there being no ale in it, it seems. Then under night we went on our way, in the moon-light: but on the hills we began to fail, travelling a-foot, and having had but forry refreshment at the inn. Mean while, as we lay on the highway to reft our weary limbs a little, a farmer came up to us, who offered to lodge us with him near by; which was gladly embraced.

That youth and I had been school-fellows at Dunse, and fo much resembled one another in face and ftature, as if we had been twins; the which being noticed by our fellows, made a moft entire friendship between us at fchool." It lafted for a while; but was at length, upon fome childish controverfy, quite blown up, and was never recovered. For at the college, being more liberally furnished, he overlooked me, and gave himself to diverfions; fo that there was no communication, but what was general, betwixt him and me, as I remember, till the laft of the three years. At what time, being once in company with him, I was like to have a plea to rid betwixt him and another; and, to the best of my knowledge, left them at length. And then again I came home with him as aforefaid. He and I both were defigned for the study of divinity; but in a little time he gave up with it, went to London, applied himself to book-keeping, and went abroad, I fuppofe, and died. Wherefore, when I was honoured of God to preach the gospel of Chrift, I was often a moving fight to his forrowful father. Whence I muft needs conclude, that "it is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth:" and furely it was good and neceffary for me.

Being allowed only L. 16 Scots by my father for the laureation, I borrowed 20 merks from one of my brothers, and fo went to Edinburgh for that end in the fummer. But the day fignified to me not being kept, I returned without my errand. This disappointment, with other difcouragements I had met with in profecuting my ftudies, furnished my evil heart, when going in a fecond time that feafon to the laureation, the occafion of that unbelieving thought, that I would never believe I could obtain it till I faw it. For this thought I prefently fmarted, meeting fuddenly on the back of it with a dispensation which threatened to lay the grave-ftone upon all that I had hitherto attained; for fome officers took me up by the way to be a foldier: but the Lord delivered me quickly.

Thus holy wife Providence ordered my education at the college; the charges whereof amounted in all but to L. 128 15 8 Scots; of the which I had 20 merks as aforefaid to pay afterwards. Out of that fum were paid the regents fees yearly, and the college-dues, and alfo, my maintenance was furnished out of it. By means thereof, I had a competent understanding of the logics, metaphytics, ethics, and general phyfics; always taking pains of what was before me, and pleafing the regent: but I learned nothing elfe, fave fhort-hand writing, which an acquaintance of mine taught me, namely, a well-inclined baker-lad. My defign in acquiring it was to write fermons; but I made little ufe of it that way, finding it to mar the frame of my fpirit in hearing, which obliged me to quit that ufe of it. But kind was the defign of Providence in it notwithstanding; for befides its ferving me in recording things I defigned to keep fecret, and otherwife, it has been exceeding ufeful to me of late years, in making the first draughts of my writings therein." Known unto "God are all his works from the beginning."

PERIOD III.

From my laureation, to my being licensed to preach the gospel.

THat

"Hat fummer the burfary of the prefbytery of Dunse was conferred on me, as a ftudent of theology; as was that of the prefbytery of Churnfide on my comrade John Cockburn. And after the laureation, fome time before the harveft, I entered on the ftudy of theology; Mr James Ramfay, minifter then at Eymouth, now at Kelfo, having put the book in my hand, viz. Pareus on Urfin's catechifm; the which I read over three or four times ere I went to the fchool of divinity. Among the first books of that kind which I had a particular fondnefs for, was Weems's Chriftian fynagogue.

I went, on invitation, to F-s, and fpent fome weeks there, after the harvest, with his two fons, and James (after Mr James) Ridpath, ftudents in philofophy, to whom I was there helpful in their ftudies. And that I may reckon the only time of my life in which I had a tafte of the youthful diverfions; whereof I foon faw the vanity, and wherein I drove but heavily, the family being altoge

ther

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ther carnal. But while I was there, I kept up the worship of God in the family: nevertheless I found that manner of life enfnaring.

1695. About January 20. 1695, I went to Edinburgh to the fchool of divinity, then taught by the great Mr George Campbell. There was then a great ftorm of fnow on the ground. By the way, being extremely cold, I alighted off my horfe, (I think it was betwixt Ridpath-edge and Redftone-ridge), and walked. Having walked a while, a fwoon began to feize me, and I could walk no more. I took horfe, but was fcarcely able to fit on it. My brother, who by good Providence was with me, put a bit of bread in my mouth; and I had fcarcely as much ftrength left as to lift my jaws and chew it. It would have been defireable to me to have been near the meanest cottage. And I recovered. At that time I took a chamber, and dieted myself again, about the fpace of a month: but weary of that way, Mr Ridpath aforefaid and I tabled ourfelves, as moft convenient. He being a smart youth, and difpofed to profit in philofophy, I did good to myfelf, by being serviceable to him in the matter of philofophy, which was his only study at that time. Having fome taste of mufic before, we went to a school one month, and made good proficiency; prefling forward our teacher, and purfuing it in our chamber: fo that by that means we had the tenors, trebles, and baffes, of the common tunes, with fome other tunes, and feveral prick-fongs. My voice was good, and I had a delight in mufic.

A few of us, newly entered to the fchool of divinity, were taught for a time Riiffenius's compend, in the profeffor's chamber. Publicly in the hall he taught Effenius's compend. For exercifes that feffion, I had a paraphrafe on If. xxxviii. 1.-9. a lecture on Prov. i. and an exegefis de certitudine fubjectiva electionis; and in a private fociety, another de jure divino presbyteratus. I was alfo for a while, at that time, I fuppofe, with Mr Alexander Rule profeffor of Hebrew; but remember no remarkable advantage I had thereby.

About the latter end of April, I returned home, clothed with testimonials from Profeffor Campbell, bearing, that I had diligently attended the profeffion, dexterously acquitted myself in feveral effays prefcribed to me, behaved inoffenfively, gravely, and piously. He was a man of great learning, but exceflively modeft, undervaluing him

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felf,

felf, and much valuing the tolerable performances of his students.

Mr James Murray, minifter of Penpont, whose schoolfellow I had been at Dunfe a little while, having engaged me to embrace the grammar-fchool of Penpont, came to the Merfe about the harvest, and invited me to go with him, fhewing confiderable encouragement. I could not then go along; but afterwards I made ready for it, and exhaufted what remained of my burfe, which was in all L. 80 Scots, in fitting out myself. Upon this view, fhewing a minister of the prefbytery, a wife man, that I minded not to defire the burfe again, he bid me faften one foot before I loofed the other: An advice which I had frequent occafion of minding thereafter.

In September, Mr Murray having fent his horfe for me, but withal in a letter fignified his fears of the miscarrying of that project, but that in that cafe I might have another fchool; I, not a little troubled at the fudden change, did notwithstanding go to Penpont, in company with the worthy Mr Henry Erskine aforementiened.

There I continued with Mr Murray about a quarter of a year, in fufpenfe with reference to that project: 'in which time, Mr G. B. minister of Glencairn, desired me to take the school of that parifh; which I was unwilling to accept. All hope of the fchool of Penpont being at length cut off, and I afhamed to return home, Mr Bwas wrote to, for what was before refufed; and he made return, that he could not be pofitive as to the matter. Under this trial, which I was brought into by precipitant conduct, I was helped in fome measure to trust God.

After this, Mr Murray being in Edinburgh, Mr B— fent for me, and agreed with me to teach the school there for 100 merks of falary. Thereafter came to my hand a letter from Mr Murray, defiring me to come in to Edinburgh for a pedagogy provided for me. Whereupon I carneftly dealt with Mr B- to quit me, while I was not yet entered; which nevertheless he would by no means agree to.

1696. On the first day of the new year 1696, being in his house, his manner was moft grievous and loathfome to me; so that I feared I might there come to be hardened from God's fear. On the 9th, much against the grain, I took up the school, having never inclined much to that employment, but being quite averfe to it there. I was

kindly and liberally entertained in Mr B-'s houfe, and that freely; but the vanity and untenderness of his carriage, and of his wife's, I was not able to digeft. He was wont, among other pieces of conduct very unacceptable to me, to go to an alehouse, taking me along with him, much against my inclination, under pretence of difcourfing with an old gentleman. There we were entertained with warm ale and brandy mixed, and with idle stories; I obtaining by his character not to be preffed to drink. These things made me earnestly to cry unto the Lord, that he would rid and deliver me, and difpofe of me fo as I might be freed from them and their fociety. He was a young man, his wife an old woman: they had no children; and there, I think, was their fnare. Being funk in debt, they left the country at length.

After I had kept the fchool a little while, the Lady Merfington wrote a preffing letter to Mr Murray, that I fhould take the charge of her grandchild Aberlady, as his governor. Whereupon Mr B- was again addreffed to quit me; but could not be prevailed with. I committed the caufe to God, to be by him determined what to do. And confidering that no time of my continuance there had been condefcended on, that the fcholars were but few, and that the prefbytery was clear for my going away; and above all confidering that God, according to my earnest prayer, had opened an outgate from the heavy fituation I found myself in, as above faid, I began to question, if I could, without fin, let fuch an occafion of riddance from it flip: fo being at length fully determined, I gave up the school on the 8th of February, much against Mr B-'s will, having kept it a month. At Candlemas the boys had gifted me about 10s. Sterling, which I took from them with the ufual civilities, but immediately returned each one his own: fo that I had nothing by them.

While I was in that country, I had advantage of converfe with Mr Murray, a learned and holy man; the meeting of which two in a character was not very frequent there; as alfo of Janet Maclaunie, an old, exercifed, godly woman. She obliged me to take from her about half a dollar; which, as a token of that woman's Christian love, I do to this day value more than gold. I remember not but another inftance of that nature, which I hall alfo mention in the due place. I blefs the Lord, who