious persons, among whom were several young people, who met once a fortnight during the winter evenings for spiritual conference and prayer, and at those meetings he was called on in his turn to exercise his gifts. Like Nicodemus, he evaded publicity as much as possible, lest he should meet with reproach from some of his former associates; but he received great encouragement from his parents and others. About this time, he first par

took of the ordinance of the Lord's supper at Bolton, and experienced the comfort of it, in the peaceful and happy frame of his mind both at the celebration and afterwards.

His inclination towards the ministry of the gospel, and his desire to engage in that sacred office were early discovered. "When a gracious old woman," he says, "observed that in reading, I had a strong voice, she asked me, if I would be a preacher? my answer was, yes, if I may be a good one. I must confess, that since I had any understanding, I have held those in singular love and honour who have been pious ministers, and I have accounted those, wretched burdens of the earth and the worst of all men, who have been profane in that office; and I am now more confirmed therein, that a wicked preacher doth most hurt among men, and will have the greatest torments amongst lost souls." Perceiving the bent of his mind, his friends gave him all the advantages of learning, the neighbourhood furnished; but his progress at first was small. In reference to this subject, he observes," I have sometimes wondered that I was never stopped by my masters, examiners, or parents, in consequence of my natural weakness and unfitness for that work, for none was more unlikely to make any figure in that calling than I, though my desire was so much carried out towards the great employment. Whatever my ends were, the Lord knows, but I have cause to fear they were mostly selfish. I used my utmost care to have my weakness covered, that I might not be detected and diverted to some other calling, which I could never bear to think of, and for which indeed in many respects I was not fit. I now see, my God designed me for greater works and higher ends than worldly and cumbering trade, to which my mind was always much averse." After he

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had been with a variety of teachers, he was at length put under the care of Mr. Rudal, who excelled in nothing but literature, by whose instructions he was enabled to make considerable proficiency in human learning. "I look upon it," he says, "as an observable passage in my life, that I should in any degree suck the juice of the authors I read, and hear the instructions of masters that taught me, without woful contagion to my soul, from those pestilential vanities discoverable in both.”

Having arrived at the eighteenth year of his age, and received the benefit of public and private instruction at home, it was resolved he should enter the University of Cambridge. Here he was placed under the care of Mr. Akhurst, who was considered a pious and exemplary man, though he afterwards embraced strange and extravagant notions, from which however he was reclaimed before his death. He was admitted at Trinity College July 9th, 1647; when Dr. Hill was the master. His excellent father, fully convinced of the importance of the step now taken, and aware of the dangers and temptations to which his youthful son would now be exposed, who had never before been long absent from a parent's eye, gave him very affectionate and suitable advice. "When my dear and honoured father," he says, "left me at Cambridge, he wrote down some serious and grave instructions, which he left with me, besides many others which he and my affectionate mother had frequently inculcated in their several conferences; they were such as these, 'My son, labour above all things to make your peace with God, by humbling your soul evening and morning, and oftener before him, that you may know that God hath begun a good work of grace in your heart. heart. Be Be very frequent in reading the scriptures, with knowledge and under

standing, that you may be a good scribe, armed against temptation, and able to convince gainsayers. Labour to get every day some sanctified thoughts, and spiritual meditations, which will be a heavenly life and walking with God, and write them in a book entitled, "The Meditations of my Youth." Take short notes of every sermon you hear, and write some fairly over for your loving mother. Often remember how short and precious your time is, and that upon it depends eternity. Keep a mean, as to society; neither be too solitary, lest you become melancholy; nor too much desire company, lest you be drawn aside; and, above all, beware of bad company, and seek out for good.' These rules I had often in my eye, and though, I confess I fell short in obedience, yet the outward part thereof I endeavoured to practise."

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While at Cambridge he had opportunities of attending the powerful preaching of Mr. afterwards Dr. Hammond, preacher at St. Giles's church, whose ministry was abundantly blessed to the good, not only of his parishioners, but also of the students in the several Colleges. "I must confess," Mr. H. says, my heart was many a time very much affected under the ordinances at St. Giles's, and I cannot but with thankfulness acknowledge him, (Dr. Hammond) as a profitable instrument of much good to my soul. Though the work might be wrought before, yet I am sure it was then much revived and cleared, and many mistakes removed. O with what a frame of spirit have I come from that place! I usually met with a suitable searching word, that warmed my heart. I also met with some ingenuous and gracious scholars, with whom I had intimate familiarity, and was furthered by them in the ways of God. I look upon it as an admirable mercy, that I was preserved from those wicked and idle com

panions that might have prevailed for the utter undoing of my soul and body, for my nature was too pliable, and my heart inclinable to sin and vanity. Though I have cause to lament loss of time there, which should have been a harvest for laying in treasures of human and divine knowledge, that I might as a good householder, bring out things new and old for benefiting the souls of others, had I been as careful as I might and ought; yet it is a mercy that I lost not, but gained something for my soul; for I have observed many persons very hopeful at their first arrival there, that went away empty of goodness, and instructed in artificial contrivances of wickedness. All the time I was in the University my heart was much deadened in philosophical studies, nor could I, as I desired, apply my mind so closely to human literature, though I prize learning above all sublunary excellencies; I might have been more useful, had I improved my time better therein. My time and thoughts were most employed on practical divinity, and experimental truths were most vivifying to my soul: I preferred Perkins, Bolton, Preston, and Sibbs, far above Aristotle, Plato, &c."

It was the happiness of Mr. H. to enjoy the frequent company and conversation of several pious youths then at College, who often met for mutual edification in spiritual and experimental religion. Among these was the Rev. Thos. Jollie,* afterwards ejected from Altham in Lancashire, with whom he formed an endeared friendship, which continued without any breach above fifty years. They were companions through life, in tribulation, and labours, and both died in the seventieth year of their age, and within twelve months of each other. Mr. H. refers to the time they spent together at

See Memoirs and Sermons of Mr. Thos. Jollie, in "Select Nonconformists' Remains," by R. Slate.