guarded to Halifax, and at six we set out for Bradforth, where the captain, in obedience to the order of the commissioners, put me into a loathsome dungeon; but my soul was so filled with the love of God, that it was a paradise to me, and I wished they were as happy in their own houses as I was in the dungeon. About five in the morning, they took me out, and we were guarded to Leeds, where we stood in the street till ten. Hundreds flocked to see me, and some said, "It is a shame to send a man for a soldier for speaking the truth,' &c. At five on Monday morning, I was let out of jail, and we marched off for York directly. We were guarded through the city, but it was as if hell were moved from beneath to meet me at my coming. The streets and windows were filled with people, who shouted and huzzaed, as if I had been one that had laid waste the nation. But the Lord made my brow like brass, so that I could look on them as grasshoppers, and pass through the city as if there had been none in it, but God and myself. O that I may never offend my gracious God, or provoke him to take his loving-kindness from me! Then, though I go through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

I was brought to the guard-house, and the officers having cast lots for me, it was Captain S-'s lot to have me. Then they offered me money, but I refused to take it, and they bade the sergeant handcuff me, and send me to prison. I was guarded thither by a file of musketeers (but not handcuffed) and kept two nights, and part of three days. A court martial being held, I was brought before the court by a guard, with their bayonets fixed. When I came before them, they asked "What is this man's crime?" The answer was, "This is the methodist preacher, and he refuses to take money." Then they turned to me and said, "Sir, you need not find

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fault with us, for we must obey our orders, which are to make you act as a soldier; for you are delivered to us, and if you have not justice done you, we cannot help it." My answer was, "I shall not fight; for I cannot bow my knees before the Lord to pray for a man, and get up and kill him when I have done; for I know God both hears me speak, and sees me act; and I should expect the lot of a hypocrite, if my actions contradict my prayers." "Well, don't stand preaching to us," said they, "for we must make you obey us: Sergeant give him some money." He offered me two shillings, but I refused to take it, and they threatened me sore, but I could not fear them at all. Well," said they, "if you run away, you are as liable to suffer as if you had taken our money." I answered, "if I cannot be discharged lawfully, I shall not run away; if I do, punish me as you please." Next morning I went, as I was ordered, to parade at the Blue Boar, in Castlegate, where the officers ordered Corporal W- to fetch me a gun and other warlike instruments; and though he seemed to shudder at the task, he was forced to obey; and when he brought them, and was girding them about me, he trembled as if he had the palsy. I asked, "Why do you gird me with these warlike habiliments? for I am a man averse to war, and shall not fight but under the Prince of Peace, the Captain of my salvation; and the weapons he gives me are not carnal like these."-" Well," said they, "but you must bear these till you can get your discharge."-" As you put them on me," I answered, "I will bear them as a cross, and use them as far I can, without defiling my conscience; but that I will not do for any man on earth." The officers bade them march us off to Hepworth Moor, to learn the exercise of a soldier; but Corporal W seemed as tender to me as if he had been my own

father, and carried the gun for me to the field. And when he came to teach me their exercise, his heart seemed to fail him, and he bade me lay down the gun, and we fell into discourse. I found he had the fear of God before his eyes, and the Lord had shown him the light of his countenance. Next day I was ordered to the field, and others must teach me the warlike exercise, who also behaved civilly to me. I had more to see me than all the rest, and it caused the truth to break out the more, and removed prejudice from many. If I was bound, the word of God was not bound; for if any blasphemed, I reproved them, whether rich or poor; and God gave me such words as they could not resist. Having been stationed at York for some time, one Thursday we marched to Easingwold; and when we were drawn up in the street the people perceived me to be the methodist preacher they had read of in the newspapers. They told one another, and flocked about me as if the soldiers had brought a monster into the town. On Friday we marched to North Allerton, and the next morning to Darlington, where I was known to several. We rested here on Sunday, and I had many to see me. When they heard what our doctrine was, they cried, "It is a shame to send a man for a soldier for speaking the truth." In the evening one of the officers came to me and said, " Well, sir, why were you not at church today?" I answered "I was, sir, and if you had been there you might have seen me, for I never miss going when I have an opportunity."—"Well, sir," he added, "have you preached since you came hither?"-" Not publicly yet," I replied. He swore he wished I would, that he might punish me severely. "But, sir," I told him, if you do not repent and leave off that habit of swearing, you will be worse punished than you are able to punish me." He replied, "I will

men.

make you mind your firelock and leave off your preaching."-" Yes, sir," I answered, "when I leave off speaking." As Saul hunted David, so has this man hunted my soul; but I trust the same God that delivered David will deliver me from cruel He called for one of the soldiers, and took the cockade out of his hat, putting it in mine, and swore he would make me wear it. This caused a sore temptation to arise in me, to think that an ignorant wicked man should thus torment me in the street and prison, and I was able to tie his head and heels together. I found the old man in me; but the Lord lifted up a standard, when anger was coming like a flood, else I should have wrung his neck to the ground, and set my foot upon him, which would have brought a reproach upon the gospel, and wounded my own soul. But God is good to me, for he showed me the danger, and delivered me from it in a moment. Then could I look on him with pity, and pray for him from the ground of my heart. We got to Durham by nine on Monday, but in our way we had a river. to cross, and were obliged to wade through it. The day was very hot, so that I had sweated much, and caught cold immediately. Next morning the drum beat at one, and we were called up in the market-place and caused to stand till three, when we marched off for Sunderland, and reached it by nine. I was much out of health by the surfeit I got in marching, but found present ease by being blooded. The week following I was sent for by the captain to the storehouse, and he insisted on my going, though I was so ill. When I came there, he and three more officers came and asked me how I did? I told them, and they said, "Here is a good coat to keep you from the cold, that you may recover your health." I said, "I have coats enough, if that will do: I need none of yours." They said they would make me wear it,

and all other clothing belonging to a soldier. I answered, "You may array me as a man of war, but I shall never fight." They asked me, "What is your reason?" My answer was, "I cannot see any thing in this world worth fighting for. I want neither its riches nor honours, but the honour that cometh from God only. I regard neither its smiles nor its frowns, and have no business in it but to get well out of it." Then they ordered the sergeant to pull off my coat, and put a red one on me. When he had done it, they turned me round and rejoiced over me. I said, "You see the Scripture cannot be broken where it saith, "If they do this in the green tree, what will they do in the dry?"- "What do you mean by that? they asked. I answered, "The soldiers took Jesus and stripped him, and put a scarlet robe upon him, and mocked him, as you have treated me, his servant, this day, for speaking his words. He, indeed, hath the greater condemnation who delivered me into your hands: but I pray God to forgive you all." These words turned their countenance and behaviour towards me, and one of them laboured much from that time to find some way for me to be set at liberty.

On Friday, July the 27th, John Graham, of Sunderland, came to me with an open letter in his hand, and said, "Come, my friend, I have good news for thee; God hath heard the prayers of his people in thy behalf, and sent thee deliverance." The next evening, the major said, "I have an order from Lord S-- to discharge you." He sent for the adjutant, and ordered him to bring two printed discharges with him. The major said, "I wish I had a regiment of such men as he is, in all respects, save that one, his refusing to fight, I would not care what enemy I had to meet, or where my lot was cast." "Sir, if you fear God," I said, "you have no need to fear any thing else; for they that fear him depart from

evil, and seek to do his will, and not their own; they know that in his hand are the issues of life and death, therefore they fear not him that can kill the body only, but him who can destroy both body and soul in hell. And every one that has this fear is truly wise; but he that dares commit sin, his wisdom is the foolishness of folly, for he is pulling destruction on his own head, and fitting himself for the fuel of hell-fire. But he that is wise unto salvation is bold as a lion, and is more noble than to contend for the honour which cometh of men." "Well," said the major, "if you be so scrupulous about fighting, what must we do?" I answered, "It is your trade, and if you had a better, it might be better for you." "But somebody," he replied," must fight." I said, "If all men lived by faith in the Son of God, wars would be at an end." "That is true," he answered; "if it were so we should learn war no more." After more conversation, he said, "Here is such a discharge for you as I never gave before but once," and put it into my hand. I told them, "I have now delivered my own soul, and am pure from the blood of you all; for I have not spared either rich or poor since I came among you, but have set life and death before you all, as you came in my way. I pray God to give you all to understand the things which belong to your everlasting peace, and bless you in turning every one of you from your iniquities. Then shall we meet another day, to part no more.' ." The major said, “I wish you well, wherever you go;" and so said they all. I gave them a book, and took my leave of them. I went to the room and preached that night, having several of the soldiers to hear me. I commended them to God, and to the word of his grace, and trust they will mind the exhortation, and become soldiers of Jesus Christ. Thus, on the 28th day of July, I was set at liberty, to go wheresoever I thought was most for God's glory,