81 So MEMOIRS or PERIOD VII. was not their fault that it came not fooner. I was betteredby the difpenfation. After fludying of .the preliminary fermons, as above, on Heb. xiii. 17. "For they watch for your fouls, as they that mull give account," I went to God by prayer for his countenance, and for direátion toward fuch things as might be ziioft profitable for that people ; and found my foul much ftreugtheued in contidenceof the Lord's owning me, by means of that wort, " Gu and to I am with you aiway, even to the end " of the world." And I was then determined to begin with the book of Plaints for lecture ; and for the exercifeon the Sabbath. evenings, to explain a quettion of the catechifin. Sept. 24.. Having allotted the morning entirely for prayer and meditation, tome worldly thoughts crept in ; yea on a fudden my heart made a contrivance for flaying in Simprin, which per- ' baps it would not eatly have fallen on, if I had thought on the buttnefs feafoiably. But I thought I bought it at the rate-of the lots of that iiveliuefs I expected. In the afternoon I fomewhat recovered my forenoon's lofs. At night, I had an exercife on the tuft queflion of the catechifm, with íom.e good frame of fpirit: and on the morrow after I vifhed the people, exhorted to fecret prayer, and family-wotfhip ; and found in all eighty-eight exa- minable perfons. On the Tuefday, returning to Dunte, I re. ceived a fetter from Mr Murray, inviting me to the weft, and Mewing great encouragement: but God had now Chewed me the appointed, bounds of my habitation. Sept. 28. I never bound that word, " Goand lo I am with " you aiway," &c. fo ftrengthening to my foul, as lince I was a ruin ifter. iIavntg that week, upon weighing of my circumtiances, laid down a refolution to delay my marriage till the fpring 1701, I was brought into a grievous ftraiton the Friday's night; finding, that I behoved either to expede it fooner, or not at all. This lent nre to God once and again, laying down the wholeat his feet: and the fovereign will of God, tempered with good-will to his people, wa., my flay. But being to preach at Du ìfe on the Lord's day, and having fought a text for that end once and again, but in vain, I was hereby led unto one, viz. Col. iii. 2. Set your at eCtions on things above, not on things on the earth :" and I gained tome advantage in my own cafe, by the Rudy thereof. That Sabbath, having the firft occafion of my adntiniftering the facrawent of baptifin, I. had endeavoured to frame some difcourfe for it aforehand, but altogether, uninccefsfullÿ : howbeit, when the time came, I was futliciently furnished tor that part of may work, though .I could not before fo much as order the duty of the parent in my own mind, to my own fatisfaótion. Thereafter, con,ing home to my chathber, I (pent forme time in meditation, and much- in prayer, whichat that time I could not well leave oft, which was far frommy ordinary. I laid .out my cafe to the Lord, and he turned not awayhis ear. But that night it was a con-
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