and taking ungodly and unlawful Oaths and Bonds whereby the Consciences of many have been polluted and seared and many ruined and oppressed for refusing and not taking them There hath also been a great neglect of the Worship of God too much in publick but especially in Families and in secret The wonted care of Religious sanctifying the Lord's Day is gone and in many places the Sabbath hath been and is shamefully prophaned The Land also hath been full of bloody Crimes and Cities full of Violence and much innocent Blood shed so that Blood touched Blood yea Sodoms sins have abounded amongst us Pride fullness of Bread Idleness Vanities of Apparel and shameful sensuality filled the Land And alas how great hath been the Cry of Oppression and Unrighteousness Iniquity hath been established by a Law there hath been a great perverting of Justice by making and executing unrighteous Statutes and Acts and sad persecutions of many for their Conscience towards God It is also matter of Lamentation that under this great Defection there hath been too general a fainting not only amongst professors of the Gospel but also amongst Ministers yea even amongst such who in the main things did endeavour to maintain their Integrity in not giving seasonable and necessary Testimony against the Defectons and Evils of the Time and keeping a due distance from them and some on the other hand managed their Zeal with too little Discretion and Meekness It is also matter of Humiliation that when Differences fell out amongst these who did owne Truth and bear witness against the Course of Defection they were not managed with due Charity and Love but with too much heat and bitterness injurious Reflections used against pious and worthy men on all hands and scandalous Divisions occasioned and the success of the Gospel greatly obstructed thereby and some dangerous Principles drunk in And after all this there were shameful advances towards Popery the Abomination of the Mass was set up in many places and Popish Schools erected and severals fell to Idolatry And though the Lord hath put a stop to the Course of Defection and of his great mercy given us some reviving from our Bondage yet we have sad cause to regrate and bemoan that few have a due sense of our mercy or walk answerable thereto few are turned to the Lord in truth but the wicked go on to do wickedly and there is found amongst us to this day shameful ingratitude for our mercies Horrid impenitency under our sins yea even amongst those who stand most up for the Defence of the Truth and amongst many in our Armies there is woful Prophaneness and Debauchery And though we profess to acknowledge there can be no pardon of Sins no Peace and Reconciliation with God but by the Blood of Jesus Christ yet few know Him or see the Necessity and Excellency of the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ few see their need of Him or esteem desire or receive Him as he is offered in the Gospel few are acquainted with Faith in Jesus Christ and living by Faith on Him as made of the Father unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and few walk as becometh the Gospel and imitate our Holy Lord in Humility Meekness Self-denial Heavenly-mindedness Zeal for GOD and Charity towards Men But as there is even until now a great contempt of the Gospel a great Barrenness under it so a deep Security under our Sin and Danger a great want of Piety toward God and Love towards Men with a woful Selfishness every one seeking their own things few the things of Christ or the publick Good or one anothers welfare And finally the most part more ready to censure the sins of others than to repent of their own Our Iniquities are increased over our heads and our Trespasses are grown up into the Heavens they are many in number and hainous in their nature and grievously aggravated as having been contrair to great Light and Love under signal Mercies and Judgments after Confession and Supplication and notwithstanding of our Profession Promises and solemn Vowing and Covenanting with God to the contrair Have we not then sad cause of deep Sorrow and Humiliation And may we not fear if we do not repent and turn from the evil of our ways and return to the Lord with all our hearts that He return to do us evil after he hath done us good and be angry with us until He hath consumed us Let us therefore humble our selves by Fasting and Praying let us search out our sins and consider our ways and confess these and other our sins with Sorrow and Detestation Let us turn unto the Lord with Fasting and weeping and with mourning Let us firmly Resolve and sincerely Engage to amend our ways and doings and return unto the Lord our God with all our heart and earnestly pray that for the blood of the Lamb of God our sins may be forgiven and our back-slidings healed and we may yet become a righteous Nation keeping the Truth that Religion and Righteousness may flourish and Love and Charity abound and all the Lord's People may be of one mind in the Lord and in order to all these that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified and that the Preaching of the Word and Dispensing of the Sacraments may be accompanied with the wonted presence Power and Blessing of the Spirit of the Lord That the Lord would preserve and bless our gracious King and Queen William and Mary and establish their Throne by Righteousness and Religion and grant to these Nations Peace and Truth together and for that End bless and prosper His Majesties Councils and Forces by Sea and Land and those of the Princes and States his Allies for God and his Truth that Inferior Rulers may rule in the fear of God and Judges be clothed with Righteousness and that many faithful Labourers may be sent out into the Lord's Vineyard and they who are sent may find mercy to be faithful and be blest with Success that Families may be as little Churches of Christ and that the Lord would pour out His Spirit on all Ranks of People that they may be holy in all manner of Conversation and God may delight to dwell amongst us and to do us good And while we pray for our selves let us not forget our Brethren in Forreign Churches with whom alas we had too little Sympathy Nay let us pray that all the ends of the Earth may see the Salvation of God and that He would bring his antient people of the Jews to the acknowledgment of Jesus Christ and that he would hasten the ruine of Romish Babylon and advance the Reformation in Christendome and preserve and bless the Reformed Churches That he would pity His oppressed People the French Protestants and gather them out of all places whither they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day and that he would be the Defence Strength and Salvation of any of his
People who are in War or Danger by Infidel or Popish adversaries in Europe or America And in particular that the Lord would be Gracious to Ireland and sanctifie to his People there both their distress and deliverance and perfect what concerneth them that he would convert the Natives there to the Truth and reduce that Land to Peace and appoint Salvation for Walls and Bullwarks to Brittain For all these Causes and Reasons The General Assembly hath appointed the Second Thursday of January next to be Observed in all the Congregations of the Church and Nation as a day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation and Prayer Beseeching and Obtesting all both Pastors and People of all Ranks to be sincere and serious in Humilitation and Supplication and universal Reformation as they would wish to find mercy of the Lord and have deserved wrath averted and would obtain the Blessing of the Lord upon themselves and Posterity after them and that the Lord may delight in us and our Land may be as Married to him And Ordains all Ministers either in Kirks or Meeting houses to read this present Act publickly from the Pulpit a Sabbath or two before the said Day of Humiliation and that the several Presbyteries take care that it be carefully Observed in their respective bounds And where in regard of Vacancies the Day hereby appointed cannot be observed the Assembly appoints the said Humiliation to be kept some other Day with the first convenient opportunity And appoints the Commission for Visitation to apply to the Council for their Civil Sanction to the Observation thereof Extracted out of the Records of Assembly by JO. SPALLING Cls. Syn. National A PROCLAMATION Anent a Solemn National Fast and Humiliation WILLIAM and MARY by the Grace of God King and Queen of Great Britain France and Ireland Defenders of the Faith To Macers of our Privy Council or Messengers at Arms our Sheriffs in that part Conjunctly and severally specially constitute Greeting Forasmuch as the General Assembly of this Church by their Act of the date the twelfth day of November instant hath appointed a Solemn National Fast and Humiliation to be Observed in all the Kirks and Meeting-Houses of this Our Antient Kingdom and appointed their Commission for Visitation to apply to the Lords of Our Privy Council for Our Civil Sanction to be interposed thereto And they having Applyed accordingly Therefore We with Advice of the Lords of our Privy Council Do hereby Command and Enjoyn That the said Solemn Fast and Humiliation be Religiously observed by all Persons throughout this Kingdom both in Kirks and Meeting-Houses at the Dyets and in the manner as by the above-mentioned Act of Assembly hereto prefixed is appointed And that the same be read by all the Ministers in manner therein mentioned And to the end that so Pious and necessary a Duty may be punctually performed and Our Pleasure in the Premisses fully known Our Will is herefore and We Charge you straitly and Command that incontinent these Our Letters seen ye pass to the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh and the remanent Mercat-Crosses of the Head-Burghs of the several Shires and Stewartries within this Kingdom and in Our Name and Authority make Publication of the Premises that none may pretend ignorance And we do Ordain Our Solicitor to dispatch Copies hereof to the Sheriffs of the several Shires and Stewarts of the Stewartries or their Deputs or Clerks to be by them Published at the Mercat-Crosses of the Head-Burghs upon receipt thereof and immediately sent to the several Ministers both in Kirks and Meeting-Houses to the effect they may read and intimat the same from their Pulpits and may seriously exhort all Persons to a sincere and devout observance thereof as they Regard the Favour and Blessings of the Almighty God the Safety and Preservation of both Church and State and would avoid the Wrath of God upon themselves and their Posterity and as they will be answerable at their peril And Ordains these Presents to be Printed with the said Act of Assembly and these Presents to be Published in manner foresaid Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh the twenty first day of November And of Our Reign the second year 1690. Per actum Dominorum Sti. Concilii GILB ELIOT Cls. Sti. Concilii God save King WILLIAM and Queen MARY Edinburgh Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson Printer to the King and Queens most Excellent Majesties 1690. FINIS * Except the Contributions of the Sisters which were something to one who knew no other ways how to live * At thâ— end of this Leâ—ter vidâ— Informâ—tion givâ— in by Mâ— Heriot â—â— the Privâ— Council * This Exposition of the Fathers Words you may find in the 169 p. of his pretended Answer to Dr. Stillingfleet's Vnreasonableness of Separation †Coliness * Ten or Twelve of which are said in a Morning one after another * That is to turn all the Episcopal Clergy out of the Church Vide the first Paper ‖ Vid. second Paper Vide the last Paper
other things than what they first intended but they were not sensible of this their Errour till it was past remedy First the remnant of the Remonstrator Party who had been actually deposed in the time of Presbytery and some of them for scandalous and gross Crimes came to sit in this Meeting they were very active and useful and therefore it was thought fit to receive them but some being sensible of the Irregularity of admitting Persons lying under the sentence of Deposition by their own Kirk it was therefore moved that the Sentence of Deposition might be first taken off But the Debate was laid aside and supprest because these men urg'd and pressed that their Sentence of Deposition might be declared void and null being done Clave errante by a Factious party wherewith some of the old Publick Resolutioners were pricked and therefore proceeded to defend themselves and particularly one Mr. Alexander Pitcarne protested against their Proceedings and threatned to print his Protestation and to declare their Meeting unlawful while such incapacitated Members were allowed to sit in it But such early Heats being unseasonable and prejudicial they prevail'd with him to take up his Protestation and to forbear the Publishing it Into this Assembly also were received all these younger Brethren who had been admitted to the Ministry clandestinely in the time of the last Reign or avowedly and openly since the receiving their Indulgence from King James These were hurried on with more Fierceness and Zeal than the former who indeed wanted not sincerity and concernment enough for the Cause Gelidus tardante Senectâ Sanguis hebet frigentque effoetae in corpore Vires The Old Men thought that they ought to rule and bear the greatest Sway because of their Age and Experience and that the Act of Parliament was especially in their favours but the younger Brethren would not be impos'd upon seeing Parity was the Constitution of their Government And it was said that one Mr. Webster told Mr. Gilbert Rule very bluntly that tho he was a younger Man he merited more than he having taken the Ministry upon him in the time of Persecution when no temporal Interest did encourage him to it whereas the other entred into it in the time of Peace and deserted it in time of Trouble Mr. Gabriel Cunningham was chosen Moderator of this Meeting which was extraordinary as to its Nature neither was there a proper Name for it For it was neither Session Presbytery Provincial nor Diocesan Synod nor General Assembly nor Commission of the Kirk which are all the Church Judicatures ever have been since the Reformation but ever since it bears the Name of the General Meeting Here they appointed Ministers for the several Corners of the Country divided them into Presbyteries prescrib'd the Rules of trying Episcopal Ministers and ordained that where the Presbytery consisted but of four or fewer the next Presbytery should be joyned to it which yet in many places made not a competent number for so weighty a business as the examining and censuring Ministers for their Doctrine and Manner For the two Presbyteries of Hidingtoun and Dumbar where you know there be near thirty Parishes consisted but of five Presbyterian Ministers There was the like number in the Presbyteries of Dunse and Churnside where there were about as many Parishes In the Presbytery of Aughterarder there was but one Presbiterian Minister and when the next was joyn'd to it they made but three so that when it was debated in the Assembly whether one of them to wit Mr. William Spence of whom you will hear more afterward should go for Angus they pleaded against his going because that without him they could not have a Quorum in the Country where he then lived and at the same time Sir Colin Campbell and Ardbruchill stood up and said in the face of the Assembly that for twenty Miles Westward of Perth there were but two or three Ministers meaning these of the Presbyterian Perswasion which shews how little agreeable either their Persons or Government are to the People Here also they laid down the Method and Manner of constit uting the next Assembly which was to sit in October viz. That where a Presbytery consisted of eight Ministers they should send four Ministers and three ruling Elders to the Assembly where they were under eight and above four three Ministers and two ruling Elders four should send two Ministers and one ruling Elder and where there was but one that one and a ruling Elder should come By which you see that the old Method of constituting General Assemblies was quite alter'd and that as many Parts of the Kingdom were not allowed Representatives in that Assembly so others were not represented equally nor could they bear a sutable Proportion therein but the smalness of their number was admitted as a defence for this Irregularity At this Meeting they appointed a General Fast before the sitting down of the Assembly to be kept on Sunday the 5th of October which was the third Fast had been observed on Sundays within the space of a Year which is neither agreeable to the Nature of the day nor the Practice of the Primitive Times but our Presbyterians are above these things they have more regard to the Practice of their own Predecessors than either to Reason or Antiquity and you know it was the Custom of the old Presbyterians to keep all their Fasts on the Lords day At this time also we had another instance whereby they shewed themselves the true Sons of their Fathers who did not confine themselves to Matters purely Ecclesiastical but who also were always catching at the Power of the Magistrate whose Priviledg it is in this Kingdom to license Books and in their Licences to grant the Monopoly of them This Privilege was assumed by the General Meeting For they order'd an old Treatise of ruling Elders to be reprinted by the Heirs of Andrew Anderson and discharged any other to meddle therewith This is the Form of their Licence word for word The General Meeting of Ministers and Elders of this Church have appointed this Treatise of Ruling Elders and Deacons to be Printed by the Heirs of Andrew Anderson and none other Extracted by JOHN SPALDING Clerk This was a small Beginning however the Privy Council thought fit to take notice thereof and to give a check to these Encroachments on the Civil Power and therefore order'd the Copies to be call'd in and the Licence to be torn away so that after the first day all the Copies were sold without the Imprimatur and two Friends of mine who otherwise cared not for the Book were forced to pay a triple rate for one with the forementioned Licence which was a new Proof of the Presbyterian Usurpation After the Meeting the Brethren went home and fell to their work with all their might according to the Instructions given them in their General Meeting It was expected that they would first have planted the Churches made vacant by the
declar'd he had heard him say so but that he only deliver'd as the Opinion of another and yet upon this the Article was look'd upon as proved When the Witnesses cleared the Minister or asserted his Innocence they were dismiss'd as knowing nothing of the Matter but such were greatly encouraged and cherished as shewed themselves earnest and forward to divest him of the Character of a faithful pious and upright Pastor And when they passed the Sentence of Suspension or Deposition against any at the intimation of it from the Pulpit in his own Church the whole Libel was read though several of the Articles were so frivolous and trivial as not censurable by Law and others of them that contained Matter of Scandal were no way proved As for the Episcopal Clergy some of them disown'd their Authority and would not appear Others appeared and gave in their Defences and some perceiving the Partiality of the particular Presbyteries appeal'd to the next General Assembly hoping to meet with greater Moderation there or at least that before that time the Civil Government would put a stop to these rigid and unreasonable proceedings Thus matters went till the sitting of the Assembly and by these proceedings the Presbyterians not only encreas'd the prejudices of those who differed from them but they also disgusted many of their Friends The Presbyterians you know were much inferiour to the Episcopal Party in number quality learning or good Sense and I assure you that now they have lost much even of that Interest which they had in this Nation many who thought well of them while they were kept under are now ashamed of them and have deserted them I am told that many even in the West abominate them It is most certain that in other places of the Kingdom they are fear'd and dreaded as a Plague to Mankind just as the Jesuits are When the time of the Assembly drew near the several Presbyteries set about the chusing Commissioners for it and things were so laid that the most bigotted and hot-headed were generally chosen and those of a more moderate Temper put by If there had been any respect to the qualifications of Men none in that part of the Country he lived in would have been preferr'd to Honest Dr. Hardy but because heretofore he had kept correspondence with the Episcopal Party and still prest Moderation towards them he was excluded In like manner Mr. Alexander Pitcairn of Dron was put by because of his carriage at the last General Meeting though he is said to have more Learning than the most of them and there were but three others in the Presbytery with him and none of them of these old men to whom the Government of the Church was entrusted by the late Act of Parliament He indeed came to the Assembly sat in it and interposed his Judgment but was no Member of it and so consequently had no Vote When these Measures were perceived it was concluded That Mr. George Campbel should be also shuffled out of the Assembly but that would have made their designs too apparent there being none of his Presbytery whom they could bring in Competition with him as also they had not much reason to fear any Opposition from him because of his modesty and quietness which makes him averse to Contests and Jangling He hath indeed the Character of a learned good and discreet Man and by his Moderation at first he did very much displease his Brethren which as I am informed but am loth to believe hath obliged him for removing their Jealousies to express himself of late more severly against the Episcopal Party than he us'd to do formerly As for Lay-Commissioners such were pick'd out as either were most bygottedly affected to their Interests or whom they desir'd and design'd to make fast Friends to their Party In the Presbytery of Churnside the Laird of was chosen and in Dunse the Competition lay betwixt the Laird of Lanton and M. the last was like to have carried it but some one suggested to the Moderator that it would very much reflect upon them to have both the Commissioners for the Merse stain'd with the Scandal of Adultery upon which the Commission was giv'n to Lanton and the other was put by whom yet they would fain have obliged he being one who has at present a considerable place in the Kingdom The King you know ought to have a Commissioner at every Assembly to see that Affairs of State be not medled with by the Brethren who indeed still retain the strong Inclinations which they as well as the Church of Rome have always shewed to meddle with them pretending they only do this in ordine ad spiritualia Every one look'd that the Earl of Crawford should have been the person whom the King should have honoured with that Employment and his Lordship himself rejoyced in expectation of it But to the surprizal of all some few days before the Assembly sat a Commission came down for My Lord Carmichael which made the zealous Brethren hang down their Ears And My Lord Crawford gave an Indication of his secret Grudg at the disappointment by his entertaining every body who came to see him with Protestations that he did not desire it and with Reasons and Excuses why he would not have accepted of it if it had been offered to him But we may justly suspect that his Lordship would not have refused it seeing he frequented the Assembly and officiously meddled in all the Concerns of it even before he was made a Member and upon Carmichael's advancement there were Letters immediately dispatched to procure a Commission for his Lordship from some Burgh or other because a Commission from a Presbytery had been neglected upon an expectation that his Lordship should have represented the King himself in the Assembly His Lordship was so humble that having miss'd of the highest Station he would rather serve in the meanest than not have an hand in advancing the good Cause or be deprived of the occasion of perfecting what he had so zealously begun He had indeed merited the highest Honour in the Kirk but all except the very Bygots of that side approved the King's Choice as best and wisest for himself and the Interest of the State For My Lord Carmichael was look'd upon as a Man of good Sense and he had lately giv'n proofs of his Discretion and moderate Temper at the Visitation of the Colledg of Glasgow whereas My Lord Crawford kept within no bounds of Moderation at the Visitation of the University of S. Andrews and was much taken notice of for his rough Usage of the Masters particularly the Reverend old Dr. Weemse Dean of S. Andrewes and Principle of S. Leonard's College who had been a Master in the said University for the space of 45 years under whom My Lord Crawford studied Philosophy and to whom he was then particularly obliged the Dr. had also been a zealous Assertor of the Protestant Religion and design'd to have made the University
them out that by Mr. Gabriel's care twelve Parishes were well provided which could not be so well done by any ordinary Man That he had been twenty four Years among them which was sufficient to found a Pastoral Relation Mr. Gilbert Rule seconded this Address and pleaded for those of Northumberland that they might have the benefit of Mr. Gabriel alledging that it was Charity to plant the Gospel in England and he declar'd thaet he knew not only twelve Parishes but that for fifty Miles they wanted the Word of God For said he betwixt Berwick and New-Castle there was less practice of Piety than amongst Papists or Heathens and therefore it was fit to send Ministers among them he concluded his Discourse thus That as we ought to plant the Gospel where-ever we can so the Presbyterians of England having now a Liberty granted them by King and Parliament they might very well call back such as had been driven in amongst them in time of Persecution To this last the Moderator reply'd Mr. Gilbert What if they should call you And when he answer'd that perhaps he would then go he said to him Mr. Gilbert I do not think you so great a Fool. But as to Mr. Gabriel the Moderator and the generality of the Assembly were for calling him back to Scotland alledging that Charity began at home when they had reason'd a long while upon the Matter too and again Mr. Kirkton stood up and said What needs this ado For he had heard that Mr. Gabriel durst not return to Northumberland there being an Order from several Justices of Peace to apprehend him which Mr. Gabriel confess'd to be true This decided the matter as to Northumberland and shewed that Mr. Gabriel would have had his forc'd return coloured with a Solemn invitation and when it came to be consider'd whither Jedburgh or Killpatrick should have him he discovered his own Inclinations before it came to a Vote telling that Kirkpatrick had no Manse for him neither could he maintain a Horse at it when the Votes were a stating Mr. Gabriel Cunningham desired the Moderator to pray for drowning the noise of the Assembly But Mr. Kirktoun answered What needs all this fool Praying it was not the Custom to pray at every thing so they past immediately to voting and the Votes carried it for Jebburgh which no doubt was according to Mr. Gabriel 's own desire The next great Affair was the removing Mr. George Campbel from being Minister at Drumfries to be Professor of Divinity at Edinburgh which was made vacant by the Visitation of the College for that Dr. Strachan could not comply with the Terms requir'd in the Act of Parliament The Magistrates of Edinburgh being Patrons of the place gave a Call to Mr. Campbel which was backed by the earnest invitation of some others about the Town He indeed deserves the place better than any of that Party having qualifications of Learning and Modesty beyond what is usual to be found amongst them But as the People of Drumfries were not willing to part with him so neither was he willing of himself to settle at Edinburgh in his old decaying Years especially when he perceived such strong prejudices against the Presbyterian Party to encrease The matter was referr'd to the Assembly where it was long and hotly debated The necessity and importance of training up Youth was alledged for his coming to Edinburgh but he on the other hand said he was more capable of doing good at Drumfries and had stronger ties and obligations to that place and at last added that he not only had not the inward call to accept of the Profession of Divinity but did find in himself an inward aversion and backwardness thereto which he thought should not be slighted for there was in it not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which occasion'd the matter of the inward call to be considered and debated Mr. Rule said That it consisted in the internal Qualifications for the place and the outward harmonious Call of the Church and that as they were Judges of the first so the last would be known by putting it to a Vote adding That the Spirit of God was a harmonious Spirit and that the Spirit of the Prophets was subject to the Prophets Mr. Campbel reply'd That he put a wrong Gloss on the Place but however he would not debate it now It was referred back to the Committee and considered again in a full Assembly and at last th◠matter was put to a Vote having before they collected th◠Votes prayed for direction therein By the Votes it was carried that he should come to Edinburgh tho it was observed that the more judicious part were against his coming being prevail'd upon by the weight of his own Arguments However after they had resolved upon his coming they allowed him till Lammas following to remove himself and his Family as some say as others would have that he might in this time bring his mind to close with the Call of the Assembly because he had said he would leave the Kingdom rather than obey A day or two after the Decision of this business concerning Mr. Campbel there came a Commission from the Town of S. Andrews to My Lord Crawford to represent them in the Assembly The Moderator usher'd it in with a great Commendation of his Lordship and the manifold Obligations which they had to him and regreted he had not been a Member of their Assembly sooner and that he had not his Commission from a Presbytery for which he said the Presbytery of Couper particularly should be rebuked in that they had neglected him But the reason was as I told you before that it was expected he should have been Commissioner for the King When this Commission was read My Lord Crawford whose Joy for which was to be seen in his Countenance stood up and made a Discourse about the Weight and Importance of that Trust and of his Unworthiness to be a Member of that Venerable Assembly and desired that they might allow him the favour which they had granted to Mr. George Campbel which was to have till Lammas next to advise on it His Lordship not knowing well what to say but thinking he was obliged to say something fell on this Impertinence which moved the Spleen of the Assembly and made them spoil the gravity of their Meeting And indeed who could forbear laughing to hear one make a scruple of acting by Commission when he had made none to act without one officiously attending the several Sessions of the Assembly and particular Committees and giving his Opinion in all the Matters that came before them And what a ridiculous thing was it to ask Nine Months time to advise whether he should be a Member of a Meeting which was to be intirely dissolved within a fortnight After they had sat ten or twelve days they received a Petition from two Persons the one was called Smith the other Grieve in name of the