448 MEMOIRS OF MR BOSTOPT. Auguft S. 1724. (4.) D. Sir, There is no appearance of the diffolutiori of the cloud that for fèveral years nowhas been over my wife. We have made a new dilly this feafon in the ufe of means for her help but all hitherto ferves for nothing, but to difcaver that vain is the help of man in the cafe. She has not wanted feafonable fup- ports, from a higher hand ; and when feveral coals were by wife and holy Providence cafe in together into our furnace, the who behoved to be waited on and ferved before, was even helped to wait on, and be veryhelpful to others in diftret's; and then the.. clouds returned after the rain, and now the comes little out of thebed at all. But all is neceffary, and he is infinitely wife who has the managing of all in his hand. It is a very fweet view of affliétion, to view it as the difcipline of the covenant ; and fo it is indeed ; and nothing elle to the children of our Father's family. In that refpeét it is medicinal ; it Chines with many gracious purpofes about it ; and, end as it will, one may have the confidence of faith, that it thall end well. And O how happy would we be if we could always maintain the confidence of faith! The foul in that cafe would be like that babe in the shipwrecked woman's arms on the plank, fmiling amidft the waves, unconcerned with the hazard. I defire to remember, and be remembered by you. I am, with cordial' refpeéts to yours, &c. (5.) Dr Sir, You will excufe me when I have told you, that fence I law you, I have been in the furnace of affliétion through the rod of a kind and gracious God on myfelf and family. My eldeft daughter had a fever when you was here laft and on the nor- row after you went off, my other daughter took her bed alto by a fever ; after her my youngeft fon ; another boy of the family being in the meantime indifpofed. While thus feverals were together in ficknefs, but my eldeft daughter beginning to recover, I myfelf was, on a Lord's day after fermons, fuddenly feized witha violent illnefs', which afterwards I knew to be a fit of the gravel, before that time unknown to me. It was (harp ; but the time was kindly fhortened, for I got up again on the Wed- naefilay : neither did I agonize all that time, but was favoured with intermillions : but I had one fit of fix or (even hours con- tinuance. Mean while my ditireffed wife was helped toget from her bed, and to go between nie and the children, and to be ufe-
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