1714, MR THOMAS BOSTON. 231' fermon on Amos vi. 1. which I believe drew the flool fromunder moll of us; fàrely it did fo to me. On the Saturday and Sabbath morning, the weather looked gloomy ; but I had a moll quiet refigned frame of fpirit, with refpeét to it, leaving it on the Lord without anxiety. And it was a grey day, with forne pleafant blinks. A little ere I went out, I was Rung with the confcience of my negleé of felf-examination, though I had folemmnly done it on the Monday before, being our family-fait-day for this occafion. I had attempted it on Saturday's night, but was carried off. Let this be a !effort to rne. In this cafe I took a lhort review of myfelf, as the time would allow ; but that negle6t (tuck with me. I preached on Hof. ii. 19. which I had entered on July 11. The reft of the minifters were well helped.. I was not ftraiténed for words in that fermon, and had forne folid fe- rioufnefs as to the fuccefs of it ; yet I thought the Lord caft a cloud over me, and that the people feemed unconcerned. So, in the mïdit of it I knew not what to db, fearing the people's wearinefs. I looked about, wifhing in my heart that forne body .would tell me whether to leave it or not : yet I went on to the fecund general head, being loath to leave it altogether, and paffed only a twelfth part of the fermon ; which was delivered after the a6tion with more fatisfaolion to myfelf. Having confecrated the elements, and Paid, that they were no more to be looked on as common bread and wine, but as fymbols of the body and blood of Chrift ; immediately I felt a great change on my fpirit to the better, which made me fpeak with an unufual concern on my foul ; and my natural fpirits, that were low before, were raifed, fo that I had á new vigour for (peaking. I blundered however in delivering the bread, faying, " This cup ;" but I recovered myfelf, though not without difficulty, having much ado to fall upon the very words of inftitution, " Take, eat," &c. This was flinging and humbling, left it might bean occafionof triumph to the wicked. I communicated at the fourth table, and thought I had faith, love, &c. in exercife ; and there, with rnyfelf;;gave up my wife, my children, one by one, by name, my fervants, parifh, &c'. to the Lord. When I came in that day, the work being, over, and began to look through whát had palled, my foul was humbled in me, and much broken ; for upon the whole I thought there was never lets of God's prefence with acommunion- work here than that, except that recorded, p. X00. But God feafonably opened the mouths of force to fpeak, for his own praife and for my comfort: particularly Mr O. defired me that night to thankGod for the great things he had met with ; adding, (to my wife, who told me), that he was fcarcely able to contain himrelf, and came in to the houfe. And the telling this to a gentlewoman, that perron replied, There were more fo than he ; and that fhe heard an old profeffor fày, What's this we meet with! that he had not teen filch a thing for many years. This is not the firft time God has done great things, and hid thew. No. 5. F
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