measure blessing his pains
and endeavours therein. Mr. Robert Bailie, then minister at Kilwinning,
shewed him no small kindness, both by the loan of his books, by his
counsel, and by superintending his studies.

Thereafter he was called by the lady Houston to attend her eldest son at
the college, in which employment he continued other two years and a
half, in the which time the Lord blessed his studies there exceedingly,
and the great pains taken upon him by Mr. David Dickson (then professor
of the university of Glasgow), Mr. Bailie and others, had such a
blessing from heaven that he passed both his private and public trials
in order for the ministry to their great contentment.

After he was licensed, he came west and preached in Kilwinning and
Stevenson, to the satisfaction of all who heard him, so that they
blessed God in his behalf, and were very hopeful of his great abilities.

But before Martinmas 1643, he went back to Glasgow, where he both
attended his studies and his pupil. He preached some few times in
Glasgow, wherewith all those who loved Christ, and his cause and gospel
were exceeding well pleased. At this time, Mr. Dickson, Mr. Bailie, and
Mr. Robert Ramsay having great hopes of his gifts in preaching told his
father, that he had great reason to bless God for the gifts and graces
bestowed upon him above all their expectation, for besides these, the
Lord had taken him truly by the heart, and wrought graciously with his
soul. He had given himself much up to fasting and prayer, and the study
of the word of God and reading thereof was now become his delight.

But the Lord having other thoughts concerning him, in a short time all
their great expectations of him in the ministry were frustrated. For by
his extreme abstinence, drinking of water, and indefatigable pains, he
contracted that sickness, of which he died soon after. His body began to
languish, his stomach to refuse all meat, and his constitution to alter.
Mr. Dickson laid his condition much to heart (Mr. Bailie being at
London) and kept him fifteen days with him; thereafter he went to
Houston, and stayed as long there, where the lady and her daughter
shewed more love and kindness than can be expressed, and that not only
for the care he had of her son, but also for the rare gifts and graces
God had bestowed on him. His father having sent for them he returned
home.----The first night on his journey, he was with Ralston, and the
laird of Ducathall, being