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amends of the devil: and ſo I ſtayed and preached with ſome tolerable freedom.
By reaſon of this going from place to place, in ſummer time, I got acquaintance with many of the godly and able miniſters and profeſſors of Scotland; which proved to me a great advantage. The miniſters chiefly were, Meſſrs. Robert Bruce, who had been miniſter in Edinburgh, John Scrimgeour, who had been at Kinghorn, John Chalmers of Auchterdean, John Dykes of Anſtruther, William Scot of Cowper, Alexander Henderſon of Leuchars, John Row of Carnock, John Ker of Preſtonpans, James Creg of News-milns, John Ferguſhil of Ochiltree, Robert Scot of Glaſgow, James Ingles of Dalzel, and ſome others; and of profeſſors, William Rigg of Athernie, the lairds of Halhill, Croſshill, Cunningham-head, Ceſſnock , and Rowaller, John Stuart provost of Air, William Roger merchant there, John Mein merchant in Edinburgh, John Hamilton apothecary there, James Murray writer there, the counteſſes of Eglintoun, and Lowdon, the ladies Boyd, Robertland, Culroſs her siſter, Monwhanny, Halhill, Raith, Innertail, and many others; the memory of whom is very precious and refreſhing, I got not much read, nor any ſettled ſtudy followed all that time; only ſome touches
here and there of ſundry both ancient and modern divines. Thoſe whereby I profited mod were the ſermons of Mr. Robert Rollock, Mr. Robert Bruce, Mr, Jo. Welſh, and Mr. David Dickſon, whom I thought of all that I had read, breathed moſt of the Spirit of God, were beſt affected, and moſt clear, plain and powerful; Several of Mr. Robert Rollock’s ſermons are in print; I got in loan from John Stuart in Air, a large book of ſermons of Mr. Welſh's, in which are almoſt nothing but unfolding of the inward exerciſe of a chriſtian. Mr. Robert Bruce I ſeveral times heard, and in my opinion never man ſpake with, greater power ſince the Apoſtles days; there are five or ſix of his ſermons printed; but the chief that I ſaw, were ſome written preachings of his which I got from my father: and Mr. David Dickſon I often heard, and borrowed from Croſshill,
several
