1712. MR, THOMAS BOSTON. 223 regard to that brother, Iliad been, fince that time, all along con- firmed ; and even in the atfembly 1729, ..in profeffor Sirnfon's affair; the man dealing plainly and candidly, according to,his light ; though in fuch matters, of a more public nature, he and I were Rill on oppofite fides of the queftion. He is this year, 1730, tranfported to Edinburgh.] I was much comforted and encouraged in the kind conduá of Providence about me at that meeting. I defired ftill to hang about the Lord's hand for fur- ther light in that matter : and I durit not fay to any, what I would do in the matter. In the vifiting of the parifh, I was extremely difcouraged. The miniftry of this church is like to die unlamented. I have no fympatlky from anyof my people, or next to none. All were 'clear againft the oath, and they were in no care that way, but that I kept honeft, and others. That was all their doubt in the matter. Nay, I found fbme fcrupling to take the facrament faying, How could they, when againft Lammas the minifters would, may be, take the oath ? [N. B. "In the houfe of one of thefe fcruplers, there was ftolen flefh found fome time thereafter and her hufband being difgraced, they left the parifli.] I found myfelf in great danger by melancholy, and was more broken that way than ever ; and unlefs God would help, there was no help from any other quarter. On Saturday we fpent fome time in prayer, with an eye to the then ftate of public affairs, and the facrament. I had a weary morning of it, till the Lord refrefhed me in fome meafure towards the latter end of my ferret prayers. June 29. This day the facrament was celebrated here. On the Friday before, being my day for Rudy, I 'had as great a preffúre by my crofs as ever before. I was thereby confounded, and unfitted for any thing. However, I got through my ftudies, fuch as they were, on If. xliv. 5. On the Lord's day I obliged one to preach before me, (which is not my ordinary), that the people might get fomething ; I being confounded and broken: Upon the whole of that work, as to myfelf, I thought the Lord had caft a cloud over me ; and. I was well fatisfied, judging that God had honoured me verymuch before ; and if he fhould now bury me, ere I were dead, and continue that vail over me, I was content, hoping I might creep into heaven at fome back- door. And the reflection on this eafe of my heart, while I lay among the duft of the Lord's feet, was my feaft, -for that time. Some time before the facrament, being under conviétion of guilt, I found my foul bound up, and my heart hardened ; till I looked to the blood of Jefus Chrif, and turned to fee God in Chrift ; and thereupon my heart was looted and melted. Oct. 21. our fynod met. Being refolvednot to take the oath, I took advice at Edinburgh, when 1 was at the cornmiffìon, (to which when I was going,I was in hazard of being drowned in a hole by the highway-fide. for great rains had fallen ; I was pulled No. 5. L e
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