PAGE 150

Mr Blair said to the great company of Christians present, "See how Satan nibbles at his heel when he is going over the threshold to heaven." A little after, I being at prayer at the bedside before him, and the word "Victory" coming out of my mouth, he took hold of my hand, and desired me to cease a little, and clapped both his hands, and cryed out, "Victory! Victory! Victory for evermore!" and then desyred me to goe on in prayer, and within a short while thereafter he expired. Mr Blair and Mr Dumbar were again deposed within half an year. I continued preaching in Killinshie for ane year and an half, till November 1635.

During my abode at London, I got acquaintance with my Lord Forbes, Sir Nathaniel Rich, Sir Richard Saltonstal, Sir William Constable, Sir Philip Stapleton, Sir Matthew Boynton, Doctor Gouge, Doctor Stibs,¹ Mr Philip Rye,² Mr Thomas Goodwin, little Mr Harris, and Mr Rols, and severall others. I was often with Doctor Alexander Lightone, who was prisoner in the Fleet. He dissuaded me from going to New England, and told me he was confident we would see the downfall of the bishops in Scotland, which came to passe within three years. Some other things he then told me, which whether come yet to pass or not I know not.

In June 1635, the Lord was graciously pleased to bless me with my wife, who how well accomplished every way, and how faithfull an yoke-fellow, I desire to leave to the memory of others. She was the eldest daughter of Bartholomew Fleeming, merchant in Edinburgh, of most worthy memory, whose brothers were John Fleeming, merchant in Edinburgh, and Mr James Fleeming, minister at Bathons. Her father dyed at London in the year 1624, and was laid hard by Mr John Welsh, and these two only, of ane long time, had been solemnly buried without the Service Book. Her mother was an rare godly woman, Marion Hamilton, who had also three religious sisters, Elizabeth, married to Mr Richard Dickson, minister first at the West Church of Edinburgh, after at Kineell; Barbara, married to John Mein, merchant in

**************

¹    "Sibbs."

²    "Ny."

PAGE 151

Edinburgh; and Beatrix, married to Mr Robert Blair. Her brother, James Fleeming, ane gracious and hopefull youth, dyed in the year 1640; ane while after, his sister Marrion dyed when she had been sometime married to Mr John M'Clellan, minister at Kirkcudbright. Her mother, with her second husband, John Stevenson, and her family, came to Ireland in the end of the year 1633. When I went ane visit to Ireland in the year 1634, Mr Blair proposed to me that marriage. Immediately thereafter,¹ I was sent to London, to have gone to New England, and returned the June following. I had seen her before severall! times in Scotland, and heard the testimony of many of her gracious disposition; yet I was for nine moneths seeking as I could direction from God anent that bussiness, dureing which time I did not offer to speak to her, (who I believe had not heard anything of the matter,) only for want of clearness in my minde, although I was twice or thrice in the house, and saw her frequently at communions and public meetings; and it is like I might have been longer in that² darkness, except the Lord had presented an occasion of our conferring together; for in November 1634, when I was going to the Fryday meeting at Antrum, I forgathered with her and some other going thither, and proponed to them by the way to conferr upon an text, Avhereon I was to preach the day after at Antrum, wherein I found her conferrence so judicious and spiritual that I took that for some answer of my prayer to have my mind cleared, and blamed myself that I had not before taken occasion to conferr with her. Four or five dayes thereafter, I proponed the matter to her, and desired her to think upon it; and after a week or two, I went to her mother's house, and being alone with her desyring her answer, I went to prayer, and urged her to pray, which at last she did, and in that time I got abundant clearness that it was the Lord's mind³ I should marry her. I then proponed the matter more fully to her mother; and albeit I was thus fully cleared, I may truely say it was above ane moneth after before I got marriage affection to her,

**************

¹    "A little after."

²    "Such."

³    "That."