St MEMOIRS OF PERIODVII. unworthinefs, I was made to' fay within myfelf, " It is of the " Lord's mercy I am not confumed." This was the text I was thus led .to, and determined after prayer to take. But fo few things prefented themfelves to me, that I feared I would not get two fermons on it. Thus being the fame way difficulted Sept. 29. the Lord in his providence fent me a piece of trouble, which led me to a text. An eminent parallel `to this I had, when! was led to that text, Ffal. cxxvi. 5. On the morrow I received a letter, and by hexpebted troubleon trouble. I opened it not till after prayer. Opening it, I was freed from that fear ; and going on in my feared ftudies things were laid to my hand'; and my heart btetfeth theLord, who takes filch careof me. And confider- ing how thefe things put me to prayer, 1 faw them fweet mercies that come as thefe did, as anfwers of prayer; and it is much my advantage that the Lord deals thus with me. Thereafter I did fame bufinefs, and found that another bufinefs was fruffrated ; but I was an-tamed todiftrutt God. On the 15th, being the Lord's clay, I preached at Edrom on Lam. iii. 22. " It is of the Lord's mercies that we arenot confumed ;" untowhich alfo I was led by my own cafe, as is above noticed ; and I had mùch of the Lord's alfiftance thereinall theday, and in my prayers more than ordinary. I went to the fynod on the Tuefday. Returning toSimprin -on the Thurfday, I vifited the fchool on the morrow, and went to Dunfe. And having fpoke with Langton on the affair of the ftipend, I found no great encouragement; but thefe things moved me riot, being under apprehentións ofpublic troubles, which were then very, likely to enfue ; there being a general ferment then in the fpirits of men through the nation, by means of the di.fafter of Caledonia. At night, upon occafion ofdifcourfe concerning the accets allowed thine unto God in duty, .I found myfelf much ex- cited to feekhim. On the morrow, before I went off to Simprin, being fomewhat moved with the thortnefs of the time I had to ttudy my fermons-, I got confidence in God for that effeét, by re- fleeting on formerexperiences; and in the mean time was quieted in another cafe which I had been in fear of. Coming to Simprin about two o'clock, I got my ftudies difpatched accordingly ; and on the Sabbath was much helped in the ie&ture and afternoon- fermon. I had ordered the vifiting of the town that day in the time of the public worfhip, and found afterwards there wasfbme need for it. The evening- exercife was in all refpeels as before. Having come on the Friday to Kerfefield, on the morrow I ftudied for the Sabbath, having the help of former notes on the fiibjec&. But I then obferved, that I had frequently found I had expeded my ftudies, in as fhort time, when I wanted, as when I had help of that kind ; and that when I wanted, my ftudies were more fweet, and I faw heft into my fubject. And that obfervation bath, in my experience, held to this day. At night, being re- turned to Simprin, towards the time ofgoing to bed, I heard an
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