felt very uneasy about his soul; but he quieted his conscience with the idea that it was vain for him, as he then was, to think of attending to religion, for he should never be any better till he was settled in life.

At length he entered upon a married life, which failed, however, to produce the moral change he anticipated. Owing to his natural talents, his great strength, and his firm decision and boldness of character, he was the life of his companions, and the ringleader and champion in all games of pleasure, scenes of amusement, and feats of emulation in the neighbourhood. But all this time he knew not God. The manner in which he was brought to the knowledge of the truth, shows the beneficial influence which workmen and persons in inferior situations in life may sometimes exert over their mas ters and other persons in superior stations to themselves. Mr. Mather, who had now become a master manufacturer, employed under him a number of journey men, among whom there was one that was decidedly pious. This man often introduced the subject of religion to his master, and urged him very much to go and hear some of the ministers, of whom he spoke most highly. At length Mr. M. was persuaded to comply with his request, and he went one Sabbath morning to Duke's Alley Chapel, Bolton, in the expectation of hearing Mr. Maurice, who was then the minister, but who soon after removed to undertake the pastoral charge of the Congre gational church in Fetter Lane, London. After he had been some short time in the place, however, a person ascended the pulpit who was known to him as a Methodist. Now Mr. Mather had, at that time, such a horror of Methodists, that his first feeling was to get up and walk out of the chapel, but shame kept him in his seat. The sermon seems to have produced no impression on his mind, but at the conclusion of his discourse the preacher announced that Mr. Redmayne, of Horwich, would preach in the evening. This gentleman was well known, by report, to Mr. M., and he was highly esteemed by him; he therefore determined to make up for the disappointment of the morning, by going to hear him. He did so, and the Lord then met with him. The word fastened on his heart and conscience, and from that moment he never rested until he found peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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As soon, however, as he obtained rest to his soul he did not confer with flesh and blood as to what he should do, but at once proposed himself as a member of the church, amongst whom he had received the salvation of his soul. His conversion was so remarkable, and the transition from darkness to light, and from sin to holiness, in him was so manifest, that he became "a man wondered at." It was a matter of the greatest surprise and ridicule that he should become a disciple of Jesus Christ; but he held fast his integrity, and greatly adorned his profession. He was not only admitted a member of the church, but such was the standing which he soon gained among his brethren, that within six months they unanimously elected him to the office of deacon. At first he refused to accept it; but when, after allowing the choice to stand over for a month, and engaging to make it a matter of special prayer for direction, and the office being still

pressed upon him, he consented to accept it, and entered on the duties of it with his characteristic ardour and devotedness.

Soon after his call to the deacon's office, he was invited to preach the gospel. This occurred in a very remarkable manner. He had a high idea of the honour and responsibility belonging to the christian ministry, and, in consequence, he trembled at the thought of entering upon it. Besides, he believed that no one ought to thrust himself into the office, or to undertake its duties, but such as were called of God, and he looked upon the church, in all ordinary cases, as the medium through which that call was given. It happened rather singularly one Sabbath evening, at the conclusion of the services of the sanctuary, that Mr. Mather and a fellow deacon called upon a gentleman of the name of Hart, who was a very useful member of the church as a lay preacher, and at that time regularly supplied a number of places in the neighbourhood of the town. Upon seeing Mr. M. he told him that he was the very person he wanted, and then proposed that he should supply one of his stations on the Sabbath evening following. Mr. M. refused, and assigned his reasons. His friend sought to induce him, but all in vain, until he was asked, if the church should be called together, and they should say that it was his duty to go, would he then comply? He readily answered, he would. The members of the church were specially requested to stay after the lecture on the Wednesday evening: the subject was laid before them, and they unanimously agreed that, in the circumstances, it was the duty of their deacon to preach the gospel, and he was thereby called to the work.

And now, having entered on it, he was soon almost constantly employed, not only in the villages, but in the pulpits of the neighbouring ministers; and a very acceptable supply he became. Indeed, his talents and qualifications for usefulness were felt to be of such an order as to justify the church and other friends to apply for his admission into an institution then about to be formed at Manchester, for the training of married men for the ministry of the gospel. That application was successful, and he was one of the first students admitted into that humble, but very useful school of the prophets, under the paternal care of the Rev. William Roby.

The course of education was two years. At the end, however, of the first twelve months, notwithstanding the progress which he had made in his studies, and his increased interest in and attachment and devotedness to the work, he imagined that it was his duty to leave the institution, and again return to his worldly calling. This was in consequence of the great change which had taken place in his circumstances. When he first thought of devoting himself entirely to the ministry, although he had a wife and four children, his prospects of their maintenance and comfortable support were bright and cheering. He had, by industry, acquired some little property; his trade at that time was good, and he had made arrangements for its being carried on without his personal superintendence; in addition to which, the funds of the institution supplied a certain sum weekly to each student towards the maintenance of himself and

family. Owing, however, to circumstances over which he had no controul, and which could not have been foreseen, he lost all the property he had acquired, and a change in the state of trade plunged him and his family into difficulties, and threatened great distress. Upon mentioning the matter, however, to his tutor, the Rev. W. Roby, he introduced his case to the notice of the church, and arrangements were immediately made to supply the means for the continuance and completion of his studies.

Upon leaving the institution, providence directed his footsteps to New Windsor, in the neighbourhood of Manchester, where, for more than three years, he laboured with much acceptance and great success, among an affectionate and devoted people, when he received an invitation to Howard Street Chapel, Sheffield, which he, at length, thought it his duty to accept. The sphere of labour there was much larger than at Windsor; the prospect of support for his still increasing family was better; but what principally led to this decision was the hope of being able to rescue an important interest from the evils of Antinomianism.

The attempt was difficult and daring: but, strengthened by the counsels and urgent recommendations of his former tutor and prudent adviser, and directed and supported by God, he entered on the difficulties and duties of his new station. It was not long before he needed all the strength, the wisdom, and support which his Divine Master only could supply. At the time that he entered on his charge, there was not an individual amongst the people who was not tainted with Antinomian doctrine, and not a few were shrewd and able defenders of it. He therefore never preached a sermon without discussing some great fundamental doctrine of the gospel; yet he never concluded a sermon without showing the holy and practical influence of that truth. In this way he secured the attention and regular attendance of all that really loved the gospel, and he offended none but those who could not bear the pure and strict morality of Christ. These persons soon saw the position in which they were placed; and although they found no small difficulty in maintaining their stand in opposition to their minister, without openly avowing themselves Antinomians in principle, which they were not anxious to do, yet they determined not to give up their ground without a struggle to maintain it. A leader among them therefore called upon Mr. Mather one Monday morning, and wished to ask him why, in the sermon of the preceding Sabbath, he called upon sinners to do what he knew that they could not do. The sermon had been on prayer. Mr. M. asked for an explanation. "Why," he said, "you call upon persons to pray, when you know that they cannot pray." "Oh!" said Mr. M., I find the dispute is not between me and you, but it is between the Apostle Peter and you. Read in Acts viii. 22, what he said to Simon Magus-" Repent therefore of this thy wickedness; and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee." Now I ask yon, was Peter right, or was he wrong?" His antagonist would fain have escaped from the question, but Mr. M. would have an answer, either yes or no; when at length he reluctantly said, "I suppose

that Peter must be right." Mr. M., however, did not let him escape with merely making this admission; for he showed him, that if it was not the duty of persons to pray, then they were doing their duty in not praying.

This conversation became known among the people, and the person with whom it was held, in reporting it, added, as his own opinion, that Mr. M.'s argument was invincible. The result was most satisfactory, for he never after had any challenge to discuss his principles, or any particular need to defend them, except in a single instance. At a meeting of young persons, which had been established for the purpose of explaining the word of God, a remarkably shrewd and very intelligent man attempted to show how ridiculous and absurd it was to call upon dead men to perform living actions. Mr. Mather, in reply, without using the terms natural and moral inability, endeavoured, in a simple manner, to point out the difference between them, and then proved, to the conviction of the whole meeting, excepting his opponent, that sinners are able to perform all that God calls upon them to fulfil, and that the only inability under which they labour is the want of will. The temper in which he was able to discuss the truth, greatly increased his ministerial influence.

The result of his preaching and these discussions was, that those who were decided Antinomians withdrew from him, and although he always addressed a large congregation, yet the whole aspect of the place was soon changed; and his labours were eminently successful, both in the conversion of sinners, and the edification of the people of God. At the same time, some of those that withdrew, mortified on account of their defeat, and envious of Mr. M.'s rising popularity and increased acceptance and success, endeavoured to vent their spleen in slanderous, but happily, unfounded reports. Although these things were a great trial to him, he still pursued the even tenor of his way; and, by the grace of God, he was enabled not only to meet them all, with a clear conscience and a bold front, but he was spared and upheld to outlive them all; so that, when at the end of more than nineteen years of pastoral labour in Sheffield, he was removed to another sphere of usefulness, he took with him the approbation and esteem of all the inhabitants of the town that were acquainted with his character and manner of life.

It was during his settlement in Sheffield that he was called to lose his wife-a dispensation of Divine Providence, which, while it put his faith to the test, also called into exercise some other features and graces in his character, for which he was distinguished. Mrs. Mather, who, at the time that they were married, was, like himself, not converted to God, became his most bitter opponent and unrelenting persecutor when he was called by divine grace. At length, however, in consequence of the death of a little boy, who was the idol of her heart, and in answer to the prayers of her husband, she was brought as a humble penitent to the foot of the cross; and, during the latter years of her life, rejoiced with him in the grace of God, and adorned her christian profession. At the age of thirty-six

years, however, on the birth of her tenth child, she was cut down, and he was left a widower with nine children, the oldest of which was not fifteen years, and the youngest only two days old. His situation can better be conceived than described. But, though "cast down, he was not destroyed." He devoted himself to his people and his family; and, for the comfort and encouragement of any that may be placed in similar circumstances, as well as to the honour of God, it may be stated, that of two that died before him— a son in his thirteenth year, and a daughter soon after her marriage -he had good ground to hope that they were converted to God before they were called away; while, of the seven that survive him, his two sons are in the ministry of the gospel-one lately settled at Bilston, in Staffordshire, and the other a missionary in India; his eldest daughter is the wife of a missionary in Canada, and the other four are all members of christian churches.

During the time of his stay in Sheffield, although his chief attention was directed to his own flock, it was not exclusively confined to them. He felt for destitute churches, and often supplied them; he promoted village and lay preaching; and he actively engaged in all societies and plans of usefulness which bad for their object either the intellectual or the moral welfare of the town where he was settled.

After labouring nearly twenty years in this wide and important sphere, he saw it his duty to remove to Birmingham, being invited to succeed Mr. Eagleton, as pastor of the church assembling in Livery Street; but, after a residence there of about fifteen months, he resigned his charge, and removed to London, when he was invited to become the pastor of the church and congregation at Upper Clapton. After preaching to them for twelve months, he agreed to accept their invitation, and entered on the full duties of the pas torate. At first he had to contend with difficulties; but he surmounted them all, and lived for some years in the midst of an affectionate, united, and devoted people. His preaching was generally acceptable, and was eminently owned of God. Indeed, the cause was in so prosperous a state, and the applicants for seats in the chapel were so many more than it could accommodate, that the people felt called upon to enlarge their place as far as was possible, which was undertaken and completed under his management and direction.

But when he had succeeded in all his plans according to his heart's content, and nothing was wanting to crown his wishes but a greater revival of religion, and a more abundant outpouring of the Holy Spirit which was a subject that lay very near his heart,-and for the bringing about of which he had induced his people to hold a series of religious services, or what has been termed a protracted meeting, several successive events occurred, which were to him dark and inexplicable, but which eventually induced him to resign his charge. It was a painful dispensation, a sore trial of his faith and submission-but he was enabled to say, "It is the Lord, and let him do with me whatsoever seemeth him good."

After leaving Clapton, Mr. Mather moved, for a short while,