1717. MRTHOMAS BOSTON. .7 of a fixed minifter, whofe congregation and himfelf mnft both be violented, in order to the cafting him in upon another that defires him not. Moderator, I need not put the Reverend Commiffion in mind of the great end of this proje&, namely, the healing of breaches there : but I heartily with it may be duly weighed, whether this tranfportation be a means proper f'or attaining thatend ? And one would think, fome more than ordinary certainty was neceffary in this point, efpecially confidering that the widening of the breaches in Etterick, and the adjacent parts, will furely follow upon the event of this tranfportation ; and that a miftake, or falte ftep, in an affair relating to fuch a broken country as Nithf., dale is, may be of dangerous confequence. I am perfuaded, with the Reverend fynod of Merfe and Tevio.tdale, that this tranfportation will not anfwer the end ; and think it ftrange, if any who know all circumftances be otherwife minded. What, ever meafures the wifdom of fbme other perfon, who fhall be called to that párith, may fuggeft unto him for compafling the defired end, I find myfelf fo ítraitened in that refpe&, that I cannot forbear to fay, with all deference to my Reverend Judges, that the tranfporting me to Clofeburn, will in effect be a driving me into a (hare, where, to which hand foever I tur I mutt be broken. Now, Moderator, will the Juftice of the Reverend Commiffron allow them, to lay a congregation defolate, which was planted with fo much difficulty, has been managed with fo much un- eafinefs, and, upon the event of this tranfportation, mutt be- come the very feat of feparation in thecountry, and which there is fo very little hope ofthe comfortable fupply of, they in the mean time fo vigoroufly reclaiming; and all this, in a time wherein there is fo very little need of tranfportations, but the parith purfuingmaybe otherwife fettled, to far greater advantage ? Will their refpe& to' th peace of this church, fuller thero give fach ground of irritation to a congregation in thefe circa antes I have narrated ? Will their compaffion allow them, to take one whofe fpirit is already Chattered, with the effe&s of the divifive temper, and cart him into another place, where it mutt be far more fo,? or to lead out one, and fet him upon the ice, where he knows no way (in the courfe of ordinary Providence) how to keep his feet ; and when he falls, mutt fall for nought, I mean, no advantage to the church gained thereby ? Nay, Moderator, I cannot believe thefe things. I have the greateft averfion to this tranfportation ; and whofo confiders what -I have reprefented, will not think it ftrange. I hope the Reverend Commiflion will not violent me ; which they will do, if they tranfport me to Clofeburn. The 'cafe of the Reverend Mr Warden's tranfportation to Falkirk, and of the Reverend Mr, Wodrow's to Stirling, which were refufed by the Commilfion, though-each of thefe ,parithes are more'confderable L12
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