pleasure, and doing my own will.

the state of things when the E

out of commission, and I joined the D, to offend still more, and to receive yet greater mercies.

No. VI.

"GOD SPEAKETH ONCE, YEA TWICE, YET MAN
PERCEIVETH IT NOT."

ALAS! poor sinful, wretched, rebel man! Little does it avail that some pronounce great things in thy praise; little does it change the nature of things, though they "spend all their powers of rant and rhapsody" in eulogies of moral rectitude! "All is but the tinkling cymbal and high-sounding brass; smitten in vain!" For thy Maker's voice is disregarded. He who formed thee from the womb, proclaims, "Although the ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib, Israel does not know, his people do not consider." They consider neither his calls of mercy nor his voice of judgment, but are ever disposed" to revolt more and more, seeing the whole head is sick, the whole heart faint."

Do any of my readers doubt this Bible statement? Let them look abroad; let them "ex

amine themselves truly!" or let them peruse these brief memorials of a stranger; and the result will be, a conviction that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,"

When the tender mercies of a heavenly Father had watched over and returned me in health to my "long lost native shore," I reflected not on the thousands who once sailed with me, and whose carcases had fallen in distant lands, or been ingulfed in the ocean. Nay, when his gracious providence gave me opportunities of attending his house of prayer, I not only neglected to embrace them, but, as was observed in the conclusion of my last number, devoted these opportunities to the service of Satan, and polluted his Sabbaths by seeking my own pleasure and doing my own will. In the D- I found a large and gay society of young men, whose only object was to obtain "that honour which cometh from man;" and happy and enviable was his lot esteemed who outstripped his competitors in the ardent race. The world caressed me, and I gave it my heart. My practice as a Christian became more lax: I gave

way to furious angry passion; sought my happiness in the smiles of man; and more and more forgat God. Who, then, will be surprised to hear, that my little scriptural light became darkness; or, that on my having grieved and quenched the blessed Spirit, Satan should be again permitted to exert great power over me? I shudder at the recollection of this period! Merciful God! well might thy blessed Son declare that the things which are highly esteemed among men are abomination to thee-in my own case I know it must have been so.*

The writer wishes it to be clearly understood, that no part of his own irregularity could be ascribed to the want of good order and discipline on board this ship. Captain H (who lately departed this life a titled admiral, and justly honoured by his sovereign) was too good an officer, and too moral a man, to suffer any to trifle in his presence, either with their public duties, or the sacred name and things of God. Wherever he conceived that he found merit, there he promoted it to the utmost of his power; and if his ship had not a pious Chaplain on board, it was not his fault. He watched over the conduct of those young men more immediately under his care, with the vigilant eye of an intelligent father; and tutored, formed the character, and sent forth not a few who at this day are officers high in rank and respectability in the service. Had all commanders of his Majesty's ships and vessels of war been like him, perhaps the writer would this

Such was the determined manner in which I went through all the boisterous duties of my station, that I was appointed to head a party of the boarders in time of action, and also to command a company of men selected to combat and extinguish fire whenever it might occur in the ship. In short, I left my companions at a distance, carried all before me, and was among the very first who received promotion from the commander-in-chief after the close of the battle of Trafalgar, in which the D took no minor

part.

Thus far all was esteemed by man; and yet all was abomination to God. He was not in all or any of my thoughts as the chief good; the glory of his name was not my motive of action; nor was his word my rule of conduct. But amidst all the dangers and mercies, the bustle and delusive smiles with which I was surrounded, I was far from being happy. The

day have been very differently employed; but be that as it may, as long as reason and memory maintain their empire, so long will the name and remembrance of Sir G. H. be honoured and respected by him.