He not only permitted me to dwell upon the sweet subject of his great kindness to me at the time, in my own mind, but constrained me to tell those that love him what he has done for my soul. And on Tuesday, O how graciously did my heavenly Father deal with me while conversing with a minister of Christ; he opened his liberal hand, and gave largely to both; it was a memorable time. O how good is God to the souls that seek him. Yet, in the evening, temptation prevailed, and my soul was grieved: but still my God continued his kindness. I felt ashamed, and fled afresh to the blood of sprinkling. Wednesday was a day of trial and variegated temptation: I endeavoured to flee into my strong hold, that the Lord might lift up a standard. In the evening, came to my new habitation. (Rosemount,) which I trust the Lord has provided for me. It is most certain he would not permit me to go to another I had in view, and wished to have. He so evidently showed me that it would be contrary to his will, I was obliged to desist. Since the time I fixed on this place, (though at first he made every mountain of difficulty melt into a mole hill,) it has been a source of trouble and vexation, but since I came to it, he has made it a sweet habitation. I asked a mark of his favour, and in mercy, the morning after I came here, he granted my request repeatedly, both in secret prayer and in reading the Scriptures. He has indeed given me precious seasons; delightful communion with heaven; ineffable sweetness diffused through my soul; divine peace and comfort in private, family, and secret duties. Surely," where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." One temptation which I had long laboured under, he seems entirely to have removed. O that I may be humble, and thankful, and enabled to improve to the uttermost the loving kindness of the Lord. O that it may increase. Still I see the necessity of living by faith; especially for sanctification.

November 1. Since the 11th of October words would fail to tell of the goodness of the Lord, in public and private, at home and abroad, in the house, and by the way; not in exemption from temptation; no, but in support and comfort under it, and in deliverances from it; in repeated manifestations of his love and power; in sweet fellowship with the Father and the Son. At one time, while enduring a flood of temptation, Jehovah drew so nigh, appeared so clear to the eye of faith, so penetrated my soul with a sense of his presence, as might well excite my wonder, love, and praise. He so confounded the powers of darkness, so sensibly lifted up a standard, as made all within confess a present God; and he has thus abode with me ever since, though not always with the same degree of love, joy, or freedom from temptation, yet so as often made me involuntarily express these words, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." In the view of leaving home for a week or two, and travelling

for health, I earnestly asked a token for good, and he condescended to give it, after I had called my family together to request his blessing upon those that went, and those that were to remain. He preserved man and beast, carried through difficulties, disappointed fears, gave courage to own him and his cause in different parts, and with different denominations: and favoured me with numberless opportunities for attempting the spiritual and temporal good of my fellow creatures, and gave power to embrace them. The issue is left with Him who knows the end from the beginning, and who can make the feeblest means effectual for the greatest ends. And now, in tender mercy, he hath brought me home, having infinite cause to say, not only that he is the Hearer of prayer, but that "God is love." But I feel much cause to regret that I come so far short in all: that I do not make greater progress when so highly favoured. O Lord, remove the cause, that the effect may cease. My soul longs for greater nearness to God: for more power to glorify and enjoy him; for more extensive usefulness; for more holiness; a clearer witness for the enjoyment of that pure love that casts out fear; and for more power to live by faith.

Dec. 22. (Friday.) Still my God continues and increases his kindness to a creature unworthy of it. On Thursday, the 14th, he condescended to give me a sweet manifestation of the holy Trinity; and a very clear perception of the personality of the blessed Spirit: more so than for a long time past. This view of the whole Godhead was attended with a divine sweetness, and has been continued ever since, so that I have felt surrounded with Deity and the testimony of the Spirit for sanctification has at times been peculiarly clear; more especially just after conversing with a minister upon the subject, and simply expressing my ideas of it, both as a doctrine, and as experienced in a small measure in my own soul, through the great goodness of my God, and for the sake of his adorable Son. O that I may be made faithful, and enabled to press on for every degree of it attainable in the body. Last evening the Lord shone peculiarly clear upon his work in general, and gave me some comfortable hope that I was not standing still, as I feared. This was after many applications to the Hearer of prayer to quicken my pace; and after many times lamenting my shortcomings, and fearing I was making no progress. O that I could love and serve, a thousand times more, my gracious and compassionate heavenly Father. Lord, increase my ability; increase my faith. I feel a growing sense of the littleness of all earthly things, and the solemn weight and importance of those belonging to eternity: also, of the uncertainty and shortness of time, and the great necessity of improving it; and feel strongly drawn to fill up every precious moment with something valuable. I have much cause to praise the Lord for many mercies, spiritual and temporal; and among

others for a larger measure of health since I came to Rosemount than for a long time before. O that I may use it for Him who gives it. Truly he is the God that performeth all things for me: and my trust is not in an arm of flesh, but in himself, who so often disappoints my fears. I look that he will cause me to end this year, and begin the new one, with much of the divine presence.

TO MRS. JOHNSON.

January 10, 1793.

I take the opportunity of a frank to send a few lines to my friend, whose last was most acceptable. I trust our gracious God still continues his kind and most seasonable support in the midst of various distressing circumstances; and thereby enables you not only to stand in the evil day, but to glory in your infirmi ties, that the power of the adorable Saviour may rest upon you; that his love may fill and overflow your soul.

"O love, how cheering is thy ray!

All pain before thy presence flies."

I am pleased with your accounts of Mrs. G.; I hope my letter to her, enclosed in my last to you, came safe to hand. I feel much liberty in pleading that you, and those who join with you, may be enable to wrestle in mighty prayer; and seem to anticipate your victory. I rejoice that you are returned to your place again; this will strengthen the hands of many, and confirm their feeble knees, who might otherwise have been turned out of the way. And O how pleasing to God to see his dear children steadfast and immovable in trying times; especially those who have been long in the way, and who have borne the heat and burthen of the day. To prevent this, Satan has had recourse to these painful temptations you mention; hoping thereby to fix all your attention upon your own soul, and so lessen your sphere of usefulness. But blessed be our compassionate High Priest, who hath counteracted all his malicious designs against you, and put a song of praise in your mouth.

I have much cause to praise a God of love for his kindness to me since I wrote last. Sweet and repeated have been the precious manifestations of his love; of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost sometimes together, and at others distinct communications of grace, from each sacred person. Since last week, in the class meeting, I seem to have anchored more sensibly within the veil. The eye of my soul has been invariably fixed upon Jehovah, and his eye most sensibly fixed on me. I surely have this evidence of purity: "I do see God." Yet I have not, I think, such a strong testimony of the Spirit as I sometimes have had, when my views of God were not so clear. At times, I have very humbling views of self, and should sink very low, but for that faith that realizes unseen things, and shows me where I

stand. Perhaps these exercises of mind, that so empty one of self in every shape, are preparatory to greater and deeper entrances into the depths of Deity.

"I do dwell alone." These words, one day lately, came very seasonably to my mind, as being the case with God's Israel of old, when tried with various temptations, and, among others, that of standing alone. I seem to have none with me. I have indeed a lonely path; but, blessed be my heavenly Father, I have the sacred Three with me. My heart expands with desire for more of God, and for greater usefulness to his people. I would more than ever fill up every moment with, and for God. Assist me, my friend: Olet us pray always and never faint. The state of public affairs tries me much. I fly unto my God, and cry that he would yet continue our glorious privileges. But I must finish.

May he continually surround you, and keep you as in the hollow of his hands, prays

Your friend in Jesus,

TO MRS. JOHNSON.

D. MAXWELL.

March 22, 1793.

Dear Mrs. Johnson's letter, written in the spirit, was, I hope, perused in it. I feel both my need and the value of a spiritual friend. Your determination I wish ever to abide by: "To have no fellowship with any, but in the Spirit." O may that Holy Spirit knit our thankful hearts more closely to our living Head, the sacred source of calm repose. All the dealings of the Lord with me, for the last twelve months past, have been very selfhumbling. Many, very many stripping seasons I have had, which seem to discover, more and more, the depth of the fall. I have indeed nothing whereof to boast, nothing but what I have received. I am made truly conscious of my poverty and helplessness; this keeps me, perhaps, more sensible of my dependence than I should otherwise be, and creates and keeps up such a hungering and thirsting after larger measures of the divine life, after God and the possession of all his communicable fulness, as I cannot express. It mightily endears a Saviour to me: his suitability I so deeply feel, that my whole soul rests on him. Added to this, is the appointment, or at least permission, by Him who cannot err, of every possible modification of temptation; with a view, I doubt not, to promote the great and salutary purpose of drawing me more and more out of self, and sinking me deeper and deeper into Deity, till lost in the boundless ocean of love. But my receipts are so far short of my vast desires, that perhaps I am not always so thankful, or so sensible, as I ought to be, of what I have already received. My God is still most sensibly enforcing the necessity of living by simple faith; and indeed it is never better with me than when I do; every act brings in an increase. But the combined powers of darkness uniformly

oppose this mode of living. I trust my gracious God will give me a fuller deliverance. Assist me with your prayers till I obtain. I have at times such glorious views of sinking into Jehovah, and of what he is able to do for me, as I cannot explain; of such holy nearness to and fellowship with Jesus as is pleasing to experience: more especially when considered as foretastes of what shall be shortly my permanent experience. The Scriptures do so help, so strengthen and comfort, in all my various situations of soul, as is matter of great thankfulness. Forgive this minute detail.

I bless the Lord, who deals not only tenderly, but bountifully with you; and will, no doubt, in every case show you the most excellent way. He calls at present for a costly sacrifice, which you will doubtless offer freely upon that altar which sanctifies the gift.

I am pleased to hear that Mrs. G. still stands, and I hope you will remember me to her. Tell her, from me, that she is called, in a peculiar manner, in these very trying times, to stand firm, as a wall of brass, and as an iron pillar strong, in every difficulty. And thus, having endured temptation, she shall inherit the blessings annexed to the promises. I hope you will have wisdom given you from above; more and more be enabled to glorify your God, though in the fires; and increase daily in usefulness to his church and people.

I see that your present situation is both critical and difficult, and I endeavour to hold it up to your God daily, who has fitted you for it; and who will make you more than conqueror, through the blood of the Lamb. Go, then, thou servant of God, in his strength, and thy God will be with thee; and level every mountain, and raise every valley. He has given a large sphere of usefulness at this time, but Šatan will dispute every inch of ground: yet fear not; he shall fall like Dagon before the ark; only be thou very courageous for the Lord thy God. Forgive the liberty of thus writing, but I feel pressed in spirit to do it. Remem ber the weakness of the writer, and believe me,

Your friend in the best bonds,

D. MAXWELL.

CHAPTER XXIX-1794.

Diary and correspondence continued.

January 3. The year 1793 is fled-it is numbered, and returned to Him who gave it. Tell me, O my soul, what report has it carried with it as to thee? Could it say that it was thy constant desire and attempt to improve it for eternity? for the glory of God, the good of thy fellow creatures, and thy own best interest? What shall I say? O my God, if my heart do not