a tolerable faculty at drawing of papers; yet no faculty at dictating, but behoved to have the pen in my own hand : and even in that cafe it would often have been a while ere I could enter on. Accordingly, as for my fermons, it was often hard for me to fix on a text; the which hath oft-times been more wafting and weakening to me, than the ftudy of my fermon thereon. I ftudied my fermons with the pen in my hand, my matter coming to me as I wrote, and the bread increafing in the breaking of it: if at any time I walked, it was occafioned by my sticking. Mean while, it would frequently have been long ere I got the vein of my fubject ftruck: but then I could not be eafy, unless I thought I had hit it. Thence it was, I often tore out what I had written, and began anew again; but ordinarily I found, this turned to my greatest comfort and fatisfaction, in end falling upon the vein. Hence it was not my manner, to fhift from text to text; but to infift long on an ordinary; the clofing of which at length I readily found to relifh as much, with myself, and the ferious godly, as the other parts preceding.

Thus alfo I was much addicted to peace, and averse to controverfy; though, once engaged therein, I was fet to go through with it. I had no great difficulty to retain a due honour and charity for my brethren differing from me in opinion and practice: but then I was in no great hazard neither, of being fwayed by them, to depart from what I judged truth or duty. Withal it was eafy to me, to yield to them in things wherein I found not myfelf in confcience bound up. Whatever precipitant fteps I have made in the course of my life, which I defire to be humbled for, rafhnefs in conduct was not my weak fide. But fince the Lord, by his grace, brought me to confider things, it was much my exercife to discern fin and duty in particular cafes; being afraid to venture on things, until I fhould fee myfelf called thereto : but when the matter was cleared to me, I generally ftuck fast by it, being as much afraid to defert the way which I took to be pointed out to me. And this I fincerely judge to have been the fpring of that courfe of conduct upon which Mr James Ramfay above mentioned did, before the commiffion anno 1717, in my hearing, give me the following character, viz. That if I thought myfelf right, there would be no diverting of me by any means.

I never had the art of making rich; nor could I ever heartily apply myfelf to the managing of fecular affairs. Even the fecular way of managing the difcipline of the church, was fo unacceptable to me, that I had no heart to dip in the public church-management. What appearances I made at any time in thefe matters, were not readily in that way. I had a certain averfenefs to the being laid under any notable obligation to others, 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 or

dered, that I had little trial of that kind. I easily perceived, that in that cafe the borrower is fervant to the ' lender.'

As to the parish, 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 Oct. 24. 1730]. They are by far more polished in their manners, than at that time; and much more tractable, and easy to me: and fewer fcandals fall out among them. The old diffenters continue immoveable: but their increafing is ceafed. There is ftill a handful of ferious Chriftians among them, as there hath been all along and 1 have often obferved, that as fome fuch, from time to time, have been one way or other carried away, there came others in their ftead; 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 understood, on any subject I was led to treat of. The late fick nefs is now, by the mercy of God, abated.

And thus have I given fome account of the days of my vanity, being this 24th of October 1730, 54 years, 7 months, and 1 week old *. Upon the whole, I blefs 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 fome infight into the doctrine of his grace; and that ever he gave me the bleffed Bible, and brought me acquainted with the originals, and efpecially with the Hebrew text. The

The continuation of this account, before inferted, beginning p. 479. and ending p. 508. was written after this time, as has been already obferved, p. 479.

world

world hath all along been a stepdame 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 disappointed from that quarter. "All is vanity and vexation of fpirit.-I have waited "for thy falvation, O Lord."

T. BOSTON.

TH

POST SCRIPT.

Hus far did the author bring down the history and account of his own life and times. His diforder (which was of the fcorbutic kind) refifting the power of medicine, increafed in its violence until May 20. 1732, when he entered into the joy of his Lord His public fervices in the church of Chrift, were not much interrupted by his indifpofition: and when he was fo debilitated by it as to be unable to go out to the church, he preached from a window in the manfe, the auditory ftanding without. His fortitude in the immediate profpect of diffolu tion never forfook him. His patience under the chaftifement of a father's hand was uninterrupted. Inured to afflictions, as well perfonal as domeftic, he bore them with that quiet fubmiflion, and unreluctant refignation, which a filial fpirit can only infpire. Viewing them as originating from his heavenly Father, the habitual language of his heart was, 'Shall I receive all good at the hand of God, and fhall I not receive evil.'

It will be obvious to the intelligent reader, that the radical principle upon which the narrative in thefe Memoirs is founded, is, That God hath foreordained whatsoever

comes to pafs' This principle the author believed with his whole heart: it was often an anchor to his foul; and every minifter of the church of Scotland is bound, by his fubfcription, and ordination-vows, to maintain it. This, kept in view, will account for the author's afcribing to an over ruling Providence many incidents, which fome may think might be refolved into natural caufes.

I

During

During his laft illness, he received the following affectionate and confolatory letter from his endeared friend Mr Gabriel Wilfon.

Rev. Dearest Brother,

It has been a moft real pain to me, after I was fully purposed to be with you fometime this day, to think of fending any. But the ordering feems to be of the Lord. I defign to effay it again without delay, according as I hear from you.

I hear the trial is become still more fiery; but hope < you will be kept from thinking it ftrange, as though fome ftrange thing had happened you. O it is difficult; but you are allowed, and even called to rejoice, in as much as you are thus made a partaker of Chrift's fufferings.

The Lord has in great favour led you forth into his 'truth, and is now in his fatherly wisdom giving you use for it all; calling you to fhew forth the fupporting and comforting power of it. Our feafon (if need be) of being in heavinefs through manifold temptations, is made • up of hours and minutes, and will foon run out, 2 Cor. iv. 17. 18.

The Son of God, your Lord and Mafter, is with you in the furnace, though not always vifible, and will never leave you nor forsake you. May the God of hope, of patience, and confolation, the God and Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Father of mercies, and the • God of all comfort, comfort you in all your tribulation with comforts of his covenant, and with the fame comforts he has enabled you to comfort others in any trouble. You mind Pfal. xxxi. ult. that it is in the way of our labouring to be of good courage, that he promises to ftrengthen our hearts. I will yet ftill hope and feek, he may turn the fhadow of death into morning, and fpare to recover ftrength.

Our feffion being met this day, in token of their love and fympathy, have fent the bearer, one of their number, to vifit you, and bring them word. Dearest

Brother, I defire to remember your bonds, "as bound with you. Great grace be upon you. 1 am, with love to all yours, Dearest Sir, yours,

Maxton, April 8. 1732.

GAB. WILSON."

A few weeks before his death, he likewife wrote the following letter to a correfpondent in Edinburgh; which, as it terminated a correfpondence of twelve years ftanding, and is perhaps the last letter the author ever wrote, we fhall conclude this poftfcript with a copy of it.

My very dear Sir,

I am obliged downright to acquaint you, that I have been of a confiderable time, and am ftill, in an apparently dying condition. All business is quite given over; * and I can no more, as matters ftand, correfpond with any about the MSS. or any thing elfe, but must leave them to the Lord, and the management of my friends, as he fhall direct them. I do not doubt but your God, who has feen meet to row you into deep waters, will in due time bring you out; but there is need of patience.

I cannot infift.The eternal God be your refuge, and underneath the everlasting arms, and plentifully reward your twelve years moft fubftantial friendship. — I am, my very dear Sir, Yours moft affectionately, &c.'

A P.