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⟨Lads⟩, I have lost my prospect wherewith I was wont to ⟨look⟩ over to the bloody land and tell you and others ⟨what⟩ enemies and friends were doing: the devil and I ⟨muddles⟩ and rides time about upon other: but if I were ⟨uppermost⟩ again, I shall ride hard, and spurgaw well: ⟨I⟩ have been praying for a swift passage over to the ⟨sinful⟩ land, come of us what will; and now Alexander ⟨Gordon⟩ is away with my prayer wind; but it were good ⟨for⟩ the remnant in Scotland, he never saw it; for, as ⟨the⟩ Lord lives, he shall wound that interest e'er he go ⟨off⟩ the stage. Which sadly came to pass in his life, & ⟨was⟩ a reproach to it at his death A little before they ⟨came⟩ off, he baptized a child to John Maxwell a Glasgow man, who was fled over from the persecution; in ⟨his⟩ discourse before baptism, he burst out into a rapture ⟨foretelling⟩ that black day that came upon Ireland, and ⟨sad⟩ days to Scotland, and then good days. Mrs. ⟨Maxwell⟩, or Mary Elphinston, the mother of the child, yet ⟨alive⟩ in Glasgow, told me this, that in the time he was ⟨asserting⟩ these things, she was thinking and wondering what ground of assurance he had for them; he cried ⟨aloud⟩, shaking his hand at her, and said, Woman, thou ⟨art⟩ thinking and wondering within thyself, whether I ⟨am⟩ speaking those things out of the visions of my own ⟨head⟩, or if I be taught by the spirit of God; but I tell ⟨thee⟩ woman, thou shalt live & see that I am not mistaken. ⟨She⟩ told me, that she was very lately delivered, and out ⟨of⟩ her great desire to have her child baptized before he ⟨came⟩ off, that she took travel too soon, and b ing weak, ⟨and⟩ so surprized with telling her the thoughts of her ⟨heart⟩, that she was in danger of falling off the chair. ⟨At⟩ this exercise also he told them, that he could not win ⟨off till⟩ he got this d ne, and this was all the drink money he had left in Ireland, and to the family (pointing ⟨to⟩ his landlord) for all the kindness he had met with ⟨from⟩ them. After baptism they got breakfast: there ⟨was⟩ plenty of bread upon the table, and seeking a ⟨blessing⟩, he put his hand beneath the bread, holding it up ⟨with much⟩ affection and tears, said, Lord, there is a well ⟨covered⟩ table and plenty of bread; but what comes of ⟨the⟩ poor, young, kindly, honest lad Renwick, that ⟨shames us⟩ all, in staying and holding up his fainting ⟨mother's⟩ head, when of all the children she has brought ⟨forth there's⟩ none will avowedly take h r by the hand; and the poor, cold, hungry lads upon the hills; for the ⟨honour⟩ of thine own cause, let them not starve, thou ⟨caused, a ravenous beast⟩, greedy of flesh itself, ⟨to feed⟩
B3
Elijah
