Page:History of the life and sufferings, of the Reverend John Welch.pdf/2

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 extravigant boy: it was not enough to him, frequently when he was a young ſtripling to run away from the ſchool and play the trowant; 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 cloaths. Then he was cloathed 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 interpoſe a reconciler. So in his return homeward, he took Dumfries in his way, where he had an aunt, one Agnes Forſyth, and with her he diverted ſome days earneſtly entreating her to reconcile him to his father. While he lurked in her houſe, his father came providentially to the houſe to ſalute 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 his name to me? The firſt news I expect to hear of him, is, that he is hanged for a theif. She anſwered, may 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 alive. She anſwered, Yes, he was, and ſhe hoped he ſhould prove a better man than he was a boy, and with that ſhe called upon him to come to his father. He came weeping and kneeled, beſeeching his father, for Chriſt's ſake, to pardon his miſbehaviour, and deeply engaged to be a new man. His father reproached him an threatened him. Yet, at length, by the boy's tears, and Mrs. Forſyth's importunities, he was perſuaded to a reconciliation. The boy entreated his father to