Written by Himself, and addressed to his CHILDREN.

Now first published from his own Manuscripts.

To which are added,

Some ORIGINAL PAPERS, and Letters to

and from the AUTHOR,

Thou hich haft shewed me great and fore troubles, shalt quicken

me again, and malt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on

every side. Psal. lxxi. 20. 21. Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what

he hath done for my soul. Psal. Ixvi. 16. The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. Psal. cxii. 6. By it be being dead, yet speaketh. Heb. xi. 4.

E DIN BURGH:
Printed by A. MURRAY and J. COCHRAN,
For W. ANDERSON, Bookseller, Stirling
Sold also by J. Bell, and W. Gray, Edinburgh ; J. BRYCE,

and P. Tait, Glasgow; and G. Keith, J. BUCKLAND,
and J. DONALDSON, London.

MDCCLXXVI.

Entered in Stationers ball, accouding to

gå of Parliament.

2-3-1933

CO N T E N T S.

12

MEMOIRS.
Period
1. From his birth (1676], till he left the grammar-
school (1689],

5 2. From his leaving the grammar-school to his laurea

tion [1694], 3. From his laureation to his being licensed to preach the gospel (1697),

18 4. From his being licensed till he removed into the

bounds of the presbytery of Stirling (1698), 32 5. From his removal into the bounds of the presbytery

of Stirling to his return unto the Merfe [1699], 39 6. From his return unto the Merse to his ordination to

the holy ministry at Simprin, Sept. 21. 1699, 62 7. From his ordination to his marriage, July 1700,

98 8. From his marriage to his removal to Etterick (1707), 162 9. From his removal to Etterick to the oath of abjura

tion refused by him (1712), 10. From the oath of abjuration refused till his tranf

portation to Clofeburn, refused by the Commillion of the General Affembly (1717),

280 11. From the transportation to Closeburn refused, to the

notable breach in his health, and alteration in his constitution (1724],

342 12. From the notable breach in his health, to the time

of closing this account [Nov. 1731, fix months

before his death], Postscript,

222

کی

391 512

Pag..

1

A P P E N D I X. NO 1. Note on p. 255. concerning the situation of the parish

of Etterick, 2. Ditto on p. 308. Advice to the parish, with respect to

their duty as loyal subjects in the rebellion 1715, 2. Ditto on p. 351. Overtures of admillion to the Lord's

table, and debarring from it, 4. Mr Gabriel Wilson's ipeech before the synod of Merse

and Teviotdale, in defence of his sermon before that fynod, O&. 1721,

4

5

8

Pag

14

18

No

5. Note on p. 399. The Author's memorial concerning

his Essay on the Hebrew text of Genesis,

6. Ditto on p. 409. Paragraph of a letter from the Au-

thor to the minister of Er,

15

7. Ditto on p, 470. The Author's memorial concerning

his Essay on the Hebrew accentuation,

ib,

8. Letter from the Rev. Daniel Waterland, D. D. master

of Magdalene college in Cambridge, and chaplain in

ordinary to his Majesty, to Mr G. relative to the

Author's work on the Hebrew text of Genesis, • 16

9. Letters from the Rev. Mr Henry Davidson, late minister

of the gospel at Galalhiels, to the Author,

10. Letter to the Author, in the Latin tongue, from the very

Rev. William Hamilton, professor of divinity in the

university of Edinburgh, upon the subject of the

Hebrew accentuation,

11. Extract of a letter from Mr Grant to the Author, con-

cerning Sir Richard Ellys,

12. Letter from the Author to Sir Richard Ellys, Bt, mem-

ber of parliament,

23

13. Sir Richard Elly's reply,

24

14. A second letter from the Author to Sir Richard Ellys, 25

is. A third letter from the Author to Sir Richard Ellys, 27

16. Letters from the Author to his correspondent in Edin-

burgh,

28

17. Letter from the Author to the Rev. Mr James Hogg,

minister of the gospel at Carnock,

18. Letter from an eminent diffenting minister in Essex to

the Author's grandson, concerning the Author's ap-

pearance before the General Assembly of the church

of Scotland 1729, in Professor Simson's process, 50

21

22

48

The

JOHN, JANE, ALISON, and THOMAS BOSTONS.

MY DEAR CHILDREN, I Apprehend, that by the time it is defigned under

the conduct of all-disposing Providence, this should come into your hands, ye may be desirous to know your father's manner of life, beyond what ye faw with your eyes : and it is very pleasing to me, that, as to that point; I am capable, in some measure, to fatisfy you, by means of two manuscripts, which I leave unto you, committing them to the Lord my God for preservation, and a blessing on them.

The one is a bound book in quarto, intitled, Pala. ges of my Life, at writing hereof, consisting of three hundred and fixty-two written pages, beginning from my birth, ending O&tober 19. 1730, and signed *. I was not arrived at twenty years of age, when, without a prompter, fo far as I know, I began collecting of these passages, for my own soul's benefit : and they, being carried on, have often fince that time been of use to me. For which cause I recommend the like practice to you; remembering the promise, Psal. cvii. 43. “ Whofo is wife, and will observe those

things, even they shall understand the loving66 kindness of the Lord.”

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

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

А

seventy