3,54 MEMOIRS O1r PERIOD XI. diffent, in my own name, and in name of all that fhall adhere to me ;' and finding no body at all to declare their adherence, I added, ' and for myfelf alone, if no (hall adhere.' Where- upn I was gravely accolted by the moderator to bring me off from it. And when he haddone f'peaking, I not being fätisfied, had the paper ready ; and with an audible voice formally made my diffent,,,by reading it before them. The tenor thereof fol- lows. I diffent, as judging it, inafmuch as it loth not bear a depofitiou of Mr Simfon from the office of tlrminiftry, of teaching and preaching the gofpel of the bleffed God, to be no juft teftimony of this church's indignation againft the difhonour done by the faid Mr Simfon to our glorious Redeemer, the great Ged and our Saviour, and what hàth been found both relevant and proved againft hirn by the two immediately preceding general affernblies ; and judging the fame alfo not tobe agreeable to .thè rule of God's word in fuch cafes, nor to the form of pro- cefs eftablifhed in this church ; to be faddening to the hearts of the generality of the miniflers and godly through the land, and not fiifficient to dafh the hopes of the proud contemners of revealed religion, and the awful and ihcomprehenfible myfteries *fif the fame, both at home and abroad ; nor a fit means to bring the faid Mr Simfon himfélf to repentance, whereof as yet he hath given no evidence. All which thali be fully manifefted to the world, if need be.' Hereupon the moderator fpoke to me very pathetically ; and I ftood, hearing all, gravely, without anfwering, until he faid, `. Will you tear out the bowels of your mother ?' Whereunto I, being fenlibly touched, replied, That if I had the conviction of that's being the tendency thereof, I would rather take it, (the paper I read), and tear it in a thoufand pieces. I had alfo be- fore expreffèd my continued charity to thole of my acquaintance who were for the overture. Then the marking of the diffent was proposed, and I was urged nit to infift in 'that. I faid it might be marked, and that I might afterward confider thereof, and there wás Rill room to take it up., This was by good pro- vidence over-ruled. At length, by Prof. Hamilton's means, I obtained, that the not infifting on the marking of it for that time, should not preclude my accefs thereto in a fübfequent diet, This was granted, and the matter ended for that time. At that time Mr Gabriel Wilfon, though not a member, craved, and obtained leave to (peak, and delivered himfélf briefly, as fol- lows. Moderator, In regard I am perfuaded this fentence does not duly ferve to glorify God our Saviour, nor to preferve this church upon him as the foundation ; and in regard it is no wife agreeable to the mind of the church of Scotland, made known to this affembly ; and that it will, I am afraid, (or I am confident),
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