1708. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 189 procefs according to the covenant ofworks, but that itfhouid be according to the covenant of grace. But I fee mott plainly, that fovereignty challenges a latitude, to which 1 muff loop, and be content to follow the Lord in an untrodden path : and this made me with more eafe to bury my fecond Ebenezer than I could do the firft. That fcripture was very ufeful to me, " It was in my heart tobuild a horde to the Lord." I learned not to Cry, How - will the lots be made up ?. but being now in that matter as a weanedchild,, defired the lofs to be made up by the pretence of the Lord. I had ground to think, that I had been too peremptory as to his life in feeking it. Upon public reading of theant of thecommiffion of the General Affembly, againft Mr John Macmillan and Mr John Macneill, the two preachers of the feparation, on theLord's day, Dec. 1 ß. I preached a fermon from i Cor. i. 10. " Now I bereech you brethren, that there be no divifions among you," &c. Copie'4 of this fermon, which was directed precifely againft the repara- tion, being defired, I having tranfcribed it, allowed to be given out : and it was of fotne tire for a time. The original notes, and tranfcript, are both of them in retentis among my notes* The year 1709 was tome a year remarkable among many. In the latter end of March, the fecond adultery was delated, and confeffed by the adulterers; but the adulterer was not conviíied till September following. Mean while my circumtiances in the parith were brought to a pitch of hopeleflhefs, by the Lord's with drawing fupporters from me; that " I might truft in the liviu; God, who raifeth the dead, and calleth things that are not to be as if they were." Having, in the preceding Augtil, ordained three elders, the elderfhip'was now feven in number one of the five above men- tioned, as figners of the petition, having foon after my firttlernent removed out of the parifh. The families, in whom was the greateft encouragement I had in the place, from the time of my fettling. among them, were thofe of James Bryden tenant it Coflarfhill, Walter Bryden inCrofslle, Robert Paterfon in Tlrirle ¡tone, Adam Linton in Midgehop, and James. Biggar in Upper Dalgleifh, James Bryden afore$id was a very friendly .man ; but he foon broke, his fhbftance failing. Walter Was a plain, pious, friendly man, and an elder: but he removed out of the parifh with .his family this year at the Whitthnday. In July I met with the piercing trial of the death öf WilliamBiggar, brother to the raid, James; who having gone along with me to the com- munion at Penpont, died there. Of which I ihall giveanaccount afterwards. He was a molt kindly, pious, good.man, unlike the country, an elder alto, and moll ufeful in'his office. Moreover Mr Paterfon aforefaid, a third of my elders, a very friendly man, * This fermon was originallyprinted in 173S, and hàs been feveral times printeii liince, particularly with a preface by the author's fon.
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