A Short Testimony concerning CATHERINE ALLARDES Late Wife to IOHN FVLLERTOVNE of KINNEBAR Who departed this Life the last day of the last Moneth called February Anno. 1670. Psalm 37. verse 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Psalm 116. v. 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of the Saints Rev. 14. v. 13. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them Printed Anno. 1671. A short testimony concerning Katherine Allardes late wife to Iohn Fulertoune of Kinneber who departed this life the last day of the last Moneth called February 1670. SHE was a woman of extraordinary patience and meeknes and of few words that having been near 23. years married with her I cannot say that ever I saw her angrie though she could and did correct her children and keept them in as much avve as most and did reprove undutiful servants or others very plainly and downright and yet without hastie rash words for never in her life can any say that they have known her to take the name of God in vaine or let fall from her any of the so recokened pettie oaths she hade alwayes water in readinesse to cast upon the breaking forth of any appearance of fire in any person After our Marriage once or twice I came upon her in the fieldes when her eyes were streaming forth teares at prayer and I beeing earnest to know what weighted her spirit if it was dissatisfaction of her marriage after much pressing she at length told me it was not any thing of that but she was grieved for that she often testified against that I should comply so much with the prophane drunken neighbours and others that frequented my house and if I continued that way of entertaining them the Lord would depart from our familie which words though I made little ansvvere unto them then they were as bread cast upon the waters She was also very extraordinary diligent in her calling and employment as is well known to all about her and had the care and accounts of all my corns and rents and when I was often dissatisfied that she her self did spin and handle yarne so much she would answer she had not peace in her minde to be unimployed in some honest necessarie work and would tell me if the Lord permit the enemies of the truth to take our estate from us or banish us therefrom for conscience sake I can said she through the Lords assistance mantain thee and my children in a comfortable way And she often said I am wholly out of covetousnesse anxiety or fear of want knowing that I have a good and loving Provisor who never failed me I often would speak of our many children and what I should do with them her ordinary answer was if they fear the Lord they have enough and we have enough of the things of this life to leave amongst them if they fear not the Lord there is too much to give them I am willing they suffer for their folly Some years ago my estate being very much run under debts so that in the reckoning of all it was ruined and all our relations gave us advice to sell it and save something of the price and these who were filled with malice and the spirit of persecution against us because we denyed their way to be of God and would not longer eat of their polluted Sacrifices being about 13. years agoe they triumphed and insulted over our hard condition when they heard of my creditors beginning their work against me and our estate their words were we see God bringing him down and going to spew him out of the land for it was reckoned I was going to Ireland as I did conclude to do which words wounded me as arrows not for my estate I can say but because they who are now brought down would get such advantage against the precious truth because of which I being much brocken in my spirit for many weeks I was not wholly satisfied that she was not as much touched She told me she was little moved with that aparent change at all After some days the Lord in condescendence to my weakness was pleased to show me in a very plain clear vision that my estate and house near faine should be recovered which I not believing within twenty foure houres thereafter he dowbled the vision againe and shew me the way how it should come to pass which is not fit here to mention lest swine should tear and mock the which I did then tell her she told me she was alwayes confident the Lord would do that for us or else that which was as good And after some years when a change began to appear on our outward condition and that it was told that some witless idle talking people said we had gotten money sent us from another place she would answer that it is little matter what they say for they know not him who is Lord of all who hath seen it meet to bless now when men hath cursed But Balaam cannot curse Israel but we never received money from others except such as were due to us for fair barganing c. Nor never could we said she so long as we had of our own to furnish us food and rayment or could help our selves by labour and much have we given but never yet received on any such account knowing it is better to give then to receive She loved such of the Presbyterians as was of a sober serious conversation and for their zeal for curbing of wickedness among the people and there making some difference betwixt the Precious and the Vile but she had a great contrariety to their spirit of persecution and concluded if ever they got the flesh they so much lust after viz. power it would be for a further stroake and bitter cup except the Lord redeemed them from that spirit of rigidity bitterness and persecution of tender consciences She loved that little more moderation which appears in Episcopals but hated the loose ungodly lives of most of them and believed the Lord would in his due time meet with them because of their conniving at or not curbing this flood of iniquitie broke forth in the Nation under that government She was one who was more then ordinary acquanted with and had the secrets of the Lord revealed to her which I can truely witness though its like I shal be but little believed by the benighted world I might name more nor now I shall but a little touch I have freedome to give When about 11. years since he called Mr. Thomas Cowper Minister at Montrose had excommunicatted me after the space of some moneths one morning on the first day of the week called the Sabbath she and I approaching to wash our hands she said the Lord hath let me see that Thomas Cowper is laid by useless
and is to preach no more Which was to me something strange to hear her so positive as was not her ordinarie I said it is very much if it be so sudden she said it is to be even so And that day in the evening there came one and told that Thomas Cowper going in to the Kirk to preach was at the Kirk door struck with a distemper and was carried back to his house out of which he never came againe with life though he lived long after And I may say the man went about that work with great reluctancie and unwillingness against the light not being so wholly given up as many of them now are to hardnesse of heart spite and enmity For one day he and I walking in my garden he said I know its Reformation ye would be at will ye stay among us to help us forward therewith I answered there was no stay in Babylon that was become the hold of every foule spirit he said is there none else there in that ye call Babylon I answered its like there is but they should not stay there nor was it to be expected that that few were able to carry on a Reformation while among them then he besought that either I or my wife would give him warrand to seek a delay of that sentance seeing he had sought it so often and now they distrusted him she and I denyed to give him warrand to seek one houre and then he cryed out with teares falling from his eyes alace for evermore that ye will not grant me that request And so the next day did cast me out who was not in their Church And some years after being about seven yeares since this present Preacher at Montrose having excommunicate my wife the which after seven dayes was told her she said it was strange the man would shew so much malice and ignorance to curse her that for any thing she knew he never saw and was sure he never spoke with her nor knew never her principles nor practises except it were what he had gathered from lying slanders but said she if we follow that that is good what can harme us and it is our place to watch that we may be keept holy and harm less in our Generation not having an evil eye against that Generation who must be doing their work in this Age as in former Ages against the Saints I may also mention that about 5. or 6. yeares since two of my Salmond-Fishers agreed to bring in to me lymestone for so much the Boat full I then having building in hand the lyme-stone about two or three mile off along the Sea-shore and one evening after their passing out of the water there arose a mighty tempest of a North-wind that they could get no shore but gave up themselves for death their oars being mostly washen from them and their saill beat down The next day they told me that two of my men were lost which weighted me verie sore and the rather because one of them was a Fellow-sufferer with me for conscience sake and the other was an extraordinarie vitious person While I was in this grief for them my wife having been sick of a long time and I sitting by her the third day after their way-going she told me the two men were safe and alive and that the wicked person whom she named was preserved for the sake of the other and not only so but the friend of truth was set safe on the rock and the other was drowned in the water but was drawn out again and saved by the friend which was truely so for their came word some dayes after that after the midle of the night the boat came in among the mighty waves of broken water at Fife-ness and one swell carried the boat upon the top of an high rock where she set her bottom being fallen out the friend looked and found the boat fast and stopt upon the rock and stood the other began also to come out and the waves plucked him over the rock the friend looked for him being Moon-light and seeing him not only saw a bonnet floating on the water and having a tree in his hand he reached the tree to the bonnet on the water the other under the water striving with death gat hold of the staff and held fast as any do in such condition the friend not knowing what it was drew and he came up and was saved to the admiration of many in that countery to this day how they were saved and he called Laird of Kin-kell Hamiltoune furnished them with money after a day or two sent them home The prophane person after that he began to abstaine from some of his wicked wayes and be more serious so that his relations caused draw blood of him as a mad-man all which I concerned not my self into knowing that his physick behoved to come from another and after some time I found it expedient to advise him to begin to walk in the good old way the light in which he would find rest for his soul and as therein he was found faithful he would come to know refreshment from the presence of the Lord Which he listned to and grew more and more clear in his judgement and since hath born a measure of testimony for the truth both in words and conversation Other things I might mention which is not fit here that my dear Wife had revealed to her of the Lord. But now I shal touch of her carriage before her departur hence About eight moneths since she told me it was showen her that she was married to another she having gotten a new Name and a white-stone and all clade in white linnen the which when told me was a wound to my heart for I concluded she was to be taken from me and joyned more near to the Lamb yet I often cryed to the Lord that if it was his will that bitter cup might depart from me not knowing but that he might be entreated to spare her a little then she began to grow sickly and six or seven weeks ago her sickness encreased much that was known she was in a dropsie about twenty dayes since she was brought to bed of a child pretty easily considering her condtition then I began to have some hopes the Lord had granted my supplication About a week after her delivery she began to be worse in her body and about six or seven dayes before her removal one day sobbing very sore she told me that the enemie of her soul was assaulting her very strongly to doubt of Gods love to her and telling her that she had been too much in the incumbrances of the world and that she had been too little devouted for Heaven and that she was not yet washen clean in the Blood of the Lamb but that there stuck some of the earth to her by her too much looking at me and her children And she desired me to cry to the Lord for her that the Son of
righteousness would expel that cloud and beat back the enemy And after some words I had to her I found that rock that alwayes in the wilderness followes and gives my thristy Soul drink then assisting me to pray before her bed after which she said she had met with refreshment about evening I enquired if the enemy continued yet his assaults she said nay the battel was ended and she had the peace and love of GOD running down on her Soul as a mighty river And after that dayly comforted and strengthened me exhorting me not to mourne for her and when I would be sitting by her at sometimes when some few of us used to meet together in the Family she would warne me not to neglect the occasion of waiting on the Lord and of meeting together and edifying one another And said she thou hast more reason then thousands to be zealous for the Lord seeing he hath done for thee beyond what he hath done for thousands not can thou say that ever he failed thee in the time of thy need and he will not faill to be a help to thee and thy children in my room The time of her sickness was really a constant praying time unto her and exhorting to the fear of God she said to her sister I can say since ever I knew the truth I never wittingly disobeyed the LORD Two dayes before she departed she said to me some had been the day letting fall that our friends did not pray in the Name of Iesus which she could not receive nor owne and enquired me if I knew any such I told her I knew none such nor would I owne such for the Scripture bids ask in the Name of Iesus as Iohn hath it chap. 14.13 and chap. 16.24 And there was no acceptance but in the Name of Iesus The night she departed being the last of the twelfth Moneth I desired her that after her speach failled while life continued she would let it appear her mind was fixed on the Lord by lifting up her hands which she did almost constantly for about two houres till her breath failled during which time her Sister speaking to me said what comfort would she now take of all the Kingdoms of the world if offered her she answered againe so as with some difficulty it was heard by my laying my ear to her mouth the Lords precious truth is the sweetest thing that ever she knew and a while after she said blessed be the day that ever I knew it repeating twice over Then I said to her sister I believe clouds are far from her now she answered away with clouds clouds are far from me Therafter we could discern her lips moving to take up this words often uttered LORD IESUS After speach failled she beckned to each child at home to come to her and having lift up her eyes and hands Heaven-wards she laid them on their heads and blessed them Then I rising to stand a little in the floor in a little space she missing me looked after me and said Dear and hastily I drawing to her breath was comming off and she moved no more Which was about the 12. houre at night of the last day of the Moneth called February 1670. and about the 40. year of her Age. The next day there came one that she dearly loved that came several times to her in her sickness viz. Arthur Straton of Kirkside his Wife who was desirous to see her and lay her hand on her the which when she had she said her face appeared to her as the face of an Angel that she never saw any thing whiter and had a red on her cheeks as it seemed at a distance and others testifie her beautie was wonderful to be seen on a dead body She was generally beloved of high and low in this part of the Nation which more appeared in her sickness by so many comming and sending to see how she was even some who had never seen her face and by the general sound of the multitude at the grave side who sounded such another woman they never knew and such a Lady was there never before in Kinnaber nor likely would never be againe for none upon earth can say they knew a spot in her conversation This I write not for exalting the creature and drawing honour thereunto but that the Lord may have the glory of his work wrought in her for to him is only due all glory honour and praise let all who have the breath of the Heavenly life exalt the Lord and abase self making it of no reputation even so Lord let this be thy work on me and thine own work shal praise thee IOHN FULLERTOUN Kinnebar the 9. of the first Moneth called March 1671.