thou contendest with me! The wish of my heart was to preserve a becoming spirit under affliction, and to discover the fruits of affliction sanctified! Blessed be God for a cheerful and satisfactory persuasion, that this my dear child is gone to his dear sister and his dearer Saviour in heaven! He had a mind prepared by grace to seek, and serve, and enjoy God. Prayer seemed his delight, and his heart appeared to be devoutly engaged in it-Prayer, I trust, is now exchanged for praises.-O that we may all meet, without one exception, in that blessed world, and love and praise and enjoy the God of our salvation eternally together!

God has been pleased also to make a breach in the family of our friend Mr. H. by the removal of his eldest daughter. I trust she died in the faith, and found Jesus Christ precious to her soul in the hour of dissolution, leaving the world with this song of praise on her lips

Glory, honour, praise, and power

Be unto the Lamb for ever!

I trust there was mercy in this afflictive dispensation.

Mrs. By has been for several weeks in circumstances of very alarming illness; her life still hangs in doubt. O. that this visitation may be seriously regarded, and the voice of God therein attended to! O that this visitation may be in mercy! Lord, let all thy ways, concerning me and my family and friends, be mercy and truth.-Many mercies have

I received-great mercies-through a long succession of years and, under the sweet influence of the mercy of God, I would again present my body, my soul, my family, my all, to HIM; accounting it not only my reasonable service, but my highest honour, to be thus devoted to the Lord. O let thy Presence go with me this year also, and prepare me fully for whatever events may befal me! If this year prove my Jubilee in the noblest sense, and the trumpet's joyful sound proclaim my release from every burden, and announce my return to the glorious inheritance of the saints; then,

Lord, let my last experience prove

Thy faithful and unchanging love!

1796.

Dec. 14. Thus far the Lord has led me on, with increased experience of his manifested mercy. I have now closed my fifty-first year. Blessed be God, who, having led me about these many years through the wilderness, has shewed me his great mercy, and granted me his salvation. He has exercised me with a variety of trying dispensations, but he has always been my present help in time of need: his promise has never failed, his grace has never been withheld. Many comforts he has afforded me; and when he has been pleased to call me to resign one and another of them to him, he has proportioned my strength to the trial, sanctified the sor rows of reluctant nature, and shewed me, that, in

keeping even these his commandments, there is great reward. "Who would not fear thee, O Lord, and bless thy name!"

My eldest son has been, by the providence of God, this year removed from London to Hull, with his family. He is now far separated from us, but his God and our God appeared to direct his way; and from present circumstances and opening prospects, we are all satisfied it is the right way. My second son has also found at Hull a pleasant resting-place. The Lord has blessed them: and he will bless them: they will be known, I trust, and their children, "as a seed whom the Lord hath blessed." My third son now engages my anxious thoughts and carcs. He has finished his academic studies-May the Lord direct, and command the blessing! O may I see him a faithful minister of the Gospel of the grace of God! preaching Jesus Christ, and him crucified, as the only way of deliverance for the condemned sinner and the enslaved captive!

I esteem it a great mercy, that in my advanced years the Lord has been pleased to grant me a more confirmed state of health than I have enjoyed these many years. I have now strength to go through three services on the Sabbath and one in the week, in my own place, besides preaching occasionally elsewhere: and, blessed be his Name, he gives me a heart to serve him cheerfully, with the ability I have. I think I can say I do not relax in my love to my adored

his cause.

Master as I increase in years. I would hope he enables me with more simplicity and godly sincerity to seek his glory, in the salvation of souls. I would not live, but to proclaim his grace and serve I would not hide any talent with which he has entrusted me, or omit any opportunity of service which he puts in my power. Oh for a larger measure of his grace, to make my heart sincere, to strengthen every holy principle, and make my soul alive to the cheerful discharge of every duty, and to the lively impression of every sentiment of gratitude and love!

I have this year completed the twentieth anniversary of my appointment to the pastoral charge in this place. Blessed be God, that, amidst many lamented infirmities, I have reason to take a thankful and pleasant review of these years. Deep humiliation belongs to me, but glory to my condescending Master: he has been pleased to honour an unworthy instrument with the display of his gracious power. A happy number I have to rejoice over, who have found the word preached amongst us the savour of life to their souls! Some are gone to glory; they had an entrance administered unto them abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: and others are following in the footsteps of the flock. --This year, blessed be God, has proved a year of in-gathering amongst us. Mr. L. and Mr. S. came here under some serious impressions, and it

appears, by their general temper and conversation, that God has been found of them in this place. Others appear to be seriously inquiring the way of salvation. Blessed be God, who does not leave us without a token for good! Pour out thy Spirit, gracious God, in a more abundant manner, upon preacher and hearers! Give me more enlarged views of Gospel truth! Give me to feel more sweetly and powerfully the constraints of a Saviour's love! Let the holy fire never be extinguished, but let it burn brighter and brighter! O make me a faithful witness for Thee, a faithful friend to precious souls! O help me to approve myself to every man's conscience in the sight of God, and render me a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish! Amen, and amen.

1797.

Dec. 14.-What unnumbered expressions of the Divine mercy, in blessings of the upper and of the nether spring, in blessings temporal and spiritual, in blessings personal and relative, in blessings renewed and long continued, do this day appear to my reflecting mind! How loudly do they call for renewed expressions of gratitude and devotedness, of dependence and confidence in the God of my salvation! Let me never indulge one unbecoming, one distrustful thought; let me cherish sentiments of grateful affection; let me glow with zeal whenever his honour is concerned, and habitually pro