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respect among the rude people, he became their counsellor, and buried the bloody quarrels.

He preached once every day, laboured much, and his fruitfulness in converting souls was scarcely ever paralleled in Scotland.

Sometimes, before he went to sermon, he would send for his elders, and tell them he was afraid to go to the pulpit, because he found himself sore deserted. And would desire one or more of them to pray, and then would venture to the pulpit. But it was observed, this humbling exercise used ordinarily to be followed with a flame of extraordinary assistance.

He would many times retire to the church of Air, and pray through the whole night.

Mr. Welch married the daughter of the famous John Knox, and she lived with him from his youth till his death. They had three sons; the first was a doctor in medicine. The second was wrecked at sea, swam to a rock, where he was found dead in a praying posture.

His son, Mr. Josiah Welch, was a minister at Temple-Patrick, in the north of Ireland. He was one of that blessed society of ministers, who were instruments of that extraordinary work in the north of Ireland about the year 1629. But he himself was most sadly exercised with doubts about his own salvation, and would ordinarily say, "That minister was much to be pitied, who was called to comfort weak saints, and had no comfort himself." He died young.

The father, Mr. John Welch, continued at Air till he, and other ministers, were imprisoned by James VI.* because they refused to comply with his measures in church affairs.

In November, 1606, Mr. Welch went over into France, where, in a little time, by the Lord's blessing on his diligence, he was able to preach in the French language, and was speedily called to the ministry, first in one village, then in another; and afterwards was settled in St. Jean d'Angely, where he continued the rest of the time he sojourned in France, which was about sixteen years.

There were many times persons of great quality in his auditory, before whom he was just as bold as ever he had been in a Scots village, which moved Mr. Boyd of Troch-Rig, once to ask him (after he had preached before the university of Saumur, with

*In the year 1603, he became James I. of England.

such boldness and authority, as if he had been before the meanest congregation), how he could be so confident among strangers and persons of such quality. To whom he answered, that he was so filled with the dread of God, he had no apprehension from man at all.

The popish Friar.

While Mr. Welch was minister in one of these French villages, upon an evening, a certain popish friar, travelling through the country, because he could not find lodging in the whole village, addrest himself to Mr. Welch's house for one night; the servants acquainted their master, and he was content to receive this guest. The family had supped before he came, and so the servants conveyed the friar to his chamber, and after they had made his supper, they left him to his rest. There

was but a timber partition betwixt him and Mr. Welsh; and after the friar had slept his first sleep, he was surprised at the hearing of a silent, but constant whispering noise, at which he wondered very much, and was not a little troubled with it.

The next morning, walking in the fields, he met a country man, who asked him where he had lodged. The friar said, 66 With the Huguenot minister."

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"What entertainment had you?" 'Very bad. I always held there were devils haunting these ministers' houses, and I am persuaded there was one with me this night; for I heard a continual whisper all the night over, which, I believe, was no other thing, than the minister and the devil conversing together."

"You are much mistaken. It was nothing else but the minister at his night prayers."

"O, does the minister pray

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Yes, more than any man in France. And if you please to

stay another night with him you may be satisfied."

The friar returning, intreated another night's lodging, which was granted. Before dinner, Mr. Welch came from his chamber, and made his family-exercise, according to his custom; first he sung a psalm, then read a portion of scripture, and discoursed upon it, thereafter he prayed with great fervor, (as his custom was): to all which, the friar was an astonished witness. After the exercise they went to dinner, where the friar was very civilly entertained; Mr. Welch forbearing all question and dispute for that time. When the evening came, Mr. Welch made his exercise as he had done in the morning, which occasioned yet more wondering in the friar, and after supper to bed they all went.

The friar longed much to know what the night whisper was, and in that he was soon satisfied; for after Mr. Welch's first sleep, the noise began, and then the friar resolved to be sure what it was, so he crept silently to Mr. Welch's chamber door, and there he heard not only the sound, but the words exactly, and communications betwixt God and man, such as he, knew not had been in the world.. Upon this, the next morning as soon as Mr. Welch was ready, the friar went to him, and told him, that he had been in ignorance, and lived in darkness all his time; but now he was resolved to adventure his soul with Mr. Welch, and thereupon declared himself Protestant. Mr. Welch welcomed him, and encouraged him, and he

continued a Protestant to his dy- ness, he was desired to remit someing day.

After Mr. Welch's flock was scattered in France, he obtained liberty to come to England, and his friends made hard suit that he might be permitted to return to Scotland, because the physicians declared there was no other way to preserve his life, but by the freedom he might have in his native air; but to this king James would never yield; so he languished in London a considerable time. Physicians said he had been poisoned. A languor he had, together with a great weakness in his knees, caused with his continual kneeling at prayer, by which it came to pass, that though he was able to move his knees, and to walk, yet he was wholly insensible in them, and the flesh became hard like a sort of horn. But when in the time of his weak

what of his excessive painfulness, his answer was, He had his life of God, and therefore it should be spent for him. His friends importuned king James very much that if he might not return into Scotland, at least he might have liberty to preach at London, which king James would not grant, till Mr. Welch was now grown weak; yet as soon as ever he heard he might preach, he at once embraced this liberty, and having access to a lecturer's pulpit, he went and preached both long and fervently, which was the last performance of his life; for after he had ended sermon, he returned to his chamber, and within two hours quietly and without pain, resigned his spirit into his Maker's hands, and was buried near Mr. Deering, after he had lived little more than fifty-two years.

CHAPTER 185.

J. Livingston.-John Row.-W. Aird.-J. M'cBirnie.-A. Simson.-R. Bruce. Mr. John Livingston, noted for having written memoirs of various ministers, was born at Monyabroch in Stirlingshire, June 21, 1603. His parents taught him the fear of the Lord; and he had the acquaintance and example of many gracious christians, who resorted to his father's house, especially at communion occasions, such as Mr. Robert Bruce and other godly ministers; the countess of Wigtoun, lady Lilias Graham, the lady Culross, the lady Bantone, and others. He himself says, "While I was in Stirling, Mr. Patrick Simpson was minister there, a learned man, godly, and very faithful in the cause of God. And in Glasgow, I heard Mr John Bell, a grave serious man, and Mr. Robert Scot, who also was once deposed for opposing the corruption of the times."

He had no inclination to the ministry; but passed his course at college, the bent of his mind being to study medicine; and his father purchased land in his name, on which he wished him to settle and to marry. But unwilling to give up study, and his mind being in straits, he set apart time for prayer; and he says,

"I thought it was made out unto me, that I behoved to preach Christ Jesus, which if I did not, I should have no assurance of salvation." He then laid aside the thoughts of medicine, and land, and engaged in the study of divinity.

He began to preach in January 1625; and got acquaintance with many who were eminently pious.

Noticing his improvements, he says, "Those whereby I profited most were the sermons of four men, Mr. Robert Rollock, Mr. Robert Bruce, Mr. John Welch, and Mr. David Dickson, who I thought of all that I had read, breathed most of the Spirit of God, were best affected, most clear, plain, and powerful."

In 1630, he was settled in the ministry at Killinchie, in Ireland, by the bishop of Down, to whom he had letters from several noblemen. And he says, "He (the bishop) told me he knew my errand, that I came to him because I had scruples about episcopacy and the ceremonies, according as Mr. Josiah Welch and others had done before; and that he thought that his old age was prolonged for little other purpose but to do such offices. But May 4, 1632, the bishop deposed him and three others; and proceeded against them for non-conformity.

He and William Wallace then went to London, purposing to pass over into New England; but were providentially hindered. At London he made a number of acquaintances; and was oft with Dr. Alexander Leighton, then prisoner in the fleet.

No way in the ministry being open, Mr. Livingston and others purposed for New England; but driven back by storms they gave up, and landed in Ireland. But, informed that officers were out to take him and Mr. Blair, they escaped to Scotland. Here he had constant work of preaching and private exercises.

July 5, 1638, he settled with his family at Stranrawer. And here he held a half-hour's service, in the church, every week-day morning. And he had opportunity of seeing some of his people happy on their death-beds.

In 1642, the people in the North of Ireland, being destitute of ministers, sent to the general assembly in Scotland to send some. The assembly sent some on visits; and in 1643, Mr. L. was there three months. And these visits were much blessed. After five or six years, godly ministers being settled in Ireland, these visits ceased.

In the year 1648, he was settled at Ancrum, where he was both diligent and successful; indeed his labours were much owned of the Lord.

In April, 1663, about two years after Charles II. was restored. he and other banished ministers retired to Holland. And in 1672 he died.

Mr. John Row, minister of St. Johnston. It is said, he was an Italian sent by the pope to hinder the reformation in Scotland; but being converted to the Lord, he became a preacher.

Mr. William Aird. He was minister at the West-kirk of Edinburgh, who before was a mason, but being pressed in spirit to betake himself to the ministry, went to schools and profited well, especially in the Hebrew tongue. I have heard that one time some two or three days before a general assembly to be kept at Edinburgh at Holyrood House, wherein king James was to make some innovations, a courtier came to Mr. Aird, and told him that the king hearing he was in some outward straits, had sent him a purse with some gold; and the truth was, that the same day there was neither bread, nor meal, nor money, in the house; yet he refused the king's gift, saying, That if the king were not bringing in usurpations upon the church, he would not refuse to take what he sent; but as the case stood, he had not freedom to take any thing. And the next morning, when he and his family were at prayer, some who had been sent from a well-affected person of the parish, who knew his straits, had laid down two or three sacks of meal in the entry before the door, and hearing him at prayer, went away, leaving the meal for the use of the family.From Livingston's Memoirs.

Mr. John M'c Birnie.-Minister at Aberdeen. When he died, he called his wife and told her, He had no outward means to leave to her or his only daughter; but he had got good assurance, that the Lord would provide means for them; and accordingly the day he was buried, the magistrates of the town came to the house after the burial, and brought two subscribed papers, one of a competent maintenance to his wife, another of a provision for his daughter.

Mr. Alexander Simson.-Minister at Dryburgh. In reading his bible and prayer, he was unwearied. For his freedom in preaching in Edinburgh, in 1621, during the sitting of the parliament that ratified the five articles of Perth, he was imprisoned in Dumbarton Castle; where the Lord blessed his prayers and preaching to the conversion from popery of the lady of Sir John Stuart, then captain of the castle. He was afterwards let

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