$6 .iIEMOIR3 OP PERIODVII. in the prayer after it In both fermons I was helped to be ferì- ous for the good of the people's fouls, fomewhat pithy, peremp. tory, and , particular, in the ftrength of the Lord. Betwixt fer- mons, walking a little at the end of the kirk, refle6ting on the un. fuccefsfulnefs of the gofpel, and withal on the prayer after the le6ture, I thought all that was left us now was fome greedy looks and delires after a hidden Chrit: After fermons I went to God, and poured out my fout before him for a blefing on what he had helped to deliver ; was owned of him in all the parts of the even. ing- exercife, and got a more fatisfying account of the fermons than fometimes before. On the 'l'hurfdayalter was a national thankfgiving to be ob. ferved. But being now on the point of taking up houfe, I went on the Monday to Dunfe, where I continued till Wednefday, finding the great difadvantage of an unfettled abode, and more difadvantage of being employed in worldly bufinefs. That night I returned to Simprin, where, with no great difficulty, I ftudied my fermons before I flept, having on the day before, in which I had no opportunity of Undying, fought light and furniture from the Lord for his work, and been dermined to a text. I was helped through the day. After the public work was over, I had great fear of evil days .; and I am almoft perfuaded that I-will fee evil days, if Godfpare me any confiderable time; and how to carry rightly through them, is my exercife. But that word, Pfal. xxxvi. fit. " With thee is the fountain of life : in thy light shall We fee light," was fweet and feafonable to my foul. On Tuef- day Lift I met with fore printed temples concerning this thankf. giving. I fought light from the. Lord, and they proved no Ecru pies to me ; only one of them had fore weight with me, which was too !crimp dealingwith the Lord, in that we were ordered to pour out prayers that day likewife, becaufe of the great fick- tels now raging, and the difatter of Caledonia, and that there was not a particular day of fattingfor them. This I relolved to tell, fy againft ; yet when the time came, it was.ftill kept out of my mind, and I was borne oft it. It may be it was of God ; , for it is .tho fight that filch a fall at this time would greatly weaken the King's intereft in Scotland. N. B. Thus political views have influenced our church- management all along. The evening. exercifi' was made that day as on Sabbaths. Next day, Dec. t. I was obliged to go to Churnfide fair. Having come to my filler's houfe, it was againft the grain with iiie to go to the market-place. Seeing the multitude, 1 thought I could have entered in among them more boldly,- if I had been to preach the gofpel to them and I went out forward into the market- l:face, but immediately retired into a houfe, and my fa. ther did my bufinefs: Returning that night to Dunfe, I was on Sat..irday taken up with bufinefs, having only fo much time left as to go to Sinmprin, wearied of an unfettled abode, both in ref - peét of its taking me off from the work of my calling, and the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=