376 MEMOIRS OP PERIOD Xr. required : the which I took firft very kindly at the hand ofmy companionate Father, and next at their hand. Thurfday, being determined to Luke xxiii. 42. " Lora, remember me when thou cornett into thy kingdom," I entered on the ftudy thereof, and perfeéted the explication thereof: on the Friday it came to me right eafily, and I had finifhed the whole, much about my ordinary time, that is, before dinner. Mean while, Janet Scot, a good woman, who on the Sabbath had received a token from me for the Lord's table, (the tokens being ufually diftributed to the old communicants of the parilh the Sabbath before the communion), the had brought forth twins before the due time, was fallen into a fever, and was in danger of her life. Ifabel Biggar, a fingular Christian, was it a dark, doubtful, and dangerous condition, not knowing when it might come to an extremity ; her family at thefe times having a great weight of ftrangers; and at this communion they had about fixty. Thefe womens huíbands were in ill cafe too, as to bodily iìdifpofition. John Currieabove mentioned, having been feized with the ague in March last, ftill continued very ill : a flux for forne time had been working in my wife's cafe : and Friday's night, when the ftrangers began to come, the had a touch of it, which occafioned her thoughts of heart ; but there was no more ofit from that time. Mr Davidfon came that night, in great weaknefs, having been obliged to lodge a night by the way : Mr Wilfon came thenalfo ; and Mr Francis Craig, a probationer of fingular worth, to take burden on him for Mr Davidfon. And thefe were my helpers. On Saturday Meff. Craig and Wilfon preached. After dif- tributing the tokens to ftrangers, at the tent, done as ufual im- mediately after the public worship was over, I convened in the kirk the new communicants abfent on the fait-day, and took their explicit content, as aforefaid, before' the feffion : and among thefe was my fon. From what had happened on the fait-day, I had defired of the Lord, that he would make the people traôtable, and caufe that things might be done in order : and, I think, it was never fo much fo as at this communion. I got little fleep thefe nights ; yet not from anxiety, but that I was put out of my ordinary courfe; for I was eafy, trufting in the Lord for all. Sabbath morning, my foul was humbled within me : and I was in Tome concern to be, and really was in force meafure, nothing in my own eyes. 1 divided my fermon in two : and the Lord was with me therein, and in the whole, of my work ; fo that I lacked no flrength for my work, no not fo much as ordinarily when I was in a better ftate of body ; for it failed not in any part thereof. Being fenfible of what I was through my weaknefsliable to, I had defired of the Lord, that he would keep me from forgetting things, in the adminiftration of that or- dinance and, to the praife of his grace, I think, I was never
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=