1729. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 359 July 29. Laft week I was at the facrament in Galafhiels. Mr Davidfbn was loaded with bodily indifpofition, having that work on his hand. The trial was carried to a height, 4y rain falling, while he, fore broken, preached the a&ion-fermon. But from the time the aótion began, it cleared and continued a good day ; and he was furnithed both with bodily ftrength and other wife. I clearly perceived, that God put an honour upon him. by that trial : O that I could perceive at that rate in my own cafe ! On the Monday before, I reached the explication of my text. On the Tuefday I (tuck, and could do nothing. But on the Wednefday and Thurfday I got forward, and had laid to my hand fo much more than I deigned, that I cried to the Lord for ftrength todeliver it, finte he had given it and accordingly I got it abundantly. At the table I faw, that as foon as I fhould drop the tabernacle of my body, I would be fully fatisfied as to the conduct of Providence in the matter of my long trial in my wife's cafe. While at Galafhiels, I received from Edinburgh a printed fpecimen of the effay on the accentuation ; which I found not well done, as to the Hebrew. However, looking on that effay as thus beginning to move into the world, though afterward it ftopt ; my courage began to fail : wherefore I was fain to betake myfelf to the way of trufting in the Lord, for fupport, under the view of its appearing in the world. But the iron gate in its way was not as yet to be opened. About the fame time I entered on the fubjeót of the other world, upon which I infifted for more than a year, from feveral texts. After ending the work on the covenant ofgrace, 1 filled up more of the paffages of my life. Turning my thoughts to what I fhould fix on next, and only two things of that kind now lying before me, viz. the notes on perfonal and family falling, men- tioned above, p. 419. and proceeding in the effay on the Hebrew text, I gave myfelf to prayer on that head, on Monday morn- ing, Aug. 4. remembering how I fmarted for my raft" adventur- ing on the explication of a part of the catechifin but I was not cleared. On the 5th, I renewed my addreffes to God on that head ; and was determined to the former, from a conviction of the neceffity of a memorial on that fubject to be prefented to faints and finners, and that I could not find myfelf eafy to apply to the other wórk while that lay undone, and that fome notice had been lately given me of people's defire that I would publifh moreof myfermons. I found the notes unfatisfying; butt udged the reviling of them might be of ufe to my own:,pofterity, if no further ufe was to be made thereof. So I' begun it that 5th of Auguft. ,Toward the end of that month, I had two fits of the gravel ; and in the beginning of September, much pain of the toothach. And about the middle of the month lait mentioned, I obfervesl, No. S. Y y
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