1731. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 405 feveral kinds, and petitions for them laid to my hand. .'phis was the prayer after the afternoon-fermon, on the Lord's day. I faw at Gala(hiels a letter from Sir Richard iaiys to Mr Hogg, approving and encouraging the defign of printing the MS. on the covenant; anda poftfcript by Mr G7 bear..iiug, that it (hould be returned as foon as might be : but "no word of the other MSS. There alfo I had a letter from a young mitiifier, fhewing force difficulty in conceiving about the covenant of grace, and defring my thoughts on that fubject. I took it for a providential hint, towards publifhing of the faid MS. And afterwards I wrote him my thoughts at large, willingly embracing that occafion of ferving the intereft of truth, whatever ufe fhould be made of it. Having been of a confiderahle time, again and again urged with a project in favour of a certain perfon, in the which I had no clearnefs to be active, but only to yield and give way to it ; the cafe force time in August became heavy to a degree, fo that. I fet myfelf to feek of the Lorda right way in it : and after frequent addreffes to the throne of grace on that head, I was at length fully cleared to be active in the matter, confidering it as it ftood circumftanced. But upon my declaring and offering to be active in carrying it on, the party to my furprife declined it fo it behoved to be dropt. Some time after, ítanding without, and feeing a tree toffed witha violent wind, whichcaufed the withering leaves to fall off, that otherwife in a little would have dropt off of themfelves ; I received inftruótion as to heavy trials tryfting with adeclining ftate. 'From force time after my return from Galafhiels, till towards the latter end of September, I was on the ftudy Gen, xxiii. the two former being tranfcribed. That (tudy proved fo difficult and flow, that it feemed to me, I was not in cafe for fuch work, by reaíón of the (late of my body and I often thought Pro- vidence would ,oblige me to give it over, and fo take away that remaining comfort of my life. But in that time I was twice re- markably pitied, after ferions application to God by prayer, on that head. On the 3d of September, I had, by a letter, an account of an apparent beginning of Mr Davidfon's deliverance and recovery. And being on the 5th to begin leéturing on the Song of Solomon, confidering the growing infidelity and profanenefs of the day, I was moved to preach on the firliverfe thereof, to vindicate the divine authority and fpirituality of it, &c. before I (houid enter on explaining it. I was much fatisfied in the divine conduct in that matter, feveral perfons of tome diftin&iorr falling to hear that day, beyond what was ordinary with us, it being the firft Sabbath after Tu(hilaw's return from his travels. Having had forne expectation, that, as in tome former years. I' would become fomewhat better in_health about the autumnal
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