284 MEMOIRS of PERIOD Xí. or their committee appointed to receive fuch remarks. But the matter was dropped ; and, for any thing I know, no more in- fifted on lince that time. And I apprehend the malady will be incurable, till the prefent conftitution be violently thrown down. Ori the 15th of March 1 returned to the catechifm, entering on the queftion of fantification. And from that time I went through the whole that remained of it till I came to the end thereof, in the fpring in the following year. Mean while, with thefe catechetic fermons were joinedothers direéted againft forma. fity, fromRom., ii. 2$, 29. and profanenefs, from Tim. ii. 19. and Rom. i. 18. ended Nov. 8. in this year. This was another year remarkable on the account of the ab- juration-oath, as the 1712. Towards the latter end of the.pre- ceding year, the nonjurors at Edinburgh thought meet, that one lhould be fent to court, to reprefent the loyalty and good affebtionof that party to his Majefty, notwithftanding that they could not take the oath of abjuration impofed by law. And a form of an oath which they could take, was condefcended on, with an addrefs for that effea. The fá.id addrefs was handed about to be figned by nonjurors; and withal, money defired of them to bear the charges of this mifl'ion. I refuted to fign the addrefs, having no clearnefs for it; and fo did alto my two friends Mr Wilfon and Mr Davidfbn. However, being clear and willing, that our loyalty and good affeótion to King George Mould be reprefented, I gave my money, a guinea as I remem- ber, towards the bearing of the charges for that effeót. Mr William Gufthart, then minifter of Crailing, afterwards tranf. ported to Edinburgh, was the man whom they fent to court. And upon his return, what money was left, was reftored. 'Their proje& fo far took at court, that the addreffers got the oath fo as they embraced and took it. And the first day of. June was the term appointed by the a& for the taking thereof : and that a& did withal bar'all young men from being licenfed or ordained without taking it. So the body of thefe who for- merly had been nonjurors, were carried off into it at that time : and there remained but a few recufants ; among whom, through the divine favour, were my two friends and I (till. From the year 171e to this year, the nonjurors made near a third part of our fynod ; and fo we were regarded by our brethren jurors, and were in cafe to be ufeful among them ; but from this time, the few that remained were quite borne'down, and could do little in the fynod. Whatever anfwer I had given to the above-mentioned letter from Mr Wightman, about the Fourfold State, I had afterwards again laid afide thoughts. of the proje&, and required back that part of the copy which was at Edinburgh. But it was refuted; and the week before the facrament, which was adminiftered June 7. I had another letter from Mr Wightman aforefaid, bearing, that he had agreed with Mr James Macewan to print
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=