oe MEMOIRS OF PERIOD III. then kind. So on Monday, Feb. 22. I took leave ofmy pupil, and that family. The day before, I thought it my duty to fpeak fume things to the fervants before I left them. I prayed to God for light ; but was deferted, and could get nothing. I laydown on my bed in great heavinefs, and thought with myfelf, What folly is it for me to think of pafling trials to preach the gofpel, Peeing I cannot buckle two fentences ofgood fenfe together in my own mind ? In this perplexity I went out to the field, and pray- ed earneftly ; came in again, had no time longer to think; but was helped of God to fpeak without confufion, and with greatfa- cility, to my own wonder. This was ufeful to me afterwards, and did drive the bottom out ofa grand objection I had againft paffing my trials, taken from myunreadinefs in ordinary difcourfe. The time I was at Kennet, continues to be untome a remark- able time among the days of my life. Once I fainted there, be- ing on my knees at evening fecret prayer ; and coming to my. fclf again, was eafed by vomiting. Another time praying in the Ferrytown, in Thomas Brown's family, I found my heart be- ginning to fail ; which obliged me quickly to break off, and go to the door, whereI was eafed the fame way as before. It *as a time of much trouble to me, yet in the main a thriving time for my foul. My corruption fometimes prevailed over me ; but it put me to the ufing of fecret fatting and prayer ; whereunto I was alfo moved by the cafe of the poor, it being one of the years ofdearth and fcarcity that the Lord was then contending byyear after year. And this I did not without fume fuccefs. Then it was that on fuch an occafion I drew up a catalogueoffins, which, withmany unknown ones, I had to chargeonmyfelf ; the which bath feveral times been of ufe to me fince: there I had force Bethels, where I met with God, the remembrance whereof hath many times been ufeful and refrefhful to me, particularly a place under a tree in Kennet orchard, where, Jan. 21. 1697, I vowed the vow, and anointed the pillar. That day was a public fait- day ; and the night before, the family being called together, I laid before them the caufes of the fait, and thereto added the fins of the family, which I condefcended on particularly, defiring them to fearch their own hearts for other particulars, in order to our due humiliation. After fermons, going to the Garlet to vifit a fick woman, I was moved, as I pafléd by the orchard, to go to prayer there ; and being helped of the Lord, I did there f'olemnly covenant with. God under a tree, with two great boughs coming from the root, a little north-weft from a kindof ditch in the eaft- ern part of the orchard. Though it was heavy to me that I was taken from the fehool of divinity, and fent to Kennet; yet I am convinced God fent me to another fchool there, in order to prepare me for the work of the gofpel, for which he had deigned me : for there I learned in force meafure what it was to have the charge of fouls ; and being naturaf)),y Willful, timorous, and much fubjeót to the fear
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