The topaz doth an emblem prove, Of the kind deeds of peace and love. Long, long may these their choicest store, And give its inmates long to know, D. S. 1814. 12.-Left our dear friends and embarked on board the Soho, at six P. M. and landed, by the blessing of God, at Newhaven, on Tuesday the 15th, at twelve. 26, Saturday.-Left Edinburgh with my dear wife and son, and after a prosperous journey reached our haven at Chillingham, all well. 27.-Preached in the forenoon in Chillingham Church, which is greatly improved, and is now a very neat little parish temple. October 16.-Confirmed in the Chapel at Kelso 14. 17. Returned home. November 18.-Very ill for some days. 26.-I am by God's goodness to me somewhat better, and have spirits to begin a sermon for next Sunday, on lv. of Isaiah, 7th verse. 27.-I gave Miss H Southey's Colloquies to read, especially that part of the 2d volume in which he treats of Bequinage. I cannot see why something of the kind might not be tried here. It appears to me that on lady Carnegy's school something might be engrafted, so as to produce able and willing nurses for the sick poor. December 5.-How much I desire to pray with the Publican and with the beseeching father, "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief." May this supplication be heard at the throne of grace! 6, Second Sunday in Advent.-I waked after a short and confused sleep, so ill, that I was obliged to ask my dear C to supply my place at the altar. I have had a most suffering day. May God, for Christ's sake, look on me in pity,-yet who am I to ask such mercy? yet the deeper my humiliation, I trust for my Redeemer's sake, the sooner will it reach the throne of grace. I have no prayer but the prayer of the Publican, -may that prayer be heard. I was unable to do more than read a few verses, and say a few words, and offer a short prayer with my family, and dismiss them to, I trust, better rest than I hope for. 7.—After such a night as I expected, I rose very poorly. 9.-I have read nearly the whole of the first vol. of Calamy's Life. He introduces occasionally some mention of the Socinians. I do not know whether it is worth while to set down a thought which has come into my mind on this subject. It is this, that there are numberless passages in Sacred Scripture, which assert the Divine nature of our blessed Redeemer, in a manner utterly incompatible with his being a mere man, but there are none which assert his manhood in a manner inconsistent with his Divinity. The Socinians cannot, with all their ungrammatical pains, destroy the force of the first set of passages. 17.-Wrote an acknowledgment of the attention of the vestry, about the allotment of the burial ground. God grant that I may be fit to occupy it. Oh! I would surrender myself to Him, I would humble myself under the mighty hand of God. Have mercy, O Lord, on a miserable sinner, and give me the grace of that holy sorrow which worketh repentance unto salvation. Fourth Sunday in Advent.-Preached in the forenoon, and returned home much exhausted. There was a collection for the Senior Female Society. I preached on Hebrews xi. 16. and at the conclusion of my sermon took notice of the charity. 25, Christmas day.-Communicants 294. After my return home I was taken very ill, and passed the rest of the day, not in the enjoyment of my family, but in bed. Sunday after Christmas day.-Preached in the forenoon, Deuteronomy xxxii. 29. a sermon for the conclusion of the year. When Charity, imprison'd here, Awkward and slight as these lines may be, they direct the mind to the contemplation of that state most of all to be desired and envied, when the servant of Christ, his period of trial and discipline drawing to a close, is permitted to understand and adopt the holy words of the apostle, (2 Cor. v.) "We are confident, and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord." It is said by the same holy writer, that through Christ we are delivered from that fear, which keepeth the natural man in bondage-the fear of death, Heb. ii. But these lines express more than this mere deliverance,—they delineate, roughly, the feelings of a soul far above that "fear," awakened to a sentiment of glory and happiness reserved for such as fall asleep in Jesus. The discipline of God's grace, through the Holy Spirit which hath sealed the Christian unto the day of redemption, hath overcome the enemy; he now lingereth no longer attracted by things here, and already anticipates the blessings to the experience of which he is approaching! The WEDDING GARMENT is put on! Happy! blessed Son of Faith! thou art no longer crippled in thy path with the cold doubts of natural weakness: these are at an end-thou art approaching to that fruition, which Hope hath taught thee to expect and long for! Thou art under the blessed influence of the grace which is the sublimest excellence of Christ's religion, inasmuch as it maketh Christians like unto their Master,-unto him, whose charity was not satisfied until he had laid down his life for us. Thou art instructed to desire the society of just men made perfect, of every clime, and nation, and degree. These are ready to welcome thee to the joy of thy Lord, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to the house not made with hands, and thou, by the support of the Holy Spirit, with the blessing of thy God art ready to say, so come Lord Jesus!— Amen, Amen. The Diary ends here. |