1707. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 161 draws near, I have further remarked, 1. That Providence has been at pains to keep me out of the way of the parties, that I night not confult with them : Mr H. miffed me, p. 190. Mr M. and thofe with him were diverted from coming to my hostile the night before the prefbytery. I was invited to Yarrow facrament lait f'ummer, but had no freedom to go. At Melrofe facrament, Elliflon's lady defired to fpeak with me ; I declined to fpeak with her in the church-yard, left people fhould have mifconftrued me, and prornifed to wait on her any where in town ; but I heard nomore of it. About Whitfuuday 1703, Drummelzierdeclared, though not to me, his refpeét towards me; (having been with him about bufinefs), and that he would favour me in any tranf- portation I had an eye to, (fo he was pleafed to exprefs it, at leaft fo it was told to me). I faid to the perfon that told me, I thanked Drumrnelzier for his kindnef's, but that was not the way I minded to take, but was content to flay where I am. Never- theiels afterward, that fame year, I think, I heard he had recom- mended me to Etterick : but Providence faordered it, that lince that time I never faw his face ; wherein I have often admired the good providence of God ; for if I had, it would have been hard to have come away with a good confcience and good manners. too. (N. B. I have heard fnce I came to Etterick, that thus I was among the firft that were recommended to them after Mr Mácmichen's departure. However, he joined not with the callers, being pleated with the thing itfelf, but, not with the method of procedure.) 2. When the call carne firft to our prefbytery, my health was fore broken : I looked rather like a man to be tranfported to eternity, than to another parifh. 3. While I was at Etterick, my wife had fo little liberty in prayer about that bufinefs, that when the fawme firft, which was in-the church prefently after I came home, the was able to guefs my entertainment. [N." B. 1 muff do this juftice to my wife, once for all, to fay, that as to my leaving of her country, and not fettling, there, and as to my fettling in Simprin, which were be- fore the was my wife, but not before we were engaged, the in- terpofed not ;' and as to this tranfportation, themeddled as little;- but in all the three was"fi'lent to the Lord, and laid open to fol- low what God would point out to be my duty.] And C. Wood told me, that the bufinefs at firft feemed very clear to her, but afterwards grew dark. 4. There was a moll remarkable'dif- ference betwixt the fecret and family faft before the prefby- tery, and the fecret and family faft laft obferved. In the former two there was nothing but tugging and heartfeffnefs ; in both the latter, there was fomething of the fpirit of prayer. 5. After that exercife on the 9th of January was over, having pray- ed that the Lord would help me to take up his mind in his dif- penfations, I thought on the things recorded above, Dec. 31. p. 18f-). et feqq. And that day, viz. Jan. 9. the balance was, in my apprehenfion, caft on the tide of Etterick. 6. I thought Mr U2
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