Page:Life of the honourable Col. James Gardiner (1).pdf/14

 to find that, unaccustomed as he was to discourses of this nature, he had an unusual command both of thought and expression; so that he recollected and uttered every thing, as he could have wished. The lady heard with attention, till he had finished his design, and waited for her reply. She then produced some of her objections,which he canvassed in such a manner, that, at length, she burst out into tears, allowed the force of his arguments and replies, and appeared, for some time after, so deeply impressed with the conversation, that it was observed by several of her friends: and there is reason to believe, that the impression continued, at least so far as to prevent her from ever appearing under the character of an unbeliever, or a sceptic. This is only one among many of the battles he was almost daily called out to fight in the cause of religion and virtue. The continual railleries with which he was received, in almost all companies where he had been most familiar before, did often distress him beyond measure; so that he declared, he would much rather have marched up to a battery of the enemy’s cannon, than have been obliged so continually as he was to face such artillery as this. But, like a brave soldier in the first action wherein he is engaged, he continued resolute, tho’ shuddering at the terror of the assault; and quickly overcame those impressions which it is not, perhaps, in nature wholly to avoid. In a word, he went on as every Christian, by divine grace may do, till he turned ridicule and opposition into respect and veneration.

Within about two months after his first memorable change, he began to perceive some secret drawings of more cheerful hope, that vile as he then saw himself to be, he might nevertheless obtain mercy thro’ a Redeemer; and, at length, about the end of October, 1797, he found all the burthen of his mind taken off at once, by the powerful impression of that memorable scripture upon his mind: (Rom. iii. 25, 26.) "Whom God hath set forth for a propitiation, thro’ faith in his blood, to