Q8? MEMOIRS or PERIOD XI. about it ; hut none came, nor could I hear what they had done. I faw God was angry with me, and hereby teftified hisdifdlea- fitre againft my former fubtil averfion to it : I therefore on the 3d of December fpent force time in prayer on thefe accounts. And the Lord was with nie. Examining myfelf for evidences of grace; I found, 1. I was carried out of all confidence itr my- felf to Jefus Chrift, on whom my foul relied with confidence, finding, 1 have no other plea before the Lord. I was fenfibly brought to this by confeffion fetting God's mercies to nie, and my fins, from my birth, through the feveral periods of my life, childhood, youth, &c. the oife over-againft the other, in confeflion, before the Lord. 2. My confcience bearing me wit- nefs, of hating and defpifing all things in cornparifon of Chrift; being defirous to cleave to him, and the way of duty, over the belly . of all fmiles and frowns that would carry me away. 32A delire of univerfal and perfe& holinefs, being confcious my hopes are as earneft for finbtification, as for juftification, from Jefus Chrift my Lord. What I had moft at heart in this exer- cife, wassmy ftudy of the accents, , the thankfgiving, the cafe of my abfent children, the afllióted in the parifh, &c. My (laugh. ter Jane about two months ago having gone to Dunfe, I had a fpecial concern on my fpirit for her. And by her letter I was refrefhed, both in that it was well with her foul, and my prayers for her have been heard. I faw rnyfeif much indebted to the divine goodnefs, in that all my children now appear to have a capacity for learning. I had a fpecial concern on my fpirit this day, for being helped to die to the glory of God, that, when it comes, I may be full of days, ripe, and content chearfully to go away. Between the laying down of the refolutioti for this exercife, and the performance, I faw what way to get over the particular difficulty whereat,l Ruck -in my ftudy of the accents. This is the fécond time I have found that promife fulfilled in this matter, " Before they. call I will anfwer," If lxv. 24. Dec. 21. My wife brought me in mind of a ftory of one of my daughters which I had forgot, that happened in the begin- ning of the 1712, or fome time before that. A poor boy came into the houfe begging, having fuch a defe& in his fpeech, that he pronounced the wordsfather and mother, fea and moa; at which my wife and others fmiling, defred him to fpeak over again what he had fáid. In the mean time the child flood look- ing on, with the tear in her eye, in great diftrefs; and at length came to her mother, and laid, Mother, did God make that laddie? She anfwered, Yes, my dear. Then fhe replied, Will he not.then be angry at you for laughing at him ? for my book Pays, " He that mocketh,the poör, reproacheth his Maker." And the boy being very naked, fhe was in mighty concern to get Old cloaths for him. Dec. 2.2. Having had a particular concern this morning on my heart for grace to the yoúng ones, I fpoke of eótionately to
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