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The Author's Addrefs to his Children.

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JOHN, JANE, ALISON, and THOMAS BOSTONS.

MY DEAR CHILDREN,

Apprehend, that by the time it is defigned, under the conduct of all-difpofing Providence, this fhould come into your hands, ye may be defirous to know your father's manner of life, beyond what ye faw with your eyes and it is very pleafing to me, that, as to that point, I am capable, in fome measure, to fatisfy you, by means of two manuscripts, which I leave unto you, committing them to the Lord my God for prefervation, and a bleffing on them.

The one is a bound book in quarto, intitled, Paffa ges of my Life, at writing hereof, confifting of three hundred and fixty-two written pages, beginning from my birth, ending October 19. 1730, and figned *. I was not arrived at twenty years of age, when, without a prompter, fo far as I know, I began collecting of these paffages, for my own foul's benefit: and they, being carried on, have often fince that time been of use to me. For which caufe I recommend the like practice to you; remembering the promise, Pfal. cvii. 43. "Whofo is wife, and will obferve those things, even they fhall understand the loving"kindness of the Lord."

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The other is the following general account of my life, at writing hereof, confifting of two hundred and

* The author, before his death, added fome pages more.

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feventy-nine written pages

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beginning from my birth, ending October 24. 1730, and figned. How I was led thereto, much contrary to my inclination, you will find in the manufcripts themfelves. But, now that it is done, I am obliged to fay, "The fool"ifhnefs of God is wifer than men :" and I blefs the Lord, who gave me counfel. It was in obedience to his call that I did it: "Let the Lord do with it what "feemeth him good." Ye will not readily have meaner thoughts of that matter than I myfelf had.

I prefume, you will judge that it had been more natural to have made one continued hiftory of both : and I, being of the fame mind, would indeed have fo done, had I thought it worth my pains, in this decline of my age and firength. But not feeing myfelf called thereto, I am fatisfied as to the defign of Providence, which hath modelled that matter as faid is t.

You will not therein find yourfelves defcended, by me at least, from any ancient or honourable family in the fight of the world; which is a matter of fome fignificancy, I own, before men, for a few paffing years: but you will find yourselves children of the covenant, devoted unto the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, my God, by me having power over you for that effect: whom therefore I charge to ratify the fame with your own confent, and perfonal acceptance of the covenant; and to cleave to this God as your

In the years 1730 and 1731 the author added a good many pages more. The firit MS. confilis in whole of 371 pages, and the latter of 342.

In preparing this work for the prefs, it was judged abfoJutely neceffary, in order to prevent repetitions, and references from the one volume to the other, to reduce both into one continued narrative or hiftory, taking care all along to infert the pattages of his life in the general account, in their proper places, according to their refpective dates and years, and as the nature of the fubjects treated of required.

God,

God, all the days of your lives, as being his only, wholly, and for ever: fo fhall that be to you a matter of eternal value and fignificancy, before the Lord; of value to you in this and the other world.

If fome things in thefe manufcripts appear trifling, bear with them. Had I thought it worth time and pains, to have written them over a fecond time, it is likely, feveral things now found in them had been dropped. Mean while it may reasonably be allowed, that fome things now appearing trifling to you, might have been of fome weight to me; and may be fo to you afterwards; and if never to you, yet fome one time or other to yours after you.

I hope you will find fome things in them worthy of your imitation: the which I was the more willing to record, that I did not think I ever had the art of education of children; but might thereby do fomewhat toward the repairing of the lofs you by that means fuftained. It is my defire and will, that, while the Lord is pleased to preferve them, and that in the power of my offspring, any of them whofoever be allowed free accefs unto them: yet fo that the property thereof be vefted from time to time, in fuch an one of them, if any fuch there fhall be, as fhall addict himself to the holy miniftry. And in cafe I be allowed, by him in whofe hand is my life and breath, and all my ways, to make any continuation of the purpose of these manuscripts, the fame is to be reckoned as here included.

I hope you will ufe no indecent freedoms with them; confidering that, for ought you or I know, there is a jus tertii, a right of a third party, in the matter, whom alfo I have a view to, with an awful regard to the fovereign difpofal of holy Providence, to which I defire to fubmit all. Some few things which I faw meet to delete, I have fignified and figned on the margin.

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And now, my dear children, your lot is fallen in a finning time, beyond the days of my fathers: and I am mistaken, if it iffue not in a time proportionally trying, by "the Lord's coming out of his place to "punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniqui

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ty." I obteft and befeech you, as you regard your eternal welfare," fave yourselves from this untoward "generation. See the abfolute neceffity of regeneration, the change of your nature, by union with Jefus Chrift the fecond Adam; as it was corrupted by means of your relation to the firft Adam fallen. Labour for the experience of the power of religion in your own fouls, that you may have an argument for the reality of it, from your fpiritual fenfe and feeling: and cleave to the Lord, his way of holinefs, " (with"out which ye fhall not fee the Lord)," his work alfo, his interests, and people, on all hazards; being affured, that fuch only will be found wife in the end. If your mother, undoubtedly a daughter of Abraham, fhall furvive me, let your lofs of a father move you to carry the more kindly and affectionately to her, fupporting her in her defolate condition. Let the fame likewife engage you the more to be peaceful, loving, and helpful, among yourselves.

The Lord blefs each one of you, and fave you, cause his gracious face fhine on you, and give you peace; fo as we may have a comfortable meeting in the other world! Farewell.

From my ftudy in Ettrick
Manfe, Oct. 28. 1730.

T. BOSTON,

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