John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 2: Religious and Scriptural: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, ClassifiedGraham, Dougal
Religion
John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 2: Religious and Scriptural: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, Classified
Graham, Dougal
Chapbooks, Scottish; English literature -- 18th century; Popular literature -- Scotland
But to return to our old Mr. Welch; as the duty wherein he abounded
and excelled most was prayer, so his greatest attainments fell that
way. He used to say, He wondered how a Christian could lie in bed
all night, and not rise to pray, and many times he watched. One
night he rose from his wife, and went into the next room, where
he stayed so long at secret prayer, that his wife fearing he
might catch cold, was constrained to rise and follow him, and as
she hearkened, she heard him speak as by interrupted sentences,
Lord wilt thou not grant me Scotland, and after a pause, Enough,
Lord, enough, and so she returned to her bed, and he following
her, not knowing she had heard him, but when he was by her, she
asked him what he meant by saying, Enough, Lord, enough. He shewed
himself dissatisfied with her curiosity, but told her, he had been
wrestling with the Lord for Scotland, and found there was a sad
time at hand, but that the Lord would be gracious to a remnant.
This was about the time when bishops first overspread the land,
and corrupted the church. This was more wonderful I am to relate,
I heard once an honest minister, who was a parishioner of Mr.
Welch many a day, say, ‘That one night as he watched in his garden
very late, and some friends waiting upon him in his house and
wearying because of his long stay, one of them chanced to open a
window toward the place where he walked, and saw clearly a strange
light surrounding him, and heard him speak strange words about his
spiritual joy,’ I do neither add nor alter, I am the more induced
to believe this that I have heard from as good a hand as any in
Scotland, that a very godly man, though not a minister, after he
had spent a whole night in a country house, in the muir, declared
confidently, he saw such an extraordinary light as this himself,
which was to him both matter of wonder and astonishment. But though
Mr. Welch had upon the account of his holiness, abilities, and
success, acquired among his subdued people, a very great respect,
yet was he never in such admiration, as after the great plague
which raged in Scotland in his time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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