family　first　came　from；　and　particularly；　I　had　an　only　sister　in
  Lincolnshire；　very　willing　to　receive　and　entertain　me。
  My　brother；　who　had　already　sent　his　wife　and　two　children　into
  Bedfordshire；　and　resolved　to　follow　them；　pressed　my　going　very
  earnestly；　and　I　had　once　resolved　to　comply　with　his　desires；　but　at
  that　time　could　get　no　horse；　for　though　it　is　true　all　the　people　did　not
  go　out　of　the　city　of　London；　yet　I　may　venture　to　say　that　in　a　manner
  all　the　horses　did；　for　there　was　hardly　a　horse　to　be　bought　or　hired　in
  the　whole　city　for　some　weeks。　　Once　I　resolved　to　travel　on　foot　with
  one　servant；　and；　as　many　did；　lie　at　no　inn；　but　carry　a　soldier's　tent
  with　us；　and　so　lie　in　the　fields；　the　weather　being　very　warm；　and　no
  danger　from　taking　cold。　　I　say；　as　many　did；　because　several　did　so　at
  last；　especially　those　who　had　been　in　the　armies　in　the　war　which　had
  not　been　many　years　past；　and　I　must　needs　say　that；　speaking　of
  second　causes；　had　most　of　the　people　that　travelled　done　so；　the　plague
  had　not　been　carried　into　so　many　country　towns　and　houses　as　it　was；
  to　the　great　damage；　and　indeed　to　the　ruin；　of　abundance　of　people。
  But　then　my　servant；　whom　I　had　intended　to　take　down　with　me；
  deceived　me；　and　being　frighted　at　the　increase　of　the　distemper；　and
  not　knowing　when　I　should　go；　he　took　other　measures；　and　left　me；
  so　I　was　put　off　for　that　time；　and；　one　way　or　other；　I　always　found
  that　to　appoint　to　go　away　was　always　crossed　by　some　accident　or
  other；　so　as　to　disappoint　and　put　it　off　again；　and　this　brings　in
  a　story　which　otherwise　might　be　thought　a　needless　digression；　viz。；
  about　these　disappointments　being　from　Heaven。
  I　mention　this　story　also　as　the　best　method　I　can　advise　any　person
  to　take　in　such　a　case；　especially　if　he　be　one　that　makes　conscience　of
  his　duty；　and　would　be　directed　what　to　do　in　it；　namely；　that　he
  should　keep　his　eye　upon　the　particular　providences　which　occur　at
  that　time；　and　look　upon　them　complexly；　as　they　regard　one　another；
  and　as　all　together　regard　the　question　before　him：　and　then；　I　think；
  he　may　safely　take　them　for　intimations　from　Heaven　of　what　is　his
  unquestioned　duty　to　do　in　such　a　case；　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　followed　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　myself　by　fleeing　from
  my　habitation；　and　acted　contrary　to　these　intimations；　which　I　believe
  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　turned　my　resolutions　again；　and　when　I　came
  to　discourse　with　my　brother　again　I　told　him　that　I　inclined　to　stay
  and　take　my　lot　in　that　station　in　which　God　had　placed　me；　and　that
  it　seemed　to　be　made　more　especially　my　duty；　on　the　account　of　what
  I　have　said。
  My　brother；　though　a　very　religious　man　himself；　laughed　at　all　I
  had　suggested　about　its　being　an　intimation　from　Heaven；　and　told　me
  several　stories　of　such　foolhardy　people；　as　he　called　them；　as　I　was；
  that　I　ought　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　sovereignty　in　disposing
  of　me；　and　that　then　there　had　been　no　difficulty　to　determine　which
  was　the　call　of　His　providence　and　which　was　not；　but　that　I　should
  take　it　as　an　intimation　from　Heaven　that　I　should　not　go　out　of　town；
  only　because　I　could　not　hire　a　horse　to　go；　or　my　fellow　was　run
  away　that　was　to　attend　me；　was　ridiculous；　since　at　the　time　I　had　my
  health　and　limbs；　and　other　servants；　and　might　with　ease　travel　a　day
  or　two　on　foot；　and　having　a　good　certificate　of　being　in　perfect　health；
  might　either　hire　a　horse　or　take　post　on　the　road；　as　I　thought　fit。
  Then　he　proceeded　to　tell　me　of　the　mischievous　consequences
  which　attended　the　presumption　of　the　Turks　and　Mahometans　in　Asia
  and　in　other　places　where　he　had　been　（for　my　brother；　being　a
  merchant；　was　a　few　years　before；　as　I　have　already　observed；　returned
  from　abroad；　coming　last　from　Lisbon）；　and　how；　presuming　upon
  their　professed　predestinating　notions；　and　of　every　man's　end　being
  predetermined　and　unalterably　beforehand　decreed；　they　would　go
  unconcerned　into　infected　places　and　converse　with　infected　persons；
  by　which　means　they　died　at　the　rate　of　ten　or　fifteen　thousand　a
  week；　whereas　the　Europeans　or　Christian　merchants；　who　kept
  themselves　retired　and　reserved；　generally　escaped　the　contagion。
  Upon　these　arguments　my　brother　changed　my　resolutions　again；
  and　I　began　to　resolve　to　go；　and　accordingly　made　all　things　ready；
  for；　in　short；　the　infection　increased　round　me；　and　the　bills　were　risen
  to　almost　seven　hundred　a　week；　and　my　brother　told　me　he　would
  venture　to　stay　no　longer。　　I　desired　him　to　let　me　consider　of　it　but　till
  the　next　day；　and　I　would　resolve：　and　as　I　had　already　prepared
  everything　as　well　as　I　could　as　to　MY　business；　and　whom　to　entrust
  my　affairs　with；　I　had　little　to　do　but　to　resolve。
  I　went　home　that　evening　greatly　oppressed　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　sunset；　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　pressed　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　seemed　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　signified　a　kind　of　direction　to　venture；
  and　it　occurred　to　me　that　if　I　had　what　I　might　call　a　direction　to　stay；
  I　ought　to　suppose　it　contained　a　promise　of　being　preserved　if　I　obeyed。
  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　cried　out；　'Well；　I　know　not　what　to　do；
  Lord；　direct　me　I'　and　the　like；　and　at　that　juncture　I　happened　to　stop
  turning　over　the　book　at　the　gist　Psalm；　and　casting　my　eye　on　the
  second　verse；　I　read　on　to　the　seventh　verse　exclusive；　and　after　that
  included　the　tenth；　as　follows：　'I　will　say　of　the　Lord；　He　is　my　refuge
  and　my　fortress：　my　God；　in　Him　will　I　trust。　　Surely　He　shall　deliver
  thee　from　the　snare　of　the　fowler；　and　from　the　noisome　pestilence。
  He　shall　cover　thee　with　His　feathers；　and　under　His　wings　shalt　thou
  trust：　His　truth　shall　be　thy　shield　and　buckler。　　Thou　shalt　not　be
  afraid　for　the　terror　by　night；　nor　for　the　arrow　that　flieth　by　day；　nor
  for　the　pestilence　that　walketh　in　darkness；　nor　for　the　destruction　that
  wasteth　at　noonday。　　A　thousand　shall　fall　at　thy　side；　and　ten
  thousand　at　thy　right　hand；　but　it　shall　not　come　nigh　thee。　　Only　with
  thine　eyes　shalt　thou　behold　and　see　the　reward　of　the　wicked。
  Because　thou　hast　made　the　Lord；　which　is　my　refuge；　even　the　most
  High；　thy　habitation；　there　shall　no　evil　befall　thee；　neither　shall　any
  plague　come　nigh　thy　dwelling；'　&C。
  I　scarce　need　tell　the　reader　that　from　that　moment　I　resolved　that　I
  would　stay　in　the　town；　and　casting　myself　entirely　upon　the　goodness
  and　protection　of　the　Almighty；　would　not　seek　any　other　shelter
  whatever；　and　that；　as　my　times　were　in　His　hands；　He　was　as　able　to
  keep　me　in　a　time　of　the　infection　as　in　a　time　of　health；　and　if　He　did
  not　think　fit　to　deliver　me；　still　I　was　in　His　hands；　and　it　was　meet　He
  should　do　with　me　as　should　seem　good　to　Him。
  With　this　resolution　I　went　to　bed；　and　I　was　further　confirmed　in　it
  the　next　day　by　the　woman　being　taken　ill　with　whom　I　had　intended
  to　entrust　my　house　and　all　my　affairs。　　But　I　had