sooths my mind in the opening of worship.

My

whole soul enters into it, especially the last two verses.' Why do you not request that it may be given out ?' Because it does not become one of my age to dictate.' "Tis no dictation, but a gratification of your friends; it secures congeniality through the service when you mention the hymns you wish.' And can we have it to Staughton ?' No, to Prospect.'No, no, Staughton; that is my tune for a common metre, and Shirland for short metre.' The 5th verse he frequently quoted."

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"One day, mentioning to him an interesting text of Mr. Cecil's, preached on the last night of the year, said he, That will just do for me to preach at Brighton, to conclude the services of the present year. But don't shew me Mr. Cecil's 'till I have composed mine. I would not borrow a single idea."

Behold th' innumerable host

Of angels, cloth'd in light!
Behold the spirits of the just,
Whose faith is turn'd to sight!

Behold the bless'd assembly there,
Whose names are writ in heav'n;
And God, the judge of all, declares
Their vilest sins forgiv❜n.

The saints on earth, and all the dead,
But one communion make;

All join in Christ, their living head,
And of his grace partake.

In such society as this

My weary soul would rest:

The man that dwells where Jesus is,

Must be forever blest."

"Preaching one morning at Hoxton, after he had prayed as usual at his entrance into the pulpit, I missed him; he bent forward for a considerable time so low, that I could scarcely perceive him from the gallery. When I afterwards asked him if any thing ailed him, said he, When I went into the pulpit, and saw that crowded audience, recollecting that they were all looking to me for instruction, and remembering my own youth and inexperience, I was overwhelmed, and leaning forward, implored more earnestly the divine assistance."

"While preaching at Jewin-street, he one afternoon took the two lower steps at once, in ascending the pulpit stairs.-When we afterwards met, I asked, Did you notice the manner of your going into the pulpit ?' I did, and thought that you would also-it was inadvertent; but it was wrong. It did not become the solemnity of the place.-I never remember such a circumstance before, and will be more guarded in future.' As a proof of the necessity of his watchfulness over the minutiæ of his actions, I mention that an aged Christian said to me some time afterwards, I loved Spencer's sermons, but there was a lightness about him.'

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A lightness! when, and where did he discover it ? At our meeting, in jumping up the pulpit stairs.' Did you see it more than once ?' 'No.' 'Then I can tell you, that that once he felt and lamented it as deeply as you could; and I am sure that he never repeated it. Is not that satisfactory 'It is."

"Spencer followed Cecil; he united deep humility with true ministerial dignity: nor do I conceive it possible for a youth to be less affected by popularity than he was; and as to flattery, if his flatterers had known the light in which he viewed them, they would have been silent. Coming from a vestry, where adulation had been offeredDon't fear for me,' said he, on account of what has passed; it was too weak to hurt: my danger is when those, on whose judgment I depend, speak unguardedly! At another time, after a young man had been very lavish in his praises, (who had several times been guilty of the same impropriety) I told him I thought the next time he addressed himself to me, I should give him a hint of it. 0 no,' said he, treat it with the same contempt that I do. To mention it, would give too much importance to his judgment. I would not have him think that his judgment could do any harm."

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"Spencer was particularly happy in his choice of texts for particular occasions; I feel great difficulty,' said he, in preaching at Hertford, where I have to address many who walked with God before I was born.

To-morrow will be the first Sabbath that I have regularly supplied there. I have chosen for my subject, Romans xvi. 7. In which he shewed what it was to be in Christ; and the duties which aged Christians owe to younger ones-faithful reproof and exhortation-prayer for them, &c. For his sermon on regeneration, he chose James i. 18, which, as he said, comprised the whole subject ;the efficient cause The will of God;' the grand

means used—the word of truth ;' the great end in view-that believers should be- First fruits of His creatures. A gentleman, who possesses a fine mind, said to me, ‘I had heard so much of Spencer, that when I went to hear him, I expected to be disappointed; but I found the reverse to be the case. When he gave out his text it was with an emphasis which so forcibly laid open the apostle's argument, that my attention was rivetted, and I was perfectly astonished."

"He loved to improve the festivals of the church, such as Christmas and Easter, because,' said he, 'people expect then to hear upon the subject, and I think we ought to meet every appearance of preparation of mind with suitable instruction. The passage of scripture which led my mind to the ministry, and which satisfies me as to the propriety of my engaging in it, is that promise of God to the Gentile church, Isaiah Ixix. 21.-Oh! that text is very precious to me; while the death of Miss at Brighton, and Miss tends to convince me that I am right.' Those ladies died in the Lord, and were called under Spencer's ministry."

at

"I used,' said he, to feel very much in preaching before certain characters. My difficulty is now removed by considering, that, let them be as learned or as pious as they may, it is probable that they have not turned their attention to the individual point before me so closely as I have, and therefore it is likely that my sermon may afford some in

struction even to them, and this thought gives me courage."

"Mr. Spencer's simplicity in dress was well known. He avoided in that respect the very appearance of evil, that his ministry might not be blamed. One Sabbath morning, when he called for me, he had a new coat on, which I told him I thought was more fashionable than he would approve. I did not know it,' said he, and on the next Sabbath morning, he asked me if I thought it more becoming then: he had had it altered."

"I was desired by several medical gentlemen to inform him, that unless he slackened his exertions, he could not live to see five and twenty. When I mentioned it, he said, that it certainly must be attended to, for that his hope was to live a long and useful life.' He therefore determined to alter the length of his sermons from an hour or sixty-five minutes to forty-five."

"I am going,' said he, to preach at Vauxhall to-morrow, where you may come with a very safe conscience. You need not be afraid of a large congregation there. You do not like large congregations for me; but don't you remember how much more encouragement and satisfaction the man has who fishes in a pond which is full of fish, than he who fishes in a place where he knows there are but two or three."

"Before S. left the academy, a gentleman, whose judgment, or piety, few are disposed to dispute, said