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 my Affairs with, I had little to do but to reſolve.

I went Home that Evening greatly oppreſs'd in my Mind, irreſolute, and not knowing what to do; I had ſet the Evening wholly apart to conſider ſeriouſly about it, and was all alone; for already People had, as it were by a general Conſent, taken up the Cuſtom of not going out of Doors after Sun-ſet, the Reaſons I ſhall have Occaſion to ſay more of by-and-by.

In the Retirement of this Evening I endeavoured to reſolve firſt, what was my Duty to do, and I ſtated the Arguments with which my Brother had preſs'd me to go into the Country, and I ſet againſt them the ſtrong Impreſſions which I had on my Mind for ſtaying; the viſible Call I ſeem'd to have from the particular Circumſtance of my Calling, and the Care due from me for the Preſervation of my Effects, which were, as I might ſay, my Eſtate; alſo the Intimations which I thought I had from Heaven, that to me ſignify'd a kind of Direction to venture, and it occurr'd to me, that if I had what I might call a Direction to ſtay,; I ought to ſuppoſe it contain'd a Promiſe of being preſerved, if I obey'd.

This lay cloſe to me, and my Mind ſeemed more and more encouraged to ſtay than ever, and ſupported with a ſecret Satisfaction, that I ſhould be kept: Add to this that turning over the Bible, which lay before me, and while my Thoughts were more than ordinarily ſerious upon the Queſtion, I cry'd out,, I know not what to do, Lord direct me! and the like; and that Juncture I happen'd to ſtop turning over the Book at the 19ſt Pſalm, and caſting my Eye on the ſecond Verſe, I read on to the 7th Verſe excluſive; and after that, included the 10th, as follows. I will ſay of the Lord, He is my refuge, and my foretreſs,