1707. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 171. great darknefs as to my call to Etterick and an uneafnefs has been on my fpirit möft. of this day, with refpea to my going to that place to be minifter to that people, the:fenfe of my call there- to being with -held and hid from me moftly till night. The rea,- fon of this fad alteration I found to be my mifcarriáge yefternight; for Mr A. M. coming up to me at night,. I gave too much way to carnal mirth and laughter, till I forgot my work, and out of woful felf confidence would not withdraw from hint to go to.Joiy ftudies. It was no time for nie to be fo merry, when my lïodr people were fo fad. And had I taken time latt night for .ft éy, I had had more time for prayer this day. $o all went wrong with me together this morning : my frame was gone, darknefs as to my call from God feized me, ntyfou felllick, and AIr'iNiiln too ; fo that whereas he Mould have lectured for me, he told me, When we were at breakfaft, he could not-do it : fo I behoved to fall on ftudying a leéture_ then. Thus did the Lordpoint out:. rnx fin, fending me to ftudy at that time, who would not feud' whet` I Mould have done it. This I never raw till juft now that I was writing this day's prayers. But juft when I was going out to the kirk, Mr M. arofe, and told me he would le&ure ; and fb the Lord juftly put me to needlefs. pains, becaufe I would not be at needful pains. This remark alto did but juft now occur to me at the writing of this : which is indeed a fulfilling of ürip- ture. This day's fermons were as fuitable to our cafe as if I had fought a text juft for our prefent circumftances. There were three mvfteries of Providence : 1. People's walking contrary to God, and yet Providence shining warmly on them; 2. Aftonifh- ing ftrokes lighting on thofe that are moft dear to God ; 3. Afto- nifhing affliótions meeting the Lord's people in the way ofduty. (See fermon on Pfal. cvii. ult. *). All which I thought to4ì ve delivered the Taft Lord's day ; but God referved them for This day, to begin it with as to me. What may be the defign, I know not. At night, after a fruitlefs attempt or two, I recovered forne what; and at the familyexercife, finging that word, Pfd. cxix. 143. " Trouble and anguifh haveme found. Yet in my trou- ` ble my delight Thy juft commandments be," I found it was:> very fuitable to my cafe, and helpful to me. From that trouble, betides what is obvious, Ihave learned, 1. That if I will keep up the fenfe of my call from Gad, I muft live near him ; 2. That my tranfportation is of.God ; teeing it. looks up in the light, and there fears and doubts only in the dark ; and confequently, 5. That God works by contrary means, making darknefs the means of further light, as I have now found it. From that, word meet- ing me at the exercife in the family, obferve, 1. An exercifed` The fermons on this text are yet preferved ; but the author afterwards preached, more fully from it, which difcourfes are inferted in the author's body of divinity, volk L p. 260. etfen. and are jtdtly efteetued..
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