He entered upon the serious work of the ministry with fear and
trembling, with much heart-searching, earnest prayer, and the advice
of the church to which he was united, not with any pledge to abide
by their decision contrary to his own conviction, but to aid him
in his determination. His own account of these important inquiries
is very striking:--'After I had been about five or six years awakened,
and helped myself to see both the want and worth of Jesus Christ
our Lord, and also enabled to venture my soul upon him, some of
the most able among the saints with us, for judgment and holiness
of life, as they conceived, did perceive that God had counted me
worthy to understand something of his will in His holy and blessed
Word, and had given me utterance, in some measure, to express what
I saw to others for edification; therefore they desired me, and that
with much earnestness, that I would be willing at some times to
take in hand, in one of the meetings, to speak a word of exhortation
unto them. The which, though at the first it did much dash and
abash my spirit, yet being still by them desired and entreated, I
consented to their request, and did twice, at two several assemblies
in private, though with much weakness and infirmity, discover my
gift amongst them; at which they did solemnly protest, as in the
sight of the great God, they were both affected and comforted, and
gave thanks to the Father of mercies for the grace bestowed on me.

'After this, sometimes, when some of them did go into the country
to teach, they would also that I should go with them; where, though
as yet I did not, nor durst not, make use of my gift in an open
way, yet more privately, as I came amongst the good people in those
places, I did sometimes speak a word of admonition unto them also,
the which they, as the other, received with rejoicing at the mercy