1718. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 281 preach on to my own people, the cafe of another poorwonian under trouble of the fame nature, and for the Lord's determina- tion as to the point of publifhing of the' book on Man'sFourfold State, or not. The Lord was with me in foirie meafure. I have had much ado to ftand under the thoughts of publifhing that book ; being toiled betwixt two, namely, the venturing fuch a mean piece into the world, while many whole books I am not worthy to carry, are filent ; . and the fear of fitting the call of Providence to it. Thus it has lain fo heavy on me, that Y have been as tolled on a fea ; and fometimes it has almoft quite funk my fpirits. And as yet I knownot what to do ; but defire to wait on the Lord, if he will give me a token of his mind ; being coufcious to myfelf of defiring to facritice my cre- dit to his call fairly laid before me. Being at the communion in Maxton, Aug. 3. two particular providences were remarkable. i. Mr Wilfon told me, that in his vifiting of the parith before that communion, he had ordina- rily that word, ' Lay your hand to your heart, and halt no more ;' and the Lord led me to that text for that occafion, " How long halt ye between two opinions ?" which was coun- tenanced with forne influence, efpecially on the Saturday. 2. Having been quite at a lofs what to do as to compliance with the motion for publifhing the book aforefaid, and beingjuft waiting for Providence moving ; Mr Wilfón's fifter told him in my hearing, that Mr Robert Wighttnan, treafurer of the city of Edinburgh, who unknown to me h d been addreffed for encou- raging it, by Mrs Schiell, his fifter, through Mr Wilfon''s means as I think, had faid, he would db nothing in it till fuch time as he fhould fee the MS. So I, being juft. waiting for the moving of Providence in the matter, was natively brought to refolve on fending the copy to him. By the melancholy event of July 14. I was led to preach on Pfal. cxlvii. 11. " The Lord taketh pleafure in them .that far him, in thofe that hope in his mercy.'.' The which, being be- gun July 27. was ended Aug. 31. After which I entered on the Saviour's commiffion, If. lxi. 1. " The fpirit of the Lord God is upon me, becaufe the Lord hash anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, he hath lent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the o- pening of the prifon to them that are bound ;" and infifted `thereon till Feb. 22. in the year following.. Being again engaged, this winter, in -the fludy of the accentu- ation, and occupied in writing in my book of materials, I cluck. Upon which event, and for `other caufes, I refolved to fpend fome time in prayer. A tha kfgiving for the good harvet pro- pofed at the fynod, did not take. It was propofed to me to obferve it however here. But my heart had a fecret avertion to it, and I delayed it, to fee whether the commifïion. would ap- pointone or not. Thefe two laft Sabbaths I waited for word Mme
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