THEIR AUTHORS AND ORIGIN. 227
met together in a barn, and under the ministry of one who could hardly spell his name. Surely it was the Lord s doing, and is marvellous ! " Shortly before his death he said, in re ference to the same part of his history, " Though awakened in 1755, I was not led into a full and clear view of the doctrines of grace till the year 1758, when, through the great goodness of God, my Arminian prejudices received an effectual shock in read ing Dr. Manton s sermons on the 17th of St. John. I shall re member the years 1755 and 1758 with gratitude and joy, in the heaven of heavens, to all eternity."
Toplady, besides being a laborious student, early employed his talents in hymn-writing. Between the ages of fifteen and eighteen he wrote several pious pieces, which were published in Dublin in 1759. The work is entitled " Poems on Sacred Subjects, wherein the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, with many other in teresting points, are occasionally introduced." The hymns in this volume gave the promise which was fulfilled in later years. In June, 1762, Toplady was ordained as a minister of the Church ot England. His first living was at Blagdon, in Somersetshire. This he soon resigned. He afterwards held the living of New Ottery, and in 1768 he became vicar of Broad Hembury, Devonshire, a position he held till his death. It was at Broad Hembury that most of his writings and poems were produced.
Like Bruce, Kirke White, and McCheyne, Toplady was early called to join the heavenly choirs. The moist air of Devonshire was thought injurious to his weak lungs, and he endeavoured to exchange his living for one in some more favourable part, but did not succeed. At length, in 1775, he went, on the advice of his doctor, to London, where he at first preached occasionally ; and in the following year he obtained, by an engagement with the trustees of the French Calvinist Eeformed Church, in Orange Street, Leicester Fields, their chapel for Divine service, on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. With fast failing health he continued these services for two years and three months, preaching with the solemnity of a voice from the tomb, and the joy of one on the very
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