1707. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 159 cernon my foul, a word to my own people. All the three days I found two of my neighbour minifters offended at me, which was but a new thing as toone of them ; and confidering that with Mr B 's perfecuting me in many companies with his tongue, upon the occafion of a propofal.I made to him in Mr B n's favour, before one other minifter only, which he received very calmly in the time, though he yielded not to it, but we parted good friends, till Mr B n had feemed to balk his carnal pro- Jed, that he had interwoven with the calling of him tobe his colleague, and afterwards to be role minifter of G nlw. Thus was I grieved, and my fpirit of e&ed, feeing force of my friends_ now turned my enemies ; which made me fay in my heart, " O. ". that I had in the wildernefs a lodging-place of wayfaring `.` men," &c. Feb. 9. This morning the Lord was pleafed to blow on me more than ordinary and with thankfulnefs my foul acknowledged the goodnefs of God, in that ever he fent me to Simprin, gave me a let's' charge than others, provided forme here, gave me the blefl'ed' occafions of facraments, and bath made unworthy me forne way ufeful to feveral of his people. This day was a good day, and I hope a day of power. (Nota, If ever I preached in my life, it was that day.) I preached on 2 Cor. xi. 2. " I have efpoufed you to one hufband." Towards the latter end of the after- noon-fertnon, I defired them to remember, that I had efpoufed them to Chrift, fhewed them in force particulars what had béen, done that way, and then called the heavens and the earth, the angels, the ftones arid timber of the church and byre, and the people themfelves, to witnefé that they were efpoufed. Thefe things 'were delivered with a change of my voice, fpeaking moftly lower than before, but with more than ordinary weight and gra- vity. Having made that folemn attestation, my fpirit juft flip» ped off into prayer, that the Lord would preferve them till the day of the Lord, &c. in which I continued a little while. The like I never did. In that prayer, my voice, that before was low, and when extended uneafy, turned very high: and I prayed with as much eafinefs of my voice as ever in my life. I was a wonder to rnyfelf, and a ftrange moving was upon the people. It wa% obfervable, as that eafinefs began with the prayer, it continued while, in a few words,, I exhorted them to endeavour to keep chafte ; and then' it left me, which was ere I had altogether done with the fermon. Afterward I had a temptation to be lifted up. It was quickly crufhed in the bud, but not by me. I had a fe- cret diffatisfaetion that arofe in my heart as to the managing of that work. In the fervour of . my atfe&ions I had expreffed a, word wrong. This, whatever be of it, had weight enough then to hold me down, if not to preis me too far. (Nota, All this paffed, as I remember', betwixt' the: pulpit and the garden- door: next to the hou{é.) But immediately after I came in, going to r}y ciofet as ordinary, at prayer there, it pleafed the Lord to No. 4. 1J
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=