1700. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 107 from the Lord. And that daysl had the following refle&ion on it, viz. Would to God I may be helped to hold on, for I have found the benefit of it this whole day : if my poor #lock fhould be the better of it too, how fweet would it be to me ! And now, by the mercy of God, from that time all along to this day, it has been my ordinary .courfe to fpend force time in the Monday morning, in fecret extraordinary prayer, according to the apol= tie's example, 2 Cor. xii. 8. " For this thing I befought the Lord thrice." In which one needs not queftiop, but therehas been a great variety both as to management and fuccefs : but it is long linee become ina manner natural to menow, beinghardly interrupted at any time when at home, but on force unordinary emergent. On the morrow, after my fecret devotions, a friend coming in to me, wearied me with difcourfe ofworldiy bufinefs, which was a pain to me : the which he perceiving, did defìft from it. After reading Cartes's Meditations, I faw much of book-vanity, and found myfelf more difpofed to Peek and long for Chrift's teaching by his Spirit. Withal I fawmyfelf reproved, for my flacknefs in purfuing after the knowledge of Christ. At the meeting for prayer, I obferved how Providence ordered the reading of Mal. iv. and finging of Pfal. cii. 1lì. giving light into what was to be the fubjeet ofdifcourfe that night. Wednefday the 14th I fpent moftly at Kerfefeld, and was helped to edifying converfe with delight. Coming home at night, I fpent the remaining time moftly in reading. Upon my calling to mind., and finding out a letter from an exercifed Chrif- tian gentlewoman, concerning her fpiritual condition, (it was one Mrs Janet Bruce, whom I had been acquainted with at -Airth), I was checked for not having anfwered it before that time ; the which had been occafioned through my not knowing where the anfwer might find her ; and was refolved to amend that fault. On Thurfday, what fpare time I had was fpent in preparing my fermon. And it was well ordered ; for towards the evening I was neceffarilyengaged in company ; fo that I got only a little fpace for prayer, before the fermon. And at the beginning of the work I was like to have been worfted by means of the world- ly bufinefs I had been engaged in: but the Lord appearing for my help, the workbecame eafy and fweet to my foul. Thereaf- ter, having retired a little for prayer, as- ordinary, I fpent force time in profitable converfe with two of the people. Then, after feeking the Lord's mind once and again, I wrote to the perfott aforementioned, according to the iu preílion I had of her cafe; hoping that, though I knew not cerrainly how it was, he who dire&l.ed me to fpeak, would alfo direct to write. Friday forenoonwas, after prayer for direction, fpent inwriting another letter of that nature, to Helen Hamilton, nowMrs John- Iton, in Alloa : and there are few letters of any kind to this cjlay, unto the writing whereofI do not addrefs myfelf in thatmanner. I was helped to take up and fpeak to her cafe, with force meafure
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