26& MEMOIRS OP PERIOD X. the condu& of Providence towards me, of a moft diffufive ufe- fulnefs in point of pra&ice, however it has been improved. 'Being called to exercife the laft Sabbath night I was in Edin- burgh, I had prepared to fpeak on Gen. v. Q4. " And Enoch walked with God, and he was not ; for: God took him." . Be twixt fermons I got notice, that I behoved to have that exercife in another houfe than had been defigned, the family of that other houle having received that morning the news of a fon dead abroad. The fiaitablenefs of the text to that unexpe&ed occafion, was worth obferving : he. leads the blind in the way they knew not. The affair of Clofeburn coming again before the prefbytery, they refuted the tranfportation. The purfuers appealed to the fynod, which met at Kelfo on the 18th of June, and fàt but one day. I went thither, fecure that the fynod -would refer it to the commiflion, and that I would not need to fpeak rnuch on the bufinefs. When I came there, my meafures were quite al- tered by means of my beft friends, who judged it neceffàry that the fynod fhould come to a fentence, and that I fhould fpeák very fully. The purfuers were mott vigorous in their manage- ment, which obliged me to produce ,what I thought to have kept up till the commiffron. So I told the `fynod plainly, that it was not only contrary to my inclination, but to my light ; and that unlefs.my confcience were convinced, I could not comply, and mere human authority would not do it. The fynod refuféd it alfo, and fo the purfuers appeared to the commiffron. I found myfelf at a great lots,. in point of confidence in prayer for light and furniture forfpeaking before the fynod : having thought there would be little need of fpeaking there, I had been very little concerned to prepare for it, and now there remained no competent time for it. But in the very ,little' time I had, I endeavoured to fix my confidence in the Lord, .notwithftanding my former fecurity, making free grace my refuge, labouring.tp believe his grace fhould be fùflicient for my throughbearing, . as if I had been at all pains before. Here I law the advantage of my heart's being irnpreffed with the do&rive of free grace; whereas had I been in fetters that way, I would here have had no way to have fettled my heart in the faith of the promife. After the fynod was over, force of the members Teemed to inti- mate to me, that I would certainly be tranfported by the corn- miflìon. This damped me exceedingly, judging them to-be fuch as might know the minds of the leading men there : and this damp continued long with me at home. July 13. This day having fluent force time in prayer about the. affair of Clofeburn, I found ay heart was much quieted, in,that I was confcious to myfelf, that, whatever my averfion.thereto is, I would. be ready to put the knife to the throat ofmy inclinations, if the Lord fhould difcover his mind in favour thereof, though no fuch thing as yet appears. I found alfo a férious concern in
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