Thursday 19. The committing a known sin, threw me into exquisite distress, so that I hardly dared to go to prayer, and Satan making the best of his opportunity sorely wounded me; yea, had slain me, had not the sinner’s friend stept in to rescue me, and given me hope. This hope was confirmed in meeting my class on Tuesday. Blessed be his name for this! But still this can’t suffice, unless he give me his dear self which my soul truly longeth for.
Sunday 29. I spent the day profitable, and comfortably, thanks be to God. Mr. T——r preached in the evening on Isaiah lv. 1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, &c. O how sweet an invitation to the thirsty soul! Lord, give me grace to accept it. Thursday evening my uncle preached on Mark vii. 24. But he could not be hid. After sermon he informed us of Mr. P——n’s being taken to rest on Sunday, November 22, who about two months ago was standing in that pulpit, inviting sinners to come to Christ in the most earnest manner: he then dined with us, and after dinner sung a hymn very suitable, (as it has proved) for himself, who was so soon to enter into the joy of his Lord. It was a funeral hymn, and begun with these lines,
“Away with our sorrow and fear,
We soon shall recover our home,
The city of saints shall appear,
The day of eternity come.
“From earth we shall quickly remove,
And mount to our native abode,
The house of our Father above:
The palace of angels and God.”