16)D. . MR THOMAS BOSTON. 55 I had on the 15th received a letter, (hewing, that, on the day appointed, the votes had been gathered at Dollar ; and that, a- bout three of the malignant party and three of the elders being excepted, they were all withone voice for me to be their mini- fter ; but that, notwithftanding, the prefbytery hadRill force de- pendence on Argyle in the matter. This account of the (late of that affair, as being yet undetermined, was ftraitening to me ; inafmuch as it obliged me to continue a while longer in the Merfe, which I could not well do. June 22. Having been for'fome time in great deadnefs, this morning I had a kind of impulfe to pray, with a willingnefs iii my foul to go to duty ; and having found by feveral fad experi- ences the danger of delays, with all fpeed I embraced the mo- tion ; and the Lord revived me, in fo far that my heart and ilefh longed for the living God, and cried out for him as the-dry parch- ed-ground for rain. The Lord loofed my bands : and though .I ltudied the fermon I preached this day, being the weekly fermon at Dunfe, in very bad cafe ; yet he was with me in preaching it, and the Spirits did blow on my foul, both in public, and in fecret thereafter ; fo that my heart loves Chrift. On the morrowmy frame tailed ; and being to go to the fit- crament at Coldingham, I faw my hazard from my malicious enemy, that he would be fair to affault me before filch an occa- fion. I thought I endeavoured to commitmy heart to the Lord.' But, alas! that which I feared came upon me : which brought me to a fad pats : my confidence in prayer was marred ; my guilt ftuck clofe to me, and colt me much ftruggling by the way as I went to Coldingham, fo that I will not forget the pitiful café I was in while going through the whinny moor. I made ufe of and endeavoured to apply that word, " I, even I am he that blotteth " out thy tranfgreffions," &c. which did fomewhat ftay my foul. I went halting all the day ; but at eveninbexercife, to which I went with a deep fenfe of my unworthinefs, the Lord loofed all my. bands. But another íharp trial followed, a great fear that Satan might as before give me another bruife. I went to God with it, prayed for a,word ofpromife to grip to for fecu- city ; and when I arofe from my knees, that word, If. xxvi. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace," &c. came to me with fome life and fupport to my foul, and was afterwards fwéetly made out to me. July 2. Preaching in a certain place, after fupper the miftrefs ofthe houfe told me, that I had put not only thofe that never knew any thing of God in the miff, but even terrified fuch as had known him. This was by my do6trine of coming out of felf- love, felf-righteoufnefs, Pelf-ends, privileges, duties, &c. She reftrained hypocrites to that fort that do all things to be feen of men ; thought itftrange for people to think of meriting any thing at the hand of Gad, or that hypocrites would truth inward evil thoughts ; and harped much on that, How can it be that onecan
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