THE Doctor felt once upon his Mind, a strong Impression, to Preach a Sermon about the Crime of Self-Murder; but he resisted, he declined, he laid it aside. He then wrote in his Diary: This Day my former Thoughts about Preaching on the Evil of Self-Murder, returning upon me again; I looked up to GOD, and as I was lifting up my Heart to him, then walking in my Garden, I was most strangely moved and melted. I could not speak a word for some time. Tears gushed from my Eyes. And it seemed as if it were said unto me, Preach on that Subject, & thou shalt Save Bodies & Souls from Death. The Lion is among thy Flock; Resist him with the Sword of the Spirit, and the Sheep Committed unto thy Charge shall be rescued out of his Bloody Hands! What the meaning of this is, I know not; but wonder at it. There may be something of Heaven in it, more than I am aware of. The next Lords-Day, he Preached the Sermon [On, Act. XVI.27, 28.] And Behold, soon after it, there came such to him, as informed him, That at that very Time, the Temptations to Self-Murder were impelling of them with an Horrible ⟨p. II⟩Violence; But GOD had Blessed that Happy Sermon for their Deliverance! They afterwards joined to his Church. —
THE Doctor felt once upon his Mind, a strong Impression, to Preach a Sermon about the Crime of Self-Murder; but he resisted, he declined, he laid it aside. He then wrote in his Diary: This Day my former Thoughts about Preaching on the Evil of Self-Murder, returning upon me again; I look'd up to GOD, and as I was lifting up my Heart to him, then walking in my Garden, I was most strangly moved and melted. I could not speak a word for some time. Tears gushed from my Eyes. And it seemed as if it were said unto me, Preach on that Subject, & thou shalt Save Bodies & Souls from Death. The Lion is among thy Flock; Resist him with the Sword of the Spirit, and the Sheep Committed unto thy Charge shall be rescued out of his Bloody Hands! What the meaning of this is, I know not; but wonder at it. There may be something of Heaven in it, more than I am aware of. The next Lords-Day, he Preached the Sermon [On, Act. XVI.27, 28.] And Behold, soon after it, there came such to him, as informed him, That at that very Time, the Temptations to Self-Murder were impelling of them with an Horrible ⟨p. II⟩Violence; But GOD had Blessed that Happy Sermon for their Deliverance! They afterwards joined to his Church. —
