1729. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 369 ticularly to my removal out of thisworld. And in thefe, betides the main thing touching the tranfportation of my foul, and the refurre6tion of my body at the Taft day, I did particularly beg, that, having lived fo little 4o his glory..he would pleafe to give me to die to his glory ; that in cafe of fudden death, which I neither durft nor inclined to deprecate, he, to whom all his works are known from the beginning, would fecretly work in nie a&tual preparation for it and in cafe of longfome ficknefs, that he would arm me with patience ; that if it were his will, he would continue with me the ufeof fpeech : but withal heartily fubmitting, that in cafe of lofing the power of my tongue, which, from the paralytic ftate of my body, I am fomewhat apprehenfve of, my countenance might fpeak tohis glory. In the event of my leaving my wife a widow, and my children fatherlefs, I left her, and them, each one by name, on my covenanted God, according to the promife, Jer. xlix. 11. requefting, that we might all meet together again in the happy part of the other world ; and for her, that I might be allowed to fee her deliverance ; if not, that it may come fpeedily after my departure, if it be his will. The parifh alfo, in that event, I left on him, to provide a minifter for them; I was concerned alfo for a bleffing on my fervants, viz. John Bromfield and Chriftian Speedin, they having been a great comfort to me, and continuing to be fo. Withal I begged grace for the Chriftian improvement of any time of my life that may be remaining ; and the divine determination as to the difpofal of the two manufcripts above mentioned. Being to clofe the work, and day-light failing, I lighted a candle, and fang the 23d pfalm, with force underf:anding of it, confidence, and chearfulnefs: But a particular concern for grace to bear my trial, carried me back to God again, in prayer for that purpofe. I met with two fcriptures that day, one in a light wherein I had not before obferved it, viz. 2 Cor. v. 12. Them which glory in ap- pearance," (Gr. in the face), and not in'heart;" denoting the íkin-deep joy of ungodly men, who have none in the receffes of their heart : the other, exceeding ftrengthening food to faith, namely, the promife of God's making the worm " ° threfh the mountains, and beat them fmall," &c. 1f. xli. 14, 15, 16. Mean while the worm there adts only the part of the flail, but in the omnipotent hand it threthes them. O the wonders of grace, a fpark of the holy fire drying up the fea of corruption, a worm threibing the mountains t I rejoice in that word, as one that bath found great fpoil. The continuingof my ftrength for this exercife, as it has done, was what I did not expe&, and is wondrous in my eyes : " I will biefs the Lord, who bath given me counfei. Dec. 8. Monday... This night I had completed the filling up in the paffages of my life the Taft week's pyogrefs. I have for a'confiderable time found the confideration of the goodnefis Zz2
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