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After he had learned to read the Bible, when about six years old, the Lord gave, him some sproutings of gracious preparations, training him in his way, exercising him with doubts and debates about childish apprehension, as to the Maker of all things, how all things were made, and for what end; and with strange suppositions of so many invisible worlds, above and beneath, with which he was transported into a train of musing, and continued in this exercise for about the space of two years, until he, by prayer and meditation on the history of the creation, came to a thorough belief that God made all things, and that all which he made was very good. And yet, after he came to more maturity, he relapsed into a deeper labyrinth of darkness about these foundation truths, and was so assulted with temptations of atheism, that being in the fields, and looking to the mountains, he said, “If these were all devouring furnaces of burning brimstone, he would be content to go through them all, if so be he could be assured there was a God.” Out of this, however, he emerged, through grace, into the sweet serenity of a settled persuasion of the being of a God, and of his interest in him.
From his younger years, he made much conscience of obeying his parents, whose order (if they had spoken of putting him to any trade) he would no way decline; yet his inclination was constant for his book, until Providence propitiously furnished him with means of greater proficiency at Edinburgh, by many, who were so enamoured of his hopeful disposition, that they earnestly promoted his education. When he was ready for the university, they encouraged him tin attending gentlemen’s sons, for the improvement both of their studies and his own; which association of youths, as it is usually accompanied with various temptations to youthful vanity, so it enticed him, with some others, to spend too much of his time in gaming and recreations. It was then, for no other part of his time can be instanced, that some who knew him
