1730. MR THOMAS BOSTON. 387 paragraphs more, of a general nature. But as he afterwards continued that account till Nov. 13. 1731,'úr(hallfill add that continuation, and then clofe with thefeven paragraphs.] Having, on the 24thof O&obey, ended the above account, I laid it before the Lord, for acceptaitee'of him through Chritt ; begging he would preferve and blets it, and giving thanks for that he had inclined my heart to do it. And that fame night I ended alto the readingover of it, and the paffages of my life; the which I had force time before begun and carried on. There had come to my houfe on Saturday's night, O&. 3. three dif enters of the party adhering to Mr John . Hepburn while he lived, with a letter direóted to me and my two friends Mr Wilfon andMr Davidfon, from their correfpondence, defiring a meeting with us. The which being, at the communion in Maxton, appointed to be at the manfe of Etterick on Tuefday the 27th, there came early that day five of them to me but, to our gréatdifappointment, Mr Wilton came not; and Mr David-. fon was not expeéted, in regard of the brokenElate of his health. Their defign mainly was, to eftablifh a correfpondence with fuch as they confidered as the purer part of the corrupt church ; and that force waymight bé fallen on, towards their enjoying the benefit of public ordinances, for they heard us occafionally at communions: I found them to men having a fenfe of religion. on their own fpirits, much affeóted with their circumftances as deftitute ofa minifter, endowed with a good meafure of Chriftian charity and love, and of a very different temper from that of Mr Macmillan's followers. I perceived their feparation ultimately to refolve into that unwarrantable principle, viz. That joining in communion with the church, in the ordinances of God, is an approbation of the corruptions in her ; the very fame from which all the reft of the feparations do fpring ; force carrying that principle farther than others, in different degrees. I underftood,` that the abjuration-oath ftraitened them, as to addreffing the general affemblies any more. I (hewed a readinefs to adminifter ordinances to them, on teftimonials from their minifte.rs ; but found, they fcrupled to feek them : and I had no freedom to do it on teftitnonials from their meeting ; fince I could not in confcience approve of their feparation, and had feen and felt fo much of the mi,fchief of feparating. So we parted on t the morrow after ; but with great affeétïon, and muchheavinefs on both fides. The preface to the above account now being alfo written, and the examination of the parifh interrupted on the occafion fore.. faid, I did, on Thurfday the 29th, fpend force time in prayer, laying the two MSS. viz. this and the paffages, before the Lord, with thankfgiving, and fupplication for preferving and bleffing them; and for a right way to betake myfelf to next. At the monthly meeting of the feffion on Monday, Nov. e.
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