Q48 MEMOIRS OF PERIOD X. and bring in one ; which, with much relu&.ancy, for my own part, I obeyed. So we brought in a paper; in the framing of which, it was acknowledged, with the no fmall ,boy of feveral brethren, that the Lord had honoured me to do good fervice to the church. It paffed with little difficulty,, in re(peét of the prefent circumftances. O that I could learn from this, not to lhift occafions of doing fervice, when I am called thereto, though it may appear a burden too heavy for my Moulders! The fynod riling that day, I came off in the afternoon : but immediately myhorfe failed ; and with niuch difficulty getting to Mackerfton, I was obliged to hire another there to carry me to Maxton. It was as plain to me, as ifwritten with a firn-beam, that God was, by that, contending with me for a heart-fin hid from all the world, namely, the mifgiving of my treacherous heart, upon thole pieces of fervice the Lord honoured me with at the fynod for tho' Mr Wilfon's zeal did cxcite me much to the former, and the cowardly weaknefs of my heart frighted me from the latter, till I was in fome fort compelled to it ; yet when they were done, fuch was the bafe weaknefs of my fpirit, that í could not carry even under the fame, but wofully mifcaried through, vanity, as if poor I had been fomewhat. But thanks be to a good God, that quickly purfued me, till I was laid lowagain. This is notthe firft time, that, on fuch occafions, I have fallen into this Mame- ful fin, and quickly have been rebuked for it. I define, in time coming, 'to watch on fach occafions, if ever I have more, which God may ju(tly deny me. The enemies paffed on Tuefday towardNorthumberland, not coming near Kelfo. So the people dropped away. When' I came home, I found, that a report having come that day I went away, that the rebels were coming down Tima, feveral were,in no fmall conffernation and conflation : but by kind Providence, it was kept from my wife's knowledge till the fright was over ; wherein I could not but obferve the Lord's hand eminent. The army aforefaid having joined the Northumberland rebels, and the highlanders having come from Lothian, and alljoined together they came to Kelfo, on Saturday the 22d. Sabbath, O&obey 23. I read the paper aforefaid, according to appointment, before the congregation ; enlarged on the particu- lars, and laid before them the fingularity, of their carriage, in the'prefent.conjun&ure ; which was the more heavy to me, in refpe& of my circumftances concerning the oath. This week one came running, and another riding full fpeed to me, telling me the highlanders were at Thirleftane ; whereupon pr?efently I went up the brook, and then towards the headof the hill, my family .being in great diftrefs, expecting to be plundered. A little after, one came and told me, it was a falfe alarm ; but in my eyes it was a kind providence that I was tried with a falfe :alarm, before I Mould get a true one. Next Sabbath, being the 30th, upon a report that the rebels were coming our way.
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