SHORT ACCOUNT
SOME   EMINENT   PERSONS
OF
THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

I. Of Ms. Hugh Kennedy.

            Hugh Kennedy, though he was no Minister, yet he was an eminent instrument of promoting the Gospel in the place where he lived. He was Provost of Ayr. Once when the merchant ships which belonged to that town were at sea, amongst whom was his son John, he went early one morning, before break of day, to the house of his familiar friend John Steward, desiring him to rise and go with him to a private room; whereat he was exceedingly aston­ished: But whilst he delayed, he said to him,’ It is no time to linger; let us go pray; for my son, with the rest of our friends now at sea, are at this very time upon the nick of perishing:' And after he had spent some time in prayer, he arose cheerfully, and said,’ Now they are safe.' John Steward, who had written this down, with the day and hour, at the return of the ship particularly inquired, and found that it exactly answered all circumstances; and that in that very hour they were in appearance past hope of safety, and, by an extraordinary Providence, deli­vered.

            One day, being for many hours alone in prayer, he came forth with an unusual cheerfulness; and his friends inquir­ing the  reason, he said,’ It was no wonder, for he had that day obtained mercy of God  for himself and all his:' Which also came to pass, for there was not one of his chil­dren, but was eminently holy.    Whilst he was dying, a Minister said,’ You have cause, Sir, to be assured that the angels are waiting to convey your soul into Abraham's bosom.'    He answered,’ I am sure   thereof;   and if the walls of this house would speak, they could tell how many sweet days I have had in secret communion with Gob, and how familiarly He has dealt with my soul.           

            The morning before God took him, having (as he used) eaten an egg,, he said to his daughter,’ 1 am yet hungry, bring me another egg;' but presently after falling into a deep meditation,   after he had mused a  while, he  said,’ Hold,   daughter,   hold; my Master calls me.'  Where­upon he called for a Bible, but finding his sight gone, he said,’ Turn me to the eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, and set my finger at these words, " I am persuad­ed that neither  death nor life  shall separate me from the love of GOD, which is in CHRIST JESUS, my Lord."   Now (said he) is my finger upon them?' And when they told him it was, without speaking any more,  he said,’ Now God be with you, my  children; 1 have breakfasted with you, and shall sup with my Lord JESUS CHRIST this night.' And so he gave up the Ghost.

II. Of Mr. Patrick Simpson.

            Mr. Patrick Simpson was some time Minister at Cramond, and afterwards translated to Stirling. In his youth he attained to great exactness in the languages, and read many authors; and being told by some, that they won­dered why he spent so much time in reading Pagan authors, he   answered, ‘ That he purposed to dedicate all these  jewels, which he borrowed from the Egyptians, towards the  building the House of God.'

            His life was most exemplary for piety, and faithfulness in the service of his Master, which preached no less in that part of the country where he lived, than did his doctrine. His wife, a gracious woman, and the wife of his youth, with whom he lived in great love, fell sick, which proved her last sickness.    In her weakness she was sorely assaulted by SATAN, who suggested to her, that she should be given over into his hands, and it ended in a visible distraction," which for a time grew upon her: So that, most unlike her former practice, she wouid break forth into dreadful and horrid expressions, and were most violent on a Sabbath morning, when Mr. Simpson was going to preach; where­upon, with a heavy countenance, he stood silent for a time,  and at last kneeled down and prayed: After which, turning to the company, he said,’ He was sure that they who were now witnesses, should yet see a gracious change, and that the Devil's malice against that poor woman should have a shameful foil.'

            Her distraction continued till Tuesday, August 9, which morning, at the very dawning of it, he went into his garden and shut the door, where, for many hours, he was alone; but a godly woman, one Helen Gakner, wife to one of the Bailiffs of Stirling, who had been with his wife all night, apprehending that Mr. Simpson might much hurt himself by grief and fasting, did climb over into the gar­den.    As she came near the place where Me. Simpson was, she was terrified with an extraordinary noise, which made her fall to the ground.    It seemed to her like a mighty rushing of multitudes running together, and withal she heard such a melodious sound, as made her judge that it was more than human: Whereupon she prayed to God to pardon her rashness, which her affection to that man of God had carried her to.    Afterwards, going forwards, she found him lying upon the ground.    She earnestly entreated him to tell her what he had from God.     He (when she had promised not to reveal it so long as he lived) said, «O what am I, that the holy ministering spirit should be sent by' the Lord to deliver a message to me!' And he told her, that he had a vision of angels, who with an audible voice gave him an answer from the LORD concerning-his wife's condition. Returning into his house, he said to all that were present, ’Be of good comfort, for before ten hours be past, this brand shall be plucked out of the fire.' After, he prayed by his wife's bedside, and whilst he was mentioning JACOB'S wrestling in prayer, she sat upright in the bed, and casting by the curtain, said,’ You art this day JACOB, who have wrestled, and also prevailed: And now Go]) has made good his word which he spoke this morning to you, for I am plucked out of the hands of SATAN, and he shall have no more power over me.' This interruption made him silent for a time; but afterwards, with great melting of heart, he proceeded in prayer, and magnified the riches of God's love towards her: And from that hour she spoke most Christianly and comfortably even to her death. MR. SIMPSON lived till March, 1618.

III. Of Mr. ANDREW STEWARD.

            THERE was in Ireland an exercise held, whereunto a great multitude assembled, and while MR. ANDREW STEWARD, Minister of Dunagor, was feeding his flock in a large place, (for the numerousness of the hearers imposed a necessity upon him to preach in the field,) an horrid black cloud hung directly over their heads, which, to all present, threatened a strange pouring down of rain; yea, some drops began to fall: But MR. STEWARD, being much enlarged in his own spirit, craved their patience whilst he retired a little to pray. Whilst he was praying, it was observed that the cloud removed about half a mile off to the southward, and there fell so mighty a rain as caused the brooks so to swell, that some who came later than the rest, could not get over; but where they were assembled there fell not a drop, so that he had. an opportunity to proceed to the close, to the great benefit of the hearers.

            In the year 1634, MR. STEWARD being invited to the funeral of that man of GOD, MR. JOSIAH WELCH, stood silent for a time at the grave as a serious observer of that sad dispensation. Some that stood by said,’ Got, knows who will be next;' and when none answered, he said,’I do know;' and so turning away, he went home to Dunagor, and entering into the Church, bolted the door to him, where he continued about two hours, and then going home to his house, fell ill, and was buried that day month.

            When his wife came home, whom he had left with MR. WELCH'S widow, she asked him what he had been doing? He answered,’ I have been taking my leave of the Church of Dunagor, and I was there calling the stones and timber to witness, that in my short time I had labored to be faithful; and that, according to my light, I have revealed the whole counsel of Go]) to the people:' After he had lain about fourteen days, an English Minister came to visit him, and said,’ I hope, Sir, you do not now repent that you have been faithful?' He answered,’ I am sorry for nothing but that I was too long before I began, (he meant his resisting for several years a call to the Ministry,) and I will tell you a strange thing: These last seven years there has not one day passed, without thoughts of death, and renewed submission to the will of God therein. Yea, this made me neglect my body, as if it had been mire in the street.'

            The night wherein he died, sundry Christians were with him, when, for a long time, he fell into a deep silence, which ended with heavy groanings. One desired to know what it was that troubled him, but he refused to tell Being much urged, he at length said,’ I tell you that my hair stands on end to foresee what is coming upon these lands:' And being farther pressed he said,’ The bloody wars of Germany cannot be balanced with the wars of these three kingdoms.'‘ What say you, Sir?' said one of the company. To whom he answered,’ The dead bodies of many thousands, who now despise the glorious Gospel, shall he unburied as dung upon the earth.'‘ What then,' said some,’ shall become of us and our posterity?' He lifted up his voice, and said,’ He that is for the sword, to the sword! He that is for captivity, to captivity! And he that is for famine, to famine! For GOD shall be avenged upon these lands!' And when one said’ Is there no remedy?' He cried thrice, ’No remedy, no remedy, no remedy!' and so held his peace. And a while after he said,’ The broken Covenant of Scotland must be renewed; the formality of Ireland must be purged; the prodigality of England removed; and the sons of SAUL must be hung up before the sun:' Of which last words none knew the meaning.

Some of his own parish being present, asked what he would say to them; to whom he replied,’ Woe to thee, Dunagor, for the nettles and the long grass shall be in greater plenty in thee, than ever were people to hear the word of God. And three years together after the late rebellion, this was fully accomplished.

            Some asked him if he would have his children come to him? He answered,’ No, he had done with them.' And when they mentioned one of his daughters to him, he desired them to forbear, saying, She shall see glorious days after all this.' Then having taken his wife by the hand, who had laid-in but four days, and now crept out of her bed to give and take a long farewell,) he said,’ You have in faithfulness suffered many things with me in my pilgrim-age, and now wherewith shall I comfort thee, my love? [He left her with four' children, under much debt.] A Father to the fatherless, and a Judge to the widow, is GOD in his holy habitation. As Got) is Gem, you shall never want, nor none of thine; but in all the sad days that are coming, you shall be a wonder of mercy in every place whither you are carried, and not a hair of your heads shall fall to the ground.' This was fully accomplished, to the conviction and edification of many which saw it.

IV. Of Mr. DAVIDSON.

            Mr. DAVIDSON, Minister of the Gospel at Salt-Preston, had an extraordinary prophetic spirit, and was eminently zealous and faithful. Whilst he was Minister at Salt-Preston, the building of the Church was much desired by him, which also he much advanced out of his own private interest. The LORD NEWBATTLE (who had great autho­rity in that parish) promising to promote it, from which yet he drew back, so that the work ceased whereupon MR. DAVIDSON said to him,’ These walls that were begun to be built shall stand as a witness against you, that ere long GOD shall root you out, and your estate out of this parish, so that you shall not have a piece of land in the same.' This, shortly after, had a visible accomplishment.

            In an Assembly of the Church, MR. JOHN SPOTSWOOD and Mr. LAW had a process put in against them for some gross misdemeanors, where Mr. DAVIDSON, finding a readi­ness in the Assembly to acquit them, by reason of their good parts, he did with earnestness press their deposition; but being crossed therein, he said,’ You will needs spare these two men; the time is coming wherein they will tram­ple upon your necks:' Which had, shortly after, its accom­plishment.

Being at dinner with Mr. BRUCE, who was then in great' favor with the King, in returning thanks after meat, and had this expression:’ LORD, thy servant here is a great favorite at Court, and had in much respect; but he shall, ere long, be as much persecuted as he is now favored, and shall go down the streets when many who now esteem him greatly, will not vouchsafe to give him a salutation;' which afterwards came to pass.

            At another time, MR. ROBERT BRUCE and he dining together at the house of a magistrate at Edinburgh, whilst he was giving thanks, he said,’ LORD, this good man for thy sake has respect to thy servants; but he little knows that within a short time he must carry us two to prison

Which words did much trouble that honest magistrate; but afterward it came exactly to pass.

            A gentleman nearly related to a great family in that parish where MR. DAVIDSON was Minister, a violent hater of piety, did upon that account beat a poor honest man that lived there, having not the least shadow of provoca­tion; and among many sore strokes, he gave him one upon the back, using these words,' Takethisfor MR. DAVIDSON's sake:' After which, this honest man was forced for a time to keep his bed, complaining most of the stroke upon his back. The Sabbath following, in the close of his sermons, MR. DAVIDSON, speaking about the oppression of the godly, did particularly instance in that late insolence: And then added,’ He who has done this, before a few days be past, GOD shall give him such a stroke, as all the monarchs in the earth cannot do;' and the Saturday following, as this gentleman stood before his door, he was stricken dead with a thunderbolt, and had all his bones broken.

            This MR. DAVIDSON, not long before his death, occa­sionally meeting with MR. JOHN KEIt, a young gentleman who was lately come out of France, and had then no thoughts of entering into the Ministry, and was in a very courtly dress, MR. DAVIDSON solemnly charged him to put off his scarlet cloak and his gilt sword,’ For you are the man (said he) who must succeed me in-the Ministry at this place: This much astonished the gentleman for the pre­sent; yet did he obey, and immediately succeeded him.

V. Of MR. ROBERT BRUCE.

            WHILST MR. ROBERT BRUCE was Minister at Edinburgh, he shone as a great light through the whole laad: The power and efficacy of GOD'S, SPIRIT most sensibly accompa­nying the word which he preached. He was a terror to evil-doers, and the authority of GOD did so appear upon him, with such a majesty in his countenance, as forced fear and reverence from the greatest of the land. Yea, his car­riage had such an awful impression upon King JAMES him­self, that before many, he gave this testimony of him,’ That MR. BRUCE was worthy of half his kingdom.'

            He was a man that had much inward trouble about his own spiritual condition, and had been oft tempted by SATAN to question that fundamental truth, whether there was a GOD? This cost him many days and nights wrest­ling before he could clear it up to his own soul, which occasioned him,.when he came into the pulpit, after a short silence (which was his usual way) to say,’ I think it is a great matter to believe that there is a GOD: ’It was known to his friends, what extraordinary confirmation he had hereof from the LORD; what familiarity be attained in his secret converses with. GOD.

            The great success of his Ministry at Edinburgh, Inver­ness, and other places whither Providence called him, is known to many. Whilst he was confined at Inverness, that poor dark country was marvelously enlightened by him, and many were brought home to CHRIST by his Ministry, and a seed was sown, which was not worn out for many years.

            MR. BRUCE had the spirit of discerning in a great mea­sure, and did foretel many things: Divers distracted per­sons, and others who were past hope of recovery by sickness, were brought to him, who by his prayers were fully reco­vered. He was a great wrestler with GOD, and had more than ordinary familiarity with Him.

            A little before his death, when through weakness he kept his chamber, there was a meeting of Ministers, who hearing that he was in town, came to him, and gave him an account of those times: MR. BRUCE went to prayer, and therein spread before the LORD the substance of their discourse; there was such an extraordinary motion upon all present, and so sensible a pouring down of the SPIRIT, that they could hardly contain themselves; yea, there was an universal motion upon others who were in other parts of the house, though they knew not the cause of it: And MR. WEEM’s of Lothaker, being occasionally present, at his going away said,’ How strange a man is this;. for he draws down the SPIRIT of GOD upon us all, by knocking his fingers upon the table;' which indeed he many times did.

VI. Of MR. ROBERT BLAIR.

            MR. ROBERT BLAIR in his younger days out-ran many others in his studies. When he first began to preach, by a remarkable Providence, he had MR. BRUCE to his hearer; and indeed, he was desirous to have the judgment of so great a man, to whom MR. BRUCE said,’ I found your sermon very well- olished, and digested; but there is one thing that I missed in it, namely, the SPIRIT of GOD, that I found not.' This made a great impression upon MR. BLAIR, and did him much good all his life after. For divers years he was a Regent in the College of Glasgow, where he made it his work to train up those under his charge in the study of godliness, as well as human learning.

            When he was put from the College, he went to his brother Minister at Dumbarton, to whom he confessed, that by the way, be could not but sing for joy in the remembrance of GOD'S helping him to be instrumental for the good of the young men committed to his charge. Afterwards he went into Ireland, having a call to Bangor, and upon the sight of land, his heart leaped in him for joy, so that he was scarce able to bear it. When he came near Bangor, he had a strong impression that the Dean of Bangor was sick unto death, which at first he rejected as an impertinent sugges­tion; but going forward, it was with such power impressed upon his spirit, as forced him to take notice of it. When he came thither he found indeed that the Dean was sick, and though he had been an ill man, yet he made MR. BLAIR very welcome, and encouraged him to hold on in his way, and told him that he was to succeed him in that charge Yea, he spoke in a strain so different from what was his usual manner, that a gentlewoman, standing by, - said to some others, that an angel spoke out of the Dean's bed to MR. BLAIR, thinking that it could not proceed from such a man.

            After some time MR. BLAIR with some of his worthy brethren, were silenced by Bishop ECKLIN, who in the Church of Bangor himself pronounced the sentence; where­upon' MR. BLAIR rose up publicly in the congregation, and with great authority cited the Bishop to appear before the Tribunal of CHRIST, to answer for what he was doing con­trary to the light of his own conscience; whereupon the Bishop was so astonished that he cried out,’ I appeal from the Tribunal of GOD’s Justice to the Throne of his Mercy:' To whom MR. BLAIR replied, I Sir, your appeal is rejected For you know that what you are -doing is directly against your conscience: Which has made you to bear witness to us as the servants of JESUS CHRIST.' A few months after, the Bishop fell sick; the Physicians inquiring of him what was the cause, he could only say,’ My conscience,' and died.

            MR. BLAIR was by his brethren sent into England to - petition the King for their liberty: And as he was upon the way, he was taken with an extreme fit of the stone, which made him he upon his horse's neck, not being able to sit upright. This much troubled him, being a hinderance to him in so important a business: Hereupon he applied him­self to GOD in prayer, and immediately after trying if pos­sibly he could lift. up his back, he found his pain quite gone, and had perfect ease; nor did it return upon him for two years after.

            A few days after in the same journey, his horse fell very lame, which much troubled him, having no opportunity to provide himself with another: And hereupon also he made his addresses to God by prayer, which the LORD graciously inclined his ear to, so that his horse was (to his amazement) perfectly cured, and without halting at all carried him to London.

            When he came to London, he endeavored what he could, but could not get access to the King: Yea, some that were his friends at Court, assured him that he - could have no hope to speed therein, yet he resolved not to give over, but to cast the business upon the LORD; for whose service only he was importuning for an open door. One day going to Greenwich, where the Court then was, and - being weary of waiting without success, he retired into the park to pray, and after much wrestling with the LORD, he had so clear a return that he could not but be assured his way should be successful: Yet, the appearance thereof being so -unlikely, he, in a humble manner, begged a sign of the LORD; immediately after the wind blowing hard, so great a calm suddenly followed, that not the least plant did move or stir. Thence he went back to London, and within a few days had his petition presented to the King, who ac­cepted of it, and in St. James's Park called for him, and with his own hand did not only sign it, but wrote in the margin these words, directed to the Lord Deputy of Ireland,’Indulge the education of these Ministers; for they are Scotchmen.'

            Whilst he was in England he had a discovery concerning the death of his wife, and of her lying in such a bed, and of a Christian friend being by her, who was his particular acquaintance: When he came home he found his wife well, but a little after she fell sick, and died in the same bed, with that friend sitting by her, and with all other particular circumstances.

VII. Of MR. JOHN WELSH.

            MR. JOHN WELSH was not long since Minister of Kir­cudbright, and afterwards translated to the Church of Ayr, whom MR. RUTHERFORD calls, an heavenly, pro­phetical, and apostolic man, assuring us, that of each twenty-four hours, he spent eight in prayer: Yea, he spent many days and nights in fasting and prayer for the afflicted condition of the church, and for the sufferings of the Reformed churches abroad. It was his usual manner in the coldest Winter nights to rise for prayer; and oft-times his. wife has risen to seek him, and found him lying on the ground weeping, and wrestling with the LORD: And he would be much of the night in the Church of Ayr upon that account. One time especially she found him overcharged with sorrow, whereupon he told her, That he had that to press him, which she had not, namely, the charge of three thousand souls which he, must answer fcr, whilst he knew not how it was with many of them. And at another time, when she found him alone, his spirit was overwhelmed with anguish and grief, and when she asked him the reason of it? He answered, That the times that were-coming upon Scotland for the contempt of the Gospel, would be very heavy, but she should not live to see them.

            Whilst he was a prisoner in Blackness he wrote to a Christian lady, That JESUS CHRIST is a King, and has a visible kingdom in the world, even his church, which is as free to keep its Courts, and to exert discipline, by virtue of an intrinsic power from CHRIST, as any kingdom on the earth: And in the close of his letter, he foretold that judgment was coming upon. Scotland, first by an intestine sword, and then by the sword of a stranger,' and that there should be a great slaughter, both of great men and mean; which many lived to see.

            JOHN STEWARD, of Ayr, coming to visit him in prison, found him in a• more than ordinary way troubled, and inquiring of him what was the reason of it? He said, ’JOHN, you should not be here, go home to Ayr, for the plague of GOD is broken in upon that place, and cause HUGH KENNEDY to convene the people in the streets, and pray together, and the Lord shall hear HUGH KENNEDY, and remove that stroke.' This at first astonished JOHN, and made him question the truth hereof; but at his return he found it in every thing as this man of GOD had foretold.

            The King changing the sentence of death into banishment, he went over into France, where, in a short -time, he learned the French language Mr. TROCHRIG, in his Comment upon the Ephesians, relates, that being called to preach at Salmurz, before one of the most learned audi­tories in all France, he performed it with such boldness and authority; as though he had been before a mean congrega­tion. TROCHRIG being astonished at it, asked him whence he had that confidence in preaching before such a judicious congregation in a strange tongue? To which he answered, in an humble and modest manner, as one rather dejected than elated, that when he considered his being before the Lord, and that he was delivering his message, he could not regard the persons, either of the great or mean.'

            Whilst he was Minister at St. John de Angeli, a Pro­testant town in France, where his Ministry was blessed with great success, the Civil Wars breaking out, that city was besieged by the Popish party. The town being ready to be taken, the enemies having raised a battery, and made a considerable breach in the wall, MR. WELSH, being informed hereof, (who had much encouraged the citizens by telling them that their enemies should not prevail against them,) went himself with the cannonier up to the walls, and desired him to charge such a piece of cannon, and shoot, for GOD would direct that shot and cause it to prosper, which accordingly was done, and to the astonishment of the spectators, it dismounted the enemy's cannon from that battery, and the Lord was pleased so to order things after­wards, that the King agreed with the citizens upon good terms.

            The Sabbath following, some of that place, fearing MR. WELSH'S danger, did seriously desire he would not preach that day, for that the Court was there; but by no entreaty would he be hindered from the discharge of his duty, telling them, that he would adventure to preach GOD’s word, and trust the Lord with what concerned himself. He had that day a very great auditory, both of friends and others, who came upon the fame of such a man's preaching; but whilst he was in his sermon, a great man of the Court was sent with some of the King's own guard, to bring him presently before the King. Whilst he was entering the Church, with some difficulty, by reason of the crowd, MR. WELSH turning himself towards the door, desired the people to make Yay for one of the great Peers of France And when he was come near the pulpit to execute his com­mission, MR. WELSH with great authority spoke to him, and in the name of his Master, JESUS CHRIST, charged him that he should not disturb the worship of GOD; wherewith the nobleman was so affrighted, that he fell a trembling, yea, was forced to crouch down, and make no farther dis­turbance.

            The sermon being ended, MR. WELSH, with great sub­mission went to the King, who was much incensed, and with a frowning countenance, asked who he was, and how he durst be so bold as to preach heresy so near his person? To which, with due reverence bowing himself, he answered,’ I am, Sir, a servant and Minister of JESUS CHRIST, whose truth I preached this day; which if your Majesty did rightly know, you would have come to it yourself, and heard it: And for my doctrine, I did this day preach,

            ‘First, That man, by nature, is in a lost condition; and that, by his own power, he is not able to help himself.

            ' Secondly, That there is no salvation, by our own merits; but by JESUS CHRIST, and his merit alone.

            ‘Thirdly, I preached this day the just liberties of the kingdom of France; that your Majesty oweth obedience to CHRIST only, who is Head of the Church: And that the Pope, as he is, an enemy to CHRIST and his truth, so also to the Kings of the earth, whom he keepeth under slavery to his usurped power.' The King, for a time, being silent and astonished, turned to some about him and said,’ Surely this is a man of GOD: After he communed with him, and, dismissed him with great respect.

            The year following, the differences continuing between the King and Protestants, that city was again besieged, taken, and in part plundered, as MR. WELSH did publicly foretell. At which time the King passed a solemn order, that none should in the least wrong Ma. WELSH, or any­thing that belonged to him under the highest penalties, and afterwards he gave him a safe-conduct to transport himself into England, where he died: I?ing JAMES refusing to give him leave to return into his own, country, though he was earnestly petitioned by his wife to grant that favor to her husband for his health's sake. During his sickness he was so filled and overcome with the enjoyment of GOD, that he was sometimes overheard in prayer to use these words,’ LORD, hold thy hand; it is enough: Thy servant is a clay vessel, and can hold no more.'

            Whilst he was Minister at Ayr, there came two men with packs of does to the town's end from a neighbor town, in a time when a plague was in some places of the country, yet the town whence they came was not at all suspected to be infected. The sentry at the bridge stopped them till the Magistrate came, and though he could not disallow their pass, yet would not the Magistrate suffer them to come in, till he had sent for MR. WELSH. A little after, Mx. WELSH Coming, the Magistrate said to him,’ Sir, here are men come from such a place. We have heard of no plague there; besides they have a pass from known men. What would you advise us to do?' Ma. WELSH answered,’ Nothing for the present;' but uncovering his head in the midst of the company that followed him, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, (yet without speaking,) near half a quarter of an hour, at last he said,’ BAILIE, cause these men to be gone; for if GOD be in heaven, the plague is in these packs.' The men going away, opened their packs at Cum­nock, which so infected the town, that all the inhabitants died, not one being left to bury the dead.

One night, being under an extraordinary pressure of spirit to go and pour forth his soul unto GOD, he left his wife in bed, and going out into a garden, spent most of the night in prayer and praise. His wife, missing him so long, at length went to seek him; and not finding him in his ordinary place, she went into other gardens by such passages as she knew. At last she heard a voice, and drawing near, she heard him speak these words with great fervency, accompanied with a flood of tears,’ O God! wilt you not give me Scotland? O,OD! wilt you not give me Scot­land?' She being afraid to interrupt him, went home and heard not the close. At length he came home, and going to bed, his wife mildly reproved him for his unmercifulness to himself. Then she asked him what it was that he was saying? for she told him she heard him.’ Well, (said he,) you had better have been in your bed. I tell you I have endured a great fight for Scotland this night; and hardly could I prevail that a remnant should be reserved. Yet GOD will be gracious.'

            Afterwards he arose another night, (as his frequent manner was,) but went not out into the garden, but into another chamber, where he so labored and groaned, that his wife, hearing him, went several times to draw him to bed; but he stayed his time and then returned. His wife, with a modest expostulation, blamed him for tarrying so long:’ Hold thy peace,' said he,’ it will be well with us; but I shall never preach another sermon in Ayr.' Then falling asleep, before he awaked a messenger came who was sent to carry him prisoner to Edinburgh Castle.

            Whilst he was prisoner there, the Lord UCHILTRY was Governor of the Castle, whose sister was Ma. WELSH'S mother-in-law. He caused Mr. WELSH to sup with him one night at his own table, where also were several other gentlemen, and among them a Popish youth. Mr. WELSH labored to entertain the company with edifying discourse, which all attended to, save this young Papist, who, with laughter and derision, sought to silence him. After supper, the guests sitting still, this youth stood up at the lower end of the table, and whilst MR. WELSH proceeded to gracious

discourses, the youth grew to that insolency as with his finger to point at him, and to make wry mouths at him, whereby he so grieved that holy man, that on a sudden he was forced to silence.

            The whole company, that were much delighted with his discourses, were silent also; but a while after, Mr. WELSH brake forth into these words:’ Gentlemen, the SPIRIT Of God is provoked against us, and I shall entreat you not to be afraid to see what God will do amongst you before you rise from the table; for he will strike some of you with death before you go hence." All were astonished, waiting with fear to see the issue; and while all men feared them­selves, except this insolent youth, he fell down dead among them.

            One day, as MR. WELSH looked out of his window in the Castle, he saw the Governor, to whom he said,’ GOD save you, my Lord.' The _Governor asked him how he did, and wherein he might serve him?’ In nothing,' said MR. WELSH,’ except you would carry a petition to his Majesty for my liberty to preach the Gospel.'‘ I willingly will,' said the Governor,’ therefore send it to me.'‘ Nay,' said Mr. WELSH,’ I am your kinsman, and love you so well as to warn you not to undertake it, except you resolve to deal truly in. delivering it, and in getting me an answer.'

            I will bear the blame,' said. the Governor,’ if I do it not.' So he undertook it; but when he came to the King, finding him in a great passion upon some other occasion, he judged it not meet at that time, to present it; and afterwards neg­lected, and at last quite forgot it, for which his heart smiting him, he durst hardly be seen of MR. WELSH for three months after. Yet at length he came to the same place where MR. WELSH at first called to him Mr. WELSH asked him how he did, and what was become of his petition? The Governor being surprised, answered,’ I delivered it to his Majesty; but he being in a passion, it seems that it was,

neglected.'‘ Nay, my Lord,' said MR. WELSH, you should not he to GOD and me: I know that you delivered it not; and I am sorry, my Lord, for your lot. I warned you not to be false to GOD; and now I tell you, GOD shall take your estate and honors in Scotland from you, and give then to your neighbor: This much troubled the Lord UCHILTRY, but so it came to pass; for he was forced to quit all, and to give both his estate and honors to JAMES, the- son of Captain JAMES, the second brother, who was the last of that house.