.10209.26073

My first Birth, was . . . . . . . . <date>1700.</date>
My Marriage with my Husband . . . . . <date>1723.</date>
First Awakening . . . . . . . . . . <date>1724</date>
My Widowhood and Convictions . . . . . <date>1736.</date>
My Call to Grace . . . . . . . . <date>1740.</date>
My Reception in the Congregation . . . . <date>1750.</date>
<gap></gap>By our Saviours Grace I was a Communicant in his Church
the <date>same Year</date>, and from that Time, thro' the Gift of the Holy
Ghost, I could believe that I was a Fellow Citizen with the 
Saints, and of the <sic>Houshold</sic>  <corr>Household</corr> of God.
<gap></gap>I was born the <date>8</date><hi rend="superscript"><date>th</date></hi><date>. of May</date>, and am now in the 30<hi rend="superscript">th</hi>. <add>Year</add> of my
Widowhood, the Consideration of Which is so weighty to Me,
that I know not how to express my Thankfulness to my dear
Saviour, for all the gracious Forgiveness he has bestowd
upon Me; from one Year to Another, and from one Day to
Another has the good Shepherd shewd to Me his Faithfulness,
taking Me by the Hand like a Father, and thro' his Spirit
manifesting his beloved Son unto Me, and that in Him all
my Happiness was <unclear>treasur'd</unclear> up. <gap></gap>O this was to my Heart like the
Day Spring from on High, and the Dawnings of the blessed Hope
of my Redemption from the Power of the Devil, of the World and the
Flesh who held Me in the Bondage of Sin; so that what I approv'd,
I did not, and what I allowd not, that I did: and <add>could</add> do no other-
-wise. This was my Condition in the Year <date>1736.</date> and the first
of my Widowhood. <gap></gap>From this Time forward I perceivd

[page break]

in my Heart that my faithful Shepherd followd Me. <gap></gap>When
thro' Unbelief or the Deceitfulness of Sin, I strayd at any Time;
I then felt bitter Pains in my Soul, and nothing could satisfy
Me, at such Times, earthly Enjoyments gave no Contentment.
but restraining Grace preserved Me, and I resolvd to look to our
Saviour and wait for his Consolation. <gap></gap>For when I perceived
that our Saviour <sic>drawd</sic>  <corr>drew</corr> near to my Heart again, and by his Word
spoke a gracious Pardon unto my Soul, which wrought in Me
Abasement, Thankfulness and Love towards our Saviour; then
was I truly comforted.
<gap></gap>I have already related the Convictions, and first <unclear>Gleam</unclear>
of Light which I had in the Beginning of my Widow State, &
it was so, that the everlasting Gospel was as yet, a sealed 
Book unto Me. <gap></gap>I was a poor Sheep that did not know 
its Shepherd, nevertheless I felt his fatherly Heart and Care to-
-wards Me, altho' I knew him not. But this I have found,
that the Widow State however hard to the Flesh, has been in the
Lord's Time, Instruction and Blessing unto Me. Also the Lord
granted me the Blessing of having the 2 dear Children which the
Lord gave Us. continued to Me, they were a real Comfort unto
Me; and sometimes I had blessed Hours in Faith that I and
the Children which the Lord had given Me, were His, and this
afforded Me greater Joy, than all the Treasures of the World
could do.