what experience have I felt of the efficacy of his grace and the operation of his spirit? To these questions my heart replies, "Lord, thou that knowest all things, knowest that I love thee; whence else can it be that I desire thee, that I choose thee, that I depend upon thee, and look for the enjoyment of thee: I have, (if I am not under a delusion,) found thee precious to my soul, thy ordinances pleasant, thy work profitable, thy salvation the joy of my heart-with these things may I have a growing acquaintance." On this occasion, may the Lord give me convincing proofs of Christ in me. My prayer is with David in the li. Psalm, verses 7-15. the Lord doing these things for me, my lips shall shew forth his praise. O that thou wouldst come down-water our souls with a plentiful rain of the spirit-who can tell!-let me trust and go forward -at all events, nothing, I hope, shall ever separate me from the beloved of all saints-he is my Saviour and my hope, the rock of my strength, and the God of my salvation" the Lord do so to me and more also, if even death shall part him and me." Amen. ROBERT SHIRREFF.

Tranent, Sept. 2, 1800.-Every Christian must feel himself to be a poor, weak, and dependent creature ; of this truth my convictions are strong and impres sive: but there is enough in Christ for me, enough of light, of liberty, of strength, of salvation, and of every thing. Glancing over Boston's Memoirs, I may be ashamed of myself; this good man, whose life was exemplary, and whose writings are savoury, was singularly pious and heavenly; he walked with God, and lived by faith; to him Christ was all in all; his affections were spiritual, and his conversation was on high; many, I see, were his fears, but he looked unto

the Lord, and was enlightened; prayer was his delight, in every thing he made his request unto God, and God bowed to him his ear. O that I could be an imitator of him and others, who are now inheriting the promises; but, alas! I am not worthy to be a servant to these servants of my Lord. I am a poor; cold, carnal, helpless, inactive creature, without love, without zeal, without courage, and without perseve rance; so far from possessing the boldness of the lion, I seem to myself to resemble the silly dove. Under these impressions, I feel heavy and heartless, yet, I trust, not altogether alienated and left; in me there is, I think, a will to that which is good-I would fear, and love, and serve the Lord-I would pray, I would preach, I would be devoted to God, I would be employed in the service of Christ, and instrumental in promoting the designs of his mediatorial glory. Such are my desires-God is witness.

Tranent, Feb. 10, 1801.-I am a monument of divine mercy, patience and long suffering; I have been chastised sore, but not given over to death; God hath in righteousness visited me with an afflictive dispensation: I was taken ill on the 20th of December last; my indisposition issued in a fever, which raged with violence for a few days, and began to abate of its severity about the end of that month; then the Lord in mercy rebuked the disorder, and gave me hopes of a recovery. When recollected and capable of thinking, I looked on myself as dying, and accounted the approach of death as not an unwelcome messenger, wishing to believe on the ground of faith in the doctrines of the Gospel, that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ I should be saved. This, if my lying heart does not deceive me, is my persuasion at

present, and I trust will be my hope when I must walk through the dark valley. The Lord's thoughts were not my thoughts, he hath wrought a great deliverance for me; I desire to be satisfied, humbly adoring his sovereignty and goodness, and earnestly requesting that my prolonged life may be continually employed in declaring the works of the Lord. Like David in the cxviii. Psalm, verses 17, 18, 19, or in the close of the xxx. Psalm, "thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever." Let me never forget the strong consolation with which I was supported under my trouble; enabling me to say, "I take pleasure in distresses, for when I am weak, then am I strong." I desire to retain a grateful remembrance of these doings of the Lord, to bless him at all times, and for all things, and particularly to say with heartfelt gratitude, according to this time, "what hath God wrought!" I have been long laid aside from the public services of religion; eight Sabbaths have elapsed since I was laid on the bed of languishing, and on none of them have I opened my mouth in public; however, the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners. Trusting in his mercy, and relying on the aids of his grace, I design to appear in his name, and to fill my own place on Sabbath first. My. weak, misgiving, unbelieving heart, often fails me; but I purpose to go, strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; hoping that he will sustain me, and infuse into me something of the boldness of the lion, the wisdom of the serpent, and the harmlessness of the dove. Amen.

Tranent, Feb. 16, 1801.-Lectured and preached yesterday-glory be to God for carrying me through the services of the day with ease, with pleasure, and, I hope, with profit to myself and others. I record this to the praise of his name, and for my own encouragement in persevering in his work. "I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and supplications; because he hath inclined his ear unto me, I will call upon him so long as I shall live." But thy help, O Lord, I every moment need: let me be humble, watchful, prayerful, and dependent; let me hope continually, and beware of dishonouring my God, and disquieting myself with vexing thoughts.

Tranent, April 15, 1801.-Let me recollect the mercies of the Lord, and think with gratitude upon them. O what I owe to the divine goodness! I will think of it when I go out, and when I come in, when I sit down, and when I rise up; I will take encouragement from it, and hope for further communications from its inexhaustible stores; my people shall be satisfied with my goodness," saith the Lord, to which my soul replies, amen. O satisfy me early with thy mercy, that I may be glad and rejoice all my days! I trust the Lord hath not wholly deserted us; it would be highly consolatory to have more abundant tokens of his favour and presence, but I must go on- "the wind bloweth where it listeth ;"there is something more than a probability, there is absolute certainty in the divine promise: "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief." I will trust in thee for direction, assistance, countenance, and success. It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect; he will give me the shield of his salva

tion, hold me up with his right hand, and his gentleness will make me great. Do not then, O my soul, sink into despondency, rise above thy fears, rejoice in the service of thy Saviour and thy God; persuading thyself that he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Let me keep in a humble, watchful, dependent frame : the word of the Lord is tried, he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

Tranent, July 1, 1801.-Difficulties may occur in the way of duty-I have found it so-yet duty itself very pleasant and satisfactory. O my soul, be not discouraged, press forward, go on in the service of thy Redeemer; I trust thou canst attest from experience his love and his faithfulness; beware of pride, walk humbly with him, rest upon him, pray fervently unto him, he will not fail thee nor forsake thee; never dost thou find such exquisite satisfaction in any thing as in the enjoyment of his presence, ministering the word to his people, and beseeching sinners, in Christ's stead, to be reconciled unto God. May this be ever thy attainment; how sweet, how desirable, how ravishing! Bless God; look unto him; he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry, for he hath said it: do ye believe it, and plead it, and rejoice in it-the Lord enable thee. Amen.

Tranent, July 23, 1801. Fast evening.-Waited on the Lord in the services of the day-heard precious truths concerning the duty of Christians in holding fast their profession, and coming boldly to the throne of grace, &c. with the encouragements given them to attend to it from Jesus being the Son of God, and our having him as a great High Priest passed into the heavens. But have much reason to complain of the