1728. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 339 word to Mt, wherein Iam to hear from heaven, and receive my anfver : fo I read in my ordinary, and that was made fweet to me, If. lxiv. 4. and lxv. 8. but above all verf. 10. " And Sharon thail be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my 'people that have fought me." I have been thinking, I would tell her for her encourage- ment, how I had purpofely addreffed the throne of grace for her cafe, once every week fince`the time aforefaid, and was hopeful I would be heard : howbeit I did not tell her. But by that means, that word, " And the valley of Achor that have fought me," through the divine bleffing, was as oil tomy weary bones. As 1 fought, fo I got an opportunity to preach the Lord's. word, and particularly the head aforefáid. But never all the time did the, to me, look more like a dying perfon, than juft when I came from that fermon ; ;howbeit I was not thereby ¡layered. On the Monday came Mr Wilton, and my fon alfo ; and by that time the cafe appeared more hopeful. Yet fuch turns were in it now and then, as made me reel and ftagger again. Next Friday morning, rifing fomewhat early for my studies of myferrnon ; hoping I would now get accefs thereto, I was called down by the time I had got out of bed. And I having, the night before, expreffed great confidence in her cafe, the defired me to let go Rimeof.my confidence with refpeét to it, telling me Oat the felt as to the cafe of her body. This brought me under a great damp, heightened by my falling to ftudy that day, as I could get accefs, how prayer might be accepted, and yet not granted. By that means an embargo was laid on my fpirit, in private and fecret, which continued till Sabbath morning; at which time there was a blowing on me. 'In the time of this damp, I turned' to the prornife, Rom. viii. 28. to believe that with application whatever fhould come: She feems now, by the good hand of God, to be returned to her ordinary. During this additional trial in my wife's cafe, the Lord was very gracious to her. Before its coming òn, the had a fecret impretfron or intimation of a trial abiding her ; and this word, Ifa. xlili. 2. " When thou paffeft through the waters, I will be with thee," &c. which was given her at her entering many. years ago into the.leng dark valley, was made frech on her fpirit. About the beginning of the week, after falling into the fever, awakingout of fleep in the night, the found herfelf fo very low, that the could hardly have fpoke to awaken her daughter lying, betide her, but dill having the exercife of her judgment. She thòught that looked very like death, and therefore turned her thoughts towards the wórd ; and the foundation offaith was . cleared to herfrom John iii. 16. " God fo loved the world," &c. She faw the prornife as a boat on a water, free for any firmer to. go into ; and as a rope fixed on both fides of the water, free to them to take hold of, for their fecurity, to be thereby wafted over; and the was helped to lay hold on it for her fecurity, be-.
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