MÎ MOIRB Or PERIOD Iv. while I Rill presented there, till about two Sabbaths before I left the country ; by which time the prefbytery had confirmed the precentor in his office. I was ftill detained in the country by the prelbytery, that I might be fettled in that parifh aforefáid. But that could not be done without my Lord Rofs's concurrence. Wherefore the .prefbytery appointed Mr Colden and Mr Dyfert to fpeak to him at Edinburgh for that etle6t. And the former, upon his return from Edinburgh, told me, on Sept. 10. that my Lord Rofs did not refufe hisconcurrence ; only he defired me to come to Paifley to fee him, that he mightgo on with the greater clearnefs : and hereto he withal advifed me. But I had no freedom for it. So, O6t. 5. I defired of the prefbytery my liberty to leave the country, which I had in vain defired of them three leveral times before. In anfiver to which, Mr'Colden afterwards told me, that the prelbytery would let me go,. providing I would go to Paifley to fee my Lord Roth. I would have been content to have been providentially led to have preached in my Lord's hearing: but to go to him dire6tly on that purpofe, was what I could never digeft, though I was dunned with advice for it, and had no body to bear with me in refitting it, but the unhappy Mr J B , then living a private man in Dunfe. I confidered, that I had done all that lay in my road in the matter, having preached fe- veral times in the parifh which in the defigned event was to have been my charge : they were fatisfied, and Ihould have had their Chrittian right to chufe their minifiter : I looked on the method propofed, as an interpretative feeking a call for myfelf ; a fyrn- bolifing with patronages, and below the dignity of the facred chara6ter : and I never durit doany thing in thefe matters which might predetermine me ; but behoved always to leave the mat- ter open and entire, tolay before the Lord for light, till he thould pleafe to determine me by thedifcoveryof his mind therein ; and I could not look on the matter of my compliance with the call of Foulden as entire, after I thould have done as I was advifed. Wherefore, upon the 13th, I infifted as before, and the prefby- tery granted my delire : but withal demanded of me, 1. That I fhould preach a day at Abbay before I went away ; 2. That I íhould go by Paifley, and fee my Lord Rofs ; 3. That my li- cence thould bear, that I Mould not, without theiradvice, engage with any parifh. To the firtt and lait I readily yielded ; but the fecond I could by no means comply with. Being refolved'to take my journey .for the bounds of the prefbytery of Stirling, on the Tuefday after the October fynod, now at hand, I fent to the prefbytery-clerk for my licence accord- ingly : the which I received ; but fo very informal, that it could not well be prefented to aprefbytery. Whereupon I was perfuaded to go to Kelfo to the fynod, that I might get it drawn there in.. due form ; refolving to go ftraight from thence, without returning to Ì?unfe. But Providence hadmore work for me todo at home.
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