156 MEMOIRS OP PERIOD VIII, bow : for, 2. This afftiétion was avaft help to me and my family, to the work we were going. about; it. put us in another frame than readily we would otherwifè have been in : 3. ] learned tile necefiity of taking more care about the unhappy lad's foul than I had done. 4. That adepending frame is à pledge-of the mercyde- fired. And this leffon came fèafonably to me at this time,with refpeét to the bufinefs of Etterick, for light wherein I am helped to depend. 5. My wife expeóted workmen to have come yefter- day, and the fancily-fail, was to have been next week ; but God hindered them, and the difäppointnient determined us to this week, as the other difpenfition to this day, which we could not have got done if they had come. Feb. 2. The f crament was celebrated. I had- great difficulty to get a text. Ou Wednefday I began to Rudy the text I preach- ed on, but was obliged togive it over. On the Friday I begun it anew, and hammered out my fermon on it that day. The con- fluence of people was extraordinary ; fó that I behoved to fend for more wine, and Pet up another table on Saturday's night. It was thought my prefent circumilances contributed to it. When I began the work on the Lord's day, I was much difcouraged by reafon ofthe confufonand difturbance, occafioned by the unufual throng, and by reafon I could obferve few of my Swn, handful a- mong them, I had no ftraitening in my preaching, nor any other part of the work. Something ofa more than ordinary frame was on myfèlf and the people, in the firft prayer. The work at the tables was fignally owned of God-. Some .profeffed, they were in hazard of difturbing the work, by crying out at the first and fe- cond tables. I underftand bymany, that there was fomething of an unordinaryframe among the people in the byre. While I was communicating, one that was near me feemed to me not to have taken the bread ; I gave her a fign while The feemed tobe meditating, and found the had taken it. This diféompofed me: I faw it had been a temptation, and' that my bufinefs then was to have been taken up about my own café. Being brought to the pinch,. I wrestled to,get to my feet again, fleeing to the blood ex- hibited, and fet myfèlf to prefent duty. Let this be a leifon to be. A.t night in my clefet, partly. defiderating the impreffions of communicating on my fpirit, as was 'due ; partly retleóting on that diforder atfirit by the throng, having never feen any here be- fore, I was difcouraged, and poured out my complaint before the Lord, was fore weightedand bowed down ; my eyes, meanwhile, being with-held from Peeing what glorious power of God appear- ed at that work, Bleffed be the Lord, it was good ballalt. And I have received fomething of what I then deliderated. On the Monday Mr Colden preached à fweet fermon, with much tender- nefs. I knew not whether to fpeak after him or not ; but found at length, though I defire-not to fpeak after him, that yet I durit not forbear. And fo, with the Lord's help, I fpoke a word to ail, to ftrangers, and, with more than ordinary vigour and con-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=