1717. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 275 as I, wereconvinced, that the fpeech I delivered, was that which influenced the Commitfion, and moved their compaffion. Thus ended that weighty affair, for which feveral of the god- ly through the country, particularly thofe of the meetings for Chriftian fellowfhip in Galafhiels, had been concerned before the - -Lord. About fourteen days before, at the fa.crament of Maxton, laying hold on the covenant, which is a covenant of prornifes, I was helped to force diftinétnefs in applying the fe- veral forts of prom ifes, as thofe for pardon, for fanditication, for direction, &c. and this witha particular view to that j ufinefs then before rne. And I mutt fay, the Lord was,with me in the management, giving me in that hour, both what to fpeak, and courage to fpeak it ; and even when I ran, he left me not to Rumble. One of our heritors that I had confidence in, quite failed me : but Sir William Scot, the principal one, furprifed me with his perfbnal appearance, and ftanding by me in judgement; which he had all along refufed. My inclinations in that matter having ben ,molt injurioufly mifreprefented by force minifì:ers and others, by the ifiùe they were filenced. That which was the real ground of my averfion to Clofeburn, was, that I had a moft uncomfortable life in Etterick, and my work among them had all along been exceeding heavy ; through the difpofition of the people, felfifh, conceited, and bending towards the fchifm, which has molt deep rooting in this place: hence proceeded contempt of ordinances, minifters, &c. to the great breaking of my fpirit. To have gone to Clofeburn, a parifh of the fame charabter, I reckoned would have been juft to begin my weary talkanew ; in one word, to have caft me ou of the frying-pan into the fire. Otherwife, to have been tranfported from Etterick, and goneany whither; wherethegofpel wouldhave been heard and received at my hands, would have been moft gladly em- braced by me, if the Lord himfelf had but frid it. Betides, I had been advifed, that the air did not agree with my wife's con- ftitution, and tended to impair her health ; and that it would overcome me at length. Of thefe my heavy circumftances in this place, I had been (peaking to Mr Murray, and he took oc- cafion to provide this remedy of the tranfportation to Clofeburn, which I looked on as ill as the difeafe, in Tefpeet of the, uncom- fortablenefs of my work, which the more wholefome air could not counterbalance to me. As for my wife's condu& in the matter, it was as became a Chrihian, fpoke forth much felf- detiial, and refignation to the will of the Lord ; making not the leaft uneafinefs to me in point of my confciènce. The defign of Providence in the whole affair, I take to have been, as at firft, to rebuke the pariíh and myfelf; and, I would fain hope, to cement and knit us more ciofely for 'the time to come. And they feem to have a fenfe of the mercy. This tofs hindered theadminiftering ofthe facrament this year ;
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