to view the feveral steps of Providence in it on both fides. Upon the one hand I obferve, 1. That Mr H. having come with the call to our prefbytery, in February or March laft, he ftaid all night in my houfe; but I was from home. And the call was found to be a bare prefbyterial call, without concurrence of heritors, elders, or parish. 2. But the prefbytery having referred the affair of the tranfmitting of the call and reafons to the fynod in March, the whole prefbytery of Selkirk, through a miftake of the diet, was abfent from the fynod, fo there was nothing done in it; and at our next prefbytery after, none of the prefbytery of Selkirk appearing, at our inftance the call was declared to be deferted and fallen from. 3. The next prefbytery after, Mr B. appears; but his commiflion was fo informal that it was not fuftained; only our prefbytery declared, that if the prefbytery of Selkirk would ask the fynod's advice in this affair, against October next, they would not reclaim. 4. The prefbytery of Selkirk having fo managed their business at the October fynod, that the fynod ordered the call and reasons to be tranfmitted, and appointed a committee of their number to meet with our prefbytery the firft Tuesday of this inftant, to determine in that affair; our prefbytery forgot to tranfmit the call, and reafons of tranfportation, and to fummon us in due time. 5. Being an utter stranger to that people but by report, I thought it duty to go there and preach, before I would hazard the determination: but the letter I fent to Mr M. to warn the people of my coming, came not to his hand till the Saturday that I was in Etterick. 6. My entertainment there was not promifing, and I was ftraitened, as above narrated. 7. Our prefbytery having appointed a new diet, viz. Dec. 12. I got the reafons of tranfportation, which feemed to me fo weak, as that it looked like a particular defign of Providence, and an infatuation; 8. I went out of Simprin pulpit towards Etterick; for that day I went away, I lectured and baptized, and prefently took my horfe; and (fo to call it) I returned from Etterick to the pulpit of Simprin as above related. 9. Thursday, Dec. 12. the day anew appointed for the meeting of the prefbytery and af fiftants for determining that affair, was a bad day; a violent storm of fnow having come on, on the Tuesday and Wednesday before, (whereas the diet appointed by the fynod was excellent weather), fo that it could fcarce be

thought

thought that either purfuers or affiftants would come and on the Wednesday's night, finding none of them come, I began to conclude, that none of them would appear; and fo that, by fuch a train of providences, the Lord had fealed his defign of my not going to Etterick to be minifter there. Wherefore, on the morrow, before I went away to the prefbytery, I could fcarcely pray serioufly about it for light in it, feeing the affair as it were already determined.

But when I went to the prefbytery, within a little of the town, I was surprised with the news of the pursuers being there; and there I found two minifters of the prefbytery, and two elders of the parish. Two papers were fhewn me, when I alighted, importing the heritors falling from their oppofition. The bufinefs was by that meeting referred to the fynod in March. When I came home, I had several reflections feeming to favour the defign of Etterick; and as to fome of them, I was made to wonder how my eyes had been held that I could not fee them before. They are as follows. 1. That was a furprifing turn of Providence, when I went to the presbytery, expecting none of the purfuers there, that came fo quickly after I had thought God had fealed his pleasure in it, and put the top-ftone on the providences crofling. I remember, while I was making that conclufion, I was with-held from making it peremptory, by that word, James v. 11."- have feen the end of the Lord." was told me, that the unanimity of the presbytery in that call was very remarkable; fome of them that had other views and engagements to act for others, laying them by, for this. 3. Thus far it has been carried over difficulties, particularly the people, refufing their concurrence, who have now with the elders (laft fummer) given in a petition to the prefbytery, bearing their calling me to be their minifter, and promifing to fubmit to my miniftry and the heritors none of them appearing to oppose; only one appeared to purfue it, and that only at the fynod. 4. The Lord did fignally bind me up from going to Whittinghame, whereas I am informed there was a design of a call for me and I was led to preach the fermon at Etterick that was defigned for Whittinghame; the fuitablenefs whereof I was fully convinced of. 5. Some time before the prefbytery-day I grew uneafy in my mind, for hat I had never preached defignedly fome particular du

2. It

ties to my people; which things I thought I might dif patch in the space of two or three months; fo I refolved, without delay, to fall about them, and have begun already. 6. The defolation of that parish, ever fince I faw it, hath had great weight on me and I am convinced I fhould have more opportunity to do fervice for God there than here; but fuccefs is the Lord's. 7. Concerning thofe providences that feemed to crofs the defign of Etterick, it was a strange thing, that the whole presbytery fhould have mistaken the diet of the fynod, and that when they had fuch bufinefs before it. But had they been prefent, the bufinefs doubtlefs would have been tabled: if in that cafe the fynod had refused to tranfmit the call, the bufinefs would have been crufhed in the bud; had they ordered the tranfmitting of it, no doubt the prefbytery had continued me in Simprin, it being contrary both to their light and mine, to tranfport on a mere prefbyterial call. The fame is to be faid of Mr B's informal commiffion; for at that time the business stood only on that weak foot; whereas by thefe lets the business never came under a judicial cognifance tending to a determination, till it got the people's call as a firmer foot to ftand upon. As to our prefbytery's forgetting the fynod's diet, I can only remark one thing, that the coming to profecute the call at that time when they came, was a greater evidence of their affection to me than had they come then, when, according to the fynod's appointment, the bufinefs fhould have been difcuffed. The mifcarrying of the letter to Mr M. feems to have been fubfervient to the cold entertainment I thought I met with there. As to which in parti cular I have remarked, 1. That it was very neceffary for me to take off that difpofition of fpirit, whereby I was too easy in my own mind as to that bufinefs: and it fet me where I had often defired to be, even afraid of that tranfportation. 2. find I have made the very fame remark, as to the inclinations of the people of Simprin, the first time I preached in it, the bufinets being then fet on foot. As to my ftraitening, find alfo I have remarked concerning my firft preaching in Simprin, that what account to give of that day's work, I knew not very well. Jan. 4. 1707. Monday. This day I went towards Oxnam, to take Mr Colden's advice about the bufinefs of Etterick. As I was going away from home, I began to be very perplexed about that bufinefs, and, by the way to

Stitchill,

Stitchill, the difpenfations croffing that affair, feemed fo big in my eyes, that I thought it was not the Lord's mind that I should be tranfported thither. And that night I could not pray about it, any other way than that God would avert it. On the morrow Mr G. Mr K. and I went to Oxnam, and found that Mr Colden was at Edinburgh. Thus was I difappointed. I minded also to have taken his advice, whether to give the winter-facrament at the ordinary time, or delay it. This disappointment determined me to do it at the ordinary time. As to Etterick, I looked on that difappointment as a difpenfation confirming the conclufion, that God defigned me not for that place. When I came home, I found, that, feeing I had miffed my mark at Oxnam, it was neceffary to fet fome time apart for feeking of the Lord himfelf his mind in it; for now again the cross providences had not fuch a determining afpect as before.

This I did on Saturday, Jan. 9. having ftudied my fermons the day before. The upfhot of it, with respect to that particular, (for I had also the public affairs and the facrament in view alfo), was, that in fome measure I could fay, that " my countenance was no more fad," the Lord calmed my fpirit, which before was perplexed, and helped me to believe, that he would clear me in that matter in due time, and to depend on him for the fame; and that word, "He that believeth, fhall not make hafte," was helpful to me. The Lord helped me to lay it before and upon him, especially towards the clofe of that exercise : fo that it was a bleffed difappointment at Oxnam; for by that means I was driven to the fountain of light.

Jan. 19. This day being to fpeak fomething with refpect to the public, I prayed particularly, that God would guide tongue and heart. On reflection, I muft fay, he is the hearer of prayer; for my heart and tongue were guided in that particular, far better than my pen in my

notes.

Three things make me hope, that the Lord will clear me in the bufinefs of Etterick, and bring it to a happy conclufion: 1. The calming of my fpirit after prayer, 1 Sam. i. 18. 2. Several that have intereft with God, are concerned to cry for light to me at the throne of grace, Jam. v. 16. 3. I am willing to go or ftay, as the Lord fhall give the word, Pfal. xxxii. 8. 9. & xxi. 9. And, as often before, upon this matter, fo this night I was

helped with fome boldnefs to proteft before the Lord, that I must be caufed to walk in his way, Pfal. xxv. 8. Ezek. xxxvi. The occafion of thefe thoughts was, that about two or three days ago I received a letter from Mr M-, touching that affair, another from Mr B—, in name of the prefbytery of Selkirk, defiring me to go to Etterick again. This I could not yield to; becaufe, 1. The main thing they defired it for was, that I might be fatisfied as to the inclinations of the people; but unless other things did it, I could not have it that way, in regard I had fignified my diffatisfaction with their carriage towards me: 2. I thought it would make my own people and them alfo miftake me.

I.

Jan. 25. My fervant yesterday went to D- with bear. We waited long for his coming home, but he came not, and we were afraid he had filled himfelf drunk. When we were going to bed, and he not come, we were afraid he had either perifhed, or was lying by the way unable to help himself. I minded to fet fome time apart for fafting and prayer in my family, as was ordinary before facraments; and this determined me to this day. So it was obferved for these three caufes efpecially: 1. The facrament; 2. The ftate of public affairs; 3. The bufinefs of Etterick. This day, when we arofe, and found he was not come, we refolved to wait till eight o'clock, and then fend one to feek him, if he came not ere then. I went to my clofet in great diftrefs, as all my family was; and while I was begging a bleffing on the fcripture I was to read, I earneftly prayed the Lord would calm my fpirit, and help me to depend on him. The Lord anfwered me prefently, and fo I fell on to read. And when I had read about ten or eleven verfes, my fon came to the door, and told me the lad was come. This helped me to pray, wondering at the Lord's goodnefs. Our fears in one part had good ground; for fo it was with him. The family met, and the Lord was with us, and filled us with goodness and with thankfulness. I obferved here, 1. That the devil was driving on the old trade of raging about the time of the facrament, as he uses to do. But he was outfhot in his own bow: for, 2. This affliction was a vaft help to me and my family, to the work we were going about; it put us in another frame than readily we would otherwise have been in: 3. I learned the neceflity of taking more care about the unhappy lad's foul than I had done. 4. That a

depending