lxii The PREFACE. BEFORE the affair was brought into the fynod, Mr. Abernethy, who was always looked upon as at the head of the Non - fubfcribers, had, by his uncommon abili- ties, and as uncommon eminency as a chrif- tian, acquired a molt eftablilhed reputa- tion. He was, indeed, efteemed by many to a degree, which could hardly be due to any man : This gave him great advantage in thefe controverfies ; no man had more, or as much authority. The other members of the Belfali-fociety, as the Reader will form fome notion of their abilities, from what has been faid above, fo were men of unblameable lives ; and indeed nothing, without remarkable purity of manners, would have fupported them againft the tor- rent of prejudice, which they had, at firít efpecially, to wreftle with ; their fide of the queftion was molt unpopular, and the cla- mor raifed againft them almoft univerfal: And the reader will, without being parti- cularly informed, readily imagine many per - fonal inconveniencies which thofe, who upon fuch occafions are on the unpopular fide, multi fuffer. Ma.
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