for others. If I can throw in even a mite into the
Divine treasury, I shall esteem it a peculiar pri-
vilege. I pray that you may all meet in the spirit
of love and forbearance at the Conference, and
that the Almighty fiat may sanction your every
determination then, all will be just as it should
be. Wishing you much more than ever of the
Divine presence, and a still fuller testimony of
the destruction of the bitter root, with the sealing
of the Spirit unto redemption's day; I am, Rev.
Sir, in Christian bonds, your faithful, humble
servant,
D. MAXWELL.

February 24, Friday. Still I live, because my God is good. In the course of these eight days, I have at times been rather depressed, on account of unfruitfulness. I would be all for God. Every nerve strung with holy ardour of desire to promote his cause upon earth; and yet I seem to do nothing. Lord, if it is thy will, enlarge

3

my sphere, and make me more faithful in the present narrow one in which I move. Thou knowest every particular in my present situation, and what my hinderances are, and can easily remove them. The perilous situation of our landoccupies many of my thoughts and words, both to God and man. Matters seem now to draw to a painful crisis. Blessed God, interpose! undertake our cause: and, if not contrary to thy will, and derogatory to thy glory, yet spare; and let the bitter cup pass from us, at least for a season. O hear the unceasing prayers and supplications that are ascending from every quarter; in public, private, and secret. Thou hast often, in former days, appeared remarkably for our sinful island. Thou changest not. If our cup of iniquity is not already full, O, gracious Lord, yet assist us in our extremity! If it is, O spare thy own people ;-cover their heads,-hide them in the hollow of thy hand! Speak, Lord, for the glory of thy Name.

March 3, Friday. I have some reason to believe that the Lord has heard, and answered,

my hand I

after conLast week

since last date. He has put work in did not expect, and owned me in it, vincing me deeply of unfruitfulness. I had a particular call in Povidence, not only to arise myself, and pray for our guilty land, but to urge others to join me in the important work of intercession. This call the Lord has so owned as to leave not a shadow of doubt that it came from himself. He has inclined many to unite in the

sacred work; favoured with much liberty at a' throne of grace; great comfort has been experienced by some; together with such a strong stimulus to prayer, as has not often been found on former occasions; all which, gives encouragement to believe, solid good will be the result. Grant it, gracious Lord, for thy Name's sake: and though the beginning is small, let it greatly increase.

10, Friday. Since the 3d instant, the Lord of heaven and earth, whom winds and waves. obey; who giveth victory, or defeat, by sea or land, as he sees meet; hath appeared signally in our behalf, guilty as we are. O how blind are those who do not see, that the hand of God, and not superior seamanship, is the grand cause, that 15 sail of British ships, should overcome the Spanish fleet, consisting of 27. Not only capturing two first-rates of 112 guns each, and two others, one of 80, and one of 70 guns, but also greatly damaging several others; and thereby preventing their junction with the French and Dutch fleets, who avowedly owned their design of invading our little Island. O, Lord, it is thy doing, and may well be wondrous in our eyes therefore, to Thee be all the glory, to whom alone it is due.* Surely prayer has been heard. O may

* This brilliant victory was obtained under the command of Sir John Jervis, off Cape St. Vincent, on the 14th of the preceding month; and acquired for the British Admiral the appropriate title of Earl St. Vincent.

Vide Baine's History of the War, b. ii. ch. 1. p. 181.

we all be thankful and humble! and do thou, O Lord, grant thy blessing, and hear the prayers offered up. Regard our late attempts to humble ourselves by confession on the last day set apart as a national fast for Scotland; and own a neighbouring nation, this day employed in the like solemn exercises. If possible, yet save us for thy Name's sake. Great was also the goodness of our God in defeating the attempt of a descent upon Ireland some months ago; even after part of the enemy's forces were landed. He caused the wind to blow, that scattered their fleet, and obliged them to return to port greatly damaged.*

*This gracious interposition of Providence deserves to be further noticed. "The republican government of France, perceiving a crisis in the situation of Ireland more favourable to the success of an invasion than any which had occurred since the French revolution, seized that occasion to strike a blow of no common importance. Fifteen thousand chosen troops, under the command of Hoche, were embarked at Brest, on the 15th December, 1796; intended to act on their arrival with a body of the disaffected Irish, who were known to be considerable in numbers, and organized for insurrection by chiefs of talents and intrepidity. Every thing being prepared, Admiral Villaret Joyeuse set sail from Brest, with eighteen sail of the line, besides frigates and transports, while the General embarked with his staff on board the frigate La Fraternité. The wind, at first, was favourable; but scarcely had the expedition left the outer harbour, when a storm arose which dispersed the fleet, and separating the frigate which carried Hoche, obliged him to escape into the harbour of Rochelle, after weathering a dangerous cruise, and being chased by two British vessels. Of the whole fleet, only eight two-deckers VOL. II.

How wonderful is his goodness to His unworthy creatures! O let it prove salvation to us! Neither would we forget His recent appearance for us in Wales, when He caused 1200 troops, who had made good a landing on that coast, to lay down their arms, and surrender themselves as prisoners of war, when only opposed by the militia and the country people, rising in a mass against them. How easily, if not prevented by the God of battles, might the enemy have overcome. O Lord, may these memorable instances of thy goodness to us, be written in indelible characters upon our hearts; and appear in our lives, by universal obedience. to thy commands. Without this thorough reformation, by the faith of the gospel, though the fatal blow may be suspended for a season, it must take place; and, we may fear, with double severity, after having rendered ourselves doubly guilty, by resisting every effort made for our deliverance.

April 14. Sabbath last, I was glad to go to the house of God in the morning, though my expectations were not fully answered. On coming home soon after, I went to prayer with a Chris

reached the coast of Ireland, under Admiral Bouvet, who appeared off Bantry Bay, but was forced from that situation in a few days by tempestuous weather, and obliged to return to France, without effecting a landing. In this disastrous expedition, the French lost not less than three ships of the line, and three frigates, from the adverse ele'ments."

Baine's History of the War, b. i. ch. 22, p. 167.