erency it hath with his other writings, or if Mr.
Linning had any hand therein, is not my province to determine at
present. There are also three pocket volumes of his journals yet in
manuscript, which were, among other valuable papers, redeemed from
destruction after Mr. Linning's death.

_The Life of Mr. JOHN DICKSON._

Mr. John Dickson born of creditable parents (as some say, related to Mr.
David Dickson) was sent to the grammar-school, and from thence to the
university; where, after he had gone through his courses of learning, he
studied divinity, and then passed his trials for the ministry; and,
being found duly qualified for that office, he was licensed. And, some
time before the restoration, was ordained and settled minister at
Rutherglen, where he continued for some time a most faithful, diligent
and painful preacher of the gospel.

But very soon after the restoration of Charles II. (prelacy beginning to
advance in Scotland) he was, upon the 13th of October 1660. brought
before the committee of estates, and by them imprisoned in the tolbooth
of Edinburgh, information having been given in against him by Sir James
Hamilton of Elistoun[250], and some of his parishioners, of some
expressions he had used in a sermon alledged to reflect upon the
government and the committee of estates, tending to sedition and
division. For which he was kept in prison till the parliament sat down,
and his church vacated; and though he got out at this time, yet he was
exposed to much trouble and suffering afterwards, as now comes to be
observed.

After this, Mr. Dickson was obliged to wander from place to place with
the rest of those who could not in conscience comply with the current of
defection and apostacy at that time, preaching to such as employed him;
wherein he ceased not, in shewing the sinfulness of bonding, cess
paying, and of the indulgence, and likewise wrote a faithful warning to
the shire of Fife against the same, shewing in the most affecting and
striking manner the hazard and evil of such compliance[251].

In 1670. we find he preached at Glenvail, and in June that year he and
Mr. Blackadder preached to a numerous congregation at Beeth-hill in
Dunfermline parish in Fife. While they were at public worship upon the
Lord's day, a lieutenant of militia in that place came up on horseback
to the people, and made a great deal of disturbance, threatening to
fright and if possible to scatter them; whereupon one more c