8 MEMOrRS or PERIOD I. offspring of fallen Adam. And this, not only in the vanity and ungodlinefs of the general courfe of my life before I was enlighten- ed, living without God ; but inparticular branches thereof, which I remember to this day with lhame and confufion before the Lord. And indeed in this period were force fuch things as I have ever fine looked upon as fpecial blots in my efcutcheon ; the which, with others of a later date, I have been wont, in my fecret fafts all along, (till to fet before mine own eyes, for my humiliation, and lay before the Lord, that he may not remember themagainst me ; though I hope theyare pardoned, being waffled away by the blood of Chrift my Saviour. I remember my grofs and unbecoming thoughtsof theglorious, ineomprehenfible God ; keen hatred of my neighbour, upon difobligations received ; and divers loathfome fproutiugs of the finwhich all along hath " molt eaulybefet me," as the particular bias of my corrupt nature. Two fnares I fell into in that period, which have been in a fpecial manner heavy to me, and have occafioned me many bitter reflec- tions ; and, I think, they have been after the Lord had begun to deal with my foul, and enlightened me. The one I was caught in, being enticed by another boy to go to Dunfe -law with him on a Lord's day, and, when on the head of the hill, to play pins with him. The other I narrowly efcaped, being put into the fnare by the indifcretionofone who then had the management of me : all ircumftances favouring the temptation, God alone, by his Spirit, working on my confcience, delivered meas abird out of the fnare of the fowler. The particular place I well remember, whither after the efcape I went, and wept bitterly, under the defilement I had contraóted, in tampering with that temptation. Such is thedanger of ill company for young-ones, and of indifcreet man- agement of them. However, that they were the genuine fruits of my corrupt nature I do evidently fee ; in that, however bitter both of thefe had been to me, I did force years after run, of my own accord; into two fnares much of the fame kinds, narrowly alto efcaping one of them, but fo as it occafioned to me great bitternefs. Twoof Mr Erfkine's firít texts were, John i. e9. " Behold " the Lamb of God," &c. ; and Matth. iii. 7. " O generation c° of vipers, who hath warned you to flee," &c. I diftinótly remember, that from this lait he oft- times forwarned of judge- ments to come on thefe nations, which I (till apprehend will come. By thefe, I judge, God fpake to me ; however, I know I was touched quickly after the firft hearing, wherein I was like one amazed with force new and ftrange thing. My loft ttate by nature, and my abfólute need of Chrift, being thus difcovered to me, I waslet to prayin earneft ; but remember nothing Of that kind I did before, Cave what was done at meals, and in my bed. I alfocarefullyattended for ordinary the preach- ing of the word, at Revelaw, where Mr Erfkinehad his meeting- Iioufe, near about four miles from Dunfe, In the fainter-time,
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