In 1622 he was presented by his grandfather, Sir David Murray, 1st Viscount Stormont, to the church of Abdie, to which he was admitted on 1 October.
At a meeting of the assembly of the kirk in the same year, he, although not a member, tried to modify the attitude of the extremists towards the king's proposals.
The high commissioner, the Marquis of Hamilton, reported this to the king, and on 17 November 1641 Murray was created a peer by the title of Lord Balvaird.
[1] As a peer, Balvaird attended a meeting of the convention of estates, but on 10 August 1643 it was decided by the assembly of the kirk that he should keep his ministry, and give up speaking in parliament.
[1] Twenty years later, Murray's son, Andrew, built Murrayshall House.