who remembereth his covenant and his servants, and is faithful to his promise. I would not presumptuously express my feelings and my hopes; but my heart does not deceive me in the choice I have so often made, and in my present, and all my former declarations of adherence unto it. What though I meet with grievances and difficulties?—it is enough; God is mine-" all things are yours"-the sanctified use of all things is the believer's privilege, and ought to be his comfort. I am again at the close of another year-what, O my God, shall I render for the unwearied and multiplied expressions of thy goodness? I can make no returns of beneficence, nor of any kind; but as thou art pleased to uphold me, and by thy power I will go on in thy service, and expect in the end to behold thy face in righteousness, through the grace of the Redeemer, who loved me, and gave himself for me-though weak in faith, I subscribe to it, ROBERT SMIRREFF.

Tranent, Feb. 18, 1811.—I am a wonder to myself. Blessed be God, a sense of his goodness, I think, penetrates my heart, and constrains me to say, "What shall I render?" what! my poor self! yes, and all that I have the Lord does not forsake me. Yet vain vexing thoughts work in my mind, and keep me almost in continual fear and agitation. Draw nigh to my soul and redeem it, deliver me because of mine enemies. Alas! that any of these little things should move me. My course has been of considerable length; it may soon be run out; let me so run as to obtain, and, notwithstanding fears and discouragements, let me proceed in the fear of my good master in a firm dependence on the sufficiency of his grace, and with a full prospect of his coming to me at death, which is

as a

sure, and may be near; let all things be readyduty, I would arrange and settle my temporal concerns, a sketch of which I am going to look over, and mean to transcribe, alter, and correct, as seems to me fair and necessary. To deeds of this kind good men have been attentive; the divine will is, "set thing house in order." Would God that in all things I may be honest and conscientious. So help me, O Lord.

Tranent, March 21, 1811. Sacramental Fast, also a day of national humiliation.-Served this day alone. Some general thoughts in the forenoon on Rom. vi. 21. and preached in the afternoon from Isaiah xlv. 9. Was carried through, to God be the praise. Now I desire to look into my heart, and to look up unto my God-in my heart there is, I hope, some good thing --yes, there is, if I am not deceived, some knowledge, some faith, some love, some desire; I bless God for it, and would be still asking of him more abundant communications of his special goodness: my feelings at present are such, that I am shut up to a constant dependence upon him-I do take thee, O Lord, to be my God, Christ is my Saviour, and the Spirit is my sanctifier, and a three-one God is my hope and my all. He will not fail me, nor forsake me-in defiance of vexing and unbelieving thoughts, I will trust and not be afraid, I purpose in his strength to go on in his service, making mention of his righteousness, waiting for his salvation, and looking for his appearance. My great object in my Christian and ministerial course is to glorify his name; and that in the way of my duty I may be assisted, comforted, and succeeded. I would on this occasion make a surrender of my poor self unto him, and cast all my cares

upon him; confident that he is and will be my God for ever and ever, and my guide even unto death. Having done so, my request is, that the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, may keep my mind; and that through Jesus Christ this may be all my attainment, "kept in perfect peace. Amen."

Tranent, May 23, 1811. Thursday morning, seven o'clock.-Feel anxious and perplexed, full of vexing thoughts, and made unhappy with fears and apprehensions. Woe's me, that I cannot be patient and forbearing; whatever the occasion may e, in the distance or disrespect of some from whom I might expect friendship and attachment. Yet I must condemn myself-it becomes me to be more severe and unforgiving in condemning myself than any other person, and never to speak with so much bitterness against the faults of others as my own. Cannot I form enlightened and benevolent views of human nature, and under the influence of religious principle, tolerate deviations from the rules of behaviour, and forgive neglects in the intercourse of friendship? Should I not remember the manner in which the most innocent have been used? and ought I not to consider him who endured the contradiction of sinners against himself? But of what am I complaining? of being a little overlooked, a little neglected, and a little discouraged in the way of my duty. One man inattentive, another disrespectful, a third capricious and wavering in his manner, &c. But may not such occurrences be expected? and must I not lay my account with them? God deals mercifully with me; others meet with heavier troubles-the Lord enable me to encourage myself in him alone.-Mean men are vanity-my soul wait thou on the Lord,

Tranent, July 25, 1811. Sacrament Fast evening. The services of the day, with the day itself, are coming to a close. My life is wearing on, and will soon reach its end; but it becomes me to serve while opportunity is afforded, and to work while the day lasts. Yes; the Lord will not forsake me, and through his grace I will not leave him. But whose am I? and whom am I serving? O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, "I am thy servant!" This is what I am in my Christian character, and in my ministerial capacity. I feel myself inclined to his service, pleased with it, frequently comforted in it, hitherto supported, and not without a hope of future assistance and support, till my life and warfare are concluded. It is my desire, which the Master I serve will fulfil, that I may serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life. I would on this occasion make a fresh surrender of myself unto the Lord, devoting soul and body, time and talents, and all that I am or have, unto the Lord; I would be his only, wholly, and for ever; I cast my family, and give up my flock unto him, and I will wait in confidence of seeing the goodness of the Lord in the land of the liv ing. Conscious of much weakness, I retain the Lord as my strength; of much guilt, I take him for my righteousness; of much pollution, I view him as my sanctification; and of great misery, I accept of him for my redemption-in me there is nothing but emp tiness and imperfection, but I am complete in him. These are my prayers and my sentiments, accompa nied with a good hope that they shall be realized and established; faithful is he who hath called me, who also will do it. I put my name to these things, as I would do to what I know and wish to be true;

and expect that the Lord will not forget the poor man, his unworthy servant, ROBERT SHIRreff.

Tranent, Jan. 1, 1812.-It is God who has kept me alive to this day-the first day of another year. I would enter upon it with sentiments and prayers of gratitude and humility, thankful for past mercies, humble for past miscarriages, and solicitous for farther blessings, temporal, spiritual, and eternal. My case is necessitous; the wants of it are many and urgent, and the aids from above alone are sufficient for it. I will not despair. God says to every believer, as he said to Abraham, "I am the almighty God." Depending upon his sufficiency, I hope to be carried through difficulties and duties, and taught of God. I would trust in him for wisdom, prudence, and patience, in ordering my conversation aright, that I may be useful to some, bear with others, and sit loose to all. Perhaps this year I may die; well, if it is the will of God, why not? my pilgrimage has been prolonged beyond many of my cotemporaries; and having, if my heart deceive me not, faith in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, death will be my gain, and heaven my home; all other things I leave to a covenanted God.

Tranent, Feb. 6, 1812. Sacramental Fast, kept on a national fast. Had some assistance to-day; preached also myself the Lord water the seed sown.

Have of

late been frequent, and, I hope, sincere in my acceptance of the Lord to be my God: I am warranted to call him my God, and have done it in the sincerity of my heart. I do it again, and let it be recorded on high. He is my God, and my Father, and the Rock of my