rigour and severity, but God knoweth, that, in my
heart, I never hated the persons of those against whom I thundered God's
judgments; I did only hate their sins, and laboured, according to my
power, to gain them to Christ; that I did forbear none of whatsoever
condition, I did it out of the fear of my God, who placed me in this
function of the ministry, and I know will bring me to an account." Then
he exhorted them to constancy, and intreated them never to join with the
wicked, but rather to choose with David to flee to the mountains, than
to remain with such company. After this exhortation to the elders and
deacons, he charged Mr. David Lindsay and Mr. James Lawson to take heed
to feed the flock over which the Holy Ghost had made them overseers: To
Mr. Lawson in particular, he said, "Fight the good fight, do the work of
the Lord with courage and with a willing mind; and God from above bless
you and the church whereof you have the charge, against which the gates
of hell shall not prevail." Then by prayer he recommended the whole
company present to the grace of God, and afterwards desired his wife, or
Richard Bannantyne to read the 17th chapter of John, a chapter of the
Ephesians, and the 33d chapter of Isaiah daily, after he was unable to
read himself: Sometimes he desired part of Mr. Calvin's sermons in
French to be read to him. One time when reading these sermons, they
supposed him to be sleeping, and asked him, If he heard what was read?
he replied, "I hear, I praise God, and understand far better."

One day after this, Mr. David Lindsay coming to see him, he said unto
him "Well, brother, I thank God I have desired all this day to have had
you, that I might send you to that man in the castle, the laird of
Grange, whom you know I have loved dearly. Go, I pray you, and tell him
from me, in the name of God, that unless he leave that evil course
wherein he has entered, neither shall that rock (meaning the castle of
Edinburgh, which he then kept out against the king) afford him any help,
nor the carnal wisdom of that man, whom he counteth half a god (meaning
young Lethington), but he shall be pulled out of that nest, and brought
down over the wall with shame, and his carcase shall be hung before the
sun, so God hath assured me." When Mr. David delivered this message, the
captain seemed to be much moved, but after a little conference with
Lethington, he returned to Mr. Lindsay, and dismissed him with a
disdainful countenan