August 19, 1746

1746 August 19 (Tuesday).  A very rainy Time.  Yet Mr. Cushing and Morse being come I rode to the Meeting of the Ministers at Southborough.  But there were no more than Two come Besides — Messrs. Barrett and Smith.  N.B. I intimated that we had been too Partial in the late Times; particularly against Mr. Whitefield — this Somewhat rais’d Mr. Barrett and Mr. Smith.  This produc’d a Challenge to me to show if I were able any one Instance — with Impatience they heard me read an Extract from Bishop Halls Meditations and Vows,[1] wherein he calls an Evil Man half a Beast and half a Devil, page 35 Folio Edition. N.B. Mr. Morse ask’d advice touching their Ministerial Lands — viz. what was his Duty now that his precinct had seiz’d upon them and sold them.  I ask’d their Advice also, respecting the Dismission of our North-precinct sisters who had been delinquent, and some of them frequently absent from the Communion but not Sent their requests to have their Relation transferr’d to the Second Church.  N.B. Mr. Smith Concio from John 8.12.

[1]Joseph Hall, successively Bishop of Exeter and Norwich wrote Mediation and Vowes, Divine and Morall (London, 1609).  It appeared also as Newly Enlarged with 10 Vows and Meditations (London, 1609).  Still another enlarged edition was published in 1621.