SOS IIETdOIRS OP . PERIOD xr quainted with before. It broke my reft on the Friday's night : and from the Saturday all along there was a train of trying incidents and temptations came on me ; fo that I loft, much of the Saturday''s night's reft too. On the Lord's day my tooth, ach was mercifully removed and I was all along helped to truft God in that matter *. As for my cafe, I was carried through, in heavinefs, with fume pleafant blinks and gales now and then : and the Lord was with my two helpers, for I had no more., Sept. 9. I affifted at the facrament in Yarrow. The matter being laid before the Lord, the light calling me to go thither for the fervice of our common Matter, made me put the knife to the throat ofmy own inclinations, Great was the uneafinefs among many in this parifh on that account ; beyond what I really ex- peed. As for the work itfelf, I endeavoured to eye the ordinance as the ordinance of God ; and indeed in my perfonal duty of communicating, &c. and my public rniniftration there, (except ferving the table), it was well with me. The Lord was with me ; and what I met with there, both in public; private, and fecret, leaves yet a lhvoury impreffion on nie. Particularlya I had a plain anfwer of prayer, for affiftance,in the duty of public prayer. On the Wednefday after I came from Yarrow, I (pent fotne time in prayer, for dire&ion as to what I íhould next take in hand. The notes on the Morrow were finifhed in the beginning of July Taft. My doubt now was, whether to revife fome notes concerning family and perfonal fatting and humiliation, or to proceed in the effay on the accentuation, which lait was laid afide, by reafonofthe affair of the Marrow, force time in February 1721, excepting that a little was done therein the April follow- ing. I could not get clearnefs to fall on the former, and there- fore neceflirrily fell in with the latter, as what was already be. gun. So I put pen to paper again in that work Sept. 12. At the communion-table in Maxton, O&. 14. having upon my fpirit a particular concern for the falvation of my family, and the cafe of my children ; I think I was helped to believe, with particular application, the great promife, " I will be thy God, and the God of thy feed ; and am verily pèrfuaded it will be well with them at length. It was with much fear and trembling that I entered at firft on the fubjeét of the covenant of grace ; and being, after force in- terruption, to return thereto, I did, from a fenfe of my great un- acquaiutednefs with the myftery, on O&. 25. being the day be- fc i'e my Rudy-day, fpend force time in prayer, for the Lord's ìnanifelting his covenant to me, and for forne other caufes. And foon after that, I taw, the Lord had been gracioufly pleafed The author preached the action-fermon from Pfal. cxlii. 5. which, with -tome more fermons on it afterwards; were publithed in 1773, in the volume entitle; The Dj. téngu fbing cbarahters of true believers.
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