other, my lord of Lorn, for what he
has done for me, a poor unknown stranger to him. I shall pray for him
and his house while I live. It is his honour to open his mouth in the
streets for his wronged and oppressed Master Christ Jesus." Nor was this
all: for about the same time, he so laboured and prevailed with the
bishop of Galloway, that worthy Earlston was relaxed from the sentence
of banishment unto which he was assigned for the same noble cause.

And no sooner did our reformation (commonly called the second
reformation) begin to dawn _anno_ 1637, than he espoused the same cause
himself; for we find next year, that the earl of Argyle (his father
dying about that time), though a private counsellor, diligently
attending all the sessions of that famous general assembly held then at
Glasgow, in order to hear their debates and determinations concerning
diocesan episcopacy, and the five articles of Perth, wherein he declared
his full satisfaction with their decisions. And here it was that this
noble peer began to distinguish himself by a concern for the Redeemer's
glory, in which he continued, and was kept faithful therein, until he
got the crown of martyrdom at last.

At this meeting, amongst many other things, his lordship proposed an
explication of the confession and covenant, in which he wished them to
proceed with great deliberation, lest (said he) they should bring any
under suspicion of perjury, who had sworn it in the sense he had done,
which motion was taken in good part by the members, and entered upon in
the 8th session of that assembly. Mr. Henderson the moderator, at the
conclusion of this assembly, judging that, after all, the countenance
give to their meetings by this noble peer deserved a particular
acknowledgment, wished his lordship had joined with them sooner, but he
hoped God had reserved him for the best times, and would honour him here
and hereafter. Whereupon his lordship rose, and delivered an excellent
speech _ex tempore_, before the assembly, in which amongst other things
he said, "And whereas you wished I had joined you sooner; truly it was
not for want of affection for the good of religion, and my own country
which detained me, but a desire and hope that by staying with the court
I might have been able to bring a redress of grievances, and when I saw
that I could no longer stay without proving unfaithful to my God and my
country, I thought good to do as I have done, &c.----I remember I told
so