had afterwards used as an instrument of benefiting me so much.

During the week ensuing, Mr. M. preached almost daily at the
same place, a blessing attending his labors.

By this time, the request that I might stay at Teignmouth, and be the
minister of the above chapel, had been repeatedly expressed by an
increasing number of the brethren; but others were decidedly against my
remaining there. This opposition was instrumental in settling it in my
mind that I should stay for a while, at least until I was formally
rejected.

I preached again three times on the Lord's day, none saying we wish you
not to preach, though many of the hearers did not hear with enjoyment.
Some of them left, and never returned; some left, but returned after a
while. Others came to the chapel who had not been in the habit of
attending there previous to my coming. There was a great stir, a spirit
of inquiry, and a searching of the Scriptures, whether these things were
so. And, what is more than all, God set his seal upon the work, in
converting sinners. Twelve weeks I stood in this same position, whilst
the Lord graciously supplied my temporal wants, through two brethren,
unasked for. After this time, the whole little church, eighteen in
number, unanimously gave me an invitation to become their pastor. They
offered to supply my temporal wants by giving me fifty-five pounds a
year, which sum was afterwards somewhat increased, on account of the
increase of the church.

That which I now considered the best mode of preparation for the public
ministry of the word, no longer adopted from necessity, on account of
want of time, but from deep conviction, and from the experience of God's
blessing upon it, both as it regards my own enjoyment, the benefit of
the saints, and the conversion of sinners, is as follows: First, I do
not presume to know myself what is best for the hearers, and I therefore
ask the Lord, in the first place, that he would graciously be pleased to
teach me on what subject I shall speak, or what portion of his word I
shall expound. Now, sometimes it happens that, previous to my asking
him, a subject or passage has been in my mind, on which it has appeared
well for me to speak. In that case, I ask the Lord whether I should
speak on this subject or passage. If, after prayer, I feel persuaded
that I should, I fix upon it, yet so that I would desire to leave myself
open to the Lord to change it if he please. Frequently, however, it