He studied at Glasgow university, and afterwards at the divinity hall of the Burgher branch of the Secession church at Selkirk, under George Lawson.
To him chiefly is due the abandonment of the principle of interpretation according to the analogy of faith, which practically subordinated the Bible to the creed.
He had a considerable share in the Apocrypha controversy; and he was throughout life a vigorous and consistent upholder of anti-state-church or voluntary views.
His two sermons on The Law of Christ respecting civil obedience, especially in the payment of tribute, called forth by this grievance and the controversy it engendered, were later published with extensive additions and notes.
[2] From that time he enjoyed the thorough confidence of his denomination (after 1847 merged in the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland), of which in his later years he was generally regarded as the leading representative.