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The sight of land, near Cromer, gave to my mind unspeakable satisfaction; and, by God's gracious providence, we anchored beside Lord Duncan's fleet, in the Roads, by two o'clock.

"Never, O my soul! never let this day pass by, without offering up fervent supplications to God for all endangered persons who go down to the sea in ships, and see God's, wonders in the deep; nor without offering up the devoutest thanksgivings to thy Deliverer, for lengthening out thy days on earth, for hearing the voice of thy prayer in the day of thy calamity, and restoring thee in safety to thy family and people."

In regard to this providential deliverance, which he always mentioned, when the subject was introduced, in terms of deep and lively gratitude, one of his family has subjoined the following particulars :

"When my beloved father reached the shore, he immediately walked to the churchyard, and, kneeling behind a grave-stone, poured out his heart in gratitude to his God and his deliverer. After which, finding himself quite worn out with fatigue and anxiety, and wanting much the comfort of a Christian friend, he wandered through the burial-ground, to find an introduction to one who served his Master. On a newly-made tomb it was said that the departed had died in Jesus. This was what he wished: he went to the house where the family resided, introduced himself, and told his interesting tale; and with the aid of their kindness and hospitality was soon able to pursue his journey. I have often heard him speak, with

the tear in his eye, of the despair and anxiety the poor sailors felt, when they feared their little bark would sink; and with what pleasure he saw them join him in his prayer to God for protection and deliverance."

In his yearly pocket-book, at the anniversary of this deliverance, he invariably afterwards entered the motto-" God is love."

He arrived in London on Sabbath, 30th September, in a state of excessive exhaustion; but notwithstanding this, and the anxious remonstrances of his family, he proceeded with joy and gratitude to preach at his own chapel in the evening, from Hebrews, xiii. 5, last clause, “ He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee;"-a promise of which he had so signally experienced the fulfilment, by God's great power and stretched-out arm.

From the period of the establishment of the London Missionary Society, in 1795, a very considerable portion of his time was given to the various active duties which devolved upon him in connexion with that great object. We merely notice this at present as a point to be hereafter dilated on, and to account to the reader for the apparent meagerness of incident at a period of his career, which was in fact particularly active, and crowded with labours of pious exertion for the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom.

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May 1, 1800. I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications; because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrows

of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me; I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul: thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? O Lord, truly I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid; thou hast loosed my bonds. O merciful Father, keep alive in my heart a becoming sense of my obligation to thine unutterable goodness and love! May I be enabled, by a humble, cautious, and holy conversation, to shew forth a due sense of thy grace to my soul. May the blood of Jesus cleanse me from all sin, and the spirit of Jesus redeem my heart from the captivity of corruption. Never let my thoughts turn to my numerous and dear family, without suitable emotions of gratitude pervading my soul. To God be all the praise. Amen and amen."

January 1, 1801. I am, through the forbearance and gracious visitation of my heavenly Father, entering on another century. While I look back on the past, I behold the portion of it which I enjoyed illuminated with unnumbered and unmerited mercies on the part of God; but. blotted and darkened, alas! on my part, with much guilt. The good Lord pardon my heinous offence, and make me thankful for his unwearied care and love. In his strength I desire to enter on the duties, to meet the trials, and partake of the mercies, which may await me in this new division of my time. O that I may serve him more faithfully, love him more ardently, than ever

I have done! The days, months, and years, that are past, have carried up to God awful and just accusations against me. May the report of the days that are to come be more creditable to me. With new years, may new measures of strength be imparted, that I may serve God with all my heart, doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with him. Alas! what avail additional days and years? Unless we thus fill them up with works of faith and labours of love, they will only furnish the law of God with new articles of accusation against us, thereby increasing our condemnation. Happy the man who grows in zeal for God and watchfulness against sin, as he grows in days and years. To him the hoary head will prove a crown of glory, as found in the way of righteousness; and the evening of life be illumined with the hope of eternal day."

"January 1, 1803. How rich and lasting the loving-kindness of the Lord! When I look back on the departed year, what guilt darkens it to my view! Son of God, thy blood alone cleanseth from all sin; and surely none ever stood in such need of the sprinkling of this blood as my conscience doth this day. O may the humble hope, which the gracious promises of the Lord encourage, of pardon, inspire me with deep concern to watch and pray against all manner of iniquity! O to live as seeing Him that is invisible! O to walk as feeling the sweet constraints of redeeming love! With how many mercies has this last year been distinguished! God hath continued to me and my family the enjoyment of health, bread

to eat, and raiment to put on. He hath opened to my eldest son a door of profitable employment in a serious family, and introduced him into a connexion where his morals are not likely to be exposed, as they might be in some other situations. The gracious Lord continue his tender mercies this year also. May he make me a humble, laborious, compassionate, and faithful minister of the word. May he preserve in peace, and increase in goodness, the people over whom his providence hath placed me. May he be a Father to my dear children, and bring them forward into useful life. May he bless my dear wife with much spiritual comfort under all her fatigue and solicitude, and preserve her in all times of danger; and to my own God and my father's God be everlasting praise."

In another part of the diary we find the following entries:-"The gracious Lord hath this morning given to us our tenth child. Blessed be his glorious name, who hath thus multiplied our offspring, and hath hitherto preserved them in life and health. How rich, how various, how unmerited, his tender mercies! O to live in deep humility and unfeigned gratitude before him all the days of our lives!"-" This evening the holy ordinance of baptism was administered to our infant daughter. May the Lord call her his daughter, and give her a place in his family as one of his children. We claim the promise to us and to our seed, that Jehovah be a God to us and to them; and are thankful that we Gentiles are engrafted on the Jewish stem, and partake of all

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