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Dunfe, now at Oxnam, he propofed, and perfuaded me, to enter on trials before the united prefbyteries of Dunfe and Churnfide. Confidering the courfe of Providence, and finding myself by his propofal freed from the former perplexity, which I could no otherwife get over, I yielded. And certainly it was a kind conduct of Providence that led me to pafs trials in the place of my nativity; though, for that very reafon, it would feem, that it was my native country, I had no thoughts of paffing there : for it was most for my reputation to pafs trials where I was known from my childhood; and befides, it was the more convenient for me in my then circumftances, having my father's houfe to remain in.

Accordingly, on the 23d of March 1697, I being, juft the week before, twenty-one years of age complete, Mr Colden went to the prefbytery, fitting at Churnside; and having propofed their taking me on trials, they appointed me a piece of trial on James i. 5. "If any of you lack "wifdom, let him afk of God, that giveth to all men li"berally," &c. and that to be delivered at their next meeting in Dunfe. The which being reported to me by Mr Colden, I addreffed myself to that work, kind Providence having, on the Friday after, prepared me a private chamber in my father's houfe, which had been occupied by another when I came home.

On the 2d of April I fpent fome time in fafting and prayer, for the divine afliftance in what I was called to, and was going about; and in the time I found myself helped, in prayer, to particular truft and confidence, that God would actually grant what I fought. The prefbytery meeting at Dunfe on the 6th, I delivered before them a homily on the forefaid text, and was helped of God therein accordingly; and to this day I have a fenfe of the divine indulgence, determining them to prefcribe me that text which was fo.much fuited for my fupport in the dif pofition I was in. They appointed me then a common head, De viribus liberi arbitrii circa bonum fpirituale.

I delivered an exegefis on that head, after prayer made, both in Latin, May 11. at Churnside. Much time being fpent ere they called for that piece of trial, I went out a little to revife it: but by the time I had come the length of what I reckoned myfelf leaft mafter of, I was called to deliver it; but withal, by the kind conduct of Providence, when I was coming on to that part of it, they ftopped me.

I diftributed my thefis on that head, and was appointed to exercife and add next prefbytery-day on Jude 15.

On the ift of June they met at Dunfe. The day before it was the great fair in that place: but I was earnest with God for his affiftance in the work before me; and was helped of him to feek his help. In the morning before I went to the kirk, I renewed covenant with God in my chamber; and I had much encouragement from the help of the prayers of my godly friends in Clackmannan, who, I trusted, were concerned for me. By a peculiar kind difpofal of Providence, when I went to the pulpit, the precentor, who used to keep an ordinary, was not come : fo, according to my own defire, I pitched on Pfal. xviii. 25.-29. and precented myself; and was greatly ftrengthened by the finging thereof. I delivered the exercife and addition on the forefaid text, being well helped of the Lord therein. I have ftill a peculiar remembrance of that part of that pfalm, as occafionally it comes in my way. I admire the indulgence of Providence in that matter; for the precentor fhould have been finging when I went into the pulpit. And withal I have often wondered, how, confidering my temper, I got confidence to give out that pfalm on that occafion; but the obvious difficulty on that head was then, for any thing I know, hid from mine eyes, which were fixed depending on God alone, according to his word. They appointed me a popular fermon on John i. 16. against their next meeting, with the rest of my trials, if I could get them ready.

At Churnfide, June 15. I delivered my popular fermon on the forefaid text, as alfo a chronological difcourfe in Latin; which, with the other difcourfes aforementioned, are yet in retentis. The fame day, all the reft of my trials, viz. in the languages, and catechetics, were taken; the which laft are now, and have been for many years, taken first, with more reason. Thus all my trials being expeded, I was that day licensed to preach the gofpel, as a probationer for the holy miniftry, near about three years from my entering on the study of divinity. And looking on myfelf as a child of Providence, and confidering the manner of my education, I cannot but obferve the kind conduct of that Providence in carrying me through fundry ftates of life, and parts of the country, in that thort time allotted for me, in the character of a student.

PE

PERIOD IV.

From my being licenfed, till I removed into the bounds of the presbytery of Stirling.

BEing licensed to preach the gofpel, I paffed two years

and three months in the character of a probationer; the first part of the fame in my native country, the fecond in the bounds of the prefbytery of Stirling, and the third in my native country again, where I was fettled. Thefe years brought in continued fcenes of trial to me; being, through the mercy of God, generally acceptable to the people; but could never fall into the good graces of those who had the ftroke in the fettling of parishes.

Having, on the 18th of June, ftudied, and once mandated, the first fermon I preached, and having gone to a fellowship-meeting, and upon my return fallen again to work, I was fo confufed, that I lay grovelling on the ground for fome time in great perplexity, wifhing I had never undertaken that work. But recovering myself, I betook myself to prayer; and thereafter it came fo easily to hand, that I faw the finger of God in it.

According to the impreffions wherewith I was prompted to enter on trials, I began my preaching of the word in a roufing ftrain; and would fain have fet fire to the devil's neft. The first text I preached on, the Sabbath after I was licenfed, was Pfal. I. 22.; the second, Matth. vii. 21.; the third on a week-day, Hof. xiii. 13.; the fourth, Pfal. 1. 21; the fifth, Ezek. ix. 4.; the fixth, Prov. xxix. 1.; and the feventh, Matth, iii. 7. Thus I went on for the first two months. But fpeaking with Mr John Dyfert minifter at Coldinghame, of the ftrain of preaching I had continued in, he faid to me to this purpose: But if you were entered on preaching of Chrift, you would find it very pleafant. This had an effect on me fo far, that immediately I did fomewhat change my ftrain; where I had occafion to enter on a new text: and then I preached, first, on If. lxi. 1. and next, on 1 Pet. ii. 7. I have often, fince that time, remembered that word of Mr Dyfert's, as the firft hint given me, by the good hand of my God, towards the doctrine of the gofpel.

The firft Sabbath I preached, being timorous, I had not confidence to look on the people; though I believe I did

not close my eyes: yet, as a pledge of what I was to meet with, an heritor of the parish, on that very fermon, called me afterwards, in contempt, one of Mr Henry Erfkine's difciples. In which he fpoke truth, as Caiaphas did, that worthy minifter of Chrift being the first inftrument of good to my foul: but the thing he meant was, that I was a railer. The fecond Sabbath I had more confidence; and the next again more, till very foon I had enough; and was cenfured as too bold, particularly in meddling with the public fins of the land. The truth is, my God fo far pitied my natural weakness, indulging me a while after I first fet out to his work, that, whatever fear I was liable to ere I got into the pulpit, yet when once the pulpit-door was clofed on me, fear was as it were closed out, and I feared not the face of man when preaching God's word. But indeed that lafted not long, at least after I was a minifter.

Soon after I was licenfed, I was peremptorily refolved not to continue in the Merfe, though there was appearance of encouragement: and I received a letter from the prefbytery of Stirling, inviting me to their bounds, whither it was my own inclination to go. So, on July 27. I craved of the prefbytery an extract of my licence. But they, defigning to have me fettled in Foulden, would not grant it. By this time I had preached once in that parifh, and they were inclined to have me to be their minifter; but I was not fond of it. Their Epifcopal incumbent had newly removed from them; and when I was to go thither, I forefaw a strait, in allowing his precentor to officiate as fuch to me, without a judicial acknowledgement, which 1, not being a minifter, could not take. Confulting it with Mr Colden, he would not urge me against my light; but told me, he feared the bailic, being Epifcopal, would take it ill. I refolved to venture on that. So when the precentor came to me, in the Sabbath morning, I told him, I myself would precent; but fhewed him no reafon why. This I took to be the most reasonable courfe in my circumftances, having no authority, Neverthelefs the bailie was favourable. Thereafter I preached frequently in that parith while I continued in the country; had many good days in it, the meetings frequent, and people very defirous to hear the word. Meanwhile I ftill precented there, till about two Sabbaths before I left the country;

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by which time the prefbytery had confirmed the precentor in his office.

I was ftill detained in the country by the prefbytery, that I might be fettled in that parifh aforefaid. But that could, not be done without my Lord Rofs's concurrence. Wherefore the prefbytery appointed Mr Colden and Mr Dyfert to fpeak to him at Edinburgh for that effect. And the former, upon his return from Edinburgh, told me, on Sept. 10. that my Lord Rofs did not refufe his concurrence; only he defired me to come to Paifley to fee him, that he might go on with the greater clearness: and hereto he withal advised me. But I had no freedom for it. So, Oct. 5. I defired of the prefbytery my liberty to leave the country, which I had in vain defired of them three feveral times before. In anfwer to which, Mr Colden afterwards told me, that the prefbytery would let me go, providing I would go to Paisley to fee my Lord Rofs. I would have been content to have been providentially led to have preached in my Lord's hearing: but to go to him directly on that purpose, was what I could never digeft, though I was dunned with advice for it, and had no body to bear with me in refifting it, but the unhappy Mr J— B, then living a private man in Dunfe. 1 confidered, that I had done all that lay in my road in the matter, having preached feveral times in the parish which in the defigned event was to have been my charge: they were fatisfied, and fhould have had their Chriftian right to chute their minifter: I looked on the method propofed, as an interpretative feeking a call for myfelf; a fymbolifing with patronages, and below the dignity of the facred character: and I never durft do any thing in these matters which might predetermine me; but behoved always to leave the matter open and entire, to lay before the Lord for light, till he should pleafe to determine me by the difcovery of his mind therein; and I could not look on the matter of my compliance with the call of Foulden as entire, after I should have done as I was advised.

Wherefore, upon the 13th, I infifted as before, and the prefbytery granted my defire: but withal demanded of me, 1. That I fhould preach a day at Abbay before I went away; 2. That I fhould go by Paifley, and fee my Lord Rofs; 3. That my licence fhould bear, that I should not, without their advice, engage with any parish. To

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