288 MEMOIRS or PERIOD XI. no purpofe. The waters were up ; but we got another guide through Yarrow : and thereafter the two procured us another, who guided us to the Paddoch Slacks. We got on our way without iniflaking it, but that we were fomewhat puzzled to find the road through two brooks. On Tuefday, Dec. 8. I fpent fome time in prayer, fingingof mercy and judgment, and for my daughter, the book, the ac- centuation, &c. One thing more occurred to me, thinking on the trial, that I had not made a more fblemn bufìnefs of the childrens going away, by fétting fome time apart for prayer on that account, either in the family, or by myfelf ; and that I had not put the children- themfelves to it : and on Jane's going to Dunfe, I came home, I had been wreftling with the temptation aforefaid renewed : fb that that day I faw rnyfelfftanding on the ice, and my flefh trembling for fear of God, and I was afraid of his judgments. On Friday, Dec. 11. what I feared came on me, receiving a letter that Jane was taken ill of the fmall pox, and that they had broken out on Tuefday the 8th. The account not being very bad, I flayed, and preached on the Lord's day, and went off after fermon. On that morning, filch a damp took me in prayer, that I could neither pray for her recovery nor falvation; which made me ready to conclude the was dead. It continued in the public prayers, till the laft one after the ferinon, wherein my bonds were loofed to pray for her; which fent me away with hope. I gpt to Edinburgh on Monday by four o'clock. Her pox, were many, and ofa dangerous kind. On the Thurf- day, the pox being about their height, ¡he fell feverifh. Fears of her death came then to an extremity ; and while I was thus hardly beftead, awful impreffìous of the fovereign God fittingon his throne in the heavens, having the matter in his hand wholly, to turn it what way he pleafed, were feafonably, by his grace, fixed on my fpirit, commanding me filently to wait the iffue. And that word, Pfál. lxxxv. 12. `° The Lord ¡hall give that which is good," was the word I was led to for resting in, during the long time of her illnefs. When the wont was pail, on the Monday after, new ¡traits arofe, and I was plunged in dif- ficulties : but deliverances came, which were fweet as the an- fwers of particularpetitions to the Lord. I was employed there in private houfes, not without countenance front the Lord. I left my daughter in a hopeful way of recovery, but weak, Dec. 31. and--came home on the morrow, the first day of the new year.. And the 5th, beingTuefday, I fpent fume time in fecret prayer for my daughter's cafe, and feveral other caufes, partieu- larty the accentuation and the book ; renewed the covenant as ufual at fuch times ; and was let in to the application of the Redeemer's blood. I would fain hope thisquarrel is not to be purfued farther. The first week of my being in Edinburgh this fecond time,
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