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A S the following Papers were publifhed at *** Glafgow, about I 2 Years ago, very uncorrecl:- ly, on a bad paper and a bad type, and as they are now prefented to the publick in a better drefs, and contain many excellent advices from a parent to his children, it is hoped there will be no offence taken at their being again reprinted.— They appear to be of general ufe, and writ in fuch a way as cannot fail of edifying thole who will read them with care and attention.

The Character of the Worthy Gentleman, who left thefe papers as his laft will to his children, is well known to many, efpecially in the South of Scotland, where his eftate lies : — He is to this day remembred with honour and efteem, as among the cloud of witnefTes in the years, 1662, 1663, &c. who fuffered even to the fpoiling of his goods, knowing that he had in heaven a better and an en- during Jubilance. — He is now in that happy world, enjoying an eternal reft, and the accomplifliment of the promife, If we shall suffer with

HIM, WE SHALL ALSO REIGN WITH HIM,

MEMOIRS

O F

WALTER PRINGLE GREEN KNOW.

Written by Himself. The SECOND EDITION.

EDINBURGH:

Printed for William Hamilton Bookfcilcr. MDGGLI.

Digitized by the Internet Archive '

in 2011 with funding from

Princeton Theological Seminary Library

http://www.archive.org/details/memoirsofwalterpOOprin

MEMOIRS, &c.

Some few of the free Mercies of God to me, who am mod unworthy, and my Will to my Children j left to them under mine own Hand.

At Greenknow, on Saturday August 2d, 1662, being a private Fail-day to me.

SECT. I.

S1 1 N C E my God gave me children, it hath been ) much upon my mind to record, for their ufe, the wonderful Goodnefs of God to me; which I have delayed to do for fome Years : So that now, unlefs preventing Mercy help, I mail not get it fo performed, as once I might, when the word- ings of God were frefher upon my fpirit than at this prefent time. Yet I will not limit my Holy One, who can, and, in due time, will fend the Comforter to bring to my remembrance what is needful ; then fhall I declare the riches of his free Grace to me, the chief of finners. However I will labour as the Lord (without whom I can do no good) (hall give it me, to ftir up and exhort my children, to flee from the wrath which is coming upon a loft world, and to lay hold on the offered falvation j but know- ing mine own weaknefs, I would not offer to do any thing of this kind, were it not to my children: A who

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who I hope will bear with mine infirmities, and, if any thing efcape me, will do as Shem and Japheth did to their father. But, if there be any mockers among my children, I truft this fhall not come into their hands ; that is a curfed child indeed, who dare mock, at the words of a fnher, tho' but minting at truth, efpecially, when he is dead. For I do not inteed, that this fnall come unto any of you, until I be gone out of this 4ife : So Miope mywordemay then have fome weight with you. Oh ! to have you all to enter in, with your mother and me, to thefe rnanfions, which our blefTed Lord hath pre- pared for all them that love him. Will any of you be {o mad, as to feparate yourfelves from that joy- ful and glorious company ? I believe that thole of you who die in your childhood fliall be faved, through the riches of the free Grace of God in Jesus Christ. But if any of you perifli, being .come to age, your deftruclicm will be of yourfelves : For you muft look to receive according to your faith, and works ; by faith we are faved ; and where faith is, there will be works alfo : If any man love our Lord, he will keep his commandments. O how all the truths of God are linked together ! It is not in the power of enemies to break that chain, though it hath been their endeavour fmce the be- ginning, and -will "be unto the end. " Yet heaven 4< and earth mall pjfs away, but one jot, or one a title of the word of God fliall in no ways fall c< to the ground*" My children, read the Scrip- tures diligently, and pray for die Spirit of Truth, that you may underhand them : for altho' they are plain arid eaiy unto fuch as are taught of God, iho' the* were but babes, yet are they hid from the . r.r.J prudent of this world. Oh ! they are

not

Walter Pri-nglf, 3'

not happy, whom the world doth efteem to be Co : For what is the honour, and what are the riches and pleafures of this world, but as a bulked hook, which many times doth draw the poor foul to dreadful de~ ftruclion? This is the broad way, wherein many are "walking; but drive ye to walk in the ftarrow way, which leadeth unto life : Then (hall it be better with you than the tongues of angels and men can exprefs. This truth my foul doth believe: and I leave it unto you lubfcribed with the hand of youc father.

Sic fubferibitur, WAL. PRINGLK,

BlefTed be my God, who hath helped me to begin tliis work, and who I truit will perfect it.

SECT. II. August- 27, 1662,

SOme have wifdom, and others have learning^ which doth help them to bring forth that which may be efteemed of, either for the matter, or ior the language : but as for me, I can neither fpeak nor write lenfe, if God help me not ; alfb I am of a lazy difpofition, and cannot pray, nor meditate, nor write, except my Holy One ftir me up to it ; I have therefore caufe to blefs him, whenever lam helped to any religious exercife. I will now offer to mention fomewhat of the Lord's way with me.

In my childhood, tho' I was much indulged by my parents, and greatly given to playing, yet now and then I had fome far off looks towards God, beginning to pray unto him : once efpecially, I re- member at the north eaft-end of Stitchhill-hall (be- fore there were any new building or a garden there) A 3 my

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my heart was, for a fhort time, very much drawn forth toward God, funding fellowship with him Tweet- er then all things elfe, which could not be attained without the pardon of (in ; fo I was led to defire that, and did alio beg grace to watch over my heart, that fuch a frame might not depart from me ; and for iome time I did watch as carefully over my thoughts and wjards as ever I did fince.

Perhaps I could not, at that time, exprefs thefe things fo diftinelly, but fure I am I felt them more lively, and fully, than now I can declare; BlefTed for ever be he who looked upon me in my low Jtate. I was often led alfo to acknowledge God, in my childiih concernments, fuch as, the getting of my ieflbn, or being freed from reproofs; frequently praying to efcnpe correction, when I expected it. It is now my wonder, that I mould then have fo acknowledged a power above man's, . ruling the iinalleft of his actions, and far more the greater!:. "When now I believe this, what mould trouble or move me ? It is my wife and mighty God, my gracious and loving Father in Christ, thatruleth heaven and earth, and all the children of men, and without him a hair of mine head, or of the heads of any of his people, cannot fall to the ground ; that which is or mall be, both is, and mall be accord- ing to his will : This is my reft, and herewith am i fatisfied. Let me, and all his chofen ones, ever be fo. What will become of all you, who have no intereft in this alone Governour ? If you have a fliadow of profperity, it will but laft for a mo- ment, and not fo much, if it be compared with eternity; for a moment, \\h?n it is fo compared, is not a moment ; and then, when your not a moment is pair, what will you do ? Oh ! they have got a

great

Walter Pringle, 5

great length, who believe there is fuch a thing as heaven, and hell, and do fit down to ponder thefe truths ferioufly : many fay, and imagine, that they believe them, but do it not ; for if they did, they would either be under ' the terror of the one, or joy of the other ; yea, the full perfuafion there- of would diitracl: thofe who are under wrath, and ravifh the heirs of glory. My children, ponder thefe things, foiy however I utter them, verily of ihenifelves ■ they are moil weighty,

SECT. III. September 6th. 1662.

fmJT Hu s was I kept under convictions, from (a y -*■ I remember) the time I was feven or eight years of age, until I was I 2, or I 3, the love and fear of God ruling my heart in fonie meafure ; about the end of which time, when I was about II years of age, my precious brother went wife me to Stirling, where I was a year or two taught by that eminent and pious miniiter Mr. James Lockie, who at that time could get no entrance into i< church, becaufe he would not conform to thebifnops. He was removed by death about the time of the covenant. As long as I was his fcholar, I diii proht very well in learning, for it was pleafant unto me, he had fuch a good method of teaching ; as alfo he had very much of my heart ; but mod of all it was his work to inflruct us in the ways of God, keeping a good order in his family, in which I Wfcf, with 13, or 14, others. . He ufed to caufe us get many of the pfalms by heart, defiring us to repeat them to ourfelves, after we went to bed. I remem- ber my reft was never fo fweet to jne; as when I A3

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had repeated them, and ufed fome other devotion ; 1 have many times then refted, as under the fhadow of the loving-kindnefs of God j blefTed be he for ever, who fo fhin'd upon me.

SECT. IV. November ift. 1662.

Was not a little fenfible of- the death of that worthy man whom the Lord took up to mount Pifgah, as it were, to fee the land, (viz. the work of reformation) afar off; after the firft news whereof,* he was taken into his reft. After that I made no progrefs in learning, neither was I fo kept in the v-:ivs of God ; tho' fometimes good thoughts were horn in upon rne, and I was kept in the love of powerful preaching. Often I have been rcfrefhed, by hearing Mr. Thomas Wilkie minifter of Liflie, \yhofe feholar I was in the year 1638, who did frequently fhed tears, while he was preaching ; at that time 9 or I o of us did formally bind ourfelves together, in a bond of brother-hood and love ; in which, we alio engaged ourfelves to the national covenant. I mention thefe things, becaufe I love not to forget, or to break thefe ties which we came tm^ier, even when we were but children, fince the thing in itfelf was lawful, altho' may be, it was raftily gone about by us at that time. In the year 1 639, I was at Leith fchool : then did youthful tufts and corruptions begin to prevail over me, be- ing fironger in me than the grace of God. I will not mention my particular abominations ; for what Gem hath hid and covered, I will not reveal : only to mine own (name, and to his praife, -who fpared and had mercy upon me, J confefs that for ten

years

"Walter Prixgle. y

rears together, I was the chief of finners ; yet was I never without conviction, knowing that I was not then in the way of peace, and life, and that if I fhould have died in fuch a cafe, at that time, dam- nation would have been ray lot. Often in this per- fuafion have I gone on in hazards, in the wars and otherwife, and thus have I ftept about the brink of the bottomlefs %pit, out of which there is no return- ing for them who once fall into it : but bleiTed for ever be my Goq, who had then a merciful eye upon me, and thoughts of love unto me. Thefe years of darknefs, deadnefs, and finfulnefs, one of them was fpent, or rather loft, in Leith, two at Edin- burgh college, five at home and in the wars (being a. volunteer) and two in France. Seldom all this time^ had I the confidence to pray unto God, or to wor^ (hip him ? alas ! that I fhould have lived fo long without him in the world ! O ! that I may now be fo much the more diligent, in redeeming my time*.

SECT. V. November 19th. 1662.

A Ll this time of my fearful going aftray, I had •*•-*■ a love to the godly, and a high efteem of my worthy brother, whofe memory is fweet tome. He joften fpoke edifyingly to me, and fometimes I had freedom to open my cafe to him : I cannot forget his loving parting with me, when I went to France ; where I had not ftayed a year, until I was ftrickert with the news of his deceafe, which made me go alone in the fields a whole day, having none to fhare with me in my grief (altho' I had much love of the French, and there were none there but French) for none knew the great lofs which I fuilained. I

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then thought, that the death of no friend would ever afterwards move me;, and in fome meafure I have found it fo ; for when any of my friends are removed, ordinarly my nrft thoughts are, my dear brother is gone :- but why mould this trouble me? for I fhall foon go to him, and (which is mod of all) to his God, and my God ; I am fure it is not the worfe for me, that he is gone before me, altho' I cannot fay, it is to prepare a place for me, blefTed.- for ever be my Lord, who hath taken upon him- felf that work. O how much doth his love fur- pafs all created love ! my God, lift upL my foul above all creatures unto thyfelf, that I may love thee,, and adore thee ; I know this mall be my pleafanb work for evermore. Oh ! my children tafte and fee how pleafant a thing it is to know, and enjoy Gor> in Jesus Christ. I am as one got into a good habitation, and would foin have you with me. Oh !. how fweet is the life o{ a Chriftian, even while in this world ! while I am now in the body, I earneftly defire to perfuade you of thefe truths, for 1 fhall not come back out of heaven, that I may declare unto you the joys which are there for ever: Gcd hath not appointed that way, but hath given unto you the words of Mofes and the prophets, and the words which our Lord fpake when he was in the fiefh, and the words of his apofHes ; and if you will not believe thefe, " Verily neither will ye believe " though one mould rife from the dead." You can- not glorify God more, than by believing, and what if I fay, that they glorify him mod, who upon leait f round (to exprefs it fo) truft him : " Bleiled are " they that have not feen, and yet have believed". For which of thefe think ye honoureth a king mod? hie. that truiteth his iimple word, or he that will have

his

"Walter Pringle. 9

his word, oa\h and writ for it : the thoufand part of a word, from the Holy One, who cannot lie, is more fure, than all thofe from man. But, Wetted be God, who doth fo condefcend to our weaknefs, as not only to give us his word, but his oath alfo, " That by two immutable things, in which it was 11 impoflible for him to lie, we might have ftrong " confolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold " upon the hope fet before us ?" O ! dear children, haften, yea haften to fly from wrath into that hope ; left the other oath pafs forth, viz. " Left he fwear u in his wrath, that ye fhall not enter into his reft." O depart not from the living God ! this I exhort you unto, while it is called to day.

SECT. VL November 24th. 1 662,

T N June I 648 I came home from France, and -*- was much prefTed by my loving father to marry ; feverals were fpoken of to me, but I could not in- cline fo much as to go and fee any, until the good providence of my God led me to fee my wife, at her brother in-law Whitebank, his houfe of Black- haugh, where I went ta ftay a night with my old and intimate acquaintance, without the Ieaft pur- pofe of feeing her, or any other \ and, altho' I had been often in her brother's houfe, yet had not feen her: neither did I think that he had a daughter for marriage, tho' I loved the family ; but I found it otherways, and from this time my afFedtion was to her. But that this was only from the Lord, may appear by the accidentalnefs of my going there : For I had been in Edinburgh with my father, who, hearing of his brother ftewhall's ficknefs, fent me

out

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out to fee him, and Whitebank came to Newhall to me, and took me home with him that night. Blef- fed be my God, who thus guided me in this, which Is of moil concernment of any thing within time;, yea it may be faid, it is of eternal concernment to you our children : for me not only is inftant in in- truding you in the fear, knowledge, ! and love of God, when you are come to be in any meafureca- pable, (as yourfelves are witneifes) but alfo fhe putteth up many prayers for you, yea often before you came forth of her belly. Likewife by her holy walking, before you, fhe fheweth forth in her own conver- iation, that whereunto (he doth-fc-much exhort you. "What will become of you, if ye flight all this ? feeing your mother is fpeaking to you the words of the kingdom, while fhe is yet alive with you. And- I (after I am gone) by this, flill pre/ling you to come out from a world, and from your natural ftate, and to enter into, and come thro?- the new-birth ; without which you cannot enter into the kingdom of God. It is true God worketh in us both to will and to do ; but it is your part to wait at wifdom's gates, and to lay hold on his ftrength, that you may make peace with him, and to go unto him that you may have life. Bleifed be he who willeth not the death of a finner, but faith unto you, " why will ye die!" hear his voice, and obey it, then mall you live for ever ; fo be it;

SECT. VII. December lit. 1 662.

f I ' His mine afTe^ion I kept fecret within mine

A own breaft, fearing that my father, becaufe-

of the ihialnefs of the portion^ would not give his

con feat.

Walter Princle.' h

confent, without which I was refolved never to marry : But atlaft my father, finding me averfe from any he mentioned to me, began to fufpect, that my mind was that way ; and when he pofed me upon it, I confefTed it unto him : and fo great was his tender- nefs unto me, that he confented and gave me way to propofe it, which I did to herfelf and her friends, having never fpoken of it to them before, and ap- pointed a meeting with them at Edinburgh for that effedr, for which and other bufinefs my father went in ; but the next day, before he had met with any of her friends, he was feized upon by ficknefs ; and, within 14 days in the beginning of May 1649, he was very peaceably removed from a troublefome world, I trail into life eternal. Thus I was left, being 24 years of age, and having little experience in the affairs of the world, with the overiight of eight of my dear brother's children, and a fitter's fon : my care was to difcharge a faithful duty to them, tho' the lad of thefe hath other thoughts at this time, and is prejudg'd againft me: I beg forgivenefs to him, from God, who is my witnefs that 1 never wronged him in a farthing, to my knowledge; yea, I had rather quite all that I have in the world, then bear fuch a fting in my conference, and defile my foul with that which is evil. BlelTed be my God, I'm free from any fuch thing : Some there are, who know the truth of my innocency, and that a juft accompt was given of his eftate. The pro- feiTion I have walked in thefe 14 years obligsth me to fay this much, as alfo the delire I have, that you my children fhculd live righteoufly in this pre- fent world, maketh me clear up to you, what may (cera to be other wife in xnyfeif j yea, my ftudy is,

10

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to have always a " confcience void of offence to- 4i ward God, and toward men." And dear chil- dren, what will it profit any of you, tho' you could *' gain the whole world, if you lofe your own fouls V- O ! but a holy and upright walk with God and men, will bring you unexpreflible peace of mind, which will be unto you a continual feafl. This is that which maketh a man bold as a lion ; for when thex world doth challenge, and condemn, God doth abfolve. And what if our righteoufnefs mould not, as it will in a great meafure, be cleared up, until the great day of judgment come ? may we not reft fatisfied till then ? Oh, my children fo live, as with joy of heart, you may wait for, and expect that day-; and never judge it well with you, until you win to fuch a frame ; for every good and faith- ful fervant joyfully waiteth for his mailer's coming. Ponder thefe things.

SECT. VIII. December 2d. 1662.

f" Must mention here, that immediately after I had **■ written what is above faid, in our family exer- cife, yeflerday morning, the firft word read by my worthy friend, the meflenger of the Lord, Mr. Luke Ogle, who is here for the time, was Ifa. xxvi. 7. " The way of the juft is uprightnefs: Thou moft u upright, doft weigh the path of the jufl;" And is not this mofl fuitable to that, which I have been faying, by way of vindication ? Five months pad, after my father's deceafe, e're I proceeded in my marriage ; in which time, I had good days at a com- munion in Lauder, which was the Iaft which that precious fervant of God Mr. James Guthrie, whom

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Walter Pringle. 13

I may call my father in the gofpel, if any man may be fo called, had in that place. And altlio my wife now was there at that time, yet I remember, I had fcarce one thought of her all thefe three days, tho' I had very much of that which is called love. After that time I was led into a more clofe way of ■walking with my God than formerly. Sometime feeing Mr. Guthrie, to whom I made known my purpofe of marriage, afking his advice, he defired to understand if I knew any thing of a work of grace in her heart, which he faid was mod: neceflan-, and that her having a good woman to her mother was not enough to me : But I was engaged before this, and have nothing to afcribe to mine own pru- dence or forefight, but very much, yea more than can be expreffed, to the goodnefs of my God, who not only gave me a good wife, but alfo made it ap- pear to me that me was fo before our marriage ; for, after we were contracted, by a wonderful paffage of his providence, carting her unto flcknefs, which lire herfelf, and we alfo thought might have proved deadly, Ihe then fpake freely of her foul's concernments; whereby the Lord's working upon her fpirit did fully appear to me, and my fcrupb I had was then removed. When I remember this, I mult glorify the name of my God; praife be to him for evermore. My children, I advife you, when you read what I write in this book, to read no more than one days writing at one time, which you fee is but very little : For I defire to be very ferious in this that I do, and intreat, that you may be fo in reading. I commit all unto God, who can work upon you by means, and without me.ms.

33 EGT,

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SECT. IX. December 22d. 1662.

T N November 1649 we were married at Stow, by •*■ that renowned Mr. James Guthrie. My wife •remained in Torwood'ie about fix months, and -thereafter came home to Stitchill, where we flayed five years with my mother; and with us, there were five of my brother's children (for Elizabeth itay'd always with her mother, and- the two youngeft ions were removed by death) my fitter's fon, and my dear friend Mr. James Aird. During this time, we had a very loving, fweet, and peaceable fociety : My wife did grow in grace, and in the knowledge -of God, of which fhe is more able to give an ac- count than I am. If before that time (he was laft, yet I'm Hire fmce me is firft, and far more able to declare the wonderful riches of the goodnefs of God than. 1 am : yet it is not my part to be lilent in this matter ; for blefled be he, who is ever willing and ready to let forth abundantly -unto me : But oh ! my narrownefs and fiacknefs in receiving from him. Yet I fhall glory in mine infirmities, if he be exalted, who was, is, and fliall be for ever glorious in him- felf, and nothing elfe is fo ; for all the creatures are more or lefs glorious, according as they enjoy of, ?,nd give glory unto him. The angels and faints in glory delight in nothing more, than in declaring that all they have is from him : His infinite wifdom, power and goodnefs brought them and u-s, who are here below, out of nothing, that we may for ever be happy in him. O for an enlarged heart to praife 4iim ! Should 1 not blefs mine own lips, when they are opened to mew forth his praifes, and the hand lihjch doth write them down ? Q that I may never

love

Walter Pr ingle, ij

love myfelf, but that he may be exalted in me, ami by me, that is to love him only ! -O fweet raviihment, to be ravifhed with his love ! My children, I allure you, that other lovers will not, neither can fatisfy you ; for they are vain and finite s But begin ye fin- cerely to love God, and upon my lire [this great word Iexprefs, to hold forth the certainty of. this truth] the more you love him, the more you (hall deiire to love and enjoy him : Then Ihall you fet to your feal, that God is true, and that his word is fo alio : Then fhall you fay, " Now we believe, not becaufe u of thy faying : for we have heard him ourfelves, " and know that this is Christ the Saviour of " the world."

SECT. X. December 25th. 1662,

TNtil the Englifh army came into Scotland, I ^-^ was much taken up with fuits of lav/ for my pupils, being always a defender ; but now and then I had fweet moments, even while I was attending at great mens doors. It was no (mall affliction to me, that I got fo feldom Hayed at home, where I had fo much ground of outward contentment, and in- ward advantage to my own fpirit, but this I endea- voured to bear as my crofs. When the Engl if h came in, I went to our army, and had my mother, my wife, and the children in Edinburgh, until we were defeat at Dunbar, after which I brought them home to Stitchill; and my wife being big with child, I flayed with her until fhe was delivered of our daughter Katharine, upon the loth day of No- vember 1 650. The next day a party of the En- glifh came in, and took up all this country ; where- B 2 upon

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upon I vent and flayed eight clays in and about Torwoodlie; then being accompanied with my bro- ther Torwoodlie, I came in the night time to fee my wife ; and as we were returning back, it was my lot to rencounter one of the Englifli upon horfe- back, whom I killed, knowing that I could not get a prifoner carried to our army, for we had difficul- ty to get to it ourfclves. And that which cleared me the more in this was, that he never afked quar- ters : But what of raflmefs was herein, I believe aiFuredly, that the Lord my God hath pardoned it ; and that it is done away in and thro' Jesus C&rirt my Saviour, who hath faved me from many grievous tranfgrefllons and fins, which can- not be numbred, to whom I defire daily to run, as unto a ipring of living waters, " A fountain *■' opened for fn and for uncleannefs," and one who hath " the words of eternal life:" In him I defire always " to be found, not having mine own righte- ** oufnefs, but that which is by faith in him:" This is that new ancf living way. " BlefTed for **' ever be the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ," who drew me into him, and will now a guide me u by his counfel, and afterwards receive me into *; glory." The building of the temple was denyed to David, becaufe he had been a man of war, and hr.d flied blood ; it is good to be tender of the lives of the lhialleft living creatures, but much more of man's life, not thrufiing out the immortal foul, vhicjj rcturneth not again within time; for the befl of men may fay, " Spare me a little, that I may 44 recover itrength, before I go hence, and be no 14 more.*' Thefe and other confiderations move mr to advife you, my fons, to embrace any other lawful employment, rather than to be foldiers : But

I

Walter Priscle, 37

I will not wholly lay this bond upon yon, fince I don't efteem it to be unlawful ; for if it had been fo, our blefled Lord's forerunner, John the Bap- tift, would have faid more to thefe foldiers, who enquired at him what they mould do, than com- mand them to be content with their wages, &c, In our time we have feen pious men in that em- ployment ; and I believe, that there is a time com- ing, wherein " Hoiinefs mall be written upon the " horfes bridles ;* and far more (hall it be written upon the riders. Only, my fons, if ever, in any part of the world, you engage in this employment, be fure you have on your fide, the LORD GOD of HOSTS, that whether you live or die, it may be unto him.

SECT. XI. December 31ft 1662,-

'TTHis preceeding account is one of the mod con-- -** fiderable pafiages of my life, and upon it de~ pendeth much of my Chriftian walk, as may after- wards appear ; and therefore I have mentioned it. After this, I fpake with my worthy friend Col. Gil- bert Ker, at Glafgow, to whom I prcpofed to re- turn, when once I had been at St, Johnfton. At Stirling I advifed with my dear friend Mr. James Guthrie, anent mine own and my brother's children (to whom that faithful man had ever a mod tender, refpect) their concernment?, then I went to St* Johnfton, where I had not flayed eight days, until the news came of the total defeat of Colonel Kcr's forces at Hamilton. I remained at St. Johnfton till the caftle of Edinburgh was to be rendered to B. 3 the

l8 Memoirs of

the Englifti ; and my own and my pupils writs being there, I took occafion to come over to Edinburgh, upon our chancellor's pafs, and from thence 1 came home to Stitchili, where I was not many days, till the Englim got knowledge of me, and of that which I had done ; whereof, and of their purpofe to apprehend me, I was advertifed, tho' I had not the lead inclination to go from home, yet being prefTed by my friends, I went to Northumberland, and flayed fome few days in my coufin Major Pringle's houfe; after which, I retur- ned home, and expected every day to have been taken, if notworfe; for I was informed that the man who was killed had friends, who made many *. ows to be avenged : but nothing could move me in the frame of fpirit wherein I was, yea, many -si time I then thought, that I could as willingly have opened the buttons of my" bread, to receive death's flroke, as ever I did to go to bed. At length a party of horfe came and took me, and kept me prifoner that night at Dornick ; where ( v. ill never forget) it wa my ordinary to read the ioo pfalm, which I did with very much joy and peace, altho', as to the outward, it was the darken hour of trouble I have had in my life : I was alone with them all that night, for thele of the hoiife I knew not. The next morn- ing my mother in law came to fee me: and that day I was carried to Selkirk, and examined by Ma- jor Robcrtfon, of whole regiment the man had been : I denied nothing, but pleaded, that 1 was i fbldjer (landing upon defence of my country from ?he invalion. afterwards I was let go, upon my in law and Whitebank their bond of 2000 L Sterling penalty that I fhould compear again.

All

AValte-r Pringle. ic*

All this time, my true friend, Mr. James Aird, was molt diligent and careful, in foliciting the chief officers at Edinburgh for me, and rode many miles for that bufinefs ; which love of his I and mine fhould ever remember, and therefore I thus mention it ; he did what was done, yet little aflurance could be had from men, of my life ; for when I went fe- cretly to Edinburgh and laid the bufinefs, as it ftood^ -before my worthy Lord YVarilton, he advifed me not to compear, and fo did others ; but I could never agree to that, but gave up my felf into the hands of my God, without whom I knew a hair of my head could not fall, and who ruled over them who fought my life. The reft ef this I mult leave till the next occafion, which may be to-mor- row, if Gon give it, and fpare me; unto his holy will I ever defire to {libmit*

SECT. XII. January lit 1665.

A T laft, the chief officers were content to refer ■*• the matter to the captain of whofe troop

the man had been, to whom my mother very fpeedily pay'd 150 1. fterling, for the life of the man's friends, as they pretended. In all this, I was wholly paffive ; for all was done by Mr. Aird ; only my mother pay'd the money at Torwoodlie^ where the captain had his quarters. I had never a fweeter time in my life than this was, being fully aifured, that whatever way it went, it Tnould be well, for I fought nothing, but to have God to be my God : And bleifed for ever be he, who gave himfelf to me, and gave me full fubmiflion to his will : yet I was not without fome fubmiffive deflres,

that

20 Memoirs of

that he would free me out of that' trouble ; for' t thought if I mould come to lofe my life, it would not be a clear fuffering for the name of Jesus Christ, efpecially feeing fome made it then their trade, to kill them for their purfes \ but that \va3 not my cafe, for I would touch nothing of his but his- arms, O! what a happinefs I thought it was for one to lay down their life for Christ. Thefe confiderations mov'd me to think, that if God would deliver me and lengthen my days, I mould be wholly his, and at his difpofal : Many a time have I vowed lb to be, both then and fmce> and here I do renew my vows, fetting it*down under my hand, That God (without whom I can perform nothing) ibrengthning me, I {hall forlake houfest, lands, po Heltons, country, friends, wife, children, life, and all for him, to whom oftner than once or twice I have given all that feemeth to be mine, which now I profefs I enjoy as lent by him to me, whofe voice I hear fay to me, " occupy "'till 1 come." Lord and Matter help me fo to do. And now not only thefe outward things do\I give unto thee my God, bur, which is far more than all thefe, even the eternal life of my foul, as a token of my love to thee, and I truft in thee, who will make all to work together for my good, both here and hereafter. So that, in this my re- ligning up of my life unto thee, I (hall be no lofer ; for it is to one that will keep it better than I can ; but I will not fpend my care upon that only : I pray, Father, keep me from firming againft thee, and keep me in thy love always ; and when I think that I Hand, help me to take heed left I fall, and help me always to mind the good of thy peo- ple; praying for the peace of thy Jerufalerrs My

children,

Walter Fringle. 21

children, whom for a while I've forgotten, oh I ftrive to enter within the walls of this Jerufalem ; for peace lhall only be there, and profperity within her palaces.

SECT. XIII. January 31ft. 1663.

TN the year 165 1 I became a conftant hearer of "*• that lively man Mr. John Livingftone, going' every fabbath-day from Stitchill to Ancrum. By the way I have had many a fweet hour, and I ever heard him with great delight and profit to my iou\t always efteeming the word fpoken by him not to be his, but God's. Beyond any that ever I knew, he hath brought his wifdom, learning and parts (whereof he hath a very large (hare) molt in fubjeclion to God ; So that not by thefe, but by the movings of the fpi- rit of truth, did he fpeak out of the abundance that was in his heart ; therefore, thro' the goodnefs

Ol GOD, JliS wCiuS wlu i'vaCii iiitG tile licaitS Or 0"

thers ; but, in a word, he hath feen the glory of God, and doth fpeak what he hath feen and heard. I am a debitor more than I can exprefs to this worthy man ; for, befide the hearing of him preach, I have had fweet fellowship with him, ever delight- ing in his company : and once when I was lying in one bed with him at Eglingham, about the middle of the Night, I awaked with mofl fweet breathings upon my fpirit, which caufed me to flied tears with much joy, upon my pillow : this I revealed not to him, and here I mention it without any obferva- tion, left I mould feem to be pofitive in that which is not yet underftood. Now this precious man is banilhed out of thefe lands by the lords of council ;

as

2Z M embus of

as a child from a father did I part with him at* JLeith, upon -die 14th day of this prefent month : Yet nothing cf this doth trouble me, but the fear I have of what the Lord God may be minding, by banifhing fuch mining lights out of the land : If it be his will to remove his glory out of this, and our neighbouring lands, that he may plant it among fome others of the nations of the earth, I willingly fubmit to his Sovereignty; only I pray, that my poor children, and the children of the faithful in thir lands, whom I'm bound to remember, may be taken away to refide in the place where the name of our God mail be. And if it be his holy will, that our carcafes mould fall in the wildernefs, we not feeing any more of thefe good days which we have feen, nor of the glorious days which are com- ing, fo be it. Yet, oh ! Lord God caufe the po- fterity enter in, and let them not be rebellious as we have been.- Yet do I not know how foon his wonderful mercies may prevent us : Oh to believe ! we mould then fee all things to be poiuble, O ! for a fpirit of prayer to be poured out upon his peo- ple in thefe lands, that we may take hold of him ; Kot letting him depart, for there is room enough (lb to fpeak) m our Father's houfe, for thefe and' other nations of the earth alfo. •