INVESTIGATOR.—My heart has been grieved to read the vile publications which have been circulated under the title of, the life of J. C. I have thought, at times, none could know so much of his history as himself; and have frequently wished to know something, in reality, of your eventful story.—In this wish, I believe, many hundreds concur; therefore, to oblige your friends, and to confound your foes on _that_ subject, it would be gratifying their desires to make your life public. FRIENDLY.—Why, it might, in some sense, be so to them; and especially, as I trust it would be magnifying the grace of that great God, who has done so much for me, which I hope will be my principal motive; but it will expose me to the contempt of fools, and perhaps add additional persecution to my friends. INVESTIGATOR.—Suppose it does; your enemies cannot say worse of you than they have said; they have gone to the very utmost in scandal, and no further than the infamous name given to your Master, who was holy, harmless, and undefiled. They said he had a devil; yea, that he was the prince of devils. There is another advantage in your compliance with the request of your friends; it will confute the falsehoods which have been fabricated about your history, and prevent your enemies from adding sin to sin, by any further false statements of the matter: therefore, like the memoirs of most gospel preachers, it must expect all sorts of mis-statement. Some will rejoice in what God has done for you; others will say it is lies; some, more candid, will wish you had omitted many parts, and others will wish you had not mentioned many circumstances; but write TRUTH, and leave the consequences. FRIENDLY.—Well, I promise, through mercy, so to do. I will write the bad as well as the good, as far as prudence dictates. INVESTIGATOR.—The Lord be thy helper, and kind remembrancer, and give his approbation to the work, by blessing it to his own people.—Farewell. And though pretended friends have aim’d to wound thy heart, And household friends in that have borne a part; Yet, each appointment came to thee for good, To make thee joyful in thy Saviour God. FRIENDLY.—I thank you; I will send a few particulars of my history in letters to my friends.— FAREWELL. PART I. _Juvenile Days_—_Apprenticeship_—_Marriage_—_Engagements_—_Call to the Ministry_—_Baptism_—_Checquered Scenes_—_Sore Trials_—_Removals_—_Trial_—_Building_—_Prosperity_—_Fresh Troubles_—_Imprisonment_—_Enlargements_—_Mercies_. LETTER I. “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should _not_ have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, she may forget, yet will not I forget thee, saith the Lord.” To —