1695. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 17 ;chewing a minifter of the prefbytery, a wife man, that I mind- ed not to defire the burfe again, he bid me fatten one foot before I loofed the other : An advice which I had frequent occaton of minding thereafter. In September, Mr Murray having fent his horfe for me, but withal in a letter fignified his fears of the mifcarrying of that pro- ject, but that in that cafe I might have another fchool ; I, not a little troubled at the fudden change, did notwithftanding go to Penpont, in company with the worthy Mr Henry Eríkine afore- mentioned. There I continued with Mr Murray about a quarter of a year, in fufpence with reference to that proje& : in which time, Mr G. B. minifter of Glencairn, defired me to take the fchool ofthat parifh ; which I was unwilling to accept. All hope of the fchool of Penpont being at length cut off, and I afhamed to return home, Mr B was wrote to, for what was before refuted ; and he made return, that he could not be pofitive as to the matter. Under this trial, whichI was brought into by precipitant con- dud, I was helped in force meafure to truft God. After this, Mr Murraybeing in Edinburgh, Mr B -fent for me, and agreed with me to teach the fchool there for 100 merks of falary. Thereafter came to my hand a letter fromMr Murray, defiring me to come in to Edinburgh for a pedagogy provided fbr me. Whereupon I earneftly dealt with Mr B .. quit met while I was not yet entered ; which neverthelefs he would by no means agree to. 1696. On the firft day of the new year 1696, being in his houfe, his manner was moft grievous and loathfome to me ; fo that I feared I might there come to behardened fromGod's fear. On the9th, much againft thegrain, I tookup thefchool, having ne- ver inclined much to that employment, but being quite averfe to it there. I was kindly and liberally entertained in Mr B--'s houfe, and that freely ; but the vanity and untendernefs of his carriage, and of his wife's, I was not able to digeft. He was wont, among other pieces of conduét very unacceptable to me, to go to an alehoufe, taking me along with him, much againft my inclination, under pretence of difcourfing with an old gentle- man. There we were entertained with warm ale and brandy mixed, and with idle ftories ; i obtaining by his charaéter not to be preffed to drink. There things made me earneftly to cry un- to the Lord, that he would rid anddeliver me, and difpofe ofme fo as I might be freed from them and their fociety. He was a young man, his wife anold woman : they had no children ; and there, I think, was there share. Being funk indebt, they left the country at length. After I had kept the fchool a little while, the Lady -Merfing- ton wrote a preffing letter to Mr Murray, that I fhould take the charge of her grandchild Aberlady, as his governor. Where- upon Mr Bwas again addreffed to quit me ; but could not be
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