1716. MRTHOMAS BOSTON. 261 thefe fermons on repentance, delivered Jan. 27. as aforefaid, was heard by one or moreof the commitl'ioners from Clofeburn, who had obtained the calling of the prefbytery to hear them, on. the Tuefday after. Feb. 7. This forenoon I (pent in fecret prayer. My ordinary afffütion and temptation fo fet upon me at firít, and embittered my fpirit, that I was like to have given over the work. But reading the 59th of Ifaiah for my humiliation, that word, verf. 19. " When the enemy (hall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord [hall lift up a standard againft him," met me molt feafonably when I was as one like to be carried away with a flood. I went to Gód with it, and pleaded it,,-. And though it was not prefently accomplithed ; yet, after abiut two hours and a half heartlefs work for the molt part, it was made out; the temptation was banithed away, and my heart was touched with his hand put in by the hole of the lock. Among many other ills of my life, I was particularly convinced, 1. Of my fin of fuperticial reading of the fcripture, not fúbjeóting my foul, in reading it, unto it, as the divine word whereby it has come to pafs, that I have not had the feeling of the power of it that otherwife I might have had : 2. The remitfnefs of my fpirit, and heartletfnefs, in family wor[hip : 3. Not depending more on the Lord, in the work on Ezekiel, that I am now upon : 4. Not wrettling with God more in fecret for the congregation, and tome particular perfons. Two things I had a comfortableview of,: 1. An unfeigned defire of univerfal and perfeót holinefs, however vile I am ; 2. That though my departuresare many, thou knoweft, OLord, that I am not wicked, nor have I wicked I departed from thee ; not daring to do deliberately what I think to be an ill thing, and being in fome meafure tender as to endeavouring to know the mind of God with refpe& to the way I fhould go. I was concerned in the affair of Clofeburn, Dr Trotter's iñdifpoftion, the affli&ion of thot'e of Midgehop, &c. Concerning the affair of Clofeburn, Remark 1. About the time of my great trouble by this with laft year, the trouble of this parith by that bufinefs began this year. 2. The Lord has punithed them and me both, as above noted, by the terror of the profpeót; of that affair." 3. Juft as I waswriting this, a ftxangercame in, and gave mea molt d ilcourag- ing account of that parith. 4. I was led this day to pray for a blet= fing on that parith, and fome particular perfons in it. 5. On Jan. 29. the commifïioners for Clofeburn produced their corn- m.itlìons before our pretbytery. I faw what I judged a flaw in that from the parith, urged it, and the commillion was rejected thereupon. What moved me to this was, that I thought ttri& juftice did not require the fuftaining of that commiflion ; and I d.urft not make a compliment of it, left I fhould feern to lead, and not wait to be led by, Providence.: and I knew not what might be in that minute circuruftance. 6. But the rejecting
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