163 FE1FOIRS OF 'aR BOSTON, Atrembly requiring juflice; and, as I am lhortly to anfwer at'' his bar for all I do or fly, I dare not give my affent to the de- cifion of this act on the contrary, I land myfeif obliged on this occafion to offer a proteft againft it ; and therefore, in my own taarne, and in the name of all that fhall adhere to me, and if none here will, (and when he pronounced there words, he looked round the houfe with an air of majefty and importance that t shall never forget), for myfelf alone, I crave leave to enter my proteft againft the decifion of this act.' The Moderator; who was himfelf a very folemn grave man, e feemed to be much moved, and addreffed him thus ; ' Brother, I hope, in this matter, where you fee fuch an appearance of . unanimity, you will not do any thing that may have a tendency to rent and divide this church, and tear out the bowels of your mother ?' Anfwer : ' Rather Sir, than what I am ham+ offering Mould have that eflèát, I would with that I and 1 ',"pretrft Mould be buried under a mountain. There are ma in this affembly whom I never faw in *the face before, nor know ; but' fuch of theui"asI know, and differ from me in this matter, I -aot only have theutrnoft charity for them notwithftanding, but I could willingly fit at their feet and learn Ch ii. However, I cannot fee there fhould be any dangeref a breach in thiishurch on this occafióri to permit one member who is grieved and gravelled by this decifion, to enter his proteft againft it.' Re- ply : ' Second thoughts,,, Sic are always belt : May not Mr Bolton, before he intifts AO lay the matter before the throne ofgrace, and confult prayinttriniftersand Chriftians, and attend to their counfel and advic4before you ,come to a pofitive de- termination as to this you proteft ?'-4,--l{ad the Moderator thought ever fo long On foe,Ihi.ng that 'would weigh with Mr Bolton n m filch a cafe, he could of have fallen on any thing that wouldfhoner have done it than this : for he immediately, in a fubmiflive manner, fail, he would take it under further confideration, providin the matter. was left open to him to en- ter his proteft at any fu- meeting of the affembly ; and fo ,the matter ended at that federunt. I was prefent that fame evening, where therewere feveral minifters and elders, mem- bers of the affembly, who.met with Mr Bolton ; who all advifed his not infifting of his proteft at that time, providing it was left open for him to do it at any future occafion, if this decifion of the affembly was attended with fuch confèquences as he was afraid of. And when the minutes of the affembly were read next federunt, this was declared, and acquiefced in; and fo the matter ended. ,.. This I can xvell remember was reckoned at that time one of the firon;eft bars in the way. of Mr Simfon's ever being reftored to the privilegeof teaching and preaching any more : and even Es warmeit friends never attempted it; becaufe he was hereby'
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