36 MEMOIRS OF PERIOD Y. come vacant through the removal of the Epifcopal'incumbent ; and an inclination towards me there was fignified by fome of them ; and thinking about fettling in that country, I could fbarce- ly be able to fay in mine own heart, where I would defire to fet- tle in it, if it was not in Dollar ; and hardly there either. But I went to the prefbytery Nov. 2. fully refolved to have my liberty, thinking to go to Nithfdale. Accordingly I defirèd their tefti- monial, ¡hewing that I could ftay no longer. Mr White, being moderator, did long preys my ftay ; which, with all the modefty I could, I declined, reprefenting, that if I continued longer, I be- hoved to continue all the winter, in refpe& of the broken ftateof my health. (I was now ufing conferve of roles, by the advice aforeftid ). After theyhad urged me till I was afhamed, two minifters, whereof Mr Turnbull was one, took me out to con- verle with me privately. In the mean time a man from Dollar, with much concern, addrefled himfelf to me, that I might not go. away, (hewing the inclination of that parifh toward me ; and el ders of the other vacant parithes urged me. Finding myfelfper- plexed, and not knowing what to fay, I left myfelf to the prefby- tery's difpofal, and fo received their appointments after. Being thus locked in there again, the tongues of many were let loofe on me ; and my railing and refleéting, as they called it,' came 'often to my ears. Preaching at Clackmannanon the 27th, fome were vexed, and one in a rage went out of the church. When I came home to my lodging, I was much afte&ted that my preaching was fo (termed at ; and the rather, that I thought I had not the inward fupport requifite in fuch a cafe :: but I was comforted at family-worfhip, finging Pfal. lxix. 7. and down- wards. That fame week, it was uneafy to me to hear that force concluded I had an inclination for the parifh of Clackmannan, from the zeal (hewn for it by my molt intimate acquaintance, thinking they could not have done fo without encouragement from me. Upon which I find I made this refleótion, fetting that matter in a due light, viz. But, Lord, thou knoweft, that it was not my inclination, though in my own thoughts I would ` not be too peremptory, not knowing how God might call me.' In the month of December, tome of the elders of Dollar, fig- riffled to me their inclination to give me a call, if they could get it done ; but withal I had an account of an appointment on me to go to the north ; and, on the 27th, came tomy hand the çom- millìon's letter, requiring me forthwith to go to Angus and Mearns. On the morrow I went to the prefbytery, where Mr John Forrefter one of the minifters of Stirling, keenly urged my going to the north : but I told them I could not go, in refpeét of the ftate of my health ; and they did not lb much as recom- mend it to me to go. By this I judged, that Providence did not call me to that removal, and the rather that the motion had been made about a call to Dollar. Howbeit, the going to the north was, for a long time after, a foreexercife to me at tittles, as will'
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