1G97. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 23 ofman, I attained, by what I met with there, to fome boldnefs, and not regarding the perfons of then when out of God's way. There I learned, that God will countenance one in the faithful difcharge of his duty, though it be not attended with the defired ,fuccefs ; and that plain dealing will imprefs an awe on the party's cbnfcience, though their corruption Rill rages agaìnft him that fo deals with them. It was by means of converfation there that I arrived at a degree of a public fpirit which I had not before ; and there I gota letfon of the need of prudent and cautious ma- nagement, and abridgingone's felfof one's liberty, that the weak be not ftumbled, and accefs to edify therebe precluded ; a leffon I have in my miniítry had a, very particular and fingular occafion for. On the Friday before I left Kennet, it was propofed to me by Meff. Turnbull and Buchanan, that I fhould now enter on trials ; and withal, that the elders of Clackmannan being unwilling I should go out of the country, it was defired, that I fhould take for myfelf, or allow to be taken for me, a chamber in the town of Clackmannan and they defired me to give my anfwer on the Tuefday, and go along to the prefbytery on the Wednefday thereafter. Having taken thefe things under confderation,I was that fame night almoft refolved to comply with the call of that prefbytery for entering on trials before them. But jult next morning I received a letter fromMr Murray, defiring me to come with all fpeed, and pats trials before the prefbytery of Penpont ; withal (hewing, that if I pleafed I might in the mean time keep the fchool of Penpont, it being then vacant. Thus Providence opened a door for my entering into another Ration, and doubled the call thereto. But then I was in doubt, racked betwixt thefe two, whether to addrefs myfelf to the prefbytery of Stirling or Penpont; which I endeavoured to table before the great counfel- for for his determination. In this fufpenfe, I went, on Wednef. day, Feb. 24. to the prefbyteryat Stirling, where I obtained their teltimonial, having promifed to return to them if my circuit', fiances would permit. Having Bent fame days more in that country, I came to Edinburgh by lea on the 4th of March, hay- ing got an edge put on my fpirit for, palling my trials, by the dishonour I heard done to God on the fhore ofLeith, where we landed. The cafe is as follows. Sailing by the lhore, I heard . filch curling, (wearing, &c. as made me to wonder at the patience of God towards finners, and to think I would be very willing to do any thing I could forte fupprelling thefe horrid fins or the like. This was ufeful to clear me in that point, which was now, and had been, myexercife for a good time. About this time twelvemonth there came a young gentlewo- man to fee my pupil, . with her face befpattered with patches ; and drawing him to her to falute him, he endeavoured to pull off her patches. She put back his hand, that he could not reach her face: but he pulled a paper out of his pocket, giving an ac- C2
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