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creature. Possessing a new nature, new appetites, and new desires, he found in the preaching of Messrs. Foster, Cecil, and some others, the food he wanted. But food is not the only requisite: babes in grace, as well as nature, need a nursing parent. This he was also provided with, in the acquaintance of a mother in Israel," whose heart and house were open to God and his people. She possessed a discerning spirit; and discovered in young Jackson, talents that promised future glory to God, in usefulness to his church. To her he frequently resorted, and benefited by her counsel. On one of these occasions, she insisted upon his praying with her. Startled at the request, he refused; but she was firm, and resolved to accept no excuse. hearing him, she was confirmed in this unexpected opinion. She next persuaded him to engage in a select company who assembled at her house for prayer and exhortation. With this society he met constantly, sometimes praying; but never attempted to speak, till one evening, when being disappointed of their speaker, the old lady fixed upon Mr. Jackson to supply the lack of service. A call so public and unexpected overwhelmed him for a time; but all waiting in silence, and every eye being fixed upon him, he felt the attempt a duty; and intreating the Lord for assistance, he addressed them in such a way, as left no hesitation on the mind of any present, respecting his fitness for the work of the ministry.

He was now about eighteen, and no longer permitted to inclose his light in a bushel; but continued to preach in London, and its environs, till the expiration of his apprenticeship; before which, he had attracted the attention of the rev. Mr. Townsend, of Rotherhithe, Mr. Aldridge, of Jewry Street, and other respectable ministers, whose pulpits he frequently filled, to the edification of their hearers. As soon as he was at liberty from his master, he accepted. an invitation from Bromyard, in Worcestershire, where he remained about ten months; and left the congregation much increased, and the church very desirous of his taking the pastoral charge of them. During his residence at Brom yard, he frequently visited Worcester (fourteen miles distant). There he frequently preached, in the meeting afterwards Mr. Osborne's; in which, at that time, the sen timent was heterodox, and the interest so low, that the place was nearly deserted; but, through a blessing on his VOL. III.-No. 51. C preaching,

preaching, it quickly filled; and the old minister, for thirty pounds, assigned the pulpit to the new hearers, who formed the church afresh, and invited a very valuable pastor.

At the close of 1790, he visited Bristol Hot Wells; and supplied Hope Chapel, where he had the unanimous invitation to settle; but conscientious motives induced his de clining it, as he from principle dissented from the ceremnonies, as well as government, of the Established Church.

Early in 1792, he rather accidentally visited Yeovil, in Somersetshire, having spent most of the intermediate months very usefully at Cradely, in Worcestershire; and a few in Ireland. While he laboured in Somersetshire, there was a great revival of religion: a new meeting house was erected, and filled; and he twice received an united call, and intended to accept it; but the unexpected disclosure of some sentimental difference, in a few individuals of the church, determined him otherwise. In October he spent a single Sabbath at Warminster, where neither his person nor name were known when he entered the pulpit; but his first sermon was blessed to two persons, who became ornamental members of the church; and such was the general sentiment, that many observed, "If this man be not to settle, and live and die among us, we hope we shall never hear him again." On leaving Yeovil, in April, 1793, he re-visited Warminster; and, after profitably spending six months were, was ordained to the pastoral office, Nov. 9, of the same year*.

Previous to Mr. Jackson's settlement at Warminster, the interest was reduced very low, and the church divided; but under his ministry, by the uniting influence of the great Head of the Church, they soon became an harmonious body; and the congregation continued to increase till the old inconvenient house gave place to a new, neat, and commodious building, calculated to seat eight hundred

Warminster is a manufacturing town in Wilts, containing 4700 inhabitants The Independent Meeting, in which Mr. Jackson first preached there, was originally a cottage, converted into a place of worship by a few pious persons, who separated, on account of religious sentiments, about 1720, from the Presbyterian church in the town. After forming into a church, under a pastor much beloved, Mr. Pike, the charge successively devolved on Messrs. Horsey, Pearsall, Dr. Fisher, Mr. Jamieson, Mr. Fry, and Mr. Gibbons, not one of whom died with them.

persons.

persons. In June following his ordination, he was united to Miss Eliza Butt, an amiable and serious daughter of a late venerable deacon of the church at Yeovil. So soon as he thus became settled, he applied himself,, with great assiduity, to increase his mental stores; and his mind rapidly expanded. At home, he continually grew in the affections of his people; and abroad, he stood high in the esteem of his neighbouring brethren in the ministry. No sooner had he felt the pleasing emotions of a parent, that a man child was born unto him, than he had to sustain the poignant feelings of a bereaved husband. Mrs. Jackson died December, 1798, soon after the birth of her first child, of a complaint in her head, to which she had been long subject. Scarcely were six months more elapsed, when he was called to the painful office of closing the eyes of his father-in-law, who had followed his daughter from Yeovil to Warminster, chiefly for the advantages of her husband's ministry. These strokes were deeply felt by a mind possessing, as Mr. Jackson's did, exquisite sensibility; and yet, through the power of divine grace, "In all this he sinned not, nor charged God foolishly;" but restless nights and hard study impaired his nervous system, if not his constitution, and occasioned a slight, paralytic stroke while in the pulpit, which excited considerable alarm among his friends.

In May, 1800, he married Miss Prescott, a young lady of genteel fortune, ward of the rev. Matthew Wilks, of London. In this connection he had fresh proof that "man is born to trouble." Within a few months he was again threatened with one of the chief of human trials; but mercy was mingled with judgement, and Mrs. Jackson was graciously restored.

From his first settlement with the people at Warminster, his congregation gradually increased; and he now saw a constant audience attendant upon his ministry, which, with every accommodation, the new meeting could not seat. Accompanying proofs of his usefulness were not wanting, though to himself they sometimes appeared inadequate; and the hope of more extensive usefulness in new ground, with a warm attachment to the scenes of his youthful labours, occasioned his seriously thinking of a removal to the vicmage of London: but the affectionate appeals of his people, and the concurring sentiments of his friends, deter

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mined him to wait a farther revelation of the will of Providence. For this he did not tarry in vain. The winter of 1801 witnessed a great revival. The attendance on weeknight ordinances increased in three-fold proportion. Conviction was general, especially among the poor, who lay very near his heart, and conversions were numerous. At the Common, the chief residence of the manufacturing poor, about a mile from the town, the inhabitants, extremely indigent, were also notoriously immoral when he began to visit them. He at first delivered a weekly lecture in a large room; but his affectionate and ingratiating manner induced such numbers to attend, that it became almost impossible to respire in the place; and a plain meeting was built in 1802 for their accommodation, where from two hundred and fifty to three hundred persons attended on his ministry.

In April, 1803, he met a new and severe trial. He had always manifested a peculiar attachment to female children; and frequently expressed a wish that Providence might favour him with a daughter. This favour was conferred in March, 1802: a sweet babe entwined herself about his heart, alas! only to prove that "roses grow on thorns, and honey wears a sting." The Lord saw meet to take back what he gave. The child was seized during Mr. Jackson's absence on a visit to Bristol tabernacle, and scarcely survived twenty-four hours. This affliction was very severely felt, and was, doubtless, the exciting cause of complaints, which close and constant study, and frequent labours had been long generating. His conduct and conversation on this occasion peculiarly excited the admiration of his friends; and have frequently produced the remark from his widow, that it proved a gracious preparation for her fiery trial, having not a little influenced and supported her since his removal. Indeed, he afterwards acknowledged that, fearing to dishonour God by indulging his feelings, he had, by endeavouring to suppress them, greatly increased his bodily disorder.

In June, Mr. Jackson was attacked with dizziness and faintings, accompanied by symptoms of general debility. He nevertheless, preached as usual three times on the Sabbath, and twice beside in the week, till finding his complaints increasing, he took the opinion of a physician, but did not fully communicate it to any one, having been recommended

commended to discontinue preaching: an idea so unplea sant to his mind, that shortly after, writing to a member of the church, he says, "It is of all trials the most painful to me; I am even now (the physician's opinion having been corroborated) afraid to give it up; and think I should prefer dying in it, to living out of it." Attributing the increase of his complaint to the heat of the weather, he was prevailed upon to try the effects of sea breezes and bathing. He accordingly visited Weymouth, took medical advice there, and used every mean, but in vain, for the restoration of his health. During a month's continuance at Weymouth, he preached twice only; but found the last service so difficult, as to compel him to be very short; and he remarked to his hearers, it was most likely the last sermon he should ever preach. His text was taken from Job, "Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom." His language and manner were, on this occa sion, energetic and impressive; and there appeared scarcely an unaffected person in the place.

Tuesday, September 26, he returned to Warminster, and appeared the next day very little affected by his jour ney. Thursday he kept his chamber; but rather to prevent his being exhausted in conversing with his friends, whose solicitude prompted them to make personal enquiries, than from any sensible increase of indisposition. In the evening he had a return of the violent vomitings, to which he had been subject at Weymouth; but which had there been considered as the effect of extreme debility. The continuance of these symptoms, and the very great stricture on his breath, obliged him again to seek the advice of a physician, who visited him on Friday evening, and pronounced his disorder an extension of the liver; but gave flattering hope that it would be easily reduced. On Saturday morning appearances were less favourable; and while communicating bis apprehensions to a friend of Mr. Jackson, the Doctor was surprized by the abrupt annunciation, "He is going.' This was a mistake, produced by a convulsion fit; a succession of which terminated his sufferings. He continued through Saturday with his symptoms apparently so far improved, that, when leaving the house, the physician congratulated him on the favourable turn of his complaints; and inspired him with the expectation of being restored to health and usefulness. Throughout Saturday night he la

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