2Io MEMOIRS OF PERIOD IX. the 4th chapter, but in fhort-hand characters. The fame I did on tbme chaptersof Ifaiah afterwards. This was the happy year wherein I was first mafter ofa Hebrew Bible, and began the ftudy of it. About the time of my coining out of the Merle to Etterick, I borroweda piece of the Hebrew Bible, containing the books of Samuel and Kings ; and having got that, I went on accordingly in the ftudy of the holy tongue. For which caufe I did this year purchaíe Athias's Hebrew Bible, of the fecond edition, having been long time lured and put off with the hopes of 'a gift of Arrius Montanus from an acquaintance in the Merle ; the which were not like to be accomplifhed, and in end were fruftrated. Thus- provided, I plied the Hebrew original clofe, with great delight; and all along tìnce, it hath continued to be my darling ftudy. But I knew nothing then Of the accentuation. Howbeit, I took tome notes of the irnport_of the Hebrewwords with much pleafure. I had got another parcel of books in the year 1706, the chief of which was Turrettine's works, in four volumes 4to, wherewith I was not altogether un- acquainted before ; and, in the 1707, before I went' to Etterick, I purchafed Pool's Annotations, having had noentirecommentary on the whole Bible before that, except the Englith Annotations, edit. 1. purchafed in 1704. But from the time I left Sirnprin, I fet myfelf.no more to purchafe parcels of books as before ; but got fome particular books now and then, as I found myfelf difpofed for them. About the end of thisyear, my friend Mr Wilton and I began an epittolary communication, whereby we might have the benefit, each of the other's reading and Rudy, for our mutual improve-, ment. And then I wrote the Meditation on the day of expiation and feaft of tabernacles, tobe found in the mifcellany manufcript, p. x25.-332. *E. About this time alto I did, for my diverfion, compote a kind of a poem on friendlhip, in an enigmatical or allegorical ftrain, confining of fome fheets ; a part of which, it Teems, 1 had feat him by that time. [But lait winter, 1729, I coiemitted it to the flames with any thing elfe of that kind doue by myfelf. ] Feb. 8, 1711. Therewas agreat floral of fnow on the ground ; and our parífh, with many others, about two years before, having been almoft broke with fuch a form, it lay near my heart; and therefore I moved for a congregational faft on that occafion ; ti Mich the elders fell in with, being called together betwixt fer- mons ; and in the afternoon it was intimated, to be obferved on the Wednefday thereafter. I was helped in my fecret prayers on this occafion, which made me to hope. On the morrow, the weather began to be fo eafy, that I thought our fait was like to be turned into a thànkígiving. But that tatted not; fo that I think it was never more violent than on the fait-day. And the Lord. Thefe were puhliíhed in 1753, in the fame volume with theMifeellanies, andhave been greatly eíteemed.
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