"to fupper. It confifted of a roll and a "bit of cheese which I had brought with me, and we ate it thankfully. Seeing "Mr. Simpfon beginning to relapse into

distrust, the following conversation, as "nearly as I can remember, took place be"tween us. He began by remarking, "that it was a mysterious Providence that " he had been lefs profperous fince he had "been lefs attached to the world, and that "his endeavours had not been followed

66

by that fuccefs which ufually attends "induftry.-I took the liberty to reply: "Your heavenly Father fees on which fide "your danger lies, and is mercifully bring

ing you, by these disappointments, to truft "lefs in the world and more in himself. "My dear Mr. Simpson, added I, we trust

66

every body but God. As children, we

obey our parents implicitly, because we "are taught to believe all is for our good "which they command or forbid. If we "undertake a voyage, we truft entirely to "the fkill and conduct of the pilot; we

"never torment ourselves with thinking "that he will carry us eaft when he has "promised to carry us weft. If a dear "and tried friend makes us a promife, we depend on him for the performance, "and do not wound his feelings by our

fufpicions. When you ufed to go your

"annual journey to London in the mail"coach, you confided yourself to the care "of the coachman, that he would carry

you where he had engaged to do fo;

you were not anxiously watching him, "and diftrufting and inquiring at every

turning. When the doctor fends home your medicine, don't you fo fully truft "in his ability and good will, that you "fwallow it down in full confidence? "You never think of inquiring what are "the ingredients, why they are mixed in "that particular way, why there is more "of one and lefs of another, and why'

they are bitter instead of sweet?-If "one dofe does not cure you, he orders "another, and changes the medicine when

" he

"he fees the first does you no good, or "that by long ufe the fame medicine "has loft its effect; if a weaker fails, he prescribes a stronger; you fwallow all,

66

66

you fubmit to all, never queftioning the "skill or the kindness of the physician.→→ "God is the only being whom we do not "truft, though He is the only one who is

fully competent, both in will and power, "to fulfil all his promises; and who has folemnly and repeatedly pledged him. "felf to fulfil them in thofe Scriptures "which we receive as his revealed Will.

"Mr. Simpson thanked me for my little Sermon, as he called it; but faid at the "fame time, that what made my exhort"ations produce a powerful effect on his "mind was, the patient chearfulness with "which he was pleafed to fay I bore my "fhare in our misfortunes. A fubmiffive "behaviour, he faid, was the best practical

illuftration of a real faith. When we had "thanked God for our fupper, we prayed "together; after which we read the

4

"eleventh

"eleventh Chapter of the Epistle to the "Hebrews. When my husband had finish"ed it, he faid, Surely if God's chief "favourites have been martyrs, is not that "a fufficient proof that this world is not "a place of happiness, nor earthly pro"sperity the reward of virtue. Shall we, "after reading this chapter, complain of "our petty trials? Shall we not rather be "thankful that our affliction is fo light?'

"Next day Mr. Simpson walked out in "search of fome employment, by which "we might be fupported. He got a re"commendation to Mr. Thomas, an opu"lent farmer and factor, who had large concerns, and wanted a skilful perfon "to affift him in keeping his accounts. "This we thought a fortunate circum"ftance; for we found that the falary "would serve to procure us at least all the "neceffaries of life. The farmer was fo "pleased with Mr. Simpson's quickness,

regularity, and good fenfe, that he of"fered us, of his own accord, a little ❝ neat

VOL. IV.

X

"neat cottage of his own, which then hap"pened to be vacant, and told us we "fhould live rent-free, and promised to be "a friend to us."-" All does feem for "the best now, indeed," interrupted Mrs. Betty." We fhall fee," faid Mrs. Simpfon, and thus went on:

ઃઃ

66

"I now became very eafy and very

happy; and was cheerfully employed in putting our few things in order, and "making every thing look to the best ad

"vantage. My husband, who wrote all "the day for his employer, in the evenings affifted me in doing up our little

garden. This was a fource of much

pleafure to us; we both loved a garden, "and we were not only contented but "cheerful. Our employer had been ab"fent fome weeks on his annual journey. "He came home on a Saturday night, and "the next morning fent for Mr. Simpson "to come and fettle his accounts, which "were got behind-hand by his long abWe were just going to church,

" fence.

" and