170'x, MR THOMAS BOSTON. IDS knowing that the determination is to be made by the fvnod. The dream I had long ago, has occafoned fears to me very often and therefore have I afked my own foul, whether the world 'Ways me in this bufinefs ? And I dare not fay it does. And in this in- quiry, it was clearing tome, that I am confcious to myfelf, thlt ifnever Co great worldly advantages had been propofed to me at the prefbytery, Dec. 12. I durft not have yielded to it, feeingno More of God in it than I faw at that time. But becaufe my heart is a depth of fecret wickednefs, I have lèveral times this lift week prayed with refpedt to that particular point, that God would f arch.me and try me. And I think, I dare fay before the Lord, was fincere in it, really defirous to know if that wicked way was in me in that matter. I am fometimes helped, to depend on, and truft God, for guidance in this matter ; but I am often affaulted with fears of being left. And what then fhould I think Of that dependence fo often brangled ? This has been my cafe often within this (port time. But this morning, at family-exer- elfe, when it was not in my mind, I met with a patlàge in our ordinary, Jer. xxxix. which was cleared to me, fo as I faw an anfwer to my cafe. The paffage was that, 'ver. 17. Thou "'halt not be given into thehand of the men of whom thou art " AFRAID. IS. For thy life fhall be for a prey unto thee, BE- " CAUSE thou haft PUT THY TRUST IN ME." Afraid, (I thought), and yet delivered, BECAUSE_ he put his truft in the Lord ! Won- derful, that God will overlook his people's weaknefs, and deliver them, even becaufe of that truft mixed with lb Much fear! That becaufe was wonderful in my eyes. This anfwered my cafe fo patly, that I was much cleared by it. C. Wood was here this day, being the Lord's day, minded to go home ; but the Lord hindered her by bodily inditpof tion. She told me the bufinefs was plain toher, that toEtterick I muff go. I was anxious the laft time the was here, that I might have uuderftood how that matter feemed to go with her ; but the going away, I laid by that anxiety, and God brought this notice unexpeétedly to my hand. Feb. 18. This morning I arofe early, and retired to fpend forne time in prayer, efpecially about the bufinefs of Etterick. Laft night. in prayer, once and again, for help to that work, my foul was elevated : but the third time I was fore dried up. This morning I had forne tugging with my heart a'while ; at length I got earneft and fetid delires after the Lord. And I re- member, I pleaded much on the Lord's having given me thefe defires, that feeinghe had made them, he wouldfill them. After- wards that frame was loft, and I could fay little, but cry, that the Lord would loofe the prifoner. While I was at that work, a letter cómes which I behoved immediately to anfwer ; and .then Mr M- came. This was about ten o'clock. So I was taken off. Howbeit, incompany, the fad thoughts of this heavy turn in my frame, and the Lord's deferting me, flood before me. I ftale-away a while to myclofet, and thought and prayed. And
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