C4 =moms, OF PERIOD X. are fantified, but ye are juftified in the name of'the Lord Jefus, and by thefpirit of our God." I walked up and down with the Bible in my hand opened at that place, holding it up towards heaven, as God's own word, pleading and improving it, for the cleaning of my vilefì foul. Oh how feafonable a fbpport was it to my fainting foul! Mr Wilfon's great fermon of the good news brought in the gofpel, from Luke ii. 10. was as balm to a wounded foul, and good news from a far country. And there I put all in Chrift's hand. While I was abroad, the news of the invafion came, and a bond ofaflociation contrived by tome honeft people at Edinburgh, to refift with armed force, came to my hand for' our parifh, and the whole country was aftir that way. But on the Monday morning Aug. 1.5. an exprefs came to me, calling me to Dunfe, to my brother's burial ; and on the morrow there I found, that the (proceeding in that`affociation was (topped from court, the invafion being found to be laid a-fide for the time. Here I faw the favourable conduct of Providence, in carrying and keeping me fo long abroad ; for I had good ground to think, that our pari(h would have given the atfociation but very cold entertain- ment : not from any other caufe but their felfifh principle and difpòfition. As to the invafion, I was afraid of myfe!f, for that I could not be afraid of it. At thefre two communions I preached, as I have already Paid, on Rev. xxi. 22. á text that for many years I had in view. When I began it, I expected little of it buta fermon for Sabbath afternoon. But all that about the precioufnefs of the ordinances came forth to me in the breaking. Now the oath of abjuration was in hand again, being to be impofed{with force alterations which I faw. Being much hurried with bufinefs after I came home, but getting one free day I fet myfelf to feek the Lord in that matter, and took it again under confideration. The refult of all'which was, that it Teemed to me like the hoùfe with the leprofy in the walls, under the law, that nothing could cleanfè but. the pulling down of the walls. So a meetingof nonj urors beingappointed at M. Aug. 30. I went thither, purely out of confcience towards God, to difcharge my confcience in that matter. And Providence opened my way to it through iron gates ; for when I took my horfe, I knew not what I was to do, to go, or corne back ; but the Lord cleared my way. About the latter end of Auguft, the rebellion having broke out, the King's army began to draw towards Stirling. On the 28th I clofed my fermons on the ten commandments in the forenoon, which were begun about two years before, and which I often feared, through the difficulty of the times, I thoúld not have had óccaron to finifh. I biefs God who led nie to that fubje t, where I met with things, which otherwife, through the courfe of many years preaching, would hardly have corne in the way. It gives
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