1721. MR THOMAS BOSTON. SO7 againft their deed they were then about to do : though in this it is not for me to determine. Thus ended that weighty affair, by means whereof I received another fenfible increafè of light into the doctrine of grace ; efpecially, as to the gift and grant made of Chrift unto finners of matxkind, and as to the nature of faith. In which fait, my friend Mr Wilfon was the molt clear and diftinát : and my clearnefs and diftinótnefs therein I owe to him, as the mean of conveying it unto me. He hath fence that time travelled in that fubjedt, with peculiar concern and industry, to great ad- vantage ; and is the man, of all I know, fitteft to write uponit. Moreover, that ftruggle hath been, through the mercy of God, turned to the great advantage of truth in our church, bath among fome minifters and people ; having obliged both, to think of, thefe things, and inquire into them, more clofely and nicely than before : infomuch that it has been owned, that few public differences have had fuch good effe&s. Mean while it is not to be doubted, but others have, on that occafion, been carried further to the fide of legalifm, than they were before ; and that 'through the prevalence of their pallions and prejudices : the gofpel of Chrift is by this time, with many, efpecially of the younger fort of divines, exchanged for rationalifm. So that I believe the light and the darknefs are both come to a pitch, that they were betöre far from in this church ; of the which pofterity may fee a miferable and a glorious iffue. Having ended my fermons on the covenant of works, May 6. I did on July 1. enter on the covenant of grace, the which ordinary, 'meeting with occafional interruptions, and beingpur- fued from feveral texts, !ailed near about two years. In the beginning of the month lait mentioned, I finifhed the notes on the Marrow of Modern Divinity ; which afterwards in the year 1726were printedwith the Marrow itfeif ; in the whl'bh, out of regard to the authority of the church, that yet in that màtter I durft not obey, I took to myfelf the name of PBULALETHES IRrNAus, as bearing my real and fincere defign therein, viz. truth and peace. In compiling of there notes, L had in view, what was advanced againft the Marrow, in the feveral prints extant at that time, and which had come to my hand ; efpeciallyPrincipal Haddow's Ántinomianf in of the Mar- row ofModern Divinity detected ; but naming no body. The tìnacquaintednefs with thefe prints, may occafion posterity's judging feveral of the notes quiteneedlefs : but at that time many, had been at much pains to find knots in a rufh. The ftcrament of our Lord's fupper was this year celebrated on the 19th of Auguft. On the fait-day, being a preibytérial fait too, I had no help. But the Lord laid liberally to myhand, and I came eafìly by the feveral texts to be infifted on the Sabbath before the fait-day, and thecommunion-day. After the fall-day I was feized with the tooth-ach, which I was not ac-
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