1731. MR THOMAS BOSTON, 413 and fo was not fond of gifts, efpecially in the cafe of any whom I had to deal with as a minifter. And Providence fo ordered, that I had little trial of that kind. I early perceived, that in that cafe ` the borrowef'is fervant to the lender.' As to the parilh, there are few now alive that fubfcribed my call ; nor are there, that I know, above two of the congregation of my hearers, paying rent this day, that were fo doing, when I came among them twenty- three years ago, [viz from May 1. 1707, to O&24. 1730]. They are by far more polifhed in their manners, than at that time ; and much more traólable, and eafÿ to me : and fewer fcandals fall out among them. The old diffenters continue immoveable : but their increafing is ceafed. There is {till a handful,of ferious Chriftians among them as there hath been all along : and I have often obferved, that as force finch, from time to time, have been one way or other carried away, there carne others in their Read ; and whatever the Lord laid to my hand to preach on unto them, I ufed not to be ftraitened on their account ; judging I would be under- flood on any fubject I was led to treat of. The late ficknefs is now, by the mercy of God, abated. And thus have I given force account of the daysof my vanity, being this 24th of O&ober 1730, 54 years, 7 months, and 1 Week old *. Upon the whole, I biefs my God in Jefus Chrift, that ever he made me a Chriftian, and took an early dealing with my foul ; that ever he made me a minifter of the gofpel, and gave me force infight into the do&rine of his grace ; and that ever he gave me the bleßèd Bible, and brought me acquainted with the originals, and efpecially with the Hebrew text. The world hath all along been a ftepdame to me ; and wherefoever I Would have attempted to neftle in it, there was a thorn of uneafinefs laid for me. Man is born crying, lives complaining, and dies difirppointed from that quarter. " All is vanity and vexation.of fpirit. --I have waited for thy firlvation, O Lord." T. BOSTON. POSTSCRIPT. THUS far did the author bring down the hifloryand account of his own life and tiines. His diforder (which was of the fcorbutic kind) refitting the power of medicine, increafed in its violence until May 20. 1732, when he entered into the joy of The continuation of this account, before inferted, beginng p. 379. and endingp. 408. was writtcn afterthis time, as has been already obferved, p. 379.
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