392 MEMOIRS OF PERIOD XEI. ofthe Hebrew accentuation has been carefully read and examined by the ableft judges of that fort of learning that I know ; I mean, by Mr Schultensand Mr Gronovius : both of them think, the author has given furprifng inftances of the ufefulnefs of the accents to fettle the meaning of the text ; and on fuppofition that the reft of the work is equal to this .sketch, it will upon the whole be the belt bpok that has been written on the fubje&, and deferves to be made public.' The faid letter further bare, That Sir Richard talked feveral things very warm, as to hiscon- cern for me and that work, and was for its being -handfomely printed, having had both the MSS. by him for fome time : That he gave hirn ten guineas to be trantmitted to me, as an acknow- ledgement of his fincere regard and efteem for me, and as a pledge of doing all in his power to encourage any workof mine; with falutations, and an excufe for his not writing as yet ; and that he long -'to fee the MS. on the covenant of grace ; and has as warm a iva.? of talking of the gofpel, and of the abfolute need of divine laving teaching, to fee its glory, and comply with its noble defign, as any that ever the author was in company with : That Mr Laraque, a French minifter, an acquaintance of Sir Richard's, coming in, and hearing the ftory talked over to him, promifed to procure twenty-five fubfcriptions from his relations and acquaintance abroad : That the Earl of Ilay had promifed to be a fubfcriber : And that it would be difficult to keep the chartes, &ç. of the two parts of the work diftinét, as I had pro- pofed ; but that the pripter might make the exa&teft calculation as to both, Rill keeping in view the printing both together, and one fubfcription for all. Upon the reading of that letter, I was fomewhatas before in the cafe of thepreceding one ; the flownefs of mynatural temper having had a very difcernible effè&, on thefe occalons. But in the morning of the next day, 'I had a good time of it ; feeing then, how my God was a faithful promife-keeping God to me ; had begun to fulfil more of the latter part of the 7 lit pfalm to me ; and given me at length what he had long delayed, but by providential notices and pledges had bid me wait on for : and giving thanks for his faithfulnefs and bounty : withal per- ceiving, I as really needed his hand, to fuit my heart to what the thing done required of me, as I needed it to do it for me. I remembered, that on the Friday's morning before (as I think) the petitions with reference to that affair, arofe in my heart like water from a fpring, which even then upon refleólion made me to hope. And that morning above mentioned, being Dec. 28. I had fomething ofthe fame nature in prayer for Sir Richard Ellys, that word being brought me, Prov. xi. 25. " He that watereth, {hall be watered alfo himfelf." The fignature of a divine hand, on the railing up of him to befriend me, and in fuch a manner as he has done in various refpeéts, did indeed appear with a glaring evidence. Janet Scot above mentioned
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