be alone from him! Lord, render me ever faithful, and let thy grace be ever sufficient for me!

1802.

Dec. 14.-This year has been attended with various family cares. My eldest son has been visited with a very alarming interruption of his bodily health, so as to render a total absence from business necessary for several months. The cloud has hovered over us with a very frowning aspect for a long season; though at length, blessed be God, some cheering rays appeared. "With the Lord there is mercy;" and though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion "according to the multitude of his mercies." Providence directed his return home by sea, and sickness, in a voyage unusually rapid, proved remarkably beneficial. Blessed be the "Lord that healeth!" I feared that a worm had been prepared to destroy the favourite gourd; but the eye of the Lord was upon it for good, and God's ways are all judgment. If it be for his glory and our good, that promise shall apply to the frail body, as well as the precious soul, "I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day!"

We

My second daughter was this year united to Mr. N――, married, I trust, (also) in the Lord. resigned them at parting into the hands of a covenant God with the best blessing our affectionate heart could implore. They may have to encounter

many evils in the world: "Father, keep them" in every perplexity: shew them the way wherein they should go, and supply all their need according to thy riches in glory by Christ Jesus! And now iny dear children are no more with me, God I trust has given them all a place in his family, and taken them all under his special care, while I and my dear fellow-traveller are left to tread a solitary path; yet not alone, for the Father is with us. We have the pleasure of hearing of our dear children as walking in the truth, the abundant recompence of parental care, and the fruit of the Divine blessing on our affectionate endeavours for their good. Six new plantations are now formed; and, thanks be to God, the plentiful dew of his blessing is upon them. Truly they are blessed, and are made blessings; and what shall I render to the Lord for all his goodness conferred upon me! It is indeed great goodness, it is satisfying goodness, it is goodness that furnishes a continued feast! And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee. It is indeed yet called "to day;" health, and strength, and opportunity, and a prepared mind are given me; and fain would I improve the beams of the sun while it shines, But still I would charge my soul to be in readiness to obey the summons, at whatever hour my Lord shall call.

Appearances are still discouraging in my particular charge. Providence is removing one family after another; and many have been taken away by death.

Indeed such information has been so frequent lately, that I have sometimes thought, whether Providence, by these frequent removals, had not such a voice in it as this, "Arise and depart, &c." Yet when I think of the opportunity given me of labouring in the villages, and of the blessing of God on my labours, I feel constrained to continue where God hath appointed, and in many respects hath prospered, the work of my hands. But "here I am, let Him do with me as seemeth good unto Him." Truly my work is hard, but it is the work that God has given me to do, and his grace can make it easy. He knows also how to make it contribute to his glory and my advantage. It is an arduous commission; and I am sometimes ready, with a fainting spirit, to cry, "O O Lord, how long!" But my dear Master drank deep of this cup before me, and many of his faithful servants have received it at his hands; why should I complain? Blessed be his Name for a willing mind, and a heart that desires to serve him; and to grieve over those who will not believe, nor even hear his Gospel.

1803.

Oct. 5, will ever be remembered by me as a day of special deliverance. I had preached on Monday at C, on Tuesday at H-—; and returning on Wednesday morning, before I left Hy heath I met a farmer, a stranger to me, from the neighbourhood of D--. After answering an inquiry

relating to the road, with which he was not acquainted; and finding that he was going to S-—, where I was also going, we proceeded together. Little did I think that he was directed there, at that time, as a special messenger of God's providence, to be my deliverer; but so it proved. As I wished to reach home as soon as possible, and he was not in haste, he felt inclined, as he afterwards told me, to let me go on before him: but God was pleased to prevent this. Some serious remarks were made; and though he seemed not to know the peculiaritics of the Gospel, his mind was under a serious bias. I soon learned that he had lately lost a son about nineteen years of age. Conversation became interesting: how far beneficial, is unknown. When we had almost crossed the Downs, my horse fell entirely down, and all my endeavours to disentangle my foot were ineffectual. In this perilous situation, the horse, rising, trod full on my hand. My left foot was still fast in the stirrup; nor would it have been in my power to extricate it, had it not been for the assistance of fellow-traveller. But, promy videntially, the horse, which was apt to take fright, standing entirely still, my fellow-traveller came forward, and, turning my foot, released it, and was very kind in his attention to me afterwards. The God who sent his angel to release Peter from his chains and prison, sent that man to rescue my foot from that snare, and my life from death. Blessed, for ever blessed, be his Name! I proceeded in the

company of this man to S-, to a friend's house, who applied ointment to my hand. My hand, my foot, my life, my all, grace helping me, shall be more than ever the Lord's.-Amen, and amen.

Dec. 14.-What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits; his benefits so great and multiplied through every period of my life, every year, and every day; and to me, who am less than the least of all saints, and unworthy of the least of all his mercies! O Lord, by thee have I been holden up from my infancy and youth. Thine hand has conducted me in many a season of perplexity and danger: in many ways, very different from mine expectations, thou hast supplied my wants and relieved my cares. Often hast thou rebuked my carnal dependence, taken away my creature supports, frowned on my creature prospects, and caused me to walk in darkness and see no light, and then in precious accents said, "Be still, and know that I am God." Thou hast often tried my faith, but never suffered my faith to fail. Thou hast strengthened me with strength in my soul to wait for the grant of needed mercies, and that mercy has been granted in a way very different from expectation. Thou hast prevented me with the blessings of thy goodness, and mingled much sweetness in my cup, in the discoveries of the love of thine heart and the operation of thine hand. O how great the love and mercy which God has manifested unto me! For some years he has favoured