stretched out, and this was all the ſatisfaction his friends and the world had upon his lamentable death, ſo bitter to his friends. another he had who was heir to his father's grace and bleſſings, and this Mr. Joſias Welch, miniſter at Temple Patrick in the north of Ireland, commonly called the cock of the conſcience by the people of that country, becauſe of his extraordinary wakening and rouzing gift: he was one of the bleſt ſcociety of miniſters, which wrought that unparralleled work in the north of Ireland, about the year 1636, but was himſelf a man moſt ſadly exerciſed with doubts about his own ſalvation all his time, and would ordinarly ſay, That miniſter was much to be pitied, who was called to comfort weak ſaints and had no comfort himſelf. He died in his youth, and left for his ſucceſſor, Mr. John Welch miniſter at Iron Gray in Galloway, the place of his grandfather's nativity. What buſineſs this made in Scotland, in the time of the late Epiſcopal perſecution, for the ſpace of twenty years, is known to all Scotland. He maintained his dangerous poſt of preaching the goſpel upon the mountains of Scotland, not withſtanding of the threatnings of the ſtate, the hatred of the biſhops, the price ſet upon his head, and all the fierce induſtry of his cruel enemies. It is well known that bloody claverhouſe upon ſecret information from his ſpies, that Mr. John Welch was to be found at ſome lurking place at forty miles diſtance. would make all that long journey in one winter's night, that he might catch him, but when he came he always miſſed his prey. I never heard of a man that endured more toil, adventured upon more hazards, eſcaped ſo much hazard, not in the world. He uſed to tell his friends who counſelled him to be more cautious, and not to hazard himſelf ſo much. That he firmly believed dangerous undertakings would be his ſecurity, and when ever he ſhould give over that courſe and retire himſelf, his miniſtry ſhould come to an end; which accordingly came to paſs, for when after Bothwel bridge, he retired to London, the Lord called him by death, and there he was honourably buried, not far from the king's palace.
But to return to our old Mr. Welch; as the duty
