1721. MR THOMAS BOSTON. Q99 effe&; and. the reviling of it when formed, was committed to the brethren in that country. And another meeting was ap- pointed to be in the latter end of March, in the fame place. From this meeting, Mr Wilton at Perth, and Mr Ebenezer Erskine, were abfent. Mr Sethrum, minifter at Gladfmuir, was with us at one or two diets, but ftaid not. , Mr Hog's abfence was thought expedient by ferne of ourfelves, becaufe of his particular ìntereft ; he having writ thepreface to the Marrow. Melt. Hawiltion at A.irth, Brifbaue and Muir, at Stirling, and Wardenat Gargunnock, though invited, came not, to our great difcouragement. Then the draught of the reprefentation fent from us in the fouth, after feveral alterations and additions made thereon, was figned by all there prevent. And the next meet- ing was appointed to be the first night of the affembly's meeting in May and it was defigned for prayer but in regard of my circumftances, I was allowed not to come in till the Monday after the affembly's fitting down. The firft night of the aflembly the meeting was in the fame houfe again, accordingly : and Provideneefa ordering drat I was chofen a member of that afi'embly, I met with them. Mr James Hog, whofe abfence hitherto had been judged expedient, in regard of his prefacing the ,Marrow, did join us. Moreover, there came into us a. goodly, company of brethren, with :vitae appearance I was much encouraged. But, behold ! they turned our meeting, defigned for prayer, into a.meeting for difputing, jangling, and breaking our meafures : in the which, the main agent was Mr John Warden above mentioned ; and next, Mr . Moncrieff, of Culfargie. Two things they mainly infifted on, betides 'picking quarrels with the reprefentation. One was, a conference with the leading men before any thing fhould be done the other, that all fhould not fubfcribe, but only fome few, the reft being referved for managing, judging, and voting in the afembly. This laíì: noneof us who had already fubfcribed could go into. 'I was brought to yield to the firft, together with Mr Bathgate, on condition, that the time of giving in our repre- fentation fhould not be cut off. But when it carne about to my two friends, they fineliing the unfair defign that I had no dread of, that was flopped, as not to be yielded to. It was good Pro- vidence, that their unfair dealing could not blind us all, elfe we had in all appearance been en{hared and mired. Thus the whole weary night was fpent, till day-light, that they left us in much worfe cafe than they found us. 'l'hus left of our new friends; it was propoled by Mr Kid to drop the things quarrelledby them in thereprefentation ; among which was an entire head, viz. that Of the fear of hell : and this, that our brethren might be obliged to fluid by us in the aflembly. In this {tee, unhappily gone into, we 'took the way of carnal policy ; and I liked it not, but could not oppofe it, becaufe I had drawn the paper. How.. ever, our politics, in the juft judgment of God', failed us.
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