into English: but we were not put to be careful about proper English. Towards the end of that time, I was alfo taught Voffius's Elements of rhetoric; and May 15. 1689, began the Greek, learned fome parts of the New Teftament, to wit, fome part of John, of Luke, and of the Acts of the Apostles. And helping the above-mentioned Patrick Gillies, in the Roman authors, in our spare hours, I learned from him, on the other hand, fome of the common rules of arithmetic, being but a forry writer. And this was the education I had at school, which I left in harvest 1689, being then aged thirteen years, and a-bove five months.

PERIOD II.

From my leaving the grammar-fchool, to my laureation.

BEtween my leaving of the grammar-fchool, and my entering to the college, two years intervened. And here began more remarkably my bearing of the yoke of trial and affliction, the which laid on in my youth, has, in the wife difpofal of holy Providence, been from that time unto this day continued, as my ordinary lot; one fcene of trial opening after another.

Prelacy being abolished by act of parliament, July 22. 1689, and the Prefbyterian government fettled, June 7. 1690, and the curate of Dunfe having died about that time, the Prefbyterians took poffeffion of the kirk, by the worthy Mr Henry Erikine's preaching in it on a Wednefday, being the weekly market-day; the foldiers being active in carrying on the project, and protecting against the Jacobite party. The purity of the gospel being new to many, it had much fuccefs in thefe days, comparatively fpeaking; and in the harveft that year, my mother fell under exercife about her foul's cafe, and much lamented her mif fpent time; and there was a remarkable change then made upon her.

My father, as well as myfelf, inclined that I fhouldproceed in learning; but apprehending the expence unequal to his worldiy circumitances, was unwilling to bear the charges of my education at the college: whereupon he tried feveral means for effectuating the design otherwife, particularly in the year 1690; but prevailed not.

Hereby

Hereby I was discouraged, and had fome thoughts of betaking myself to a trade; the which being intimated to him, he flighted, as being refolved not fo to give it over: and I entertained them not, but as the circumstances seemed to force them on me.

In the end of that year he took me to Edinburgh, and effayed to put me into the fervice of Dr Rule, principal of the college, not without hope of accomplishing it; but one who had promised to recommend me to the Doctor, having forgot his promife, that effay was made in vain; and I returned home, having got that notable difappointment on the back of feveral others.

Mean while the difficulties I had to grapple with, in the way of my purpose, put me to cry to the Lord in prayer on that head, that he himself would find means to bring it about. And I well remember the place where I was wont to addrefs the throne of grace for it, having several times thereafter had occafion to mind it, in giving thanks for that he had heard the prayers there put up for that effect.

About, or before this time, was the melancholy event of Mr J. B's falling into adultery. He was born in Dunfe, and fo an acquaintance of my father's; and he was minifter of the meeting-house at Merfington, and not young. This dreadful ftumbling-block, laid efpecially at fuch a critical juncture as the Revolution, filled the mouths of the ungodly with reproach against the way of religion, and faddened the hearts of the godly to a pitch. I well know, that many a heavy heart it made to me, and remember the place where I was wont heavily to lament it before the Lord in fecret prayer.

On the ift day of February 1691, it pleafed the Lord to remove my mother by death, not having lain long fick. To the best of my knowledge, fhe was not above fifty-fix years of age, my father and the having lived together, in the state of marriage, from their youth, about thirty years. While fhe died in one room, my father was lying in another fick, as was fuppofed, unto death; and heavily received the tidings of her departure. Returning from bidding fome friends in the country to her burial, I met on the street one whom I asked concerning my father, that told me, in all probability he would never recover. This fo pierced me, that getting home, I went to the foot of the garden, and caft myfelf down on the ground, where,

where, according to the vehemency of my paffion, I lay grovelling and bemoaning my heavy ftroke in the lofs of my parents, looking on myself as an abfolute orphan, and all hopes of obtaining my purpose now gone. Thus I lay, I think, till my eldeft brother, a judicious man, came and fpoke to me, and raised me up. But it pleased the Lord that I was comforted in the recovery of my father fome time after. About this time, I fuppofe, I myself was fick about eight days.

Some time after, my father, in pursuance of what had paffed betwixt him and the town-clerk, fent me, at his defire, to write with him. But whatever way they had concerted their bufinefs, he drew back, took no trial of me in the matter, and I returned. And that project was blown up.

But being, it would feem, put in hopes by my father of proceeding in learning, towards the middle of June I betook myself to my books again, which I had almost given over; and I applied myself to the reading of Juftin at that time, the malt-loft being my clofet: but beginning thus to get up my head, my corruption began to fet up its head too; fo neceffary was it for me to bear the yoke.

Mean while I was, that year, frequently employed to write with Mr Alexander Cockburn, a notary. The favourable defign of Providence therein, then unknown to me, I now fee, fince it could not be but of fome ufe to help me to the ftyle of papers; the which, fince that time, I have had confiderable ufe for. And thus kind Providence early laid in for it.

But here I was led into a fnare by Satan and my own corruption. Mr Cockburn being in debt to me on the forefaid account, I faw Dickfon on Matthew lying neglected in his chamber; and finding I could not get the money due to me out of his hand, I prefumed to take away the book without his knowledge, thinking I might very well do it on the forefaid account. I kept it for a time; but confcience being better informed, I faw my fin in that matter, and could no more peaceably enjoy it, though he never paid me; fo I reftored it fecretly, none knowing how it was taken away, nor how returned; and hereby the fcandal was prevented. This, I think, contributed to imprefs me with a fpecial care of 'exact juftice, and the neceflity of reftitution in the cafe of things

unjustly

unjustly taken away, being like a burnt child dreading. fire.

My father being fully refolved to put me to the college on his own charges, I began, on the 15th of October, to expound the Greek New Teftament; which, I think, I completed betwixt that and Dec. 1.; at which time he took me to Edinburgh, where being tried in the Greek New Testament by Mr Herbert Kennedy regent, I was entered into his femi clafs, my father having given him four dollars, as was done yearly thereafter, paying alfo all other dues.

Thus the Lord, in my fetting out in the world, dealt with me, obliging me to have recourfe to himself for this thing, to do it for me. He brought it through many difficulties, tried me with various difappointments, at length carried it to the utmost point of hopeleffness, feemed to be laying the grave-stone upon it at the time of my mother's death; and yet after all he brought it to pafs; and that has been the ufual method of Providence with me all along in matters of the greatest weight. The wisdom appearing, in leading the blind by a way they knew not, Thined in the putting off that matter to this time, notwithftanding all endeavours to compafs it fooner; for I am perfectly convinced I was abundantly foon put to the college, being then but in the fifteenth year of my age; and the manner of it was kindly ordered, in that I was thereby beholden to none for that my education; and it made way for fome things which Providence faw needful for me.

During the whole time I was at the college, I dieted myself, being lodged in a private house, to which I was led by kind Providence, as fit for my circumstances.

1692. The first year, being fomewhat childish, but knowing with what difficulty I had reached what I had obtained, I lived fparingly, and perhaps more fo than was needful or reafonable. Being dejected and melancholy, I went but little out of my chamber, fave to the class; and thus my improvement was confined in a manner to my leffons.

1693. The fecond year I attended the college, I had an entire comradeship with Andrew (afterwards Mr Andrew) Elliot, a minister's fon, and now minister of Auchtertool i Fife, which feveral ways contributed to my advantage, and lafted during the rest of the time we were at the college. Mean while I ftill lived fparingly.

In the fpring that year began a breach of my health, whereby I became liable to fwoonings, which continued for several years after. It was, I think, in the month of April, when being on my knees at fecret prayer, my heart began to fail, and I rofe up, and fell on my back on the floor, and lay a while in a fwoon. Recovering, I called the landlady: then I went to bed, but fainted a fecond time, in which fhe took care of me. Afterwards the unwarily fuggefted to me, that it might be the fallingfickness, which occafioned me feveral thoughts of heart. Wherefore, as I came home in the middle of May, I confulted it; and was delivered of thefe fears, which were groundless; but being at home, I was, on the 2d of June, overtaken with another fainting-fit, in which beckoning with my hand I fainted away; and while they were lifting me into the bed, I heard my fifter fay, that I was gone. In a little I recovered, and my father went to prayer at my bed-fide.

The firft or fecond winter I was at the college, being in company with a dumb man, I was urged by fome to afk him a queftion about my brother William. He anfwered me in writing, as it is Deut. xxix. ult. "Secret "things belong unto the Lord our God," &c.; and; moreover, that there is no fuch thing communicated to the dumb, but that through importunity he himself had fometimes fpoke what he knew not. Thus was I repro

ved. And I defire that all who may read this or fuch like my failings, may beware of fplitting on the fame rocks, fo heavy to me.

About December 20. I gladly went to Edinburgh again for the last year, thinking that courfe of difficulties near an end. I was therefore more chearful, and in point of diet managed more liberally.

1694. About the latter end of February, I came home with John Cockburn, a comrade, fon to John Cockburn in Preston. I could not get him out of the town till a good part of the day was fpent; and when we were come out, he expended a little money he had left, without asking queftions till it was done. Then finding there was no money with us but what I had, which could fcarcely procure us both a night's lodging, we refolved to hold on our way, though our journey was in all twenty-eight miles long. Night drawing on, we were twelve miles from home, and got nothing in the inn but bread and water; there

I