they spent their time in prayer, mutual edification and conference on what they found within them: Nothing like the superficial superfluous meetings of some cold-hearted professors, who afterwards made this work a snare to many. But these new beginners were more filled with heart-exercise than head-notions, and with fervent prayer rather than conceity gifts to fill the head. As these truly increased, so did this meeting for private edification increase too; and still at Hugh Campbell's house, on the last Friday of the month. At last they grew so numerous, that the ministers who had begotten them again to Christ, thought fit that some of them should be still with them to prevent what hurt might follow.”— "Accordingly," says Blair, who fortunately carries on the narrative from this period, at which that of Stewart abruptly terminates," Mr. John Ridge, the judicious and gracious minister of Antrim, perceiving many people on both sides of the Six-mile-water awakened out of their security, made an overture that a monthly meeting might be set up at Antrim, which was within a mile of Oldstone, and lay centrical for the awakened persons to resort to, and he invited Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Hamilton and myself to take part in that work, who were all glad of the motion, and heartily embraced it. Mr. Glendinning was also at the first glad of the confluence of the people. But we not having invited him to bear a part in the monthly meeting, he became so emulous, that to preserve popular applause, he watched and fasted wonderfully. Afterward he was smitten with a number of erroneous and enthusiastic opinions-and embracing one error after another, he set out at last on a visit to the seven churches of Asia."

The removal of this minister was no loss to the cause of religion, although he had happily been made the instrument of awakening many to a sense of its supreme importance. Had there not been judicious ministers at hand able to control and improve the agitations and alarms which he excited, and to warn the weak of his errors, the good work might have

been disgraced and overthrown, and formality and indifference might have resumed their fatal influence over the people. His place was soon after supplied by equally zealous, though more prudent and faithful brethren from Scotland; who, hearing of this great revival of religion and of the freedom with which they would be permitted to exercise their ministry, willingly removed hither, and became valuable fellow-workers with their brethren in extending the influence of the gospel and in promoting the interests of the church of Christ in Ulster.

The first of these was JOSIAS WELSH, son of the celebrated John Welsh, minister of Ayr, and consequently grandson to JOHN KNOX, the Scottish Reformer, by Elizabeth, his third daughter. He was educated at Geneva, and on his return to his native country was appointed professor of humanity in the university of Glasgow. This situation he filled until the same cause which had driven Mr. Blair from the college, -the introduction of prelacy under Dr. Cameron,-soon after compelled him also to resign his chair. "A great measure of that spirit," says Blair, "which wrought in and by the father rested on the son. The last time I had been in Scotland I met with him, and finding of how zealous a spirit he was, I exhorted him to hasten over to Ireland, where he would find work enough, and I hoped success too." He accordingly came over about the year 1626, and took up his residence with Mr. Shaw, a gentleman from Ayrshire, who had been probably known to his father, and who was now settled near Templepatrick on the opposite side of the Sixmile-water. Welsh preached for a time at Oldstone, vacant by the departure of Glendinning; and having been ordained by his kinsman Knox, bishop of Raphoe, (5) he was soon after

5 Bishop Knox was of the same family with the Reformer Knox; consequently Welsh was his relative. The bishop was educated at Glasgow ; (M'Ure's Glas. last ed. p. 197,) and was minister, first at Lochwinnoch and then at Paisley. On the second of April 1606, he was made bishop of the Isles by King James, where he was distinguished for his attention to the

settled at Templepatrick as chaplain to Captain Norton. "Here," writes Livingston," he had many seals to his ministry. He was much exercised in his own spirit, and therefore much of his preaching was an exercise of conscience." "He did with great eagerness," adds Blair, "convince the secure and sweetly comfort those that were dejected."

After him came over ANDREW STEWART in the year 1627. He succeeded John Stirling, A. M. as minister of Donegore, a parish adjoining both Templepatrick and Antrim. According to Livingston, ❝he was a man very streight in the cause of God;" and Blair styles him, "a learned gentleman and fervent in spirit, and a very successful minister of the word of God."

The next who followed from Scotland was GEORGE DUNBAR, A. M. He had been, for a length of time, minister of Ayr, and had been twice ejected in Scotland by the High commission court for his resolute attachment to the presbyterian cause which James I. was then labouring to subvert. "When the messenger [of the court] came to his house [at Ayr] the second time, a young daughter of his turning said, ' and is Pharaoh's heart hardened still ?' while all that Mr. George said was to his wife to provide the creels again. For the former time, the children being young, they behoved to carry them away in creels upon horseback.”—

When in this see

propagation of religion. Keith's Scott. Bish. p. 308. he appears to have enjoyed a pension from the king of L.100 per annum, as I find this pension withdrawn in May 1620, when he was probably on the eve of being removed to Ireland. Rym. Fæd. vol. vii. part 3, p. 147. He was translated to the see of Raphoe in 1622, where he died on the 7th of November 1632. Ware's Bishops. I may add that both the bishop and the reformer were of the house of Ranfurly in Renfrewshire, a title which now appears in the British peerage, as borne by the family of Knox of Dungannon in the county of Tyrone, who are descended from Marcus Knox, of the family of Selbiland and of Ranfurly, a zealous merchant in Glasgow at the period of the Reformation, and the donor of the great bell in the high-church, which still bears his name. The representative of this family was first ennobled by the title of Viscount Northland, which has been recently exchanged for the higher dignity of Earl of Ranfurly.

"He was," says Stewart, "for a long time prisoner at Blackness; but being released from this confinement, he was banished by order of the privy-council, and soon after came to Ireland. He first preached at Carrickfergus [after the removal of Glendinning;] but having no entertainment there, he staid a while at Ballymena and then came to Inver or Larne; by whose means all that country heard the word and were first gathered to the Lord." He ultimately settled at Larne, where he proved a most diligent minister.

His congregation participated in that awakening spirit of religion which had already manifested its striking effects in the vicinity of Antrim. The good old man having witnessed some of its fruits in that quarter, had one day in his sermon at home been "regretting with great grief that he thought none of his people had gotten good by his ministry; when one Robert Brown rose and said before them all that he had gotten good. So, after that, there appeared a blessed change wrought on him and several others." Among these, the singular case of Andrew Brown, as related by Livingston, deserves to be specified. "He was born deaf and dumb, and had been a very vicious, loose man. But when it pleased the Lord to work a change on several of that parish of Larne, a very sensible change was observed in him, not only in forsaking his former loose courses and company, but in joining himself to religious people, and all the exercises of God's worship in public and private. He ordinarily, morning and evening, used to go alone to prayer, and would weep at sermons; and by such signs those who were acquainted with him understood that he would express many things of the work of God upon his heart. So that upon his earnest desire and by the consent of all the ministers who used to meet at Antrim, he was at last admitted to the ordinance of the Lord's supper." As if to try the truth and reality of these changes of character, there were several persons, in this and the adjoining parish of Broadisland, who were affected with violent breathings and convulsions, especially during

public worship; and who considered these questionable symptoms as evidences of the work of the Spirit. But the prudence and discernment of Brice and Dunbar soon detected the imposition, and thus rescued the cause of religion from contempt and dishonour. "When they conferred with these persons, they did neither discover any sense of their sinful state nor any panting after a Saviour. Yet not content with this trial, the minister of the place wrote to his brethren inviting them to come and examine the matter; and when we came and had conferred with them, we perceived it to be a mere delusion and cheat of the destroyer to slander and disgrace the work of the Lord." (6)

Shortly after Mr. Dunbar, HENRY COLWORT or Calvert entered on the ministry in Ireland. He was a native of England, and had been ordained by Knox bishop of Raphoe on the fourth of May 1629. He was for some time assistant to Mr. Brice at Broadisland; but in a short time he removed to Oldstone or Muckamore, having been, on the presentation of Roger Langford, Esq., admitted to this parish on the seventeenth of June 1630. "This able minister," says Blair, being of a fervent spirit and vehement delivery in preaching, and withal very diligent, was a blessing to that people :" and Livingston speaks of him as one "who very pertinently cited much scripture in his sermons, and frequently urged private fasting and prayer."

66

Lastly, JOHN LIVINGSTON, A. M. was encouraged to resume the ministry in Ireland. He had been assistant to the minister of Torphichen in Scotland; but in consequence of his opposition to prelacy, he was silenced by Spotiswood, archbishop of St. Andrews, in the year 1627. He continued to preach, however, occasionally and by stealth, and calls from several parishes were presented to him; but his settlement was invariably obstructed by the bishops. At length an opportunity offered for removing to Ireland, the circumstances

6 Blair, p. 73.