1699. MR THOMAS Ï OSTON`. dd now near; and Argyle's letter aforefaid tryfting therewith, feemed to be a providential inclofìngof me for the north ; which occafion- ed me great heavinefs. On the morrow the Lord comforted me, by giving me light into that word, " That (tone is ruade head corner-ítone which builders did defpife ;" thinking, that if Chrift was defpifed by the builders, no wonder I lhould be fit too ; and that however I was detpifed by them, God might do great things for me, and by me. At this time; the trouble in my ear was but going off, fo that it kept nie near a month. I wonder that I do not find that I took it for a rebuke of my liftening fo far to that temptation to fainting aforementioned. March 20. Being on my way to Edinburgh to the comrniílion, I was by ftórm flopped at the North-Ferry that night. Then and there were two words brought to me : the one Zech. iv. 6. " Not by might, nor by power," &c. the other, Dan. i. 15. " At the end of ten days, their countenances appeared fairer, " and fatter in flefh, than all the children which did eat the porgy " tionof the King's meat." This alto was made fweet and ltrengthening tomy foul : and I enjoyed a great calm and ferenity of mind, which, by the mercyof God, lafted all along with me, till on the 23d I was freed from the million to the north, which for a long time before had occafioned me much perplexity. I had iefblved to attend the presbytery, to get them to fpeak for me to the cornmiflion ; but was hindered by the boil in my ear ; and minding to make up that with a letter to one of the prefbytery, it was mifcarried ; and this was the reafon of my going to the commiflìon. As I was bleffing the Lord with my íóuí for the ferenity anfing from the confiderationof the aforefaid fcriptures, Satan Jet on me with a fulíbme temptation, as if God had dealt fo with me for my preaching fo yellerday. I prefently noticed it, prayed, and protefted againít it, and difowned it ; and took a look of my black feet, particularly as they appeared that day. The main ftrefs of the bufinefs, as to the million, was at al committee, where I had no acquaintance but one, who was none of my belt friends. Having been advifed before to cut out ni hair, for my health, at that time I got a wig ; and thereafter wore one all along ; till after my coming to Ettrick, finding it trobblefome when going abroad, I laid it afide, and betook the again to my own hair ; which to this day I wear. Upon my return to the Ferrytown, coufidering that Dollar, the only place in that cóuntry where I could have defired to fettle, was now blocked up; I was in a Wait hñw to difpofe of myfeff next, knowing of nothing, botto go to Nithfdale, which I had no great inclination to. In that cafe wa ,,ufeful to me that word, which ufed to cone flipping in, as it were, into my mind, P141. hxxi. 20. " Thou, Lord, wlio,great adverfìties, and fore, to me " didlt fhow, Shalt quicken, and bring me again, froln depths of " earth below ; and on the 31ít, together with it, that text, No. I. F
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