,1711..,. IR THOMAS BOSTON. 211 was with us in praying, and in preaching too on Joel, L 18., How do the beafts groan," &c. The Lord gracioufly heard our prayers. The morrow after was ne ïll day but on the Friday the thaw freely came by a weft wind, without rain. So the Lord's day Was a thankfgiving-day to us. I preached on Pfal. cxlvii. 12: 18. " Praife the Lord. He fendeth out his word, and melteth them." This day, with the day of the fiat communion, were the molt joyful days I ever taw in Etterick. The hand of the Lord appeared in it to me, and to others likew,ife ; though onr congregation made but very little bulk this day, after the Lord had done fo great things for them. Lord, lay it not to their charge. Some afterward told me, that they had but one day's meat for their flocks when the ftorm brake. They were generally defigned, on the Monday after, to have gone to feek .paffure in other places ; but in time of the ftorm they profeffed theyknew not well whither to go ; thofe places where they were wont to go to in a (trait, having enough ado to ferve themfelves. About this time as I was leóturing on the Proverbs, I took force notes of the import of the .Hebrew words, to chap. xv. to be found in a 4to note-book. On Friday, June 8. about three in the morning, my daughter Alifon was born ; and was baptized on Wednefday the 13th, by Mr John Laurie minifter of Efkdale-moor. The epiftolary communication aforefaid betwixt Mr Wilfon and me, was carried on till towards the end of this year, at which time Providence began to lay other work to hand. His letters to me of that kind are in retentis: but I have no copy of mine to him. Only, what is preferved in the Mifcellany manuféript from p. 333. to p._349. on Ecclef. x. 15. on Confervation, and on Garments, was written on that occafion *. For my ordinary, I dwelt on the folemn call to faith, and gof- pel-obedience, Matth. xi. 28, 29, 30. from Jan. 14. this year, till Aug. 26. And then to còmmend Chrift to the fouls of the people, I did, on Sept. 2. enter upon Phil iii. and went through the fait twelve vertes thereof inorder, which continued, I think, till May 1713. Aug. i t . After a long time offreedom from a temptation that had often worfted me, it began again about a month ago, and made fearful havock on my cafe. It was no little time ere I be- gan fo much as to think, that this was a taking up -what I had before fo folemnly renounced ; but 1tí11 I found myfelf fettered, and couldnot {hake ofmy bonds. On the 7th inftant I fet apart dome time for fatting and prayer, eating on a little bear-bread ; but matters went not well with me. It' burft out on me as a breach in a highwall, whole breaking cometh fiaddenly in au inftant, when one is labouring to keep and prop it up. This day I -fell, to that work again : but confidering that my head was the worfe of fatting before, I ate as ordinary. In the very time I Thefe were alto publilhed, in the fame volume with the Mifcellaniea, in. 1755.
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