the zealot be regarded by all his fellows in the odious light of a persecutor and an informer.

While he was quartered at Bruges, General Ponsonby granted him the use of the English church, and, by help of some good singing, they brought together a large congregation. In the ensuing spring the battle of Fontenoy was fought. The Methodist soldiers were at this time wrought up to a high pitch of fanaticism. One of them being fully prepossessed with a belief that he should fall in the action, danced for joy before he went into it; exclaiming, that he was going to rest in the bosom of Jesus. Others, when mortally wounded, broke out into rapturous expressions of hope and assured triumph, at the near prospect of dissolution. Haime himself was under the not less comfortable persuasion that the French had no ball made which would kill him that day. His horse was killed under him. "Where is your God now, Haime?" said an officer, seeing him fall. "Sir, he is here with me," replied the soldier," and he will bring me out of the battle." Before Haime could extricate himself from the horse, which was lying upon him, a cannon ball took off the officer's head. Three of his fellow-preachers were killed in this battle, a fourth went to the hospital, having both arms broken; the other two began to preach the pleasant doctrine of Antinomianism, and professed that they were always happy; in which one of them, at least, was sincere, being frequently drunk twice a day. Many months had not passed before Haime himself relapsed into his old miserable state. was off my watch," he says, " and fell by a grievous temptation. It came as quick as lightning. I knew not if I was in my senses; but I fell, and the Spirit of God departed from me. Satan was let loose, and followed me by day and by night. The agony of my mind weighed down my body, and threw me into a bloody flux. I was carried to a hospital, just dropping into hell: but the Lord upheld me, with an unseen hand, quivering over the great gulf. Before my fall, my sight was so strong, that I could look steadfastly on the sun at noon-day; but, after it, I

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could not look a man in the face, nor bear to be in any company. The roads, the hedges, the trees, every thing seemed cursed of God. Nature appear. ed void of God, and in the possession of the Devil. The fowls of the air, and the beasts of the field, all appeared in a league against me. I was one day drawn out into the woods, lamenting my forlorn state, and on a sudden I began to weep bitterly: from weeping I fell to howling, like a wild beast, so that the woods resounded; yet could I say, notwithstanding my bitter cry, my stroke is heavier than my groaning; nevertheless, I could not say, Lord have mercy upon me!' if I might have purchased heaven thereby. Very frequently Judas was represented to me as hanging just before me. So great was the displeasure of God against me, that he, in great measure, took away the sight of my eyes: I could not see the sun for more than eight months: even in the clearest summer day, it always appeared to me like a mass of blood. At the same time I lost the use of my knees. I could truly say,Thou hast sent fire into my bones.' I was often as hot as if I was burning to death many times I looked to see if my clothes were not on fire. I have gone into a river to cool myself; but it was all the same; for what could quench the wrath of his indignation that was let loose upon me? At other times, in the midst of summer, I have been so cold, that I knew not how to bear it all the clothes I could put on had no effect; but my flesh shivered, and my very bones quaked."

As a mere physical case, this would be very curious; but, as a psychological one, it is of the highest interest. For seven years he continued in this miserable state, without one comfortable hope," angry at God, angry at himself, angry at the Devil," and fancying himself possessed with more devils than Mary Magdalene. Only while he was preaching to others (for he still continued to preach) his distress was a little abated. "Some may inquire," says he, "what could move me to preach while I was in such a forlorn condition? They must ask of God, for I cannot tell. After some years

I attempted again to pray. With this Satan was not well pleased; for one day, as I was walking alone, and faintly crying for mercy, suddenly such a hot blast of brimstone flashed in my face, as almost took away my breath; and presently after an invisible power struck up my heels, and threw me violently upon my face. One Sunday, I went to church in Holland, when the Lord's supper was to be administered. I had a great desire to partake of it; but the enemy came in like a flood to hinder me, pouring in temptations of every kind. I resisted him with my might, till, through the agony of my mind, the blood gushed out at my mouth and nose. However, I was enabled to conquer, and to partake of the blessed elements. I was much distressed with dreams and visions of the night. I dreamt one night that I was in hell; another, that I was on Mount Etna; that, on a sudden, it shook and trembled exceedingly; and that, at last, it split asunder in several places, and sunk into the burning lake, all but that little spot on which I stood. Oh how thankful was I for my preservation!-I thought that I was worse than Cain. In rough weather it was often suggested to me, this is on your account! See, the earth is cursed for your sake; and it will be no better till you are in hell!' often did I wish that I had never been converted: often, that I had never been born. Yet, I preached every day, and endeavoured to appear open and free to my brethren. I encouraged them that were tempted. I thundered out the terrors of the law against the ungodly. I was often violently tempted to curse and swear before and after, and even while I was preaching. Sometimes, when I was in the midst of the congregation, I could hardly refrain from laughing aloud; yea, from uttering all kind of ribaldry and filthy conversation. Frequently, as I was going to preach, the Devil has set upon me as a lion, telling me he would have me just then, so that it has thrown me into a cold sweat. In this agony I have caught hold of the Bible, and read, If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous!' I have

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said to the enemy, This is the word of God, and thou canst not deny it! Thereat he would be like a man that shrunk back from the thrust of a sword. But he would be at me again. I again met him in the same way; till at last, blessed be God! he fled from me. And even in the midst of his sharpest assaults, God gave me just strength enough to bear them. When he has strongly suggested, just as I was going to preach, I will have thee at last,' I have answered, (sometimes with too much anger,) I will have another out of thy hand first!' And many, while I was myself in the deep, were truly convinced and converted to God."

Having returned to England, and obtained his discharge from the army, he was admitted by Mr. Wesley as a travelling preacher. This, however, did not deliver him from his miserable disease of mind: he could neither be satisfied with preaching nor without it; wherever he went he was not able to remain, but was continually wandering to and fro, seeking rest, but finding none. "I thought," he says, "if David or Peter had been living, they would have pitied me." Wesley, after a while, took him as a companion in one of his rounds, knowing his state of mind, and knowing how to bear with it, and to manage it. "It was good for him," he said, to be in the fiery furnace; he should be purified therein, but not consumed." Year after year he continued in this extraordinary state, till, in the year 1766, he was persuaded by Mr. Wesley to go and dwell with a person at St. Ives, in Cornwall, who wanted a worn-out preacher to live with him, take care of his family, and pray with him morning and evening. Here he was, if possible, ten times worse than before; and it seemed to him, that, unless he got some relief, he must die in despair. "One day," he says, "I retired into the hall, fell on my face, and cried for mercy; but got no answer. I got up, and walked up and down the room, wringing my hands, and crying like to break my heart; begging of God for Christ's sake, if there was any mercy for me to help me; and blessed be his name, all on a sudden, I found such a change

through my soul and body, as is past description. I was afraid I should alarm the whole house with the expressions of my joy. I had a full witness from the Spirit of God that I should not find that bondage any more. Glory be to God for all his mercy." Twenty years the disease had continued upon him; and it now left him, by his own account, as instantaneously as it came and his account is credible; for he acknowledges that he had not the same faith as in his former state: the age of rapture was over, and the fierceness of his disposition was spent, though its restlessness was unabated. Though his chaplainship with Mr. Hoskins had every thing which could render such a situation comfortable, he could not be at ease till he was again in motion, and had resumed his itinerant labours. He lived till the great age of seventy-eight, and died of a fever, which was more than twelve months consuming him, and which wore him to the bone before he went to rest. But though his latter days were pain, they were not sorrow. "He preached as long as he was able to speak, and longer than he could stand without support." Some of his last words were, "O Lord, in thee have I trusted, and have not been confounded;" and he expired in full confidence that a convoy of angels were ready to conduct his soul to the paradise of God.

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Whatever may be thought of John Haime's qualifications for preaching the gospel, there was one man at least who had reason to bless him as his greatest earthly benefactor: this was SAMPSON STANIFORTH, who served at the same time as a private in the army. He was the son of a cutler at Sheffield, and grew up without any moral or religious instruction, so that he had no fear of God before his eyes, no thought of his providence, of his saving mercy, nor indeed of his having any thing to do with the world." Why he was born into the world, what was his business in it, or where he was to go when this life was over, were considerations, he says, which never entered into his mind; and he grew up in a course of brutal vices, being as utterly without God in the world as the beasts that perish. He describes himself as not only