PAGE 138
invitations to preach; and especially at communions at Lanerk, at
Irvine, Newmilns, Kinnert,1
Culross, Larbor, and the Shotts, and
sundry other places. I preached2
sometimes at Glasgow for Mr
Robert Scott. He dyed January 28, 1629. I was with him severall times on his death-bed. One time, in presence of many, he
said, speaking of the bishops and ceremonies, their wicked and
corrupt courses, "My soul abhorrs them, and my comfort is, that
God withheld me from them; if God spare my dayes, I shall not
be so spareing as I have been: to gain ease I have dishonoured
God." And a little before his death, having lyen some while as in
an kind of trance, he awaked, and took off his nightcap, and threw
it to the bed's foot, and cryed out,3
"I have now seen the Lord,
and have heard him say, Set a stool, and make way for my faithfull servant, Mr Robert Scott;" and after an short while he died.
The paroch of the Shotts bordered upon the parish of Tarphichen, whether they sometimes resorted, and I was severall times
invited by the minister, Mr John Hoom, at Shotts, to preach
there. In that place I used to find more liberty in preaching then
elsewhere. Yea, the one day in all my life wherein I got most
presence of God in publick was on a Munday after an communion,
preaching in the churchyeard of the Shotts, the 21st of June 1630.
The night before I had been with some Christians, who spent the
night in conferrence and prayer. When I was alone in the fields
about eight or nine4
in the morning, before we were to go to
sermon, there came such a misgiving of spirit upon me, considering my unworthiness and weakness, and the multitude and
expectation of the people, that I was consulting with myself to have
stollen aAvay somewhere, and declyned that dayes preaching, but
that I durst not so far distrust5
God, and so went to sermon, and
got good assistance. I had about one hour and ane half upon the
points I had meditated on Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26; and, in end, offering to close with some words
of6
exhortation, I was led on about
ane hour's time in ane strain of exhortation and warning, with such
**************
1
"Kinniel."
2
"Also."
3
"Said."
4
"A'clock."
5
"Mistrust."
6
"With a word of."
|
PAGE 139
liberty and melting of heart as I never had1
the like in publick all my life.2
Some little of that stamp remained on the Thursday
after, when I preached at Kilmarnock. But the very Munday
after, preaching in Irvine, I was so deserted, that the points I had
meditated and written, and had them fully in my memory, I was
not able for my heart to get them pronounced. So it pleased the
Lord to counterballance his dealing, and hide pride from man.
This so discouraged me, that I was upon resolution for some time
not to preach, at least not in Irvine; but Mr David Dickson would
not suffer me to go from thence till I preached the next Sabbath
day, to get (as he called it) ane mends of the devil. I stayed and
preached with some tolerable freedome.
By reason of this going from place to place in the summer time,
I got acquaintance with many of the godly and able ministers and
professors of Scotland, which proved to me ane great advantage.
The ministers chiefly were these: Mr Robert Bruce, who had been
minister at Edinburgh, Mr John Scrimger, who had been minister
at Kinghorn, Mr John3
Chambers of Achterdeeren, Mr John Dick
of Anstruther, Mr William Scott of Couper, Mr Alexander Henderson of Leuchars, Mr John Row of Carnock, Mr John Ker of
Preston, Mr James Grier of Haddingtoun, Mr Adam Colt of
Mussleburgh, Mr Richard Dickson of Kinneell, Mr David Dickson
of Irvine, Mr James Greg of Newmilns, Mr John Fergushill of
Ochiltrie, Mr Robert Scott of Glasgow, Mr James Inglis of Daylie,
and some others; and of professors, Will. Rigg of Addernie, the
Laird of HaUhill, the Laird of Corshill, the Laird of Cuninghamhead, the Laird of Cesnock, the Laird of Rowallen, John Stewart,
proveist of Air, William Roger, merchant there, John Mein, merchant in Edinburgh, John Hamilton, apothecarry there, James
Murray, wryter there, the Countess of Eglintoun, the Countess
of Loudoun, the Lady Boyd, the Lady Robertland, the Lady
Culross her sister, the Lady Moiwhonny, the Lady Hallhill, the
**************
1
"Felt."
2
"All my dayes in publik." - For some account of this Communiuon, see Wod. Analecta, vol. 1. p.271
3
"James."
|
