130 MEMOIRS OF PERIOD VII. herfeif with affurance; . endowed with a fingular dexterity in dic- tating-ofletters ; being a pattern of frugality,, and wife manage- ment of houfehold-affairs; therefore entirely committed to her; well fitted for, and careful of, the virtuous education of her chil- dren ; remarkably ufeful to the country -fide, both in the Merle and in the Foreft, through her fkiil in phyficand furgery, which, in many inftances, a peculiar bleflingappeared to be commanded upon from heaven; 'and, finally; a crown to nie in my public Ela- tion and appearances. During the time we have lived together hitherto, we have patted through a fea of trouble, as yet not fee- ing the (bore but afar off. 'I have fonietimes been likely to be removed fromher : fhe having had littlecontinued health, except the firft fix weeks, her death bath oftentimes (tared us in the face, and hundreds of arrows have pierced my heart. on that féore; and fornetimes I have gone with a trembling heart to the pulpit, laying my account with being called out of it, to fee her expire. And now for the third part of the time we have lived together, namely, ten years complete, the has been under a particular rack- ing d;{trefs ; and, for feveral of thefe years, fixed to her bed ; in the which furnace, the grace of God in her bath been brightened, her parts continued to a wonder, and her beauty, which formerly was wont, upon her recoveries, to leave no vettige of the ilinefs the had been under, doth as yet now and then thewTome vefliges of itfelf. PERIOD VIII. From. my marriage, till my removal to Ettericlé, A i and about the time of my marriage, it pleafed the Lord rto deal bountifully withmy foul. . And theLord's day im- mediately. following I preached at Dunningin Strathern. I was habitually kept right thefe days, and the Lord was kind to me. I niet with a !harp trial after fo fair ablink as I had: and while I was muting on the cautes of the fame, I found myfelf called to go to fecret prayer at a time unexpe&ed ; and within a little af- ter, the. Lord was gracioufly pleated to let nie find he had heard me, and the difpeníation was Tweet, comingas anantiver of pray- er. But when I came to Dunning on the Saturday's night, I found myfelf wrong, having neither heart nor hand for my work.' On the Sabbath morning my indifpofition continued, fave that at family- prayer my affeaions were looted, and I had a deep fence of my own vilenefs on my fpirit. In the forenoon it was neither very ill nor very well ; but in the afternoon my bands were free- ly looted, and I had light and life from the Lord. I preached on Pial. xv ü. 46. The Lord,liveth, and Melted be my rock ;" the which' text I- was. led to, as my anchor-ground, in my new cìrcumf'tances through the change of my Iot. And that week we came home to Simprin.
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