270 MEMOIRS OP PERIOD X. where ; otherwife perhaps the want of it had not been fo bitter to me : but fnce thattime, my, eyes have feen but little of it. I have ftood as in a pafs, for the fpace of ten years ; and poffibly if I-had had lets trouble, others had got more. Had.I been fó happy as to have feen the breach in the parifh of Etterick heal-' ed, there had been fome appearance of reafon, in putting me on new work of that kind ; for then would I have had hope of fuccefs. But it is not fo. I have faid in my anfwers, that the breaches in the parifh of Etterick are íä1l as wide as they were that day I came firff among them : but, what is truth, now neceffary to be difcovered, they are, indeed far wider. The Old Diffenters whom I found there at my coming, continue as they were, hating loft none of their number, but one, who, being educated in that way, left it about a year ago. But I have loft many, who, breaking off from under my miniftryhave feparated themfelves from the communion of this church. This deferting of my miniftry began, not longafter I was fettled in that place and while I was grappling with there difficulties, it pleated the Lord, in his holy, wife providence, for my further trial, to re- move by death, and otherwife, feveral of the elderfhip. And though, for feveral years, I made attempts again arid again, to get the feffion fupplied ; -yet could I not prevail to get a com- petent number of elders, till about a year ago. And I am per- fuaded I had not obtained it at that time neither, but that, no end of the deferting humour appearing, and finding the milled perfons, time after time, confirmed in their prejudices, by ab- fenting from the ordinances, a confiderable fpace before I knew that they were led aide, I was like to fink under my burden; which I difcovered to fome ; whole hearts were at length moved with compaffion, and otherwife, to take part with me and the reft, in the Lord'swork in the congregation ; whereby my heart has been encouraged, and my hands ftrengthened. And now that I have obtained this, nmuft I fee I have obtained it, only to the end I might leave them ? That I have tafted of the comfort- able fruits thereof, only that by the plucking them from my mouth, mybeing condemned unto my former uncomfortable work might be made more bitter? Muft I be obliged to leave that congregation, juft when, by the good hand of God upon me, I am put in a capacity to be more ferviceable among them than ever I was all thenine . years preceding ? Although 1 cannot own this change in the lfate of the parifh of Etterick to be owing to the ftruggle made for this tranfport- ation, face it was begun, ere the lealf motion was made in that affair; yet it is evident, the congregation of Etterick in the communion of this church, have all along, in the progrefs of that bufinefs, cordially adhered to me, and exerted their utmoft en- deavours for my continuance among them and that there is no removing of meout of that parifh, but by, renting me from them ; which I hope may be admitted as an evidence, that my labours
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