tories, and blessed with an unusual degree of success in his ministry, he was himself suffering under the sharpest trials. He had expected, when he came into Yorkshire, that the cheapness of the country would counterbalance the diminution of his income: he found, however, the case to be otherwise: the hospitality which it was necessary for him to maintain, and the number of visitors who flocked to him, even from distant parts of the country, rendered his expenses very great. He had a wife and an increasing family; and was separated from his former connexions and friends, by whose interest he might have obtained an accession to his income. But what could he do? To return back to London, was to abandon a flock, over which God seemed, in His providence, to have placed him; where his labours were blessed with unusual success; and where the name of his Lord and Master now began to be generally honoured, and His word obeyed. On the other hand, all the difficulties of embarrassed circumstances, from which he saw no way of deliverance, presented themselves to him. In this state, the faith of his excellent wife was of great use to him. She had, at first, been very averse to his accepting his present situation; but when she now saw the vast extent of the field in which he was to labour, and the uncommon success with which he was blessed, she told him that he was in the path of duty, which he must not, on any account, desert. She exhorted him to throw himself upon the care and providence of that God who will never forsake His servants who faithfully call upon him. The event answered her expectations: he was at length enabled to live in continual reliance upon the care of providence, and, from various sources, unexpected at the time, his wants were remarkably supplied.

During the severe trials with which he was exercised, a change took place in his sentiments respecting some particular points in divinity. He had hitherto been a zealous Arminian, hostile to the principles of Calvinism, which he thought equally repugnant to reason and to scripture: but the experience he now had of the corruption of his nature, of the frailty and weakness of man, of the insufficiency even of his best endeavours, led him gradually to ascribe more to the grace of God, and less to the power and free-will of man.

No one had taken more pains than he to subdue entirely every principle of corruption in his mind: but he now found such a want of faith and confidence in God-such a distrust of His providence-such a disposition to murmur against Him-such an inadequate view of spiritual blessings and religious privileges-such ingratitude to that Saviour who was making him an instrument of the greatest good to his fellow-creatures-that he became more deeply humbled than he had ever been before. He now saw, in a stronger light than ever, the truth of those words, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;" and felt more sensibly, that, if he was saved at all, it must be by the mere grace of God, since he had done nothing, and could do nothing, to merit so great a salvation. He now, therefore, began to place less confidence in man and in all human endea

vours, and to exalt more that grace of Christ which worketh in us effectually, and which quickeneth us according to His sovereign will. 、 Thus he was prepared to receive the fundamental doctrines of that system which is called Calvinistic, from a practical sense of his own unworthiness, and from the necessity which he found of relying wholly upon the infinite mercy and the free grace of God in Christ Jesus.

This change of sentiment gave a tincture to his preaching; leading him to exalt, in higher strains, the grace and love of God in Christ Jesus, and to speak less of the power and excellence of man. But his Calvinism stopped here. It was not the result of a theory embraced by reading books of that class; he did not attempt to reconcile the difficulties which are found in that system; he did not enforce, as necessary, upon the conscience of others, those particular views which he had himself imbibed; he did not break the bond of brotherly love and union with those of his friends who were still zealous Arminians; and, above all, it did not lead him to relax in his views of the necessity or the nature of holiness. On the contrary, he urged the practice of it most effectually, from what he conceived to be stronger and purer motives.

With respect to others, he candidly left every person to determine for himself what system he should adopt; well convinced, that if a man entertained a supreme love to God, and a stedfast faith in Jesus Christ, he would be a very good Christian, whether he leaned to the views of Calvin or Arminius. He dreaded young men hastily adopting Calvinistic views: and, when once asked, respecting a young minister, about whom he had been much interested, whether he was a Calvinist or an Arminian, he replied, "I really do not know: he is a sincere disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ; and that is of infinitely more importance than his being a disciple of Calvin or Arminius."

Such were the exercises of mind which preceded the author's publication of The Complete Duty of Man." He had been induced, before he left London, to undertake the work, through the persuasion of many friends; who thought that a popular Manual of Christian Duty was greatly needed, and that he was in every respect peculiarly qualified for executing the task.

The general character and title of the work were suggested by a celebrated book called The Whole Duty of Man, which had been in very extensive circulation for above a century. That book was first published during the troubles of the Commonwealth,--when the antinomian tendency of many teachers of the christian faith drove into an opposite extreme those who were justly zealous for christian morality. Hence The Whole Duty of Man" is greatly deficient in all matters of faith; and its title is in manifest contrariety with its contents. The expectation of Mr. Venn's friends who persuaded him to undertake the work were not deceived. The book was published in -1763; and five editions were printed during his lifetime: many have subsequently appeared both in this country and in America. Many

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remarkable instances of the good which the book was instrumental in producing, fell, in a very unexpected manner, under the author's own observation. Two or three may be introduced with propriety in this Memoir. A year or two after its publication, travelling in the West of England, he observed, while sitting at the window of an inn, the waiter endeavouring to assist a man who was driving some pigs on the road, while the rest of the servants amused themselves only with the difficulties which the man experienced from their frowardness. This benevolent trait in the waiter's character induced Mr. Venn to call him in, and to express to him the pleasure which he felt in seeing him perform this act of kindness. After showing him how pleasing to the Almighty every instance of good-will to our fellow-creatures was, he expatiated upon the love of God, in sending His Son, from the purest benevolence, to save mankind. He exhorted him to seek for that salvation which God, in his infinite mercy, had given as the most inestimable gift to man. He promised to send him a book, which he had himself published; and taking down the direction of the waiter, who was very anxious to give it, he sent him, upon his return to London, a copy of "The Complete Duty of Man." Many years after this, a friend travelling to see him, brought him a letter from this very person, who then kept a large inn, in the West of England; having married his former master's daughter. His friend told him, that coming to that inn on Saturday night, and proposing to stay there till Monday, he had inquired of the servants whether any of them went on a Sunday to a place of worship. To his surprise, he found that they were all required to go, at least one part of the day; and that the master, with his wife and family, never failed to attend public worship; that they had family prayers, at which all the servants, who were not particularly engaged, were required to be present. Surprised by this uncommon appearance of religion, in a situation where he little expected to find it, he inquired of the landlord by what means he possessed such a sense of the importance of religion. He was told, that it was owing to a work which a gentleman had sent to him several years ago, after speaking to him, in a manner which deeply interested him, of the goodness of God, in giving his Son to die for our sins. On desiring to see the book, he found it to be "The Complete Duty of Man." Rejoiced to find that his guest was going to pay a visit to Mr. Venn, he immediately wrote a letter to him, expressing, in the fulness of his heart, the obligations which he owed him, and the happiness which himself, his wife, and many of his children and domestics, enjoyed daily, in consequence of that conversation which Mr. Venn had had with him, and the book which he had sent him, which he had read again and again, with increasing comfort and advantage.

Another instance occurred at Helvoetsluys, whilst he was waiting for a fair wind to convey the packet to England. Walking upon the sea-shore, he saw a person who, from his dress and manner, he supposed to be an Englishman, and addressed him therefore, in English,

as such.

The gentleman informed him, that he was a Swede, though he had lived many years in England, and was well acquainted with the language and manners of that country. This circumstance induced him to enter into conversation with him. The subject of religion was soon introduced; when, to Mr. Venn's great pleasure, he found that his companion was a decidedly religious character. The stranger invited Mr. Venn to sup with him; and then, after much interesting conversation, took out of his portmanteau a book, to which he said he owed all his impressions of religion; and, presenting it to him, asked if he had ever seen it. This was his own work; and it cost Mr. Venn no little effort to suppress those emotions of vanity which would have induced him at once to discover that he was himself the author of it.

When he was once in London, he received a note from the Countess of, who, though a stranger to him, requested to see him. When he waited on her ladyship, she informed him that her husband, who had lately died abroad, had put that work into her hands, and with his dying breath requested her carefully to read it; adding, that for the last six months it had been his constant companion, and that he owed to it that blessed hope, which then cheered him, of an admission, through the merits and atonement of Christ, into the kingdom of heaven. He requested her also, upon her return to England, to see the author, and express his obligations to him.

These were incidental and extraordinary instances of the good which Mr. Venn's work had been the means of effecting. It would be needless to recite all the instances of the benefits obtained from its perusal, which fell continually under his own observation. From Scotland, Ireland, and America, as well as in England, he received numerous testimonies to its usefulness.

One other instance is added; as it will illustrate the severe trials to hich he was subject from pecuniary difficulties, and also the wonderful manner in which God sometimes supplies the wants of his servants, when they duly trust in him. At a period of very pressing difficulty, when a tradesman was importunate for the payment of his bill, he had no resource left, but, with earnest supplication, to make his wants known unto God; and, whilst he was upon his knees, a letter was brought, inclosing a bank-note of £50, with an anonymous address, saying, “Having received great benefit from your 'Complete Duty of Man,' I beg you to accept this small acknowledgment."-He never could discover to whom he was indebted for this seasonable benefaction.

While Mr. Venn was thus struggling with pecuniary difficulties,.. a circumstance occurred which affords a striking proof of his extraordinary disinterestedness. An elderly widow lady of fortune applied to him under distress of mind, and obtaining relief from his advice, became a frequent inmate in his family, and a great admirer of his preaching. This lady inserted in her will a considerable legacy in favour of her new friend. The circumstance coming to Mr. Venn's

knowledge, he immediately wrote the following letter; which induced her to alter her will, and bequeath him a favourite watch, instead of the original pecuniary legacy :

"My Very Dear Friend,

"Huddersfield, Oct. 28, 1764.

"I understand, by my wife, your most kind and generous intention towards us in your will. The legacy would be exceedingly acceptable; and I can assure you the person from whom it would come would greatly enhance the benefit. I love my sweet children as much as is lawful; and, as I know it would give you pleasure to administer to the comfort of me and mine, I should with greater joy accept of your liberality. But an insurmountable bar stands in the way-the love of Him to whom we are both indebted, not for a transient benefit, for silver or gold, but for an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us. His honour, his cause, is and must be, dearer to his people, than wife, children, or life itself. It is the firm resolve of his saints, Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.' To be therefore a stumbling-block in the way of any that are seeking after him-to give the least countenance to any that would be glad to bring his followers into contempt, and to call in question their sincere and disinterested attachment to him—would grieve me whilst in health, darken my mind in sickness, and load me with self-condemnation upon my bed of death. How it would also render all my exhortations feeble, and make them accounted only pulpit declamations, if, when I was pressing that solemn truth upon my people. Love not the world, neither the things in the world,' they could say, Our minister, however, was careful to secure the favour of his rich proselyte, and at length to gain sufficiently by her.' After the most mature deliberation, therefore, it is our request, which we cannot permit you to refuse us, that you will not leave us any other token of your regard than something of little value more than what it derives from the giver. If it should please God that our connexion should be prolonged some years, we shall in our hearts still more abundantly enjoy your friendship, when we are sure that we are in no danger of being influenced by a regard to our own interest. And if we must soon have the cutting affliction of losing you, you may depend on it we shall not less affectionately make mention of your name, or call to remembrance your unfeigned love for us both, in Christ Jesus, than if we had what the world esteems the only substantial proof of your regard. As for our children, whom many will think we have not the love for which we owe them, by refusing your great favour, I would say only this, we both know of no inheritance equal to the blessing of God; and the certain way of securing it, as far as means can avail, is, to be found ready to lose or suffer any thing, sooner than to incur the appearance of evil.

'Wishing you much strength in your soul under your great weakness of body, and the abundance of the revelation of peace and truth