1707i MR THOMAS BOSTON. 177 them to conr'ent to the delayingof the admiffion ; the rather that Sir Francis Scot had promifeft to give me a new call with the reti of the heritors : only I wanted not thoughts, that if .once my neck were out of the yoke, it fhould neter come under it again ; whichwas the of ea of my weaknefs and indeliberation. So we went to the church ; I fcarcely doubting, but I would come home as I went away. I flruggled againft the admiffion, before the prefbytery being .convened in the mats ; but they would by no means yield to the delay. Being fadly racked, I went into a room, and fought the Lord ; but my trouble remained, and, what to do I knew not. At length the Lord put it in myheart, to be content, and refolved to meet with difficulties and oppofition ; and upon this, prefently my heart was calmed, and I was clear to be admitted. So Mr B.. protected before the prefbytery in the manfe in Sir Francis Scot's name. And I was admitted that day. This ftruggle that I made againft the admiffion was of good ufe to me ; for thereby I found favour with Sir Francis, as I did immediately after my admiffion withMr B. who promifed faith- fully to relate the matter as it ftood;;to his conflituent, promiing all favour hecould do me in that matter. Sir Francis Scot's pro- teftation was to have come out to the prefbvtery at Selkirk force time before, and was fent by an exprefs ; but the exprefs carné not till, the day after the prefbytery. On the Sabbath after, I preached to the people of Etterick on 1 Sam. vii. 12. Then Samuel took a ftone, and fet it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, laying Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." And thereafter I returned home to Simprin. This month (I think) we had a family-thankfgiving, wherein. the Lord was very gracious to us, and our hearts were enlarged with the remembrance of the Lord's hearing our prayers at the laft family-faft, and with his prefent goodnefs. And it being better than ordinary with me, this exercifewas fweetly concluded with folemn bleffing of my family. May 26. I had found much favour with force of the heft note in the country, who undertook to fpeak- to thofe that were my enemies, to induce them to favour me. I was thankful to the Lord ; but my heart protecled I would not truft in princes. June 15, Having gone back to Etterick about the latter end. of May, not thinking quickly to tranfport my family, I was, while there, determined to haften it, and had fixed the time, When I came home, I was furprifed to hear, that the prefbytery had declared my church vacant, tho' the aot tranfporüng me, obliged me' not to dwell at Etterick till the manic was repaired. My heart was thankful to the Lord, who had led me in the way I knew not, though it was heard meafure fróm them. From the time that Iended my fermons on the epiftle to the church of the Laodiçeans, I had gone through feveral mifcellany fubjects particularly aclufter of them, in the laft half-year of my miniftry X
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