xpostulate with
the Lord, with such expressions as, for all the world, he durst not
again utter. In a fit of displeasure he said, "Thou, O Lord, knowest
that I have been serving thee in the uprightness of my heart, according
to my power and measure, nor have I stood in awe to declare thy mind
even unto the greatest in the time, and thou seest that I take pleasure
in this child. O that I could obtain such a thing at thy hand, as to
spare her." And being in great agony of spirit, at last it was said to
him from the Lord, "I have heard thee at this time, but use not the like
boldness in time coming, for such particulars." When he came home the
child was recovered, and, sitting up in the bed, took some meat, and
when he looked at her arm it was perfectly whole.

_The Life of Mr. JOHN WELCH._

Mr. John Welch was born a gentleman, his father being laird of Colieston
(an estate rather competent than large, in the shire of Nithsdale),
about the year 1570, the dawning of our reformation being then but dark.
He was a rich example of grace and mercy, but the night went before the
day, being a most hopeless extravagant boy: It was not enough to him,
frequently when he was a young stripling to run away from the school,
and play the truant; but, after he had past his grammar, and was come to
be a youth, he left the school, and his father's house, and went and
joined himself to the thieves on the English border, who lived by
robbing the two nations, and amongst them he stayed till he spent a suit
of clothes. Then when he was clothed only with rags, the prodigal's
misery brought him to the prodigal's resolution, so he resolved to
return to his father's house, but durst not adventure, till he should
enterpose a reconciler. In his return homeward, he took Dumfries in his
way, where he had an aunt, one Agnes Forsyth, and with her he spent some
days, earnestly intreating her to reconcile him to his father. While he
lurked in her house, his father came providentially to the house to
visit his cousin Mrs. Forsyth; and after they had talked a while, she
asked him, Whether ever he had heard any news of his son John; to her he
replied with great grief, O cruel woman, how can you name him to me? The
first news I expect to hear of him, is, That he is hanged for a thief.
She answered, Many a profligate boy had become a virtuous man, and
comforted him. He insisted upon his sad complaint, but asked, Whether
she knew his lost son was yet ali