i ?36 il1E3TOIRS or PERIOD X. my wife and children on the Lord. There was one little cir- cumftance (the recording of which maybe offome ufe), namely, that at night, about the latter end of this exercife, while I was . at prayer, adead-bell tinkled down ftairs, the hearing of which furprifing found made tome impreffion on me. It was gifted by Sir William Scot to the parifh, and át that time it was, though not expeEted fo foon, brought home by John Currie, who had beenat Edinburgh, about the printing of the fermon, and brought -home a fpecimen of it. In the remaining part of that week, I fet in order my worldly affairs, by a will written with my own hand. And this, I think, was the firft time I made my tefta ment ; the which I always after kept by me, but feveral times renewed, deftroying the preceding one. And I reckon it was about this time that my contraç`t with my wife was deftroyed, with content ; the fettlemeut being made more to her advantage. On the 10th of March, John Currie being at Edinburgh to bring out the copies of the fermon, I met at Selkirk withhimwho had the overtght of the prefs ; who furprifed me with the news that the prefs was flopped, one of this parifh having brought' word to him for that effedt, as from me or the publifher; which was a groundlefs miftake. This occafioned me thoughts, of heart ; the rather that the facrament being to be celebrated at Edinburgh at that time, many there were defirous, on that occafion, to have had it ; and it was thought this.had marred the going off of many upon that occafion, forne hundreds, as he ex- preffed it. But on fecond thoughts I was fatisfied in the favour- able condu&t of Providence ; for had they come forth at fuch a nick for fale, I could not have judged of the acceptance of the book by that means. On the 26th I received a copy but with- al faw another fair occafion for the fate of them loft, though I had endeavoured to fecure it I could perceive no reafon for it, but that fo Providence faw it meet, and I believe for the. fame reafoxi; forefàid. And one delayof bringing the copies out, came one week, after another, till John Currie going-in at length to bring them, there were few left to be brought out. It is the -ufual; way of Providence with me, that matters of moment come through feveral iron gates. I could not but obferve, that, by holy Providence unknown to me, at what time the prefs was flopped, I had no freedom in prayer about it, but feveral times forgot it, and wondered how I had forget it. But when'the work went on, it was not fo. The publicatiori of that fermon was my firft-fruits in that kind. I had a comfortable`account of its acceptance. April 15. I received a letter from Mr Wilfon, (hewing me, that two perlons had written to him from Edinburgh about the fermon, (though he had written to none there about it ;) the one defiring him to deal with me for more, which it is heard are ready by me, and affuring of the efteem of the godly and judicious. The -other's letter he fent to me, bearing, that it had there a
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