I 70S. MR THOMAS BOSTON. íS5 fo that, by the fpring 1709, betides feveralfornièations, therewere two adulteries in the pariah difcovered : and I had heavy work with both. Thefe things often made me look, with a forrowful heart, on the congregation, as in the cafe of the churchof Corinth, burnt up with the fire of divifion, and drenched in flefhly abo- zninations. Feb, 15. My difcouragements increafe daily among this peo- ple, by reafon of the divifive temper inflamed by the fate fàft, fo that there are feveral of them whofe faces.I have not teen Lince that time. Myc'iecumftances are extremely heavy : they feem to have little defire for the gofpel ; the moil weighty truths look as naufeous to them ; though if any thing relating to the public fall in, they ufe to prick up their ears, Some have never Come to the ordinances fince I'came, being led by mere lazinefs a.nd pro- fane negle& ; betides thafe that were always ditlenters from the eflablifhed church. Thole that come, many of them think no- thing of flaying away feveral Sabbaths ; and when they come,' they are generally very uncomfortable. My wonted exercife of converting with exercifed fouls is gone ; there is no converfe but about the divifion ; the praéticeof godlinefs is thereby aided, and ..burnt upwith the fire. The crown is fallen from my head, and I am brought very low! The approaching Sabbath, that foine- times was my delight, is now a terror to me ; fo that it is my bufinefs now, to get my forehead fleeted against brafs and iron. On Sabbath was fourteen days, I felt the fad efle&s ofgiving way' to difcouragement, and this has, put me on my guard. I have fometimes afked myfelf, Whether, if I had known all that has befallen me here, I would have accepted the call, or not? and I cannot fay, I durit have refufed, Two things are fupporting to me: 1. My clearnefs as to mycall from the Lord, which has not been perplexed by all that I have met with, but Rill remained as a ground of comfort. 2. An amazing condu& of Providence in preaching the Word, whereby I am guided in my ordinary to fpeak to their café. As, particularly, thefe two fait Sabbaths it fell in mymy Ordinary to lecture the 7th and 8th chapters ofthe Revelation, where I bad occafion to fpeak largely of fchifrn and divifion, with the efle&s thereof. And in this very time Mr Macmillan was preaching in the bounds. And in my ordinary fermons I find the fame condu& of Providence. On the 2d of February this year 1708, the firft of the afore- mentioned adulteries was delated: but the parties were not got convi&ed, till May 14. During which time, I was with fame elders four times on the fpot, at Succleugh-fhiels ; the adulterefs alledging a rapeby an unknown perfon. One of thefe times I preached in the houfe, on Rev, xx. 12. " And the books were opened," having occafion to baptize a child, but in vain as tò her. Her brother, who had delerted on account of the f'aft afore- find, left the houfe in time of the fermon ; but returning after, caufel fet down meat to me, and the elders with me, and urged Z
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