and

fore first, Lord, pardon, and prepare them for a deliverance in mercy, then do them good. But wo to us, if we seek it, or procure it, before thou hast pardoned, or without submission to thee. The night before he reproved he did again remit and lay over that business on the Lord's hand, and sought to be led for him. He observed much ungodliness, lying, perjury, among people, in tenants, and parting the tiend; and he desired to be humbled under it. desired to be humbled under the passion

and infirmity which I did fall out in

October 10th. I was observing some signs of the Lord's anger in external Providences; and desired to be humbled and cast down under it: and besought the Lord to let his hand be on me as he thought fit; only to turn away his anger, to discover the causes of it, and to be pacified toward me in Jesus Christ. If a trial come, Lord! let it be in mercy, and let it not surprize me, as thy judgments use to do the hypocrites in Zion. He trembles before thee: Oh Lord! make known!

October 16th.-Die Dom. He desired the Lord to lead him into a review of his works and Providences, and of his own failings and infirmities this week last past; wherein his soul was humbled under sundry foul, blasphemous, insolent, swelling conceits and thoughts of his heart, which he had consented to, if the Lord had not prevented him: many such thoughts pass, and are not curbed nor resisted. Alas for this! He writ to Mr. Dickson and Mr. G. Hutchison anent a Chaplain to the Earl Murray; and recommended this business to the Lord, that he would, in order to his Church's and this people's good, and that man's, provide such a man as may be an instrument of good to them; and would make way, and order his Providences for that effect, and remove impediments. He desired a word of warning and admonition from them to himself. He besought the Lord to provide such persons to the family as might be comfortable to us, and do good to the society; that he may be directed in this, and how to dispose of his children. There came a new call and invitation to Mr. John M'Kilikin from Earl of Sutherland. He worships and adores the Lord in that; and beseeches the Lord to direct him, and fit and furnish, and keep him low and little in his own eyes, that thou be not provoked to blast and desert him, and [he may] know that voice and call which is from God. He heard of Torwoodley's intentionThis was a matter of great consequence,

wherein he beg'd direction. At present he could not but judge it a sore burden, that, being so few here, we should be scattered: and when we are looking for good, that the Lord would bless his people with some effectual fruit of the Gospel on the souls of people; lo, even then, that she should be removed in whom most of our comfort is, and by and with whom we have now fellowship. Can that be in mercy to us that are behind? He besought the Lord to turn it away, if it might stand with his good pleasure. He writ to Mr. John Brodie, and corrected, as he could, the asperity and sharpness of his former to him, and stirred up to duties. The care of the harvest had withdrawn himself and the children much from the constancy and settledness of his service: he found, when the rest were away, that he was much straitned in the family, and was not as when they were present. He observed the Lord's hand in David his brother's bodily infirmity in the legs, not of that which was in the irons, but the other which was free. He desired to be cast down under under thy casting down and abasing that lewd, unclean, insolent, proud creature; and beseeches the Lord to sanctify that rod, and to direct him what's next to be done. He resolved to have some eye on that son of John Cuninghame's for whom he stood up in the baptism, and to bring him up at school a-while, that he may see what the Lord's mind is toward him. This is a necessary duty lying on him, and not indifferent. This day he purposed, in the Lord's strength, to look to the inclination of these young ones that were about him, and to bestow something on their education, as he saw they might prove. To stir up Alexander Gowie, and Mr. P. Dunbar in Forres, and Mr. James Johnston, and Mr. Joseph, and the Presbytery, to enquire more into the conversation and inclination of young ones; and that these Schoolmasters may teach them to seek the Lord timely, and examine them how they can seek them. Lord! for a blessing! And put it in their hearts to do for the Lord, and to set family-duty on foot again in this parish in every yeoman's house and other man's, and in Forres; and to debar from Sacrament these that worship not God in their family. He was humbled under the inward corruptions, earthliness, inordinate desires of his heart after the world which perishes. Oh Lord! a heart wean'd from these things, and enlarged, were and shall, in his esteem, be a greater mercy than a large inheritance and enlarged possessions. Afternoon.-I spake to Mr. William," and recommended these particulars Mr. William Falconer, Minister of Dyke.

to him, of the congregation and the families in it, and persons to be stirred up to seek the Lord, and to know and worship him; and that he would be an instrument with the Presbytery, to put ilk one on work; and anent the schoolmasters and the young ones, and putting the children and young ones to school.

I purposed this day in my heart to do something for putting some of them to the school of Forres, and to seek the Lord for them; to put others of them to the school of Dyke. Lord! direct, ripen and further the thought of his heart, for he will either err in doing it, or else it will wither, and he will do nothing at all. Maintain the love and zeal of thy name in thy name in his heart, according to sound knowledge! This shall be the answer of the morning prayer for an enlarged heart, which he counted a greater mercy than an enlarged inheritance.

October 17th.-I purposed to enter John Cuninghame's son to the school, and bought a book to him; and John Brodie the webster's son, with Bessy Spence; and spoke to Andrew Fordyce and John Duncan concerning their sons; and heard the scholars read; and sought an enlarged heart, or seeks it from the Lord as he may : but alas! how much corruption and sin cleaves to him in every thing? Never did so much sin appear. He desired to be humbled under the proud reproof which he gave to John Hasbin, for holding on his bonnet irreverently and disrespectfully before his mother; and desired to mourn under that pride of spirit which it sprang from for what ill did it to her? What is he or she more than another? Reverence to superiors will not bear out in this particular; that should come from themselves unsought. Lord! purge the heart of this evil, and the root and fountain of it!

He heard this day that John Jenkin was dead in Monaghty. That was to humble and exercise him. Lord! teach him by that Providence!

This night he dreamed that Leathin and himself were climbing up a steep wall, and there was a loft above; when we came to the top almost, we could not get a grip to hold by, but were ready to fall; we could not come down it was so high; he could not go up, for the loft was rotten, and we could not puto our weight on it, and so hung by the hands and feet. At last we discerned, as appeared, at one end of the wall, Coxtoun.

19th. After I sought understanding of the Lord's mind. Baillie Meldrum's son came to me, and sought the duties of Armiddle from me,

and asked at me, If I did intromit with them? In this matter, oh Lord, I may fall in a snare, not of loss, but of sin, if thou preventest me notMy soul desired to be cast down under the fretting of his spirit toward

22d.—This night, being Saturday, I did before the Lord admonish, examine, reprove and exhort―. Oh that the Lord would bless this means and ordinance for the doing good to her soul, and for reclaiming her; and, that it may the more deeply sink in her heart, I cause her write down her confession, and purpose, and promise, with her own hand, to be a testimony and witness for or against her another day, in case she forget altogether again, or turn aside. [Here it follows written in his daughter Grissel's hand.] "This night I did again confess before the Lord all my former guilt, both my many wicked practices, and the natural perverseness and ungodliness of my heart; and besought him to forgive and blot them out thro' Jesus Christ. I see meikle of my own inclinations and evil ways; but, alas! cannot mourn for them aright, not yet amend them: yet, in his strength, denying myself, I desire that he would turn me, and I shall be turned. He pardons the rebellious; therefore that he would pardon me.

"This day I desire to give up myself again to God: it is my heart that I desire to give him, and not my tongue only." [Thus far the young lady.] See the next page. The Lady Leathin and Janet was with me; and I desired to seek the Lord in behalf of Janet, who was unwell [indisposed].

27th, 28th. I was in Elgin at the re-valuations; and besought the Lord to be directed in that matter, that partiality and love of himself prevail

not.

October 30th. Die Dom. This day I did set myself solemnly and expresly to seek the Lord in this, that I might discern Satan's wiles in the present trial and exercise which his church is under; to the end that we may discern and avoid his snares, and set ourselves in opposition thereto, and to our flesh and natural wisdom, which is contrary to his spirit. Accordingly he did meet with and was confirmed in the necessity of this duty from Eph. iv. 11 to 14, the end, necessity and institution of a ministry, that his Church may grow up and be perfected, and we may not be tossed with every wind. Further, he desired to be humbled under the self-love that's in him, which sways and carries his heart from the Lord; that it may please him to purge the heart of this plague; that he may deny and go out of himself, that the Lord may be all in all. Even as all his end and aim in every

thing, so all his wisdom and his will the rule; and his name, truth, covenant and promise all his confidence.

[Follows written and subscribed with his Daughter's hand what perhaps is but the former continued, and may be joined with it.]

"I desire not only that the Lord would be witness, but that he would be cautioner and surety in this covenant, that thro' his grace I may overcome. This Lord's Day I have taken new resolutions upon me to be the Lord's wholly, and not to live any more to sin. I do not only purpose against the gross evils that I have been given to, but also to strive against my own nature, and the sinful inclinations thereof; and especially to seek the Lord in more sincerity, and more unfeignedly to repent of my evil ways than ever before, which my heart has never yet been broken for; particularly for my lightness, vanity, wantonness, folly, idleness, profanity, dissembling, lying, hypocrisy, atheism, contempt of God, slighting him, his service in secret and publick, swearing, bitterness, stealing, and putting God out of my mind and sight, obdureness, not ashamed nor sorry when I committed sin, wronged God and my own soul, thinking, if I could get my sin covered from men, it was well enough. From this day forward I desire to deny these things, and every evil way. And, in sign and token of my unfeigned desire and purpose, I have, in the sight of God, subscribed this confession and covenant with my heart and hand.”

GRISSEL BROdie.

November 2nd. I called for Elspet Fraser, and did admonish and warn her of that which I heard concerning her carriage with S. H. She did take the Lord to be her judge and witness in this case of her innocency, and referred it to him. I besought the Lord to bless the admonition, and to be a witness on her part, if she had been wronged; and to make her manifest and ashamed, if she had taken his name in vain. Oh Lord, keep them clean and unpolluted, that no root of bitterness spring up to defile!

November 5th.-The Earl of Murray was with me. I besought the Lord to be strengthened and guarded against any temptations.

November 7th.-In the morning I renewed the acknowledgment and the petitions of the former day, and besought the Lord to accept of his poor weak desire to have his heart formed to his will in every thing.

He