1712. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 225 I' came home with a heart reconciled, in force méafure, to the erofs of Chrift. By all 'parties'nothing was expected, but a rigid execution of a very fevere law, laying non-compliers with it, betides other incapacities, under an exorbitant fine of L. 500 Sterling ; which was more than all the ftipend that had-ever finceI was aminifler come into my hand, by that time did amount to. However, I found myfelf obliged to go on in preaching the gofpel at my,peril, to fulfil the minittry I had received of the Lord. Hereip I was confirmed and encouraged, by a declared refolution to t1iat pur.. pofe, of a meeting offeveral brethren at Edinburgh, in the time,. I think, of the commiflion in Auguft. Thefe ftraitening cir- cumftances obliged me-to denude myfelfof all my worldly goods; that they;niight'mpt fall into the hands of the government, when I thould "fall under the lathof the law. For this caufe I difponed my tenement in Dunfe in favour of my eldeft fon, and expeded that matter; fo that it being fold feveral years after, he was obli- ged, being major, to fign the papers. I alto made an affignation of my other goods and gear to John Currie, who tame with me my fervant to this country, and wahen, I think, my precentor. [This paper I deftroyed, only the Taft winter, 1729.] In thefe things the due forms of law were obferved, not without trouble and expence. Meanwhile, during all this reeling rind confufion, I had no encouragement or fympathy, or next todone, as formerly obferved, from the parifh; which wasagreat load above my burden. They feetned only to Wait to fee what proof ofhonefty would be given, or°contrariwife.. And their woful jealoufy, and their looking fo lightly 'on the matter, wasa mighty difcouragement to me. How- ever, had they been as much for, as they were againft, the oath, I'.durft never have, whatever had beets the hazard, taken it, according to any light in which it did ever appear to me unto this day. But the truth is, the extreme hardfhip I was under from them, did much alleviate the profpeöt of the government's forcing me away from them, even to confinement and banifh ment, and this for feveral years after, wherein there was force- appearance of thefe things. But now, for feveral years, ex- peétation of relief that way hath been bloèked up ; and the Lord has feen meet to take trial of me in another, more private way. On Oa. 26. I preached my laft fermon, which, as matters then flood in law, I could preach under the prate&ion of the government. My text fell, in my ordinary, to be Phil. iii. s. " My Lord, for whom I have fuffered the lofs of all things:" And in my notes on that text, are to be found a few things, which, in the clofe of that day's work, I faid on that trying occafion. `fuef'day the 28th, being the laft day, according to the law, for taking of the oath, I fpent forne part of it in ferret with the Eel
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