especially at communions in Lanerk,
Irvine, Newmills, Kinniel, &c. He was also sometimes invited to preach
at the Shots; in that place, he says, he used to find more liberty in
preaching than elsewhere; yea, the only day in all his life wherein he
found most of the presence of God in preaching, he observes, was on a
monday after a communion at the kirk of Shots, June 21, 1630. The night
before he had been with some Christians, who spent the night in prayer
and conference; on the morning there came such a misgiving of spirit
upon him, in considering his own unworthiness and weakness, and the
expectation of the people, that he was consulting to have stolen away
somewhere, and declined that day's work; but thinking he could not so
distrust God, he went to sermon, where he got remarkable assistance in
speaking about one hour and a half from Ezekiel xxxvi. 25, 26. _Then
will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean, from all
your filthiness_, &c. Here he was led out in such a melting strain,
that, by the down-pouring of the Spirit from on high, a most discernible
change was wrought upon about 500 of the hearers, who could either date
their conversion or some remarkable confirmation from that day
forward[148]. Some little of that stamp, he says, remained on him the
Thursday after, when he preached at Kilmarnock; but on the Monday
following, preaching at Irvine, he was so deserted, that what he had
meditated upon, wrote, and kept fully in memory, he could not get
pronounced; which so discouraged him, that he was resolved not to preach
for some time, at least in Irvine, but Mr. Dickson would not suffer him
to go from thence, till he preached next sabbath, which he did with some
freedom.

This summer, being in Irvine, he got letters from viscount Clanniboy to
come to Ireland, in reference to a call to Killinchie; and, seeing no
appearance of entering into the ministry in Scotland, he went thither,
and got an unanimous call from that parish. Here he laboured with the
utmost assiduity among that people, who were both rude and profane
before that, and they became the most experienced Christians in that
country. But he was not above a year here until the bishop of Down
suspended him and Mr. Blair for non-conformity. They remained deposed
until May 1632. when, by the intercession of lord Castle-Stuart, a
warrant was granted them from the king to be restored.

After this he was married to the eldest daughter of Bartholo