1690, MR THOMAS BOSTON. 79 his name be glofy in the higheft for ever. Amen, yea and Amen. And thus Í have followed the courfe of this affair, in order narrating the feveral fteps thereof, however minute force of them mayappear ; and that becaufe it iffued in what was to me one of theweightieft matters of my life ; namely, my ordination to the office of the miniftry, and first fitting down in the world. And the reflecting on the clear divine condu&, in pointing out unto me, and carryingme to, thefe appointed bounds ofmy habitation, is likea rock of comfort to me unto this day ; as it obliged me to look well about me for the like difcovery of the Lord's mind, be- fore I moved my foot again. PERIOD VII. From my ordination, to my marriage. RETURNED to Dunfe that night. In prayer I had much con- fidence in God. I found my heart well content withmy lot ; and the fenfe of God's calling me to that work, with the promife of his prefence : O it fatisfies my foul, and my very heart bleffeth him for it ; for really it is the doing of the Lord, and wondrous in my eyes. I have a profpeöt of comfort and fuceefs in my labours among that people, and my foul rejoiceth in the Lord. Hehath enlarged my heart, I will run the way of his command- ments. O ! my heart is almoft fond on God's gooddealing with me. By the mercy of my God, I was not difáppointed, in my profpe6t. I clofed that night with Pinging Pfal. xvi. 5, God is of mine inheritance and cup the portion," &c. to the end, and prayer. From this time more than two months paired ere I took up my fettled abode at Simprin : during which time, my ordinary refidence being at Dunfe, as before, I applied myfelf to my work, as I had opportunity. Sept. 22. It was long ere I got a text for theSabbath. When I got it, my ftudies went {lowly on. On the morrow alfo my thoughts were very confufed, and it went very ill away with me. I comforted myfelf with the example of Jacob's going at God's command, on his return to his own country, and yet the Lord met him as an enemy : fo it went force better with me. Yet while I ftudied that fermon, my foul was folidly aflèóted with the weight of the work of the miniftry. I meditated on the fore- noon-fermon with more fatisfa&ion than I ftudied it. I had de- fired the people of Simprin to fend a horfe for me ; but it wits fo long a-coming, that I defpaired of its coming at all. This was a piece ofexercife to me ; for I thought it ftrange tobe thus treated at the very first : fó I begah to lay my account with trouble, and to ou concerned for the titivation of the people, though I thould Meet with difcouragementsfrom ,them. Thehorfe came, and it K
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