CHAPTER III.

Of his removal to St. Andrews.

1.THE place of professor of divinity in the university of St. Andrews being vacant, her Majesty’s patent was procured for him: upon which he made the following reflection: “This seems to be of the Lord, for it was without so much as a thought in me; yet were all obstructions removed, all attempts for others crossed, and my spirit so held that I durst not oppose it, but was obliged to submit to the desires of those who were the most competent judges.”

2. Accordingly, April 26, 1710, he was by the principal of the college admitted into his professorship. But he enjoyed little health in that office: for in the beginning of April, 1711, he was suddenly seized with a violent pleurisy, which obliged his physicians to take from him a large quantity of blood; and although he was relieved from the disease, he never recovered his strength, by reason of the indisposition of his stomach, and frequent vomitings. Hereupon ensued, ♦in the following winter, a coldness, swelling and stiffness in his legs, with frequent and very painful cramps. But besides his bodily illness, the grievances of the church did not a little add to his trouble: especially the imposing the oath of abjuration upon ministers, which he feared might have fatal effects, from the difference of their sentiments, concerning the lawfulness of it. His advice upon it was, that after all due information, every one should act according to the light he had. But what he most of all inculcated was, that their differing about the meaning of an expression therein, gave no just ground for any alienation of affection, much less for separation, either amongst ministers or people.

The End of the Tenth Volume.