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spoke to him, but doe not perfectly remember what I said. It was
to this purpose, that there was no warrand for kneeling, and for
want of it we ought not to be excommunicated from the table of
the Lord. He caused some of the people about us to rise, that we
might remove, which we did.
The next day the principall, Mr Robert Boyd, called me to him,
and said, Within two or three weeks he would celebrat the communion at Govan, for he was also minister at Govan, and desired
me that any whom I knew to be well-affected of the young men in
the colledge I would bring them with me to him. Although he
was an man of an soure like disposition and carriage, I alwayes
found him soe kind and familiar as made me wonder. Sometimes
he would call me and some other three or four,1
and lay down books before us, and have us sing setts of musick, wherein he took
great delight.
The first Christian acquaintance and society whereby I got any
benefite was wath an religious gentleman, William Cuninghame,
tutor of Bonintoune, who used to be oft in my father's house.
Severall tymes he and John Wier of Stockbrigs, and Alexander
Tennant, James Wier, George Matthie,2
and David Matthie, who
were packmen, would meet in my chamber in Lanerk, where we
used to spend some time in conferrence and prayer.
Period II.
The second period of my life I reckon from the first time I
preached in publick till the time I was settled in the ministrie in
Killinshie in Ireland, for having begun to preach in Jan. 1625.
I continued in my father's house in Lanerk, and for the space of
ane year and an halfe, and some more, I studied there, and preached
sometimes there, and sometimes in some neighbouring churches,3
and dureing that time I wrote all the preachings before I preached
**************
1
"Some three or four others."
2
"Matthew."
3
"Kirks."
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PAGE 135
them word by word, till one day being to preach after the communion of Quodquan, and having in readiness only one preaching,
which I had preached about ane week before in ane other church,1
and perceiving sundry to be at Quodquan who had been at the
other church, I resolved to choose ane new text, and having but
little time, I wrote only some notes of the heads I was to deliver.
Yet I found at that time more assistance in the enlargeing of these
points, and more motion in my own heart, then ever I had found
before, and after that I never wrote aU at length, but only notes.
About April 1626, I was sent for by my Lord Kenmuir to come
to Galloway, in reference to ane call to Alnwith, which at that
tyme was not an parish by itself, but joyned to ane other, neither
had an church builded. They offered before August next to have
it disjoyned, and ane church builded, and an stipend settled, and
desyred I would stay there in the meantyme. I was not willing to stay2
at that time, there being no appearance I could
preach in the meantyme. Therefore, they desyred that if they
got these things performed before August, that upon an call I
would3
return, whereto4
I condescended. But some difficulties
coming in their way, they got not these things so soon done; and
therefore, in harvest next, 1 hearkened to an call to Tarphichen,
but thereafter the Lord provided a great deall better for them, for
they got that worthy servant of Christ, Mr Samuel Rutherfoord,
whose praise is in all the reformed churches. And I observed
afterwards that severall parishes, whereto I had ane motion of an
call, and was hindered either by obstructions from the bishops, or
thereafter refused to be transported by the Generall Assembly,
that these parishes were far better provided; for Leith got Mr
David Forrester; again, Kirkaldie got Mr Robert Douglas, Glasgow got precious Mr James Durham, Antrum, in Ireland, got
Mr Archibald Fergusone, Newtoune there got Mr John Greg,
and Killinshie there got Mr Michael Bruce. But at that short
time5
in Galloway, I got acquaintance with the6
Lord Kenmure
**************
1
"Kirk."
2
"There."
3
"Should."
4
"Whereunto."
5
"I was."
6
"My."
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