I mean as to going away from, or ſtaying in the Place where we dwell, when viſited with an infectious Diſtemper.
It came very warmly into my Mind, one Morning, as I was muſing on this particular thing, that as nothing attended us without the Direction or Permiſſion of Divine Power, ſo theſe Diſappointments muſt have ſomething in them extraordinary; and I ought to conſider whether it did not evidently point out, or intimate to me, that it was the Will of Heaven I ſhould not go. It immediately follow'd in my Thoughts, that if it really was from God, that I ſhould ſtay, he was able effectually to preſerve me in the midſt of all the Death and Danger that would ſurround me; and that if I attempted to ſecure my ſelf by fleeing from my Habitation, and acted contrary to theſe Intimations, which I believed to be Divine, it was a kind of flying from God, and that he could cauſe his Juſtice to overtake me when and where he thought fit.
Theſe thoughts quite turn'd my Reſolutions again, and when I came to diſcourſe with my Brother again I told him, that I enclin'd to ſtay and take my Lot in that Station in which God had plac'd me; and that it ſeem'd to be made more eſpecially my Duty, on the Account of what I have ſaid.
My Brother, tho’ a very Religions Man himſelf, laught at all I had ſuggeſted about its being an Intimation from Heaven, and told me ſeveral Stories of ſuch fool-hardy People, as he call'd them, as I was; that thought indeed to ſubmit to it as a Work of Heaven, if I had been any way diſabled by Diſtempers or Diſeaſes, and that then not being able to go, I ought to acquieſce in the Direction of him, who having been my Maker, had an undiſputed Right of Soveraignity in diſpoſing
