In _March 1712_, his son _George_ fell ill: I had often says he, given all my children up to God, and now it pleased him to try me in the tenderest point, whether I would stand to my resignation. I could not find freedom in a asking for his life, but much, in crying for mercy for him. Yet I cannot say, but the burthen was great upon me, till communing with a friend about the state of the church and religion, concern for God’s interest got the ascendant over that for my own, and from that time I found comfort: *and the nearer he was to his end, the more loosed I was from him, and the more chearful was my resignation: so that before his death, prayers were almost made up of praises, and he was set off with thanksgiving. CHAPTER III. _Of his removal to St. |Andrews|._ 1. THE place of professor of divinity in the university of St. _Andrews_ being vacant, her Majesty’s patent was procured for him: upon which he made the following reflection: “This seems to be of the Lord, for it was without so much as a thought in me; yet were all obstructions removed, all attempts for others crossed, and my spirit so held that I durst not oppose it, but was obliged to submit to the desires of those who were the most competent judges.” 2. Accordingly, _April 26, 1710_, he was by the principal of the college admitted into his professorship. But he enjoyed little health in that office: for in the beginning of _April, 1711_, he was suddenly seized with a violent pleurisy, which obliged his physicians to take from him a large quantity of blood; and although he was relieved from the disease, he never recovered his strength, by reason of the indisposition of his stomach, and frequent vomitings. Hereupon ensued, ♦in the following winter, a coldness, swelling and stiffness in his legs, with frequent and very painful cramps. But besides his bodily illness, the grievances of the church did not a little add to his trouble: especially the imposing the oath of abjuration upon ministers, which he feared might have fatal effects, from the difference of their sentiments, concerning the lawfulness of it. His advice upon it was, that after all due information, every one should act according to the light he had. But what he most of all inculcated was, that their differing about the meaning of an expression therein, gave no just ground for any alienation of affection, much less for separation, either amongst ministers or people. ♦ duplicate word “in” removed The End of the TENTH VOLUME. ERRATA, Volume X. Page 6, line 1, replace _W_hi_ts_on Page 18, line 3, replace _excelsaque_ Page 32, line 9, replace _un_necessarily Page 43, line 15, replace to f_or_give Page 47, line 9, replace to an_y_ Page 57, line 1, replace _not_ done Page 59, line 1, replace _of the flesh, the desire_ Page 67, line 21, replace _them_ too