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These are the effects of the Doctor's twenty years' study; so that by these effects, and the wisdom of the Doctor's stewardship, he can bring into his hands large sums of money for the poor, and especially for those who were subjects of the Doctor's visitation in affluence, before they became poor, and have relations who may be still affluent. The lame may starve or beg, but such favourites shall not, so long as the Doctor commands the public purse. Yet, such the wages of sin in these places and times, the people feel nothing but the taking of their money from them: they feel for that, but for the perverting of God's word and the constitution of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, they feel nothing more than stalled oxen, which like them will cry for meat. But why is it so? I answer, Because God's gift or grace is withheld from them, and they want that eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord, therefore are not concerned for what concerns it. They are not like our worthy predecessors, who rather suffered unto the death than that they and their children should be denied the liberty of obeying God's word or law, or be the implicit slaves and creatures of erastian prelates, in opposition thereto. Alas! that Isaiah vi. 10. is so applicable to this land and time, "Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert and be healed." Judgment seems to wait for us, and is near. What is the reason that I and so many others have withdrawn our persons and collections from the parish assemblies or Churches of these lands for worship? I answer for myself, and God is my witness of the truth I here relate, it is out of no disrespect to that divine injunction, not to forget the assembling of
