1707. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 153 I could fcarcely pray ferioufly about it for light in it, feeing the affair as it were already determined. But when I went to the prefbytery, within a little of the town, I was furprifed with the news of the purfuers being there ; and there I found two minifters of the prefbytery, and two elders of the para. _ Two papers,were (hewn me, when I alighted, im- porting the heritors falling from their oppofition. The bufinefs was by that meeting referred to the fynod in March. When I came home, I had feveral refleótions feeming to favour the de- fign of Etterick ; and as to fome of them, I was made to wonder howmy eyes had been held that I could not fee them before. They areas follows. 1. That was a furprifing turn of Providence, when I went to the prefbytery, expecting none of the purfuers there, that came fo quickly after I had thought God had fealed his .pleafure in it, and put the top-ftone on the providences croffing. I remember, while I was making that, conclufion, I was with-held from making it peremptory, by that word, James v. 11: "have feen the end of the Lord." . 2. It was told me, that the unanimity of the prefbytery in that call was very re- markable ; fome of them that had other views and engagements tó ad for others, laying them by, for this. 3. Thus tar it has been carried over difficulties, particularly the people, refuting their concurrence, who have nowwith the elders (lait fummer) given in a petition to the prefbytery, bearing their calling me to b e their minifter, and promifing to fubmit-to my miniftry : and the heritors none of them appearing to oppofe'; only one appear- ed to purfùe it, and that only at the fynod. 4. The Lord did fignally bind me up from going to Whittinghame, whereas I am informed there was a defign of a call for me : and I was led to preach the fermon at Etterick that was defigned for 'Whitting- hame ; the fuitablenefswhereofI was fully convinced of. o. Some time before the preTytery-clay I grew uneafy in my Mind, for that I had never preached defignedly fonde particular duties to my people; which things I thought I might difpatch in the fpace of two or three months ; fo I refolved, without delay, to fall about-them, and have begun already. G. The defolation of that parifh, ever face I faw it, hath had great weight on me : and I am convinced I fhould have more opportunity to do fervice for God there than here ; but fuccefs is the Lord's. 7. Con- cerning thofe providences that feemed to crofs the defign of Et- terick, it was a ftrange thing, that the whole prefbytery Mould have niiftaken the diet of the fynod, and -that when they had fuck' bufinefs' before it. But had they been prefent,, the bufinefs . doubtlefs would have been tabled.: if in that cafe the fynod had sefufed to tranfnit the call, the bufinefs would have been crufhed in the bud ; had they ordered the tranlinitting of it, no doubt the prefbytery had cöntinued me in Simprin, it being contrary both to their light and mine, to tranfport on a mere prefbyterial call, The faine is. to be fàid of Mr B's, informal cornmill'ion ; for at that
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