7697. MR THOMAS BOSTON. The prefbyteryhaving appointed me no where, for the third Sabbath after I was licenfed, I was invited to preach that day in the parifh of Abbay, one of the four kirksof Lammermoor ; the which invitation I accepted, and ftudied a fermon for that end on Rev. iii. 2O. which I believe was never delivered. But Mr Colden being on the Saturday called to a communion at Earlfton on the morrow, I was obliged to preach for him at Dunfe that Sabbath. Theprefbyterywould never fend me to the faid parith of Abbay till I wasjuft going out ofthe country, as Paid is ; they having a defign to tranfport unto it the Laird of Abbay, miuifter of Aiton, whom they looked on as unfit for that public poft. But he being botha weak and an untender man, was unacceptable to the parifhof Abbay, as well as to his brethren. By their appoint.. ment forefaid, I' preached there the Sabbath before the fynod, Oa. 17. Therehad been before that an inclination in that parifh to me to be their miniftér the which was firft moved to me by Abbay himfelf, and afterward by an elder with much aflèotion. After being appointed to preach there, they (hewed themfelves very cordial for my fettlement among them, veryaffectionate to . me, and unwilling that I thould goout of the country. Having come to Kelfo as aforeltid, the drawing up of my licence in due formwas {hifted and put off. It was reprefented, that a ladyhad engaged to write to Lord Rofs in ray favour : I was urged to fall from my intended departure ; and Mr Colden, whom I particularly regarded, toldme, he thought Providence lay crofs to it. So I behoved to return home again without my licence, unexpeaed, to my friends. Being thus locked in at home for that feafon, I preached feveral times at Abbay during the winter, lodging ordinarily in Blacker.. (tone ; where, at family- prayer, Dec. 14. I fainted away, not havinggot the prayer formally clofed, as they afterwards told me. Therewas an appearance of my fettling there ; the people were knit to me ; and that was the only parifh, I think, that ever I was fond of. But I fmarted for the lode Ì foolifhly had given to my heart upon it. I propofed to myfelf to be very happy in fuch a fmall charge, being told that they would be but about fourfcore of people: but then there appeared tobe anoccafion of d iffufive ufefulnefs in that hill-country, the other three kirks thereof being (till poffeffed by curates. The ftipend wasabout 700 merks, the place retired among the hills, the manfe pleafantly fituate on Whitwater, and within three or four miles of Dunfe. But the prefbytery was (till againft fettling me there. 1698. On Jan. 16. 1698, the elders, who twice before that had defired a minifter to moderate in a call there, but were re- pulfed, applied to them again for the fame end, and were re- pulfed as formerly notwithltanding that the fame day there was read before then a letter from Lord Rofs, bearing, that lince I had not come to him, he had another in view for Foulden. About the latter end of that month, Abbay being in. Dunfe, No. 1.
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