1703. MR THOMAS BOSTON. I3' continued to this day ; rave in the Sabbath-nights, of late years at leaft. Whenat any time there feemed to be fume occafion of,'. intermitting it, I chofe rather to fay. a very little, than quite to' let it alone; fearing that one intermiffion thereof, at óùr ordinary; tines, might make way for dropping it altogether. In the end of the year, the winter being begun, we removed into the newmade, built for me from thefoundation, and by that time covered : but little of the wright's work within it was then done; but wasa-doing through the winter. The groùnd whereon it was built, being quite new, we were obliged at firft to ftraw the floor ofour bed-chamber with fhavings, which was afterwards laid with deals. This hardfhip of entering the new hopfe, we preferred tojuffering the inconveniencies of the old. Langton's . eftate going then from 'hand to hand, it was not without con- fiderable difficulty, and expence too, that l got that houfe carried on. Afterward I formed a large garden, and built the dike ; the which was a work of foie time, trouble, and expence too. And herein alto was the faying verified, " One foweth, and " another reapeth." In the monthof Marchfollowing, met the firft general afl'embly in the reign of Q. Anne; of the which of embly I,was a meal- ber. Seafield being the Queen's Çommiflìoner, Mr George Meldrum was chofen Moderator, as the man who to him would be, moft acceptable. Theafferting of the intrinfic power of the church, was then the great point that ferule laboured for ; but in vain ; it was told them by their brethren, They h%d it, and what then needed the wafte of an a& afferting it The affemblyhaving fat fèveral days, were upon an overture for preventing Proteftants . marrying with Papifts : in the timewhereof, a whifper beginning about the throne, anda motion being, I think, ma it recom- mitting the overture, the Commiflioner, rifing f m his feat, intlantly diffolved the afïembly in her Majefty's 'lame. This having come like a thunder-clap, there were, from ail corners of the houle, proteftations offered againft it, and for the intrinfic. power of the church ; with which I joined. But the Moderator, otherwife a molt grave and compofed man, being in as much con- fufion as a fchool=boy when beaten, clofed with prayer ; and got away, together with the clerk, fo 'that nothing was then got marked. This was one of the heavieft days that ever I fáw, bea holding a vain man trampling on the privileges of Chrift's houfe, and others couching .under the burden. And I could not but obferve, how Providence rebuked their fhifting the a& to affect as above faid, and baffled their defign in the choice of the Moderator; never a moderator fince the Revolution to this day, fo far as I can guets, having been fo ill treatedby a Commifïìoner. The learned, and pious Mr James Brifbane, late minifter of Stirling, á young man at that time as well as I, pulled me down, when offering to join the protefters g and the fame very worthy lnran, many years after, joined not with the reprefenters in the
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