24 MEMOIRS OP PERIOD IIIo count how the devil murdered a gentlewoman for pride, and gave it her ; which did much confound her. While I was at Kennet it was a time of much trouble to me, but a time wherein the Lordwas very kind tome. I was helped of God in forne meafure to my duty, as has been obferved, and it was that which enraged them again(t me. The lady was my great enemy ; but profelfed great kindnefs to me when the (poke to me, or to the minifters of me. One of thofe profane fervants whom I could not induce her to put away, the was afterwards ob- liged to difüharge with difgrace. I have often looked on the Lord's fending me thither, as done in defign to fit me for the work of the miniftry, to which it contributed many ways, as L have already noticed. At Edinburgh I received my wages, being 100 merks; wrote a letter of excufe to Mr Murray, and another letter to the place whence I had come, bearing my defign to return thither fhortly. And indeed, when I came to Edinburgh, I was not fully refolved to go home at all ; and having writ to my father, I fignified the fame to him, who being, unknown to me, in terms of a fecond marriage, gave me an anfwer, advifing me to return to Stirling, as I had faid. Howbeit I afterwards íáw a neceflity of going home, to procure money for my maintenance, during the time of palling my trials before the prefbytery of Stirling, being un- willing to accept of the of er of the elders of Clackmannan afore- faid, and the money received not being fúflicient for that and other necefiary ufes. Accordingly, juft upon that defign, I went home to Dunfe, March 13. ; but he who " leads the blind by a " way they knew not," led'me thither on two material defigns hidden to me; .namely, the diverting of the marriage, which was unknown to me, and the palling ofmy trials there, which I was far from having in view, The week after I went home, being Hill bent tò return to the prefbytery of Stirling, and there being no fmall hope of getting the money for which I had come, I received another letter from Mr Murray, wherein, having anfwered all my excufes, he fiill infifted on my coming to. Penppnt to pafs trials. Thus I was again put upon the rack between the two ; and not knowing whi- ther to go, I earneftly defired counfel of God, both as to the main thing, and the circumftance of place : and (hewing my fituation to Mr Alexander Colden, then minifter at Dunfe, now at Ox- nam, he propofed, and perfuaded me, to enter on trials before the united prefbyteries of Dunfe and Churnfide. Confidering the courfe ofProvidence, and finding myfelf by his propofal freed from the former perplexity, which I could no otherwife get over, I yielded. And certainly it was a kind ponduot of Providence that led me to pafs trials in the place of `my nativity ; though, for that very reafon, it would feem, that it was my native coun- try, I had no thoughts of patting there : for it was moft for my reputation tor pafs trials where I was known from my childhood ;
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