1728. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 3'45 Hereon I infifted till June 23.: after which, by myOwn ftruggle ' in my wife's cafe, I was led, both abroad and at home, to that text, 2 Cor. v. 7. " For we walk by faith, not by fight." Then, with an eye to the administering of the fitcrament, I entered on Luke vi. 46. " Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I fay ?" In this, I was led into the point ofthe poffibilityofgetting allChrift's commands done acceptably : in the which I had a peculiar fatisfaaion ; obferving the ufeful- nefs thereof in point of practice tobe very great, and reaching a clearer infight into it than I had ever had before. June l6. On the Thurfday, that fhould havé been our fait- day before the facrament, was the molt terrible inbreaking of our brook known in the tmemory of any,alive. It laid much of the glebe under water, and feems to have ruined ; it ; it came down by.the endof the houfe alfo, and ran into the church-yard. The Sabbath alto was a bad day. On the full of March there was an earthquake, but we felt it not in our houfe. This con- duct of Providence was wonderful in my eyes. June 25. I have for fume time had much ado to keep up con- fidence in my wife's cafe, times wherein I looked for peace, no good coming. Laft Saturday, being convinced of the neceffity of living by faith in it, and of divine aid to recover and maintain my confidence, I was helped by a letter from my friend. But Rill matters held at an extremity. On Sabbath after, fitting by her bed-fide, I law the wonderful wifdom of Providence in the difpenfation, darting its raysall around as it were to every point of the compafs, and carrying on many different ends ; and fume of them'contrary as eaft and weft point, e. g. humbling and lifting up ; forme things alfo having a far look back. July 4. Friday being to go to Maxton to the facrament, be= fore I rofe in the morning, I found myfelf fo feeble, that I knew not how to get thither. But the Lordgave meftrength, I think, for this purpofe ; which held out by the way thither, all along while there, and tò my return home, better perhaps than for feveral yearsbefore on that occalion. And I chearfully beftowed it for the end it, was given me*. That morning ere I went away, I was furprifed, in our family- ordinary, with the hiftory of l£neas, that had kept his bed eight years, Acts ix. the pre- fent diftreffed cafe of my wife being now eight years complete in May laft : and on Saturday morning with the return of Job's` captivity, in their ordinary at MaXton, Job xlii.. Thefe things ftrengthened hope. On Saturday's night I loft my reft; but was really ealy about it, finding the Lord juft gives me ftrength for his work, as he fees meet : and indeed I did not mils that loft reft. The Lord was with me in my work : but the fear of man was a (hare to me a little in preaching on Sabbath night, more in prayer, and worft of all at the prefbytery dinner on At this facrament, he preached on 2,Cor. v. 7. which fermons were prsialifñed in 1753. Uu2
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