1730. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 375 ceding the communion-week, it became very heavy to me, while no help appeared in the cafe. I found myfelf pinched in a fpecial manner, in that my own intereft was mixed with the facred intereft ; and would have been well content, to have facrificed my own interett in it, if it had been in my power to have feparated the two. For two days I was in particular con- cern, to fee what I could fafely do that way ; and that the Lord would touch his heart. And in the end of the fecond day I received a letter from him, which gave me fatisfa&ion. Thus was that Rone rolled out of the way. On the Friday that week, I having much of the Sabbath's fermon left of what had been prepared before, minded to have fludied, with the Sabbath's fermons, the faft-day's too. But that morning, after beginning my fludies, I became fo indifpofed, that I was obliged to betake myfelf to my bed again for a time. And thiswas the only ftudy-day this feafon, finceI fell ill, that I was unfit and indifpofed for Rudy. Howbeit I got fomething done that day, as alfo on the Saturday ; and on the Monday I finifhed the fall-day's fermons. Mean while, as my ordinary of the other world was no wife interrupted by this communion, I had been of a confiderable time fecure as to my text for the a&ion-fermon, defigning 1f. liv. 10. " For the mountains Mall depart," &c. in view of handling thereon the general conflagration, and perpetuity of the cove- nant. But on that Sabbath night, confulting the Hebrew original, I found it was not underftood of departing by the con- flagration, but rather by an earthquake : and fo I was deprived of my text, which wasa new trial to me. But on the Monday's night I refolved to mandate the fall-day's fermons on the Tuef- day, in the firft place : the which I did accordingly, and no. more ; , but that I had Tome thoughts in fearch for a new text. Wednefday the fall was kept : and as, in the family-fall in the preceding week, the Lord had pitied, howbeit the prayers lay on myfelf alone ; to that day he was very gracious to me. Having much prepared, I delivered it in three fermons that day ; and had great fatisfadlion in the Lord's helping we to fpread out the net of the covenant, from Pfal. 1. 5. " Gather . my faints together unto me ; thofe that have made a 'covenant with me by facrifice." But after the fermons, convening the newcommunicants before the feffiov, to take their explicit con- tent to the covenant ; I was damped and confounded, miffing my own fon among them. This was a heavy trial.; but after- ward I found, that it had proceeded of millake, not of defign. Thenew communicantsat this time were far more than ordinary I hope the word concerning theother worldhad Tome influence ; but I apprehend, it was thought probable, this might be the laic by my means, confidering the low cafe I had been in for Tome time, and was in. And they had come to me before, for the private examination, very orderly, as that my low café No. 8. 3 A,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=