e grace o' God shows up
quick, mostly. 'Tis its nature to be hard at wark. Ye'll no put barm
into a batch o' flour, and ha'e it lying idle. And the kingdom o'
Heaven is like unto leaven: it maun wark. Ay, who shall let it?"

"Is Mr Liversedge well liked, Sam?" I asked, when I had thought a
little.

"He's weel eneuch liked o' them as is weel liking," said Sam, setting
his forks in their places. "The angels like him, I've nae doubt; and
the lost sheep like him: but he does nae gang doun sae weel wi' the
ninety and nine. They'd hae him a bit harder on the sinners, and a bit
safter wi' the saints--specially wi' theirsels, wha are the vara crown
and flower o' a' the saints, and ne'er were sinners--no to speak o', ye
ken, and outside the responses. And he disna gang saft and slippy doun
their throats, as they'd ha'e him, but he is just main hard on 'em. He
tells 'em gin they're saints they suld live like saints, and they'd like
the repute o' being saints without the fash o' living. He did himsel a
main deal o' harm wi' sic-like by a discourse some time gane--ye'll
judge what like it was when I tell ye the Scripture it was on: `He that
saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk even as He
walked.' And there's a gey lot of folks i' this warld 'd like vara weel
to abide, but they're a hantle too lazy to walk. And the minister, he
comes and stirs 'em up wi' the staff o' the Word, and bids 'em get up
and gang their ways, and no keep sat down o' the promises, divertin'
theirsels wi' watching ither folk trip. He's vara legal, Miss Cary, is
the minister; he reckons folk suld be washed all o'er, and no just dip
their tongues in the fountain, and keep their hearts out. He disna make
much count o' giving the Lord your tongue, and ay hauding the De'il by
the hand ahint your back. And the o'er gude folks disna like that.
They'd liever keep friendly wi' baith."

"Then you think the promises were not made to be sat on, Sam?" said I,
feeling much diverted with Sam's quaint way of putting things.

Sam settled the cream-jug and sugar-bowl before he answered.

"I'll tell ye how it is, Miss. The promises was made to be lain on by
weary, heavy-laden sinners that come for rest, and want to lay down both
theirsels and their burden o' sins on the Lord's heart o' love: but they
were ne'er made for auld Jeshurun to sit on and wax fat, and kick the
puir burdened creatures as they come toiling up the hill. Last time I
wa