Transcriber's note: In the original text, Scottish names, such as M'Clelland or M'Kail, sometimes use a regular apostrophe and sometimes a reversed apostrophe. In this transcription, the ASCII apostrophe character (') has been used throughout. Greek has been transliterated in this version of the e-text, and is surrounded by braces, {like this}. A caret character (^) is used to indicate a superscript in "Rob^t. " and "ALEX^R. " Page numbers in the Contents, Errata, and these notes, refer to the page numbers in the original text. The original page numbers have an error: the page following 336 is numbered 347. Missing quotation marks and other minor punctuation errors and inconsistencies such as differing hyphenations of words have been silently corrected. Missing or poorly printed letters in words have been silently supplied. Illegible text that could not be supplied from other sources is marked {illegible}. Where a word differs from modern spelling, but is consistent within the text, e. G. Atchievement, the original spelling is retained. Other typographical errors have been corrected, particularly where there is inconsistency within the text. A detailed list of these changes (including those described in the Errata) can be found at the end of the text. CONTENTS Biographia Scoticana The Preface The Introduction The Lives and Characters of the Scots Worthies Contents Errata Footnotes to Biographia Scoticana The Judgment and Justice of God Exemplified, &c. Footnotes to The Judgment and Justice of God Exemplified The Subscribers Transcriber's Notes _Biographia Scoticana:_ or, a BRIEF HISTORICAL ACCOUNT of the LIVES, CHARACTERS, and MEMORABLE TRANSACTIONS of the most eminent SCOTS WORTHIES, Noblemen, Gentlemen, Ministers, and others:From Mr. _Patrick Hamilton_, who was born aboutthe year of our Lord 1503, and suffered martyrdomat _St. Andrews_, Feb. 1527, to _Mr. James Renwick_, who was executed in the Grass-market of _Edinburgh_Feb. 17, 1688. TOGETHER WITHA succinct Account of the Lives of other seveneminent Divines, and Sir _Robert Hamilton_ of Preston, who died about, or shortly after the Revolution. AS ALSO, An Appendix, containing a short historical Hint of thewicked Lives and miserable Deaths of some of the mostremarkable apostates and bloody persecutors in Scotlandfrom the Reformation to the Revolution. Collected from historical Records, Biographical Accounts, and other authenticated Writings:--The whole including aPeriod of near Two Hundred Years. By JOHN HOWIE. The SECOND EDITION, corrected and enlarged. _The Righteous shall be had in everlasting Remembrance_, Psal. Cxii. 6. _And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her_, Psal. Lxxxvii. 5 GLASGOW: Printed by JOHN BRYCE, and Sold at his Shop, opposite Gibson's-Wynd, _Salt-market_. M, DCC, LXXXI Entered in Stationers-Hall, according to Act of Parliament. THE PREFACE To the IMPARTIAL READER. The design of the following work was to collect from the bestauthorities, a summary account of the lives characters and contendingsof a certain number of our more RENOWNED SCOTS WORTHIES, who for theirfaithful services, ardent zeal, constancy in sufferings, and otherChristian graces and virtues, deserve a most honourable memorial in thechurch of Christ;--and for which their names both have and will besavoury to all the true lovers of our Zion, while reformation-principlesare regarded in Scotland. But then perhaps at first view, some may be surprized to find one soobscure appear in a work of this nature, especially when there are somany fit hands for such an employment. But if the respect I have for thememories of these worthies; the familiar acquaintance and sweetfellowship that once subsisted betwixt some of my ancestors and some ofthem; but, above all, the love and regard which I have for the samecause which they owned and maintained, be not sufficient to apologizefor me in this; then I must crave thy patience to hear me in a fewparticulars; and that both anent the reasons for this publication, andits utility: Which I hope will plead my excuse for this undertaking. And _First_, Having for some time had a desire to see something of thiskind published, but finding nothing thereof, except a few brokenaccounts interspersed throughout different publications yet in print, atlast I took up a resolution to publish a second edition of the life ofone of these worthies already published at large[1]. --Yet, upon fartherreflection, considering it would be better to collect into one volume, the most material relations (of as many of our Scots worthies as couldbe obtained) from such of the historical records, biographicalaccounts, and other authenticated manuscripts, as I could have accessunto, with the substance of these lives already in print, which, beingput altogether, I thought would not only prove more useful in giving thereader the pleasure of viewing that all at once, which before wasscattered up and down in so many corners, but also at the same time itmight be free of the inconveniences that little pamphlets often fallunder. And yet at the same time I am aware that some may expect to finda more full account of these worthies, both as to their number and thematters of fact in the time specified, than what is here to be metwith--But in this publication, it is not pretended to give an account ofall our Scots worthies, or their transactions: For that were a task nowaltogether impracticable, and that upon several accounts. For, _1st_, There have been many of different ranks and degrees of men famousin the church of Scotland, of whom little more is mentioned in historythan their names, places of abode, and age wherein they existed, andscarcely that. Again, there are many others, of whom the most that canbe said is only a few faint hints, which of necessity must render theirlives (if they may properly be so called) very imperfect, from what theymight and would have been, had they been collected and wrote near acentury ago, when their actions and memories were more fresh and recent;several persons being then alive, who were well acquainted with theirlives and proceedings, whereby they might have been confirmed by manyuncontestible evidences that cannot now possibly be brought in; yea, andmore so, seeing there is a chasm in our history during the time of theUsurper, not to mention how many of our national records were about thattime altogether lost. [2] _2dly_, There are several others, both in the reforming and sufferingperiods, of whom somewhat now is recorded, and yet not sufficient toform a narrative of, so that, excepting by short relations or marginalnotes, they cannot otherwise be supplied. --For it is with regret thatthe publishers have it to declare, that, upon application unto severalplaces for farther information concerning some of these worthy men, theycould find little or nothing in the most part of their registers(excepting a few things by way of oral tradition) being through courseof time either designedly, or through negligence lost. _3dly_, Some few of these lives already in print being somewhat prolix, it seemed proper to abridge them; which is done in a manner ascomprehensive as possible, so that nothing material is omitted, which itis hoped will be thought to be no way injurious to the memory of theseworthy men. _Secondly_, As to the utility of this subject, biography in general, (asa historian has observed[3]), must be one of the most entertaining partsof history; and how much more the lives and transactions of our _noble_SCOTS WORTHIES, wherein is contained not only a short compend of thetestimony and wrestlings of the church of Scotland for near the space of200 years, yea from the earliest period of Christianity in Scotland (theintroduction included) but also a great variety of other things, bothinstructing and entertaining, which at once must both edify and refreshthe serious and understanding reader. --For, _1st_, In these lives we have a short view of the actions, atchievements, and some of the failings of our ancestors set forthbefore us, as examples for our caution and imitation; wherein by theexperience, and at the expence of former ages, by a train of prudentreflections, we may learn important lessons for our conduct in life, both in faith and manners, for the furnishing ourselves with the likeChristian armour of zeal, faithfulness, holiness, stedfastness, meekness, patience, humility, and other graces. _2dly_, In them we behold what the wisest of men could not think onwithout astonishment, that _God does in very deed dwell with men uponearth_, (men a little too low for heaven, and much too high for earth);nay more, dealeth "so familiarly with them, as to make them previouslyacquainted with his secret designs, both of judgment and mercy, displaying his divine power, and the efficacy of his grace thro' theirinfirmities, subduing the most hardened sinners to himself, while he asit were reigns himself to their prayers, and makes them the subject ofhis divine care and superintendency. " _3dly_, Here we have as it were a mirror exemplifying and setting forthall the virtues and duties of a religious and a domestic life. --Here isthe example of a virtuous nobleman, an active statesman, a religiousgentleman, a faithful and painful minister in the exercise of hisoffice, _instant in season and out of season_, a wise and diligentmagistrate, _one fearing God and hating covetousness_, a courageoussoldier, a good christian, a loving husband, an indulgent parent, afaithful friend in every exigence; and in a word, almost every characterworthy of our imitation. And, _Lastly_, In them we have the various changes of soul exercise, experiences, savoury expressions and last words of those, once living, now glorified witnesses of Christ. And "as the last speeches of men areremarkable, how remarkable then must the last words and dyingexpressions of these NOBLE WITNESSES and MARTYRS of Christ be?" For thenearer the dying saint is to heaven, and the more of the presence ofChrist that he has in his last moments, when death looks him in theface[4], the more interesting will his conversation be to survivors, andparticularly acceptable to real Christians, because all that he says issupported by his example, which commonly has considerable influence uponthe human mind. --It is true, there is an innate and latent evil in man'snature, that makes him more prone and obsequious to follow bad than goodexamples; yet sometimes, (yea often) there is a kind of compulsiveenergy arising from the good examples of such as are eminent either inplace or godliness, leading forth others to imitate them in the likegraces and virtues. We find the children of Israel followed the Lord allthe days of Joshua, and the elders that out-lived him; and Christ'sharbinger, John Baptist, gained as much by his practice and example asby his doctrine: His apparel, his diet, his conversation, and all, didpreach forth his holiness. Nazianzen saith of him, "That he cried louderby the holiness of his life, than by the sincerity of his doctrine. "And were it not so, the apostle would not have exhorted the Philippiansunto this, saying, _Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark themwhich walk, so as ye have us for an ensample_, &c. Chap. Iii. 17. --Andso says the apostle James, _Take, my brethren, the prophets, who havespoken in the name of the Lord, for an ensample_, &c. Chap. V. 10. Andno question, that next to the down-pouring of the Spirit from on high, the rapid and admirable success of the gospel, both in the primitivetimes, and in the beginning of our reformations (from popery andprelacy) in a great measure must have been owing to the simplicity, holyand exemplary lives of the preachers and professors thereof. A learnedexpositor observes, "That ministers are likely to preach most to thepurpose, when they can press their hearers to follow their example[5]. "For it is very observable that without this, the church of Christ is sofar from gaining ground, that it loses what it hath already gained inthe world; of which the church of Scotland is a most glaring document;yea truth itself suffers by this means, and can gain no credit fromtheir mouths; and how despicable must that man's character be, whoseauthority is lost, and his example goes for nothing. So that upon thewhole, I flatter myself that no small advantage (thro' the divineblessing) might accrue to the public from this subject in general, andfrom the lives of our Scots worthies in particular, providing these orthe like cautions following were observed: And that is, 1. We are not tosit down or rest ourselves upon the person, principle or practice of anyman, yea the best saint we have ever read or heard of, but only to seekthese gifts and graces that most eminently shone forth inthem. --_Præceptis, non exemplis, standum_, i. E. "we must not stand byexamples but precepts:" For it is the peculiar honour and dignity ofJesus Christ only to be imitated by all men absolutely, and for anyperson or persons to idolize any man or men, in making them a pattern inevery circumstance or particular, were nothing else than to pin animplicit faith upon other mens sleeves. The apostle to the Corinthians(in the forecited text) gives a very good caveat against this, when hesays, _Be ye followers_ (or as the Dutch annotators translate, _Be yeimitators_) _of me, as I am of Christ. _--And, 2. Neither are we on theother hand to dwell too much upon the faults, or failings that havesometime been discovered in some of God's own dear children; but at thesame time to consider with ourselves, that although they were eminentmen of God, yet at the same time were they the sons of Adam also: For itis possible yea many times has been the case for good men not only tomake foul falls themselves but also when striking against the errors andenormities of others to over-reach the mark, and go beyond the bounds oftruth in some degree themselves; perfection being no inherent plant inthis life, so says the apostle, _They are earthen vessels, men of likepassions with you_, &c. 2 Cor. Iv. 7. Acts xiv. 15. _Thirdly_, As to the motives leading us to this publication. Can it besupposed that there was ever an age, since reformation commenced inScotland, that stood in more need of useful holy and exemplary livesbeing set before them; and that both in respect to the actions andmemories of these worthies, and with regard to our presentcircumstances. For in respect to the memories and transactions of theseworthies, it is now a long time since bishops Spotiswood, Guthry andBurnet (not to mention some English historians) in their writings, clothed the actions and proceedings of those our ancestors (both in thisreforming and suffering period) in a most grotesque and frantic dress, whereby their names and noble attainments have been loaded withreproach, sarcasms and scurrility; but as if this had not been enough, to expose them in rendering them, and their most faithful contendings, odious, some modern writers, under the character of monthly reviewers, have set their engines again at work, to misrepresent some of them, andset them in such a dishonourable light, by giving them a character thateven the above-mentioned historians, yea their most avowed enemies, oftheir own day, would scarcely have subscribed[6]: to such a length ispoor degenerate Scotland arrived. --And is it not high time to follow thewise man's advice, _Open thy mouth for the dumb, in the cause of allsuch as are appointed to destruction?_ Prov. Xxxi. 8. Again, with regard to our present circumstances, there needs little moreto prove the necessity of this collection at present, than to shew howmany degrees we have descended from the worthy deeds or merit of our_Renowned forefathers_, by running a parallel betwixt their contendingsand attainments, and our present national defections and backsliding, courses, in these few particulars following. Our venerable reformers were not only highly instrumental in the Lord'shand in bringing a people out of the abyss of gross Popish darkness(under which they had for a long time continued), but also broughtthemselves under most solemn and sacred vows and engagements to the MostHigh, and whenever they were to set about any further piece ofreformation in their advancing state, they always set about therenovation of these covenants. --They strenuously asserted the divineright of presbytery, the headship of Christ, and intrinsic rights of hischurch in the reign of James VI. And suffered much on thataccount--lifted arms once and again in the reign of Charles I. ; andnever ceased until they got an uniformity in doctrine, worship, discipline, and church-government, brought out and established betwixtthe three kingdoms for that purpose[7], whereby both church and statewere enabled to exert themselves in rooting out every error and heresywhatever, until they obtained a complete settlement according to theword of God, and our covenants established thereon; which covenants werethen by several excellent acts both civil and ecclesiastic[8] made theMAGNA CHARTA of these nations, with respect to every civil and religiousprivilege; none being admitted unto any office or employment in churchor state, without scriptural and covenant qualifications. --And then wasthat part of the antient prophecy further fulfilled, _In the wildernessshall waters break forth, and streams in the desart, --and the islesshall wait for his law_. Christ then reigned gloriously in Scotland. Hischurch appeared _beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem:--For from theoutmost parts were heard songs, even glory to the righteous_. And although Charles II. And a set of wicked counsellors overturned thewhole fabric of that once-glorious structure of reformation, openlydivested the Son of God of his headship in and over his own church, asfar as human laws could do, burned these solemn covenants by the handsof the hangman (the owning of which was by act of parliament[9] madehigh treason afterward). --Yet even then the seed of the church produceda remnant who kept the word of Christ's patience stood in defence ofthe whole of his persecuted truths, in face of all opposition, and thatto the effusion of the last drop of their blood: "These two primetruths, Christ's headship and our covenants, being in the mouths of allour late martyrs, when they mounted their bloody theatres;" and in thecomfort of suffering on such clear grounds, and for such valuabletruths, they went triumphing off the stage of time to eternity. But alas! how have we their degenerate and renegade posterity followedtheir example or traced their steps, yea we have rather served ourselvesheirs to them who persecuted and killed them, by our long accession totheir perjury and apostacy in a general and avowed denial of our mostsolemn vows and oaths of allegiance to Jesus Christ. To mention nothingmore of the total extermination of our ancient and laudableconstitution, during the two tyrants reigns, with the many grave stonescast thereon by the acts rescissory, &c. (which acts seem by no act inparticular yet to be repealed) and claim of right at the revolution, whereby we have in a national way and capacity (whatever be thepretences) declared ourselves to be on another footing than the footingof the once-famous covenanted church of Scotland. How many are thedefections and encroachments annually and daily made upon our mostvaluable rights and privileges! For since the revolution, the duty ofnational covenanting has not only been slighted and neglected, yearidiculed by some, but even some leading church-men, in theirwritings[10], have had the effrontery to impugn (though in a very slyway) the very obligation of these covenants, asserting that there islittle or no warrant for national covenanting under the new Testamentdispensation: And what awful attacks since that time have been made uponthe crown-rights of our Redeemer (notwithstanding some saint acts thenmade to the contrary) as witness the civil magistrate's still retaininghis old usurped power, in calling and dissolving the supremejudicatories of the church, yea, sometimes to an indefinitetime. --Likewise appointing diets of fasting and thanksgiving to beobserved, under fines and other civil pains annexed; imposing oaths, acts and statutes upon church-men, under pain of ecclesiastic censure, or other Erastian penalties. And instead of our covenants, anunhallowed union is gone into with England, whereby our rights andliberties are infringed not a little, _bow down thy body as the groundthat we may pass over_. --Lordly patronage[11], which was cast out of thechurch in her purest times, is now restored and practised to anextremity. --A toleration bill[12] is granted, whereby all and almostevery error, heresy and delusion appears now rampant and triumphant, prelacy is now become fashionable and epidemical, and of popery we arein as much danger as ever[13]; Socinian and deistical tenets are only invogue with the wits of the age, _foli rationi cedo_, the old Porphyrianmaxim having so far gained the ascendant at present, that reason (atleast pretenders to it, who must needs hear with their eyes, and seewith their ears, and understand with their elbows till the order ofnature be inverted) threaten not a little to banish revealed religionand its most important doctrines out of the professing world. --Alatitudinarian scheme prevails among the majority, the greater part, with the Athenians, spending their time only to hear and see somethingnew, _gadding about to change their ways, going in the ways of Egypt andAssyria, to drink the waters of Shichor and the river_, unstable souls, like so many light combustibles wrapt up by the eddies of a whirlwind, tossed hither and thither till utterly dissipated. --The doctrine oforiginal sin[14] is by several denied, others are pulling down the veryhedges of church government, refusing all church-standards, "covenants, creeds and confessions, whether of our own or of other churches, yea andnational churches also, as being all of them carnal, human orantichristian inventions, " contrary to many texts of scripture, particularly 2 Tim. I. 13. _Hold fast the form of sound words_: and theold Pelagian and Arminian errors appear again upon the stage, the meritof the creature, free will and good works[15] being taught from pressand pulpit almost every where, to the utter discarding of free grace, Christ's imputed righteousness, and the power of true godliness. --Allwhich pernicious errors were expunged and cast over the hedge by ourreforming forefathers: And is it not highly requisite, that theirfaithful contendings, orthodox and exemplary lives, should be copied outbefore us, when walking so repugnant to _acknowledging the God of ourfathers, and walking before him with a perfect heart_. Again, if we shall run a comparison betwixt the practice of those whoare the subject-matter of this collection, and our present prevailingtemper and disposition, we will find how far they correspond with oneanother. How courageous and zealous were they for the cause and honourof Christ! How cold and lukewarm are we, of whatever sect ordenomination! How willing were they to part with all for him! And whathonour did many of them count it, to suffer for his name! How unwillingare we to part with any thing for him, much less to suffer suchhardships for his sake! Of that we are ashamed, which they counted theirornament; accounting that our glory which they looked on as a disgrace!How easy was it for them to choose the greatest suffering rather thanthe least sin! How hard is it for us to refuse the greatest sin beforethe least suffering! How active were they for the glory of God and thegood of souls, and diligent to have their own evidences clear forheaven! But how little concern have we for the cause of Christ, his workand interest, and how dark are the most part with respect to theirspiritual state and duty! They were sympathizing christians; but, alas!how little fellow-feeling is to be found among us: it is rather _Standby, for I am holier than thou. _ Oh! that their christian virtues, constant fidelity, unfeigned love and unbiassed loyalty to Zion's Kingand Lord, could awaken us from our neutrality and supine security, wherein instead of imitating the goodness and virtuous dispositions ofthese our ancestors, we have by our defections and vicious coursesinvited neglect and contempt on ourselves, being (as a philosopher onceobserved of passionate people) like men standing on their heads who seeall things the wrong way; giving up with the greater part of these ourmost valuable rights and liberties, all which were most esteemed by ourRENOWNED PROGENITORS. --_The treacherous dealers have dealt verytreacherously. _ And if we shall add unto all these, in our progressive and increasingapostacy, our other heinous land-crying sins and enormities, whichprevail and increase among all ranks and denominations of men (fewmourning over the low state of our Zion, and the daily decay of theinterest of Christ and religion). Then we not only may say as the poetonce said of the men of Athens, Thebes and Oedipus, "That we live onlyin fable, and nothing remains of ancient Scotland but the name;" butalso take up this bitter complaint and lamentation. "Ah Scotland, Scotland! _How is the gold become dim, how is the mostfine gold changed!_ Ah! Where is the God of Elijah, and where is hisglory! Where is that Scottish zeal that once flamed in the breasts ofthy nobility, barons, ministers and commoners of all sorts! Ah, where isthat true courage and heroic resolution for religion and the libertiesof the nation that did once animate all ranks in the land! Alas, alas!True Scots blood now runs cool in our veins! The cloud is now gone up ina great measure from off our assemblies; because we have deserted andrelinquished the Lord's most noble cause and testimony, by a plain, palpable and perpetual course of backsliding. "--_The crown is fallenfrom our head, wo unto us, for we have sinned. _ For surely we may say of these our times (and with as much propriety)what some of these worthies said of theirs, _Quam graviter ingemescerentilli fortes viri qui ecclesiæ Scoticanæ pro libertate in actedecertarunt, si nostram nunc ignaviam (ne quid gravius dicam)conspicerent_, said Mr. Davidson in a letter to the general Assembly1601, _i. E. _ "How grievously would they bewail our stupenduousslothfulness, could they but behold it, who of old thought no expence ofblood and treasure too much for the defence of the church of Scotland'sliberties. "--Or to use the words of another[16] in the persecutingperiod, "Were it possible that our reformers (and we may add our latemartyrs) who are entered in among the glorious choristers in the kingdomof heaven, (singing their melodious songs on harps about the throne ofthe Lamb) might have a furlough for a short time, to take a view oftheir apostatizing children, what may we judge would be theirconceptions of these courses of defection, so far repugnant to theplatform laid down in that glorious work of reformation. " For ifinnocent Hamilton, godly and patient Wishart, apostolic Knox, eloquentRollock, worthy Davidson, the courageous Melvils, prophetic Welch, majestic Bruce, great Henderson, renowned Gillespie, learned Binning, pious Gray, laborious Durham, heavenly-minded Rutherford, the faithfulGuthries, diligent Blair, heart-melting Livingston, religious Welwood, orthodox and practical Brown, zealous and stedfast Cameron, honest-hearted Cargil, sympathizing M'Ward, persevering Blackadder, theevangelical Traills, constant and pious Renwick, &c. "were filed offfrom the assembly of the first-born, sent as commissioners to haste downfrom the mount of God, to behold how quickly their offspring are goneout of the way, piping and dancing after a golden calf: Ah! with whatvehemency would their spirits be affected, to see their laboriousstructure almost razed to the foundation, by those to whom theycommitted the custody of the word of their great Lord's patience; theyin the mean time sheltering themselves under the shadow of a rotten lumpof fig-tree leaf distinctions, which will not sconce against the wrathof an angry God in the cool of the day, &c. " And _Finally_, What can have a more gloomy aspect in the midst of theseevils, (with many more that might be noticed) _when our pleasant thingsare laid waste_, than to see such a scene of strife and divisioncarried on, and maintained among Christ's professing witnesses in theselands, whereby true love and sympathy is eradicated, the very vitals ofreligion pulled out, and the ways of God and godliness lampooned andridiculed, _giving Jacob to the curse, and Israel to thereproaches_. --And it is most lamentable, that while malignants (now aswell as formerly) from without are cutting down the carved work of thesanctuary, Christ's professed friends and followers from within arebusied in contention and animosities among themselves, by which meansthe enemy still advances and gains ground, similar to the case(exteriorly) of that once famous and flourishing city and temple ofJerusalem, when it was by Titus Vespasian utterly demolished[17]. --Allwhich seem to prelude or indicate, that the Lord is about to inflictthese long-threatened, impending but protracted judgments[18] upon sucha sinning land, church and people. And as many of these worthies haveassured us, that judgments are abiding this church and nation; so ourpresent condition and circumstances seem to say, that we are thegeneration ripening for them apace. --How much need have we then of theChristian armour that made them proof against Satan, his emissaries, andevery trial and tribulation they were subjected unto? _Wherefore takeunto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand inthe evil day. _ But by this time somewhat might have been said concerning the testimonyof the church of Scotland, as it was carried on and handed down by thesewitnesses of Christ to posterity, in its different parts andperiods--But as this has been somewhat (I may say needlessly)controverted in these our times, it were too large a subject (for thenarrow limits of a preface) to enter upon at present, any further thanto observe, that, (1. ) The testimony of the church of Scotland is not only a free, fulland faithful testimony, (yea more extensive than the testimony of anyone particular church since Christianity commenced in the world) butalso a sure and costly testimony, confirmed and sealed with blood; "andthat of the best of our nobles, ministers, gentry, burgesses and commonsof all sorts;"--_who loved not their lives unto the death, but overcameby the word of their testimony. --Bind up the testimony, seal the law. _ (2. ) Altho' there is no truth whatsoever, when once controverted, but itbecomes the word of Christ's patience, and so ought to be the word ofour testimony, Rev. V. 10. Xii. 11. ; truth and duty being always thesame in all ages and periods of time, so that what injures one truth, insome sense, injures and affects all; _For whosoever shall keep the wholelaw, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all_, Jam. Ii. 10. Yetat the same time it is pretty evident, that the church of Christ in thisworld is a passing church, still circulating through ages and periods oftime, so that she seldom or never turns back under the same point, therebeing scarcely a century of years elapsed without an alteration ofcircumstances; yea and more, I suppose that there is no certain bookthat has or can be written, that will suit the case of one particularchurch at all times, and in all circumstances: This pre-eminency theholy scriptures only can claim as a complete rule for faith and manners, principle and practice, in all places, ages and times. (3. ) These things premised, let it be observed, That the primitivewitnesses had the divinity of the Son of God, and an open confession ofhim, for their testimony; our reformers from Popery had Antichrist tostruggle with, in asserting the doctrines of the gospel, and the rightway of salvation in and through Jesus Christ: again, in the reigns ofJames VI. And Charles I. Christ's REGALIA[19], and the divine right ofpresbytery became the subject-matter of their testimony. Then in thebeginning of the reign of Charles II. (until he got the whole of ourancient and laudable constitution effaced and overturned) our WORTHIESonly saw it their duty to hold and contend for what they had alreadyattained unto. --But then in the end of this and subsequent tyrant'sreign, they found it their duty (a duty which they had too longneglected) to advance one step higher, by casting off their authorityaltogether, and that as well on account of their manifest usurpation ofChrist's crown and dignity, as on account of their treachery, bloodshedand tyranny. And yet as all these faithful witnesses of Christ didharmoniously agree in promoting the kingdom and interest of the Messiah, in all his threefold offices, they stood in defence of religion andliberty (and that not only in opposition to the more gross errors ofPopery, but even to the more refined errors of English hierarchy) wemust take their testimony to be materially all and the same testimony, only under different circumstances, which may be summed up thus; "Theprimitive martyrs sealed the prophetic office of Christ in opposition toPagan idolatry. --The reforming martyrs sealed his priestly office withtheir blood, in opposition to Popish idolatry. --But last of all, ourlate martyrs have sealed his kingly office with their best blood, indespite of supremacy and bold Erastianism. They indeed have cemented itupon his royal head, so that to the world's end it shall never drop offagain. " But, candid reader, to detain thee no longer upon these or the likeconsiderations, --I have put the following sheets into thy hands, whereinif thou findest any thing amiss, either as to matter or method, let itbe ascribed unto any thing else, rather then want of honesty orintegrity of intention; considering, that all mankind are liable to err, and that there is more difficulty in digesting such a great mass ofmaterials into such a small composition, than in writing many volumes. Indeed there is but little probability, that a thing of this nature canaltogether escape or evade the critical eye of some carping Momus[20], particularly such as are either altogether ignorant of reformationprinciples, or, of what the Lord hath done for covenanted Scotland; andthose who can bear with nothing but what comes from those men who are ofan uniform stature or persuasion with themselves: and yet were itpossible to anticipate anything arising here by way of objection, thesefew things following might be observed. Here some may object, That many things more useful for the presentgeneration might have been published, than the deeds and public actingsof those men, who have stood so long condemned by the laws of thenation, being exploded by some, and accounted such a reproach, as unfitto be any longer on record. --In answer to this, I shall only notice, (1. ) That there have been some hundreds of volumes published of thingsfabulous, fictitious and romantic, fit for little else than to amuse thecredulous reader; while this subject has been in a great measureneglected. (2. ) We find it to have been the constant practice of theLord's people in all ages, to hand down and keep on record what the Lordhad done by and for their forefathers in former times. We find the royalpsalmist, in name of the church, oftener than once at this work, Psal. Xliv. And lxxviii. _We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers havetold us, what works thou didst in their days, in the times of old: Wewill not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation tocome the praises of the Lord_, &c. (3. ) It has been the practice ofalmost all nations (yea and our own also) to publish the warlikeexploits and martial atchievements of their most illustrious heroes, whodistinguished themselves in defence of their native country, for alittle worldly honour, or a little temporary subsistence; and shall webe behind in publishing the lives, characters, and most memorableactions of these _noble_ CHAMPIONS of Christ, who not only stood indefence of religion and liberty, but also fought the battles of the Lordagainst his and their avowed enemies, till in imitation of theirprincely Master, their garments were all stained with blood, for whichtheir names shall be had in everlasting remembrance. (4. ) As to the lastpart of the objection, it must be granted, that in _foro homines_, theiractions and attainments cannot now be pled upon, but _in foro Dei_, thatwhich was lawful from the beginning cannot afterwards be made sinful[21]or void; and the longer they have been buried under the ashes of neglectand apostacy, the more need have they to be raised up and revived. It isusual for men to keep that well which was left them by their fathers, and for us either to oppose or industriously conceal any part of thesetheir contendings, were not only an addition to the contempt alreadythrown upon the memories of these RENOWNED SIRES, but also an injurydone to posterity. --"Your honourable ancestors, with the hazard of theirlives, brought Christ into our lands, and it shall be cruelty toposterity if ye lose him to them, " said one of these worthies to a Scotsnobleman[22]. Again, some sceptical nullifidian or other may be ready to objectfarther, "That many things related in this collection smell too much ofenthusiasm; and that several other things narrated therein, are beyondall credit. " But these we must suppose to be either quite ignorant ofwhat the Lord did for our forefathers in former times, or else in agreat measure destitute of the like gracious influences of the HolySpirit, by which they were actuated and animated. For, (1. ) These worthies did and suffered much for Christ and his cause, intheir day and generation, and therefore in a peculiar and singularmanner were honoured and beloved of him; and although there are somethings here narrated, of a pretty extraordinary nature, yet as theyimply nothing contrary to reason, they do not forfeit a title to anyman's belief, since they are otherwise well attested, nay obviouslyreferred to a cause, whose ways and thoughts surmount the ways andthoughts of men, as far as the heavens are above our heads. --The sacredhistory affords us store of instances and examples of a moretranscendent nature than any thing here related; the truth of which weare at as little liberty to question, as the divinity of the book inwhich they are related. (2. ) As to the soul-exercise and pious devotion of these men hereinrelated, they are so far supported by the authority of scripture, thatthere is mentioned by them (as a ground of their hope) some text orpassage thereof, carried in upon their minds, suited and adapted totheir cases and circumstances; by which faith they were enabled to layclaim to some particular promise, _as a lamp unto their feet_, _a lightunto their path_, and this neither hypocrite nor enthusiast can do: _Forother foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is JesusChrist_, 1 Cor. Iii. 11. But then, it may be alleged by those who have a high esteem for thissubject, That nothing is here given as a commendation suitable oradequate to the merit of these Worthies, considering their zeal, diligence and activity in the discharge of their duty, in that office orstation which they filled. This indeed comes nearest the truth; for itis very common for biographers to pass eulogiums of a very high strainin praise of those whom they affect. But in these panegyrical orations, they oftimes rather exceed than excel. --It was an ancient (but true)saying of the Jews, "That great men (and we may say good men) commonlyfind stones for their own monuments;" and laudable actions alwayssupport themselves: And a thing (as an author[23] observes on the likesubject) "if right, it will defend itself; if wrong, none can defend it:Truth needs not, falsehood deserves not a supporter. " Indeed it must be regretted, that this collection is not drawn out withmore advantage to the cause of Christ, and the interest of religion incommending the mighty acts of the Lord done for and by these worthyservants or his, in a way suitable to the merit and dignity of such asubject. But in this case it is the greater pity, "That those who have agoodwill to such a piece of service cannot do it, while those who shouldand can do it will not do it. "--But in this I shall make no otherapology, than what our Saviour (in another case) said to the woman, _She hath done what she could. _ All that I shall observe anent the form or method used in the followinglives, is, that they are all, except one, ranged in order, according tothe time of their exit, and not according to their birth; and that ingeneral, the historical account of their birth, parentage, and memorabletransactions is first inserted; and with as few repetitions as possible:Yea, sometimes to save a repetition, a fact is related of one Worthy inthe life of another, which is not in his own life. Then follows theircharacteristic part, which oftimes is just one's testimony successivelyof another; and last of all, their works[24]. --That which is given intheir own words, mostly stands in commas. I know it is usual, when relating matters of fact, to make remarks orreflections, yet as this oftimes brings authors under suspicion of partyzeal or partiality, they are designedly waved in the body of thebook. --Any thing of this kind is placed among other things in themarginal notes, where the reader is at a little more freedom to chuse orrefuse as he pleases, only with this proviso, That truth be alwaysregarded. The last thing to be observed is, That as the credit due to thiscollection depends so much upon the authors from whom it was extracted, their names should have been inserted. However, the reader will find themost part of them mentioned in the notes; so that if any doubt of theveracity of any thing here related, they may have recourse to theoriginal authors, some of whom, though enemies to reformationprinciples, nevertheless serve to illustrate the facts narrated in thesememoirs, as nothing serves more to confirmation of either truth orhistorical facts, than the testimony of its opposers. But to conclude; May the Lord arise and plead his own cause in putting afinal stop to all manner of prevailing wickedness; and hasten that daywhen the glorious light of the gospel may shine forth in purity, andwith such power and success as in former times, with an enlargement ofthe Mediator's kingdom, --_That his large and great dominion may beextended from the river to the ends of the earth, _ when all these heats, animosities and breaking divisions, that now prevail and increase amongChrist's professed friends and followers, may be healed; that beingcemented and knitted to one another, they may join heart and handtogether in the matters of the Lord, and the concerns of his glory;_when Ephraim shall no more envy Judah, and Judah shall no more vexEphraim, but both shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines_, Isa. Xi. 13. ; with a further accomplishment of these with other graciouspromises, --_And thine officers shall be peace, and thine exactorsrighteousness_, &c. ; _and they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shallbring again the captivity of Zion. _--And that when we are endeavouringto perpetuate the memory of these worthies, or commemorate what the Lorddid for and by our forefathers, in the days of old, we may be soauspicious as to have somewhat to declare of his goodness and wonderfulworks done for us in our day and generation also. And if the following sheets shall in the least through divine grace, under the management of an over-ruling providence (which claims the careof directing every mean to its proper end) prove useful to thereclaiming of neutrals from backsliding courses, to the confirming ofhalters, and the encouraging of others to the like fortitude andvigorous zeal, to contend for our most valuable privileges (whether of acivil or a religious nature), then I shall think all my painsrecompensed, and the end gained. For that many may be found _standing inthe way, to see and ask for the good old paths, and walk therein, cleaving to the law and to the testimony, _ would be the joy, and is theearnest desire of one, impartial reader, who remains thy friend andwell-wisher in the truth, JOHN HOWIE. LOCHGOIN, _July_ 21, 1775. _N. B. _ If any person or persons have or shall object to this or theformer edition, that in transcribing these lives (particularly those whowere formerly in print) I have curtailed them in favours of my ownparticular sentiment; I must here let them know, that it is entirelyfalse; for I never omitted any thing to my knowledge, that I thoughtwould be for the benefit of the public, where I had room to insert it:For I could heartily wish, that these lives were in whole re-printed; inthe mean time, I cannot help thinking, that such reflections are orwould be but a very slender or ungenteel requital for my past pains andlabour. ADVERTISEMENT to the Public, concerning this Edition. That, after what I formerly observed on the subject in the foregoingpages, it were needless to add any thing farther here, than to notice tothe Reader, that besides a number of small corrections, there are fourlives added, and upwards of fifty other additions or shortimprovements;--only as Mr. Vetch's life and practice, especially sincethe Revolution, was not so consonant to the rest as could have beenwished, it was desired by some friends to be deleted; but othersalledging that he was a sufferer, and that his life being onceprovidentially cast into this number, it might be accounted an injury, if not to the book, yet to the purchasers of this edition, therefore Ihave abridged it as concisely as possible, and placed it in its ownproper place, in the end; which is no more nor no less freedom used withhis memory, than what has been done with others as deserving, might Isay, as faithful as he: besides his life in full still stands entire inthe first edition, which may be either consulted or printed again atpleasure. I am further to acquaint the reader, that I have been sometimessolicited by acquaintance to write another volume of the wicked livesand characters of some of the late wicked persecutors; but not findingproper materials for all that should have had a place in this catalogue, I have presumed to add, by way of appendix unto this edition, a shortsketch or historical account of the wicked lives and miserable deaths ofsome of the most notable apostate church-men and violent persecutors, from the Reformation to the Revolution, which it is hoped will be noways unapt unto the subject, and, through a divine blessing, may notwant its own proper use; for while we are made to behold the Lord'sadmirable goodness and mercy, yea miracles of mercy, extended towardshis church and people, we, at the same time, have a view of hisdispleasure and the severity of his judgments inflicted upon his andtheir enemies, according to his own promise, _I will punish them thatafflict thee_, and even in this life; which must be an eminentaccomplishment, display and illustration of divine revelation, inopposition to all deistical scribblers. --_The righteousness of theperfect shall direct his way; but the wicked shall fall by his ownwickedness_, &c. But to insist no further, I remain as above, JOHN HOWIE. LOCHGOIN, _June_, 1781. THE INTRODUCTION. Christianity seems to have made its appearance in Scotland in a veryearly period, being, according to some writers, propagated in thiskingdom by the Apostles themselves; some saying that Simon Zelotes, others that Paul was some time in this part of the world; but as thisopinion is not supported by proper vouchers, it merits only the regarddue to conjecture, not the attention which an undoubted narrative callsfor. Another, and more probable account, is, that during the persecutionraised by Domitian, (who was the twelfth and last Cæsar, about A. D. 96. ) some of the disciples of the apostle John fled into our Island, andthere taught the religion of Jesus. It does not seem that Christianitymade any very rapid progress for a considerable time. The first accountof the success of the gospel that can be depended on, is that about A. D. 203. King Donald I. With his Queen, and several courtiers werebaptized, and continued afterwards to promote the interest ofChristianity, in opposition to Pagan idolatry. But the invasion of theEmperor Severus soon disturbed this king's measures, so that for thespace of more than seventy years after, religion was on the decline, andthe idolatry of the Druids prevailed; they were an order of Heathenpriests, who performed their rites in groves of oak trees; this was aspecies of Paganism of great antiquity, being that kind of idolatry towhich the Jews were often revolting, of which mention is made in thelives of Ahab, Manasseh, &c. In the books of the kings. These Druidslikewise possessed a considerable share of civil power, being theordinary arbitrators in almost all controversies, and highly esteemed bythe people; this made it a very difficult task to establish a religionso opposite to, and subversive of that institution: but the difficultieswhich Christianity has in every age and country had to encounter, haveserved its interest, and illustrated the power and grace of its divineAuthor. These Druids were expelled by king Cratilinth, about the year277, who took special care to obliterate every memorial of them; andfrom this period we may date the true æra of Christianity in Scotland, because from this time forward, until the persecution under the emperorDioclesian, in the beginning of the fourth century, there was a gradualincrease of the true knowledge of God and religion, that persecutionbecame so hot in the south parts of Britain, as to drive many, bothpreachers and professors, into Scotland, where they were kindlyreceived, and had the Isle of Man (then in possession of the Scots)given them for their residence, and a sufficient maintenance assignedthem. King Cratilinth built a church for them, which was called thechurch of our SAVIOUR, in the Greek, {sôtêr}, and is now bycorruption SODOR, in Icolumbkil, one of the western isles. They were notemployed, like the Druidical priests, in whose place they had come, insettling the worldly affairs of men, but gave themselves wholly todivine services, in instructing the ignorant, comforting the weak, administering the sacraments, and training up disciples to the sameservices. Whether these Refugees were the ancient Culdees or a different set ofmen, is not easily determined, nor would be very material, though itcould. The Culdees (from _cultores Dei_, worshippers of God) flourishedat this time, they were called {mona'choi}, or Monks, from theretired religious lives which they led; the cells into which they hadretired, were, after their deaths, mostly converted into churches, andto this day retain their names, as Cell or Kill or church of Marnock;Kil-Patrick, Kil-Malcolm, &c. The Culdees chose superintendents fromamong themselves, whose office obliged them to travel the country, inorder to see that every one discharged his duty properly: but they wereutter strangers to the lordly power of the modern Prelate, having noproper diocese, and only a temporary superintendency, with which theywere vested by their brethren, and to whom they were accountable. It wasan institution, in the spirit of it, the same with the privy censures ofministers among Presbyterians. During the reigns of Cratilinth, and Fincormac his successor, theCuldees were in a flourishing state: but after the death of the latter, both the church and state of Scotland went into disorder. Maximus theRoman Præfect, stirred up the Picts to aid him against the Scots, whowere totally defeated, their King Ewing, with most part of the nobility, being slain. This overthrow was immediately succeeded by an edictcommanding all the Scots, without exception, to depart the kingdomagainst a certain day, under pain of death. This drove them entirelyinto Ireland and the western isles of Denmark and Norway, excepting afew ecclesiastics, who wandered about from place to place. This bloodybattle was fought about the year 380, at the water of Dunne in Carrick. After an exile of 44, or according to Buchanan, 27 years which the Scotsendured, the Picts became sensible of their mistake, in assisting theRomans against them, and accordingly strengthened the hands of the fewwho remained, and invited the fugitives back into their own land. Thesewere joined by some foreigners, and returned with Fergus II. (then inDenmark) upon their head, their enterprise was the more successful, thatat this time many of the Roman forces were called home. Their king wascrowned with the usual rites in his own country, and the news of hissuccess drew great numbers to him, in so much that he recovered all thecountry out of which the Scots had been expelled: most of the foreignforces returned home, except the Irish, who possessed the country ofGalloway for their reward. This successful undertaking happened aboutthe year 404, or as others would have it, 420. The Culdees were now recalled out of all their lurking places, restoredto their livings, and had their churches repaired; at this time theypossessed the peoples esteem to a higher degree than ever: but thistranquility was again interrupted by a more formidable enemy thanbefore. The Pelagian heresy had now gained considerable ground inBritain, it is so called from Pelagius a Monk at Rome; its chiefarticles are, 1. That original sin is not inherent. 2. That faith is athing natural. 3. That good works done by our own strength, of our ownfree-will, are agreeable to the law of God, and worthy ofheaven. --Whether all, or only part of these errors then infected theScottish church, is uncertain; but Celestine, then bishop of Rome, embraced this opportunity to send Palladius among them, who, joiningwith the orthodox of south Britain, restored peace to that part of thechurch, by suppressing the heresy. Eugenius the second, being desirousthat this church should likewise be purged of the impure leaven, invitedPalladius hither, who obtaining liberty from Celestine, and beingenjoined to introduce the hierarchy as opportunity should offer, cameinto Scotland, and succeeded so effectually in his commission, as bothto confute Pelagianism and new-model the government of the church. The church of Scotland knew no officers vested with pre-eminence abovetheir brethren, nor had any thing to do with the Roman pontiff, untilthe year 450. Bede says, that "Palladius was sent unto the Scots whobelieved in Christ, as their first bishop. [25]" Boetius likewise says, "that Palladius was the first of all who did bear holy magistracy amongthe Scots, being made bishop by the Great Pope. " Fordun in hischronicle, tells us, that "before the coming of Palladius, the Scots hadfor teachers of the faith, and ministers of the sacraments, Presbytersonly, or Monks, following the customs of the primitive church[26]. " But we are not even to fix the æra of diocesan Bishops so early as this, for there were no such office-bearers in the church of Scotland, untilthe reign of Malcolm II. In the eleventh century. During the first 1000years after Christ, there were no divided dioceses, nor superioritiesover others, but they governed in the church in common with Presbyters;so that they were no more than nominally bishops, possessing little ornothing of that lordly dignity, which they now, and for a long time pasthave enjoyed. Spotiswood (history page 29. ) himself testifies, that theScottish bishops before the eleventh century, exercised their functionsindifferently in every place to which they came. Palladius may be saidto have rather laid the foundation of the after degeneracy of the churchof Scotland, than to have built that superstructure of corruption andidolatry which afterwards prevailed, because she continued for near twohundred years in a state comparatively pure and unspotted, when we castour eyes on the following times. About the end of the sixth and beginning of the seventh century, anumber of pious and wise men flourished in the country, among whom wasKentigern, commonly called Mungo, some of these persons were employed byOswald a Northumbrian king, to instruct his people; they arerepresented by Bede, as eminent for their love to God and knowledge ofthe holy scriptures: the light of the gospel by their means broke intoother parts of the Saxon dominions, which long maintained an oppositionto the growing usurpation of the church of Rome, which after the middleof this century was strenuously supported by Austin's disciples. Beside these men, the church of Scotland at this time sent many otherworthy and successful missionaries into foreign parts, particularlyFrance, and Germany. Thus was Scotland early privileged, and thus wereher privileges improven: But soon _the gold became dim, and the mostfine gold was changed_. Popery came now by degrees to show her horrid head; the assiduity ofAustin and his disciples in England, was attended with melancholyconsequences to Scotland, by fomenting divisions, corrupting her princeswith Romish principles, and inattention to the lives of her clergy, thePapal power soon came to be universally acknowledged. In the seventhcentury a hot contest arose betwixt Austin and his disciples on the onepart, and the Scots and northern Saxons on the other, about the time ofkeeping Easter, immersing three times in baptism, shaving of priests, &c. Which these last would not receive, nor submit to the authoritythat imposed them; each refused ministerial communion with the otherparty, until an arbitral decision was given by Oswy king of theNorthumbrians, at Whitby in Yorkshire, in favours of the Romanists, whenthe opinions of the Scots were exploded, and the modish fooleries ofPapal Hierarchy were established. This decision, however, was far fromputting an end to the confusion which this dissention had occasioned;the Romanists urged their rites with rigour, the others rather chose toyield their places than conform: their discouragements daily increased, as the clerical power was augmented, In the year 886, they obtained theact exempting them from taxes, and all civil prosecutions beforetemporal judges, and ordaining that all matters concerning them shouldbe tried by their bishops, who were at this time vested with thosepowers, which are now in the hands of commissaries, respectingmatrimonial causes, testaments, &c. They were likewise by the samestatute impowered to make canons, try heretics, &c. And all futurekings were ordained to take an oath at their coronation, for maintainingthese privileges to the church. The convention of estates which passedthis act was held at Forfar, in the reign of that too indulgent prince, Gregory. Malcolm III. Alexander, David, &c. Successively supported this dignityby erecting particular bishopricks, abbeys, and monasteries; the samesuperstitious zeal seized the nobility of both sexes, some giving athird, others more, and others their whole estates, for the support ofpontifical pride and spiritual tyranny, which soon became insupportable, and opened the eyes of the nation, so that they discovered their mistakein raising the clerical authority to such a height. Accordingly, we findthe nobles complaining of it to Alexander III. Who reigned after themiddle of the thirteenth century, but he was so far from being able toafford them redress, that when they were excommunicated by the church onaccount of this complaint, to prevent greater evils, he was obliged tocause the nobility satisfy both the avarice and arrogance of the clergy, who had now resolved upon and begun a journey to Rome, with a view toraise as great commotions in Scotland, as Thomas Becket had lately madein England. The Pope's power was now generally acknowledged over Christendom, particularly in our nation, for which, in return, the church of Scotlandwas declared free from all foreign spiritual jurisdiction, that of the"Apostolic fee only excepted. " This bull was occasioned by an attemptof one Roger bishop of York, in the year 1159, to raise himself to thedignity of Metropolitan of Scotland, and who found means to be Legate ofthis kingdom, but lost that office upon the remonstrance of the Scottishclergy: which likewise procured the above bull in their favours, withmany other favours of a like nature at this time conferred upon them, byall which they were exempted from any other jurisdiction than that ofRome, in so much that we find pope Boniface VIII. Commanding Edward ofEngland to cease hostilities against the Scots, alledging that "thesovereignty of Scotland belonged to the church;" which claim seems tohave been founded in the papal appointment for the unction of the Scotskings, which was first used on king Edgar, A. D. 1098. And at that timeregarded by the people as a new mark of royalty, but which, as it wasthe appointment of the Pope, was really the mark of the beast. There were now in Scotland all orders of Monks and Friars, Templars, orRed Monks, Trinity Monks of Aberdeen, Cisternian Monks, Carmelite, Blackand Grey Friars, Carthusians, Dominicans, Franciscans, Jacobites, Benedictines, &c. Which shows to what a height Antichrist had raisedhis head in our land, and how readily all his oppressive measures werecomplied with by all ranks. But the reader must not think that during the period we have nowreviewed, there were none to oppose this torrent of superstition andidolatry; for from the first appearance of the Romish Antichrist in thiskingdom, God wanted not witnesses for the truth, who boldly stood forthfor the defence of the blessed and pure gospel of Christ: Mention isfirst made of Clemens and Samson, two famous Culdees, who in the seventhcentury supported the authority of Christ as the only king and head ofhis church, against the usurped power of Rome, and who rejected thesuperstitious rites of Antichrist, as contrary to the simplicity ofgospel institutions. The succeeding age was no less remarkable forlearned and pious men, to whom Scotland gave birth, and whole praise wasin the churches abroad; particularly Joannes Scotus, who wrote a bookupon the Eucharist, condemned by Leo IX. In the year 1030, long afterhis death. In the ninth century, a convention of estates was held atScoon for the reformation of the clergy, their lives and conversationsbeing at that time a reproach to common decency and good manners; not tosay, piety and religion. The remedies provided at this convention, discover the nature of the disease. It was ordained, that church-menshould reside upon their charge; that they should not intermeddle withsecular affairs, but instruct the people, and be good examples in theirconversations; that they should not keep hawks, hounds, nor horses fortheir pleasure, &c. And if they failed in the observance of theseinjunctions, they were to be fined for the first, and deposed for thesecond transgression. These laws were made under King Constantine II. But his successor Gregory rendered them abortive by his indulgence. Theage following this, is not remarkable for witnesses to the truth, buthistorians are agreed, that there were still some of the Culdees wholived and ministred apart from the Romanists and taught the people thatChrist was the only propitiation for sin, and that his blood could onlywash them from the guilt of it, in opposition to the indulgences andpardons of the Pope. Mr. Alexander Shields says, that the Culdeestransmitted their testimony to the Lollards[27] and Pope John XXII. Inhis bull for anointing King Robert Bruce, complains that there were manyheretics in Scotland; so that we may safely affirm there never was anyvery great period of time without witnesses for the truth and againstthe gross corruptions of the church of Rome. Some of our kingsthemselves opposed the Pope's supremacy, and prohibited his Legatesfrom entering their dominions; the most remarkable instance of this kindis that of Robert Bruce. After his having defeated the English atBannock-burn, they became suppliants to the Pope for his mediation, whoaccordingly sent a Legate into Scotland, proposing a cessation of arms, till the Pope should hear and decide the quarrel betwixt the two crowns, that he might be informed of the right which Edward had to the crown ofScotland; to this king Robert replied, "that the Pope could not beignorant of that business, because it had been often explained to hispredecessors, in the hearing of many cardinals then alive, who couldtell him if they pleased, what insolent answers pope Boniface receivedfrom the English, while they were desired to desist from oppressing theScots: And now (said he) when it hath pleased God to give us the betterby some victories, by which we have not only recovered our own, but canmake them live as good neighboors, they have recourse to such treaties, seeking to gain time in order to fall upon us again with greater force:But in this his holiness must excuse me, for I will not be so unwise asto let the advantage I have slip out of my hand. " The Legate regardingthis answer as contemptuous, interdicted the kingdom and departed; butK. Robert paying little regard to such proceedings, followed hard afterthe Legate, and entering England, wasted all the adjacent countries withfire and sword. In the beginning of the fifteenth century, the reformation from Poperybegan to dawn in Scotland; at this time there was pope against pope, naysometimes three of them at once, all excommunicating one another; whichschism lasted for about thirty years, and by an over-ruling providencecontributed much to the downfal of Antichrist, and to the revival ofreal religion and learning in Scotland, and many parts in Europe; formany embracing the opportunity now afforded to them, began to speakopenly against the heresy, tyranny, and immorality of the clergy. Amongthose who preached publicly against these evils were John Huss, andJerome of Prague in Bohemia, John Wickliff in England, and John Resby, an Englishman and scholar of Wickliff's in Scotland, who came hitherabout the year 1407, and was called in question for some doctrines whichhe taught against the Pope's supremacy; he was condemned to the fire, which he endured with great constancy. About ten years after, one PaulCraw a Bohemian and follower of Huss, was accused of heresy before suchas were then called Doctors of theology. The articles of charge were, that he followed Huss and Wickliff in the opinion of the sacrament ofthe supper, who denied that the substance of bread and wine were changedby virtue of any words, or that auricular confession to priests, orpraying to saints departed were lawful. He was committed to the secularjudge, who condemned him to the fire at St. Andrews, where he suffered, being gagged when led to the stake, that he might not have theopportunity of making his confession. ----Both the above-mentionedmartyrs suffered under Henry Wardlaw bishop of St. Andrews, who foundedthat university, 1412; which might have done him honour, had he notimbrued his hands in innocent blood. These returnings of the gospel light were not confined to St. Andrews, but Kyle, Carrick, Cunningham, and other places in the west of Scotlandwere also thus favoured about the same time; for we find that RobertBlackatter, the first arch-bishop of Glasgow, _anno_ 1494, caused summonbefore King James IV, and his great council at Glasgow, George Campbelof Ceffnock, Adam Reid of Barskimming, and a great many others, mostlypersons of distinction, opprobriously called the Lollards of Kyle, fromone Lollard an eminent preacher among the antient Waldenses, formaintaining that images ought not to be worshipped; that the relicts ofsaints should not be adored, &c. But they answered their accusers withsuch constancy and boldness, that it was judged most prudent to dismissthem with an admonition, to content themselves with the faith of thechurch, and to beware of new doctrines. Thus have we brought this summary of church-affairs in Scotland, down tothe time of Mr. Patrick Hamilton, whose life stands upon the head ofthis collection: for he was the next sufferer on account of oppositionto Romish tyranny and superstition in our country. The following BOOKS to be had at the Shop of JOHN BRYCE, Printer andBookseller, opposite Gibson's-Wynd, _Salt-market_. BOOKS IN OCTAVO. Mr. Ralph Erskine's Works, in 10 large volsTrail's sermons, 3 volsPike and Hayward's cases of conscience, with the spiritual companionDickenson's religious lettersNeil's 23 sermons on important subjectsDurham's exposition of the ten commandsOwen on the CXXX PsalmSibb's soul's conflict, together with the bruised reed and smoaking flaxDickson's truth's victory over errorDurham's unsearchable riches of Christ, in fourteen communion sermonsAdamson's loss and recovery of elect sinnersRawlin's sermons on justificationDurham's 72 sermons on the LIII of IsaiahWatt's LogickMarshal on sanctificationErskine's scripture songsShield's faithful contendingsWelwood's glimpse of gloryBlackwell's sacred schemeRidgley's body of divinity, in Folio The following ARTICLES to be had Stitched, Act, Declaration and TestimonyThe Doctrine of GraceThe full state of the marrow controversyThe holy life of Mr John JanewayThe life of Mr John LivinstonBorland's history of DarienForm of process used in kirk courtsMr Graham's four discourses on covenanting Where also may be had, Bibles gilt and plain, New Testaments, psalmbooks, confessions of faith, Catechisms large and small, Proverbs, Syllabing Catechisms, Brown's Catechism, Henry's catechism, Muckarsie'scatechism, Oliphant's catechism, Proof catechism, Mother's catechism, Watt's catechism, Watt's songs for children, Paper and Pens, Lettercases and Pocket books _&c. &c. _ THELIVES AND CHARACTERS OF THE SCOTS WORTHIES. _The Life of Mr. PATRICK HAMILTON. _ He was born about the year of our Lord 1503, and he was nephew to theearl of Arran by his father, and to the duke of Albany by his mother; hewas also related to king James. V. Of Scotland. He was early educatedwith a design for future high preferment, and had the abbey of _Ferm_given him, for the purpose of prosecuting his studies; which he did withgreat assiduity. In order to complete this laudable design, he resolved to travel intoGermany. The fame of the university of Wittemberg was then very great, and drew many to it from distant places, among which our Hamilton wasone. He was the first who introduced public disputations upon faith andworks, and such theological questions, into the university of Marpurg, in which he was assisted by Francis Lambert; by whose conversation heprofited not a little. --Here he became acquainted with these eminentreformers, Martin Luther and Philip Melancthon, besides other learnedmen of their society. By these distinguished masters he was instructedin the knowledge of the true religion, which he had little opportunityto become acquainted with in his own country, because the small remainsof it which were in Scotland at this time, were under the yoke ofoppression which we have already shown in the close of theintroduction. --He made an amazing proficiency in this most importantstudy, and became soon as zealous in the profession of the true faith, as he had been diligent to attain the knowledge of it. --This drew theeyes of many upon him, and while they were waiting with impatience tosee what part he would act, he came to this resolution, to return intohis own country, and there in the face of all dangers to communicate thelight which he had received. Accordingly, being as yet a youth, and not much past twenty-three yearsof age, he began, sowing the seed of God's word where-ever he came, exposing the corruptions of the Romish church, and pointing out theerrors which had crept into the Christian religion as professed inScotland. --He was favourably received and followed by many, unto whom hereadily _showed the way of God more perfectly_. His reputation as ascholar and courteous demeanour, contributed not a little to hisusefulness in this good work. The city of St. Andrews was at this time the grand rendezvous of theRomish clergy, and may, with no impropriety, be called the metropolis ofthe kingdom of darkness. James Beaton was arch-bishop, Hugh Spence deanof divinity, John Waddel rector, James Simson official, Thomas Ramsaycanon and dean of the abbey, with the several superiors of the differentorders of monks and friars. --It could not be expected, that MrHamilton's conduct would be long concealed from such a body as this. Their resentment against him soon rose to the utmost heights ofpersecuting rage; particularly the arch-bishop, who was chancellor ofthe kingdom, and otherwise very powerful, became his inveterate enemy. But being not less politic than cruel, the arch-bishop concealed hiswicked design against him, until he had drawn him into the ambushprepared for him, which he effected by prevailing on him to attend aconference at St. Andrews. --Being come thither, Alexander Campbel priorof the black friars, who had been appointed to exert his faculties inreclaiming him, had several private interviews with him, in which heseemed to acknowledge the force of Mr. Hamilton's objections against theprevailing conduct of the clergy and errors of the Romish church. Suchpersuasions as Campbel used to bring him back to popery, had rather thetendency to confirm him in the truth. The arch-bishop and inferiorclergy appeared to make concessions to him, allowing that many thingsstood in need of reformation, which they could wish had been broughtabout. Whether they were sincere in these acknowledgments, or onlyintended to conceal their bloody designs, and render the innocent andunsuspecting victim of their rage more secure, is a question to whichthis answer may be returned, That had they been sincere, theconsciousness that Mr. Hamilton spoke truth, would perhaps have wardedoff the blow, for, at least some longer time, or divided their councilsand measures against him. That neither of these was the case will nowappear. --He was apprehended under night, and committed prisoner to thecastle: at the same time, the young king was, at the earnestsolicitation of the clergy, prevailed upon to undertake a pilgrimage toSt. Dothess in Ross-shire, that he might be out of the way of anyapplications made to him for the life of Mr. Hamilton, which there wasreason to believe would be granted. This measure affords full proof, that notwithstanding the friendly conferences which they kept up withhim for some time, they had resolved on his ruin from the beginning: butsuch instances of Popish dissembling were not new even in Mr. Hamilton'stime. The next day after his imprisonment, he was brought before thearch-bishop and his convention, and there charged with maintaining andpropagating sundry heretical opinions; and though articles of the utmostimportance had been debated betwixt him and them, they restricted theircharge to such trifles as _pilgrimage_, _purgatory_, _praying tosaints_, and _for the dead_; perhaps because these were the grandpillars upon which Antichrist built his empire, being the most lucrativedoctrines ever invented by men. We must, however, take notice thatSpotswood afterwards arch-bishop of that see, assigns the followinggrounds for his suffering, 1. That the corruption of sin remains inchildren after their baptism. 2. That no man by the power of hisfree-will can do any good. 3. That no man is without sin so long as heliveth. 4. That every true Christian may know himself to be in a stateof grace. 5. That a man is not justified by works but by faith only. 6. That good works make not a man good, but that a good man doth goodworks, and that an ill man doth ill works, yet the same ill works, trulyrepented of, make not an ill man. 7. That faith, hope and charity are solinked together, that he who hath one of them hath all, and he thatlacketh one lacketh all. 8. That God is the cause of sin, in this sense, that he withdraweth his grace from man; and grace withdrawn, he cannotbut sin. These articles with the following make up the whole charge, (1. ) That auricular confession is not necessary to salvation. (2. ) Thatactual penance cannot purchase the remission of sin. (3. ) That there isno purgatory, and that the holy patriarchs were in heaven beforeChrist's passion. (4. ) That the pope is Antichrist, and that everypriest hath as much power as he. ----For these articles, and because herefused to abjure them, he was condemned as an obstinate heretic, anddelivered to the secular power by the arch-bishops of St. Andrews andGlasgow, three bishops, and fourteen underlings, who all set their handsto the sentence, which, that it might have the greater authority, waslikewise subscribed by every person of note in the university, amongwhom the earl of Cassils was one, then not exceeding thirteen years ofage. The sentence follows as given by Mr. Fox, in his acts andmonuments, vol. II. P. 1108. "_CHRISTI nomine invocato_: We James, by the mercy of God, arch-bishopof St. Andrews, primate of Scotland, with the counsel, decree andauthority of the most reverend fathers in God, and lords, abbots, doctors of theology, professors of the holy scripture and masters of theuniversity, assisting us for the time, sitting in judgment, within ourmetropolitan church of St. Andrews, in the cause of heretical pravity, against Mr Patrick Hamilton, abbot or pensionary of Ferm, being summonedto appear before us, to answer to certain articles affirmed, taught andpreached by him, and so appearing before us, and accused, the merits ofthe cause being ripely weighed, discussed, and understood by faithfulinquisition made in Lent last passed: We have found the same Mr. Hamilton, many ways infamed with heresy, disputing, holding andmaintaining divers heresies of Martin Luther and his followers, repugnant to our faith, and which is already condemned by generalcouncils and most famous universities. And he being under the sameinfamy, we decerning before him to be summoned and accused upon thepremises, he of evil mind, (as may be presumed) passed to other parts, forth of the realm, suspected and noted of heresy. And being latelyreturned, not being admitted, but of his own head, without licence orprivilege, hath presumed to preach wicked heresy. "We have found also, that he hath affirmed, published and taught diversopinions of Luther, and wicked heresies after that he was summoned toappear before us and our council: That man hath no free-will: That manis in sin so long as he liveth: That children, incontinent after theirbaptism, are sinners: All Christians that be worthy to be calledChristians, do know that they are in grace: No man is justified byworks, but by faith only: Good works make not a good man, but a good mandoth make good works: That faith, hope and charity are so knit, that hethat hath the one hath the rest, and he that wanteth the one of themwanteth the rest, &c. With divers other heresies and detestableopinions; and hath persisted so obstinate in the same, that by nocounsel nor persuasion, he may be drawn therefrom, to the way of ourright faith. "All these premises being considered, we having God and the integrity ofour faith before our eyes, and following the counsel and advice of theprofessors of the holy scripture, men of law and others assisting us forthe time, do pronounce, determine and declare the said Mr. PatrickHamilton, for his affirming, confessing, and maintaining of the foresaidheresies, and his pertinacity (they being condemned already by thechurch, general councils, and most famous universities) to be anheretic, and to have an evil opinion of the faith, and therefore to becondemned and punished, like as we condemn, and define him to bepunished, by this our sentence definitive, depriving and sentencing him, to be deprived of all dignities, honours, orders, offices, and beneficesof the church; and therefore do judge and pronounce him to be deliveredover to the secular power, to be punished, and his goods to beconfiscated. "This our sentence definitive, was given and read at our metropolitanchurch of St. Andrews, the last day of the month of February, _anno_1527. Being present, the most reverend fathers in Christ and lords, Gawand bishop of Glasgow, George bishop of Dunkelden, John bishop ofBrecham, William bishop of Dunblane, Patrick, prior of St. Andrews, David abbot of Aberbrothock, George abbot of Dunfermline, Alexanderabbot of Cambuskeneth, Henry abbot of Lendors, John prior ofPitterweeme, the dean and subdean of Glasgow, Mr. Hugh Spence, ThomasRamsay, Allan Meldrum, &c. In the presence of the clergy and thepeople. " The same day that this doom was pronounced, he was also condemned by thesecular power; and in the afternoon of that same day, (for they wereafraid of an application to the king on his behalf) he was hurried tothe stake, the fire being prepared, immediately after dinner, before theold college. --Being come to the place of martyrdom, he put off hisclothes and gave them to a servant who had been with him of a long time, saying, "This stuff will not help me in the fire, yet will do thee somegood; I have no more to leave thee, but the ensample of my death, which, I pray thee, keep in mind; for albeit the same be bitter and painful inman's judgment, yet it is the entrance to everlasting life, which nonecan inherit who deny Christ before this wicked generation. " Having sosaid, he commended his soul into the hands of God, with his eyes fixedtowards heaven, and being bound to the stake in the midst of somecoals, timber, and other combustibles, a train of powder was made, witha design to kindle the fire, but did not succeed, the explosion onlyscorching one of his hands and face. In this situation he remained untilmore powder was brought from the castle, during which time hiscomfortable and godly speeches were often interrupted, particularly byfriar Campbel calling upon him "to recant, pray to our lady and say, _Salve regina_. " Upon being repeatedly disturbed in this manner byCampbel, Mr. Hamilton said, "Thou wicked man, thou knowest that I am notan heretic, and that it is the truth of God, for which I now suffer; somuch didst thou confess unto me in private, and thereupon I appeal theeto answer before the judgment-seat of Christ:" By this time the fire waskindled, and the noble martyr yielded his soul to God, crying out, "Howlong, O Lord, shall darkness overwhelm this realm? How long will thousuffer this tyranny of men?" And then ended his speech with Stephen, saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. " Friar Campbel became soon after distracted, and died within a year afterMr. Hamilton's martyrdom, under the most awful apprehensions of theLord's indignation against him. --The Popish clergy abroad congratulatedtheir friends in Scotland, upon their zeal for the Romish faithdiscovered in the above tragedy--But it rather served the cause ofreformation than retarded it, especially when the people began tocompare deliberately the behaviour of Mr. Hamilton and friar Campbeltogether, they were induced to inquire more narrowly into the truth thanbefore. The reader will find a very particular account of the doctrinesmaintained by Mr. Hamilton in Knox's history of the reformation ofScotland nigh the beginning. _The Life of Mr. GEORGE WISHART. _ This gentleman was a brother of the laird of Pittarro in Mearns, and waseducated at the university of Cambridge, where his diligence andprogress in useful learning, soon made him be respected. From an ardentdesire to promote the truth in his own country, he returned to it in thesummer of 1544, and began teaching a school in the town of Montrose, which he kept for some time with great applause. He is particularlycelebrated for his uncommon eloquence, and agreeable manner ofcommunication. The sequel of this narrative will inform the reader, That he possessed the spirit of prophecy to an extraordinary degree, andwas at the same time humble, modest, charitable and patient, even toadmiration. One of his own scholars gives the following picture of him, "That he was a man of a tall stature, black-hair'd, long-bearded, of agraceful personage, eloquent, courteous, ready to teach and desirous tolearn; that he ordinarily wore a French cap, a frieze gown, plain blackhose, and white bands and hand cuffs; that he frequently gave awaydifferent parts of his apparel to the poor; in his diet he was verymoderate, eating only twice a day, and fasting every fourth day; hislodging, bedding, and such other circumstances, were correspondent tothe things already mentioned. " But as these particulars are rathercurious than instructive, we shall say no more of them. After he left Montrose, he came to Dundee, where he acquired stillgreater fame, in public lectures on the epistle to the Romans; insomuchthat the Romish clergy began to think seriously on the consequenceswhich they saw would inevitably ensue, if he was suffered to go on, pulling down that fabric of superstition and idolatry, which they withso much pains had reared; they were particularly disgusted at thereception which he met with in Dundee, and immediately set aboutprojecting his ruin. From the time that Mr. Patrick Hamilton suffered, until this period, papal tyranny reigned by fire and faggot without controul. In the year1539, cardinal David Beaton succeeded his uncle in the see of St. Andrews, and carefully trod the path his uncle had marked out; to showhis own greatness, and to recommend himself to his superior of Rome, heaccused Sir John Borthwick of heresy, whose goods were confiscated, andhimself burnt in effigy (for being forewarned of his danger, he hadescaped out of the country). After this he suborned a priest to forge awill of K. James V. Who died about this time, declaring himself, withthe earls of Huntly, Argyle and Murray to be regents of the kingdom: Thecheat being discovered, the earl of Arran was elected governor, and thecardinal was committed prisoner to the castle of Dalkeith; he soon foundmeans to escape from his confinement, and prevailed with the regent tobreak all his promises to the party who had elected him into thatoffice, and to join with him in imbruing his hands in the blood of thesaints. Accordingly, several professors of the town of Perth werearraigned, condemned, hanged and drowned; others were sent intobanishment, and some were strangled in private. We have departed thusfar from the course of our narrative, to shew the reader, that thevacancies betwixt the respective lives in this collection, were as muchremarkable for persecution, as the particular instances which are setbefore him in the lives themselves. It was this cardinal who, incensed at Mr. Wishart's success in Dundee, prevailed with one Robert Mill (formerly a professor of the truth, andwho had been a sufferer on that account, but who was now a man ofconsiderable influence in that town, ) to give Mr Wishart a charge in thequeen and governor's names, to trouble them no more with his preachingin that place. This commission was executed by Mill one day, in public, just as Mr Wishart had ended his sermon. Upon hearing it, he keptsilence for a little with his eyes turned towards heaven, and thencasting them on the speaker with a sorrowful countenance, he said, "Godis my witness, that I never minded your trouble, but your comfort; yea, your trouble is more grievous unto me than it is unto yourselves; butsure I am, to reject the word of God, and drive away his messengers, isnot the way to save you from trouble, but to bring you into it: When Iam gone, God will send you messengers, who will not be afraid either forburning or banishment. I have, at the hazard of my life, remained amongyou, preaching the word of salvation; and now, since you yourselvesrefuse me, I must leave my innocence to be declared by God. If it belong well with you, I am not led by the Spirit of truth; and ifunexpected trouble come upon you, remember this is the cause, and turnto God by repentance, for he is merciful. " These words being pronounced, he came down from the pulpit or preaching place. The earl of Marshal andsome other noblemen who were present at the sermon, entreated himearnestly to go to the north with them, but he excused himself, and tookjourney for the west country, where he was gladly received by many. Being come to the town of Air, he began to preach the gospel with greatfreedom and faithfulness. But Dunbar, the then arch-bishop of Glasgow, being informed of the great concourse of people who crouded to hissermons, at the instigation of cardinal Beaton, went to Air with theresolution to apprehend him; the bishop first took possession of thechurch, to prevent him from preaching in it. The news of this broughtAlexander earl of Glencairn, and some gentlemen of the neighbourhood, immediately to the town; they offered to put Mr. Wishart in the church, but he would not consent, saying, "The bishop's sermon would not do muchhurt, and that, if they pleased, he would go to the market-cross:" whichhe did, and preached with such success, that several of his hearers, formerly enemies to the truth, were converted on that occasion. Duringthe time Mr. Wishart was thus employed, the bishop was haranguing someof his underlings and parasites in the church; having no sermon to givethem, he promised to be better provided against a future occasion, andspeedily left the town. Mr. Wishart continued with the gentlemen of Kyle after the arch-bishop'sdeparture, and being desired to preach next Lord's day at the church ofMauchlin, he went thither with that design; but the sheriff of Air had, in the night-time, put a garrison of soldiers in the church to keep himout. Hugh Campbel of Kinzeancleugh with others of the parish wereexceedingly offended at such impiety, and would have entered the churchby force; but Mr. Wishart would not suffer it, saying, "Brethren, it isthe word of peace which I preach unto you, the blood of no man shall beshed for it this day; Jesus Christ is as mighty in the fields as in thechurch, and he himself, while he lived in the flesh, preached oftener inthe desart, and upon the sea-side, than in the temple of Jerusalem. "Upon this the people were appeased, and went with him to the edge of amuir on the south-west side of Mauchlin, where having placed himselfupon a ditch-dyke, he preached to a great multitude who resorted to him;he continued speaking for more than three hours, God working wondrouslyby him, insomuch that Laurence Rankin the laird of Sheld, a very profaneperson, was converted by his means; the tears ran from his eyes, to theastonishment of all present, and the whole of his after-life witnessedthat his profession was without hypocrisy. While in this country, Mr. Wishart often preached with most remarkable success, at the church ofGalston and other places. At this time and in this part of the country, it might be truly said, That _the harvest was GREAT, but the labourerswere FEW_. After he had been about a month thus employed in Kyle, he was informed, That the plague had broke out in Dundee the fourth day after he had leftit, and that it still continued to rage in such a manner that greatnumbers were swept off every day; this affected him so much, that heresolved to return again unto them: Accordingly he took leave of hisfriends in the west, who were filled with sorrow at his departure. Thenext day after his arrival at Dundee, he caused intimation to be madethat he would preach; and for that purpose chose his station upon thehead of the east-gate, the infected persons standing without, and thosethat were whole within: his text was Psalm cvii. 20. _He sent his wordand healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. _ By thisdiscourse he so comforted the people, that they thought themselves happyin having such a preacher, and intreated him to remain with them whilethe plague continued; which he complied with, preaching often and takingcare that the poor should not want necessaries more than the rich; indoing which he exposed himself to the infection, even where it was mostmalignant, without reserve. During all this his sworn adversary the cardinal had his eye close uponhim, and bribed a priest called Sir John Wighton, to assassinate him; hewas to make the attempt as Mr. Wishart came down from the preachingplace, with the expectation of escaping among the crowd after the deedwas done. To effect this, he posted himself at the foot of the stepswith his gown loose, and a dagger under it in his hand. Upon Mr. Wishart's approach, he looked sternly upon the priest, asking him, Whathe intended to do? and instantly clapped his hand upon the hand of thepriest that held the dagger, and took it from him. Upon which he openlyconfessing his design, a tumult immediately ensued, and the sick withoutthe gate rushed in, crying, To have the assassin delivered to them; thenMr. Wishart interposed and defended him from their violence, tellingthem, He had done him no harm, and that such as injured the one injuredthe other likewise; so the priest escaped without any harm. The plague was now considerably abated, and he determined to pay a visitto the town of Montrose, intending to go from thence to Edinburgh, tomeet the gentlemen of the west. While he was at Montrose, he administredthe sacrament of our Lord's supper in both kinds of the elements, andpreached with success. Here he received a letter directed to him fromhis intimate friend the laird of Kinnier, acquainting him, That he hadtaken a sudden sickness, and requesting him to come to him with alldiligence. Upon this, he immediately set out on his journey, attended bysome honest friends of Montrose, who out of affection would accompanyhim part of the way. They had not travelled above a quarter of a mile, when all of a sudden he stopped, saying to the company, "I am forbiddenby God to go this journey. Will some of you be pleased to ride to yonderplace (pointing with his finger to a little hill), and see what youfind, for I apprehend there is a plot against my life:" whereupon hereturned, to the town, and they who went forward to the place, foundabout sixty horsemen ready to intercept him: By this the whole plot cameto light: they found that the letter had been forged; and, upon theirtelling Mr. Wishart what they had seen, he replied, "I know that I shallend my life by the hands of that wicked man, (meaning the cardinal) butit will not be after this manner. " The time which he had appointed for meeting the west-country gentlemenat Edinburgh, drawing near, he undertook that journey, much against theinclination and advice of the laird of Dun; the first night afterleaving Montrose, he lodged at Innergowrie, about two miles from Dundee, with one James Watson a faithful friend, where, being laid in bed, hewas observed to rise a little after midnight, and to go out into anadjacent garden, that he might give vent to his sighs and groans withoutbeing observed; but being followed by two men, William Spaldin and JohnWatson, at a distance, in order that they might observe his motions, they saw him prostrate himself upon the ground, weeping and makingsupplication for near an hour, and then return to his rest. As they layin the same apartment with him, they took care to return before him, andupon his coming into the room they asked him, (as if ignorant of allthat had past) where he had been? But he made no answer, and they ceasedtheir interrogations. In the morning they asked him again, Why he rosein the night, and what was the cause of such sorrow? (for they told himall that they had seen him do) he answered with a dejected countenance, "I wish you had been in your beds, which had been more for your ease, for I was scarce well occupied. " But they praying him to satisfy theirminds further, and to communicate some comfort unto them, he said, "Iwill tell you, that I assuredly know my travail is nigh an end, therefore pray to God for me, that I may not shrink when the battlewaxeth most hot. "--Hearing these words, they burst out into tears, saying, That was but small comfort to them. To this he replied, "Godwill send you comfort after me; this realm shall be illuminated with thelight of Christ's gospel, as clearly as any realm ever was since thedays of the apostles; the house of God shall be built in it; yea, itshall not lack (whatsoever the enemies shall devise to the contrary) thevery cope stone; neither shall this be long in doing, for there shallnot many suffer after me. The glory of God shall appear, and truth shallonce triumph in despite of the devil, but, alas, if the people becomeunthankful, the plagues and punishments which shall follow will befearful and terrible. " After this prediction, which was accomplished insuch a remarkable a manner afterwards, he proceeded on his journey, andarrived at Leith about the 10th of December, where being disappointed ofa meeting with the west-country gentlemen, he kept himself retired forsome days, and then became very uneasy and discouraged, and being askedthe reason, he replied, "I have laboured to bring people out ofdarkness, but now I lurk as a man ashamed to shew himself before men:"by this they understood that he desired to preach, and told him thatthey would gladly hear him; but the danger into which he would throwhimself thereby, prevented them from advising him to it, he answered, "If you and others will hear me next Sabbath, I will preach in Leith, let God provide for me as best pleaseth him;" which he did upon theparable of the sower, Matth. Xiii. After sermon, his friends advised himto leave Leith, because the regent and cardinal were soon to be inEdinburgh, and that his situation would be dangerous on that account; hecomplied with this advice, and resided with the lairds of Brunston, Longniddry and Ormiston, by turns; the following sabbath he preached atInneresk both fore and after noon, to a crowded audience, among whom wasSir George Douglas, who after the sermon publicly said, "I know that thegovernor and cardinal shall hear that I have been at this preaching, (for they were now come to Edinburgh) say unto them, that I will avowit, and will not only maintain the doctrine which I have heard, but alsothe person of the teacher to the uttermost of my power;" which open andcandid declaration was very grateful to the whole congregation. Duringthe time of this sermon, Mr. Wishart perceived two grey friars standingin the entry of the church, and whispering to every person that enteredthe door; he called out to the people to make room for them, because, said he, "perhaps they come to learn;" and then addressed them, "requesting them to come forward, and hear the word of truth;" but theystill continued to trouble the people, upon which he reproved them inthe following manner: "O ye servants of Satan, and deceivers of soulsof men, will ye neither hear God's truth, nor suffer others to hear it?depart and take this for your portion, God shall shortly confound anddisclose your hypocrisy within this realm; ye shall be abominable untomen, and your places and habitations shall be desolate. " The two sabbaths following he preached at Tranent, and in all hissermons after leaving Montrose, he more or less hinted that his ministrywas near an end. The next place he preached at was Haddington, where hiscongregation was at first very throng, but the following day very fewattended him, which was thought to be owing to the influence of the earlof Bothwel, who, at the instigation of the cardinal, had inhibited thepeople from attending him, for his authority was very considerable inthat part of the country. At this time he received a letter from thegentlemen of the west, declaring, That they could not keep the dietappointed at Edinburgh; this, with the reflection that so few attendedhis ministrations at Haddington, grieved him exceedingly. He called uponMr. Knox, who then attended him, and told him, That he was weary of theworld, since he perceived that men were become weary ofGod. --Notwithstanding the anxiety and discouragement which he labouredunder, he went immediately to the pulpit, and sharply rebuking thepeople of that town for their neglect of the gospel, he told them, "Thatsore and fearful should be the plagues that should ensue; that fire andsword should waste them; that strangers should possess their houses, andchase them from their habitations. " This prediction was soon afterverified, when the English took and possessed that town, while theFrench and Scots besieged it in the year 1548. This was the last sermonwhich he preached, in which, as had for some time been usual with him, he spoke of his death as near at hand; and after it was over, he badehis acquaintance farewel, as if it had been for ever. He went toOrmiston, accompanied by the lairds of Brunston and Ormiston, and SirJohn Sandilands, the younger of Calder. Mr. Knox was also desirous tohave gone with him, but Mr. Wishart desired him to return, saying, "Oneis enough for a sacrifice at this time. " Being come to Ormiston, he entered into some spiritual conversation inthe family, particularly concerning the happy state of God's children, appointed the 51st psalm, according to an old version then in use, to besung, and then recommended the company to God; he went to bed some timesooner than ordinary; about midnight the earl of Bothwel beset thehouse, so as none could escape, and then called upon the laird, declaring the design to him, and intreating him not to hold out, for itwould be to no purpose, because the cardinal and governor were comingwith all their train; but if he would deliver Mr. Wishart up, Bothwelpromised upon his honour that no evil should befal him. Being inveigledwith this, and consulting with Mr. Wishart who requested that the gatesshould be opened, saying, "God's will be done, " the laird complied. Theearl of Bothwel entered, with some gentlemen, who solemnly protested, That Mr. Wishart should receive no harm, but that he, _viz. _ Bothwel, would either carry him to his own house, or return him again to Ormistonin safety: Upon this promise hands were stricken, and Mr. Wishart wentalong with him to Elphiston where the cardinal was, after which he wasfirst carried to Edinburgh, then to the earl of Bothwel's house (perhapsupon pretence of fulfilling the engagement which Bothwel had come underto him) after which he was re-conducted to Edinburgh, where the cardinalhad now assembled a convocation of prelates for reforming some abuses, but without effect. Buchanan says, that he was apprehended by a party ofhorse detached by the cardinal for that purpose; that at first the lairdof Ormiston refused to deliver him up, upon which the cardinal andregent both posted thither, but could not prevail until the earl ofBothwel was sent for, who succeeded by flattery and fair promises, notone of which were fulfilled. Mr. Wishart remained at Edinburgh only a few days, until theblood-thirsty cardinal prevailed with the governor to deliver up thisfaithful servant of Jesus Christ unto his tyranny, and was accordinglysent to St. Andrews; and being advised to it by the arch-bishop ofGlasgow, he would have got a civil judge appointed to try him, if DavidHamilton of Preston, a kinsman to the regent, had not remonstratedagainst it, and represented the danger of attacking the servants of God, who had no other crime laid to their charge, but that of preaching thegospel of Jesus Christ. This speech, which Buchanan gives at large, affected the governor in such a manner, that he absolutely refused thecardinal's request, upon which he replied in anger, "That he had onlysent to him out of mere civility, without any need for it, for that hewith his clergy had power sufficient to bring Mr. Wishart to condignpunishment. "--Thus was this servant of God left in the hands of thatproud and merciless tyrant, the religious part of the nation loudlycomplaining of the governor's weakness. Mr. Wishart being now in St. Andrews, the cardinal without delay causedsummon the bishops and superior clergy to meet at that place on the 27thof February 1546, to deliberate upon a question about which he wasalready resolved. The next day after this convocation, Mr. Wishartreceived a summons in prison, by the dean of the town, to answerto-morrow, for his heretical doctrine, before the judges. The next day, the cardinal went to the place of judgement, in the abbey church, with atrain of armed men marching in warlike order; immediately Mr. Wishartwas sent for from the sea-tower, which was his prison, and being aboutto enter the door of the church, a poor man asked alms of him, to whomhe threw his purse. When he came before the cardinal, John Wirnam thesub-prior went up into the pulpit by appointment, and made a discourseupon the nature of heresy from Matth. Xiii. Which he did with greatcaution, and yet in such a way as applied more justly to the accusers, for he was a secret favourer of the truth. After him came up one JohnLander, a most virulent enemy of religion, who acted the part of Mr. Wishart's accuser, he pulled out a long roll of maledictory chargesagainst Mr. Wishart, and dealt out the Romish thunder so liberally asterrified the ignorant by-standers, but did not in the least discomposethis meek servant of Christ; he was accused of disobedience to thegovernor's authority, for teaching that man had no free-will, and forcontemning fasting, (all which he absolutely refused) and for denyingthat there are seven sacraments; that auricular confession, extremeunction, and the sacrament of the altar, so called, are sacraments; thatwe should pray to saints; and for saying, That it was necessary forevery man to know and understand his baptism; that the pope hath no morepower than another man; that it is as lawful to eat flesh upon Friday asupon Sunday; that there is no purgatory, and that it is vain to buildcostly churches to the honour of God, and for condemning conjuration, the vows of single life, the cursings of the holy church, &c. WhileLauder was reading these accusations, he had put himself into a mostviolent sweat, frothing at the mouth and calling Mr. Wishart a runagatetraitor, and demanded an answer, which he made in a short and modestoration: At which they cried out with one content against him in a mosttumultuous manner; by which he saw, they were resolved to proceedagainst him to the utmost extremity, he therefore appealed to a moreequitable and impartial judge. Upon which Lauder (repeating the severaltitles of the cardinal) asked him, "If my lord cardinal was not anequitable judge?" Mr. Wishart replied, "I do not refuse him, but Idesire the word of God to be my judge, the temporal estates, with someof your lordships, because I am my lord governor's prisoner. " After somescornful language thrown out both against him and the governor, theyproceeded to read the articles against him a second time, and hear hisanswers, which he made with great solidity of judgment: After which theycondemned him to be burnt as an heretic, paying no regard to hisdefences, nor to the emotions of their own consciences, but thought thatby killing him they should do _God good service_. Upon this resolution, (for their final sentence was not yet pronounced) Mr. Wishart kneeleddown and prayed in the following manner. "O immortal God, how long wilt thou suffer the rage of the ungodly, howlong shall they exercise their fury upon thy servants, who further thyword in this world, seeing they desire to choke and destroy thy truedoctrine and verity, by which thou hast shewed thyself unto the world, which was drowned in blindness and ignorance of thy name? O Lord, weknow surely that thy true servants must suffer for thy name's sake, bothpersecution, affliction and troubles in this present life, which is buta shadow, as thy prophets and apostles have shewed us, but yet we desirethee, merciful Father, that thou wouldst preserve, defend and help thycongregation, which thou hast chosen from before the foundation of theworld, and give them thy grace to hear thy word, and to be thy trueservants in this present life. " After this, the common people were removed until their definitivesentence should be pronounced, which being so similar to Mr. Hamilton's, need not be here inserted. This being done, he was re-committed to thecastle for that night; in his way thither, two friars came to himrequesting him to make his confession to them, which he refused, butdesired them to bring Mr. Wirnam who had preached that day, to him; whobeing come, after some discourse with Mr. Wishart, he asked him, If hewould receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper? Mr. Wishart answered, "Most willingly, if I may have it administered according to Christ'sinstitution, under both kinds, of bread and wine. " Hereupon thesub-prior went to the bishops, and asked, If they would permit thesacrament to be given to the prisoner? But the cardinal, in all theirnames, answered, That it was not reasonable to give any spiritualbenefit to an obstinate heretic condemned by the church. All this night Mr. Wishart spent in prayer, and next morning the captainof the castle gave him notice that they had denied him the sacrament, and at the same time invited him to breakfast with him, which Mr. Wishart accepted, saying, "I will do that very willingly, and so muchthe rather, because I perceive you to be a good Christian, and a manfearing God. " All things being ready, and the family assembled tobreakfast, Mr. Wishart turning himself to the captain, said, "I beseechyou, in the name of God, and for the love ye bear to our Saviour JesusChrist, to be silent a little while, till I have made a shortexhortation, and blessed this bread which we are to eat, so that I maybid you farewel. " The table being covered and bread let upon it, hespake about the space of half an hour, of the institution of the supper, and of our Saviour's death and passion, exhorting those who were presentto mutual love and holiness of life. Then, giving thanks, he brake thebread, distributing a part to those about him, who were disposed tocommunicate, intreating them to remember that Christ died for them, andto feed on it spiritually; then taking the cup, he bade them rememberthat Christ's blood was shed for them; And having tasted it himself, hedelivered it unto them, and then concluding with thanksgiving andprayer, he told them, "That he would neither eat nor drink more in thislife, " and retired to his chamber. Soon after, by the appointment of the cardinal, two executioners came tohim, and arraying him in a black linen coat, they fastened some bags ofgun-powder about him, put a rope about his neck, a chain about hiswaist, and bound his hands behind his back, and in this dress they ledhim one to the stake, near the cardinal's palace; opposite to the stakethey had placed the great guns of the castle, lest any should attempt torescue him. The fore tower, which was immediately opposite to the fire, was hung with tapestry, and rich cushions were laid in the windows, forthe ease of the cardinal and prelates, while they beheld the sadspectacle. As he was going to the stake, it is said, that two beggarsasked alms of him, and that he replied, "I want my hands wherewith Iused to give you alms, but the merciful Lord vouchsafe to give you allnecessaries, both for soul and body. " After this the friars came abouthim, urging him to _pray to our Lady_, &c. To whom he answered, "Cease, tempt me not, I intreat you. " Having mounted a scaffold prepared on purpose, he turned towards thepeople and declared that "he felt much joy within himself in offeringup his life for the name of Christ, and told them that they ought not tobe offended with the good word of God, because of the afflictions I haveendured, or the torments which ye now see prepared for me; but I intreatyou, that you love the word of God for your salvation, and sufferpatiently and with a comfortable heart for the word's sake, which isyour everlasting comfort; but for the true gospel which was given me bythe grace of God, I suffer this day with a glad heart. Behold, andconsider my visage, ye shall not see me change my colour; I fear notthis fire, and I pray that you may not fear them that slay the body, buthave no power to slay the soul. Some have said that I taught that thesoul shall sleep till the last day, but I know surely, and my faith issuch, that my soul shall sup with my Saviour this night. " Then he prayedfor his accusers, that they might be forgiven, if, through ignorance orevil design, they had forged lies upon him. After this the executionerasked his forgiveness, to whom he replied, "Come hither to me;" and whenhe came, he kissed his cheek, and said, "Lo, here is a token that Iforgive thee, do thine office. " Being raised up from his knees, he wasbound to the stake, crying with a loud voice _O Saviour of the world, have mercy upon me; Father of heaven, I commend my spirit into thy holyhands_: whereupon the executioner kindled the fire, and the powder thatwas fastened to his body blew up. The captain of the castle perceivingthat he was still alive, drew near, and bid him be of good courage, whereupon Mr. Wishart said, "This flame hath scorched my body, yet ithath not daunted my spirit; but he who, from yonder place beholdeth uswith such pride, shall within a few days lie in the same asignominiously as he is now seen proudly to rest himself. " But as he wasthus speaking, the executioner drew the cord that was about his neck sostrait that he spoke no more; and thus, like another Elijah, he took hisflight by a fiery chariot into heaven, and obtained the martyr's crownon the 1st of March, 1546. Thus lived, and thus died this faithful witness of Jesus Christ; he wasearly marked out as a sacrifice to papal tyranny, being delated to thebishop of Brichen for an heretic, because he taught the Greek newTestament to his scholars, while he kept school at Montrose; he wassummoned by him, to appear before him, but escaped into England, and atthe university of Cambridge completed his education, and was himself aninstructor of others; During the whole time he was in his own country, he was hunted as a _partridge in the mountains_, until the cardinal gothim brought to the stake. Through the whole of his sufferings, hismeekness and patience were very remarkable, as was that uncommon measureof the spirit of prophecy which he possessed; witness the circumstancesrelative to Dundee, Haddington, the reformation from popery, and thecardinal's death, all of which were foretold by him, and soon afteraccomplished. The popish clergy rejoiced at his death, and extolled the cardinal'scourage, for proceeding in it against the governor's order; but thepeople very justly looked upon him as both a prophet and a martyr. Itwas also did, that abstracting from the grounds of his suffering, hisdeath was no less than murder, in regard no writ was obtained for it, and the clergy could not burn any without a warrant from the secularpower. This stirred up Norman, and John Lefties of the family of Rothes, William Kircaldie of Grange, James Melvil of the family of Carnbee, Peter Carmichael and others, to avenge Mr. Wishart's death. Accordinglyupon the 28th of May, 1546, (not three months after Mr. Wishartsuffered) they surprized the castle early in the morning, and eithersecured or turned out the persons who were lodged in it; came to thecardinal's door, who was by this time alarmed, and had secured it, butupon their threatening to force open the door, he opened it, (relyingpartly upon the sanctity of his office, and partly on his acquaintancewith some of them) crying, "I am a priest, I am a priest;" but this hadno effect upon them, for James Melvil having exhorted him in a solemnmanner to repentance, and having apprized him, that he was now to avengeMr. Wishart's death, he stabbed him twice or thrice; which ended hiswretched days. These persons, with some others who came in to them, heldthe castle out for near two years, being assisted by England; they hadthe governor's eldest son with them, for he had been put under thecardinal's care, and was in the castle at the time they surprized it. The castle was at last besieged by the French, and surrendered uponhaving the lives of all that were in it secured. Betwixt this and the time of Mr. Walter Mill's sufferings, whose lifefollows, one Adam Wallace, _alias_ Fean, a simple but very zealous man, was taken at Winton, and was brought to his trial in the Blackfriarschurch in Edinburgh, where he was charged with articles of heresy, similar to those with which others before him had been charged. He wascondemned and burnt in the castle-hill, suffering with great patienceand resolution. There were others condemned before that time, among whom were RobertForrester gentleman, Sir Duncan Simson priest, Friar Killore, FriarBeveridge, and dean Thomas Forrest a canon, regular and vicar of Dollar, who were all burnt at one stake upon the castle-hill of Edinburgh, February 1538. _The Life of Mr. WALTER MILL. _ He was born about the year 1476, was educated in the Popish religion, and made priest of Lunan in the shire of Angus, where he remained untilhe was accused by the bishop of St. Andrews of having left off sayingmass, which he had done long before this time, being condemned by thecardinal on that account, in the year 1538; but he escaped the flamesfor this time, by flying into Germany, where he married a wife, and wasmore perfectly instructed in the true religion; after which he returnedhome, but kept himself as retired as possible; during which time he wentabout reproving vice and instructing people in the grounds of religion, which coming at length to the ears of the ecclesiastics, in 1558, hewas, by order of the bishops, apprehended in Dysart in the shire ofFife, by two priests, and imprisoned in the castle of St. Andrews, wherethe Papists, both by threatening and flattery, laboured with him torecant, offering him a place in the abbey of Dunfermline all the days ofhis life, if he would deny what he had already taught. But continuingconstant in his opinions, he was brought to a trial before the bishopsof St. Andrews, Murray, Brechin, Caithness, &c. Who were assembled inthe cathedral of St. Andrews. When he came to make his defence, he wasso old, feeble and lame, that it was feared none would hear him; but assoon as he began to speak, he surprized them all, his voice made thechurch to ring, and his quickness and courage amazed his very enemies. At first he kneeled and prayed for some time, after which one Sir AndrewOliphant a priest, called to him to arise, and answer to the articles ofcharge, saying, "You keep my lord of St. Andrews too long here;"nevertheless he continued some time in prayer, and when he arose, said, "I ought to obey God more than man. I serve a mightier Lord than yourlord is, and whereas you call me _Sir Walter_, they call me _Walter_; Ihave been too long one of the pope's knights: Now say what you have tosay. " * * * * * Oliphant _began his Interrogations as follows_: _Olip. _ Thou sayest there are not seven sacraments? _Mill. _ Give me the Lord's Supper and Baptism, and take you all therest. _Oliph. _ What think you of a priest's marriage? _Mill. _ I think it a blessed bond ordained by God, and approved of byChrist, and free to all sorts of men; but ye abhor it, and in themeanwhile take other men's wives and daughters: Ye vow chastity, andkeep it not. _Oliph. _ How sayest thou that the mass is idolatry? _Mill. _ A lord or king calleth many to dinner, they come and sit down, but the lord himself turneth his back, and eateth up all; and so do you. _Olip. _ Thou deniest the sacrament of the altar to be the real body ofChrist in flesh and blood? _Mill. _ The scriptures are to be understood spiritually and notcarnally, and so your mass is wrong, for Christ was once offered on thecross for sin, and will never be offered again, for then he put an endto all sacrifice. _Oliph. _ Thou deniest the office of a bishop? _Mill. _ I affirm that those you call bishops do no bishop's work, butlive after sensual pleasure, taking no care of Christ's flock, norregarding his word. _Oliph. _ Thou speakest against pilgrimage, and sayest, It is apilgrimage to whoredom? _Mill. _ I say pilgrimage is not commanded in scripture, and that thereis no greater whoredom in any place, except in brothel-houses. _Oliph. _ You preach privately in houses, and sometimes in the field? _Mill. _ Yea, and on the sea also when sailing in a ship. Then said _Oliphant_, "If you will not recant, I will pronounce sentenceagainst you. " To this he replied, "I know I must die once, and therefore as Christsaid to Judas, _What thou dost, do quickly_: you shall know that I willnot recant the truth, for I am corn and not chaff: I will neither beblown away by the wind, nor burst with the flail, but will abide both. " Then Oliphant, as the mouth of the court, was ordered to pronouncesentence against him, ordaining him to be delivered to the temporaljudge, and burnt as an heretic. But they could not procure one as atemporal judge to condemn him. One Learmond, then provost of the town, and bailie of the bishop's regality, refused it, and went out of town;the people of the place were so moved at his constancy, and offended atthe wrong done to him, that they refused to supply ropes to bind him, and other materials for his execution, whereby his death was retardedfor one day. At last one Somerville, a domestic of the bishop, undertookto act the part of temporal judge, and the ropes of the bishop'spavilion were taken to serve the purpose. All things being thus prepared, he was led forth by Somerville with aguard of armed men to his execution; being come to the place, some criedout to him to recant, to whom he answered, "I marvel at your rage, yehypocrites, who do so cruelly pursue the servants of God; as for me, Iam now eighty-two years old, and cannot live long by course of nature;but an hundred shall rise out of my ashes, who shall scatter you, yehypocrites and persecutors of God's people; and such of you as now thinkyourselves the best, shall not die such an honest death as I now do; Itrust in God, I shall be the last who shall suffer death, in thisfashion, for this cause in this land. " Thus his constancy increased ashis end drew near. Being ordered by Oliphant to go up to the stake, herefused, and said, "No, I will not go, except thou put me up with thyhand, for by the law of God I am forbidden to put hands to myself, butif thou wilt put to thy hand, and take part of my death, thou shalt seeme go up gladly. " Then Oliphant putting him foreward, he went up with acheerful countenance, saying, _Introibo ad altare Dei_, and desired thathe might be permitted to speak to the people; he was answered byOliphant, "That he had spoken too much already, and the bishops wereexceedingly displeased with what he had said. " But some youths took hispart, and bid him say on what he pleased; he first bowed his knees andprayed, then arose and standing upon the coals addressed the people tothis effect, "Dear friends, the cause why I suffer this day, is not forany crime laid to my charge, though I acknowledge myself a miserablesinner before God, but only for the defence of the truths of JesusChrist set forth in the old and new Testament; I praise God that hehath called me among the rest of his servants, to seal up his truth withmy life; as I have received it of him, so I again willingly offer it upfor his glory, therefore, as ye would escape eternal death, be no longerseduced with the lies of bishops, abbots, friars, monks, and the rest ofthat sect of Antichrist, but depend only upon Jesus Christ and hismercy, that so ye may be delivered from condemnation. "--During thisspeech, loud murmurs and lamentations were heard among the multitude, some admiring the patience, boldness and constancy of this martyr, others complaining of the hard measures and cruelty of his persecutors. After having spoken as above, he prayed a little while, and then wasdrawn up and bound to the stake, and the fire being kindled, he cried, "Lord, have mercy on me; Pray, pray, good people, while there is time. "And so cheerfully yielded up his soul into the hands of his God on thetwenty-eighth of April, _anno_ 1558, being then about the eighty-secondyear of his age. The fortitude and constancy of this martyr affected the people so much, that they heaped up a great pile of stones on the place where he hadbeen burned, that the memory of his death might be preserved, but thepriests gave orders to have it taken down and carried away, denouncing acurse on any who should lay stones there again; but that anathema was solittle regarded, that what was thrown down in the day-time was raisedagain in the night, until at last the papists carried away the stones tobuild houses in or about the town, which they did in the night, with allpossible secresy. The death of this martyr brought about the downfal of popery inScotland, for the people in general were so much inflamed, thatresolving openly to profess the truth, they bound themselves bypromises, and subscriptions of oaths, That before they would be thusabused any longer they would take arms, and resist the papal tyranny, which they at last did. _The Life of JAMES STUART, Earl of Moray. _ He was a natural son of K. James V. And brother by the father's side toMary queen of Scots; in his infancy he was put under the celebratedGeorge Buchanan, who instilled such principles into his mind in earlylife, as by the divine blessing made him an honour to the Scottishnation. The reader cannot expect a very minute detail of all the heroic andpatriotic deeds of this worthy nobleman, considering the station whichhe filled, and his activity in the discharge of the duties belonging toit. He was the principal agent in promoting the work of reformation frompopery. On the first dawning of it in the year 1555, he attended thepreaching of Mr. John Knox at Calder, where he often wished that hisdoctrine had been more public, which was an open profession of his loveand zeal for the true religion. He went over to France with some other Scottish noblemen at the time ofhis sister's marriage with the dauphine, where his companions weresupposed to have been poisoned, for they died in France: He escaped bythe interposition of a kind providence, but retained a weak anddisordered stomach all his life; this did not however unfit him forthese services which he did to religion and his country after this. In the year 1556, he and Argyle wrote to Mr. Knox at Geneva, to returnto Scotland, in order to further the reformation. Upon which, afterhaving been detained some time at Diep, Mr Knox returned in the year1559, and went to St. Johnstoun, where the reforming congregationresorted to him; which coming to the ears of the queen-regent, she sentthe earl of Argyle and Lord James (for that was the earl of Moray'stitle at this time) to know the intent of so great an assembly. Mr. Knoxreturned this answer, That "her enterprize would not prosper in the end, seeing that she intended to fight against God, &c. " Upon receivingthis reply, she summoned them to depart from the town of St. Johnstoun;but afterwards hearing of the daily increase of their numbers, she gavethem leave to depart peaceably, with many fair promises, that theyshould meet with no further danger. On which they obeyed and left thetown, but they had no sooner done so, than she with her French guardsentered it in a most outrageous manner, telling the inhabitants, Thatno faith should be kept with heretics. --This flagrant breach of promiseprovoked Lord James to that degree, that he left the queen, and joinedthe lords of the congregation (for so they were afterwards called). Assoon as the queen got intelligence of this, she sent a threateningletter to him and Argyle (for they stuck together on almost alloccasions) commanding them to return, but to no purpose; for they wentto Fife, and there began to throw down and remove the monuments ofidolatry: Here they continued for some time; but being informed that thequeen intended to go to Stirling, they went off from Perth late in thenight, and entered Stirling with their associates where they immediatelydemolished the monasteries, and purged the churches of idolatry. Suchwas the zeal of these worthy noblemen for the interest of the reformedreligion in Scotland. From Stirling they marched for Edinburgh, purging all the superstitiousrelicts of idolatry out of Linlithgow in their way. --These summaryproceedings alarmed the queen regent, insomuch that her zeal for theRomish idolatry, gave way to her fears about her civil authority. Tomake the conduct of these reformers the more odious to the unthinkingpart of the nation, she gave out that they were in open rebellionagainst her, and that they made a pretence of religion, but that thereal design was to set lord James on the throne (there being now nomale-heir to the crown), These insinuations she found means to transmitto lord James himself, in a letter said to be forged in the names ofFrancis and Mary the king and queen of France, wherein he was furtherupbraided with ingratitude on account of the favours they pretended thatthey had shown him, and threatened to lay down his arms and return tohis allegiance. To this letter, (notwithstanding there were strongreasons to suspect it was forged) he nevertheless returned a resoluteanswer, declaring that he was not conscious to himself, either in wordor deed, of any offence either against the regent or laws; but in regardthe nobility had undertaken the reformation of religion, which wasdelayed, and seeing they aimed at nothing but the glory of God, he waswilling to bear the reproach which the enemies of religion would loadhim with, neither was it just for him to desert that cause which hadChrist himself for its head and defender, whom, unless they wouldvoluntarily deny, they could not give up that enterprise in which theywere imbarked. While these things were transacting, the lords of the congregation beingthen in and about Edinburgh, there were to the number of 3000 Frenchlanded at Leith at different times, to support the queen regent, betweenwhom and the lords of the congregation there were several skirmishes, with little success on either side; yet the lords retired to Stirling, leaving the French for a time masters of the field, but not withoutapprehensions of danger from the arrival of an English fleet, which wasthen expected. In the mean time, they went over to Fife, spreadingdevastation every where around them without resistance: Whereupon thequeen regent thus expressed herself, "Where is John Knox's God now, myGod is stronger, even now in Fife. " This impious boast lasted not long, for Argyle and lord James went to the town of Dysart immediately to stoptheir career along the coast. The French were 4000 strong, besides theScots who adhered to them; the army of the congregation were not above600 men, yet they behaved with such courage and resolution, as fortwenty days successively they faced this army, and for each man theylost in every skirmish, the French lost four. As an evidence of theuncommon attention which these two noblemen bestowed on this business, they never put off their cloaths during the whole time, and slept butlittle. In the month of June the queen regent died, and a little after herFrancis king of France died likewise, by which Scotland was deliveredfrom this foreign army. --About this time lord James went over to France, to visit his sister Mary; after settling matters in Scotland as well ashe could, he was attended by a splendid retinue, but appears to have metwith a cold reception: After several conversations with Queen Mary, shetold him, That she intended to return home. During his stay at Paris, hemet with many insults on account of his known attachment to the reformedreligion: A box containing some valuable things was stole from him;several persons were likewise hired to assassinate him in the street: hewas apprized of his danger by an old friend of his own, but not beforehe was almost involved in it, being instantly surrounded by a rabble, calling out _Hugenot, hugenot_, and throwing stones; he made his waythrough them on horseback. Soon after this he left Paris, and returnedhome in May 1561, with a commission from the queen, appointing himregent until her return, which was in August following, when, as Knoxexpresses it, "Dolour and darkness came along with her, " for tho'justice and equity were yet administered, and crimes were punished, because the administration of civil affairs was yet in the hands of lordJames, who for his management of public concerns was beloved by all, yetupon the queen's arrival, French levity and dissipation soon corruptedthe court to a very high degree. About this time a banditti called the moss-troopers broke in upon theborders of Scotland, committing very alarming depredations, by robbingand murdering all that came in their way. The queen sent lord James witha small force to oppose them, not with the intention that he might havethe opportunity of acquiring military reputation, but to expose him todanger, that, if possible, she might get rid of him, for his popularitymade her very uneasy, and his fidelity and boldness in reproving herfaults, and withstanding her tyrannical measures, made him still morethe object of her hatred and disgust. But, contrary to the expectationsof many, God so prospered him in this expedition, that in a short timehe brought twenty-eight ring-leaders of this band to public execution, and obliged the rest to give hostages for their better behaviour intime-coming. Thus he returned crowned with laurels, and was immediatelycreated earl of Marr, and in the February following he was made earl ofMoray, with the universal approbation of all good men. Some thought thisact of the queen was intended by her to conciliate his affections, andmake him of her party. About this time he married a daughter of the earlof Marshal, according to Knox, (Buchanan says, the earl of March); themarriage was made publicly in the church of Edinburgh; after theceremony was over, the preacher (probably Mr. Knox) said to him, "Sir, the church of God hath received comfort by you, and by your labours untothis day; if you prove more saint therein afterward, it will be saidthat your wife hath changed your nature, &c. " It may be observed, that hitherto the nobility appeared very much unitedin their measures for promoting the interest of religion; this was soonat an end, for the noblemen at court broke out into factions: Among whomthe earl of Bothwel, envying the prosperity of Moray, stirred up somefeuds between him and the Hamiltons, which increased to that height, that they laid a plot for his life, which Bothwel took in hand toexecute, while he was with the queen his sister at Falkland; but theearl of Arran detesting such an action, sent a letter privately to theearl of Moray discovering the whole conspiracy, by which he escaped thatdanger: Bothwel fled from justice into France, but his emissaries werenot less active in his absence than they had been while he headed themin person, for another design was formed against his life, by oneGordon, while he was with the queen at Dumbarton. But this provedineffectual also. Soon after, the queen received letters from the pope and her uncles theGuises of France, requesting her to put the earl of Moray out of theway, because, they found by experience, that their interest in Scotlandcould not prosper while he was alive; upon this the faction against himbecame more insolent and appeared in arms: they were at firstsuppressed, but soon assembled again, to the number of eight hundredmen: This body he was obliged to fight, with little more strength, inwhich he could confide, than an hundred horse; notwithstanding thisdisparity, by the divine blessing, he obtained a complete victory, killing of them a hundred and twenty, and taking a hundred prisoners, among whom were Huntly himself and his two sons; it is said he did notlose a single man. He returned to Aberdeen with the prisoners, late inthe night, where he had appointed a minister of the gospel to meet him, with whom he returned thanks to God for such a deliverance, exceedingthe expectations of all men. The earl of Bothwel was soon after this recalled by the queen fromFrance; upon his arrival, Moray accused him for his former treasonablepractices, and commenced a process at law against him. Bothwel knew hecould not stand an open scrutiny, but relied upon the queen's favour, which he knew he possessed in a very high degree, and which increased somuch the more as her enmity to Moray on account of his popularity wasaugmented. This led her to join more warmly in the conspiracy withBothwel against his life; a new plot was the result of their jointdeliberations, which was to be executed in the following manner; Moraywas to be sent for, with only a few attendants, to speak with the queenat Perth, where Lord Darnly (then in suit to her for marriage) was; theyknew that Moray would speak his mind freely, upon which they were toquarrel with him, in the heat of which David Rizzio was to strike thefirst blow, and all the rest were to follow: But of this design also hegot previous intelligence by a friend at the court, nevertheless heresolved to go, until advised by one Patrick Ruthven; he turned aside tohis mother's house, and there staid till this storm was over also. The earl of Moray foreseeing what would be the consequence of thequeen's marriage with Lord Darnly[28], set himself to oppose it, butfinding little attention paid to any thing he said on that subject inthe convention of estates, he chose rather to absent himself for sometime, and accordingly retired to the border, where he staid until thequeen's marriage with Darnly was over. The remarkable tragical events which succeeded, disgusted Moray more andmore at the court; with these the public are well acquainted: The murderof Darnly, and Mary's after-marriage with the assassin of her husband, has occasioned too much speculation of late years, not to be known toevery one in the least acquainted with the Scottish history. Moray nowfound it impossible to live at a court where his implacable enemy was sohighly honoured; Bothwel insulted him openly; whereupon he asked leaveof the queen to travel abroad, and she, being willing to get rid of himat all events, granted his desire, upon his promise not to make any stayin England. He went over to France, where he remained until he heardthat the queen was in custody in Lochlevin, and that Bothwel had fled toDenmark; and then returned home. Upon his arrival he was made regent, bythe joint consent of the queen and nobles, _anno_ 1567, during the youngking's minority. He entered on the exercise of his office as regent, in the springfollowing, and resolved with himself to make a tour through the wholekingdom to settle the courts of justice, to repair what was wrong, &c. But his adversaries the Hamiltons, perceiving, that by the prudence anddiligence of this worthy nobleman, the interest of religion would berevived, than which nothing could be more disagreeable to them, who weredissipated and licentious in an extreme degree, they could not endure tobe regulated by law, and never ceased crying out against hisadministration. They fixed up libels in different places, full of darkinsinuations, by which it was understood that his destruction wasmeditating[29]. Some astrologers told him that he would not live beyondsuch a day; by which it appeared they were not ignorant of the designsformed against him. All this had no effect upon his resolution; hiscommon reply was, That "he knew well enough he must die one time orother, and that he could not part with his life more nobly, than byprocuring the public tranquillity of his native country. " He causedsummon a convention of estates to meet at Glasgow for the redress ofsome grievances, which that part of the country particularly labouredunder. But while he was thus engaged, he received intelligence that the queenhad escaped from Lochlevin castle, and was come to Hamiltoun, wherethose of her faction were assembling with the utmost haste, whereupon ahot dispute arose in council, whether the regent, and his attendantsshould repair to the young king at Stirling, or stay and observe themotions of the queen and her party; but in the very time of thesedeliberations, a hundred chosen men arrived in town from Lothian, andmany more from the adjacent country were approaching: This made themresolve to stay where they were, and refresh themselves for one day, after which they determined to march out and face the enemy. But thequeen's army, being 6500 strong, resolved to make their way by Glasgowto lodge the queen in Dumbarton castle, and afterwards either to fightthe regent, or protract the war at pleasure. The regent being let into this design of the enemy, drew his army outthe town, to observe which way they intended to pass; he had not above4000 men; they discovered the queen's army passing along the south-sideof the river Clyde. Moray commanded the foot to pass the bridge, and thehorse to ford the river, and marched out to a small village, calledLangside, upon the river Cart. They took possession of a rising groundbefore the enemy could well discover their intention, and drew up in theorder of battle. The earls of Morton, Semple, Hume and Patrick Lindsayon the right, and the earls of Marr, Glencairn, Monteith with thecitizens of Glasgow, were on the left, and the musqueteers were placedin the valley below. The queen's army approaching, a very brisk butshort engagement ensued; the earl of Argyle, who was commander in chiefof the queen's troops, falling from his horse, they gave way, so thatthe regent obtained a complete victory; but, by his clement conduct, there was very little blood spilt in the pursuit. The queen, who all thewhile remained with some horse at about the distance of a mile from theplace of action, seeing the rout, escaped and fled for England, and theregent returned to Glasgow, where they returned thanks to God for theirdeliverance from popery and papists, who threatened to overturn the workof God among them. This battle was fought upon the 13th of May, 1568. After this the regent summoned a parliament to meet at Edinburgh; whichthe queen's party laboured to hinder, with all their power. In the meantime, letters were received from the queen of England, requiring them toput off the meeting of parliament until she was made acquainted with thewhole matter, for she said, She could not bear with the affront whichher kinswoman said she had received from her subjects. --The parliamenthowever assembled, and after much reasoning it was resolved to sendcommissioners to England to vindicate their conduct; but none consentingto undertake this business, the regent resolved upon going himself, andaccordingly chose three gentlemen, two ministers, two lawyers, and Mr. George Buchanan to accompany him; and with a guard of 100 horse they setout, and arrived at York, the appointed place of conference, on the 4thof October. After several meetings with the English commissioners tolittle purpose, the queen called the regent up to London, that she mightbe better satisfied by personal conversation with him, about the stateof these affairs. But the same difficulties stood in his way here as atYork; he refused to enter upon the accusation of his sister the queen ofScots, unless Elizabeth would engage to protect the king's party, provided the queen was found guilty. But, while matters were thus remaining in suspence at London, Mary hadstirred up a new commotion in Scotland by means of one James Balfour, so that the regent found himself exceedingly embarrassed, and thereforeresolved to bring the matter to a conclusion as soon as possible. Afterseveral interviews with the queen and council, in which the regent andhis party supported the ancient rights of their country, and wiped offthe aspersions many had thrown on themselves, which Buchanan narrates atlarge, book XIX, A decision was given in their favours, and the regentreturned home loaded with honours by Elizabeth, and attended by the mostillustrious of the English court, escorted by a strong guard to Berwick, and arrived at Edinburgh on the 2d of February, where he was receivedwith acclamations of joy, particularly by the friends of the truereligion. During his administration, many salutary laws in favour of civil andreligious liberty, were made, which rendered him more and more theobject of popish malice. At last they resolved at all events to take hislife; the many unsuccessful attempts formerly made, only served torender them more bold and daring. Though the queen was now at adistance, yet the found means to encourage her party, and perhaps thehope of delivering her at length, gave strength to their resolution. OneJames Hamilton of Bothwel-haugh, nephew to the arch-bishop of St. Andrews, incited by his uncle and others, undertakes to make away withthe regent, when a convenient opportunity offered itself: He first layin wait for him at Glasgow, and then at Stirling, but both failed him;after which, he thought Linlithgow the most proper place forperpetrating that execrable deed; his uncle had a house near theregent's, in which he concealed himself, that he might be in readinessfor the assassination. Of this design the regent got intelligencelikewise, but paid not that regard to the danger he was exposed to, which he should; and would go no other way than that in which it wassuspected the ambush was laid; he trusted to the fleetness of his horsein riding swiftly by the suspected place; but the great concourse ofpeople who crouded together to see him, stopped up the way. Accordingly, he was shot from a wooden balcony, the bullet entering a little belowthe navel, came out at the reins, and killed the horse of George Douglasbehind him: The assassin escaped by a back-door. The regent told hisattendants that he was wounded, and returned to his lodgings; it was atfirst thought the wound was not mortal, but his pain increasing, hebegan to think of death. Some about him told him, That this was thefruit of his lenity, in sparing so many notorious offenders, and amongthe rest his own murderer; but he replied, "Your importunity shall notmake me repent my clemency. " Having settled his private affairs, hecommitted the care of the young king to the nobles there present, andwithout speaking a reproachful word of any, he departed this life on the24d of January, 1570. According to Buchanan, 1571. But according toSpotiswood, 1569. Thus fell the earl of Moray (whom historians ordinarily call, The goodregent) after he had escaped so many dangers: He was certainly a worthygovernor. Both Buchanan and Spotswood give him the following character:"His death was lamented by all good men, who loved him as the publicfather of his country, even his enemies confessed his merit when dead;they admired his valour in war, his ready disposition for peace, hisactivity in business, in which he was commonly very successful; thedivine favour seemed to shine on all his actions; he was very mercifulto offenders, and equitable in all his decisions. When the field did notcall for his presence, he was busied in the administration of justice;by which means the poor were not oppressed, and the terms of law-suitswere shortened. --His house was like a holy temple; after meals he causeda chapter of the bible to be read, and asked the opinions of suchlearned men as were present upon it, not out of a vain curiosity, butfrom a desire to learn, and reduce to practice what it contained[30]. "In a word, he was both in his public and private life, a pattern worthyof imitation, and happy would it be for us, that our nobles were moredisposed to walk in the paths which he trode;--for, "Above all hisvirtues, which were not a few, he shined in piety towards God, orderinghimself and his family in such a sort as did more resemble a church thana court; for therein, besides the exercise of devotion, which he neveromitted, there was no wickedness to be seen, nay not an unseemly orwanton word to be heard. A man truly good, and worthy to be rankedamongst the best governors, that this kingdom hath enjoyed, andtherefore to this day honoured with the title of _The good Regent_[31]. " _The Life of Mr. JOHN KNOX. _ Mr. Knox was born in Gifford near Haddington in East Lothian, in theyear 1505. His father was related to the antient house of Ranferlie. When he left the grammar school, he was sent to the university of St. Andrews, to study under Mr. John Mair, (a man of considerable learningat that time), and had the degree of master of arts conferred upon him, while very young. He excelled in philosophy and polemical divinity, andwas admitted into church orders before the usual time appointed by thecanons. Then laying aside all unnecessary branches of learning, hebetook himself to the reading of the antients, particularly Angustine'sand Jerome's works, with whom he was exceedingly pleased. He profitedconsiderably by the preaching of Thomas Guilliam, a black friar, ofsound judgment and doctrine; his discourses led him to study the holyscriptures more closely, by which his spiritual knowledge was increased, and such a zeal for the interest of religion begotten in him, as hebecame the chief instrument in accomplishing the primitive reformation. He was a disciple of Mr. George Wishart (as the reader has already seenin the account of his life), which procured him the hatred of the Popishclergy, who could not endure that light which, discovered theiridolatrous darkness. After the death of cardinal Beaton, he retired into the castle of St. Andrews, where he was confined for some time, but the castle beingobliged to surrender to the French, he became their prisoner, and wassent aboard the gallies, from whence he made his escape about the year1550, and went to England, where he preached for several years inBerwick, Newcastle and London, with great applause; his fame at lastreached the years of king Edward VI. Who offered him a bishopric, whichhe rejected, as contrary to his principles. During his stay in England, he was called before the council, andrequired to answer the following questions: 1. Why he refused the benefice provided for him at London? 2. Whether he thought that no Christian might serve in theecclesiastical ministration, according to the laws and rites of therealm of England? 3. If kneeling at the Lord's table was not indifferent? To the first he said, That his conscience witnessed to him that he mightprofit more in some other place than in London. To the second, That manythings needed reformation in the ministry of England, without which nominister did or could discharge his duty before God; for no minister inEngland had authority to separate the leprous from the whole, which wasa chief part of his office, and that he refused no office which might inthe least promote God's glory and the preaching of Christ's gospel. Andto the third he replied, That Christ's action was most perfect, that itwas most safe to follow his example, and that kneeling was a humaninvention. The answer which he gave to this question, occasioned aconsiderable deal of altercation betwixt the council and him. There werepresent the bishops of Canterbury and Ely, the lord treasurer, the earlsof Northampton, Shrewsbury, &c. The lord chamberlain and thesecretaries: After long reasoning with him, he was desired to take thematter into farther consideration, and so was dismissed. After the death of king Edward, he retired to Geneva, but soon left thatplace and went to Francfort, upon the solicitation of the Englishcongregation there; their letter to him was dated September 24th, 1554. While he was in this city, he wrote his admonition to England, and wassoon involved in troubles, because he opposed the English liturgy, andrefused to communicate after the manner it enjoined. Messrs Isaac andParry, supported by the English doctors, not only got him discharged topreach, but accused him before the magistrates of high treason againstthe emperor's son Philip and the queen of England, and to prove thecharge, they had recourse to the above-mentioned admonition, in whichthey alledged he had called the one little inferior to Nero, and theother more cruel than Jezebel. But the magistrates perceiving the designof his accusers, and fearing lest he should some way or other fall intotheir hands, gave him secret information of his danger, and requestedhim to leave the city, for they could not save him if he should bedemanded by the queen of England in the emperor's name; and having takenthe hint, he returned to Geneva. Here he wrote an admonition to London, Newcastle and Berwick; a letterto Mary dowager of Scotland; an appeal to the nobility, and anadmonition to the commons of his own country; and his first blast of thetrumpet, &c. He intended to have blown this trumpet three times, ifqueen Mary's death had not prevented him; understanding that an answerwas to be given to his first blast, he deferred the publication of thesecond, till he saw what answer was necessary for the vindication of thefirst. While he was at Geneva, he contracted a close intimacy with Mr. JohnCalvin, with whom he consulted on every emergency. In the end of harvest1654, he returned home upon the solicitation of some of the Scotsnobility, and began privately to instruct such as resorted to him in thetrue religion, among whom were the laird of Dun, David Forrest andElizabeth Adamson, spouse to James Baron burgess of Edinburgh; Theidolatry of the mass particularly occupied his attention, as he saw someremarkable for zeal and godliness drawn aside by it; both in public andprivate he exposed its impiety and danger; his labours succeeded so far, as to draw off some and alarm many others: In a conversation upon thissubject at the laird of Dun's house in presence of David Forrest, Mr. Robert Lockhart, John Willock and William Maitland junr. Of Lethington, he gave such satisfactory answers to all the objections which werestarted by the company, that Maitland ended the conversation, saying, "Isee very well that all our shifts will serve nothing before God, seeingthey stand us in so small stead before men. " From this time forward themass was very little respected. Mr. Knox continued a month at the laird of Dun's, preaching every day;the principal gentlemen of that country resorted to his ministry. Fromthence he went to Calder, where the earl of Argyle (then lord Lorn) andlord James (afterwards earl of Moray) heard his doctrine, and highlyapproved of it--During the winter he taught in Edinburgh, and in thebeginning of the spring went to Kyle, where he preached in differentplaces; The earl of Glencairn sent for him to Finlaston, where, aftersermon, he administered the Lord's supper, and then returned to Calder. The people being thus instructed, began to refuse all superstition andidolatry, and set themselves to the utmost of their power to support thetrue preaching of the gospel. This alarmed the inferior popish clergy somuch, that they came from all quarters complaining to the bishops;whereupon Mr. Knox was summoned to appear in the black friars church ofEdinburgh on the 15th of May following: which appointment he resolved toobserve, and accordingly came to Edinburgh in company with the laird ofDun, and several other gentlemen, but the diet did not hold, because thebishops were afraid to proceed further against him, so that, on thesame day that he should have appeared before them, he preached to agreater audience in Edinburgh than ever he had done before. The earl ofMarshal being desired by Lord Glencairn to hear Mr. Knox preach, complied, and was so delighted with his doctrine, that he immediatelyproposed that something should be done to draw the queen regent to hearhim likewise; he made this proposal in a letter, which was deliveredinto her own hand by Glencairn. When she had read it, she gave it toBeaton[32], arch-bishop of Glasgow, saying in ridicule, "Please you, mylord, to read a pasquille. " About this time (1555) he received a letter from the Englishcongregation at Geneva (who were not in communion with the congregationof that name at Francfort), in which they beseech him, in the name ofGod, that as he was their chosen pastor, he would speedily come to them:In obedience to this call, he sent his wife and mother-in-law before himto Dieppe, but by the importunity of some gentlemen he was prevailed onto stay some time behind them in Scotland, which he spent in going aboutexhorting the several congregations in which he had preached, to befervent in prayer, frequent in reading the scriptures, and in mutualconferences till God should give them greater liberty. The earl ofArgyle was solicited to press Mr. Knox's stay in this country, but hecould not succeed. Mr. Knox told them, That, if they continued earnestin the profession of the faith, God would bless these small beginnings, but that he must for once go and visit that little flock which thewickedness of men had compelled him to leave; and being thus resolved, he went immediately to Geneva. As soon as he was gone, the bishopscaused summon him to their tribunal, and for _non_-compearance theyburnt him _in effigy_ on the cross of Edinburgh; from which unjustsentence, when he heard of it, he appealed to the nobility and commonsof Scotland. Upon the receipt of a letter dated March 10, 1556, subscribed by theearls of Glencairn, Erskine, Argyle, and Moray, Mr. Knox resolved toreturn again into Scotland. Committing the care of his flock at Genevato Mr. John Calvin, and coming to Dieppe, he wrote from thence to Mrs. Anna Locke, a declaration of his opinion of the English service-book, expressing himself thus, "Our captain Christ Jesus and Satan hisadversary are now at open defiance, their banners are displayed, and thetrumpet is blown on both sides for assembling their armies: our mastercalleth upon his own, and that with vehemency, that they may depart fromBabylon, yea he threateneth death and damnation to such as either intheir forehead or right-hand have the mark of the beast, and a portionof this mark are all these dregs of papistry, which are left in yourgreat book of England (_viz. _ crossing in baptism, kneeling at theLord's table, mumbling or singing of the litany, _&c. &c. _) any one jotof which diabolical inventions will I never counsel any man to use, &c. " He was detained in this place much longer than expectation, whichobliged the Scots nobility to renew their solicitations; which hecomplied with, and arrived in Scotland on the second of May 1559, beingthen 54 years old. --He preached first at Dundee and afterwards at St. Johnstoun, with great success. About this time the queen put somepreachers to the horn, prohibiting all upon pain of rebellion tocomfort, relieve, or assist them; which enraged the multitude to thatdegree, that they would be restrained, neither by the preachers normagistrates, from pulling down the images and other monuments ofidolatry in St. Johnstoun: which being told to the queen, it so enragedher, that she vowed to destroy man, woman and child, in that town, andburn it to the ground. To execute this threat, she caused her Frencharmy to march towards the place, but being informed that multitudes fromthe neighbouring country were assembling in the town for the defence ofits inhabitants, her impetuosity was checked, and she resolved to usestratagem where force could not avail her; accordingly she sent theearls of Argyle and Moray, to learn what was their design in suchcommotions, Mr. Knox, in name of the rest, made answer, "That thepresent troubles ought to move the hearts of all the true servants ofGod, and lovers of their country, to consider what the end of suchtyrannical measures would be, by which the emissaries of Satan soughtthe destruction of all the friends of religion in the country. ThereforeI most humbly require of you, my lords, to tell the queen, in my name, that we, whom she, in her blind rage doth thus persecute, are theservants of God, faithful and obedient subjects of this realm, and thatthe religion which she would maintain by fire and sword, is not the truereligion of Jesus Christ, but expresly contrary to the same; asuperstitious device of men, which I offer myself to prove, against allwho, in Scotland, maintain the contrary, freedom of debate beingallowed, and the word of God being the judge. Tell her from me, that herenterprize shall not succeed in the end, for she fights not against manonly, but against the eternal God, &c. " Argyle and Moray promised todeliver this message, and Mr. Knox preached a sermon, exhorting them toconstancy, adding, "I am persuaded that this promise" (meaning thepromise she had made to do them no harm if they would leave the townpeaceably) "shall be no longer kept than the queen and her Frenchmen canget the upper hand;" which accordingly happened when she took possessionof the town, and put a garrison of French in it. This breach of promisedisgusted the earls of Argyle and Moray to that degree, that theyforsook her and joined the congregation. Having assembled with the lairdof Dun and others, they sent for Mr. Knox, who, in his way to thempreached in Crail in Anstruther, intending to preach next day at St. Andrews. This design coming to the ears of the bishop, he raised 100 spear-men, and sent this message to the lords, "That if John Knox offered to preachthere, he should have a warm military reception;" They, in their turn, forewarned Mr. Knox of his danger, and dissuaded him from going; he madeanswer, "God is my witness, that I never preached Jesus Christ incontempt of any man, neither am I concerned about going thither: tho' Iwould not willingly injure the worldly interest of any creature, Icannot, in conscience, delay preaching to-morrow, if I am not detainedby violence; as for fear of danger to my person, let no man besolicitous about that, for my life is in the hand of him whose glory Iseek, and therefore I fear not their threats, so as to cease from doingmy duty, when of his mercy God offereth the occasion. I desire the handand weapon of no man to defend me, only I crave audience, which ifdenied to me here, at this time, I must seek further where I may haveit. " The lords were satisfied that he should fulfil his intention, whichhe did, with such boldness and success (without any interruption), thatthe magistrates and people of the town immediately after sermon agreedto remove all monuments of idolatry; which they did, with greatexpedition. After this, several skirmishes ensued between the queen and lords of thecongregation. But at last, the queen sickened and died, and a generalpeace, which lasted for some time, was procured, during which, thecommissioners of the Scots nobility (anno 1560), were employed insettling minsters in different places. Mr. Knox was appointed toEdinburgh, where he continued until the day of his death. The same year the Scots confession was compiled and agreed upon; andthat the church might be established upon a good foundation, acommission and charge was given to Mr. Knox and five others, to draw upa form of government and discipline of the church. When they hadfinished it, they presented it to the nobility, by whom it wasafterwards ratified and approved of. But this progress which was daily making in the reformation, soon metwith a severe check by the arrival of queen Mary from France in August1561. ; with her came popery and all manner of profanity; the mass wasagain publicly set up, at which the religious part of the nation werehighly offended, and none more than Mr. Knox, who ceased not to exposethe evil and danger of it on every occasion: On which account the queenand court were much exasperated. They called him before them, andcharged him as guilty of high treason. The queen being present, produceda letter, wrote by him, wherein it was alledged that he had convocatedher majesty's lieges against law; whereupon a long reasoning ensuedbetween him and secretary Lethington upon the contents of said letter;in which Mr. Knox gave such solid and bold answers, in defence ofhimself and doctrine, that at last he was acquitted by the lords of thecouncil, to the no small displeasure of the queen and those of thepopish party. Mr. Knox, in a conference with the queen about this time, said, "Ifprinces exceed their bounds, they may be resisted even by power, forthere is no greater honour and obedience to be paid to princes than Godhath commanded to be given to father and mother. If children jointogether against their father stricken with a frenzy, and seeking toslay his own children, apprehend him, take his sword or other weaponsfrom him, bind his hands, and put him in prison till his frenzyoverpass, do they any wrong, or will God be offended with them forhindering their father from committing horrible murder?--Even so, madam, if princes will murder the children of God their subjects, theirblind zeal is but a mad frenzy. To take the sword from them, to bindthem, and to cast them into prison till they be brought to a sober mind, is not disobedience, but just obedience, because it agreeeth with theword of God. " The queen hearing this, stood for some time as one amazed, and changed countenance. No appearance was, at this time, of herimprisonment[33]. After the queen's marriage with Henry earl of Darnly, a proclamation wasmade in 1565, signifying, That forasmuch as certain rebels who, underthe colour of religion, (meaning those who opposed the measures of thecourt) intended nothing but the subversion of the commonwealth, therefore they charged all manner of men, under pain of life, lands, andgoods, to resort and meet their majesties at Linlithgow on the 24th ofAugust. Upon Sabbath the 19th, the king came to the high church ofEdinburgh, where Mr. Knox preached from these words, _O Lord our Lord, other lords, beside thee, have had the dominion over us_, &c. In hissermon he took occasion to speak of wicked princes, who, for the sins ofa people, were sent as scourges upon them, and also said, "That God setin that room boys and women; and that God justly punished Ahab and hisposterity, because he would not take order with the harlot Jezebel. "These things enraged the king to a very high degree. Mr. Knox wasimmediately ordered before the council, who went thither attended bysome of the most respectable citizens; when called in, the secretarysignified that the king was much offended with some words in hissermons, (as above-mentioned), and ordered him to abstain from preachingfor fifteen or twenty days; to which Mr. Knox answered, That he hadspoken nothing but according to his text, and if the church wouldcommand him either to speak or refrain from speaking, he would obey sofar as the word of God would permit him. Nevertheless, for this andanother sermon which he preached before the lords, in which he shewedthe bad consequences that would follow upon the queen's being married toa papist, he must be, by the queen's order, prohibited from preachingfor a considerable time. It cannot be expected, that we should enumerate all the indefatigablelabours, and pertinent speeches which, on sundry occasions, he made tothe queen, nor the opposition which he met with in promoting the work ofreformation; these will be found at large in the histories of thesetimes. The popish faction now found, that it would be impossible to get theiridolatry re-established, while the reformation was making such progress, and while Mr. Knox and his associates had such credit with thepeople. --They therefore set other engines to work, than these they hadhitherto used; they spared no pains to blast his reputation by maliciouscalumnies, and even by making attempts upon his life; for, one night ashe was sitting at the head of a table in his own house, with his back tothe window, (as was his custom), he was fired at from the other side ofthe street, on purpose to kill him; the shot entered at the window, buthe being near to the other side of the table, the assassin missed hismark; the bullet struck the candlestick before him, and made a hole inthe foot of it: Thus was _he that was with him, stronger than they thatwere against him_. Mr. Knox was an eminent wrestler with God in prayer, and like a princeprevailed; the queen regent herself gave him this testimony, when, upona particular occasion, she said, She was more afraid of his prayers thanof an army of ten thousand men. He was likewise warm and pathetic in hispreaching, in which such prophetical expressions as dropt from him, hadthe most remarkable accomplishment; as an instance of this, when he wasconfined in the castle of St. Andrews, he foretold both the manner oftheir surrender, and their deliverance from the French gallies; and whenthe lords of the congregation were twice discomfited by the French army, he assured them, in the mean time, that the Lord would prosper the workof reformation. Again, when queen Mary refused to come and hear sermon, he bid them tell her, That she would yet be obliged to hear the word ofGod whether she would or not; which came to pass at her arraignment inEngland. At another time he thus addressed himself to her husband Henry, lord Darnly, while in the king's seat in the high church of Edinburgh, "Have you for the pleasure of that dainty dame cast the psalm book inthe fire; the Lord shall strike both head and tail;" both king and queendied violent deaths. He likewise said, when the castle of Edinburgh heldout for the queen against the regent, that "the castle should spue outthe captain (meaning the laird of Grange) with shame, and that he shouldnot come out at the gate, but over the wall, and that the tower calledDavies tower should run like a sand-glass;" which was fulfilled in afew years after, the same captain being obliged to come over the wall ona ladder, with a staff in his hand, and the said forework of the castlerunning down like a sand brae. On the 24th of January 1570, Mr. Knox being in the pulpit, a paper wasput into his hands among others, containing the names of the sick peopleto be prayed for; the paper contained these words, "Take up the man whomyou accounted another God, " (this alluded to the earl of Moray who wasslain the day before). Having read it he put it in his pocket, withoutshewing the least discomposure. After sermon, he lamented the loss whichboth church and state had met with in the death of that worthy nobleman, (meaning the regent) shewing, that God takes away good and wise rulersfrom a people in his wrath, and, at last, said, "There is one in thecompany who maketh that horrible murder, at which all good men haveoccasion to be sorrowful, the subject of his mirth; I tell him, he shalldie in a strange land, where he shall not have a friend near him to holdup his head, " One Mr. Thomas Maitland being the author of that insultingspeech, and hearing what Mr. Knox said, confessed the whole to hissister the lady Trabrown, but said, That John Knox was raving to speakof he knew not whom; she replied with tears, That none of Mr. Knox'sthreatenings fell to the ground. This gentleman afterwards went abroad, and died in Italy, on his way to Rome, having no man to assist him. Mr. Knox's popularity was now so well established, that the malignantparty, finding it impossible to alienate the hearts of the people fromhim, began now openly to work his destruction, fortifying the town andcastle with their garrisons; they vented their malice against him bymany furious threatenings. Upon which he was urged by his friends toleave Edinburgh for his own safety, which at last he did in May 1571, and went to St. Andrews, where the earl of Morton (who was then regent), urged him to inaugurate the arch-bishop of that see. This he declined, with solemn protestations against it, and denounced an anathema on thegiver and receiver. Though he was then very weak in body, he would notrefrain from preaching, and was obliged to be supported by his servantRichard Bannantyne, in going to church; and, when in the pulpit, hebehoved to rest sometime before he could proceed to preach, but beforehe ended his sermon, he became so vigorous and active, that he was liketo have broken the pulpit to pieces. Here he continued till the end of August 1572, when the civil broilswere a little abated, upon which receiving a letter from Edinburgh, hereturned to his flock. He was now much oppressed with the infirmities ofold age, and the extraordinary fatigues he had undergone; the death ofthe good regent, the earl of Moray, had made deep impressions on him, but when he heard of the massacre of Paris[34], and the murder of thegood admiral Coligni, these melancholy news almost deprived him of hislife. Upon finding his dissolution approaching, he prevailed with thecouncil and kirk-session of Edinburgh, to concur with him in admittingone Mr. James Lawson as his successor, who was at that time professor ofphilosophy in the college of Aberdeen; he wrote a letter to Mr. Lawson, intreating him to accept of this charge, adding this postscript, _Accelera, mi frater, alioqui sero venies_, i. E. Make haste, mybrother, otherwise you will come too late, meaning, that if he came notspeedily, he would find him dead: which words had this effect on Mr. Lawson, that he set out immediately, making all possible haste toEdinburgh, where, after he had preached twice to the full satisfactionof the people, the ninth of November was appointed for his admissionunto that congregation. Mr. Knox (though then still weaker) preachedupon that occasion with much power, and with the greatest comfort to thehearers. In the close of his sermon, he called God to witness, that hehad walked in a good conscience among them, not seeking to please men, nor serving his own nor other men's inclinations, but in all sincerityand truth preaching the gospel of Christ. Then praising God, who hadgiven them one in his room, he exhorted them to stand fast in the faiththey had received, and having prayed fervently for the divine blessingupon them, and the increase of the Spirit upon their new pastor, he gavethem his last farewel, with which the congregation were much affected. Being carried home, that same day he was confined to his bed, and, onthe thirteenth of the month, was so enfeebled that he was obliged tolay aside his ordinary reading of the scripture. The next day he wouldrise out of bed, being asked, what he intended by getting out of bed? hereplied, he would go to church, thinking that had been the Lord's day;he told them, he had been all the night meditating upon the resurrectionof Christ, which he should have preached on in order after the death ofChrist, which he had finished the sabbath before. He had often desiredof God, that he would end his days in teaching, and meditating upon thatdoctrine; which desire seems to have been granted to him. Upon mondaythe 17th, the elders and deacons being come to him, he said, "The timeis approaching, for which I have long thirsted, wherein I shall berelieved and be free from all cares, and be with my Saviour for ever;and now, God is my witness, whom I have served with my spirit in thegospel of his Son, that I have taught nothing but the true and soliddoctrines of the gospel, and that the end which I purposed in all mydoctrine, was to instruct the ignorant, to confirm the weak, to comfortthe consciences of those that were humbled under the sense of theirsins, and to denounce the threatenings of God's word against such aswere rebellious. I am not ignorant, that many have blamed me, and yet doblame my too great rigour and severity, but God knoweth, that, in myheart, I never hated the persons of those against whom I thundered God'sjudgments; I did only hate their sins, and laboured, according to mypower, to gain them to Christ; that I did forbear none of whatsoevercondition, I did it out of the fear of my God, who placed me in thisfunction of the ministry, and I know will bring me to an account. " Thenhe exhorted them to constancy, and intreated them never to join with thewicked, but rather to choose with David to flee to the mountains, thanto remain with such company. After this exhortation to the elders anddeacons, he charged Mr. David Lindsay and Mr. James Lawson to take heedto feed the flock over which the Holy Ghost had made them overseers: ToMr. Lawson in particular, he said, "Fight the good fight, do the work ofthe Lord with courage and with a willing mind; and God from above blessyou and the church whereof you have the charge, against which the gatesof hell shall not prevail. " Then by prayer he recommended the wholecompany present to the grace of God, and afterwards desired his wife, orRichard Bannantyne to read the 17th chapter of John, a chapter of theEphesians, and the 33d chapter of Isaiah daily, after he was unable toread himself: Sometimes he desired part of Mr. Calvin's sermons inFrench to be read to him. One time when reading these sermons, theysupposed him to be sleeping, and asked him, If he heard what was read?he replied, "I hear, I praise God, and understand far better. " One day after this, Mr. David Lindsay coming to see him, he said untohim "Well, brother, I thank God I have desired all this day to have hadyou, that I might send you to that man in the castle, the laird ofGrange, whom you know I have loved dearly. Go, I pray you, and tell himfrom me, in the name of God, that unless he leave that evil coursewherein he has entered, neither shall that rock (meaning the castle ofEdinburgh, which he then kept out against the king) afford him any help, nor the carnal wisdom of that man, whom he counteth half a god (meaningyoung Lethington), but he shall be pulled out of that nest, and broughtdown over the wall with shame, and his carcase shall be hung before thesun, so God hath assured me. " When Mr. David delivered this message, thecaptain seemed to be much moved, but after a little conference withLethington, he returned to Mr. Lindsay, and dismissed him with adisdainful countenance and answer. When he reported this to Mr. Knox, hesaid, "Well, I have been earnest with my God anent that man, I am sorrythat it should so befal his body, yet God assureth me, there is mercyfor his soul. But for the other (meaning Lethington), I have no warrantto say that it shall be well with him. " The truth of this seemed toappear in a short time thereafter; for it was thought that Lethingtonpoisoned himself to escape public punishment; he lay unburied in thesteeple of Leith until his body was quite corrupted; but Sir WilliamKirkaldie of Grange was, on the third of August next, executed at thecross of Edinburgh; he caused Mr. Lindsay to repeat Mr. Knox's wordsconcerning him a little before his execution, and was much comforted bythem; he said to Mr. Lindsay, (who accompanied him to the scaffold) "Ihope, when men shall think I am gone, I shall give a token of theassurance of God's mercy to my soul, according to the speech of that manof God. " Accordingly, when he was cast over the ladder, with his facetowards the east, when all present thought he was dead, he lifted up hishands, which were bound, and let them fall softly down again, as ifpraising God for his great mercy towards him. See Spotswood's history, page 266, 272. And Calderwood's history, page 62, 63. Another of Mr. Knox's visitors desired him to praise God for the good hehad done. He answered, "Flesh of itself is too proud, and needs nothingto puff it up, " and protested that he only laid claim to the free mercyof God in Christ among others. To the earl of Morton (who was then aboutto receive the regency, the earl of Moray being dead) he was heard tosay, "My lord, God hath given you many blessings; he hath given you highhonour, birth, great riches, many good friends, and is now to prefer youto the government of the realm: In his name, I charge you, that you willuse these blessings better in time to come, than you have done in timepast: in all your actions seek first the glory of God, the furtheranceof his gospel, the maintenance of his church and ministry, and then becareful of the king, to procure his good and the welfare of the kingdom. If you act thus, God will be with you; if otherwise, he shall depriveyou of all these benefits, and your end shall be shameful andignominious. " This threatening, Morton, to his melancholy experience, confessed was literally accomplished. At his execution in June 1581, hecalled to mind Mr. Knox's words, and acknowledged, that in what he hadsaid to him he had been a true prophet. Upon the Lord's day, November 23, after he had lain for some time veryquiet, he said, "If any man be present, let him come and see the work ofGod;" for he thought (as was supposed) then to have expired. His servanthaving been sent for Mr. Johnston writer, he burst forth into thesewords, "I have been in meditation these two last nights upon thetroubled kirk of God, despised in the world, but precious in his fight. I have called to God for her, and commended her to Christ her head: Ihave been fighting against Satan, who is ever ready for the assault; Ihave fought against spiritual wickednesses and have prevailed; I havebeen as it were in heaven, and have tasted of its joys. " After sermon, several persons came to visit him; one asked him (upon perceiving hisbreathing shortened), If he had any pain? He answered, "I have no morepain than he that is now in heaven, and am content, if it please God, tolie here seven years. " Many times, when he was lying as if asleep, hewas in meditation, and was heard to say, "Lord, grant true pastors tothy church, that purity of doctrine may be retained. Restore peace againto this commonwealth, with godly rulers and magistrates. O serve theLord in fear, and death shall not be troublesome to you. Blessed is thedeath of those that have part in the death of Jesus. Come, Lord Jesus, sweet Jesus, into thy hand I commend my spirit. " That night, Dr. Preston being come to him, and was told by some of hisconstant attendants that he was often very uneasy in his sleep, thedoctor asked him after he awoke, how he did, and what made him mourn soheavily in his sleep, he answered, "In my life-time, I have been oftenassaulted by Satan, and many times he hath cast my sins in my teeth, tobring me to despair; yet God gave me strength to overcome histemptations: and now that subtile serpent, who never ceaseth to tempt, hath taken another course, and seeks to persuade me, that all my laboursin the ministry, and the fidelity I have showed in that service havemerited heaven and immortality. But blessed be God, that he hath broughtto my mind that scripture, _What hast thou that thou hast not received_, and _not I, but the grace of God which is in me_, with which he hathgone away ashamed, and shall no more return, and now I am sure my battleis at an end, and that I shall shortly, without pain of body or troubleof spirit, change this mortal and miserable life, for that happy andimmortal life that shall never have an end. " Having, some time before, given orders for making his coffin, he roseout of bed, Nov. 24. About ten o'clock, and put on his hose and doublet, and sat up about the space of half an hour, and then returned to bedagain. Being asked by Kingincleugh, if he had any pain, he answered, "Nopain, but such as, I trust, will soon put an end to this battle, yea, Ido not esteem that pain to me, which is the beginning of eternal joy. "In the afternoon he caused his wife to read the 15th chapter of 1 Cor. When it was ended, he said, "Is not that a comfortable chapter?" Alittle after, "I commend my soul, spirit and body into thy hands, OLord. " About five o'clock at night, he said to his wife, "Go, read whereI cast my first anchor;" this was the 17th chapter of John, which sheread, together with part of Calvin's sermons on the Ephesians. They thenwent to prayer, after which Dr. Preston asked him, If he heard theprayer? he answered, "Would to God that you and all men had heard it asI have done; I praise God for that heavenly sound;" adding, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. " His servant, Richard Bannantyne, hearing him give along sigh, said, "Now, Sir, the time you have long called to God for, doth instantly come, and, seeing all natural power fails, give us somesign, that you live upon the comfortable promises which you have sooften shewed to us. " At this speech he lifted up one of his hands, andimmediately after, without any struggle, as one falling asleep, hedeparted this life about eleven o'clock at night, finishing hisChristian warfare, he entered into the joy of his Lord, to receive acrown of righteousness prepared for him (and such as him), from beforethe foundation of the world. He was buried in the church-yard of St. Giles (now that square calledthe parliament closs), upon Wednesday the 26th of November. His funeralwas attended by the earl of Morton regent, other lords, and a greatmultitude of people of all ranks. When he was laid in the grave, theearl of Morton said, "There lies a man, who, in his life, never fearedthe face of man: who hath been often threatened with dag and dagger, buthath ended his days in peace and honour. " He was low in stature and of a weakly constitution, which made Mr. Thomas Smeaton, one of his contemporaries, say, "I know not if ever Godplaced a more godly and great spirit in a body so little and frail. I amcertain, that there can scarcely be found another, in whom more gifts ofthe Holy Ghost for the comfort of the church of Scotland, did shine. Noone spared himself less, no one more diligent in the charge committed tohim, and yet no one was more the object of the hatred of wicked men, andmore vexed with the reproach of evil speakers; but this was so far fromabating, that it rather strengthened his courage and resolution in theways of God. " Beza calls him the great apostle of the Scots. Hisfaithfulness in reproving sin, in a manner that shewed he was not to beawed by the fear of man, made up the most remarkable part of hischaracter, and the success wherewith the Lord blessed his labours, wasvery singular, and is enough to stop the mouth of every enemy againsthim. His works are, an admonition to England; an application to the Scotsnobility, &c. ; a letter to Mary the queen-regent, a history of thereformation; a treatise on predestination, the first and second blast ofthe trumpet; a sermon preached August 1565, on account of which he wasfor some time prohibited from preaching. He left also sundrymanuscripts, sermons, tracts, &c. Which have never been printed. _The Life of Mr. GEORGE BUCHANAN. _ George Buchanan was born in Lennoxshire (commonly called the sheriffdomof Dumbarton), in Scotland, in a country town, situated near the riveror water of Blane[35], in the year of our Lord 1506, about the beginningof February, of a family rather ancient than rich. His father died ofthe stone, in the flower of his age, whilst his grandfather was yetalive, by whose extravagance, the family, which was below before, wasnow almost reduced to the extremity of want. Yet such was the frugalcare of his mother Agnes Herriot, that she brought up five sons andthree daughters to men's and women's estate. Of the five sons, Georgewas one. His uncle, James Herriot, perceiving his promising ingenuity intheir own country schools, took him from thence, and sent him to Paris. There he applied himself to his studies, and especially to poetry;having partly a natural genius that way, and partly out of necessity, (because it was the only method of study propounded to him in hisyouth). Before he had been there two years, his uncle died, and hehimself fell dangerously sick; and being in extreme want, was forced togo home to his friends. After his return to Scotland, he spent almost ayear in taking care of his health; then he went into the army, with someFrench auxiliaries, newly arrived in Scotland, to learn the militaryart: But that expedition proving fruitless, and those forces beingreduced by the deep snow of a very severe winter, he relapsed into suchan illness as confined him all that season to his bed. Early in thespring he was sent to St. Andrews, to hear the lectures of John Major, who, though very old, read logic, or rather sophistry, in thatuniversity. The summer after, he accompanied him into France; and therehe fell into the troubles of the Lutheran sect, which then began toincrease. He struggled with the difficulties of fortune almost twoyears, and at last was admitted into the Barbaran college, where he wasgrammar professor almost three years. During that time, Gilbert Kennedy, earl of Cassils, one of the young Scottish nobles, being in thatcountry, was much taken with his ingenuity and acquaintance; so that heentertained him for five years, and brought him back with him intoScotland. Afterwards, having a mind to return to Paris to his old studies, he wasdetained by the king, and made tutor to James his natural son. In themean time, an elegy made by him, at leisure times, came into the handsof the Franciscans; wherein he writes, that he was solicited in a dreamby St. Francis, to enter into his order. In this poem there were one ortwo passages that reflected on them very severely; which those ghostlyfathers, notwithstanding their profession of meekness and humility, tookmore heinously, than men (having obtained such a vogue for piety amongthe vulgar) ought to have done, upon so small an occasion of offence. But finding no just grounds for their unbounded fury, they attacked himupon the score of religion; which was their common way of terrifyingthose they did not wish well to. Thus, whilst they indulged theirimpotent malice, they made him, who was not well affected to thembefore, a greater enemy to their licentiousness, and rendered him moreinclinable to the Lutheran cause. In the mean time, the king, withMagdalen his wife, came from France, not without the resentment of thepriesthood; who were afraid that the royal lady, having been bred upunder her aunt the queen of Navarre, should attempt some innovation inreligion. But this fear soon vanished upon her death, which followedshortly after. Next, there arose jealousies at court about some of the nobility, whowere thought to have conspired against the king; and, in that matter, the king being persuaded the Franciscans dealt insincerely, he commandedBuchanan, who was then at court, (though he was ignorant of the disgustsbetwixt him and that order), to write a satyr upon them. He was loath tooffend either of them, and therefore, though he made a poem, yet it wasbut short, and such as might admit of a doubtful interpretation, whereinhe satisfied neither party; not the king, who would have had a sharp andstinging invective; nor the fathers neither, who looked on it as acapital offence, to have any thing said of them but what was honourable. So that receiving a second command to write more pungently against them, he began that miscellany, which now bears the title of The Franciscan, and gave it to the king. But shortly after, being made acquainted by hisfriends at court, that cardinal Beaton sought his life, and had offeredthe king a sum of money as a price for his head, he escaped out ofprison, and fled for England[36]. But there also things were at such anuncertainty, that the very same day, and almost with one and the samefire, the men of both factions (protestants and papists) were burnt;Henry VIII. In his old age, being more intent on his own security, thanthe purity or reformation of religion. This uncertainty of affairs inEngland, seconded by his ancient acquaintance with the French, and thecourtesy natural to them, drew him again into that kingdom. As soon as he came to Paris, he found cardinal Beaton, his utter enemy, ambassador there; so that, to withdraw himself from his fury, at theinvitation of Andrew Govean, he went to Bourdeaux. ----There he taughtthree years in the schools, which were erected at the public cost. Inthat time he composed four tragedies, which were afterwards occasionallypublished. But that which he wrote first, called The Baptist, wasprinted last, and next the Medea of Euripides. He wrote them incompliance with the custom of the school, which was to have a playwritten once a-year, that the acting of them might wean the French youthfrom allegories, to which they had taken a false taste, and bring themback, as much as possible, to a just imitation of the ancients. Thisaffair succeeding even almost beyond his hopes, he took more pains incompiling the other two tragedies, called Jephtha and Alcestes, becausehe thought they would fall under a severer scrutiny of the learned. Andyet, during this time, he was not wholly free from trouble, beingharassed with the menaces of the cardinal on the one side, and of theFranciscans on the other: For the cardinal had wrote letters to thearch-bishop of Bourdeaux, to apprehend him; but, providentially, thoseletters fell into the hands of Buchanan's best friends. However, thedeath of the king of Scots, and the plague, which then raged over allAquitain, dispelled that fear. In the interim, an express came to Govean from the king of Portugal, commanding him to return, and bring with him some men, learned both inthe Greek and Latin tongues, that they might read the liberal arts, andespecially the principles of the Aristotelian philosophy, in thoseschools which he was then building with a great deal of care andexpence. Buchanan, being addressed to, readily contented to go for one. For, whereas he saw that all Europe besides, was either actually inforeign or domestic wars, or just upon the point of being so, that onecorner of the world was, in his opinion, likeliest to be free fromtumults and combustions; and besides his companions in that journey weresuch, that they seemed rather his acquaintances and familiar friends, than strangers or aliens to him: for many of them had been his intimatesfor several years, and are well known to the world by their learnedworks, as Micholaus Gruchius, Gulielmus Garentæus, Jacobus Tevius, andElias Vinetus. This was the reason that he did not only make one oftheir society, but also persuaded a brother of his, called Patrick, todo the same. And truly the matter succeeded excellently well at first, till, in the midst of the enterprize, Andrew Govean was taken away by asudden death, which proved mighty prejudicial to his companions: For, after his decease, all their enemies endeavoured first to ensnare themby treachery, and soon after ran violently upon them as it were withopen mouth; and their agents and instruments being great enemies to theaccused, they laid hold of three of them, and haled them to prison;whence, after a long and lothsome confinement, they were called out togive in their answers, and, after many bitter taunts, were remanded toprison again; and yet no accuser did appear in court against them. Asfor Buchanan, they insulted most bitterly over him, as being a stranger, and knowing also, that he had very few friends in that country, whowould either rejoice in his prosperity, sympathize with his grief, orrevenge the wrongs offered to him. The crime laid to his charge, was thepoem he wrote against the Franciscans; which he himself, before he wentfrom France, took care to get excused to the king of Portugal; neitherdid his accusers perfectly know what it was, for he had given but onecopy of it to the king of Scots, by whose command he wrote it. Theyfarther objected "his eating of flesh in Lent;" though there is not aman in all Spain but uses the same liberty. Besides, he had given somesly side blows to the monks, which, however, nobody but a monk himselfcould well except against. Moreover, they took it heinously ill, that, in a certain familiardiscourse with some young Portuguese gentlemen, upon mention made of theEucharist, he should affirm, that, in his judgment, Austin was moreinclinable to the party condemned by the church of Rome. Two otherwitnesses (as some years after it came to his knowledge), _viz. _ JohnTolpin, a Norman, and John Ferrerius of Sub alpine Liguria, hadwitnessed against him, that they had heard from divers creditablepersons, "That Buchanan was not orthodox as to the Roman faith andreligion. " But to return to the matter; after the inquisitors had wearied boththemselves and him for almost half a year, at last, that they might notseem to have causelesly vexed a man of some name and note in the world, they shut him up in a monastery for some months, there to be moreexactly disciplined and instructed by the monks, who (to give them theirdue), though very ignorant in all matters of religion, were menotherwise neither bad in their morals, nor rude in their behaviour. This was the time he took to form the principal part of David's psalmsinto Latin verse. At last he was set at liberty; and sueing for a pass, and accommodations from the crown, to return into France, the kingdesired him to stay where he was, and allotted him a little sum fordaily necessaries and pocket expences, till some better provision mightbe made for his subsistence. But he, tired out with delay, as being putoff to no certain time, nor on any sure grounds of hope; and having gotthe opportunity of a passage in a ship then riding in the bay of Lisbon, was carried over into England. He made no long stay in that country, though fair offers were made him there; for he saw that all things werein a hurry and combustion, under a very young king; the nobles atvariance one with another, and the minds of the commons yet in aferment, upon the account of their civil combustions. Whereupon hereturned into France, about the time that the siege of Metz was raised. There he was in a manner compelled by his friends to write a poemconcerning that siege; which he did, though somewhat unwillingly, because he was loth to interfere with several of his acquaintances, andespecially with Mellinus Sangelasius, who had composed a learned andelegant poem on that subject. From thence he was called over into Italy, by Charles de Cosse of Brescia, who then managed matters with very goodsuccess in the Gallic and Ligustic countries about the Po. He lived withhim and his son Timoleon, sometimes in Italy, and sometimes in France, the space of five years, till the year 1560; the greatest part of whichtime he spent in the study of the holy scriptures, that so he might beable to make a more exact judgment of the controversies in religion, which employed the thoughts, and took up all the time of most of the menof these days. It is true, these disputes were silenced a little inScotland, when that kingdom was freed from the tyranny of the Guises ofFrance; so he returned thither, and became a member of the church ofScotland, 1560[37]. Some of his writings, in former times, being, as it were, redeemed fromshipwreck, were by him collected and published: the rest, which werescattered up and down in the hands of his friends, he committed to thedisposal of providence[38]. After his return, he professed philosophy inSt. Andrews, and in the year 1565, he was appointed tutor to James VI. King of Scotland; and in 1568, went with the regent to the court ofEngland, at which time and place he did no small honour to his country. Sir James Melvil, in his memoirs, page 234, gives him the followingcharacter. --"He was a Stoic philosopher, who looked not far before him;too easy in his old age; somewhat revengeful against those who hadoffended him:" But notwithstanding, "a man of notable endowments, greatlearning, and an excellent Latin poet; he was much honoured in foreigncountries; pleasant in conversation, into which he happily introducedshort moral maxims, which his invention readily supplied him with uponany emergency. He was buried at Edinburgh in the common place, thoughworthy to have been laid in marble, as in his life pompous monuments heused to contemn and despise. " _The Life of Mr. ROBERT ROLLOCK. _ Mr. Rollock was descended from the antient family of the Livingstons. Hewas born about the year 1555. His father, David Rollock, sent him toStirling to be educated for the university under Thomas Buchanan, wherehis genius, modesty and sweetness of temper soon procured to him theparticular friendship of his master, which subsisted ever after. Fromthis school, he went to the university of St Andrews, where heprosecuted his studies for four years; at the end of which, his progresshad been so great, that he was chosen professor of philosophy, theduties of which office he discharged with applause for other four years, until, about the year 1583, he was invited, by the magistrates ofEdinburgh, to a profession in their university, which was, not longbefore this time, founded by K. James VI. He complied with theirinvitation, at the earnest desire of Mr James Lawson, who succeeded MrKnox. His reputation, as a teacher, soon drew a number of students tothat college, which was soon afterwards much enlarged, by being soconveniently situated in the capital of the kingdom. At first he had theprincipal weight of academical business laid upon him, but in process oftime, other professors were chosen from among the scholars which heeducated. After which, his chief employment was to exercise the officeof principal, by superintending the several classes, to observe theproficiency of the scholars, to compose such differences as would ariseamong them, and to keep every one to his duty. Thus was the principalityof that college, in his time, a useful institution, and not what it isnow, little better than a mere sine-cure. --Every morning, he called thestudents together, when he prayed among them, and one day in the week, he explained some passage of scripture to them, in the close of which, he was frequently very warm in his exhortations, which wrought morereformation upon the students, than all the laws which were made, ordiscipline which was exercised besides. After the lecture was over, itwas his custom to reprove such as had been guilty of any misdemeanourthrough the week. _How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine goldchanged!_ He was likewise very attentive to such as were advanced intheir studies, and intended the ministry. His care was productive ofmuch good to the church. He was as diligent in his own studies, as hewas careful to promote those of others. --Notwithstanding all thisbusiness in the university, he preached every Lord's day in the church, with such fervency and demonstration of the Spirit, that he became theinstrument of converting many to God. About this time he also wroteseveral commentaries on different passages of scripture. His expositionof the epistles to the Romans and Ephesians, coming into the hands ofthe learned Beza, he wrote to a friend of his, telling him, That he hadan incomparable treasure, which for its judiciousness, brevity andelegance of style had few equals. He was chosen moderator to the assembly held at Dundee, _anno_ 1567, wherein matters went not altogether in favours of Presbytery; but thiscannot be imputed to him, although Calderwood in his history, page 403. Calls him "a man simple in matters of the church, " He was one of thosecommissioned by the assembly to wait on his majesty about seating thechurches of Edinburgh, but in the mean time he sickened, and wasconfined to his house. Afterwards, at the entreaty of his friends, hewent to the country for the benefit of the air; at first he seemed as ifgrowing better, but his distemper soon returned upon him with greaterviolence than before: This confined him to his bed. He committed hiswife (for he had no children) to the care of his friends. He desired twonoblemen, who came to visit him, to go to the king, and intreat him inhis name to take care of religion and preserve it to the end, and thathe would esteem and comfort the pastors of the church; for the ministryof Christ, though low and base in the eyes of men, yet it should atlength shine with great glory. When the ministers of Edinburgh came tohim, he spoke of the sincerity of his intentions in every thing done byhim, in discharge of the duties belonging to the office with which hehad been vested. As night drew on, his distemper increased, and togethertherewith his religious fervor was likewise augmented. When thephysicians were preparing some medicines, he said, "Thou, Lord, wiltheal me;" and then began, praying for the pardon of his sins throughChrist, and professed that he counted all things but dung for the crossof Christ. He prayed farther, that he might have the presence of God inhis departure, saying, "Hitherto have I seen thee darkly, through theglass of thy word: O Lord, grant that I may have the eternal enjoymentof thy countenance, which I have so much desired and longed for;" andthen spoke of the resurrection and eternal life, after which he blessedand exhorted every one present according as their respectivecircumstances required. The day following, when the magistrates of Edinburgh came to see him, heexhorted them to take care of the university, and nominated a successorto himself. He recommended his wife to them, declaring, that he had notlaid up one halfpenny of his stipend, and therefore hoped they wouldprovide for her; to which request they assented, and promised to see hercomfortably supplied. After this he said, "I bless God, that I have allmy senses entire, but my heart is in heaven, and, Lord Jesus, whyshouldst not thou have it? it has been my care, all my life, to dedicateit to thee; I pray thee, take it, that I may live with thee for ever. "Then, after a little sleep, he awaked, crying, "Come, Lord Jesus, put anend to this miserable life; haste, Lord, and tarry not; Christ hathredeemed me, not unto a frail and momentary life, but unto eternal life. Come, Lord Jesus, and give that life for which thou hast redeemed me. "Some of the people present, bewailing their condition when he should betaken away, he said unto them, "I have gone through all the degrees ofthis life, and am come to my end, why should I go back again? help me, OLord, that I may go thro' this last degree with thy assistance, &c. "And when some told him, that the next day was the Sabbath, he said, "OLord, shall I begin my eternal Sabbath from thy Sabbath here. " Nextmorning, feeling his death approaching, he sent for Mr. Balcanquhal, who, in prayer with him, desired the Lord, if he pleased, to spare hislife, for the good of the church, he said, "I am weary of this life; allmy desire is, that I may enjoy the celestial life, that is hid withChrist in God, " And, a little after, "Haste, Lord, and do not tarry, Iam weary both of nights and days. Come, Lord Jesus, that I may come tothee. Break these eye-strings and give me others. I desire to bedissolved, and to be with thee. O Lord Jesus, thrust thy hand into mybody and take my soul to thyself. O my sweet Lord, let this soul of minefree, that it may enjoy her husband. " And when one of the by-standerssaid, Sir, let nothing trouble you, for now your Lord makes haste, hesaid, "O welcome message, would to God, my funeral might be to-morrow. "And thus he continued in heavenly meditation and prayer, till heresigned up his spirit to God, _anno_ 1598, in the 54d year of his age. His works are, a commentary on some select psalms, on the prophecy ofDaniel, and the gospel of John, with its harmony. He wrote also on theepistle to the Ephesians, Colossians, Thessalonians, and Galatians; ananalysis of the epistles to the Romans and the Hebrews, with respect toeffectual calling. _The Life of Mr. JOHN CRAIG. _ Mr. John Craig, was a man of considerable learning and singularabilities; he travelled abroad in his youth, and was frequentlydelivered out of very great dangers, by the kind interposition of agracious providence; an instance of which we have while he was in Italy:Being obliged to fly out of that country, on account of his regard forthe reformation, in order to avoid being apprehended, he was obliged tolurk in obscure places in the day-time, and travel over night; by thismeans any little money he had was soon exhausted, and being in theextremity of want, a dog brought a purse to him with some gold in it, bywhich he was supported until he escaped the danger of being taken. After his return home, he was settled minister at Edinburgh, where hecontinued many years, and met with many trials of his fortitude andfidelity. In the year 1567, the earl of Bothwel, having obtained adivorce from his lawful wife, as preparatory to his marriage with queenMary she sent a letter to Mr. Craig, commanding him to publish the bannsof matrimony betwixt her and Bothwel. But the next sabbath, havingdeclared at length that he had received such a command, he added, thathe could not in conscience obey it, the marriage being altogetherunlawful, and that he would declare to the parties if present. He wasimmediately sent for by Bothwel, unto whom he declared his reasons withgreat boldness, and the very next Lord's day, he told the people what hehad said before the council, and took heaven and earth to witness, thathe detested that scandalous marriage, and that he had discharged hisduty to the lords, &c. Upon this, he was again called before thecouncil, and reproved by them as having exceeded the bounds of hiscalling, he boldly answered, that "the bounds of his commission was theword of God, right reason, and good laws, against which he had saidnothing;" and by all these offered to prove the said marriagescandalous, at which he was stopt, and set out of the council. Thus Mr. Craig continued, not only a firm friend to the reformation, buta bold opposer of every incroachment made upon the crown and dignity ofthe Lord Jesus Christ. In the year 1584, when an act of parliament wasmade that all ministers, masters of colleges, &c. Should withinforty-eight hours, compear and subscribe the act of parliament, concerning the king's power over all estates spiritual and temporal, andsubmit themselves to the bishops, &c. Upon which, Mr. Craig, JohnBrand and some others were called before the council, and interrogate, how he could be so bold as to controvert the late act of parliament? Mr. Craig answered, That they would find fault with any thing repugnant toGod's word; at which, the earl of Arran started up on his feet, andsaid, They were too pert; that he would shave their head, pair theirnails, and cut their toes, and make them an example unto all who shoulddisobey the king's command and his council's orders, and forthwithcharged them to appear before the king at Falkland, on the 4th ofSeptember following. Upon their appearance at Falkland, they were again accused oftransgressing the foresaid act of parliament, and disobeying thebishop's injunctions, when there arose some hot speeches betwixt Mr. Craig and the bishop of St. Andrews, at which the earl of Arran spakeagain most outrageously against Mr. Craig, who coolly replied, Thatthere had been as great men set up higher, that had been brought low. Arran returned, "I shall make thee of a false friar a true prophet;" andsitting down on his knee, he said, "Now am I humbled. " "Nay, " said Mr. Craig, "Mock the servants of God as thou wilt, God will not be mocked, but shall make thee find it in earnest, when thou shalt be cast downfrom the high horse of thy pride, and humbled. " This came to pass a fewyears after, when he was thrown off his horse with a spear, by JamesDouglas of Parkhead, killed, and his corpse exposed to dogs and swine, before it was buried. Mr. Craig was forthwith discharged to preach any more in Edinburgh, andthe bishop of St. Andrews was appointed to preach in his place; but assoon as he entered the great church of Edinburgh, the whole congregation(except a few court-parasites) went out. --It was not long before Mr. Craig was restored to his place and office. In the year 1591, when the earl of Bothwel and his accomplices, on the27th of December, came to the king and chancellor's chamber-doors withfire, and to the queen's with a hammer, in the palace of Holyrood-house, with a design to seize the king and the chancellor. Mr. Craig upon the29th, preaching before the king upon the two brazen mountains inZechariah, said, "As the king had lightly regarded the many bloodyshirts presented to him by his subjects craving justice, so God, in hisprovidence, had made a noise of crying and fore-hammers to come to hisown doors. " The king would have the people to stay after sermon, that hemight purge himself, and said "If he had thought his hired servant(meaning Mr. Craig who was his own minister) would have dealt in thatmanner with him, he should not have suffered him so long in his house. "Mr. Craig, (by reason of the throng) not hearing what he said, wentaway. In the year 1595, Mr. Craig being quite worn out by his labours and theinfirmities of age, the king's commissioner presented some articles tothe general assembly, wherein, amongst other things, he craved, That, inrespect Mr. Craig is awaiting what hour God shall please to call him, and is unable to serve any longer, and His Majesty designing to placeJohn Duncanson with the prince, therefore his highness desired anordinance to be made, granting any two ministers he shall choose; whichwas accordingly done, and Mr. Craig died a short time after this. Mr. Craig will appear, from these short memoirs, to have been a man ofuncommon resolution and activity. He was employed in the most part ofthe affairs of the church during the reign of queen Mary and in thebeginning of that of her son. He compiled the national covenant, and acatechism, commonly called Craig's catechism, which was first printed byorder of the assembly, in the year 1591. _The Life of Mr. DAVID BLACK. _ Mr. Black was for some time colleague to the worthy Mr. Andrew Melvilminister at St. Andrews. He was remarkable for zeal and fidelity in thedischarge of his duty as a minister, applying his doctrine closelyagainst the corruptions of that age, prevailing either among the highestor lowest of the people; in consequence of which, he was, in the year1596, cited before the council for some expressions uttered in a sermon, alledged to strike against the queen and council. But his brethren inthe ministry thinking, that, by this method of procedure with him, thespiritual government of the house of God was intended to be subverted, they resolved that Mr. Black should decline answering the king andcouncil, and, that in the mean time, the brethren should be preparingthemselves to prove from the holy scriptures, That the judgment of alldoctrine in the first instance, belonged to the pastors of the church. Accordingly Mr. Black, on the 18th of Nov 1596. Gave in a declinature tothe council to this effect, That he was able to defend all that he hadsaid, yet, seeing his answering before them to that accusation, might beprejudicial to the liberties of the church, and would be taken for anacknowledgment of his majesty's jurisdiction in matters merelyspiritual, he was constrained to decline that judicatory. 1. Because theLord Jesus Christ had given him his word for a rule, and that thereforehe could not fall under the civil law, but in so far as, after trial, heshould be found to have passed from his instructions, which trial onlybelonged to the prophets, &c. 2. The liberties of the church anddiscipline presently exercised, were confirmed by divers acts ofparliament, approved of by the confession of faith, and theoffice-bearers of the church, were now in the peaceable possessionthereof; that the question of his preaching ought first, according tothe grounds and practice foresaid, to be judged by the ecclesiasticalsenate, as the competent judges thereof at the first instance. Thisdeclinature, with a letter sent by the different presbyteries, were, ina short time, subscribed by between three and four hundred ministers, all assenting to and approving of it. The commissioners of the general assembly then sitting at Edinburgh, knowing that the king was displeased at this proceeding, sent some oftheir number to speak with his majesty, unto whom he answered, That ifMr. Black would pass from his declinature he would pass from thesummons; but this they would not consent to do. Upon which, the kingcaused summon Mr. Black again on the 27th of November, to the council tobe held on the 30th. This summons was given with sound of trumpet andopen proclamation at the cross of Edinburgh; and the same day, thecommissioners of the assembly were ordered to depart thence intwenty-four hours, under pain of rebellion. Before the day of Mr. Black's second appearance before the council, heprepared a still more explicit declinature, especially as it respectedthe king's supremacy, declaring, That there are two jurisdictions in therealm, the one spiritual and the other civil; the one respecting theconscience and the other concerning external things; the one persuadingby the spiritual word, the other compelling by the temporal sword; theone spiritually procuring the edification of the church, the other byjustice procuring the peace and quiet of the commonwealth, which beinggrounded in the light of nature, proceeds from God as he is Creator, andis so termed by the apostle, 1 Pet. Ii. But varying according to theconstitution of men; the other above nature grounded upon the grace ofredemption, proceeding immediately from the grace of Christ, only kingand only head of his church, Eph. 1. Col. Ii. Therefore in so far as hewas one of the spiritual office-bearers, and had discharged hisspiritual calling in some measure of grace and sincerity, he should not, and could not lawfully be judged for preaching and applying the word ofGod by any civil power, he being an ambassador and messenger of the LordJesus, having his commission from the king of kings, and all hiscommission is set down and limited in the word of God, that cannot beextended or abridged by any mortal, king or emperor, they being sheep, not pastors, and to be judged by the word of God, and not the judgesthereof. A decree of council was passed against him, upon which his brethren ofthe commission directed their doctrine against the council. The kingsent a message to the commissioners, signifying, That he would restsatisfied with Mr. Black's simple declaration of the truth; but Mr. Bruce and the rest replied, That if the affair concerned Mr. Blackalone, they should be content, but the liberty of Christ's kingdom hadreceived such a wound by the proclamation of last Saturday, that if Mr. Black's life and a dozen of others besides, had been taken, it had notgrieved the hearts of the godly so much, and that either these thingsbehoved to be retracted, or they would oppose so long as they hadbreath. But, after a long process, no mitigation of the council'sseverity could be obtained, for Mr. Black was charged by a macer toenter his person in ward, on the north of the Tay, there to remain onhis own expence during his majesty's pleasure; and, though he was, nextyear, restored back to his place at St. Andrews, yet he was not sufferedto continue, for, about the month July that same year, the king andcouncil again proceeded against him, and he was removed to Angus, wherehe continued until the day of his death. He had always been a severecheck on the negligent and unfaithful part of the clergy, but now theyhad found means to get free of him. After his removal to Angus he continued the exercise of his ministry, preaching daily unto such as resorted to him, with much success, and anintimate communion with God, until a few days before his death. In his last sickness, the Christian temper of his mind was so muchimproven by large measures of the Spirit, that his conversation had aremarkable effect in humbling the hearts and comforting the souls ofthose who attended him, engaging them to take the easy yoke of Christupon them. He found in his own soul also, such a sensible taste ofeternal joy, that he was seized with a fervent desire to depart and tobe with the Lord, longing to have the earthly house of this histabernacle put off, that he might be admitted into the mansions ofeverlasting rest. In the midst of these earnest breathings after God, the Lord was wonderfully pleased to condescend to the importunity of hisservant, to let him know that the time of his departure was near. Uponwhich, he took a solemn farewel of his family and flock with adiscourse, as Mr. Melvil says[39], that seemed to be spoken out ofheaven, concerning the misery and grief of this life, and theinconceivable glory which is above. The night following, after supper, having read and prayed in his familywith unusual continuance, strong crying and heavy groans, he went alittle while to bed, and the next day, having called his people to thecelebration of the Lord's supper, he went to church, and having broughtthe communion-service near a close, he felt the approaches of death, andall discovered a sudden change in his countenance, so that some ran tosupport him; but pressing to be at his knees, with his hands and eyeslifted up to heaven in the very act of devotion and adoration, as in atransport of joy, he was taken away, with scarce any pain at all. Thusthis holy man, who had so faithfully maintained the interest of Christupon earth, breathed forth his soul in this extraordinary manner, thatit seemed rather like a translation than a real death. See more of himin Calderwood's history, page 335. De Foe's memoirs, page 138. Hind letloose, page 48, old edit. _The Life of Mr. JOHN DAVIDSON. _ He was minister at Salt-Preston (now known by the name of Preston-pans), and began very early to discover uncommon piety and faithfulness in thedischarge of his duty. He was involved in the sufferings brought uponseveral ministers on account of the raid of Ruthven[40], and theenterprise at Stirling[41] _anno_ 1584, on which account he fled forEngland, and remained there some considerable time. Being returned to Scotland, in the year 1596, when the ministers andother commissioners of the general assembly were met at Edinburgh forprayer, in order to a general and personal reconciliation (they wereabout four hundred ministers, besides elders and private Christians), Mr. Davidson was chosen to preside amongst them. He caused the 33d and34th chapters of Ezekiel to be read, and discoursed upon them in a veryaffecting manner, shewing what was the end of their meeting, inconfessing sin and resolving to forsake it, and that they should turn tothe Lord, and enter into a new league and covenant with him, that so, byrepentance, they might be the more meet to stir up others to the sameduty. In this he was so assisted by the Spirit working upon theirhearts, that, within an hour after they had conveened, they began tolook with another countenance than at first, and while he was exhortingthem to these duties, the whole meeting were in tears, every oneprovoking another by his example, whereby that place might have justlybeen called _Bochim_. After prayer, he treated one Luke xii. 22. Wherein the same assistancewas given him. Before they dismissed, they solemnly entered into a newleague and covenant, holding up their hands, with such signs ofsincerity as moved all present. That afternoon, the assembly enacted therenewal of the covenant by particular synods. In the general assembly held at Dundee 1598. (where the king waspresent), it was proposed, Whether ministers should vote in parliamentin the name of the church. Mr Davidson intreated them not to be rash inconcluding so weighty a matter; he said, "Brethren, ye see not howreadily the bishops begin to creep up. " Being desired to give his vote, he refused, and protested in his own name and in the name of those whoshould adhere to him; and required that his protest should be insertedin the books of assembly. Here the king interposed, and said, "Thatshall not be granted, see if you have voted and reasoned before:" "neverSir, " said Mr. Davidson, "but without prejudice to any protestation madeor to be made. " And then presented his protestation in writing, whichwas handed from one to another, till it was laid down before the clerk. The king, taking it up and reading it, shewed it to the moderator andothers about, and at last put it in his pocket, (see this protest and aletter sent by him to the assembly 1601, in Calderwood, pages 420 and450. ) This protest and letter was the occasion of farther trouble tohim. For in the month of May following, he was charged to compear beforethe council on the 26th, and answer for the same, and was by the kingcommitted prisoner to the castle of Edinburgh; but, on account of bodilyinfirmity, this place of confinement was changed to his own dwellinghouse; after which he obtained liberty to exercise his office in his ownparish. When the king was going for England _anno_ 1603, as he waspassing through Preston-pans, the laird of Ormiston intreated him torelieve Mr Davidson from his confinement to the bounds of his ownparish, but this could not be obtained. ----He likewise, in someinstances, shewed that he was possessed in a considerable measure of thespirit of prophecy. --He was, while in Preston, very anxious about thebuilding of a church in that parish, and had, by his own privateinterest, contributed liberally to it; Lord Newbattle, havingconsiderable interest in that parish, likewise promised his assistance, but afterwards receded from his engagements; upon which Mr. Davidsontold him, That these walls that were there begun should stand as awitness against him, and that, ere long, God should root him out of thatparish, so that he should not have one bit of land in the same; whichwas afterwards accomplished. At another time being moderator at thesynod of Lothian, Mr John Spotswood minister at Calder, and Mr James Lawminister at Kirkliston were brought before them for playing at thefoot-ball on the sabbath. Mr Davidson urged that they might be deposed, but the synod, because of the fewness of the ministers present, &c. Agreed that they should be rebuked, which, having accordingly done, heturned to his brethren and said, "Now let me tell you what reward youshall have for your lenity, these two men shall trample on your necks, and on the necks of the ministers of Scotland. " How true this proved wasafterwards too well known, when Spotswood was made arch-bishop of StAndrews, and Law of Glasgow. Being at dinner one time with Mr Bruce, whowas then in great favour with the king, he told him, he should soon bein as great discredit; which was likewise accomplished. At another time, when dining in the house of one of the magistrates of Edinburgh with MrBruce, in giving thanks, he brake forth in these words, "Lord, this goodman hath respect, for thy sake, to thy servants, but he little knoweth, that in a short time, he shall carry us both to prison;" whichafterwards came to pass, although, at the time, it grieved the baillieexceedingly. Mr Fleming, in his fulfilling of the scriptures, relatesanother remarkable instance of this kind--A gentleman nearly related toa great family in that parish, but a most violent hater of true piety, did, on that account, beat a poor man who lived there, although he hadno manner of provocation. Among other strokes which he gave him, he gavehim one on the back, saying, "Take that for Mr Davidson's sake. " Thismal-treatment obliged the poor man, to take to his bed; he complainedmost of the blow which he had received on his back. In the close of hissermon on the sabbath following, Mr. Davidson, speaking of theoppression of the godly, and the enmity which the wicked had to such, and, in a particular manner, mentioned this last instance, saying, "Itwas a sad time, when a profane man would thus openly adventure to venthis rage against such as were seekers of God in the place, whilst hecould have no cause but the appearance of his image, " and then said, with great boldness, "He, who hath done this, were he the laird or thelaird's brother, ere a few days pass, God shall give him a stroke, thatall the monarchs on earth dare not challenge. " Which accordingly came topass in the close of that very same week, for this gentleman, whilestanding before his own door, was struck dead with lightening, and hadall his bones crushed to pieces. A little before his death, he happened occasionally to meet with MrKerr, a young gentleman lately come from France, and dressed in thecourt fashion. Mr Davidson charged him to lay aside his scarlet clokeand gilt rapier, for, said he, "You are the man who shall succeed me inthe ministry of this place;" which surprized the youth exceedingly, butwas exactly accomplished, for he became an eminent and faithful ministerat that place. Such as would see more of Mr Davidson's faithful labours in the work ofthe ministry may consult the apologetical relation, § 2. P. 30. AndCalderwood, p. 310, --373. _The Life of Mr. WILLIAM ROW. _ He was a son of Mr. John Row minister at Perth, who gave him a veryliberal education under his own eye. He was settled minister atStrathmiglo, in the shire of Fyfe, about the year 1600, and continuedthere for several years. He was one of those ministers who refused to give public thanks for theking's deliverance from his danger in Gowrie's conspiracy, until thetruth of that conspiracy was made to appear. This refusal brought uponhim the king's displeasure; he was summoned to appear before the kingand council at Stirling, soon after. On the day appointed for hiscompearance, two noblemen were sent, the one before the other, to meethim on the road, and, under the pretence of friendship, to inform him, that the council had a design upon his life, that he might be prevailedon to decline going up to the council; the first met him nigh his ownhouse, the second a few miles from Stirling, but Mr. Row told them, thathe would not, by disobedience to the summons, make himself justly liableto the pains of law, and proceeded to Stirling, to the amazement of theking and his court. When challenged for disbelieving the truth of thatconspiracy, he told them, That one reason of his hesitation was, Thatone Henderson, who was said to have confessed that Gowrie hired him tokill the king, and to have been found armed in his majesty's chamber forthat purpose, was, not only suffered to live, but rewarded; whereas, said he, "if I had seen the king's life in hazard, and not ventured mylife to rescue him, I think, I deserved not to live. " The two following anecdotes will show what an uncommon degree of courageand resolution he possessed. Being at Edinburgh, before the assembly there, at which the king wantedto bring in some innovation, and meeting with Mr. James Melvil, who wassent for by the king, he accompanied him to Holyrood-house. While Mr. Melvil was with the king, Mr. Row stood behind a screen, and not gettingan opportunity to go out with his brother undiscovered, he overheard theking say to some of his courtiers, "This is a good simple man, I havestroked cream on his mouth, and he will procure me a good number ofvoters, I warrant you. " This said, Mr. Row got off, and overtaking Mr. Melvil, asked him, what had passed? Mr. Melvil told him all, and said, The king is well disposed to the church, and intend to do her good byall his schemes. Mr. Row replied, The king looks upon you as a fool anda knave, and wants to use you us a coy duck to draw in others, and toldhim what he had overheard. Mr. Melvil suspecting the truth of thisreport, Mr. Row offered to go with him, and avouch it to the king'sface; accordingly, they went back to the palace, when Mr. Melvil seeingMr. Row as forward to go in as he was, believed his report and stoppedhim: And next day, when the assembly proceeded to voting, Mr. Melvilhaving voted against what the king proponed, his majesty would notbelieve that such was his vote, till he, being asked again, did repeatit. Again, he being to open the synod of Perth, _anno_ 1607, to which KingJames sent Lord Scoon captain of his guards, to force them to accept aconstant moderator, Scoon sent notice to Mr. Row, That if, in hispreaching, he uttered ought against constant moderators, he shouldcause ten or twelve of his guards discharge their culverins at his nose;and when he attended the sermon which preceded that synod, he stood upin a menacing posture to outbrave the preacher. But Mr. Row no waydismayed, knowing what vices Scoon was chargeable with, particularlythat he was a great belly-god, drew his picture so like the life, andcondemned what was culpable in it with so much severity, that Scoonthought fit to sit down, and even to cover his face. After which Mr. Rowproceeded to prove that no constant moderator ought to be suffered inthe church, but knowing that Scoon understood neither Latin nor Greek, he wisely avoided naming the constant moderator in English, but alwaysgave the Greek or Latin name for it. Sermon being ended, Scoon said tosome of the nobles attending him, You see I have scared the preacherfrom meddling with the constant moderator, but I wonder who he spoke somuch against by the name of _præstes ad vitam_. They told him, That itwas in Greek and Latin the constant moderator; which so incensed him, that when Mr. Row proceeded to constitute the synod in the name of ourLord Jesus Christ, Scoon said, The devil a Jesus is here, and when Mr. Row called over the roll to choose their moderator after the ancientform, Scoon would have pulled it from him; but he, being a strong man, held off Scoon with the one hand, and holding the synod-roll in theother, called out the names of the members. After this, Mr. Row was put to the horn, and on the 11th of Junefollowing, he and Mr. Henry Livingstone the moderator were summonedbefore the council, to answer for their proceedings at the synodabove-mentioned. Mr. Livingston compeared, and with great difficultyobtained the favour to be warded in his own parish; but Mr. Row beingadvised not to compear unless the council would relax him from thehorning, and make him free of the Scoon-comptrollers, who had letters ofcaption to apprehend him, and to commit him to Blackness. This wasrefused, and a search made for him, which obliged him to abscond andlurk among his friends for a considerable time. He was subjected to several other hardships during the remainder of hislife, but still maintained that steady faithfulness and courage in thedischarge of his duty, which is exemplified in the above instances, until the day of his death, of which we have no certain account. _The Life of Mr. ANDREW MELVIL. _ Mr. Melvil, after finishing his classical studies, went abroad, andtaught, for some time, both at Poictiers in France, and at Geneva. Hereturned to Scotland in July 1574, after having been absent from hisnative country near ten years. Upon his return, the learned Beza, in aletter to the general assembly of the church of Scotland, said, "Thatthe greatest token of affection the kirk of Geneva could show toScotland, was, that they had suffered themselves to be spoiled of Mr. Andrew Melvil. " Soon after his return, the general assembly appointed him to be theprincipal of the college of Glasgow, where he continued for some years. In the year 1576, the earl of Morton being then regent, and thinking tobring Mr. Melvil into his party, who were endeavouring to introduceepiscopacy, he offered him the parsonage of Govan, a benefice oftwenty-four chalders of grain, yearly, beside what he enjoyed asprincipal, providing he would not insist against the establishment ofbishops, but Mr. Melvil rejected his offer with scorn. He was afterwards transported to St. Andrews, where he served in thesame station he had done at Glasgow, and was likewise a minister of thatcity. Here he taught the divinity class, and as a minister continued towitness against the incroachments then making upon the rights of thechurch of Christ. When the general assembly sat down at Edinburgh, _anno_ 1582, Mr. Melvilinveighed against the absolute authority, which was making its way intothe church, whereby he said, they intended to pull the crown fromChrist's head, and wrest the sceptre out of his hand, and when severalarticles, of the same tenor with his speech, were presented by thecommission of the assembly, to the king and council, craving redress, the earl of Arran cried out, "Is there any here that dare subscribethese articles. " Mr. Melvil went forward and said, "We dare, and willrender our lives in the cause, " and then took up the pen and subscribed. We do not find that any disagreeable consequences ensued at this time. But in the beginning of February 1584, he was summoned to appear beforethe secret council on the 11th of that month, to answer for some thingssaid by him in a sermon on a fast day from Dan. Iv. At his firstcompearance, he made a verbal defence, but being again called, he gavein a declaration with a declinature, importing that he had said nothingeither in that or any other sermon tending to dishonour the king, buthad regularly prayed for the preservation and prosperity of his majesty;that, as by acts of parliament and laws of the church, he should betried for his doctrine by the church, he therefore protested for, andcraved a trial by them, and particularly in the place (St Andrews) wherethe offence was alledged to have been committed; that as there werespecial laws in favour of St. Andrews to the above import, heparticularly claimed the privilege of them; he farther protested thatwhat he had said was warranted by the word of God; that he appealed tothe congregation who heard the sermon; that he craved to know hisaccusers; that if the calumny was found to be false, the informers mightbe punished; that the rank and character of the informer might beconsidered, _&c. &c. _: After which he gave an account of the sermon inquestion, alledging that his meaning had been misunderstood, and hiswords perverted. When he had closed his defence, the king and the earl of Arran, who wasthen chancellor, raged exceedingly against him. Mr. Melvil remainedundisquieted, and replied, that they were too bold in a constituteChristian kirk to pass by the pastors, &c. And to take upon them tojudge the doctrine, and controul the messengers of a greater than anypresent; "that you may see your rashness in taking upon you that whichyou neither ought nor can do, (taking out a small Hebrew Bible andlaying it down before them, ) there are, " said he, "my instructions andwarrant, --see if any of you can controul me, that I have passed myinjunctions. " The chancellor, opening the book, put it into the king'shand, saying, "Sire, he scorneth your majesty and the council. " "Nay, "said Mr. Melvil, "I scorn not, but I am in good earnest. " He was, in thetime of this debate, frequently removed and instantly recalled, that hemight not have time to consult with his friends. They proceeded againsthim, and admitted his avowed enemies to prove the accusation. Though thewhole train of evidence, which was led, proved little or nothing againsthim, yet they resolved to involve him in troubles, because he haddeclined their authority, as incompetent judges of doctrine, andtherefore remitted him to ward in the castle of Edinburgh, during theking's will. Being informed, that, if he entered into ward, he would notbe released, unless it should be to bring him to the scaffold, that thedecree of the council was altered, and Blackness was appointed for hisprison, which was kept by some dependants on the earl of Arran, heresolved to get out of the country. A macer gave him a charge, to enterBlackness in 24 hours: and, in the mean while, some of Arran's horsemenwere attending at the west-port to convoy him thither: But, by the timehe should have entered Blackness, he had reached Berwick. Messrs. Lawsonand Balcanquhal gave him the good character he deserved, and prayedearnestly for him in public, in Edinburgh, which both moved the peopleand galled the court exceedingly. After the storm had abated, he returned to St. Andrews in 1586, when thesynod of Fife had excommunicated P. Adamson, pretended bishop of St. Andrews, on account of some immoralities. He (Adamson) having drawn upthe form of an excommunication against Messrs. Andrew and James Melvils, and sent out a boy, with some of his own creatures, to the kirk to readit, but the people paying no regard to it, the bishop (though bothsuspended and excommunicated) would himself go to the pulpit to preach, whereupon some gentlemen &c. In town conveened in the new college tohear Mr. Melvil. But the bishop being informed that they were assembledon purpose to put him out of the pulpit and hang him, for fear of which, he called his friends together, and betook himself to the steeple; butat the entreaty of the magistrates and others he retired home. This difference with the bishop brought the Melvils again before theking and council, who (pretending that there was no other method to endthat quarrel, ) ordained Mr. Andrew to be confined to the Mearns, Angus, &c. Under pretext that he would be useful in that country inreclaiming papists. And, because of his sickly condition, Mr. James wassent back to the new college; and, the university sending the dean offaculty, and the masters, with a supplication to the king in Mr. Andrew's behalf, he was suffered to return, but was not restored to hisplace and office until the month of August following. The next winter, he laboured to give the students in divinity, under hiscare, a thorough knowledge of the discipline and government of thechurch, which was attended with considerable success; the speciousarguments of episcopacy evanished, and the serious part both of thetown and university repaired to the college to hear him, and Mr. RobertBruce, who began preaching about this time. After this he was chosen moderator in some subsequent assemblies of thechurch, in which several acts were made in favours of religion, asmaintained in that period. When the king brought home his queen from Denmark _anno_ 1590, Mr. Melvil made an excellent oration, upon the occasion in Latin, which sopleased the king, that he publicly declared, he had therein bothhonoured him and his country, and that he should never be forgot; yetsuch was the instability of this prince, that, in a little after this, because Mr. Melvil opposed himself unto his arbitrary measures, ingrasping after an absolute authority over the church[42], he conceived adaily hatred against him ever after, as will appear from the sequel. When Mr. Melvil went, with some other ministers, to the convention ofestates at Falkland _anno_ 1596, (wherein they intended to bring homethe excommunicated lords who were then in exile), and though he had acommission from last assembly, to watch against every imminent dangerthat might threaten the church, yet, whenever he appeared upon the headof the ministers, the king asked him, Who sent for him there? To whichhe resolutely answered, "Sire, I have a call to come here from Christand his church, who have a special concern in what you are doing here, and in direct opposition to whom, ye are all here assembled; but be yeassured, that no counsel taken against him shall prosper, and I chargeyou, Sire, in his name, that you, nor your estates here conveened, favour not God's enemies whom he hateth. " After he had said this, turning himself to the rest of the members, he told them, that they wereassembled with a traiterous design against Christ, his church, and theirnative country. In the midst of this speech, he was commanded by theking to withdraw. The commission of the general assembly was now sitting, andunderstanding how matters were going on at the convention, they sentsome of their members, among whom Mr. Melvil was one, to expostulatewith the king. When they came, he received them in his closet. Mr. JamesMelvil being first in the commission, told the king his errand, uponwhich he appeared angry, and charged them with sedition, &c. Mr. Jamesbeing a man of cool passion and genteel behaviour, began to answer theking with great reverence and respect; but Mr. Andrew, interrupting him, said, "This is not a time to flatter, but to speak plainly, for ourcommission is from the living God, to whom the king is subject;" andthen approaching the king, said, "Sire, we will always humbly reverenceyour majesty in public, but having opportunity of being with yourmajesty in private, we must discharge our duty or else be enemies toChrist: and now, Sire, I must tell you, that there are two kingdoms, thekingdom of Christ, which is the church, whose subject K. James VI. Is, and of whose kingdom he is not a head, nor a lord, but a member, andthey, whom Christ hath called, and commanded to watch over his church, and govern his spiritual kingdom, have sufficient authority and powerfrom him so to do, which no Christian king nor prince should controul ordischarge, but assist and support, otherwise they are not faithfulsubjects to Christ; and, Sire, when you was in your swaddling clothes, Christ reigned freely in this land; in spight of all his enemies, hisofficers and ministers were conveened for ruling his church, which wasever for your welfare, &c. Will you now challenge Christ's servants, your best and most faithful subjects, for conveening together, and forthe care they have of their duty to Christ and you, &c. The wisdom ofyour council is, that you may be served with all sorts of men, that youmay come to your purpose, and because the ministers and protestants ofScotland are strong, they must be weakened and brought low, by stirringup a party against them, but, Sire, this is not the wisdom of God, andhis curse must light upon it, whereas, in cleaving to God, his servantsshall be your true friends, and he shall compel the rest to serve you. "There is little difficulty to conjecture how this discourse was relishedby the king; however, he kept his temper, and promised fair things tothem for the present, but it was the word of him whose standard maximwas, _Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit regnare_, "He who knows not how todissemble, knows not how to reign:" In this sentiment, unworthy of themeanest among men, he gloried, and made it his constant rule of conduct;for in the assembly at Dundee _anno_ 1598, Mr. Melvil being there, hedischarged him from the assembly, and would not suffer business to go ontill he was removed. There are other instances of the magnanimity of this faithful witness ofChrist, which are worthy of notice. In the year 1606, when he and sevenof his brethren, who stood most in the way of having prelacy advanced inScotland, were called up to England, under pretence of having a hearinggranted them by the king, &c. With respect to religion, but rather tobe kept out of the way, as the event afterwards proved, until episcopacyshould be better established in this kingdom. Soon after their arrivalthey were examined by the king and council at Hampton-court on the 20thof September, concerning the lawfulness of the late assembly atAberdeen. The king, in particular, asked Mr. Melvil, whether a fewclergy, meeting without moderator or clerk, could make an assembly? Hereplied, there was no number limited by law; that fewness of numbercould be no argument against the legality of the court, especially whenthe promise was, in God's word, given to two or three conveened in thename of Christ; that the meeting was an ordinary established by hismajesty's laws. The rest of the ministers delivered themselves to thesame purpose; after which Mr. Melvil, with his usual freedom of speech, supported the conduct of his brethren at Aberdeen; recounted the wrongsdone them at Linlithgow, whereof he was a witness himself; he blamed theking's advocate, Sir Thomas Hamilton, who was then present, forfavouring popery, and mal-treating the ministers, so that the accuser ofthe brethren could not have done more against the saints of God than hadbeen done; the prelatists were encouraged, though some of them werepromoting the interest of Popery with all their might, and the faithfulservants of Christ were shut up in prison; and addressing the advocate, personally, he added, "Still you think all this is enough, but continueto persecute the brethren with the same spirit you did in Scotland. "After some conversation betwixt the king and arch-bishop of Canterbury, they were dismissed with the applause of many present, for their boldand steady defence of the cause of God and truth, for they had been muchmisrepresented to the English. They had scarce retired from before theking, until they received a charge not to return to Scotland, nor comenear the king's, queen's or princes court, without special licence andbeing called for. A few days after, they were again called to court, andexamined before a select number of the Scots nobility, where, after Mr. James Melvil's examination[43], Mr. Andrew being called, told themplainly, "That they knew not what they were doing; they had degeneratedfrom the ancient nobility of Scotland, who were wont to hazard theirlives and lands for the freedom of their country, and the gospel whichthey were betraying and overturning:" But night drawing on, they weredismissed. Another instance of his resolution is, that, when called before thecouncil for having made a Latin epigram[44], upon seeing the king andqueen making an offering at the altar (whereon were two books, twobasons, and two candlesticks with two unlighted candles, it being a daykept in honour of St. Michael); when he compeared, he avowed the verses, and said, "He was much moved with indignation at such vanity andsuperstition in a Christian church, under a Christian king, born andbrought up under the pure light of the gospel, and especially beforeidolators, to confirm them in idolatry, and grieve the hears of trueprofessors, " The bishop of Canterbury began to speak, but Mr. Melvilcharged him with a breach of the Lord's day, with imprisoning, silencingand bearing down of faithful ministers, and with upholding antichristianhierarchy and popish ceremonies; and, shaking the white sleeve of hisrochet, he called them Romish, rags, and told him, That he was an avowedenemy to all the reformed churches in Europe, and therefore he (Mr. Melvil) would profess himself an enemy to him in all such proceedings, to the effusion of the last drop of his blood; and said, he was grievedto the heart to see such a man have the king's ear, and sit so high inthat honourable council. He also charged bishop Barlow with having said, after the conference at Hampton-court, That the king had said, he was inthe church of Scotland, but not of it; and wondered that he was sufferedto go unpunished, for making the king of no religion. He refuted hissermon which had been preached before; and was at last removed, andorder was given to Dr. Overwall dean of St. Pauls to receive him to hishouse, there to remain, with injunctions not to let any have access tohim, till his majesty's pleasure was signified. Next year he was orderedfrom the dean's house to the bishop of Winchester's, where, not being sostrictly guarded, he sometimes kept company with his brethren, but wasat last committed to the tower of London, where he remained for thespace of four years. While he was in the tower, a gentleman of his acquaintance got access tohim, and found him very pensive and melancholy concerning the prevailingdefections amongst many of the ministers of Scotland, and, having latelygot account of their proceedings at the general assembly held atGlasgow, _anno_ 1610, where the earl of Dunbar had an active hand incorrupting many with money; the gentleman, desiring to know what word hehad to send to his native country, got no answer at first, but, upon asecond enquiry, he said, "I have no word to send, but am heavilygrieved, that the glorious government of the church of Scotland shouldbe so defaced, and a popish tyrannical one set up; and thou, Manderston, (for out of that family Dunbar had sprung), hadst thou no other thing todo, but to carry such commissions down to Scotland, whereby the poorchurch is wrecked, the Lord shall be avenged on thee; thou shalt neverhave that grace to set thy foot in that kingdom again. " These last wordsimpressed the gentleman to that degree, that he desired some whoattended the court, to get some business, which was managing throughDunbar's interest, expeded without any delay, being persuaded that theword of that servant of Christ should not fall to the ground, which wasthe case, for that earl died at Whitehall a short time after, while hewas building an elegant house at Berwick, and making grand preparationsfor his daughter's marriage with Lord Walden. In 1611, after four years confinement, Mr. Melvil was, by the interestof the duke of Bolloigne, released, on condition that he would go withhim to the university of Sedan, where he continued, enjoying that calmrepose denied him in his own country, but maintaining his usualconstancy and faithfulness in the service of Christ, which he had donethrough the whole of his life. The reader will readily observe, that a high degree of fortitude andboldness appeared in all his actions; where the honour of his Lord andMaster was concerned, the fear of man made no part of his character. Heis by Spotswood styled the principal agent or apostle of thepresbyterians in Scotland[45]. He did indeed assert the rights ofpresbytery to the utmost of his power against diocesan episcopacy; hepossessed great presence of mind, and was superior to all the arts offlattery, that were sometimes tried with him; he was once blamed, asbeing too fiery in his temper, he replied, "If you see my fire godownward, set your foot upon it, but if it goes upward, let it go to itsown place. " He died at Sedan in France, in a few years after. _The Life of Mr. PATRICK SIMPSON. _ Mr. Simpson, after having finished his academical course, spent someconsiderable time in retirement, which he employed in reading the Greekand Latin classics, the antient Christian fathers, and the history ofthe primitive church. Being blamed by one of his friends for wasting somuch time in the study of pagan writers, he replied, That he intended toadorn the house of God with these Egyptian jewels. He was first ordained minister at Cramond, but was afterwardstransported to Stirling, where he continued until his death. He was afaithful contender against the lordly encroachments of prelacy. In theyear 1584, when there was an express charge given by the king to theministers, either to acknowledge Mr. Patrick Adamson as arch-bishop ofSt. Andrews, or else to lose their benefices, Mr. Simpson opposed thatorder with all his power, although Mr. Adamson was his uncle by themother's side; and when some of his brethren seemed willing to acquiescein the king's mandate, and subscribe their submission to Adamson, so faras it was agreeable to the word of God, he rebuked them sharply, saying, It would be no salvo to their consciences, seeing it was altogetherabsurd to subscribe an agreement with any human invention, when it wascondemned by the word of God. A bishopric was offered him, and an yearlypension besides from the king, in order to bring him into his designs, but he positively refused all, saying, That he regarded that prefermentand profit as a bribe to enslave his conscience, which was dearer to himthan any thing whatever; he did not stop with this, but having occasion_anno_ 1593, to preach before the king, he publicly exhorted him tobeware that he drew not the wrath of God upon himself in patronizing amanifest breach of divine laws: Immediately after sermon, the king stoodup and charged him not to intermeddle in these matters. When the assembly which was held at Aberdeen _anno_ 1684, was condemnedby the state, and in a very solemn manner denounced the judgment of Godagainst all such as had been concerned in distressing, and imprisoningthe ministers of Linlithgow, who maintained the lawfulness and justifiedthe conduct of that assembly, and the protestation given in to theparliament in 1606, which did many things to the further establishmentof prelacy. This protestation[46] was wrote by him, and delivered out ofhis own hands to the earl of Dunbar. He was not more distinguished for zeal in the cause of Christ, than forpiety and an exemplary life, which had a happy effect upon the peoplewith whom he stood connected. He was in a very eminent degree blessedwith the spirit and return of prayer; the following fact attested byold Mr. Row of Carnock, shews how much of the divine countenance he hadin his duty:--His wife, Martha Baron, a woman of singular piety, fellsick, and, under her indisposition, was strongly assaulted by thecommon enemy of salvation; suggesting to her, that she should bedelivered up to him, which soon brought her into a very distractedcondition, and continued, for some time, increasing; she broke forthinto very dreadful expressions:--She was in one of these fits ofdespair, one Sabbath morning, when Mr. Simpson was going to preach; hewas exceedingly troubled at her condition, and went to prayer, whichshe took no notice of. After he had done, he turned to the companypresent, and said, That they who had been witnesses to that sad hour, should yet see a gracious work of God on her, and that the devil'smalice against that poor woman, should have a shameful foil. Herdistraction continued for some days after. On a Tuesday morning, aboutday-break, he went into his garden as private as possible, and one HelenGardiner, wife to one of the baillies of the town, a godly woman, whohad sate up that night with Mrs. Simpson, being concerned at themelancholy condition he was in, climbed over the garden wall, to observehim in this retirement, but, coming near the place where he was, she wasterrified with a noise which she heard, as of the rushing of multitudesof people together, with a most melodious sound intermixed; she fell onher knees and prayed that the Lord would pardon her rashness, which herregard for his servant had caused. Afterwards, she went forward, andfound him lying on the ground; she intreated him to tell her what hadhappened unto him, and, after many promises of secrecy, and anobligation, that she should not reveal it in his life-time, but, if shesurvived him, she should be at liberty, he then said, "O! what am I!being but dust and ashes! that holy ministring spirits should be sentwith a message to me!" And then told her, That he had had a vision ofangels, who gave him an audible answer from the Lord, respecting hiswife's condition; and then, returning to the house, he said to thepeople who attended his wife, "Be of good comfort, for I am sure thatere ten hours of the day, that brand shall be plucked out of the fire. "After which he went to prayer, at his wife's bed-side;--she continuedfor some time quiet, but, upon his mentioning Jacob wrestling with God, she sat up in the bed, drew the curtain aside, and said, "Thou art thisday a Jacob, who hast wrestled and hast prevailed, and now God hath madegood his word, which he spoke this morning to you, for I am pluckt outof the hands of Satan, and he shall have no power over me. " Thisinterruption made him silent for a little, but afterwards, with greatmelting of heart, he proceeded in prayer, and magnified the riches ofgrace towards him. From that hour she continued to utter nothing but thelanguage of joy and comfort, until her death, which was on the Fridayfollowing, August 13th, 1601. Mr. Simpson lived for several years after this, fervent and faithful inthe work of the ministry. In the year 1608 when the bishops and somecommissioners of the general assembly conveened in the palace ofFalkland, the ministers assembled in the kirk of the town, and chose himfor their moderator; After which they spent some time in prayer, andtasted some of the comfort of their former meetings. They then agreedupon some articles for concord and peace to be given into the bishops, &c. ----This Mr. Simpson and some others did in the name of the rest, but the bishops shifted them off to the next assembly, and in the meantime, took all possible precautions to strengthen their own party, whichthey effected. In 1610, the noblemen and bishops came to Stirling, after dissolving theassembly. In preaching before them, he openly charged the bishops withperjury and gross defection. They hesitated for some time, whether theyshould delate him, or compound the matter:--But, after deliberation, they dropt the affair altogether for the present. ----There is no reasonto doubt but he would have been subjected to the same sufferings withmany others of his brethren, had he lived, but before the cope-stone waslaid on prelacy in Scotland, he had entered into the joy of hisLord. ----For, in the month of March 1618, which was about four monthsbefore the Perth assembly, when the five articles were agreed upon[47], he said that this month should put an end to all his troubles, and heaccordingly died about the end of it, blessing the Lord, that he had notbeen perverted by the sinful courses of these times; and said, As theLord had said to Elijah in the wilderness, so, in some respects he haddealt with him all the days of his life. He wrote a history of the church, for the space of about ten centuries. There are some other little tracts, besides a history of the councils ofthe church, which are nearly out of print altogether. Upon some of hisbooks he had written, "Remember, O my soul, and never forget the 9th ofAugust, what consolation the Lord gave thee, and how he performed whathe spake according to Zech. Iii. 2, _Is not this a brand pluckt out ofthe fire?_" &c. _The Life of Mr. ANDREW DUNCAN. _ Mr. Duncan was settled minister at Crail, in the shire of Fyfe, and wasafterwards summoned before the high commission court at St. Andrews, inthe year 1619. On account of his faithfulness in opposing the fivearticles of Perth. At the first time of his compearance, he declinedtheir authority; and at the second, he adhered to his formerdeclinature, upon which the high commission court passed the sentence ofdeposition against him, and ordained him to enter himself in ward atDundee. After the sentence was pronounced, he gave in a protestation, which was as follows, "Now, seeing I have done nothing of this business, whereof I have been accused by you, but have been serving Jesus Christmy master in rebuking vice, in simplicity and righteousness of heart. Iprotest (seeing ye have done me wrong) for a remedy at God's hand, therighteous Judge, and summon you before his dreadful judgment-seat, to becensured and punished for such unrighteous dealings, at such a time ashis majesty shall think expedient, and, in the mean time decline thisyour judgment _simpliciter_ now as before, and appeal to the ordinaryassembly of the church, for reasons before produced in write. Pityyourselves for the Lord's sake; lose not your own dear souls, I beseechyou for Esau's pottage: Remember Balaam, who was cast away by the deceitof the wages of unrighteousness; forget not how miserable Judas was, wholost himself for a trifle of money, that never did him good. Better bepined to death by hunger, than for a little pittance of the earth, toperish for ever, and never be recovered, so long as the days of heavenshall last, and the years of eternity shall endure. Why should yedistress your own brethren, sons and servants of the Lord Jesus; this isnot the doing of the shepherds of the flock of Christ: if ye will notregard your souls nor consciences, look I beseech you, to your fame, whywill ye be miserable both in this life and in the life to come. " When the bishop of St. Andrews had read some few lines of thisadmonition, he cast it from him, the bishop of Dumblane took it up, andreading it, said he, calls them Esau's, Balaams and Judases "Not so, said Mr. Duncan, read again, beware that ye be not like them. " In thespace of a month after, he was deposed for non-conformity. In the month of July 1621, he presented a large supplication, in name ofhimself, and some of his faithful brethren, who had been excluded thegeneral assembly, to Sir George Hay clerk register, on which account hewas in a few days after, apprehended by the captain of the guards, andbrought before the council, who accused him for breaking ward, after hewas suspended and confined to Dundee, because he had preached the weekbefore at Crail. Mr. Duncan denied that he had been put to the horn; andas for breaking ward, he said, That, for the sake of obedience, he staidat Dundee, separated from a wife and six children for a half a year, andthe winter approaching forced him to go home. In the end, he requestedthem not to imprison him on his own charges, but the sentence had beenresolved on before he compeared. He was conveyed to Dumbarton castlenext day (some say to Blackness castle); here he remained until themonth of October thereafter, when he was again brought before thecouncil, and by them was confined to Kilrinnie, upon his own charges;This was a parish neighbouring to his own. Upon another occasion, of the same nature with this just now narrated, this worthy man was banished out of the kingdom, and went to settle atBerwick, but having several children, and his wife big with another, they were reduced to great hardships, being obliged to part with theirservant, they had scarcely subsistence sufficient for themselves. Onenight in particular, the children asking for bread, and there being noneto give them, they cried very sore; the mother was likewise muchdepressed in spirit, for Mr. Duncan had resource sometimes to prayer, and in the intervals endeavoured to cherish his wife's hope, and pleasethe children, and at last got them to bed, but she continued to mournheavily. He exhorted her to wait patiently upon God, who was now tryingthem, but would undoubtedly provide for them, and added, that if theLord should rain down bread from heaven, they should not want. Thisconfidence was the more remarkable, because they had neither friend noracquaintance in that place to whom they could make their case known. Andyet before morning, a man brought them a sackful of provision, and wentoff without telling them from whence it came, though entreated to do it. When Mr. Duncan opened the sack, he found in it a bag with twenty poundsScots, two loaves of bread, a bag of flour, another of barley andsuch-like provisions; and having brought the whole to his wife, he said, "See what a good master I serve. " After this she hired a servant again, but was soon reduced to a new extremity; the pains of child-bearing cameupon her, before she could make any provision for her delivery, butprovidence interposed on their behalf at this time also: While shetravailed in the night-season, and the good man knew not where to applyfor a midwife, a gentlewoman came early in the morning riding to thedoor, and having sent her servant back with the horse, with orders whento return. She went in, and asked the maid of the house, How hermistress was, and desired access to her, which she obtained; she firstordered a good fire to be made, and ordered Mrs. Duncan to rise, andwithout any other assistance than the house afforded, she delivered her, and afterwards accommodated Mrs. Duncan and the child with abundance ofvery fine linen, which she had brought along with her. She gave herlikewise a box, containing some necessary cordials and five pieces ofgold, bidding them both be of good comfort, for they should not want. After which, she went away on the horse, which was by this timereturned for her, but would not tell her name, nor from whence shecame. Thus did God take his own servant under his immediate care andprovidence, when men had wrongfully excluded him from enjoying hisworldly comforts. He continued zealous and stedfast in the such, and, tothe end of his life, his conduct was uniform with the circumstances ofthis narrative. _The Life of Mr. JOHN SCRIMZEOR. _ He was settled minister at Kinghorn, in the shire of Fyfe, and went aschaplain with King James in the year 1590, to Denmark, when he broughthome his queen. He was afterwards concerned in several important affairsof the church, until that fatal year 1618, when the five articles ofPerth were agreed on in an assembly held at that place. He attended atthis assembly, and gave in some proposals[48], upon being (along withothers of his faithful brethren) excluded from having a vote by theprevailing party of that assembly. In 1620, he was with some others, summoned before the highcommission-court, for not preaching upon holy days, and not administringthe communion conform to the agreement at Perth, with certification ifthis was proven, that he should be deprived of exercising the functionsof a minister in all time coming. But there being none present on theday appointed, except the bishops of St. Andrews, Glasgow and the isles, and Mr. Walter Whiteford, they were dismissed at that time; but werewarned to compear again on the first of March. The bishops caused theclerk to exact their consent to deprivation, in case they did notcompear against that day. Nevertheless, they all protested with onevoice, That they would never willingly renounce their ministry, and suchwas the resolution and courage of Mr. Scrimzeor, that notwithstandingall the threatening of the bishops, he celebrated the communion conformto the antient practice of the church, a few days thereafter. On the day appointed for their next compearance, the bishops of St. Andrews, Dunkeld, Galloway, the isles, Dumblain, Mr. Hewison commissaryof Edinburgh, and Dr. Blair, being assembled in the bishop of St. Andrews lodging in Edinburgh, Mr. John Scrimzeor was again called uponto answer, and the bishop of St. Andrews alleged against him, that hehad promised either to conform or quit his ministry, as the act at hislast compearance on January 26th reported; he replied, "I am forestraitned, I never saw reason to conform; and as for my ministry, it wasnot mine and so I could not quit it. " After long reasoning betwixt himand the bishops, concerning church policy and the keeping of holy days, he was removed for a little. Being called in again, the bishop of St. Andrews told him, "You are deprived of all function within the kirk, andordained within six days to enter in ward at Dundee. " "It is a verysummary and peremptory sentence, " said Mr. Scrimzeor, "ye might havebeen advised better, and first have heard what I would have said. " "Youshall be heard, " said the bishop. This brought on some furtherreasoning, in the course of which Mr. Scrimzeor gave a faithfultestimony against the king's supremacy over the church, and among otherthings said, "I have had opportunity to reason with the king himself onthis subject, and have told him that Christ was the sovereign, and onlydirector of his house; and that his majesty was subject to him. I havehad occasion to tell other mens matters to the king, and could havetruly claimed this great preferment. " "I tell you Mr. John, " said thebishop of St. Andrews, "that the king is pope, and shall be so now;" Hereplied, "That is an evil style you give him:" And then gave in hisreasons in write, which they read at leisure. Afterwards the bishop ofSt. Andrews said to him, "Take up your reasons again, if you will notconform, I cannot help it; the king must be obeyed, the lords have givensentence and will stand to it. " "Ye cannot deprive me of my ministry, "said Mr. Scrimzeor, "I received it not from you; I received it from thewhole synod of Fyfe, and, for any thing ye do, I will never think myselfdeposed. " The bishop of St. Andrews replied, "You are deprived only ofthe present exercise of it. "--Then he presented the followingprotestation, "I protest before the Lord Jesus, that I get manifestwrong; my reasons and allegations are not considered and answered. Iattest you to answer at his glorious appearance, for this and suchdealings, and protest that my cause should have been heard as I pled, and still plead and challenge. I likewise appeal to the Lord Jesus, hiseternal word, to the king my dread sovereign, his law, to theconstitution of this kirk and kingdom, to the councils and assemblies ofboth, and protest that I stand minister of the evangel, and only byviolence I am thrust from the same. " "You must obey the sentence, " saidthe bishop of St. Andrews; he answered, "That Dundee was far off, and hewas not able for far journeys, as physicians can witness. " And he added, "Little know ye what is in my purse. " "Then where will you choose theplace of your confinement, " said the bishop: He answered, "At a littleroom of my own called Bowhill, in the parish of Auchterderran. " Thensaid the bishop, "Write, At Bowhill, during the king's pleasure. " Thusthis worthy servant of Christ lived the rest of his days inAuchterderran. In his old age he was grievously afflicted with thestone. He said to a godly minister, who went to see him a little beforehis death, "I have been a rude stunkard all my life, and now by thispain the Lord is humbling me to make me as a lamb, before he take me tohimself. " He was a man somewhat rude-like in his clothing, and in some of hisexpressions and behaviour; and yet was a very loving tender hearted man;of a deep natural judgment; and very learned, especially in Hebrew. Heoften wished that most part of books were burnt, except the bible, andsome short notes thereon. He had a peculiar talent for comforting thedejected. He used a very familiar but pressing manner of preaching. Hewas also an eminent wrestler with God, and had more than ordinary powerand familiarity with him, as appears from the following instances. When he was minister at Kinghorn, there was a certain godly woman underhis charge, who fell sick of a very lingering disease, and was all thewhile assaulted with strong temptations, leading her to think that shewas a cast-away, notwithstanding that her whole conversation had put thereality of grace in her beyond a doubt. He often visited her while inthis deep exercise, but her trouble and terrors still remained; as herdissolution drew on, her spiritual trouble increased. He went with twoof his elders to her, and began first, in their presence, to comfort herand pray with her, but she still grew worse: He ordered his elders topray, and afterwards prayed himself, but no relief came. Then sittingpensive for a little space, he thus broke silence, "What is this! Ourlaying grounds of comfort before her will not do; prayer will not do: Wemust try another remedy. Sure I am, this is a daughter of Abraham; sureI am, she hath sent for me, and therefore, in the name of God, theFather of our Lord Jesus, who sent him to redeem sinners; in the nameof Jesus Christ, who obeyed the Father, and came to save us; and in thename of the Holy and blessed Spirit, our Quickner and Sanctifier--I, theelder, command thee, a daughter of Abraham, to be loosed from thesebonds. " And immediately peace and joy ensued. Mr. Scrimzeor had several friends and children taken away by death, andhis only daughter who, at that time survived (and whom he dearly loved), being seized with the king's evil, by which she was reduced to the verypoint of death, so that he was called up to see her die; and finding herin this condition, he went out to the fields (as he himself told) in thenight-time, in great grief and anxiety, and began to expostulate withthe Lord, with such expressions as, for all the world, he durst notagain utter. In a fit of displeasure he said, "Thou, O Lord, knowestthat I have been serving thee in the uprightness of my heart, accordingto my power and measure, nor have I stood in awe to declare thy mindeven unto the greatest in the time, and thou seest that I take pleasurein this child. O that I could obtain such a thing at thy hand, as tospare her. " And being in great agony of spirit, at last it was said tohim from the Lord, "I have heard thee at this time, but use not the likeboldness in time coming, for such particulars. " When he came home thechild was recovered, and, sitting up in the bed, took some meat, andwhen he looked at her arm it was perfectly whole. _The Life of Mr. JOHN WELCH. _ Mr. John Welch was born a gentleman, his father being laird of Colieston(an estate rather competent than large, in the shire of Nithsdale), about the year 1570, the dawning of our reformation being then but dark. He was a rich example of grace and mercy, but the night went before theday, being a most hopeless extravagant boy: It was not enough to him, frequently when he was a young stripling to run away from the school, and play the truant; but, after he had past his grammar, and was come tobe a youth, he left the school, and his father's house, and went andjoined himself to the thieves on the English border, who lived byrobbing the two nations, and amongst them he stayed till he spent a suitof clothes. Then when he was clothed only with rags, the prodigal'smisery brought him to the prodigal's resolution, so he resolved toreturn to his father's house, but durst not adventure, till he shouldenterpose a reconciler. In his return homeward, he took Dumfries in hisway, where he had an aunt, one Agnes Forsyth, and with her he spent somedays, earnestly intreating her to reconcile him to his father. While helurked in her house, his father came providentially to the house tovisit his cousin Mrs. Forsyth; and after they had talked a while, sheasked him, Whether ever he had heard any news of his son John; to her hereplied with great grief, O cruel woman, how can you name him to me? Thefirst news I expect to hear of him, is, That he is hanged for a thief. She answered, Many a profligate boy had become a virtuous man, andcomforted him. He insisted upon his sad complaint, but asked, Whethershe knew his lost son was yet alive. She answered, Yes, he was, and shehoped he should prove a better man than he was a boy, and with that shecalled upon him to come to his father. He came weeping, and kneeled, beseeching his father, for Christ's sake, to pardon his misbehaviour, and deeply engaged to be a new man. His father reproached him andthreatened him. Yet at length, by his tears, and Mrs. Forsyth'simportunities, he was persuaded to a reconciliation. The boy entreatedhis father to send him to the college, and there to try his behaviour, and if ever thereafter he should break, he said, He should be contenthis father should disclaim him for ever: So his father carried him home, and put him to the college, and there he became a diligent student, ofgreat expectation, and shewed himself a sincere convert; and so heproceeded to the ministry. His first settlement was at Selkirk, while hewas yet very young, and the country rude. While he was there, hisministry was rather admired by some, than received by many; for he wasalways attended by the prophet's shadow, the hatred of the wicked; yea, even the ministers of that country, were more ready to pick a quarrelwith his person, than to follow his doctrine, as may appear to this dayin their synodal records, where we find he had many to censure him, andonly some to defend him; yet it was thought his ministry in that placewas not without fruit, though he stayed but short time there. Being ayoung man unmarried, he boarded himself in the house of one Mitchelhill, and took a young boy of his to be his bedfellow, who to his dying dayretained both a respect to Mr. Welch and his ministry, from theimpressions Mr. Welch's behaviour made upon his apprehension, thoughbut a child. His custom was when he went to bed at night, to lay a Scotsplaid above his bed-clothes, and when he went to his night-prayers, tosit up and cover himself negligently therewith, and so to continue. Forfrom the beginning of his ministry to his death, he reckoned the day illspent if he stayed not seven or eight hours in prayer; and this the boydid not forget even to old age. An old man of the name of Ewart in Selkirk, who remembered Mr. Welch'sbeing in that place said, He was a type of Christ; an expression moresignificant than proper, for his meaning was, That he was an examplethat imitated Christ, as indeed in many things he did: He also said, That his custom was to preach publicly once every day, and to spend hiswhole time in spiritual exercises, that some in that place waited wellupon his ministry with great tenderness, but that he was constrained toleave that place, because of the malice of the wicked. The special cause of his departure was, a prophane gentleman in thecountry (one Scot of Headschaw, whose family is now extinct), becauseMr. Welch had either reproved him, or merely from hatred, Mr. Welch wasmost unworthily abused by the unhappy man, and among the rest of theinjuries he did him, this was one:--Mr. Welch kept always two goodhorses for his own use, and the wicked gentleman, when he could do nomore, either with his own hand, or by his servants, cut off the rumps ofthe two innocent beasts, upon which they both died. Such base usage asthis persuaded him to listen to a call to the ministry at Kirkcudbright, which was his next post. But when he was to leave Selkirk, he could not find a man in all thetown to transport his furniture, except only Ewart, who was at that timea poor young man, but master of two horses, with which he transportedMr. Welch's goods, and so left him; but as he took his leave, Mr. Welchgave him his blessing, and a piece of gold for a token, exhorting him tofear God, and promised he should never want, which promise, providencemade good through the whole course of the man's life, as was observed byall his neighbours. At Kirkcudbright he stayed not long; but there he reaped a harvest ofconverts, which subsisted long after his departure, and were a part ofMr. Samuel Rutherford's flock, though not his parish, while he wasminister at Anwoth. Yet when his call to Ayr came to him, the people ofthe parish of Kirkcudbright never offered to detain him, so histransportation to Ayr was the more easy. While he was at Kirkcudbright, he met with a young man in scarlet andsilver lace (the gentleman's name was Mr. Robert Glendining) new comehome from his travels, he much surprised the young man by telling him, he behoved to change his garb, and way of life, and betake himself tothe study of the scriptures, which at that time was not his business, for he should be his successor in the ministry at Kirkcudbright, whichaccordingly came to pass sometime thereafter. Mr. Welch was transported to Ayr in the year 1590, and there hecontinued till he was banished, there he had a very hard beginning, buta very sweet end; for when he came first to the town, the country was sowicked and the hatred of godliness so great, that there could not one inall the town be found, who would let him a house to dwell in, so he wasconstrained to accommodate himself the best he might, in a part of agentleman's house for a time; the gentleman's name was John Stuartmerchant, and sometime provost of Ayr, an eminent Christian, and greatassistant of Mr. Welch. And when he had first taken up his residence in that town, the place wasso divided into factions, and filled with bloody conflicts, a man couldhardly walk the streets with safety; wherefore Mr. Welch made it hisfirst undertaking to remove the bloody quarrelings, but he found it avery difficult work; yet such was his earnestness to pursue his design, that many times he would rush betwixt two parties of men fighting, evenin the midst of blood and wounds. He used to cover his head with ahead-piece before he went to separate these bloody enemies, but wouldnever use a sword, that they might see he came for peace and not forwar, and so, by little and little, he made the town a peaceablehabitation. His manner was, after he had ended a skirmish amongst his neighbours, and reconciled these bitter enemies, to cause cover a table upon thestreet, and there brought the enemies together, and beginning withprayer he persuaded them to profess themselves friends, then to eat anddrink together, then last of all he ended the work with singing a psalm:For after the rude people began to observe his example, and listen tohis heavenly doctrine, he came quickly to that respect amongst them, that he became not only a necessary counsellor, without whose councilthey would do nothing, but an example to imitate. He gave himself wholly to ministerial exercises, he preached once everyday, he prayed the third part of his time, was unwearied in his studies, and for a proof of this, it was found among his papers, that he hadabridged Suarez's metaphysics when they came first to his hand, evenwhen he was well stricken in years. By all which it appears, that he hasnot only been a man of great diligence, but also of a strong and robustnatural constitution, otherwise he had never endured the fatigue. Sometimes, before he went to sermon, he would send for his elders andtell them, he was afraid to go to pulpit; because he found himself soredeserted: and thereafter desire one or more of them to pray, and then hewould venture to pulpit. But, it was observed, this humbling exerciseused ordinarily to be followed with a flame of extraordinary assistance:So near neighbours are many times contrary dispositions and frames. Hewould many times retire to the church of Ayr, which was at some distancefrom the town, and there spend the whole night in prayer; for he used toallow his affections full expression, and prayed not only with audible, but sometimes a loud voice. There was in Ayr before he came to it, an aged man, a minister of thetown, called Porterfield, the man was judged no bad man, for hispersonal inclinations, but so easy a disposition, that he used manytimes to go too great a length with his neighbours in many dangerouspractices; and amongst the rest, he used to go to the bow-butts andarchery, on the sabbath afternoon, to Mr. Welch's great dissatisfaction. But the way he used to reclaim him was not bitter severity, but thisgentle policy; Mr. Welch together with John Stuart, and Hugh Kennedy, his two intimate friends, used to spend the sabbath afternoon inreligious conference and prayer, and to this exercise they invited Mr. Porterfield, which he could not refuse, by which means he was not onlydiverted from his former sinful practice, but likewise brought to a morewatchful and edifying behaviour in his course of life. While Mr. Welch was at Ayr, the Lord's day was greatly profaned at agentleman's house about eight miles distance from Ayr, by reason ofgreat confluence of people playing at the foot-ball, and other pastime. After writing several times to him to suppress the profanation of theLord's day at his house, (which he slighted, not loving to be called apuritan) Mr. Welch came one day to his gate and calling him out to tellhim, that he had a message from God to shew him, that because he hadslighted the advice given him from the Lord, and would not restrain theprofanation of the Lord's day committed in his bounds; therefore theLord would cast him out of his house, and none of his posterity shouldenjoy it: which accordingly came to pass; for although he was in a goodexternal situation at this time; yet henceforth all things went againsthim until he was obliged to sell his estate; and when giving thepurchaser possession thereof, he told his wife and children that he hadfound Mr. Welch a true prophet[49]. He married Elizabeth Knox, daughter to the famous Mr. John Knox ministerat Edinburgh, and she lived with him from his youth till his death. Byher he had three sons[50]. As the duty wherein Mr. Welch abounded and excelled most in his prayer, so his greatest attainments fell that way. He used to say, He wonderedhow a Christian could ly in bed all night, and not rise to pray, andmany times he rose, and many times he watched. One night he rose fromhis wife, and went into the next room, where he staid so long at secretprayer, that his wife, fearing he might catch cold, was constrained torise and follow him, and, as she hearkened, she heard him speak as byinterrupted sentences, Lord, wilt thou not grant me Scotland, and aftera pause, Enough, Lord, enough; and so she returned to her bed, and hefollowing 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 shewedhimself dissatisfied with her curiosity, but told her, He had beenwrestling with the Lord for Scotland, and found there was a sad time athand, but that the Lord would be gracious to a remnant. This was aboutthe time when bishops first overspread the land, and corrupted thechurch. This is more wonderful still, An honest minister, who was aparishioner of Mr. Welch many a day, said, "That one night as he watchedin 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 awindow toward the place where he walked, and saw clearly a strange lightsurround him, and heard him speak strange words about his spiritualjoy. " But though Mr. Welch had upon the account of his holiness, abilities and success, acquired among his subdued people, a very greatrespect, yet was he never in such admiration, as after the great plaguewhich raged in Scotland in his time. And one cause was this: The magistrates of Ayr, forasmuch as this townalone was free, and the country about infected, thought fit to guard theports with centinels and watchmen; and one day two travelling merchants, each with a pack of cloth upon a horse, came to the town desiringentrance that they might sell their goods, producing a pass from themagistrates of the town from whence they came, which was at that timesound and free; yet notwithstanding all this, the centinels stopt themtill the magistrates were called, and when they came they would donothing without their minister's advice; so Mr. Welch was called, andhis opinion asked: He demurred, and putting off his hat, with his eyestowards heaven for a pretty space, though he uttered no audible words, yet continued in a praying posture; and after a little space told themagistrates, They would do well to discharge these travellers theirtown, affirming, with great asseveration, the plague was in these packs, so the magistrates commanded them to be gone, and they went to Cumnock, a town about twenty miles distant, and there sold their goods, whichkindled such an infection in that place, that the living were hardlyable to bury their dead. This made the people begin to think of Mr. Welch as an oracle: Yet, as he walked with God, and kept close with him, so he forgot not man, for he used frequently to dine abroad with such ofhis friends as he thought were persons with whom he might maintain thecommunion of the saints; and once in the year, he used always to inviteall his familiar acquaintances in the town, to a treat in his house, where there was a banquet of holiness and sobriety. He continued the course of his ministry in Ayr, till king James'spurpose of destroying the church of Scotland, by establishing bishopswas ripe, and then it became his duty to edify the church by hissufferings, as formerly he had done by his doctrine. The reason why king James was so violent for bishops, was neither theirdivine institution, which he denied they had, nor yet the profit thechurch should reap by them, for he knew well both the men and theircommunications, but merely because he believed they were usefulinstruments to turn a limited monarchy into absolute dominion, andsubjects into slaves; the design in the world he minded most. Always in the pursuit of his design, he followed this method; in thefirst place, he resolved to destroy general assemblies, knowing wellthat so long as assemblies might convene in freedom, bishops could neverget their designed authority in Scotland; and the dissolution ofassemblies he brought about in this manner. The general assembly at Holyrood-house, _anno_ 1602, with the king'sconsent, indict their next meeting to be kept at Aberdeen, the lasttuesday of July _anno_ 1604, and before that day came, the king by hiscommissioner the laird of Laureston, and Mr. Patrick Galloway moderatorof the last general assembly, in a letter directed to the severalpresbyteries, prorogued the meeting till the first tuesday of July1605, at the same place; last of all, in June 1605, the expected meetingto have been kept in July following, is by a new letter from the king'scommissioner, and the commissioners of the general assembly, absolutelydischarged and prohibited, but without naming any day or place, for anyother assembly; and so the series of our assemblies expired, never torevive again in due form, till the covenant was renewed _anno_ 1638. However, many of the godly ministers of Scotland, knowing well, if oncethe hedge of the government was broken, the corruption of the doctrinewould soon follow, resolved not to quit their assemblies so. Andtherefore a number of them convened at Aberdeen, upon the first tuesdayof July 1605, being the last day that was distinctly appointed byauthority; and when they had met, did no more but constitute themselvesand dissolve. Amongst those was Mr. Welch, who, though he had not beenpresent upon that precise day, yet because he came to the place, andapproved what his brethren had done, he was accused as guilty of thetreasonable fact committed by them. So dangerous a point was the name ofa general assembly in king James's jealous judgment. Within a month after this meeting, many of these godly men wereincarcerate, some in one prison, some in another. Mr. Welch was sentfirst to Edinburgh tolbooth, and then to Blackness; and so from prisonto prison, till he was banished to France, never to see Scotland again. And now the scene of his life begins to alter; but, before hissufferings, he had this strange warning. After the meeting at Aberdeen was over, he retired immediately to Ayr;and one night he rose from his wife, and went into his garden, as hiscustom was, but stayed longer than ordinary, which troubled his wife, who, when he returned, expostulated with him very hard for his stayingso long to wrong his health; he bid her be quiet, for it should be wellwith them. But he knew well, he should never preach more at Ayr; andaccordingly, before the next sabbath, he was carried prisoner toBlackness castle. After that, he, with many others, who had met atAberdeen, were brought before the council of Scotland at Edinburgh, toanswer for their rebellion and contempt, in holding a general assembly, not authorized by the king. And because they declined the secretcouncil, as judges competent in causes purely spiritual, such as thenature and constitution of a general assembly is, they were firstremitted to the prison at Blackness, and other places, and thereafter, six of the most considerable of them, were brought under night fromBlackness to Linlithgow before the criminal judges, to answer anaccusation of high treason at the instance of Sir Thomas Hamilton theking's advocate, for declining, as he alleged, the king's lawfulauthority, in refusing to admit the council judges competent in thecause of the nature of church judicatories; and, after their accusationand answer was read, by the verdict of a jury of very considerablegentlemen, they were condemned as guilty of high treason, the punishmentdeferred till the king's pleasure should be known; and thereafter theirpunishment was made banishment, that the cruel sentence might somewhatseem to soften their severe punishment, as the king had contrived it. While he was in Blackness, he wrote his famous letter to Lilias Grahamcountess of Wigton; in which he utters, in the strongest terms, hisconsolation in suffering; his desire to be dissolved, that he might bewith the Lord; the judgments he foresaw coming upon Scotland, &c. Healso seems most positively to shew the true cause of their sufferings, and state of the testimony in these words: "Who am I, that he should first have called me, and then constituted mea minister of the glad tidings of the gospel of salvation these yearsalready, and now last of all to be a sufferer for his cause and kingdom. Now, let it be so, that I have fought my fight, and run my race, and nowfrom henceforth is laid up for me that crown of righteousness, which theLord that righteous God will give, and not to me only, but to all thatlove his appearance, and choose to witness this, that Jesus Christ isthe king of saints, and that his church is a most free kingdom, yea asfree as any kingdom under heaven, not only to convocate, hold, and keepher meetings, and conventions and assemblies; but also to judge of allher affairs, in all her meetings and conventions amongst her members andsubjects. These two points, 1. That Christ is the head of his church. 2. That she is free in her government, from all other jurisdiction exceptChrist's: These two points, I say, are the special cause of ourimprisonment; being now convict as traitors for the maintaining thereof. We have been ever waiting with joyfulness to give the last testimony ofour blood in confirmation thereof, if it should please our God to be sofavourable as to honour us with that dignity; yea, I do affirm, thatthese two points above-written, and all other things which belong toChrist's crown, sceptre and kingdom, are not subject, nor cannot be, toany other authority, but to his own altogether. So that I would be mostglad to be offered up as a sacrifice for so glorious a truth: It wouldbe to me the most glorious day, and the gladdest hour I ever saw in thislife; but I am in his hand to do with me whatsoever shall please hisMajesty. "I am also bound and sworn, by a special covenant, to maintain thedoctrine and discipline thereof, according to my vocation and power allthe days of my life, under all the pains contained in the book of God, and danger of body and soul, in the day of God's fearful judgment; andtherefore, though I should perish in the cause, yet will I speak for it, and to my power defend it, according to my vocation. " He wrote about the same time to Sir William Livingston of Kilsyth: Thereare some prophetical expressions in this letter that merit notice. "As for that instrument Spotswood, we are sure the the Lord will neverbless that man, but a malediction lies upon him, and shall accompany allhis doings; and it may be, Sir, your eyes shall see as great confusioncovering him, ere he go to his grave, as ever did his predecessors. Nowsurely, Sir, I am far from bitterness, but here I denounce the wrath ofan everlasting God against him, which assuredly shall fall, except it beprevented. Sir, Dagon shall not stand before the ark of the Lord, andthese names of blasphemy that he wears of arch and lord bishop, willhave a fearful end. Not one book is to be given to Haman, suppose hewere as great a courtier as ever he was; suppose the decree was givenout, and sealed with the king's ring, deliverance will come to uselsewhere, and not by him, who has been so sore an instrument, notagainst our persons, that were nothing, (for I protest to you, Sir, inthe sight of God, I forgive him all the evil he has done, or can do, tome) but unto Christ's poor kirk, in stamping under foot so glorious akingdom and beauty as was once in this land; he has helped to cutSampson's hair, and to expose him to mocking, but the Lord will not bemocked: He shall be cast away as a stone out of a sling, his name shallrot, and a malediction shall fall upon his posterity after he is gone. Let this, Sir, be a monument of it, that it was told before, that whenit shall come to pass, it may be seen there was warning given him: Andtherefore, Sir, seeing I have not the access myself, if it would pleaseGod to move you, I wish you would deliver this hand-message to him, notas from me, but from the Lord. " The man of whom he complains, and threatens so sore, was bishopSpotswood, at that time designed arch-bishop of Glasgow; and thisprophecy was punctually accomplished, though after the space of fortyyears: For, first the bishop himself died in a strange land, and, asmany say, in misery; next his son Robert Spotswood, sometime presidentof the session, was beheaded by the parliament of Scotland, at themarket-cross of St. Andrews, in the winter after the battle ofPhiliphaugh, to which many thousands witnessed, and as soon as ever hecame upon the scaffold, Mr. Blair, the minister of the town, told him, That now Mr. Welch's prophecy was fulfilled upon him; to which hereplied in anger, That Mr. Welch and he were both false prophets. But before he left Scotland, some remarkable passages in his behaviourare to be remembered. And first, when the dispute aboutchurch-government began to warm, as he was walking upon the street ofEdinburgh, betwixt two honest citizens he told them, They had in theirtown two great ministers, who were no great friends to Christ's causepresently in controversy, but it should be seen, the world should neverhear of their repentance. The two men were Mr. Patrick Galloway and Mr. John Hall; and accordingly it came to pass, for Mr. Patrick Gallowaydied easing himself upon a stool; and Mr. John Hall, being at that timein Leith, and his servant woman having left him alone in his house whileshe went to the market, he was found dead at her return. He was sometime prisoner in Edinburgh castle before he went into exile, where one night sitting at supper with the Lord Ochiltry, who was uncleto Mr. Welch's wife, as his manner was, he entertained the company withgodly and edifying discourse, which was well received by all thecompany, except a debauched popish young gentleman, who sometimeslaughed, and sometimes mocked and made wry faces; whereupon Mr. Welchbrake out into a sad abrupt charge upon all the company to be silent, and observe the work of the Lord upon that profane mocker, which theyshould presently behold; upon which the profane wretch sunk down anddied beneath the table, to great astonishment of all the company. Another wonderful story they tell of him at the same time:--The LordOchiltry the captain, being both son to the good Lord Ochiltry, and Mr. Welch's uncle in law, was indeed very civil to Mr. Welch, but being fora long time, through the multitude of affairs, kept from visiting Mr. Welch in his chamber, as he was one day walking in the court, andespying Mr. Welch at his chamber window, asked him kindly how he did, and if in any thing he could serve him? Mr. Welch answered him, He wouldearnestly intreat his lordship, being at that time to go to court, topetition king James in his name, that he might have liberty to preachthe gospel; which my lord promised to do. Mr. Welch answered, My lord, both because you are my kinsman, and for other reasons, I wouldearnestly intreat and bidest you not to promise, except you faithfullyperform. His lordship answered. He would faithfully perform his promise;and so went for London. But though at his first arrival, he was reallypurposed to present the petition to the king, when he found the king insuch a rage against the godly ministers, that he durst not, at thattime, present it; so he thought fit to delay it, and thereafter entirelyforgot it. The first time that Mr. Welch saw his face after his return from court, he asked him what he had done with his petition. His lordship answered, He had presented it to the king, but that the king was in so great arage against the ministers at that time, he believed it had beenforgotten, for he had got no answer. Nay, said Mr. Welch to him, Mylord, you should not lie to God, and to me; for I know you neverdelivered it, though I warned you to take heed not to undertake it, except you would perform it; but because you have dealt so unfaithfully, remember God shall take from you both estate and honours, and give themto your neighbour in your own time: which accordingly came to pass, forboth his estate and honours were in his own time translated to JamesStuart, son of captain James, who was indeed a cadet, but not the linealheir of the family. While he was detained prisoner in Edinburgh castle, his wife used forthe most part to stay in his company, but upon a time fell into alonging to see her family in Ayr, to which with some difficulty heyielded; but when she was to take her journey, he strictly charged hernot to take the ordinary way to her own house, when she came to Ayr, norto pass by the bridge through the town, but to pass the river above thebridge, and so get the way to his own house, and not to come into thetown, for, said he, before you come thither, you shall find the plaguebroken out in Ayr, which accordingly came to pass. The plague was at that time very terrible, and he being necessarilyseparate from his people, it was to him the more grievous; but when thepeople of Ayr came to him to bemoan themselves, his answer was, thatHugh Kennedy, a godly gentleman in their town, should pray for them, andGod should hear him. This counsel they accepted, and the gentlemanconveening a number of the honest citizens, prayed earnestly for thetown, as he was a mighty wrestler with God, and accordingly after thatthe plague decreased. Now the time is come when he must leave Scotland, and never to see itagain. So upon the 7th of November 1606, in the morning he with hisneighbours took ship at Leith, and though it was but two o'clock in themorning, many were waiting on with their afflicted families, to bid themfarewel[51]. After prayer, they sung the 23d psalm, and so to the greatgrief of the spectators, set sail for the south of France, and landed inthe river of Bourdeaux. Within fourteen weeks after his arrival, suchwas the Lord's blessing upon his diligence, he was able to preach inFrench, and accordingly was speedily called to the ministry, first inone village, then in another; one of them was Nerac, and thereafter wassettled in St. Jean d' Angely, a considerable walled town, and there hecontinued the rest of the time he sojourned in France, which was aboutsixteen years. When he began to preach, it was observed by some of hishearers, that while he continued in the doctrinal part of his sermon, hespoke very correct French, but when he came to his application, and whenhis affections kindled, his fervor made him sometimes neglect theaccuracy of the French construction: But there were godly young men whoadmonished him of this, which he took in very good part, so forpreventing mistakes of that kind, he desired the young gentlemen, whenthey perceived him beginning to decline, to give him a sign, _viz. _ thatthey were to stand up; and thereafter he was more exact in hisexpression through his whole sermon: So desirous was he, not only todeliver good matter, but to recommend it in neat expression. There were many times persons of great quality in his auditory, beforewhom he was just as bold as ever he had been in a Scots village; whichmoved Mr. Boyd of Trochrig once to ask him (after he had preached beforethe university with Saumur with such boldness and authority as if he hadbeen before the meanest congregation), How he could be so confidentamong strangers, and persons of such quality? To which he answered, Thathe was so filled with the dread of God, he had no apprehensions from manat all; and this answer, said Mr. Boyd, did not remove my admiration, but rather increase it. There was in his house, amongst many others who boarded with him forgood education, a young gentleman of great quality, and suitableexpectations, and this was the heir of Lord Ochiltry, captain of theCastle of Edinburgh. This young nobleman, after he had gained very muchupon Mr. Welch's affections, fell ill of a grievous sickness, and afterhe had been long wasted with it, closed his eyes, and expired, to theapprehension of all spectators, and was therefore taken out of his bed, and laid on a pallet on the floor, that his body might be the moreconveniently dressed. This was to Mr. Welch a very great grief, andtherefore he stayed with the dead body full three hours, lamenting overhim with great tenderness. After twelve hours, the friends brought in acoffin, whereinto they desired the corpse to be put, as the custom is;but Mr. Welch desired, that for the satisfaction of his affections, theywould forbear it for a time, which they granted, and returned not tilltwenty-four hours after his death were expired; then they desired, withgreat importunity, that the corpse might be coffined, and speedilyburied, the weather being extremely hot; yet he persisted in hisrequest, earnestly begging them to excuse him once more; so they leftthe corpse upon the pallet for full thirty-six hours; but even after allthat, though he was urged, not only with great earnestness, butdispleasure, they were constrained to forbear for twelve hours more. After forty-eight hours were past, Mr. Welch still held out againstthem, and then his friends perceiving that he believed the young man wasnot really dead, but under some apoplectic fit, proposed to him, for hissatisfaction, that trial should be made upon his body by doctors andchirurgeons, if possibly any spark of life might be found in him, andwith this he was content. --So the physicians are let to work, whopinched him with pincers in the fleshy parts of his body, and twisted abow-string about his head with great force, but no sign of lifeappearing in him, the physicians pronounced him stark dead, and thenthere was no more delay to be made; yet Mr. Welch begged of them oncemore, that they would but step into the next room for an hour or two, and leave him with the dead youth; and this they granted. Then Mr. Welchfell down before the pallet, and cried to the Lord with all his might, and sometimes looked upon the dead body, continuing in wrestling withthe Lord, till at length the dead youth opened his eyes, and cried outto Mr. Welch, whom he distinctly knew, O Sir, I am all whole, but myhead and legs; and these were the places they had sore hurt with theirpinching. When Mr. Welch perceived this, he called upon his friends, and shewedthem the dead young man restored to life again, to their greatastonishment. And this young nobleman, though he lost the estate ofOchiltry, lived to acquire a great estate in Ireland, and was LordCastle-Stuart, and a man of such excellent parts, that he was courted bythe earl of Stafford to be a councellor in Ireland; which he refused tobe, until the godly silenced Scottish ministers, who suffered under thebishops in the north of Ireland, were restored to the exercise of theirministry, and then he engaged, and continued to for all his life, notonly in honour and power, but in the profession and practice ofgodliness, to the great comfort of the country where be lived. Thisstory the nobleman himself communicated to his friends in Ireland. While Mr. Welch was minister in one of these French villages, upon anevening a certain popish friar travelling through the country, becausehe could not find lodging in the whole village, addressed himself to Mr. Welch's house for one night. The servants acquainted their master, andhe was content to receive this guest. The family had supped before hecame, and so the servants convoyed the friar to his chamber, and afterthey had made his supper, they left him to his rest. There was but atimber partition betwixt him and Mr. Welch, and after the friar hadslept his first sleep, he was surprized with the hearing of a silent, but constant whispering noise, at which he wondered very much, and wasnot a little troubled. The next morning he walked in the fields, where he chanced to meet witha country man, who saluting him because of his habit, asked him, Wherehe had lodged that night? The friar answered, He had lodged with thehugenot minister. Then the country man asked him, what entertainment hehad? The friar answered, Very bad: for, said he, I always held, thatdevils haunted these ministers houses, and I am persuaded there was onewith me this night, for I heard a continual whisper all the night over, which I believe was no other thing, than the minister and the devilconversing together. The country man told him, he was much mistaken, andthat it was nothing else than the minister at his night prayer. O, saidthe friar, does the minister pray any? Yes, more than any man in France, answered the country man, and if you please to stay another night withhim you may be satisfied. The friar got home to Mr. Welch's house, andpretending indisposition, intreated another night's lodging, which wasgranted him. Before dinner, Mr. Welch came from his chamber, and made his familyexercise, according to his custom. And first he sung a psalm, then reada portion of scripture, and discoursed upon it, thereafter he prayedwith great fervor, to all which the friar was an astonished witness. After exercise they went to dinner, where the friar was very civillyentertained, Mr. Welch forbearing all question and dispute with him forthe time; when the evening came, Mr. Welch made exercise as he had donein the morning, which occasioned more wonder to the friar, and aftersupper they Went to bed; but the friar longed much to know what thenight whisper was, and therein he was soon satisfied, for after Mr. Welch's first sleep, the noise began; then the friar resolved to becertain what it was, and to that end he crept silently to Mr. Welch'schamber-door, and there he heard not only the sound, but the wordsdistinctly, and communications betwixt man and God, such as he thought, had not been in this world. The next morning, as soon as Mr. Welch wasready, the friar went to him, and told him, that he had lived inignorance the whole of his life, but now he was resolved to adventurehis soul with Mr. Welch, and thereupon declared himself protestant: Mr. Welch welcomed and encouraged him, and he continued a protestant to hisdeath. When Lewis XIII. King of France made war upon the protestants there, because of their religion, the city of St. Jean d' Angely was besiegedby him with his whole army, and brought into extreme danger. Mr Welchwas minister of the town, and mightily encouraged the citizens to holdout, assuring them, God would deliver them. In the time of the siege, acannon ball pierced the bed where he was lying, upon which he got up, but would not leave the room, till he had, by solemn prayer, acknowledged his deliverance. During this siege, the townsmen madestout defence, till one of the king's gunners planted a great gun soconveniently upon a rising ground, that therewith he could command thewhole wall upon which the townsmen made their greatest defence. Uponthis, they were constrained to forsake the whole wall in great terror, and tho' they had several guns planted upon the wall, no man durstundertake to manage them. This being told to Mr. Welch, henotwithstanding encouraged them still to hold out, and running to thewall, found the cannonier, who was a Burgundian, near the wall, him heentreated to mount the wall, promising to assist him in person. Thecannonier told Mr. Welch, that they behoved to dismount the gun upon therising ground, else they were surely lost; Mr. Welch desired him to aimwell, and he would serve him, and God would help him; the gunner fell towork, and Mr. Welch ran to fetch powder for a charge, but, as he wasreturning, the king's gunner fired his piece, which carried the laddlewith the powder out of his hands: This did not discourage him, forhaving left the laddle, he filled his hat with powder, wherewith thegunner dismounted the king's gun at the first shot, and the citizensreturned to their post of defence. This discouraged the king so much, that he sent to the citizens to offerthem fair conditions, _viz. _ That they should enjoy the liberty of theirreligion, their civil privileges, and their walls should not bedemolished; the king only desired that he might enter the city in afriendly manner with his servants. This the city thought fit to grant, and the king with a few more entered the city for a short time. Whilethe king was in the city, Mr. Welch preached as usual, which offendedthe French court, for while he was at sermon the king sent the duke deEspernon to fetch him out of the pulpit into his presence. The duke wentwith his guard, and when he entered the church where Mr. Welch waspreaching, Mr. Welch commanded to make way, and to place a seat that theduke might hear the word of the Lord. The duke instead of interruptinghim, sat down, and gravely heard the sermon to an end, and then told Mr. Welch he behoved to go with him to the king, which he willingly did. When the duke came to the king, the king asked him why he brought notthe minister with him; and why he did not interrupt him? The dukeanswered, Never man spake like this man, but he had brought him alongwith him. Whereupon Mr. Welch is called, and when he had entered theking's room, he kneeled and silently prayed for wisdom and assistance. Thereafter the king challenged him, how he durst preach in that place, since it was against the laws of France, that any man should preachwithin the verge of his court? Mr. Welch answered, Sir, if you didright, you would come and hear me preach, and make all France hear melikewise. For, said he, I preach you must be saved by the death andmerits of Jesus Christ, and not your own; and I preach, that as you areking of France, you are under the authority of no man on earth: Thosemen, he said, whom you hear, subject you to the Pope of Rome, which Iwill never do. The king replied, Well, well, you shall be my minister;and, as some say, called him father, which is an honour bestowed uponfew of the greatest prelates in France: However, he was favourablydismissed at that time, and the king also left the city in peace. But within a short time thereafter the war was renewed, and then Mr. Welch told the inhabitants of the city, That now their cup was full, andthey should no more escape; which accordingly came to pass, for the kingtook the town, and commanded Vitry the captain of his guard to enter andpreserve his minister from all danger; then horses and waggons wereprovided for Mr. Welch, to transport him and his family for Rochelle, whither he went, and there sojourned for a time. After his flock in France was scattered, he obtained liberty to returnto England, and his friends intreated that he might have permission tocome to Scotland, because the physicians declared there was no othermethod to preserve his life, but by the freedom he might have in hisnative air. But to this king James would never yield, protesting hewould be unable to establish his beloved bishops in Scotland, if Mr. Welch was permitted to return thither; so he languished at London aconsiderable time; his disease was considered by some to have a tendencyto a sort of leprosy, physicians said he had been poisoned; a languor hehad together with a great weakness in his knees, caused by his continualkneeling at prayer, by which it came to pass, that though he was able tomove his knees, and to walk, yet he was wholly insensible in them, andthe flesh became hard like a sort of horn. But when in the time of hisweakness, he was desired to remit somewhat of his excessive painfulness, his answer was, He had his life of God, and therefore it should be spentfor him. His friends importuned king James very much, that if be might not returnto Scotland, at least he might have liberty to preach in London, whichhe would not grant, till he heard all the hopes of life were past, andthen he allowed him liberty to preach, not fearing his activity. Then as soon as ever he heard he might preach, he greedily embraced thisliberty, and having access to a lecturer's pulpit, he went and preachedboth long and fervently: which was his last performance: For after hehad ended his sermon, he returned to his chamber, and within two hours, quietly and without pain, he resigned his spirit into his Maker's hands, and was buried near Mr. Deering, the famous English divine, after he hadlived little more than fifty two years. During his sickness, he was so filled and overcome with the sensibleenjoyment of God, that he was overheard to utter these words, "O Lord, hold thy hand, it is enough, thy servant is a clay vessel, and can holdno more. "---- If his diligence was great, so it may be doubted whether his sowing inpainfulness, or his harvest in success was greatest; for if either hisspiritual experiences in seeking the Lord, or his fruitfulness inconverting souls be considered, they will be found unparallelled inScotland; And many years after Mr. Welch's death, Mr. David Dickson, atthat time a flourishing minister at Irvine, was frequently heard to say, when people talked to him of the success of his ministry, That thegrape-gleanings in Ayr, in Mr. Welch's time, were far above the vintageof Irvine in his own. Mr. Welch in his preaching was spiritual andsearching, his utterance tender and moving, he did not much insist uponscholastic purposes and made no shew of his learning. One of hishearers, who was afterward minister at Moor-kirk in Kyle, used to say, That no man could hear him and forbear weeping, his conveyance was soaffecting. There is a large volume of his sermons now in Scotland, only a few ofthem have come to the press, nor did he ever appear in print, except inhis dispute with Abbot Brown, wherein he makes it appear, his learningwas not behind other virtues; and in another called Dr. Welch'sArmagaddon, supposed to have been printed in France, wherein he giveshis meditation upon the enemies of the church, and their destruction;but the piece itself rarely to be found. _The Life of Mr. ROBERT BOYD. _ He was first settled minister at Vertal in France, but was afterwards bythe interest of Sieur du Plessis translated to be professor of divinityat Saumur, and some time after was invited home by king James andsettled principal of the college of Glasgow and minister of Govan, atwhich place he ordinarily wrote his sermons in full, and yet when hecame to the pulpit he appeared with great life and power of affection. While he was in France the popish controversy employed his thoughts, butthe church of Scotland engrossed almost his whole attention after hisreturn home, and he became a zealous friend and supporter of the morefaithful part of the ministry, against the usurpation of the bishops andtheir ceremonies. But the prelatists knowing that the eminency of his place, his piety andlearning would influence many to take part with that way, they thereforelaboured with great assiduity, both by intreaties, threatenings and thepersuasions of some of his friends, in so much that he gave in a paperto Law arch-bishop of Glasgow, in which he seemed in some sort toacknowledge the pre-eminence of bishops, but he got no rest the nextnight after this, being sore troubled for what he had done, he went backand sought his paper again with tears, but the bishop pretended that hehad already sent it up to the king, so that he could not obtain it. Mr. Boyd, finding that from this time forward he could enjoy no peace inthis place, he demitted both, and was chosen principal of the college ofEdinburgh, and one of the ministers of that city; Dr. Cameron came intohis places at Glasgow in October 1622. Some of the other ministers ofEdinburgh, particularly one Ramsay, envied him on account of his highreputation both as a preacher, and as a teacher (the well-affected partof the people both in town and country crowding to his church), and gavethe king information against him as a non-conformist: the king sent aletter December the 13th to the magistrates of the town, rebuking themfor admitting him, and commanding him to be removed: The magistrateswere not obedient to the command, and by a courtier intreated he mightbe continued, but the king would not grant their request. Accordingly onthe last of January 1623, he renewed the order to remove him, and hewas in a little time after that turned out of his place and office. Some short time after this, bishop Law was again prevailed on to admitMr. Boyd to be minister of Paisley, for although no man was moreopposite to the Perth articles than Mr. Boyd, as he had refusedconformity to them both at Glasgow and Edinburgh, yet his learning andprudence recommended him to the bishop's esteem. Here he remained insecurity and peace until the earl of Abercorn's brother (a zealouspapist) dispossessed him on a Sabbath afternoon while he was preaching, and threw all his books out of the house where he had his residence. Upon complaining to the privy-council the offender was imprisoned, andthe court and bailies of Paisley having undertaken to repossess Mr. Boydagain, and the gentleman professing his sorrow for what he had done, Mr. Boyd interceeding with them for him, the council passed the matter over. But no sooner went he to take possession, than he found the church doorssecured, so that no access could be had, and though the magistrateswould have broke them open, yet the mob (urged on as was supposed by theearl's mother) pressed so hard upon the good man, not only byopprobrious speeches, but also threw stones at him as if he had been amalefactor, that he was forced to fly to Glasgow, and afterwards, seeingno prospect of a peaceable settlement at Paisley, he returned to his ownhouse at Trochrig in Carrick, where he (probably) continued to hisdeath, which was some years after. He was a man of great learning for that time, as his commentary on theEphesians testifies. He would sometimes say, If he had his choice oflanguages wherein to deliver his sentiments it would be in Greek. He wasof an austere countenance and carriage, and yet very tender-hearted. Hehad but a mean opinion of himself, but a high esteem of others in whomhe perceived any signs of grace and ingenuity. In the time of thatconvincing and converting work of the Lord (commonly called Stuartonsickness) he came from his own house in Carrick, and met with many ofthe people; and having conversed with them, he heartily blessed the Lordfor the grace that was given unto them. _The Life of Mr. ROBERT BRUCE. _ Mr. Robert Bruce was born about the year 1554. He was second son to thelaird of Airth (of whom he had the estate of Kinnaird), who being atthat time a baron, of the best quality in the kingdom, educated Mr. Robert with intention of being one of the lords of session, and for hisbetter accomplishment, sent him to France to study the civil law. Afterhis return home, his father injoined him to wait upon some affairs ofhis that were then before the court of session, as he had got a patentinsured for his being one of these lords. But God's thoughts being notas mens thoughts, and having other designs with him, he began then towork mightily upon his conscience, that he could get no rest till he wassuffered to attend Mr. Andrew Melvil at St. Andrews to study divinityunder him; but to this his mother was averse, for she would notcondescend until he first gave up some lands and casualities wherein hewas infest: This he most willingly did, and shaking off all impedimentshe fully resolved upon an employment more fitted to the serious turn ofhis mind. He went to St. Andrews sometime before Mr. Andrew Melvil left thecountry, and continued there until his return. Here he wanted not somesharp conflicts on this head, insomuch that upon a certain time, walkingin the fields with that holy and religious man Mr. James Melvil, he saidto him, "Before I throw myself again into such torment of consciencewhich I have had in resisting the call to the ministry, I would ratherchoose to walk through a fire of brimstone, even tho' it were half amile in length. " After he was accomplished for the ministry, Mr. AndrewMelvil perceiving how the Lord wrought with him, brought him over to thegeneral assembly in 1587, and moved the church of Edinburgh to call himto a charge there. And although he was moved by some brethren to accept the charge of theministry in place of Mr. James Lawson, yet he could not be prevailedupon to take the charge _simpliciter_ (although he was willing to bestowhis labour thereon for a time), until by the joint advice of theministry of the city, and this stratagem, he was as it were trapped intoit: thus, on a time, when the sacrament was to be dispensed atEdinburgh, one of the ministers desired Mr. Bruce, who was to preach inthe afternoon, to sit by him, and after he had served two or threetables, he went out of the church, as if he had been to return in alittle, but instead of that he sent notice to Mr. Bruce, that unless heserved the rest of the tables the work behoved to stop; Mr. Bruce notknowing but the minister had been seized on a sudden with some kind ofsickness, and, the eyes of all the people being fixed on him, manyintreating him to supply the minister's place, he proceeded to theadministration of the remainder, and that with such assistance tohimself and emotion amongst the people, that the like had never beforebeen seen in that place. When he was afterward urged by the rest of his brethren to receive, inthe ordinary way, the imposition of hands, he refused it, because hewanted not the material part of ordination, _viz. _ the call of thepeople and the approbation of the ministry, and besides he had alreadycelebrated the sacrament of the supper, which was not, by a newordination to be made void. ----So having made trial of the work, andfound the blessing of God upon his labours, he accepted the charge, andwas from that time forth principal actor in the affairs of the church, and a constant and strenuous maintainer of the established doctrine anddiscipline thereof. While he was minister at Edinburgh he shined as a great light throughall these parts of the land, the power and efficacious energy of theSpirit accompanying the word preached by him in a most sensible manner, so that he was a terror to evil doers, the authority of God appearingwith him, in so much that he forced fear and respect even from thegreatest in the land. Even king James himself and his court had suchhigh thoughts of him, that when he went to bring home his queen _anno_1590, at his departure, he expressly desired Mr. Bruce to acquainthimself with the affairs of the country and the proceedings of thecouncil, professing that he reposed more in him than the rest of hisbrethren, or even all his nobles; and indeed in this his hopes were notdisappointed, for the country was more quiet during his absence thaneither before or afterward: In gratitude for which Mr. Bruce received acongratulatory letter dated February 19th, 1590, wherein the kingacknowledgeth, "He would be obligated to him all his life for the painshe had taken in his absence to keep his subjects in good order. " Yea, itis well known that the king had that esteem for Mr. Bruce, that, upon acertain time before many witnesses, he gave him this testimony, That hejudged him worthy of the half of his kingdom; but he proved in this, asin others of his fair promises, no slave to his word, for not manyyear's after he obliged this good man, for his faithfulness, to departand leave the kingdom. Mr. Bruce being a man of public spirit and heroic mind, was always onthat account pitched upon to deal in matters of high moment, and amongstother things, upon the 19th of November 1596, he, Messrs. Andrew Melviland John Davidson, were directed by the counsel of the brethren, to dealwith the queen concerning her religion, and, for want of religiousexercises and virtuous occupation amongst her maids to move her to hearnow and then the instructions of godly and discreet men; they went toher, but were refused admittance until another time. About the same time he was sent to the king then sitting with the lordsin session, to present some articles for redress of the wrongs then doneto the church; but, in the mean time, a bustle falling out at Edinburghby the mob, he removed to Linlithgow. Upon the Sabbath following, Mr. Bruce preaching upon the 51st psalm said, "The removal of your ministersis at hand, our lives shall be bitterly fought after, but ye shall seewith your eyes, that God shall guard us, and be our buckler and defence&c. " and the day following, this was in part accomplished, for theking sent a charge from Linlithgow to Mr. Bruce and the rest of theministers of Edinburgh, to enter in ward at the castle there within sixhours after the proclamation, under pain of horning. The rest of theministers, knowing the king's anger was kindled against them, thoughtproper to withdraw, but Mr. Bruce knowing his own innocency, stayed, andgave in an apology for himself and the rest of his faithful brethren. InApril 13th 1599, the king returned to Edinburgh, and was entertained inthe house of Mr. Bruce, although he himself was not yet released. But all this was nothing more than the drops before the shower, or asthe gathering of waters before an inundation breaks forth, for the king, having for some time laboured to get prelacy established in Scotland, and because Mr. Bruce would not comply with his measures, and refused togive praise to God in public for the kings deliverance from thepretended conspiracy in the year 1600, until he was better ascertainedof the fact, he not only discharged him from preaching in Edinburgh, butalso obliged him to leave the kingdom. When he embarked at the queen'sferry on the 3d of November the same year, there appeared such a greatlight as served him and the company to sail, although it was nearmidnight. He arrived at Dieppe on the eight of November. And although, by the king's permission, he returned home the yearfollowing, yet because he would not, (1. ) Acknowledge Gowrie'sconspiracy; (2. ) Purge the king in such places as he should appoint; and(3. ) Crave pardon of the king for his long distrust and disobedience, &c. He could not be admitted to his place and office again, but wascommanded by the king to keep ward in his own house of Kinnaird. Afterthe king's departure to England, he had some respite for about a year ormore, but in the year 1605, he was summoned to compear at Edinburgh onthe 29th of February, before the commission of the general assembly, tohear and see himself removed from his function at Edinburgh; they hadbefore, in his absence, decerned his place vacant, but now theyintimated the sentence, and Livingston had a commission from the king tosee it put in execution; he appealed; they prohibited him to preach; buthe obeyed not. In July thereafter, he was advertized by chancellorSeaton, of the king's express order, discharging him to preach any more, and said, He would not use his authority in this, but only request himto desist for nine or ten days; to which he consented, thinking it butof small moment for so short a time. But he quickly knew, how deep thesmallest deviation from his Master's cause and interest might go; forthat night (as he himself afterward declared) his body was cast into afever, with such terror of conscience, that be promised and fullyresolved to obey their commands no more. Upon the 18th of August following, he was charged to enter in ward atInverness, within the space of ten days, under pain of horning, which heobeyed upon the 17th following. And in this place he remained for thespace of four years, teaching every Wednesday and Sabbath forenoon, andwas exercised in reading public prayers every other night, in which hislabours were blessed, for this dark country was wonderfully illuminated, and many brought to Christ by means of his ministry, and a seed sown inthese remote places, which remained for many years afterwards. When he returned from Inverness to his own house, and though his son hadobtained a licence for him, yet here he could find nothing but grief andvexation, especially from the ministers of the presbyteries of Stirlingand Linlithgow, and all for curbing the vices some of them were subjectto. --At last he obtained liberty of the council to transport his familyto another house he had at Monkland, but, because of the bishop ofGlasgow, he was forced to retire back again to Kinnaird. Thus this goodman was tossed about, and obliged to go from place to place. In this manner he continued, until he was by the king's order summonedbefore the council in September the 19th, 1621, to answer fortransgressing the law of his confinement, &c. When he compeared, hepleaded the favour granted him by his majesty when in Denmark, andwithal purged himself of the accusation laid against him, and yetnotwithstanding of all these (said he), the king hath exhausted both myestate and person, and has left me nothing but my life, and thatapparently he is seeking; I am prepared to suffer any punishment, only Iam careful not to suffer as a malefactor or evil doer. ----A warrant wasdelivered to him to enter in ward in the castle of Edinburgh, where hecontinued till the first January; the bishops absented from the councilthat day, however they were his delators. He was again brought beforethe council, where the king's will was intimate to him, _viz. _ That heshould return to his own house until the 21st of April, and thentransport himself again to Inverness, and remain within four milesthereof during the king's pleasure. Here he remained, for the most part, until September 1624, when heobtained licence again to return from his confinement to settle some ofhis domestic affairs; the condition of his licence was so strait, thathe purposed with himself to return back to Inverness, but in the meantime the king died, and so he was not urged to go back to hisconfinement; and although king Charles I. Did again renew this chargeagainst him some years after this, yet he continued mostly in his ownhouse, preaching and teaching wherever he had occasion. About this time the parish of Larber, having neither church nor stipend, Mr. Bruce repaired the church and discharged all the parts of theministry there, and many besides the parish attended upon his ministryat that place with great success; and it would appear, that about thistime Mr. Henderson then minister at Leuchars, (afterward the famousHenderson) was at first converted by his ministry. At this place it was his custom after the first sermon to retire byhimself some time for private prayer, and on a time some noblemen whohad far to ride, sent the beadle to learn if there was any appearanceof his coming in;--the man returned, saying, I think he shall not comeout this day, for I overheard him say to another, "I protest, I will notgo unless thou goest with me. " However, in a little time he came, accompanied by no man, but in the fulness of the blessing of the gospelof Christ; for his very speech was with much evidence and demonstrationof the Spirit. It was easy for his hearers to perceive that he had beenin the mount with God, and that indeed he had brought that God whom hadmet in private, _unto his mother's house, and unto the chambers of herthat conceived him_. Mr. Bruce was also a man who had somewhat of the spirit of discerningfuture events, and did prophetically speak of several things thatafterward came to pass, yea, and divers persons distracted (says anauthor[52]) and those who were past recovery with the epilepticaldisease, or falling sickness, were brought to Mr. Bruce, and were, afterprayer by him in their behalf, fully restored from that malady. This mayseem strange (but true), for he was such a wrestler with God, and hadmore than ordinary familiarity with him. Some time before his death, being then at Edinburgh, where throughweakness he often kept his chamber, whither a meeting of godlyministers, anent some matter of church-concernment, (hearing he was intown), came and gave him an account of the prelates actings. After this, Mr. Bruce prayed, in which he repeated over again to the Lord the verysubstance of their discourse (which was a very sad representation of thecase of the church), all which time there was an extraordinary motion inall present, and such a sensible down-pouring of the Spirit, that theycould hardly contain themselves. Mr. Weemes of Lathockar beingoccasionally present, at departing said, O how strange a man is this, for he knocketh down the Spirit of God upon us all; this he said, because Mr. Bruce, in the time of that prayer, divers times knocked withhis fingers upon the table. About this time he related a strange dream; how he had seen a long broadbook with black boards, flying in the air, with many black fowls likeCrows flying about it; and as it touched any of them, they fell downdead; upon which he heard an audible voice speak to him, saying, _Hæcest ira Dei contra pastores ecclesiæ Scoticanæ_; upon which he fella-weeping and praying that he might be kept faithful, and not be one ofthese who were thus struck down by a torch of his wrath, throughdeserting the truth. He said, when he awakened, he found his pillow allwet and drenched with tears. --The accomplishment of this dream, I neednot describe: all acquainted with our church-history, know, that soonafter that, prelacy was introduced into Scotland. Bishops set up, andwith them ushered in Popish and Arminian tenets, with all manner ofcorruptions and profanity, which continued in Scotland a number ofyears. One time, says Mr. Livingston, I went to Edinburgh to see him, in thecompany of the tutor of Bonington. When we called on him at eighto'clock in the morning, he told us, He was not for any company, and whenwe urged him to tell us the cause, he answered, That when he went to bedhe had a good measure of the Lord's presence, and that he had wrestledwith him about an hour or two before we came in, and had not yet gotaccess; and so we left him. At another time I went to his house, but sawhim not till very late; when he came out of his closet, his face wasfoul with weeping, and he told me, That, that day, he had been thinkingon what torture and hardships Dr. Leighton our country-man had been putto at London[53]; and added, If I had been faithful, I might have hadthe pillory, and some of my blood shed for Christ as well as he; but hehath got the crown from us all. I heard him once say, faith be, I woulddesire no more at my first appeal from king James, but one hour'sconverse with him: I know he hath a conscience; I made him once weepbitterly at Holyrood-house. About the year----, I heard him say, Iwonder how I am kept so long here; I have lived two years already inviolence; meaning that he was then much beyond seventy years of age[54]. When the time of his death drew near (which was in the month of August1631), through age and infirmity he was mostly confined to his chamber, where he was frequently visited by his friends and acquaintances; andbeing on a certain time asked by one of them, How matters stood betwixtGod and his soul? He made this return, "When I was young, I wasdiligent, and lived by faith on the Son of God; but now I am old, and amnot able to do so much, yet he condescends to feed me with lumps ofsense. " And that morning before he was removed, his sickness beingmostly a weakness through age, he came to breakfast and having as usualeaten an egg, he said to his daughters "I think I am yet hungry, ye maybring me another egg. " But instantly thereafter, falling into deepmeditation, and after having mused a little he said, "Hold, daughter, myMaster calls me. " With these words his sight failed him; and called forhis family bible, but finding his sight had failed him, he said, "Castup to me the eight chapter of the epistle to the Romans, and set myfingers on these words, _I am persuaded that neither death nor life_, &c. _shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is inChrist Jesus my Lord. _ Now, said he, is my finger upon them?" and beingtold it was, he said, "Now God be with you my children; I havebreakfasted with you, and shall sup with my Lord Jesus Christ thisnight. " And so like Abraham of old, he gave up the ghost in a goodage[55], and was gathered to his people. In this manner did this occidental star set in our horizon. There wasnone, in his time, who did speak with such evidence of the power of theSpirit; and no man had more seals of his ministry, yea many of hishearers thought, that no man since the apostles days ever spoke withsuch power. And although he was no Boanerges (as being of a slow butgrave delivery), yet he spoke with such authority and weight as becamethe oracles of the living God: so that some of the most stout-hearted ofhis hearers were ordinarily made to tremble, and by having this doorwhich had formerly been shut against Jesus Christ, as by an irresistablepower broke open and the secrets of their hearts made manifest, theyoften times went away under deep convictions. He had a very majesticcountenance, in prayer he was short, especially when in public, butevery word or sentence he spoke was as a bolt shot from heaven; he spentmuch of his time in private prayer. He had a very notable faculty insearching the scriptures, and explaining the most obscure mysteriestherein, and was a man who had much inward exercise of conscience anenthis own personal case, and was oftentimes assaulted anent that grandfundamental truth, The being of a God, insomuch that it was almostcustomary to him to say when he first spoke in the pulpit, "I think it agreat matter to believe there is a God, " and by this he was the morefitted to deal with others under the like temptations. [56] Mr. Bruce was also an eloquent and substantial writer, as theforementioned apology, and his excellent letters to M. Espignol, theduke of Parma, Col. Semple, &c. Doth copiously evidence, Argal'ssleep, &c. He was also deeply affected with the public cause andinterest of Jesus Christ, and much depressed in spirit when he beheldthe naughtiness and profanity of many ministers then in the church, andthe unsuitable carriage and deportment of others to so great a calling, which made him express himself with much fear, that the ministry inScotland would prove the greatest persecutors it had, which so latelycame to pass. _The Life of Mr. JOSIAS WELCH. _ Mr. Josias Welch was a younger son to the famous Mr. John Welch sometimeminister of the gospel at Ayr, and Elizabeth Knox daughter to the greatMr. John Knox, who was minister at Edinburgh, from whom he received amost liberal and religious education. But what enhanced his reputationmore, was, that he was, heir to his father's graces and virtues. Andalthough he had received all the branches of useful learning in orderfor the ministry, yet, prelacy being then prevalent in Scotland, he wasdetained for some time from that function, seeing he was not clear inhis own mind to enter into that office by the door of episcopacy. Butsome time after, it so fell out, that meeting with worthy Mr. Blair, (who was then settled a minister at Bangor in Ireland) he finding howzealous a spirit Mr. Welch was of, exhorted and solicited him much tohasten over there, where he would find work enough, and he hoped successlikewise, which accordingly came to pass, for upon his going thither hewas highly honoured and provided of the Lord to bring the covenant ofgrace to the people at the six-mile water, (on whom Mr. Glendiningformerly minister there had wrought some legal convictions) and havingpreached sometime at Oldstone, he was settled at Temple-Patrick, wherehe with great vigilance and diligence exercised his office, which by theblessing of God upon his labours, gained him many seals of his ministry. But the devil envying the success of the gospel in that quarter, stirredup the prelatical clergy, whereupon the bishop of Down, in May 1632, caused cite him, Messrs. Blair, Livingston and Dumbar before him, andurged them to conform and give their subscription to that effect, butthey answered with great boldness, That there was no law nor canon inthat kingdom requiring this; yet notwithstanding they were all fourdeposed by him from the office of the holy ministry. After this, Mr. Welch continued for some time preaching in his ownhouse, where he had a large auditory, and such was his desire to gainsouls to Christ, that he commonly stood in a door looking towards agarden, that so he might be heard without as well as within, by means ofwhich, being of a weakly constitution, he contracted such a cold asoccasioned his death in a short time thereafter. He continued in this way, until May 1634, when by the intercession ofLord Castle-Stuart with the king in their behalf, the foresaid ministersreceived a grant from the bishop of six months liberty, which freedomnone more willingly embraced than Mr. Welch, but he had preached only afew weeks in his own pulpit before he sickened, and the Sabbathafternoon before his death, which was on the Monday following. "I heardof his sickness, " saith Mr. Livingston, "and came to him about eleveno'clock at night, and Mr. Blair came about two hours thereafter. He hadmany gracious discourses, as also some wrestling and exercise of mind. One time cried out, Oh for hypocrisy; on which Mr. Blair said, See howSatan is nibbling at his heels before he enter into glory. A very littlebefore he died, being at prayer by his bed-side, and the word victorycoming out of my mouth, he took hold of my hand and desiring me toforbear a little, and clapping his hands, cried out, Victory, victory, victory for ever more, then he desired me to go on, and in a littleexpired--on the 23d of June 1634. " Thus died the pious and faithful Mr. Josias Welch, in the flower of hisyouth, leaving only one son behind him, _viz. _ Mr. John Welch, who wasafterward minister at Irongray in Galloway. _The Life of JOHN GORDON VISCOUNT KENMUIR. _ John Gordon of Lochinvar (afterwards viscount Kenmuir) was born aboutthe year 1599. He received a reasonable measure of education, and yet, through the circumstance of his birth, the corruption of the age, butabove all the depravity of nature, and want of restraining grace in hisyounger years, he became somewhat irreligious and profane, which, whenhe arrived at manhood, broke out into more gross acts of wickedness, andyet all the while the Lord never left him altogether without a check orwitness in his conscience, yet sometimes when at ordinances, particularly sacramental occasions, he would be filled with some senseof sin, which being borne powerfully in upon his soul, he was scarceable to hold out against it. But for a long time he was a stranger totrue and saving conversion. The most part of his life after he advancedin years, he spent like the rich man in the gospel, casting down barnsand building greater ones, for at his houses of Rusco and Kenmuir he wasmuch employed in building, parking, planting, and seeking worldlyhonours. About the year 1628, he was married to that virtuous and religious lady, Jean Campbel sister to the worthy marquis of Argyle, by whom he had somechildren, two at least, one of whom it appears died about the beginningof the year 1635, for we find Mr. Rutherford in one of his letters, about that time, comforting this noble lady upon such a mournfuloccasion. In the year 1633, Charles I. To honour his coronation, in the place ofhis birth and first parliament, dignified many of the Scots nobility andgentry with higher titles, and places of office and honour, among whomwas Sir John Gordon, who upon the eighth of May was created ViscountKenmuir and Lord Gordon of Lochinvar[57]. Accordingly the viscount came to the parliament which sat down atEdinburgh June 16th 1633, and was present the first day, but stayed onlya few days thereafter, for being afraid to displease the king, from whomhe had both received some, and expected more honours, and not having thecourage to glorify God by his presence, when his cause was at stake, deserted the parliament under pretence of indisposition of body, andreturned home to his house at Kenmuir in Galloway, and there sleptsecurely for about a year without check of conscience, till August 1634, that his affairs occasioned his return to Edinburgh, where he remainedsome days, not knowing that with the ending of his affairs he was to endhis life. He returned home with some alteration of bodily health, andfrom that day his sickness increased until September 12th ensuing, whichwas the day of his death. But the Lord had other thoughts than that this nobleman should diewithout some sense of his sin, or yet go out of this worldunobserved. --And therefore it pleased him with his bodily affliction toshake his soul with fears, making him sensible of the power of eternalwrath, for his own good, and for an example to others in after-agesnever to wrong their own consciences, or to be wanting to the cause orinterest of God, when he gives them an opportunity to that purpose. Upon the Sabbath August 31st, being much weakened, he was visited by areligious and learned minister who then lived in Galloway not far fromthe house of Kenmuir, his lordship much rejoiced at his coming, observing the all-ruling providence in sending him such a man (who hadbeen abroad from Galloway some time) sooner home than he expected. Aftersupper his lordship drew on a conference with the minister, shewing hewas much taken up with the fears of death, and extremity of pain. "Inever dreamed, said he, that death had such a terrible, austere andgloomy countenance. I dare not die, howbeit I know I must die. Whatshall I do, for I dare not venture in gripes with death, because I findmy sins grievous and so many that I fear my account is out of order, andnot so as becomes a dying man. " The minister for some time discoursed to him anent this weakness ofnature, which was in all men, believers not excepted, which made themafraid of death, but he hoped Christ would be his second in the combat, willing him to rely upon the strength of Christ; but withal said, "Mylord, I fear more the ground of your fear of death, which is (as yousay) the consciousness of your sins, for there can be no plea betwixtyou and your Lord if your sins be not taken away in Christ, andtherefore make that sure, and fear not. " My lord answered, "I have beentoo late in coming to God, and have deferred the time of making myaccount, so long that I fear I have but the foolish virgins part of it, who came and knocked at the door of the bridegroom so late, and nevergot in. " The minister having resumed somewhat both of his own and his father'ssins, particularly their cares for this world and worldly honours, andthinking his lordship designed to extenuate his fault in this, he drewseveral weighty propositions in way of conference about the fears ofdeath and his eternal all, which depended upon his being in or out ofChrist, and obtested him in these words, --"Therefore I intreat you, mylord, by the mercies of God, by your appearing before Christ your Judge, and by the salvation of your soul, that you would look ere you leap, andventure not into eternity without a certificate under Jesus Christ'shand, because it is said of the hypocrite, Job xx. 11. _He lieth down inthe grave, and his bones are full of the sins of his youth. _" My lord replied, "When I begin to look upon my life, I think all iswrong in it, and the lateness of my reckoning affrighteth me, thereforestay with me, and shew me the marks of a child of God, for you must bemy second in this combat and wait upon me. " His lady answered, "You musthave Jesus Christ to be your second, " to which he heartily said"Amen--but, continued he, how shall I know that I am in the state ofgrace, for while I be resolved my fears will still overburthen me. " Theminister said, "My lord, scarcely or never doth a cast-a-way anxiouslyand carefully ask the question, Whether he be a child of God or not?"But my lord excepted against that saying, "I do not think there is anyreprobate in hell, but he would with all his heart have the kingdom ofheaven. " The minister having explained the different desires inreprobates, his lordship said, "You never saw any tokens of true gracein me, and that is my great and only fear. " The minister said, "I was indeed sorry to see you so fearfully carriedaway with temptation, and you know, I gave you faithful warning that itwould come to this. I wish your soul was deeply humbled for sin; but toyour demand, I thought you ever had a love for the saints, even to thepoorest, who carried Christ's image, altho' they could never serve norprofit you in any way, 1 John iii. 14. _By this we know we aretranslated from death unto life_, &c. " And at last with this mark aftersome objections he seemed convinced. The minister asked him, "My lord, dare you now quit your part in Christ, and subscribe an absoluteresignation of him?" My lord said, "O Sir, that is too hard, I hope heand I have more to do together, and I will be advised ere I do that, "and then asked, "What mark is it to have judgment to discern a ministercalled and sent of God from an hirling?" The minister allowed it to be agood mark, and cited John x. 4. _My sheep know my voice. _ At the second conference the minister urged deep humiliation. Heacknowledged the necessity thereof, but said, "Oh! if I could get him!But sin causeth me to be jealous of his love, to such a man as I havebeen. " The minister advised him "to be jealous of himself, but not ofJesus Christ, there being no meeting betwixt them without a sense ofsin, " Isa. Lxi. 2, 3. Whereupon my lord said with a deep sighaccompanied with tears, "God send me that, " and thereafter reckoned outa certain number of his sins, which were as serpents or crocodilesbefore his eyes. The minister told him, "that death and him were yetstrangers, and hoped he would tell another tale ere all the play beended, and you shall think death a sweet messenger to carry you to yourFather's house. " He said with tears, "God make it so, " and desired himto pray. At the third conference he said, "Death bindeth me strait. O how sweet athing it is to seek God in health, and in time of prosperity to make ouraccounts, for now I am so distempered that I cannot get my heart framedto think on my account, and the life to come. " The minister told him, "He behoved to fight against sickness and pain, as well as sin anddeath, seeing it is a temptation. "----He answered, "I have taken theplay long. God hath given me thirty-five years to repent, but alas! Ihave mispent it:" and with that he covered his face and wept. Theminister assured him, that although his day was far spent, yet hebehoved in the afternoon, yea when near evening, to run fast, and not tolie in the field, and miss his lodging, upon which he, with upliftedeyes, said, "Lord, how can I run? Lord, draw me, and I shall run, " Cant. I. 4. The minister hearing this, desired him to pray, but he answerednothing; yet within an hour he prayed before him and his own lady verydevoutly, and bemoaned his own weakness both inward and outward, saying, "I dare not knock at thy door, I ly at it scrambling as I may, till thoucome out and take me in; I dare not speak; I look up to thee, and lookfor one kiss of Christ's fair face. O when wilt thou come!" At the fourth conference he charged the minister to go to a secret placeand pray for him, and do it not for the fashion; I know, said he, prayerwill pull Christ out of heaven. The minister said, "What shall we seek, give us a commission. " He answered, "I charge you to tell my beloved, _that I am sick of love_. " The minister desired if they should seek lifeor recovery, he said, "Yea, if it be God's good pleasure, for I find myfear of death now less, and I think God is now loosing the root of thedeep-grown tree of my soul so firmly fastened to this life. " Theminister told him, If it were so, he behoved to covenant with God indedicating himself and all he had to God and his service, to which heheartily consented, and after the minister had recited severalscriptures for that purpose, such as Psal. Lxxviii. 36. &c. He tookthe Bible, and said, Mark other scriptures for me, and he marked 2 Cor. V. Rev. Xxi. And xxii. Psal. Xxxviii. John xv. These places he turnedover, and cried often for one love blink, "O Son of God, for one sightof thy face. " When the minister told him his prayers were heard, he took hold of hishand and drew him to him, and said with a sigh, Good news indeed, anddesired him and others to tell him what access they had got to God inChrist for his soul, --They told him they had got access, at which herejoiced, and said, "Then will I believe and wait on, I cannot think butmy beloved is coming leaping over the hills. " When friends or others came to visit him, whom he knew feared God, hewould cause them go and pray for him, and sent some of them expresly tothe wood of Kenmuir on that errand. After some cool of a fever (as wasthought), he caused one of his attendants call for the minister, to whomhe said smiling, "Rejoice now, for he is come. O! if I had a tongue totell the world what Jesus Christ hath done for my soul. " And yet after all this, conceiving hopes of recovery, he became morecareless, remiss, and dead, for some days, and seldom called for theminister (though, he would not suffer him to go home to his flock), which his lady and others perceiving went to the physician, and askedhis judgment anent him. ----He plainly told them, There was nothing butdeath for him if his flux returned, as it did. This made the minister goto him and give him faithful warning of his approaching danger, tellinghim, his glass was shorter than he was aware of, and that Satan would beglad to steal his soul out of the world sleeping; this being seconded bythe physician, he took the minister by the hand, thanked him for hisfaithful and plain dealing, and acknowledged the folly of his deceivingheart in looking over his affection to this life when he was so fairlyonce on his journey toward heaven; then ordered them all to leave thechamber except the minister, and causing him to shut the door, heconferred with him anent the state of his soul. After prayer the minister told him, He feared that his former joy hadnot been well grounded, neither his humiliation deep enough, andtherefore desired him to dig deeper, representing his offence bothagainst the first and second table of the law, &c. Whereupon hislordship reckoned out a number of great sins, and, amongst the rest, freely confessed his sin in deserting the last parliament, saying, "Godknoweth I did it with fearful wrestling of conscience, my light payingme home within, when I seemed to be glad and joyful before men, &c. "The minister being struck with astonishment at this reckoning after suchfair appearance of sound marks of grace in his soul, stood up and readthe first eight verses in the 6th of the epistle to the Hebrews anddiscoursed thereon, then cited Rev. Xxi. _But the fearful andunbeliever_, &c. And told him he had not one word of mercy from the Lordto him, and so turned his back, at which he cried out with tears (thatthey heard him at some distance) saying, "God armed is coming against meto beat out my brains; I would die; I dare not die; I would live; I darenot live; O what a burthen is the hand of an angry God! Oh! what shall Ido! Is there no hope of mercy?" In this agony he lay for some time. Somesaid, The minister would kill him, --Others, He would make him despair. But he bore with them, and went to a secret place, where he soughtwords from God to speak to this patient. After this another minister came to visit him, to whom he said, "He hathslain me, " and before the minister could answer for himself said, "Nothe, but the Spirit of God in him. " The minister said, Not I, but the lawhath slain you, and withal told him of the process the Lord had againstthe house of Kenmuir. The other minister read the history of Manasseh, and of his wicked life, and how the Lord was intreated of by him. Butthe former minister[58] went still upon wrath, telling him, He knew hewas extremely pained both in body and mind, but what would he think ofthe lake of fire and brimstone, of everlasting burning and of utterdarkness with the devil and his angels. My lord answered, "Woe is me, ifI should suffer my thoughts to dwell upon it any time, it were enough tocause me go out of my senses, but I pray you, what shall I do?" Theminister told him he was still in the same situation, only the sentencewas not given out, and therefore desired him to mourn for offending God. And farther said, What, my lord, if Christ had given out the sentence ofcondemnation against you, and come to your bed-side and told you of it, would you not still love him, trust in him, and hang upon him? Heanswered, "God knoweth I durst not challenge him, howbeit he should slayme, I will still love him; yea though the Lord should slay me, yet willI trust in him, I will ly down at God's feet, let him trample upon me, Iwill die, if I die, at Christ's feet. " The minister, finding himclaiming kindness to Christ, and hearing him often cry, O Son of God, where art thou, when wilt thou come to me! Oh! for a love-look! said, Isit possible, my lord, that you can love and long for Christ, and he notlove and long for you? Can love and kindness stand only on your side? Isyour poor love more than infinite love, seeing he hath said Isa. Xlix. 15. _Can a woman forget_, &c. ? My lord, be persuaded yourself, you aregraven upon the palms of God's hands. Upon this, he, with a heartysmile, looked about to a gentleman (one of his attendants) and said, Iam written, man, upon the palms of Christ's hands, he will not forgetme, is not this brave talking. Afterwards the minister, finding him weaker, said, My lord, the marriageday is drawing near; make ready; set aside all care of your estate andthe world, and give yourself to meditation and prayer and spiritualconference. After that he was observed to be still upon that exercise, and when none were near him, he was found praying; yea, when toappearance sleeping, he was overheard to be engaged in that duty. Aftersome sleep, he called for one of his kinsmen with whom he was notreconciled, and also for a minister who had before offended him, thatthey might be friends again, which was done quickly. To the preacher hesaid, "I have ground of offence against you, as a natural man, and now Ido to you that which all men breathing could not have moved me to do;but now because the Holy Spirit commands me, I must obey, and thereforefreely forgive you as I would wish you to forgive me. You are in aneminent station, walk before God and be faithful to your calling; takeheed to your steps; walk in the right road; hold your eye right; for allthe world decline not from holiness; and take example by me. " To hiscousin he said, "Serve the Lord, and follow not the footsteps of yourfather-in-law" (for he had married the bishop of Galloway's daughter);"learn to know that you have a soul, for I say unto you the thousandthpart of the world know not that they have a soul: The world livethwithout any sense of God. " He desired the minister to sleep in a bed made upon the ground in thechamber by him, and urged him to take a sleep, saying, "You and I have afar journey to go; make ready for it. " Four nights before his death, hewould drink a cup of wine to the minister, who said, "Receive it, mylord, in hope you shall drink of the pure river of the water of life, proceeding from the throne of God and from the Lamb. " And when the cupwas in his hand, with a smiling countenance he said "I think I have goodcause to drink with a good will to you. " After some heaviness theminister said, "My lord, I have good news to tell you. ----Be not afraidof death and judgment, because the process that your Judge had againstyou is cancelled and rent in pieces, and Christ hath trampled it underhis feet. "----My lord answered with a smile, "Oh! that is a lucky tale, I will then believe and rejoice, for sure I am, that Christ and I oncemet, and will he not come again. " The minister said, "You have gottenthe first fruit of the Spirit, the earnest thereof, and Christ will notlose his earnest, therefore the bargain betwixt him and you holdeth. "Then he asked, What is Christ like, that I may know him? The ministeranswered, He is like love, and altogether lovely, Cantic. V. &c. The minister said, "My lord, if you had the man Christ in your arms, would your heart, your breast and sides be pained with a stitch?" Heanswered, "God knoweth I would forget my pain, and thrust him to myheart, yea if I had my heart in the palm of my hand I would give it tohim, and think it a gift too unworthy of him. " He complained of JesusChrist in coming and going--"I find, said he, my soul drowned inheaviness; when the Lord cometh he stayeth not long. " The minister said, "Wooers dwell not together, but married folk take up house and sundernot, Jesus Christ is now wooing and therefore he feedeth his own withhunger; which is as growing meat as the sense of his presence. " He saidoften, "Son of God, when wilt thou come; God is not a man that he shouldchance, or as the son of man that he should repent. Them that come toChrist he casteth not away, but raiseth them up at the last day. " He washeard to say in his sleep, "My beloved is mine, and I am his. " Beingasked if he had been sleeping? he said, he had, but he remembered he hadbeen giving a claim to Christ &c. He asked, "When will my heart beloosed and my tongue untied, that I may express the sweetness of thelove of God to my own soul;" and before the minister answered any thing, he answered himself, "Even when the wind bloweth. " At another time, being asked his judgment anent the ceremonies then usedin the church; he answered, "I think and am persuaded in my consciencethey are superstitious, idolatrous and antichristian, and come fromhell. I repute it a mercy that my eyes shall not see the desolation thatshall come upon this poor church. It is plain popery that is comingamong you. God help you, God forgive the nobility, for they are eithervery cold in defending the true religion, or ready to welcome popery, whereas they should resist; and woe be to a dead time-serving andprofane ministry. " He called his lady, and a gentleman come from the east country to visithim, and caused shut the door; then from his bed directed his speech tothe gentleman thus, "I ever found you faithful and kind to me in mylife, therefore I must now give you a charge which you shall deliver toall noblemen you are acquainted with; go through them and show themfrom me that I have found the weight of the wrath of God for not givingtestimony for the Lord my God, when I had occasion once in my life atthe last parliament, for which fault how fierce have I found the wrathof the Lord! My soul hath raged and roared; I have been grieved at theremembrance of it. Tell them that they will be as I am now, encourage myfriends that stood for the Lord; tell them that failed, if they wouldwish to have mercy when they are as I am, now, they must repent andcrave mercy of the Lord. For all the earth I would not do as I havedone. " To a gentleman one of his kinsmen, he said, "I love you soul and body, you are a blessed man if you improve the blessed means of the wordpreached beside you. I would not have you drown yourself so much withthe concerns of this world (as I did). My grief is, that I had not theoccasion of good means as you have, and if you yourself make not a rightuse of them, one day they shall be a witness against you, &c. " To Lord Herries his brother-in-law he said, "Mock not at my council, mylord. In case you follow the course you are in, you shall never see theface of Jesus Christ, you are deceived with the merchandise of the whorethat makes the world drunk out of the cup of her fornication; your soulis built upon a sandy foundation. When you come to my state, you willfind no comfort in your religion. You know not what wrestling I have hadbefore I came to this state of comfort. The kingdom of heaven is notgotten with a skip or leap, but with much, seeking and thrusting, &c. " To his own sister he said, "Who knows, sister, but the words of a dyingbrother may prevail with a loving sister. Alas; you incline to a rottenreligion; cast away these rotten rags, they will not avail you when youare brought to this case, as I am. The half of the world are ignorant, and go to hell, and know not that they have a soul. Read the Scriptures, they are plain easy language to all who desire wisdom from God, and tobe led to heaven. " To a gentleman, his neighbour, he said, "Your soul is in a dangerouscase, but you see it not. Leave these sinful courses. There are smallmeans of instruction to be had seeing the most part of the ministry areprofane and ignorant. Search God's word for the good old way, and searchand find out all your own ways. " To a gentleman his cousin he said, "You are a young man, and know notwell what you are doing. Seek God's direction for wisdom in youraffairs, and you shall prosper; and learn to know that you have need ofGod to be your friend. " To another cousin he said, "David, you are an aged man, and you know notwell what an account you have to make. I know you better than youbelieve, for you worship God according to men's devices; you believelies of God; your soul is in a dreadful case; and till you know thetruth you shall never see your own way aright. " To a young man his neighbour, "Because you are but young, beware oftemptation and snares; above all, be careful to keep yourself in the useof means; resort to good company, and howbeit you be named a puritan andmocked, care not for that, but rejoice, and be glad that they wouldadmit you to their society, for I must tell you, when I am at this pointin which you see me, I get no comfort to my soul from any other secondmeans under heaven, but from these who are nicknamed puritans; they arethe men that can give a word of comfort to a wearied soul in due season, and that I have found by experience. " To one of his natural sisters, "My dove, thou art young, and alasignorant of God. I know thy breeding and upbringing well enough, seekthe Spirit of regeneration. Oh! if thou knew it, and felt the power ofthe Spirit as I do now. Think not all is gone because your brother isdead. Trust in God, and beware of the follies of youth. Give yourself toreading and praying, and be careful in hearing God's word, and take heedwhom you hear, and how you hear, and God be with you. " To a minister he said, "Mr. James, it is not holiness enough to be aminister, for you ministers have your own faults, and those more heinousthan others. I pray you, be more painful in your calling, and take goodheed of the flock of God, know that every soul that perisheth by yournegligence, shall be counted to your soul, murdered before God. Takeheed in these dangerous days how you lead the people of God, and takeheed to your ministry. " To Mr. George Gillespie, then his chaplain, "You have carried yourselfdiscreetly to me, so that I cannot blame you. I hope you shall prove anhonest man; if I have been at any time harsh to you, forgive me. I wouldI had taken better heed to many of your words, I might have gotten goodby the means God gave me, but I made no use of them, &c. I am grievedfor my ingratitude against my loving Lord, and that I should have sinnedagainst him who came down from heaven to the earth for my cause, to diefor my sins; the sense of this love borne in upon my heart hath areflex, making me love my Saviour, and grip to him again. " To another kinsman he said, "Learn to use your time Well. Oh alas! theministry in this country are dead, God help you, ye are not led right, ye had need to be busy among yourselves. Men are as careless in thepractice of godliness as it were but words, fashions, signs and shews, but all these will not do the turn. Oh! but I find it hard now to trustin and take the kingdom of heaven by force. " To two neighbouring gentlemen he said, "It is not rising soon in themorning, and running to the park or stone-dyke, that will bring peace tothe conscience, when it comes to this part of the play. You know how Ihave been beguiled with this world, I would counsel you to seek that onething necessary, even the salvation of your souls, &c. " To a cousin, bailie of Ayr, he said, "Robert, I know you have light andunderstanding, and though you need not be instructed by me, yet you needbe incited. Care not over-much for the world, but make use of good meanswhich you have in your country, for here is a pack of dumb dogs thatcannot bark, they tell over a clash of terror, and clatter of comfortwithout any sense or life. " To a cousin and another gentleman who was along with him he said, "Yeare young men and have far to go, and it may be some of you have not farto go, and tho' your journey be short, howsoever it is dangerous. Noware you happy, because you have time to lay your accounts with JesusChrist. I intreat you to give your youth to Christ, for it is the bestand most acceptable gift you can give him. Give not your youth to thedevil and your lusts, and then reserve nothing to Jesus Christ but yourrotten bones, it is to be feared that then he will not accept you. Learntherefore to watch and take example by me. " He called Mr. Lamb, who was then bishop of Galloway, and commanding allothers to leave the room, he had a long conference with him, exhortinghim earnestly not to molest or remove the Lord's servants, or enthralltheir consciences to receive the five articles of Perth, or do anything against their consciences, as he would wish to have mercy fromGod. ----The bishop answered, "My lord, our ceremonies are, of their ownnature, but things indifferent, and we impose them for decency and orderin God's kirk. They need not stand so scrupulously on them as matter ofconscience in God's worship. "----My lord replied, "I will not disputewith you, but one thing I know and can tell you from dear experience, that these things indeed are matters of conscience, and not indifferent, and so I have found them. For since I lay on this bed, the sin that layheaviest on my soul, was withdrawing myself from the parliament, and notgiving my voice for the truth against these things which they callindifferent, and in so doing I have denied the Lord my God. " When thebishop began to commend him for his well-led life, putting him in hopesof health, and praised him for his civil carriage and behaviour, saying, He was no oppressor, and without any known vice;--he answered, "Nomatter, a man may be a good civil neighbour, and yet go to hell. "----Thebishop answered, "My lord, I confess we have all our faults, " andthereafter he insisted so long, that my lord thought him impertinent;this made him interrupt the bishop, saying, "What should I more, I havegot a grip of Jesus Christ, and Christ of me, &c. " On the morrow thebishop came to visit him, and upon asking how he did, he answered, Ithank God, as well as a saved man hastening to heaven can. After he had given the clerk of Kirkudbright some suitable advice anenthis Christian walk and particular calling, he caused him swear in themost solemn terms, that he should never consent to, but oppose theelection of a corrupt minister and magistrate. --And to his coachman hesaid, You will go to any one who will give you the most hire, but do notso, go where you can get the best company; though you get less wages, yet you will get the more grace. Then he made him hold up his hand, andpromise before God so to do. --And to two young serving-men, who came tohim weeping to get his last blessing, he said, Content not yourselveswith a superficial view of religion, blessing yourselves in the morningonly for a fashion, yea though you would pray both morning and evening, yet that will not avail you, except likewise ye make your account everyday. Oh! ye will find few to direct or counsel you; but I will tell youwhat to do, first pray to the Lord fervently to enlighten the eyes ofyour mind, then seek grace to rule your affections; you will find thegood of this when you come to my situation. Then he took both theiroaths to do so. He gave many powerful exhortations to several persons, and caused eachman to hold up his hand and swear in his presence that by God's gracethey should forbear their former sins and follow his counsel, &c. When giving a divine counsel to a friend, he rested in the midst of it, and looked up to heaven, and prayed for a loosened heart and tongue, toexpress the goodness of God to men, and thereafter went on in hiscounsel (not unlike Jacob, Gen. Xlix. 18. Who in the midst of aprophetical testament, rested a little and said, _I have waited for thysalvation. _) He gave his lady divers times openly an honourable and ample testimonyof holiness, goodness and respective kindness to him, and earnestlycraved her forgiveness wherein he had offended her, and desired her tomake the Lord her comforter, and said, He was but gone before, and itwas but fifteen or sixteen years up or down[59]. He spoke to all the boys of the house, the butler, cook, &c. Omittingnone, saying, Learn to serve and fear the Lord, and use carefully themeans of your salvation. I know what is ordinarily your religion, ye goto kirk, and when ye hear the devil or hell named in the preaching, yesigh and make a noise, and it is forgot by you before you come home, andthen ye are holy enough. But I can tell you, the kingdom of heaven isnot got so easily. Use the means yourself, and win to some sense of God, and pray as you can, morning and evening. If you be ignorant of the wayto salvation, God forgive you, for I have discharged myself in thatpoint towards you, and appointed a man to teach you, your blood be uponyourselves. He took an oath of his servants, that they should follow hisadvice, and said to them severally, If I have been tough to or offendedyou, I pray you for God's sake to forgive me; and amongst others one towhom he had been rough said, Your lordship never did me wrong, I willnever get such a master again. Yet he urged the boy to say, My lord, Iforgive you; howbeit the boy was hardly brought to utter these words. Hesaid to all the beholders about him, Sirs, behold, how low the Lord hathbrought me. To a gentleman burthened in his estate he said, "Sir, I counsel you tocast your burthen upon the Lord your God. "----A religious gentleman ofhis own name coming to visit him four days before his death, when hebeheld him he said, Robert, come to me and leave me not till I die. Being much comforted with his speeches, he said, Robert, you are afriend to me both in soul and body. --The gentleman asked him, Whatcomfort he had in his love towards the saints?--He answered, I rejoiceat it. --Then he asked him, What comfort he had in bringing the ministerwho attended him from Galloway? He answered, God knoweth that I rejoice, that ever he put it in my heart so to do, and now because I aimed atGod's glory in it, the Lord hath made me find comfort to my soul in theend; the ministers of Galloway murdered my father's soul, and if thisman had not come they had murdered mine also. Before his sister lady Herries, who was a papist, he testified hiswillingness to leave the world, That papists may see, said he, thatthose who die in this religion, both see and know whither they go, forthe hope of our father's house. When letters were brought him fromfriends, he caused deliver them to his lady, saying, "I have nothing todo with them. I had rather hear of news from heaven concerning myeternal salvation. " It was observed that when any came to him anent anyworldly business, before they were out of doors he was returned to hisspiritual exercises, and was exceeding short in dispatching all needfulwrites. He recommended the poor's case to his friends. Upon coming outof a fainting fit, into which his weakness had thrown him, he said witha smiling countenance to all about him, "I would not exchange my lifewith you all: I feel the smell of the place where I am going. " Upon Friday morning, the day of his departure from this life, he said, "This night must I sup with Jesus Christ in paradise. " The minister readto him 2 Cor. V. Rev. Xxii. And some observations on such places asconcerned his state. After prayer, he said, "I conceive good hopes thatGod looketh upon me when he granteth such liberty to pray for me. Is itpossible that Jesus Christ can lose his grip of me? neither can my soulget itself plucked from Jesus Christ. " He earnestly desired a sense ofGod's presence; and the minister said, What, my lord, if that besuspended, till you come to your own home, and be before the throneclothed in white, and get your harp in your hand, to sing salvation tothe Lamb, and to him that sitteth on the throne, for that is heaven; andwho dare promise it to you upon earth? There is a piece of nature indesiring a sense of God's love, it being an apple that the Lord'schildren delight to play with. But, my Lord, if you would have it onlyas a pledge of your salvation, we shall seek it from the Lord for you, and you may lawfully pray for it. --Earnest prayers were made for him, and he testified that he was filled with the sense of the Lord's love. Being asked, What he thought of the world? he answered, "It is morebitter than gall or wormwood. " And being demanded, if he now feareddeath, he answered, I have tasted death, now it is more welcome, themessenger of Jesus Christ, &c. The minister said, There is a process betwixt the Lord and your father'shouse, but your name is taken out of it. How dear was heaven bought foryou by Jesus Christ? he frequently said, "I know there is wrath againstit, but I shall get my soul for a prey. "----Oftimes he said, "It is asweet word God saith, _As I live, I delight not in the death of asinner. _ I will not let go the hold I have got of Jesus Christ; _thoughhe should slay me, yet will I trust in him. _" In deep meditation on his change, he put this question, What will Christbe like when he cometh? It was answered, Altogether lovely. Before hedied, he was heard praying very fervently, and said to the doctor, "Ithought to have been dissolved ere now. "--The minister said, Weary notof the Lord's yoke, Jesus Christ is posting fast to be at you, he iswithin a few miles. --He answered, This is my infirmity. I will wait on, he is worth the onwaiting, though he be long in coming, yet I dare sayhe is coming, leaping over the mountains and skipping over thehills. ----The minister said, Some have gotten their fill of Christ inthis life, howbeit he is often under a mask to his own. Even his bestsaints, Job, David, Jeremiah, &c. Were under desertions. --My lordsaid, But what are these examples to me? I am not in holiness near tothem. The minister said, It is true you cannot take so wide steps asthey did, but you are in the same way with them. A young child followethhis father at the back, though he cannot take such wide steps as he. --Mylord, your hunger overcometh your faith, only but believe his word;--youare longing for Christ, only believe he is faithful, and will comequickly. To which he answered, "I think it is time--Lord Jesus, come. " Then the minister said, My lord, our nature is anxious for our owndeliverance, whereas God seeketh first to be glorified in our faith, patience and hope. He answered, Good reason to be first served. Lord, give me to wait on; only, Lord, turn me not to dross. Another said, Cast back your eyes, my lord, on what you have received, and be thankful. --At the hearing of which he brake forth in praising ofGod, and finding himself now weak, and his speech failing more than anhour before his death, he desired the minister to pray. After prayer, the minister cried in his ear, "My lord, may you now sunder withChrist?" To which he answered nothing, nor was it expected that he wouldspeak any more. --Yet in a little the minister asked, Have you any senseof the Lord's love?--He answered, I have. The minister said, Do you nowenjoy?--He answered, I do enjoy. Thereafter he asked him, Will ye notsunder with Christ?----He answered, By no means:--This was his lastword, not being able to speak any more. The minister asked if he shouldpray, and he turned his eyes towards him. In the time of the last prayerhe was observed joyfully smiling and looking upward. He departed thislife about sun setting, September 12, 1634. Aged 35 years. It wasobserved, that he died at the same instant that the minister concludedhis prayer. Mr. Rutherford in one of his letters to the viscountess of Kenmuir alittle after the death of her husband, to comfort her, among otherthings lets fall this expression, "In this late visitation that hathbefallen your ladyship, ye have seen God's love and care in such ameasure, that I thought our Lord brake the sharp point of the cross, andmade us and your ladyship see Christ take possession and infestment uponearth, of him who is now reigning and triumphing with the hundred andforty and four thousand who stand with the Lamb on mount Zion, &c. " * * * * * Some may object, what did this nobleman for the cause of Christ, orScotland's covenanted work of reformation, that he should be insertedamong the Scottish worthies? To this it may be answered, What did themost eminent saint that ever was in Scotland, or any where else, untilthey were enabled by the grace of God. So it was with reference to him;for no sooner was he made partaker of this, than he gave a most ampleand faithful testimony for his truths and interest; and although theLord did not see it proper that he should serve him after this manner, in his day and generation, yet he no doubt accepted of the will for thedeed, and why should we not inroll his name among these worthies onearth, seeing he hath written his name among the living in Jerusalem. _The Life of Mr. ROBERT CUNNINGHAM. _ After Mr. Robert Cunningham had received a good education, he becamechaplain to the duke of Buccleugh's regiment in Holland, and wasafterward settled minister at Holywood in Ireland, sometime before Mr. Blair was settled at Bangor, and with whom Mr. Blair, after hissettlement in that place, contracted such an acquaintance as wascomfortable to them both. He applied himself close unto the work of the ministry, which no doubtto him was the most desireable of all employments, being in the pulpitin his own element, like a fish in the water, or bird in the air, alwaysjudging that therein a Christian might enjoy much fellowship with Christand have an opportunity of doing him the best of services, consideringwhat Christ said to Peter, John xxi. 15. &c. _Lovest thou me more thanthese----feed my lambs----feed my sheep. _ Here he continued to exercise his office as a faithful pastor over theflock to whom he was appointed overseer, until the time that several ofhis faithful brethren were deposed and ejected by the bishops, at whichtime the bishop of Down threatening Mr. Blair with a prosecution againsthim, Mr. Cunningham and some others; to whom Mr. Blair said, "Ye may dowith me and some others as you please, but if ever ye meddle with Mr. Cunningham your cup will be full, " and indeed he was longer spared thanany of the rest, which was a great benefit to their flocks, for whenthey were deposed, he preached every week in one or other of theirkirks. So with great pains both at home and abroad he wore out his bodywhich before was not very strong. When Mr. Blair and Mr. Livingston were summoned before the bishop to bedeposed, they went the night before their appearance, to take theirleave of Mr. Cunningham, but the next day as they were going to thechurch of Parphilips, he came up to them, whereat being surprised theyasked, Why he came thither? To which he answered, "All night I have beentroubled with that place, _at my first answer no man stood with me_, therefore I am come to stand by you. " But being the eye-sore of thedevil and the prelatical clergy in that part of the country, he couldnot be suffered long to exercise his ministry, and in August 1636, he, with other of his faithful brethren, was thrust out and deposed. Hecontinued mostly after this with the rest of his suffering brethren, until after the defeat of their enterprise to New-England, that theywere obliged to leave Ireland and come over to Scotland, and not longafter he took his last sickness in Irvine, whereof he soon after died. During his sickness, besides many other gracious expressions, he said, "I see Christ standing over death's head, saying, Deal warily with myservant, loose thou this pin, then that pin, for his tabernacle must beset up again. " The day before his death, the members of the presbytery of Irvine madehim a visit, whom he exhorted to be faithful to Christ and his cause, and to oppose the service-book (then pressed upon the church). "Thebishop, " said he, "hath taken my ministry from me, and I may say, mylife also, for my ministry is dearer to me than my life. " A littlebefore his departure, his wife sitting by his bed-side with his hand inhers, he did by prayer recommend the whole church of Ireland, the parishof Holywood, his suffering brethren in the ministry, and his children toGod, and withal added, "Lord, I recommend this gentlewoman to thee, whois no more my wife:"--and with that he softly loosed his hand from hers, and thrust it a little from him, at which she and several of the companyfell a-weeping, he endeavoured to comfort them with several graciousexpressions, and with the Lord's servant of old, mentioned, Acts xiii. 36. _Having served his own generation by the will of God, he fell onsleep_, March 27. 1637. Mr. Cunningham was a man mostly under deep exercises of mind, andalthough in public preaching he was to his own sense sometimes not soassisted as ordinarily, yet even then the matter he treated of wasedifying and refreshful, being still carried through with a full gale, using more piercing expressions than many others. For meekness he wasMoses-like, and in patience another Job, --"to my discerning (says one ofour Scots worthies[60]) he was the man, who most resembled the meeknessof Jesus Christ in all his carriage, that ever I saw, and was so farreverenced of all, even by the wicked, that he was often troubled withthat scripture, _Wo to you when all men speak well of you. _" _The Life of Mr. JAMES MITCHEL. _ He was son to James Mitchel of Dykes in the parish of Ardrossan, and wasborn about the year 1621. His father, being factor to the earl ofEglinton and a very religious man himself, gave his son a most liberaland religious education. ----For, being sent to the university of St. Andrews, when very young, he profited to such a degree, that by the timethat he was eighteen years of age he was made master of arts. After this he returned home to his father's house, where he studied fornear two years and a half, the Lord in a good measure blessing his painsand endeavours therein. Mr. Robert Bailie, then minister at Kilwinning, shewed him no small kindness, both by the loan of his books, by hiscounsel, and by superintending his studies. Thereafter he was called by the lady Houston to attend her eldest son atthe college, in which employment he continued other two years and ahalf, in the which time the Lord blessed his studies there exceedingly, and the great pains taken upon him by Mr. David Dickson (then professorof the university of Glasgow), Mr. Bailie and others, had such ablessing from heaven that he passed both his private and public trialsin order for the ministry to their great contentment. After he was licensed, he came west and preached in Kilwinning andStevenson, to the satisfaction of all who heard him, so that theyblessed God in his behalf, and were very hopeful of his great abilities. But before Martinmas 1643, he went back to Glasgow, where he bothattended his studies and his pupil. He preached some few times inGlasgow, wherewith all those who loved Christ, and his cause and gospelwere exceeding well pleased. At this time, Mr. Dickson, Mr. Bailie, andMr. Robert Ramsay having great hopes of his gifts in preaching told hisfather, that he had great reason to bless God for the gifts and gracesbestowed upon him above all their expectation, for besides these, theLord had taken him truly by the heart, and wrought graciously with hissoul. He had given himself much up to fasting and prayer, and the studyof the word of God and reading thereof was now become his delight. But the Lord having other thoughts concerning him, in a short time alltheir great expectations of him in the ministry were frustrated. For byhis extreme abstinence, drinking of water, and indefatigable pains, hecontracted that sickness, of which he died soon after. His body began tolanguish, his stomach to refuse all meat, and his constitution to alter. Mr. Dickson laid his condition much to heart (Mr. Bailie being atLondon) and kept him fifteen days with him; thereafter he went toHouston, and stayed as long there, where the lady and her daughtershewed more love and kindness than can be expressed, and that not onlyfor the care he had of her son, but also for the rare gifts and gracesGod had bestowed on him. His father having sent for them he returnedhome. ----The first night on his journey, he was with Ralston, and thelaird of Ducathall, being there occasionally, attended him all the restof the way homeward; for not being able to ride two miles together, hebehoved to go into a house to rest himself for an hour, such was hisweakly condition. After his arrival at home, he put on his clothes every day for fifteendays, and after that lay bedfast for ten weeks until the day of hisdeath, during which time the Lord was very merciful and gracious to him, both in an external and internal way. ----For his body by degrees dailylanguished till he became like a skeleton, and yet his face remainedever pleasant, beautiful and well-coloured, even to his last. The last five or six weeks he lived, there were always three or fourwaiting on him and sometimes more, yet they never had occasion to wearyof him, but were rather refreshed with every day's continuance, by themany wise, sweet and gracious discourses which proceeded out of hismouth. In the time of his sickness the Lord was graciously pleased to guard hismind and heart from the malice of Satan, so that his peace andconfidence in God was not much disturbed, or if the Lord was pleased tosuffer any little assault, it soon evanished. His feeling and sense wasnot frequent nor great, but his faith and confidence in God throughJesus Christ was ever strong, which he told his father divers times wasmore sure and solid than the other. He said, that the Lord before hissickness, had made fast work with him about the matters of his soul, andthat before that, he had been under sore exercises of mind, by the senseof his own guiltiness for a long time, before ever he had solid peaceand clear confidence, and often said, "Unworthy I and naughty I, amfreely beloved of the Lord, and the Lord knows, my soul dearly loves himback again. " And that the Lord knew his weakness to encounter with atemptation, and so out of tender compassion thus pitied him. He was also possest of all manner of patience and submission under allthis sore trouble, and never was heard to murmur in the least, but oftenthought his Master's time well worth the waiting on, and was frequentlymuch refreshed with the seeing and hearing of honest and graciousneighbours, who came to visit him, so that he had little reason withHeman to complain, Psal. Lxxxviii. 8. _Lovers and friends hast thou putfar from me, and mine acquaintance unto darkness. _ Among other of his gracious discoveries, he declaimed much againstunprudent speaking, wishing it might be amended, especially in youngscholars and young ministers, as being but the froth and vanity of thefoolish mind. Among other things he lamented the pride of many youngpreachers and students, by usurping priority of place, &c. Whichbecame them not, and exclaimed frequently against himself for his ownpractice, yet he said he was in the strength of God brought to mortifythe same. He frequently exhorted his parents to carry themselves to oneanother as the word of God required, and above all things to fear Godand delight in his word, and often said, That he dearly loved the bookof God, and sought them to be earnest in prayer, showing that it was anunknown thing, and a thing of another world, and that the influence ofprayer behoved to come out of heaven, therefore the Spirit ofsupplication must be wrestled for, or else all prayer would be butlifeless and natural, and said, That being once with the Lady Houstonand some country gentlemen at Bagles, the Spirit of prayer andsupplication was poured upon him, in such a powerful and lively manner, two several days before they went to dinner that all present were muchaffected, and shed tears in abundance, and yet at night he found himselfso emptied and dead that he durst not adventure to pray any at all thesetwo nights, but went to bed, and was much vexed and cast down, noneknowing the reason. By this he was from that time convinced that thedispensation and influence of spiritual and lively prayer came only fromheaven, and from no natural abilities that were in man. The laird of Cunningham coming to visit him (as he did frequently), heenumerated all the remarkable passages of God's goodness and providenceto him (especially since he contracted sickness), as in shewing infinitemercies to his soul, tender compassion towards his body and naturalspirits, patience and submission to his will without grudging, calmnessof spirit without passion, solid and constant peace within and without, &c. :--This is far beyond the Lord's manner of dealing with many of hisdear saints, &c. "Now Sir, think ye not but I stand greatly indebtedto the goodness and kindness of God, that deals thus graciously andwarmly with me every way;" and then he burst out in praise to God in asweet and lively manner. At another time, the laird being present, May 26, looking out of his bedto the sun shining brightly on the opposite side of the house, he said, "O what a splendor and glory will all the elect and redeemed saints haveone day, and O! how much more will the glory of the Creator be, whoshall communicate that glory to all his own, but the shallow thoughts ofsilly men are not able to conceive the excellency thereof, &c. " Again, Mr. Macqueen being present, his father inquired at him, Whereinour communion with God stood? He said, In reconciliation and peace withhim, which is the first effect of our justification, then there wasaccess and love to God, patience and submission to his will, &c. Thenthe Lord's manifestation of himself to us, as Christ says, John xiv. 21. See the 20th verse which he instanced. He said one morning to Hugh Macgaven and his father, "I am not afraid ofdeath, for I rest on infinite mercy, procured by the blood of the Lamb. "Then he spake as to himself, "Fear not, little flock, it is the Father'swill to give you the kingdom. Then he said, What are these who are ofthis little flock? Even sinners. I came not to call the righteous, butsinners to repentance;" but what kind of sinners? Only those who aresensible of sin and wrath, and see themselves to be lost, therefore, says Christ, "I came to seek and to save them who are lost. " There aretwo words here, seeking and saving; and who are these? Even those whoare lost bankrupts, who have nothing to pay. These are they whom Christseeks, and who are of his flock. To John Kyle another morning he said twice over, "My soul longeth forthe Lord more than they that watch for the morning. " And at anothertime, perceiving his father weeping, he said, "I cannot blame you tomourn, for I know you have thought that I might (with God's blessing)have proved a comfortable child to you, but comfort yourself in this, that ere it be long I will be at a blessed rest, and in a far betterstate than I can be in this life, free from sin and every kind ofmisery, and within a short time ye will follow after me. And in the meantime encourage yourself in the Lord, and let not your mourning be likethose who have no hope. The Lord by degrees will assuage your grief, forso he has appointed, else we would be swallowed up and come to nought, &c. For I could never have been removed out of this life in a moreseasonable time than now, having both the favour of God and man (beinghopeful that my name shall not be unsavoury when I am gone) for noneknoweth what affronts, grief and calamities I might fall into, had Ilived much longer in this life. ----And for crosses and trouble, howmight my life have been made bitter to me, for when I think whatopposition I might have ere I was an actual minister, by divisions ofthe people, the patron and the presbytery, it could not but overwhelmme, and then being entered, what a fighting life, with a stubbornpeople, might be my lot I know not, and then what discontentment I mighthave in a wife, (which is the lot of many an honest man, ) is uncertain, then cares, fears, straits of the world, reproaches of men, personaldesires and the devil and an evil world to fight with, these and manymore cannot but keep a man in a struggling state in this life. And nowlest this should seem a mere speculation, I could instance these thingsin the persons of many worthy men, I pass all, and only point out onewhose gifts and graces are well known to you, _viz. _ Mr. David Dickson, who I am sure, God has made the instrument of the conversion of manysouls, and of much good to the country, and yet this gracious person hasbeen tossed to and fro. --And you know that the Lord made him a graciousinstrument in this late reformation, and yet he has in a great measurebeen slighted by the state and the kirk also. What reason have I then tobless God, that in mercy is timeously removing me from all trouble, andwill make me as welcome to heaven as if I had preached forty years, forhe knows it was my intention (by his grace) to have honoured him in myministry, and seeing he has accepted the will for the deed, what reasonhave I to complain, for now I am willing and ready to be dissolved andto be with Christ, which is best of all, wherefore dear father, comfortyourself with this. " One time in conference concerning the sin in the godly, his father saidto him, "I am sure you are not now troubled with corruption, being sonear death. He answered, Ye are altogether deceived, for so long as myfoot remaineth on this earth, though the other were translated above theclouds, my mind would not be free of sinful motions. " Whereupon heregretted that he could not get his mind and his affections so liftedup, to dwell or meditate on God, his word, or that endless life, as hecould have wished, and that he could not find that spirituality byentertaining such thoughts of God's greatness and goodness as becamehim, and was often much perplexed with vain thoughts, but he wasconfident that the Lord in his rich mercy would pity and pass by thishis weakness and infirmity, &c. Some time before his death, he fell into several fainting fits, andabout ten or twelve days before his dissolution, he fell into one, andwas speechless near an hour, so that none present had any hopes that hewould again recover; but in the mean time, he was wrapt up in divinecontemplation. At last he began to recover, and his heart beingenlarged, he opened his mouth with such lively exhortations as affectedall present, and directing his speech to his father, he said, "Be glad, Sir, to see your son, yea, I say, your second son, made a crowned king. "And to his mother he said, "Be of good courage, and mourn not for wantof me, for ye will find me in the all-sufficiency of God. " Then he said, "O death, I give thee a defiance through Jesus Christ, " and then againhe said to on-lookers, "Sirs, this will be a blythe and joyfulgoodnight. " In the mean time Mr. Bell came in, to whom he said, "Sir, you are welcome to be witness to see me fight out my last fight. " Afterwhich he fell quiet, and got some rest. Within two days, Mr. Bell beingcome to visit him, he said, "O Sir, but I was glad the last night whenyou was here, when I thought to be dissolved, that I might have met withmy Master, and have enjoyed his presence for ever, but I was muchgrieved when I perceived a little reverting, and that I was likely tolive longer, &c. " To Mr. Gabriel Cunningham, when conferring about death and the manner ofdissolution, he said, "O! how sweet a thing it were, for a man to sleeptill death in the arms of Christ. "----He had many other lively andcomfortable speeches which were not remembered, the day never passing, in the time of his sickness, but the onwaiters were refreshed by him. The night before his departure, he was sensible of great pain, whereuponhe said, "I see it is true, that we must enter into heaven throughtrouble, but the Lord will help us through it. "--Then he said, "I havegreat pain, but mixed with great mercy and strong confidence. " He calledto mind that saying of Mr. John Knox on his death-bed, "I do not esteemthat pain, which will be to me an end of all trouble, and the beginningof eternal felicity. " His last words were these, "Lord, open the gates that I may enter in, "and a little after his father asked, What he was doing? Whereupon helifted up his hands, and caused all his fingers shiver and twinkle, andin presence of many honest neighbours he yielded up his spirit and wentto his rest a little after sun-rising, upon the 11th of June, 1643, being 23 years of age. Thus, in the bloom of youth, he ended his Christian warfare, and enteredinto the heavenly inheritance, a young man, but a ripe Christian. Therewere three special gifts vouchsafed to him by the Lord, a notableinvention, a great memory, with a ready expression. Among other fruits of his meditation and pains, he drew up a model ofand frame of preaching, which he intituled, The method of preaching. Many other manuscripts he left behind him, (as evidences of hisindefatigable labour) which if yet preserved in safe custody, might beof no small benefit to the public, as it appears that they have nothitherto been published. _The Life of Mr. ALEXANDER HENDERSON. _ When Mr. Alexander Henderson had passed his degrees at the universitywith great applause, he was by the bishop of St. Andrews, about the year1620, preferred to be minister of Leuchars, in the shire of Fyfe. Butbeing brought in there against the consent of that parish unto such adegree, that on the day of his ordination, the church-doors were shut sofast by the people, that they were obliged to break in by a window. And being very prelatical in his judgment at this time, until a littleafter, that upon the report of a communion to be in the neighbourhood, where Mr. Bruce was to be an helper, he went thither secretly, andplaced himself in a dark corner of the church, where he might not bereadily seen or known. When Mr. Bruce was come to the pulpit, he didfor some time keep silence (as his usual manner was) which did astonishMr. Henderson, but it astonished him much more, when he heard him beginwith these words, _He that entereth not in by the door, but climbethsome other way, the same is a thief and a robber_--which words, by theblessing of God, and the effectual working of the Holy Spirit, took suchhold on him at that very instant, and made such impressions on his heartafterward, as proved the very first mean of his conversion unto Christ. After this he became not only a most faithful and diligent minister ofthe gospel, but also a staunch presbyterian, and had a very active handin carrying on the covenanted work of reformation, from the year 1638, to the day of his death, and was among the very first who got a chargeof horning from the bishop of St. Andrews, for refusing to buy and usethe service-book, and book of canons then imposed by the king upon thechurch; which occasioned him and some others to give in severalpetitions and complaints to the council, both craving some mitigationtherein, and shewing the sinfulness thereof, for which and some otherconsiderations and overtures for relief, (mostly compiled by Mr. Henderson) they were by order of proclamation charged, withintwenty-four hours, to leave the town of Edinburgh under the pain ofrebellion. Again in the year 1638, when the national confession or covenant wasagreed upon and sworn unto by almost all ranks in the land, the marquisof Hamilton being sent by the king to suppress the covenanters, whohaving held several conferences with him to little or no purpose, atlast, he told them that the book of canons and liturgy should bedischarged, on condition they should yield up their covenants, whichproposition did not only displease them, but also made them morevigilant to support and vindicate that solemn deed. Whereupon Mr. Henderson was again set to work, and in a short time savoured the publicwith sufficient grounds and reasons why they could not recede from anypart of that covenant. Some time after this, the table (so called) which was erected atEdinburgh for carrying on the reformation, being sorry that the town andshire of Aberdeen, (excited by the persuasion of their doctors) stoodout and opposed the covenant and work of reformation, sent some earlswith Messrs. Henderson, Dickson and Cant, to deal with them once more, and to see if they could reclaim that town and country. ----But upontheir arrival there, they could have no access to preach in any church;whereupon the three ministers resolved to preach in the earl ofMarshal's close and hall as the weather favoured them. Accordingly theypreached by turns, Mr. Dickson preached in the morning to a verynumerous multitude, at noon Mr. Cant preached, and Mr. Hendersonpreached at night to no less an auditory than in the morning; and all ofthem pressed and produced arguments for subscribing the covenant; whichhad such effect upon the people, that, after public worship was over, about 500 persons subscribed the covenant, at one table there, of whomseverals were people of the best quality in that place. [61] And here one thing was very observable, that while Mr. Hendersonpreached, the crowd being very great, there were several mockers, andamong the rest, one John Logie a student threw clods at thecommissioners, but it was remarked, that within a few days after, hekilled one Nicol Torrie, a young boy, because the boy's father had beathim for stealing his pease, and though at that time he escaped justice, yet he was again taken and executed in the year 1644. Such was theconsequence of disturbing the worship of God, and mocking at theambassadors of Jesus Christ. In the same year, at that famous general assembly convened at Glasgow(where many of the nobility were present) Mr. Henderson, without onecontrary vote, was chosen moderator, when he did by solemn prayer, constitute that assembly _de novo_ in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ;for "among that man's other qualifications (saith Mr. Bailey) he had afaculty of grave, good and fervent prayer, which he exercised withoutfainting unto the end of that assembly[62]. " It was in the 20th session of this assembly, that Mr. Henderson themoderator, after a most pious and learned sermon (to a very greatauditory) from Psal. Cx. 1. _The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on myright hand_, &c. Did in a most grave and solemn manner, excommunicateand depose the bishops, according to the form published among theprinted acts of that assembly. In the 21st session, a supplication wasgiven in for liberty to transport him from Leuchars to Edinburgh, butthis he was unwilling to do, having been near eighteen years ministerthere. --He pled that he was now too old a plant to take root in anothersoil, &c. Yet, after much contest betwixt the two parties for someday, Edinburgh carried it by 75 votes, very much against his owninclination. However he submitted, on condition that when old age shouldovertake him, he should be again removed to a country charge. At theconclusion of this assembly he said, "We have now cast down the walls ofJericho (meaning prelacy) let him that buildeth them beware of the curseof Hiel the Bethelite, &c. " In the year 1639. He was one of those commissioned for the church, totreat upon the articles of pacification[63] with the king and hiscommissioners at Birks near Berwick, where he behaved with greatprudence and candor. And when the general assembly, the same year, satdown at Edinburgh, _August_ 12, Mr. Henderson (having been the formermoderator) preached to them from Acts v. 33 when _they heard that, theywere cut to the heart_, &c. Did towards the close of his discourse, address John earl of Traquair, his majesty's commissioner, in thesewords, --"We beseech your grace to see that Cæsar have his own, but lethim not have what is due to God, by whom kings reign. God hath exaltedyour grace unto many high places, within these few years, and is stilldoing so. Be thankful and labour to exalt Christ's throne. ----Some areexalted like Haman, some like Mordecai, &c. When the Israelites cameout of Egypt, they gave all the silver and gold they had carried thencefor the building of the tabernacle: in like manner, your grace mustemploy all your parts and endowments for the building up the church ofGod in this land, &c. " And to the members chosen, he said, "Right honourable, worshipful, andreverend, go on in your zeal and constancy: true zeal doth not cool, butthe longer it burns, the more fervent it will grow: if it shall pleaseGod that by your means the light of the gospel shall be continued, andthat you have the honour of being instrumental of a blessed reformation, it shall be useful and comfortable to yourselves and your posterity. Butlet your zeal be always tempered with moderation; for zeal is a goodservant but a bad master; like a ship that hath a full sail but norudder. We had much need of Christian prudence, for we know whatadvantage some have attempted to take of us this way. For this reasonlet it be seen to the world, that presbytery, the government we contendfor in the church, can consist very well with monarchy in the state;and thereby we shall gain the favour of our king, and God shall get theglory. " After this discourse and the calling of the commissions, Traquair desired that Mr. Henderson might be continued moderator. Whether this was to corroborate his master's design, or from a regard toMr. Henderson's abilities (as he himself professed) is not certain, butthe assembly opposed this as favouring too much of the constantmoderator, the first step taken of late to introduce prelacy; and no manopposed Traquair's motion more than Mr. Henderson himself, and by thatmeans it was over-ruled. Mr. Henderson was one of those ministers who went with the Scots army toEngland in the year 1640, every regiment having one of the most ableministers in the bounds where they were raised as chaplain, and when thetreaty was set on foot which began at Rippon, and ended at London, hewas also one nominated as commissioner for the church, the duties ofwhich he discharged with great prudence and advantage, and the very nextyear, he was, by the commission of the general assembly, authorized togo with lord Loudon, Warriston and Barclay, to the king, to importunehim to call his English parliament, as the only and best expedient toobtain an honourable and lasting peace; but his embassy had not thedesired effect. After his return, he was chosen moderator to the general assembly _anno_1643, and when the English commissioners, _viz. _ Sir William Armyn, SirHarry Vane the younger, Mr. Hatcher and Mr. Darly from the parliament, and two ministers, Mr. Stephen Marshal a presbyterian, and Philip Nye anindependent, from the general assembly of divines at Edinburgh, wherethe general assembly of the church of Scotland was then fitting, cravingtheir aid and counsel upon such an emergent occasion, he was among thefirst of those nominated as commissioners to go up to the parliament andassembly of England. And so in a little after, Mr. Henderson and Mr. Gillespie, with Mr. Hatcher and Mr. Nye, set out for London to get thesolemn league ratified there (the rest of the commissioners stayingbehind until it should be returned). Upon their arrival at London, andhaving received a warrant from the parliament to sit in the nextassembly (which warrant was presented by Mr. Henderson), the assemblysent out three of their number to introduce them; at their entry Dr. Twisse the prolocutor welcomed them unto the assembly, and complimentedthem for the hazard they had undergone on their account both by sea andland, in such a rigorous season (it being then November); after whichthey were led to a place the most convenient in the house, which theykept ever after[64]. Again in the year 1646, being sent down from London to attend the king, then with the Scots army at Newcastle, at which time the generalAssembly appointed also Messrs. Robert Blair, James Guthrie, RobertDouglas, and Andrew Cant, to wait on his majesty; here Mr. Hendersonofficiated for some time as his chaplain; and although he and Mr. Blair, of all the presbyterians were the best beloved of the king, yet theycould by no means prevail upon him to grant the first demand of hissubjects, yea, he obstinately refused, though they besought him on theirknees. In the interval of these affairs, a series of letters was continuedbetwixt the king, assisted by Sir Robert Murray on the one hand, and Mr. Henderson on the other; the one in defence of Episcopacy, and the otherof Presbytery, which were exchanged from the 10th of May to the midst ofJuly as each person was in readiness. But during this controversy, Mr. Henderson's constitution much worn outwith much fatigue and travel, he was obliged to break off an answer tothe king's last paper, and to return to Edinburgh, where, in a littletime after his arrival, he laid down his earthly tabernacle in exchangefor an heavenly crown, about the middle of August 1646. Some of the abettors of prelacy, sensible of his great abilities, wereearnestly desirous to bring him over to their side at his death[65], andfor that purpose palmed upon the world most groundless stories of hischanging his principles at his last hours; yea, the anonymous author ofthe civil wars of Great Britain goes farther, when he says, page 200. "Mr. Henderson had the honour to be converted by his majesty's discourseat Newcastle, and died reconciled to the church of England. " But fromthese false calumnies he hath been sufficiently vindicated a long timeago, by a declaration of the 9th act of the general assembly in 1648. See also Mr. Logan's letter in vindication of Mr. Henderson, from theseaspersions cast on him by Messrs. Sage and Ruddiman. Some time after his death a monument was erected on his grave in theGray-friar's church-yard of Edinburgh, in form of a quadrangular urn, inscribed on three sides; and because there was some mention thereon ofthe solemn league and covenant (or rather because Mr. Henderson had donemuch for and in behalf of the covenant), commissioner Middleton, sometime in the month of June or July 1662, stooped so low as to procure anorder of parliament, to raze and demolish said monument, which was allthe length their malice could go against a man who had been near sixteenyears in his grave. Hard enough, if he had died in the prelaticalpersuasion, from those who pretended to be the prime promoters of thesame[66]. Mr. Henderson was a man who spared no pains in carrying on the work ofreformation in that period. ----For whether he was called forth tochurch-judicatories, to the pulpit, or any other business, no trouble ordanger could make him decline the work. One of his colleagues andintimate acquaintances give him no mean testimony, when he says, "May Ibe permitted to conclude with my earnest wish, that that glorious soulof worthy memory, who is now crowned with the reward of all his laboursfor God and us, may be fragrant among us as long as free and pureassemblies remain in this land, which, I hope, shall be to the coming ofour Lord. You know he spent his strength, wore out his days, and that hedid breathe out his life in the service of God, and of this church; thisbinds it on us and posterity, to account him the fairest ornament afterMr. John Knox of incomparable memory, that ever the church of Scotlanddid enjoy[67]. " Beside the forenamed papers, with another intitled the remonstrance ofthe nobility, &c. A tract on church government, and an instruction fordefensive arms, &c. The general assembly appointed him, Mr. Calderwoodand Mr. Dickson, to prepare a directory for the worship of God, whichnot only had the desired effect, but at length brought about uniformityin all our churches. There are also some few of his sermons in print, some of which were preached before the parliament. _The Life of Mr. GEORGE GILLESPIE. _ Mr. George Gillespie was son to Mr. John Gillespie, sometime minister ofthe gospel at Kirkaldy. After Mr. George had been some time at theuniversity (where he surpassed the most part of his fellow-students) hewas licensed to preach some time before the year 1638, but could have noentry into any parish because the bishops had then the ascendant in theaffairs of the church. This obliged him to remain for some timechaplain[68], in the family of the earl of Cassils. ----And here it was, that he wrote that elaborate piece (though he was scarce twenty-fiveyears of age) intitled, a dispute against the English popish ceremonies, &c. Which book was, in the year 1637, discharged, by order ofproclamation, to be used, as being of too corrosive a quality to bedigested by the bishops weak stomachs. After this he was ordained minister of Weemes, by Mr. Robert Douglas, _April 26, 1638_, being the first who was admitted by a presbytery inthat period, without an acknowledgment of the bishops. ----And now Mr. Gillespie began in a more public way to exert himself in defence of thepresbyterian interest, when at the 11th session of that venerableassembly held at Glasgow 1638, he preached a very learned and judicioussermon from these words, _The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord_, &c. In which sermon, the earl of Argyle thought that he touched theroyal prerogative too near, and did very gravely admonish the assemblyconcerning the same, which they all took in good part, as appeared froma discourse then made by the moderator for the support of thatadmonition. At the general assembly held at Edinburgh 1641, Mr. Gillespie had a calltabled from the town of Aberdeen, but the lord commissioner and himselfhere pled his cause so well, that he was for sometime continued atWeemes----Yet he got not staying there long, for the general assembly inthe following year ordered him to be transported to the city ofEdinburgh, where it appears he continued until the day of his death, which was about six years after. Mr. George Gillespie was one of those four ministers who were sent ascommissioners from the church of Scotland to the Westminster assembly inthe year 1643, where he displayed himself to be one of great parts andlearning, debating with such perspicuity, strength of argument, andcalmness of spirit, that few could equal, yea none excel him, in thatassembly. ----As for instance, One time when both the parliament and theassembly were met together, and a long studied discourse being made infavours of Erastianism to which none seemed ready to make an answer, andMr. Gillespie being urged thereunto by his brethren the Scotscommissioners, repeated the subject-matter of the whole discourse, andrefuted it, to the admiration of all present, --and that which surprisedthem most was, that though it was usual for the members to take downnotes of what was spoken in the assembly for the help of their memory, and that Mr. Gillespie seemed to be that way employed during the time ofthat speech unto which he made answer, yet those who sat next himdeclared, that having looked into his note-book, they found nothing ofthat speech written, but here and there, "Lord, defend thinelight, ----Lord, give assistance, ----Lord, defend thine own cause, &c. " And although the practice of our church gave all our Scots commissionersgreat advantages (the English divines having so great a difference) thatthey had the first forming of all these pieces[69] which were afterwardcompiled and approved of by that assembly, yet no one was more usefulat supporting them therein than Mr. Gillespie the youngest ofthem. ----"None (says one of his colleagues who was there present) in allthe assembly, did reason more, nor more pertinently, than Mr. Gillespie, --he is an excellent youth, my heart blesses God in hisbehalf. " Again, when Acts xvii. 28. Was brought for the proof of thepower of ordination, and keen disputing arose upon it, "The very learnedand accurate Gillespie, a singular ornament to our church, than whom notone in the assembly spoke to better purpose, nor with better acceptanceof all the hearers, shewed that the Greek word of purpose, by theEpiscopals, translated ordination, was truly choosing, importing thepeople's suffrage in electing their own office-bearers. " And elsewheresays, "We get good help in our assembly debates of lord Warriston (anoccasional commissioner), but of none more than that noble youth Mr. Gillespie. I admire his gifts, and bless God, as for all my colleagues, so for him in particular, as equal in these to the first in theassembly[70]. " After his return from the Westminster assembly, he was employed mostlyin the public affairs of the church, until the year 1648, when he waschosen moderator to the general assembly, in which assembly severalfamous acts were made in favour of the covenanted work of reformation, particularly that against the unlawful engagement then made againstEngland by the duke of Hamilton, and those of the malignant faction. Inthis assembly, he was one of these nominated to prosecute the treaty ofuniformity in religion with England, but in a short time after this, thesickness seized him, whereof he died about the 17th of Decemberfollowing. Says Mr. Rutherford to him in a letter when on his death bed; "Be notheavy, the life of faith is now called for; doing was never reckoned onyour accounts (though Christ in and by you hath done more then bytwenty, yea, an hundred grey haired and godly pastors. ) Look to thatword, Gal. Ii. 20. _Nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ livethin me_, &c. " In his life-time he was always firmly attached to the work ofreformation, and continued so to the end of his life. --For about twomonths before his decease, he sent a paper to the commission of thegeneral assembly, wherein he gave faithful warning against every sin andbacksliding that he then perceived to be on the growing hand both inchurch and state, and last of all, he emitted the following faithfultestimony against association and compliance with the enemies of truthand true godliness, in these words. "Seeing now in all appearance, the time of my dissolution draweth near, although I have, in my latter will, declared my mind of public affairs, yet I have thought good to add this further testimony, that I esteem themalignant party in these kingdoms to be the seed of the Serpent, enemiesto piety and presbyterial government (pretend what they will to thecontrary), a generation who have not set God before them. With themalignant are to be joined the profane and scandalous, from all which, as from heresy and error, the Lord, I trust, is about to purge hischurch. I have often comforted myself (and still do) with the hopes ofthe Lord's purging this polluted land. Surely the Lord hath begun andwill carry on that great work of mercy, and will purge out the rebels. Iknow there will be always a mixture of hypocrites, but that cannotexcuse the conniving at gross and scandalous sinners, &c. I recommendto them that fear God, seriously to consider, that the holy scripturesdo plainly hold forth, 1. That the helping of the enemies of God, joining or mingling with wicked men is a sin highly displeasing. 2. Thatthis sin hath ordinarily insnared God's people into divers other sins. 3. That it hath been punished of God with grievous judgments. And, 4. That utter destruction is to be feared, when a people, after greatmercies and judgments, relapse into this sin, Ezra ix. 13, 14. "Upon these and the like grounds, for my own exoneration, that sonecessary a truth want not the testimony of a dying witness of Christ, altho' the unworthiest of many thousands, and that light may be heldforth, and warning given, I cannot be silent at this time, but speak bymy pen when I cannot by my tongue, yea now also by the pen of anotherwhen I cannot by my own, seriously, and in the name of Jesus Christ, exhorting and obtesting all that fear God, and make conscience of theirways, to be very tender and circumspect, to watch and pray, that he benot ensnared in that great and dangerous sin of compliance withmalignant or profane enemies of the truth, &c. Which if men will do, and trust God in his own way, they shall not only not repent it, but tothe greater joy and peace of God's people, they shall see his work go onand prosper gloriously. In witness of the premises, I have subscribedthe same. At Kircaldy December 5th, 1648, before these witnesses, &c. "And in about two days after, he gave up the ghost, death shutting hiseyes, that he might then see God, and be for ever with him. Thus died Mr. George Gillespie, very little past the prime of life. Apregnant divine, a man of much boldness, and great freedom ofexpression, He signalized himself on every occasion where he was calledforth to exercise any part of his ministerial function. No man's death, at that time, was more lamented than his, and such was the sense thepublic had of his merit, that the committee of estates, by an act datedDecember 20th, 1648, did, "as an acknowledgment for his faithfulness inall the public employments entrusted to him by this church, both at homeand abroad, his faithful labours and indefatigable diligence in all theexercises of his ministerial calling, for his master's service, and hislearned writings published to the world, in which rare and profitableemployments, both for church and state, he truly spent himself, andclosed his days, --ordain, That the sum of one thousand pounds sterlingbe given to his widow and children, &c. " And though the parliamentdid, by their act dated June 8th, 1650, unanimously ratify the aboveact, and recommended to their committee, to make the same effectual;yet, the Usurper presently over-running the country, this good designwas frustrated, as his grandson the Rev. Mr. George Gillespie ministerat Strathmiglo did afterwards declare[71]. Besides the English popish ceremonies already mentioned, he wrote alsoAaron's rod blossoming, &c. And his miscellany questions first printed1649, all which with the forecited testimony and some other papers, shewthat he was a man of most profound parts, learning and abilities. _The Life of Mr. JOHN M'CLELLAND. _ Mr. John M'Clelland having gone through several branches of usefullearning, kept a school for some time at Newton in Ireland, where hebecame instrumental in training up several hopeful young men for theuniversity. Afterwards he was tried and approven of by the honestministers in the county of Down, and being licensed, he preached intheir churches, until (among others) for faithfulness, he was deposedand excommunicated by the bishops. He was also engaged with the rest of his faithful brethren in theirintended voyage to New England in the year 1636, but that enterpriseproving abortive (by reason of a storm which forced them to return backto Ireland), he preached for some time through the counties of Down, Tyron and Dunnegal in private meetings, till being pursued by thebishop's official, he was obliged to come over in disguise to Scotland, where about the year 1638, he was admitted minister at Kirkcudbright, inwhich place he continued until the day of his death. It would appear that he was married to one of Mr. Livingston's wife'ssisters, and the strictest friendship subsisted betwixt these two worthymen, both while in Ireland, and after their return to Scotland. While hewas minister at Kirkcudbright, he discovered more than ordinarydiligence, not only in testifying against the corruptions of the time, but also for his own singular walk and conversation, being one who wasset for the advancement of all the practical parts of religion, and thatas well in private duties as in public. ----For instance, When Mr. HenryGuthrie then minister at Stirling (but afterwards bishop of Dunkeld), thought to have brought in a complaint to the general assembly 1639, against private society meetings (which were then become numerousthrough the land), yet some of the leading members, knowing that Mr. Guthrie did it partly out of resentment against the laird of Leckie (whowas a great practiser and defender of these meetings), thought proper, rather than it should come to the assembly, to yield that Mr. Guthrieshould preach up the duty of religious exercise in families, and thatMessrs. M'Clelland, Blair and Livingston should preach againstnight-meetings (for they were so called then because mostly kept in thenight) and other abuses, but these brethren endeavoured by conference togain such as had offended by excess in this matter, but by no meanscould be prevailed with to preach against them, which so offended Mr. Guthrie, that he gave in a charge or complaint to the general assembly1640, wherein he alledged these three ministers were the onlyencouragers of these meetings, Mr. M'Clelland roundly took him up, andcraved that a committee might be appointed to try these disorders, andto censure the offenders, whether those complained of or thecomplainers, which so nettled Mr. Guthrie, the earl of Seaforth andothers of their fraternity, that nothing was heard in the assembly forsometime for confusion and noise stirred up by them. Mr. M'Clelland was also one who was endued with the Spirit of discerningwhat should afterwards come to pass, as is evident from some of hisprophetical expressions, particularly that letter which he wrote to JohnLord of Kirkcudbright dated February 20th, 1649, a little before hisdeath, an abstract of which may not be improper, and is as follows, "_My noble Lord_, "I have received yours, and do acknowledge my obligation to yourlordship is redoubled. I long much to hear what decision followed onthat debate concerning patronages[72]. Upon the most exact trial theywill be found a great plague to the kirk, an obstruction to thepropagation of religion. I have reason to hope that such a wise andwell-constitute parliament will be lothe to lay such a yoke upon thechurches, of so little advantage to any man, and so prejudicial to thework of God as hath been many times represented. Certainly the removingit were the stopping the way of simony, except we will apprehend thatwhole presbyteries will be bribed for patronage. I can say no more butwhat Christ said to the Pharisees. It was not so from the beginning, theprimitive church knew nothing of it. "But as for their pernicious disposition to a rupture among sectaries, Ican say nothing to them, only this, I conclude their judgment sleepsnot: _Shall they escape, shall they break the covenant, and bedelivered?_ &c. Ezek. Xvii. 16, &c. Which I dare apply to England, Ihope, without wresting of scripture, _And therefore thus saith the LordGod, as I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenantthat he hath broken, even it will I recompense on his own head_, &c. This covenant was made with Nebuchadnezzar, the matter was civil, butthe tie was religious, wherefore the Lord owns it as his covenant, because God's name was invoked and interponed in it, and he callsEngland to witness. England's covenant was not made with Scotland only, but with the high and mighty God, principally for the reformation of hishouse, and it was received in the most solemn manner that I have heard, so that they may call it God's covenant both formally and materially;and the Lord did second the making of it with more than ordinary successto that nation. Now it is manifestly despised and broken in the sight ofall nations, therefore it remains that the Lord avenge the quarrel ofhis covenant[73]. ----England hath had to do with the Scots, French, Danes, Picts, Normans and Romans, but they never had such a party todeal with as the Lord of armies, pleading for the violation of hiscovenant, &c. Englishmen shall be made spectacles to all nations for abroken covenant, when the living God swears, _As I live, even thecovenant that he hath despised, and the oath that he hath broken will Irecompense upon his own head. _ There is no place left for doubting. _Hath the Lord said it_, hath the Lord sworn it? _and will he not doit?_ His assertion is a ground for faith, his oath a ground of fullassurance of faith, if all England were as one man united in judgmentand affection, and if it had a wall round about it reaching to the sun, and if it had as many armies as it has men, and every soldier had thestrength of Goliah, and if their navies could cover the ocean, and ifthere were none to peep out or move the tongue against them, yet I darenot doubt of their destruction, when the Lord hath sworn by his life, that he will avenge the breach of covenant. When, and by whom, and inwhat manner, he will do it, I do profess ignorance, and leave it to hisglorious majesty, his own latitude, and will commit it him, &c. "My lord, I live and will die, and if I be called home before that time, I am in the assured hopes of the ruin of all God's enemies in the land, so I commit your lordship and your lady to the grace of God. JOHN M'CLELLAND. " A very little after he wrote this letter, in one of his sermons heexprest himself much to the same purpose, thus, "The judgments ofEngland shall be so great, that a man shall ride fifty miles through thebest plenished parts of England, before they hear a cock crow, a dogbark, or see a man's face. " Also he further asserted, "That if he hadthe best land of all England, he would make sale of it for two shillingsthe acre, and think he had come to a good market[74]. " And although thismay not have had its full accomplishment as yet, yet there is ground tobelieve that it will be fulfilled, for the Lord will not alter the wordthat is gone out of his mouth. Mr. M'Clelland continued near twelve years at Kirkcudbright. About theyear 1650, he was called home to his Father's house, to the fullfruition of that which he had before seen in vision. He was a man most strict and zealous in his life, and knew not what itwas to be afraid of any man in the cause of God, being one who was mostnearly acquainted with him, and knew much of his Master's will. Surelythe Lord doth nothing but what he revealeth to his servants theprophets. A little before his death he made the following epitaph on himself. Come, stingless death, have o'er, lo! here's my pass, In blood character'd, by his hand who was And is and shall be. Jordan cut thy stream, Make channels dry. I bear my Father's name Stampt on my brow. I'm ravish'd with my crown. I shine so bright, down with all glory, down, That world can give. I see the peerless port, The golden street, the blessed soul's resort, The tree of life, floods gushing from the throne Call me to joys. Begone, short woes, begone, I lived to die, but now I die to live, I do enjoy more than I did believe. The promise me unto possession sends, Faith in fruition, hope, in having, ends. _The Life of Mr. DAVID CALDERWOOD. _ Mr. David Calderwood, having spent some time at the grammar-school, wentto the university to study theology, in order for the ministry, whereafter a short space, being found fit for that office, he was mademinister at Crelling near Jedburgh, where, for some considerable time, he preached the word of God with great wisdom, zeal and diligence, andas a faithful wise harvest man, brought in many sheaves into God'sgranary. But it being then a time, when prelacy was upon the advance inthe church, and faithful ministers every where thrust out andsuppressed, he, among the rest, gave in his declinature in the year1608, and thereupon took instruments in the hands of James Johnstonnotary public, in presence of some of the magistrates and council of thetown, whereupon, information being sent to the king by the bishops, adirection was sent down from him to the council, to punish him (andanother minister who declined) exemplarily, but by the earnest dealingof the earl of Lothian with the chancellor in favours of Mr. Calderwood, their punishment resolved only in a confinement within their own parish, &c. Here he continued until June 1617, that he was summoned to appear beforethe high commission court at St. Andrews, upon the 8th of Julyfollowing. Being called upon (the king being present) and his libel readand answered, the king among other things said, "What moved you toprotest?"----"An article concluded among the lords of the articles, " Mr. David answered. "But what fault was there in it, " said the king. ----"Itcutteth off our general assemblies, " answered Mr. Calderwood. The king, having the protestation[75] in his hand, challenged him for some wordsof the last clause thereof. ----He answered, "Whatsoever was the phraseof speech, they meant no other thing but to protest, that they wouldgive passive obedience to his majesty, but could not give activeobedience unto any unlawful thing which should flow from that article. ""Active and passive obedience!" said the king. --"That is, we will rathersuffer than practise, " said Mr. David. "I will tell thee, said the king, what is obedience man, ----What the centurion said to his servant, _Tothis man, Go, and he goeth, and to that man, Come, and he cometh_, thatis obedience. "----He answered, "To suffer, Sir, is also obedience, howbeit not of the same kind, and that obedience was not absolute butlimited with exception, of a countermand from a superior power. " "I aminformed, said the king, ye are a refractor, the bishop of Glasgow yourordinary, and bishop of Caithness the moderator and your presbytery, testify ye have kept no order, ye have repaired to neither presbyterynor synod, and are no way conform. " He answered, "I have been confinedthese eight or nine years, so my conformity or non-conformity in thatpoint could not well be known. " "Gude faith, thou art a very knave, "said the king, "see these same false puritans, they are ever playingwith equivocations. "--The king asked, If he was relaxed if he would obeyor not?--He answered, "I am wronged, in that I am forced to answer suchquestions, which are besides the libel, &c. " after which he wasremoved. When called in again, it was intimated to him, that if he did notrepair to synods and presbyteries between this and October, conform inthe time, and promise obedience in all time coming, the bishop ofGlasgow was to deprive him. Then Mr. David begged leave to speak to thebishops, which being granted, he reasoned thus, "Neither can ye suspendor deprive me, in this court of high commission, for ye have no power inthis court, but by commission from his majesty; his majesty cannotcommunicate that power to you, which he claims not to himself. " At whichthe king wagged his head, and said to him, "Are there not bishops andfathers in the church, &c. Persons clothed with power and authority tosuspend and depose. "--"Not in this court, " answered Mr. Calderwood. Atwhich word there arose a confused noise, so that he was obliged toextend his voice, that he might be heard. In the end the king asked him, If he would obey the sentence?--To which he answered, Your sentence isnot the sentence of the kirk, but a sentence null in itself, andtherefore I cannot obey it. At which some reviling called him proudknave. Others were not ashamed to shake his shoulders in a most insolentmanner, till at last he was removed a second time. Being again called in, the sentence of deprivation was pronounced, andhe ordained to be committed to close ward in the tolbooth of St. Andrews, till afterward that farther orders were taken for hisbanishment, after which he was upbraided by the bishop, who said, Thathe deserved to be used as Ogilvy the Jesuit who was hanged. When hewould have answered, the bishops would not allow him, and the king, in arage, cried, Away with him:--And lord Scoone taking him by the arm, ledhim out, where they staid some time waiting for the bailiffs of thetown. In the mean time Mr Calderwood said to Scoone, "My lord, this isnot the first like turn that hath fallen into your hands. "----"I mustserve the king, " said Scoone. And to some ministers then standing by hesaid, "Brethren, ye have Christ's cause in hand at this meeting, be notterrified with this spectacle, prove faithful servants to your master. "Scoone took him to his house till the keys of the tolbooth were had. Bythe way one demanded, "Whither with the man, my lord?"----"First to thetolbooth, and then to the gallows, " said Scoone. He was committed close prisoner, and the same afternoon a charge wasgiven to transport him to the jail of Edinburgh. After the charge, hewas delivered to two of the guard to be transported thither, althoughseverals offered to bail him, that he might not go out of the country. But no order of council could be had for that end, for the king had adesign to keep him in close ward till a ship was ready to convey himfirst to London and then to Virginia, but providence had orderedotherwise, for upon several petitions in his behalf he was liberate outof prison, upon lord Cranston's being bail that he should depart out ofthe country. After this Mr. Calderwood went with lord Cranston to the king atCarlisle, where the said lord presented a petition to him, that Mr. David might only be confined to his parish, but the king inveighedagainst him so much, that at last he repulsed Cranston with his elbow. He insisted again for a prorogation of time for his departure till thelast of April, because of the winter season, that he might have leisureto get up his years stipend. --The king answered, Howbeit he begged itwere no matter, he would know himself better the next time, and for theseason of the year, if he drowned in the seas, he might thank God thathe had escaped a worse death. Yet Cranston being so importunate for theprorogation, the king answered, I will advise with my bishops. Thus thetime was delayed until the year 1619, that he wrote a book called PerthAssembly, which was condemned by the council in the month of Decemberthat same year, --but as he himself says[76], Neither the book nor theauthor could be found, for in the month of August preceding, he hadembarked for Holland. During his abode there, one Patrick Scot a landed gentleman nearFalkland, having wasted his patrimony, had no other means to recover hisstate, but by some unlawful shift at court, and for that end in the year1624, he set forth a recantation under the name of a banished minister, _viz. _ Mr. David Calderwood, who, because of his long sickness before, was supposed by many to have been dead. The king (as he had alledged tosome of his friends) furnished him with the matter, and he set it downin form. This project failing, he went over to Holland, and sought Mr. Calderwood in several towns, particularly in Amsterdam, in the month ofNovember, in order to dispatch him, as afterward appeared. After he hadstayed twenty days in Amsterdam, making all the search he could, he wasinformed that Mr. Calderwood had returned home privately to his nativecountry, which frustrated his intention. ----After the death of kingJames he put out a pamphlet full of this, intitled _vox vera_, and yetnotwithstanding of all his wicked and unlawful pursuits, he died soonafter, so poor, that he had not wherewith to defray the charges of hisfuneral. Mr. Calderwood, being now returned home after the death of king James, remained as private as possible, and was mostly at Edinburgh (where hestrengthened the hands of non-conformists, being also a great opposer ofsectarianism) until after the year 1638, that he was admitted ministerat Pancaitland in East Lothian. He contributed very much to the covenanted work carried in that period;for first he had an active hand in drawing up several excellent papers, where were contained the records of church-policy betwixt the year 1576and 1596, which were presented and read by Mr. Johnston the clerk at thegeneral assembly at Glasgow _anno_ 1638, as also by recommendation ofthe general assembly 1646, he was ordered to consider the order of thevisitation of kirks, and trials of presbyteries, and to make reportthereof unto the next general assembly; and likewise at the generalassembly 1648, a further recommendation was given him to draw a draughtof the form of visitation of particular congregations, against the nextassembly; and was also one of those appointed with Mr. David Dickson, todraw up the form of the directory for the public worship of God, by thegeneral assembly 1643[77]. After he had both spent and been spent, with the apostle, for the causeand interest of Jesus Christ, when the English army lay at Lothian_anno_ 1651, he went to Jedburgh, where he sickened and died in a goodold age. He was another valiant champion for the truth, who, in pleadingfor the crown and interest of Jesus Christ, knew not what it was to bedaunted by the face and frowns of the highest and most incensedadversaries. Before he went to Holland, he wrote the book intitled, Perth Assembly. While in Holland he wrote that learned book called, _Altare Damascenum_with some other pieces in English, which contributed somewhat to keepmany straight in that declining period. After his return he wrote thehistory of our church as far down as the year 1625, of which theprinted copy that we have is only a short abstract of that large writtenhistory, which both as to the stile and the manner wherein it isexecuted, is far preferable to the printed copy; and whoever comparesthe two or the last with his _Altare Damascenum, _ both of which are yetin the hands of some, will readily grant the truth of this assertion;and yet all this derogates nothing from the truth of the facts reportedin the printed copy, and therefore no offence need be taken at theinformation, that there is a more full and better copy than is yetextant. See the note on the 78th page of Mr. Livingston's life andmemorable characteristics, &c. _The Life of Mr. HUGH BINNING. _ He was son to John Binning of Dalvennan, and Margaret M'Kell daughter ofMr. Matthew M'Kell minister at Bothwel, and sister to Mr. Hugh M'Kellone of the ministers of Edinburgh, His father's worldly circumstanceswere so good (being possest of no inconsiderable estate in the shire ofAyr), that he was enabled to give his son Hugh a very liberal education, the good effects of which appeared very early upon him;--for thegreatness of his spirit and capacity of judgment, gave his parents goodgrounds to conceive the pleasing hopes of his being a promising child. When he was at the grammar-school, he made so great proficiency in theknowledge of the Latin tongue, and the Roman authors, that heout-stripped his fellow-scholars, even such as were by some years olderthan himself. When they went to their diversions he declined theirsociety, and choosed to employ himself either in secret duty with God, or conference with religious people, thinking time was too precious tobe lavished away in these things. He began to have sweet familiaritywith God, and to live in near communion with him, before others beganseriously to lay to heart their lost and undone state and condition bynature, &c. So that before he arrived at the 13th or 14th year of hisage, he had even attained to such experience in the way of God, that themost judicious and exercised Christians in the place confessed they weremuch edified, strengthened and comforted by him, nay that he provokedthem to diligence in the duties of religion, being abundantly sensiblethat they were much out-run by such a youth. Before he was fourteen years of age, he entered upon the study ofphilosophy in the university of Glasgow, wherein he made a veryconsiderable progress, by which means he came to be taken notice of inthe college by the professors and students, and at the same time headvanced remarkably in religion also. The abstruse depths of philosophy, which are the torture of a slow genius and a weak capacity, he divedinto without any pain or trouble, so that by his ready apprehension ofthings, he was able to do more in one hour than others could do in manydays by hard study and close application; and yet he was ever humble, and never exalted with self-conceit, the common foible of young men. As soon as his course of philosophy was finished, he commenced master ofarts with great applause. He began the study of divinity with a view toserve God in the holy ministry, at which time there happened to be avacancy in the college of Glasgow, by the resignation of Mr. JamesDalrymple[78] of Stair, who had some time been his master. And thoughMr. Binning was but lately his scholar, yet he was determined, aftermuch intreaty, to stand as a candidate for that post. According to the usual laudable custom, the masters of the collegeemitted a program, and sent it to all the universities of the kingdom, inviting such as had a mind for a profession of philosophy, to siftthemselves before them, and offer themselves to compete for thatpreferment, giving assurance that without partiality the place should beconferred upon him who should be found _dignior et doctior_. The ministers of the city of Glasgow, considering how much it was theinterest of the church that well-qualified persons be put into theprofession of philosophy, &c. And knowing that Mr. Binning waseminently pious, and of a bright genius, as well as solid judgment, letupon him to sift himself among the other competitors; but they haddifficulty to overcome his modesty. They at last prevailed upon him todeclare his willingness to undertake the dispute before the masters. Among others, there were other two candidates, one of whom had theadvantage of great interest with Dr. Strang principal of the college atthat time, and the other a scholar of great abilities, yet Mr. Binningso managed the dispute, and acquitted himself in all parts of his trial, that to the conviction of the judges, he darkened his rivals. But thedoctor and some of the faculty who joined him, though they could notpretend the person they inclined to prefer, had an equality, much less asuperiority in the dispute, yet they argued, _cæteris paribus_, thatthis person they intended was a citizen's son, of a competency oflearning, and a person of more years, and by that means had greaterexperience than what Mr. Binning, who was in a manner but of yesterday, could be supposed to have. ----But to this it was replied, That Mr. Binning was such a pregnant scholar, so wise and sedate, as to be aboveall the follies and vanities of youth, and what was wanting in years wasmade up sufficiently by his more than ordinary and singular endowments. Whereupon a member of the faculty, perceiving the struggle to be great, (as indeed there were plausible reasons on both sides), proposed adispute between the two candidates _ex tempore_, upon any subject theyshould be pleased to prescribe. This being considered, soon put a periodto the division amongst them, and those who had opposed him not beingwilling to engage their friend with such an able antagonist a secondtime, Mr. Binning was elected. Mr. Binning was not quite 19 years of age when he commenced regent andprofessor of philosophy, and, though he had not time to prepare a systemof any part of his profession, as he had instantly to begin his class, yet such was the quickness and fertility of his invention, thetenaciousness of his memory and the solidity of his judgment, that hisdictates to his scholars had a depth of learning and perspicuity ofexpression, and was among the first in Scotland, that began to reformphilosophy from the barbarous terms and unintelligible jargon of theschool-men. He continued in this profession three years, and discharged his trust soas to gain the general applause of the university for academicalexercises:--And this was the more remarkable, that having turned histhoughts towards the ministry, he carried on his theological studies atthe same time, and made great improvements therein, for his memory wasso retentive, that he scarcely forgot any thing had heard or read. Itwas easy and ordinary for him to inscribe any sermon, after he returnedto his chamber, at such a length, that the intelligent and judiciousreader, who had heard it preached, would not find one sentence wanting. During this period, he gave full proof of his progress and knowledge indivinity, by a composition from 2 Cor. V. 14 _For the love of Christconstraineth us_, &c. Which performance he sent to a gentlewoman who hadbeen some time at Edinburgh, for her private edification, who havingperused the same, judged it to have been a sermon of some eminentminister in the west of Scotland, and put it into the hands of the thenprovost of Edinburgh, who judged of it in the same manner. But when shereturned to Glasgow, she found her mistake by Mr. Binning's asking it ather:----This was the first discovery he had given of his dexterity andabilities in explaining the scripture. At the expiration of three years as a professor of philosophy, theparish of Govan, which lies adjacent to the city of Glasgow, happened tobe vacant, and before this whoever was principal of the college ofGlasgow was also minister there; but this being attended withinconveniencies, an alteration was made, and the presbytery having aview to supply that vacancy with Mr. Binning, they took him upon trials, in order to be licensed a preacher;--and preaching there to the greatsatisfaction of that people, he was some time after called to beminister of that parish, which call the presbytery approved of, andentered him upon trials for ordination about the 22d year of his age, and went through them to the unanimous approbation of the presbytery, giving their testimony of his fitness to be one of the ministers of thecity upon the first vacancy, ----having a view at the same time to bringhim back to the university, whenever the profession of divinity shouldbe vacant. He was, considering his age, a prodigy of learning. For before he hadarrived at the 26th year of his life, he had such a large stock ofuseful knowledge, as to be _philologus, philosophus et theologuseximius_, and might well have been an ornament to the most famous andflourishing university in Europe. This was the more surprising, considering his weakness and infirmity of body, as not being able toread much at a time, or to undergo the fatigue of continual study, in somuch that his knowledge seemed rather to have been born with him, thanto have been acquired by hard and laborious study. Though he was bookish, and much intent upon the fulfilling his ministry, yet he turned his thoughts to marriage, and did espouse a virtuous andexcellent person Mrs. Barbara Simpson, daughter to Mr. James Simpson aminister in Ireland. Upon the day he was to be married, he wentaccompanied with his friend (and some others, among whom were severalworthy ministers) unto an adjacent country congregation, upon the day oftheir weekly sermon. The minister of the parish delayed sermon till theywould come, hoping to put the work upon one of the ministers whom heexpected to be there, but all declining it, he tried next to prevail onthe bridegroom, with whom he succeeded, though the invitation was notexpected. It was no difficult task to him to preach upon a shortwarning; he stepped aside a little to pre-meditate and implore hisMaster's presence and assistance (for he was ever afraid to be alone inthis work), and entered the pulpit immediately, and preached upon 1 Pet. I. 15. _But as he that hath called you is holy_, &c. At which time hewas so remarkably helped, that all acknowledged that God was with him ofa truth, &c. When the unhappy differences betwixt the resolutioners and protestersfell out, among whom Mr. Binning was of the last denomination, thisdistinction proved to be of fatal consequence. He saw some of the evilsof it in his own time, and being of a catholic and healing spirit, witha view to the cementing of differences, he wrote an excellent treatiseof Christian love, which contains very strong and pathetic passages mostapposite to this subject. He was no fomenter of factions, but studiousof the public tranquillity. He was a man of moderate principles andtemperate passions, never imposing or overbearing upon others butwillingly hearkened to advice, and always yielded to reason. The prevailing of the English sectarians under Oliver Cromwel[79] to theoverthrow of the presbyterian interest in England, and the variousattempts which they made in Scotland on the constitution and disciplineof this church was one of the greatest difficulties, which theministers had then to struggle with. Upon this he hath many excellentreflections in his sermons, particularly in that sermon from Deut. Xxxii. 4, 5. See his works, page 502, 557, &c. After he had laboured four years in the ministry, serving God with hisspirit in the gospel of his Son, he died in the year 1653, of aconsumption, when he was scarce come to the prime and vigour of hislife, being only in the 26th year of his age, leaving behind him a sweetfavour and an epistle of commendation upon the hearts of those who werehis hearers. He was a person of singular piety, of a humble, meek, and peaceabletemper, a judicious and lively preacher, nay so extraordinary a person, that he was justly accounted a prodigy of human learning and knowledgeof divinity. From his childhood he knew the scriptures, and from a boyhad been much under deep and spiritual exercise, until the time (or alittle before) that he entered upon the office of the ministry, when hecame to a great calm and tranquillity of mind, being mercifully relievedfrom all these doubtings, which for a long time he had been exercisedwith, and though he studied in his discourses to condescend to thecapacity of the meaner sort of hearers, yet it must be owned that hisgift of preaching was not so much accommodated to a countrycongregation, as it was to the judicious and learned. Mr. Binning'smethod was peculiar to himself, much after the haranguing way; he was nostranger to the rules of art, and knew well how to make his mattersubservient to the subject he handled. His diction and language was easyand fluent, void of all affectation and bombast, and has a kind ofundesigned negligent elegance which arrests the reader's attention. Considering the time he lived in, it might be said, that he carried theorator's prize from his contemporaries in Scotland, and was not at thattime inferior to the best pulpit orator in England. While he lived hewas highly esteemed, having been a successful instrument of savinghimself, and them that heard him, of turning sinners unto righteousnessand of perfecting the saints. He died much lamented by all good peoplewho had the opportunity of knowing him. That great divine Mr. JamesDurham gave him this verdict, "That there was no speaking after Mr. Binning;" and truly he had the tongue of the learned, and knew how tospeak a word in season. Besides his works which are bound up in one quarto volume, and thatwrote upon occasion of the public resolutioners, which has been alreadymentioned, some other little pieces of his have been published since. There is also a book in quarto said to be his, intitled, An useful caseof conscience learnedly and acutely discussed and resolved, concerningassociation and confederacies with idolators, heretics, malignants, &c. First printed _anno_ 1693, which was like to have had someinfluence at that time upon king William's soldiers while in Flanders, which made him suppress it. And raise a persecution against Mr. JamesKid for publishing the same at Utrecht in the Netherlands. _The Life of Mr. ANDREW GRAY. _ Mr. Andrew Gray (by the calculation of his age and the date of his entryinto the ministry) seems to have been born about the year 1634, andbeing very early sent to school, where he learned so fast, that in ashort time he was sent to the university, and here, by the vivacity ofhis parts and ready genius, he made such proficiency both in scholasticlearning and divinity, that before he was twenty years of age he wasfound accomplished for entering into the holy office of the ministry. From his very infancy he had studied to be acquainted with thescriptures, and, like another young Samson, the Spirit of God began veryearly to move him, there being such a delightful gravity in his youngconversation, that what Gregory Nazianzen once said of the great Bazil, might be applied to him, --"That he held forth learning beyond his age, and fixedness of manners beyond his learning. " This earthly vessel being thus filled with heavenly treasure, he wasquickly licensed to preach, and got a call to be minister of the outerkirk of the high church of Glasgow, though he was scarce twenty years ofage complete (far below the age appointed by the constitution of thischurch unless in cases extraordinary). No sooner was this young servant of Christ entered into his Master'svineyard, than the people from all quarters flocked to attend hissermons, it being their constant emulation who should be most under therefreshing drops of his ministry, in so much that as he and his learnedcolleague Mr. Durham were one time walking together, Mr. Durham, observing the multitude thronging into that church where Mr. Gray wasto preach, and only a very few going into the church in which he was topreach, said to him, "Brother, I perceive you are to have a throngchurch to-day. "--To which he answered, "Truly, brother, they are foolsto leave you and come to me. "----Mr. Durham replied, "Not so dearbrother, for none can receive such honour and success in his ministry, except it be given him from heaven, I rejoice that Christ is preachedand that his kingdom and interest is getting ground, for I am content tobe any thing or nothing that Christ may be all and all. " And indeed Mr. Gray had a notable and singular gift in preaching, beingone experienced in the most mysterious points of a Christian practiceand profession; and in handling of all his subjects, free of youthfulvanity, or affectation of human literature, though he had a mostscholastic genius and more than ordinary abilities; that he did outstripmany that entered into the Lord's vineyard before him, his experiencebeing every way warm and rapturous, and well adapted to affect thehearts of his hearers, yea he had such a faculty, and was so helped topress home God's threatenings upon the consciences of his hearers, thathis contemporary the foresaid Mr. Durham observed, That many times hecaused the very hairs of their head to stand up. Among his other excellencies in preaching (which were many) this wasnone of the least, that he could so order his subject as to make itrelish every palate. He could so dress a plain discourse as to delight alearned audience, and at the same time preach with a learned plainness, having so learned to conceal his art. He had such a clear notion of highmysteries, as to make them stoop to the meanest capacity. He had solearned Christ, and being a man of a most zealous temper, the great bentof his spirit and that which he did spend himself anent, was to makepeople know their dangerous state by nature, and to persuade them tobelieve and lay hold of the great salvation. All which singularities seem to have been his peculiar mercy from theLord, to make him a burning and shining light in the western climate, for about the space of two years[80] only, the Spirit of the Lord as itwere stirring up a lamp unto a sudden blaze, that was not to continuelong in his church. On which a late prefacer of some of his sermons hasvery pertinently observed, ----"Yea, how awakening, convincing andreproving may the example of this very young minister be to manyministers of the gospel, who have been many years in the vineyard, butfall far short of his labours and progress! God thinks fit now and thento raise up a child to reprove the sloth and negligence of manythousands of advanced years, and shews that he can perfect his ownpraise out of the mouth of babes, &c. " His sermons are now in print, and well known in the world. His works dopraise him in the gates, and though they are free from the metaphysicalspeculations of the schools, yet it must be granted that theexcellencies of the ancient fathers and school-men do all concenter inthem: For his doctrine carries light, his reproofs are weighty, and hisexhortations powerful, and though they are not in such an accurate orgrammatical style as some may expect, yet that may be easily accountedfor, if we consider, (1. ) The great alteration and embellishment in thestyle of the English language since his time. And (2. ) There can be noground to doubt but they must be far inferior unto what they were whendelivered by the author, who neither corrected, nor, as appears, intended that they should ever be published, and yet all this issufficiently made up otherwise, for what is wanting in symmetry of partsor equality of style, in the pleasure of variety, like the gratefulodours of various flowers, or the pleasant harmony of different sounds, for so is truth in its own native dress. It hath been often said that Mr. Gray many times longed for the 22d yearof his age, wherein he expected to rest from his labours by a perpetualjubilee, to enjoy his blessed Lord and Master. However it is certainthat in his sermons we often find him longing for his majority, that hemight enter into the possession of his heavenly Father's inheritanceprepared for him before the foundations of the world were laid. He escaped death very narrowly, when going to Dundee in company with Mr. Robert Fleming (some time minister at Cambuslang) which remarkablesea-deliverance was matter of his thankfulness to God all his lifeafter. There is one thing that may be desiderated by the inquisitious, _i. E. _what Mr. Gray's sentiments were concerning the public resolutions, seeing he entered the ministry about the third year after theseresolutions took place. ----Whatever his contentions in public were, itis creditably reported, that he debated in private against thesedefections with his learned colleague Mr. Durham, who afterwards on hisdeath-bed asked, What he thought of these things?--He answered, That hewas of the same mind with what he had formerly heard--and did muchregret that he had been so sparing in public against these woefulresolutions, speaking so pathetically of their sinfulness and thecalamities they would procure, that Mr. Durham, contrary to his formerpractice, durst never after speak in defence of them. But the time now approaching that the Lord was about to accomplish thedesire of his servant, he fell sick, and was cast into a high fever forseveral days. He was much tossed with sore trouble, without anyintermission, and all the time continued in a most sedate frame of mind. It is a loss that his last dying words were neither wrote norremembered, only we may guess what his spiritual exercises were, fromthat short but excellent letter sent from him, a little before hisdeath, to lord Warriston, bearing date Feb. 7, 1656, wherein he showsthat he not only had a most clear discovery of the toleration thengranted by Cromwel, and the evils that would come upon these lands forall these things, but also was most sensible of his own case andcondition, as appears from the conclusion of that letter, where heaccosts his lordship thus, "Now, not to trouble your lordship, whom Ihighly reverence, and my soul was knit to you in the Lord, but that youwill bespeak my case to the great Master of requests, and lay my brokenstate before him who hath pled the desperate case of many according tothe sweet word in Lam. Iii. 5, 6. _Thou hast heard my voice, hide notthine ear_, &c. This is all at this time from one in a very weakcondition, in a great fever, who, for much of seven nights, hath sleepedlittle at all, with many other sad particulars and circumstances. " Thus in a short time, according to his desire, it was granted to him, bydeath, to pass unto the author of life, his soul taking its flight intothe arms of his blessed Saviour, whom he had served faithfully in hisday and generation (being about twenty-two years old). He shone tooconspicuous to continue long, and burned so intensely, he behoved soonto be extinguished, but now shines in the kingdom of his Father, in amore conspicuous refulgent manner, even as the brightness of thefirmament and the stars for ever and ever. He was in his day a most singular and pious youth, and though he diedyoung, yet was old in grace, having lived long, and done much for God ina little time, being one, both in public and private life, who possessedin a high degree, every domestic and social virtue that could adorn thecharacter of a most powerful and pathetic preacher, a lovinghusband[81], an affable friend, ever cheerful and agreeable inconversation, always ready to exert himself for the relief of all whoasked or stood in need of his assistance, which uncommon talents notonly endeared him to his brethren the clergy, but also to many othersfrom the one extremity of the lands to the other (that heard or knew anything of him) who considered and highly esteemed him as one of the mostable advocates for the propagation and advancement of Christ's kingdom. His well-known sermons are printed in several small pieces. Those calledhis works are bound in one volume octavo. To the eleven sermons printedsometime ago, are lately published a large collection to the number offifty-one, intitled his select sermons, whereof only three, forconnection sake, and his letter to lord Warriston are inserted, whichwere before published in his works. So that by this time most (if notall) of the sermons are now in print that ever were preached by him. _The Life of Mr. JAMES DURHAM. _ Mr. James Durham was born about the year 1622, and lineally descendedfrom the ancient and honourable family of Grange Durham, in the parishof Monuseith in the shire of Angus. He was the eldest son of John Durhamof Easter Powrie, Esq; now called Wedderburn after the gentleman's namewho is the present professor thereof. Having gone through all the parts of useful learning with success andapplause, he left the university before he was graduate, and forsometime lived as a private gentleman at his own dwelling house in thecountry, without any thought then of farther prosecuting his studiesespecially for the ministry, and though he was always blameless andmoral in his life, both in the university and when he left it, yet hewas much a stranger to religion in the serious exercise and power of it, and, through prejudice of education, did not stand well affected to thepresbyterial government. He first married a daughter of the laird ofDuntervie: his wife and her mother were both very pious women. His conversion to the Lord was very remarkable. For going with his ladyto visit her mother in the parish of Abercorn, some miles west fromEdinburgh, --it happened, that at this time the sacrament was to beadministered in that parish upon Saturday, --his mother-in-law earnestlypressed them to go with them to church and hear sermon; at first heshewed much unwillingness, but partly by their persuasion, and partly byhis complaisant disposition, he went along with them. The minister thatpreached that day was extremely affectionate and serious in hisdelivery, and though the sermon was a plain familiar discourse, yet hisseriousness fixed Mr. Durham's attention very closely, and he was muchaffected therewith. But the change was reserved till the morrow. When hecame home, he said to his mother-in-law, The minister hath preached veryseriously this day, I shall not need to be pressed to go to churchto-morrow. Accordingly on Sabbath morning, rising early, he went tochurch, where Mr. Melvil preached from 2 Pet. Ii. 7. _To you thatbelieve he is precious_, &c. Where he so sweetly and seriously opened upthe preciousness of Christ, and the Spirit of God wrought so effectuallyupon his spirit, that in hearing of this sermon, he first closed withChrist, and then went to the Lord's table, and took the seal of God'scovenant. After this he ordinarily called Mr. Melvil father when hespoke of him. Afterward he made serious religion his business both in secret and inhis family, and in all places and companies where he came, and didcordially embrace the interest of Christ and his church as thenestablished, and gave himself much up to reading; for which reason, thathe might be free of all disturbance, &c. He caused build a study forhimself; in which little chamber, he gave himself to prayer, reading andmeditation, and was so close a student there, that he often forgot toeat his bread, being sometimes so intent upon his studies, that servantswho were sent to call him down, often returned without answer, yea, hislady frequently called on him with tears, before he would come:--Suchsweet communion he had with the Lord sometimes in that place. He made great proficiency in his studies, and not only became anexperimental Christian, but also a very learned man. One evidence ofwhich he gave in a short dispute with one of the then ministers ofDundee, while he was in that town: He met (in a house where he wasoccasionally) with the parson of the parish (for so the ministers werethen called), who knew not Mr. Durham. After some discourse he fell uponthe Popish controversy with him, and so put him to silence, that hecould not answer a word but went sneakingly out of the room from Mr. Durham to the provost, craving his assistance to apprehend Mr. Durham asa Jesuit, assuring the provost, that if ever there was a jesuit in Romehe was one, and that if he were suffered to remain in the town orcountry, he might pervert many from the faith. ----Upon which theprovost, going along with him to the house where the pretended jesuitwas, and entering the room, he immediately knew Mr. Durham, and salutedhim as laird of Easter Powrie, craving his pardon for their mistake, andturning to the parson, asked where the person was he called thejesuit?--Mr. Durham smiled, and the parson ashamed, asked pardon of themboth, and was rebuked by the provost, who said, Fy, fy! that any countrygentleman should be able to put our parson thus to silence. His call and coming forth to the ministry was somewhat remarkable, forin the time when the civil wars broke forth, several gentlemen being inarms for the cause of religion, among whom he was chosen and called tobe a captain, in which station he behaved himself like anotherCornelius, being a devout man, and one that feared God with all hishouse, and prayed to God always with his company, &c. When the Scotsarmy were about to engage with the English, he judged meet to call hiscompany to prayer before the engagement, and as he began to pray, Mr. David Dickson, then professor of divinity at Glasgow coming past thearmy, seeing the soldiers addressing themselves to prayer, and hearingthe voice of one praying, drew near, alighted from his horse, and joinedwith them; and was so much taken with Mr. Durham's prayer, that hecalled for the captain, and having conversed with him a little, hesolemnly charged him, that as soon as this piece of service was over, heshould devote himself to serve God in the holy ministry, for to that hejudged the Lord called him. But though, as yet, Mr. Durham had noclearness to hearken to Mr. Dickson's advice, yet two remarkableprovidences falling out just upon the back of this solemn charge, served very much to clear his way to comply with Mr. Dickson'sdesire:--The first was, In the engagement his horse was shot under him, and he was mercifully preserved: the second was, In the heat of thebattle, an English soldier was on the point of striking him down withhis sword, but apprehending him to be a minister by his grave carriage, black cloth and band (as was then in fashion with gentlemen), he askedhim if he was a priest? To which Mr. Durham replied, I am one of God'spriests;--and he spared his life. Mr. Durham, upon reflecting howwonderfully the Lord had spared him, and preserved his life, and thathis saying he was a priest had been the mean thereof, resolvedtherefore, as a testimony of his grateful and thankful sense of theLord's goodness to him, henceforth to devote himself to the service ofGod in the holy ministry, if the Lord should see meet to qualify him forthe same. Accordingly, in pursuance of this resolution, he quickly went toGlasgow, and studied divinity under Mr. David Dickson then professorthere, and made such proficiency therein, that in a short time (beingcalled thereto) he humbly offered himself to trials _anno_ 1646, and sowas licensed by the presbytery of Irvine to preach the gospel, and nextyear, upon Mr. Dickson's recommendation, the session of Glasgowappointed Mr. Ramsay one of their ministers, to intreat Mr. Durham socome and preach in Glasgow. Accordingly he came and preached two sabbathdays and one week day. The session being fully satisfied with hisdoctrine and the gifts bestowed on him by the Lord for serving him inthe holy ministry, did unanimously call him to the ministry of theBlack-friar church then vacant, in consequence of which he was ordainedminister there in November 1647. He applied himself to the work of the ministry with great diligence, sothat his profiting did quickly appear to all; but considering that noman that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, heobtained leave of his people to return to his own country for a littletime to settle his worldly affairs there; yet he was not idle here, butpreached every sabbath. He first preached at Dundee, before a greatmultitude, from Rom. I. 16. _I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ_, and shewed that it was no disparagement for the greatest to be agospel-minister; and a second time he preached at Ferling (in his owncountry) upon 2 Cor. V. 18. _He hath given to us the ministry ofreconciliation_, &c. ; and a third time at Monuseith, at the desire ofthe minister there, he preached from 2 Cor. V. 20. _We then areambassadors for Christ_, &c. In both places he indeed acted like anambassador for Christ, and managed the gospel-treaty of peace to goodpurpose. The next sabbath he designed to have preached at Murrose, butreceiving an express to return to Glasgow in haste, his wife beingdangerously sick, he came away, leaving his affairs to the care of hisfriends, and returned to Glasgow, where, in a few days, his wife, whohad been the desire of his eyes, died. His Christian submission underthis afflicting dispensation was most remarkable. After a short silence, he said to some about him, "Now, who could persuade me that thisdispensation of God's providence was good for me, if the Lord had notsaid it was so, " He was afterward married to Margaret Muir relict of Mr. Zechariah Boyd, minister of the Barony of Glasgow. In the year 1650, Mr. Dickson professor of divinity in the college ofGlasgow, being called to be professor of divinity in the university ofEdinburgh, the commissioners of the general assembly authorized forvisiting the university of Glasgow, unanimously designed and called Mr. Durham to succeed Mr. Dickson as professor there. But before he wasadmitted to that charge, the general assembly of this church, beingpersuaded of his eminent piety and stedfastness, prudence andmoderation, &c. Did, after mature deliberation, that same year, pitchupon him, though then but about twenty-eight years of age, as among theablest and best accomplished ministers then in the church, to attend theking's family as chaplain. In which station, tho' the times were mostdifficult, as abounding with snares and temptations, he did so wiselyand faithfully acquit himself, that there was a conviction left upon theconsciences of all who observed him. Yea, during his stay at court, and, whenever he went about the duty of his place, they did all carrygravely, and did forbear all lightness and profanity, none allowingthemselves to do any thing offensive before him. So that while he servedthe Lord in the holy ministry, and particularly in that post andcharacter of the king's chaplain, his ambition was to have God's favour, rather than the favour of great men, and studied more to profit andedify their souls, than to tickle their fancy, as some court-parasitesin their sermons do: One instance whereof was, that being called topreach before the parliament, where many rulers were present, hepreached from John iii. 10. _Art thou a master in Israel, and knowestnot these things?_ when he mostly insisted that it was a mostunaccountable thing for rulers and nobles in Israel, &c. To beignorant of the great and necessary things of regeneration, and beingborn again of the Spirit; and did most seriously press all, from theking to the beggar, to seek and know experimentally these things. A goodpattern for all ministers who are called to preach on the like occasion. He continued with the king till he went to England, and then returned. Towards the end of January 1651, the common session of Glasgow, appointed Mr. Patrick Gillespie to write a letter to Mr. Durham, concerning Mr. Robert Ramsay's being professor of divinity in place ofthe said Mr. James Durham, in the university of Glasgow. In consequenceof which, Mr. Durham came to Glasgow, for he is mentioned present in thesession in the beginning of April next. At the same time, Cromwel andhis army were in Glasgow, and on the Lord's day Cromwel heard Mr. Durhampreach, when he testified against his invasion to his face. Next day hesent for Mr Durham, and told him, He always thought he had been a wiserman, than to meddle with matters of public concern in his sermons. --Towhich he answered, It was not his practice, but that he judged it bothwisdom and prudence to speak his mind on that head seeing he had theopportunity to do it in his presence. ----Cromwell dismissed him verycivilly, but desired him to forbear insisting on that subject in public;and at the same time sundry ministers both in town and country met withCromwel and his officers, and represented in strong terms the injusticeof his invasion. It would appear that Mr. Durham, some time after this, had withdrawnfrom Glasgow, and therefore a letter was, in August next, ordered to besent to him to come and visit them and preach; and in September next, there being a vacancy in the inner kirk by the death of Mr. Ramsay, thecommon session gave an unanimous call (with which the town-councilagreed) to Mr Durham to be minister there. And some time after this hewas received minister in the inner kirk, Mr. John Carstairs hisbrother-in-law being his colleague in that church. In the whole of his ministry he was a burning and shining light, andparticularly he shined in humility and self-denial. An instance of whichwas, Upon a day when Mr. Andrew Gray and he were to preach, beingwalking together, Mr. Durham observing multitudes thronging to Mr. Gray's church, and only a few into his, said to Mr. Gray, "Brother, youare like to have a throng church to-day. " To which Mr. Gray answered, "Truly, brother, they are fools to leave you and come to me. "--"Not so, dear brother, replied Mr. Durham, for a minister can receive no suchhonour and success in his ministry, except it be given him from heaven. I rejoice that Christ is preached, though my esteem in people's heartsshould decrease and be diminished; for I am content to be any thing sothat Christ be all in all. " He was also a person of the utmost gravity, and scarce smiled at anything. Once when Mr. William Guthrie being exceeding merry, made Mr. Durham smile with his pleasant, facetious and harmless conversation, atwhich Mr. Durham was at first a little disgusted, but it being thelaudable custom of that family to pray after dinner, which Mr. Guthriedid, upon being desired, with the greatest measure of seriousness andfervency, to the astonishment of all present: when they arose fromprayer, Mr. Durham embraced him and said, "O William, you are a happyman, if I had been so merry as you have been, I could not have been insuch a serious frame for prayer for the space of forty-eight hours. " As Mr. Durham was devout in all parts of his ministerial work, so moreeminently at communion occasions. Then he endeavoured through grace torouse and work up himself to such a divineness of frame, as very muchsuited the spiritual state and majesty of that ordinance. Yea, at someof these solemn and sweet occasions, he spoke some way as a man that hadbeen in heaven commending Jesus Christ, making a glorious display offree grace, &c. And brought the offers thereof so low that they weremade to think the rope or cord of the salvation offered, was let down tosinners, that those of the lowest stature might catch hold of it. Hegave himself much up to meditation, and usually said little to personsthat came to propose their cases to him, but heard them patiently, andwas sure to handle their case in his sermons. His healing disposition and great moderation of spirit remarkablyappeared when this church was grievously divided betwixt theresolutioners and protestors; and as he would never give his judgmentupon either side, so he used to say, That division was worse by far thaneither of the sides. He was equally respected by both parties, for at ameeting of the synod in Glasgow, when those of the different sides metseparately, each of them made choice of Mr. Durham for their moderator, but he refused to join either of them, till they would both unitetogether, which they accordingly did. At this meeting he gave in someovertures for peace, the substance of which was, that they shouldeschew all public awakening or lengthening out the debate either bypreaching or spreading of papers on either side, and that they shouldforbear practising, executing or pressing of acts made in the lastassembly at St. Andrews and Dundee, and also pressing or spreadingappeals, declinatures, &c. Against the same, and that nochurch-officer should be excepted at on account of these things, theybeing found otherwise qualified, &c. [82] So weighty was the ministerial charge upon his spirit, that if he wereto live ten years longer, he would choose to live nine years in study, for preaching the tenth; and it was thought his close study andthoughtfulness cast him into that decay whereof he died. In the time ofhis sickness, the better part being afraid that the magistrates and someof the ministry who were for the public resolutions, would put in one ofthat stamp after his death, moved Mr. Carstairs his colleague, in avisit to desire him to name his successor, which after some demur, injoining secrecy till it was nearer his death, he at last named Mr. David Vetch then minister of Govan; but afterwards when dying, to themagistrates, ministers and some of the people, he named other three totake any of them they pleased. --This alteration made Mr. Carstairsinquire the reason after the rest were gone, to whom Mr. Durham replied, O Brother, Mr. Vetch is too ripe for heaven to be transported to anychurch on earth; he will be there almost as soon as I. --Which proved so;for Mr. Durham died the Friday after, and next Sabbath Mr. Vetchpreached, and (though knowing nothing of this) told the people in theafternoon it would be his last sermon to them, and the same night takingbed, he died next Friday morning about three o'clock; the time that Mr. Durham died, as Dr. Rattray, who was witness to both, did declare. --Whenon his death-bed, he was under considerable darkness about his state, and said to Mr. John Carstair's brother, "For all that I have preachedor written, there is but one scripture I can remember or dare gripeunto; tell me if dare lay the weight of my salvation upon it, _Whosoevercometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out. _"--Mr. Carstairs answered, "You may depend on it, though you had a thousand salvations at hazard. "When he was drawing towards his departure in a great conflict and agony, finding some difficulty in his passage, yet he sensibly, through thestrength of God's grace, triumphantly overcame; he cried out in arapture of holy joy some little time before he committed his soul toGod, "Is not the Lord good! Is he not infinitely good! See how hesmiles! I do say it, and I do proclaim it. " He died on Friday the 25thof June 1658, in the thirty-sixth year of his age. Thus died the eminently pious, learned and judicious Mr. James Durham, whose labours did always aim at the advancement of practical religion, and whose praise in the gospel is throughout all the churches both athome and abroad. He was a burning and a shining light, a star of thefirst magnitude, and of whom it may be said (without derogating from themerit of any), that he attained unto the first three and had a nameamong the mighty. He was also one of great integrity and authority inthe country where he lived, insomuch, that when any difference fell out, he was always chosen by both parties as their great referee or judge, unto whose sentence all parties submitted. Such was the quality of hiscalm and healing spirit. His colleague Mr. John Carstairs, in his funeral sermon from Isa. Lvii. 1, 2. _The righteous man perisheth, and no one layeth it to heart, _ &c. Gives him this character, --"Know ye not that there is a prince amongpastors fallen to-day! a faithful and wise steward, that knew well howto give God's children their food in due season, a gentle and kindnurse, a faithful admonisher, reprover, &c. A skilful counsellor inall straits and difficulties; in dark matters he was eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, a burning and shining light in the dark world, aninterpreter of the word among a thousand, to him men gave ear, and afterhis words no man spake again. " His learned and pious works, (wherein all the excellencies of theprimitive and ancient fathers seem to concenter) are a commentary on theRevelation; seventy-two sermons on the fifty-third chapter of theprophecy of the prophet Isaiah; an exposition of the ten commandments;an exposition of the Song of Solomon; his sermons on death; on theunsearchable riches of Christ; his communion sermons, sermons ongodliness and self-denial; a sermon on a good conscience. There are alsoa great many of his sermons in manuscript (never yet published), _viz. _three sermons upon resisting the Holy Ghost from Acts vii 51. ; eight onquenching the Spirit; five upon giving the Spirit; thirteen upontrusting and delighting in God; two against immoderate anxiety; eightupon the one thing needful; with a discourse upon prayer, and severalother sermons and discourses from Eph. V. 15. 1 Cor. Xi. 24. Luke i. 6. Gal. V. 16, Psal. Cxix. 67. 1 Thess. V. 19. 1 Pet. Iii. 14. Matth. Viii. 7. There is also a treatise on scandal, and an exposition by way oflecture upon Job said to be his, but whether these, either as to styleor strain, co-here with the other works of the laborious Mr. Durham, must be left to the impartial and unbiased reader. _The Life of Mr. SAMUEL RUTHERFORD. _ Mr. Samuel Rutherford a gentleman by extraction, having spent sometimeat the grammar-school, went to the university of Edinburgh, where he wasso much admired for his pregnancy of parts, and deservedly looked uponas one from whom some great things might be expected, that in a shorttime (though then but very young) he was made professor of philosophy inthat university. Sometime after this he was called to be minister at Anwoth, in the shireof Galloway, unto which charge he entered by means of the then viscountof Kenmuir, without any acknowledgment or engagement to the bishops. There he laboured with great diligence and success, both night and day, rising usually by three o'clock in the morning, spending the whole timein reading, praying, writing, catechising, visiting, and other dutiesbelonging to the ministerial profession and employment. Here he wrote his _exercitationes de gratia_, &c. For which he wassummoned (as early as June 1630) before the high commission court, butthe weather was so tempestuous as to obstruct the passage of thearch-bishop of St. Andrews hither, and Mr. Colvil one of the judgeshaving befriended him, the diet was deserted. About the same time hisfirst wife died after a sore sickness of thirteen months, and he himselfbeing so ill of a tertian fever for thirteen weeks, that then he couldnot preach on the Sabbath day, without great difficulty. Again in April 1634, he was threatened with another prosecution at theinstance of the bishop of Galloway, before the high commission court, and neither were these threatenings all the reasons Mr. Rutherford hadto lay his account with suffering, and as the Lord would not hide fromhis faithful servant Abraham the things he was about to do, neitherwould he conceal from this son of Abraham what his purposes wereconcerning him; for in a letter to the provost's wife of Kirkcudbright, dated April 20, 1633, he says, "That upon the 17th and 18th of August hegot a full answer of his Lord to be a graced minister, and a chosenarrow hid in his quiver[83]. " Accordingly the thing he looked for cameupon him, for he was again summoned before the high commission court forhis non-conformity, his preaching against the five articles of Perth, and the forementioned book of _exercitationes apologetica pro divinagratia_, which book they alledged did reflect upon the church ofScotland, but the truth was, says a late historian[84], The argument ofthat book did cut the sinews of Arminianism, and galled the Episcopalclergy to the very quick, and so bishop Sydresert could endure him nolonger. When he came before the commission court he altogether declinedthem as a lawful judicatory, and would not give the chancellor (being aclergyman) and the bishops their titles by lording of them, yet some hadthe courage to befriend him, particularly, the lord Lorn (afterwards thefamous marquis of Argyle), who did as much for him as was within hispower to do; but the bishop of Galloway, threatening that if he got nothis will of him, he would write to the king; it was carried against him, and upon the 27th of July 1636, he was discharged to exercise any partof his ministry within the kingdom of Scotland, under pain of rebellion, and ordered within six months to confine himself within the city ofAberdeen, &c. During the king's pleasure, which sentence he obeyed, and forthwith went toward the place of his confinement. From Aberdeen he wrote many of his famous letters, from which it isevident that the consolation of the Holy Spirit did greatly abound withhim in his sufferings, yea, in one of these letters, he expresses it inthe strongest terms, when he says, "I never knew before, that his lovewas in such a measure. If he leave me, he leaves me in pain, and sick oflove, and yet my sickness is my life and health. I have a fire withinme, I defy all the devils in hell and all the prelates in Scotland tocast water on it. " Here he remained upwards of a year and a half, bywhich time he made the doctors of Aberdeen know that the puritans (asthey called them) were clergymen as well as they. But upon notice thatthe privy council had received in a declinature against the highcommission court in the year 1638, he adventured to return back againto his flock at Anwoth, where he again took great pains, both in publicand private, amongst that people, who from all quarters resorted to hisministry, so that the whole country side might account themselves as hisparticular flock, and it being then in the dawning of the reformation, found no small benefit by the gospel, that part of the ancient prophecybeing farther accomplished, _for in the wilderness shall waters breakout, and streams in the desert_, Isa. Xxxv. 6. He was before that venerable assembly held at Glasgow in 1638, and gavean account of all these his former proceedings with respect to hisconfinement, and the causes thereof. By them he was appointed to beprofessor of divinity at St. Andrews, and colleague in the ministry withthe worthy Mr. Blair, who was translated hither about the same time. Andhere God did again so second this his eminent and faithful servant, thatby his indefatigable pains both in teaching in the schools and preachingin the congregation, St. Andrews the seat of the arch-bishop (and bythat means the nursery of all superstition, error and profaneness) soonbecame forthwith a Lebanon out of which were taken cedars, for buildingthe house of the Lord, almost through the whole land, many of whom heguided to heaven before himself (who received the spiritual life by hisministry), and many others did walk in that light after him. And as he was mighty in the public parts of religion, so he was a greatpractiser and encourager of the private duties thereof. Thus in the year1640, when a charge was foisted in before the general assembly at theinstance of Mr. Henry Guthrie minister at Stirling (afterward bishop ofDunkeld), against private society meetings (which were then abounding inthe land), on which ensued much reasoning, the one side yielding that apaper before drawn up by Mr. Henderson should be agreed unto concerningthe order to be kept in these meetings, &c. But Guthrie and hisadherents opposing this, Mr. Rutherford, who was never much disposed tospeak in judicatories, threw in this syllogism, "What the scriptures dowarrant no assembly may discharge; but private meetings for religiousexercises the scriptures do warrant, Mal. V. 16. _Then they that fearedthe Lord spake often one to another_, &c. James v. 16. _Confess yourfaults one to another, and pray one for another_, &c. These things couldnot be done in public meetings, &c. " And although the earl of Seaforththere present, and those of Guthrie's faction upbraided this good manfor this, yet it had influence upon the majority of the members, sothat all the opposite party got done, was an act anent the ordering offamily-worship. He was also one of the Scots commissioners appointed _anno_ 1643, to theWestminster assembly, and was very much beloved there for hisunparalleled faithfulness and zeal in going about his Master's business. It was during this time that he published _lex rex_, and several otherlearned pieces against the Erastians, Anabaptists, Independents, andother sectaries that began to prevail and increase at that time, andnone ever had the courage to take up the gauntlet of defiance throwndown by this champion[85]. When the principal business of this assembly was pretty well settled, Mr. Rutherford, on October 24, 1647, moved that it might be recorded inthe scribe's book, that the assembly had enjoyed the assistance of thecommissioners of the church of Scotland, all the time they had beendebating and perfecting these four things mentioned in the solemnleague, _viz. _ Their composing a directory for worship, an uniformconfession of faith, a form of church-government and discipline, and thepublic catechism, which was done in about a week after he and the restreturned home. Upon the death of the learned Dematius _anno_ 1651, the magistrates ofUtrecht in Holland, being abundantly satisfied as to the learning, piety, and true zeal of the great Mr. Rutherford, invited him to thedivinity chair there, but he could not be persuaded. His reasonselsewhere (when dissuading another gentleman from going abroad) seem tobe expressed in these words:--"Let me intreat you to be far from thethoughts of leaving this land. I see it and find it, that the Lord hathcovered the whole land with a cloud in his anger, but though I have beentempted to the like, I had rather be in Scotland beside angry JesusChrist (knowing he mindeth no evil to us), than in any Eden or garden onthe earth[86]. " From which it is evident that he chose rather to sufferaffliction in his own native country, than to leave his charge and flockin time of danger. He continued with them till the day of his death inthe free and faithful discharge of his duty. When the unhappy difference fell out between those called theprotesters and the public resolutioners, _anno_ 1650, and 1651, heespoused the protestors quarrel, and gave faithful warning against thesepublic resolutions, and likewise during the time of Cromwel's usurpationhe contended against all the prevailing sectaries that then ushered inwith the sectaries by virtue of his toleration[87]. And such was hisunwearied assiduity and diligence, that he seemed to pray constantly, topreach constantly, to catechise constantly, and to visit the sickexhorting them from house to house, to teach as much in the schools, andspend as much time with the students and young men in fitting them forthe ministry, as if he had been sequestrate from all the world besides, and yet withal to write as much as if he had been constantly shut up inhis study. But no sooner did the restoration of Charles II. Take place, than theface of affairs began to change, and after his forementioned book _lexrex_ was burnt at the cross of Edinburgh, and at the gates of the newcollege of St. Andrews, where he was professor of divinity, theparliament in 1661, were to have an indictment laid before them againsthim, and such was their humanity (when every body knew he was a-dying)that they caused summon him to appear before them at Edinburgh, toanswer to a charge of high treason[88]: But he had a higher tribunal toappear before, where his judge was his friend, and was dead before thattime came, being taken away from the evil to come. When on his death-bed, he lamented much that he was with-held frombearing witness to the work of reformation since the year 1638, andupon the 28th of February he gave a large and faithful testimony[89]against the sinful courses of that time, which testimony he subscribedtwelve days before his death, being full of joy and peace in believing. During the time of his last sickness, he uttered many savoury speechesand often broke out in a kind of sacred rapture, exalting and commendingthe Lord Jesus, especially when his end drew near. He often called hisblessed Master his kingly King. Some days before his death he said, "Ishall shine, I shall see him as he is, I shall see him reign and all hisfair company with him, and I shall have my large share. Mine eyes shallsee my Redeemer, these very eyes of mine, and none other for me. Thismay seem a wide word, but it is no fancy or delusion. --It is true. --Letmy Lord's name be exalted, and, if he will, let my name be grinded topieces, that he may be all in all. If he should slay me ten thousandtimes, I will trust. "--He often repeated Jer. Xv. 16. _Thy words werefound and I did eat them_, &c. When exhorting one to diligence, he said, "It is no easy thing to be aChristian. For me I have got the victory, and Christ is holding out bothhis arms to embrace me. " At another time to some friends present hesaid, "At the beginning of my sufferings I had mine own fears like othersinful men, lest I should faint and not be carried creditably through, and I laid this before the Lord, and as sure as ever he spoke to me inhis word, as sure as his Spirit witnesseth to my heart, he hath acceptedmy sufferings. He said to me, Fear not, the outgate shall not be simplymatter of prayer, but matter of praise. I said to the Lord, If he shouldslay me five thousand times five thousand I would trust in him, and Ispeak it with much trembling, fearing I should not make my part good, but as really as ever he spoke to me by his Spirit, he witnessed to myheart that his grace should be sufficient. " The Thursday night beforehis death, being much grieved with the state of the public, he had thisexpression, "Horror hath taken hold on me. " And afterwards, falling onhis own condition, he said, "I renounce all that ever he made me willand do, as defiled and imperfect, as coming from me; I betake myself toChrist for sanctification as well as justification:"--Repeating thesewords, "_He is made of God to me wisdom, righteousness_, &c. "--adding, "I close with it, let him be so, he is my all in all. " March 17th, three gentlewomen came to see him, and after exhorting themto read the word, and be much in prayer, and much in communion with God, he said, "My honourable Master and lovely Lord, my great royal King hathnot a match in heaven nor in earth. I have my own guilt even like othersinful men, but he hath pardoned, loved, washed, and given me joyunspeakable and full of glory. I repent not that ever I owned his cause. These whom ye call protestors, are the witnesses of Jesus Christ. I hopenever to depart from that cause nor side with those that have burnt thecauses of God's wrath. They have broken their covenant oftener than onceor twice, but I believe _the Lord will build Zion, and repair the wasteplaces of Jacob_. Oh! to obtain mercy to wrestle with God for theirsalvation. As for this presbytery, it hath stood in opposition to methese years past. I have my record in heaven I had no particular end inview, but was seeking the honour of God, the thriving of the gospel inthis place, and the good of the new college, that society which I haveleft upon the Lord. What personal wrongs they have done me, and whatgrief they have occasioned to me, I heartily forgive them, and desiremercy to wrestle with God for mercy to them, and for the salvation ofthem all. " The same day Messrs. James M'Gil, John Wardlaw, William Vilant, andAlexander Wedderburne, all members of the same presbytery with him, coming to visit him, he made them welcome, and said, "My Lord and Masteris the chief of ten thousand, none is comparable to him in heaven orearth. Dear brethren, do all for him, pray for Christ, preach forChrist, feed the flock committed to your charge for Christ, do all forChrist, beware of men-pleasing, there is too much of it amongst us. Thenew college hath broke my heart, I can say nothing of it, I have left itupon the Lord of the house, and it hath been and still is my desire thathe may dwell in this society, and that the youth may he fed with soundknowledge. "--After this he said, "Dear brethren, it may seempresumptuous in me a particular man, to send a commission to apresbytery;--and Mr. M'Gill replying, It was no presumption, hecontinued, --Dear brethren, take a commission from me a dying man, tothem to appear for God and his cause, and adhere to the doctrine of thecovenant, and have a care of the flock committed to their charge, letthem feed the flock out of love, preach for God, visit and catechise forGod, and do all for God, beware of men-pleasing, the chief shepherdwill appear shortly, &c. I have been a sinful man, and have had mineown failings, but my Lord hath pardoned and accepted my labours. Iadhere to the cause and covenant, and resolve never to depart from theprotestation[90] against the controverted assemblies. I am the man Iwas. I am still for keeping the government of the kirk of Scotlandintire, and would not for a thousand worlds have had the least hand inthe burning of the causes of God's wrath. Oh! for grace to wrestle withGod for their salvation. " Mr. Vilant having prayed at his desire, as they took their leave herenewed their charge to them to feed the flock out of love. The nextmorning, as he recovered out of a fainting, in which they who looked onexpected his dissolution, he said, "I feel, I feel, I believe, I joy andrejoice, I feed on manna. " Mr. Blair (whose praise is in the churches)being present, he took a little wine in a spoon to refresh himself, being then very weak, he said to him, "Ye feed on dainties in heaven, and think nothing of our cordials on earth. "--He answered, "They are allbut dung, but they are Christ's creatures, and out of obedience to hiscommand I take them. ----Mine eyes shall see my Redeemer, I know he shallstand the last day upon the earth, and I shall be caught up in theclouds to meet him in the air, and I shall be ever with him, and whatwould you have more, there is an end. "--And stretching out his hands hesaid again, "There is an end. "----And a little after he said, "I havebeen a single man, but I stand at the best pass that ever a man did, Christ is mine and I am his. "--And spoke much of the white stone and newname. Mr. Blair (who loved with all his heart to hear Christ commended)said to him again--"What think ye now of Christ?--To which he answered, I shall live and adore him. Glory! glory to my Creator and my Redeemerfor ever! Glory shines in Emmanuel's land. " In the afternoon of that dayhe said, "Oh! that all my brethren in the public may know what a MasterI have served, and what peace I have this day, I shall sleep in Christ, and when I awake I shall be satisfied with his likeness. This nightshall close the door and put my anchor within the vail, and I shall goaway in a sleep by five of the clock in the morning" (which exactlyfell out). Though he was very weak, he had often this expression, "Oh!for arms to embrace him! Oh! for a well tuned harp!" He exhorted Dr. Colvil (a man who complied with prelacy afterward) to adhere to thegovernment of the church of Scotland, and to the doctrine of thecovenant, and to have a care to feed the youth with soundknowledge. ----And the doctor being the professor of the new college, hetold him, That he heartily forgave him all the wrongs he had done him. He spake likewise to Mr. Honeyman (afterward bishop Honeyman) who cameto see him, saying, "Tell the presbytery to answer for God and his causeand covenant, saying, The case is desperate, let them be in theirduty. "----Then directing his speech to Mr. Colvil and Mr. Honeyman, hesaid, "Stick to it. You may think it an easy thing in me a dying man, that I am now going out of the reach of all that men can do, but hebefore whom I stand knows I dare advise no colleague or brother to dowhat I would not cordially do myself upon all hazard, and as for thecauses of God's wrath that men have now condemned, tell Mr. James Woodfrom me, that I had rather lay down my head on a scaffold, and have itchopped off many times (were it possible), before I had passed fromthem. " And then to Mr. Honeyman he said, "Tell Mr. Wood, I heartilyforgive him all the wrongs he has done me, and desire him from me todeclare himself the man that he is still for the government of thechurch of Scotland. " Afterwards when some spoke to him of his former painfulness andfaithfulness in the ministry, he said, "I disclaim all that, the portthat I would be at, is redemption and forgiveness through his blood, _thou shalt shew me the path of life, in thy sight is fulness of joy_, there is nothing now betwixt me and the resurrection _but to-day thoushalt be with me in paradise_. " Mr. Blair saying, Shall I praise theLord for all the mercies he has done and is to do for you? He answered, "Oh! for a well tuned harp. " To his child[91] he said, "I have againleft you upon the Lord, it may be, you will tell this to others, that_the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places, I have got a goodlyheritage_. I bless the Lord that he gave me counsel. " Thus by five o'clock in the morning (as he himself foretold) it was saidunto him, Come up hither, and he gave up the ghost, and the renownedeagle took its flight unto the mountains of spices. In the foresaid manner died the famous Mr. Rutherford who may justly beaccounted among the sufferers of that time, for surely he was a martyrboth in his own design and resolution, and by the design anddetermination of men. Few men ever ran so long a race without cessation, so constantly, so unweariedly, and so unblameably. Two things (rarely tobe found in one man) were eminent in him, _viz. _ a quick invention andsound judgment, and these accompanied with a homely but clearexpression, and graceful elocution; so that such as knew him best werein a strait whether to admire him most for his penetrating wit andsublime genius in the schools, and peculiar exactness in disputes andmatters of controversy, or his familiar condescension in the pulpit, where he was one of the most moving and affectionate preachers in histime, or perhaps in any age of the church. ----To sum up all in a word, He seems to be one of the most resplendent lights that ever arose inthis horizon. In all his writings he breathes the true spirit of religion, but in hisevery-way admirable letters he seems to have out-done himself, as wellas every body else, which, although jested on by the profane wits ofthis age because of some homely and familiar expressions in them, itmust be owned by all who have any relish for true piety, that theycontain such sublime flights of devotion that they must at once ravishand edify every sober, serious, and understanding reader. Among the posthumous works of the laborious Mr. Rutherford are hisletters; the trial and triumph of faith; Christ's dying and drawing ofsinners, &c. ; and a discourse on prayer; all in octavo. A discourse onthe covenant; on liberty of conscience; a survey of spiritualantichrist; a survey of antinomianism; antichrist stormed; and severalother controverted pieces, such as _lex rex_, the due right ofchurch-government; the divine right of church-government; and apeaceable plea for presbytery; are for the most part in quarto, as alsohis summary of church discipline, and a treatise on the divine influenceof the Spirit. There are also a variety of his sermons in print, some ofwhich were preached before both houses of parliament _annis_ 1644, and1645. He wrote also upon providence, but this being in Latin, is only inthe hands of a few; as are also the greater part of his other works, being so seldom republished. There is also a volume of sermons, sacramental discourses, &c. Which I have been desired to publish. _An EPITAPH on his Grave-stone. _ What tongue! What pen, or skill of men Can famous Rutherford commend! His learning justly rais'd his fame, True goodness did adorn his name. He did converse with things above, Acquainted with Emmanuel's love. Most orthodox he was and sound, And many errors did confound. For Zion's King, and Zion's cause, And Scotland's covenanted laws, Most constantly he did contend, Until his time was at an end. At last he wan to full fruition Of that which he had seen in vision. _October 9th, 1735. _ W. W. _The Life of the honourable ARCHIBALD CAMPBEL Marquis of Argyle. _ Archibald Campbel having, after a good classical education, appliedhimself to the study of the holy scriptures, became well acquainted withthe most interesting points of religion, which he retained andcultivated amidst his most laborious and highest employments both inchurch and state ever after. From his earlier years he stood well affected to the presbyterianinterest, and being still a favourer of the puritans (the presbyteriansthen so called) when Mr. Rutherford was, for his non-conformity, broughtbefore the high commission court _anno_ 1638, he interposed to hisutmost in his behalf; concerning which Mr. Rutherford in his letterssays, [92] "My Lord hath brought me a friend from the highlands ofArgyle, my lord Lorn, who hath done as much as was within the compass ofhis power. God give me favour in his eyes. " And elsewhere to the ladyKenmuir, "And write thanks to your brother, my lord of Lorn, for what hehas done for me, a poor unknown stranger to him. I shall pray for himand his house while I live. It is his honour to open his mouth in thestreets for his wronged and oppressed Master Christ Jesus. " Nor was thisall: for about the same time, he so laboured and prevailed with thebishop of Galloway, that worthy Earlston was relaxed from the sentenceof banishment unto which he was assigned for the same noble cause. And no sooner did our reformation (commonly called the secondreformation) begin to dawn _anno_ 1637, than he espoused the same causehimself; for we find next year, that the earl of Argyle (his fatherdying about that time), though a private counsellor, diligentlyattending all the sessions of that famous general assembly held then atGlasgow, in order to hear their debates and determinations concerningdiocesan episcopacy, and the five articles of Perth, wherein he declaredhis full satisfaction with their decisions. And here it was that thisnoble peer began to distinguish himself by a concern for the Redeemer'sglory, in which he continued, and was kept faithful therein, until hegot the crown of martyrdom at last. At this meeting, amongst many other things, his lordship proposed anexplication of the confession and covenant, in which he wished them toproceed with great deliberation, lest (said he) they should bring anyunder suspicion of perjury, who had sworn it in the sense he had done, which motion was taken in good part by the members, and entered upon inthe 8th session of that assembly. Mr. Henderson the moderator, at theconclusion of this assembly, judging that, after all, the countenancegive to their meetings by this noble peer deserved a particularacknowledgment, wished his lordship had joined with them sooner, but hehoped God had reserved him for the best times, and would honour him hereand hereafter. Whereupon his lordship rose, and delivered an excellentspeech _ex tempore_, before the assembly, in which amongst other thingshe said, "And whereas you wished I had joined you sooner; truly it wasnot for want of affection for the good of religion, and my own countrywhich detained me, but a desire and hope that by staying with the courtI might have been able to bring a redress of grievances, and when I sawthat I could no longer stay without proving unfaithful to my God and mycountry, I thought good to do as I have done, &c. ----I remember I toldsome of you that pride and avarice are two evils that have wrought muchwoe to the church of Christ, and as they are grievous faults in any man, they are especially so in church-men, &c. --I hope every man here, shall walk by the square and rule which is now set before him, observingduty, 1. To superiors. 2. To equals; and 3. To inferiors. --Touching ourduty to superiors, there needs nothing be added to what has been wiselysaid by the moderator. Next, concerning equals, there is a case muchspoken of in the church, _i. E. _ the power of ruling elders, someministers apprehending it to be a curbing of their power; truly it maybe some elders are not so wise as there is need for. --But as unity oughtto be the endeavour of us all, let neighbouring parishes andpresbyteries meet together for settling the same, &c. And thirdly, forinferiors, I hope ministers will discharge their duty to their flocks, and that people will have a due regard to those that are set over themto watch for their souls, and not to think, that because they wantbishops, they may live as they will, &c. "[93] After this, when the Scots covenanters were obliged to take arms intheir own defence, _anno_ 1639, and having marched towards the bordersof England, under the command of general Leslie, this noble lord beingset to guard the western coast, contributed very much by his diligenceand prudence to preserve peace in these parts, and that not only inconveening the gentlemen in these quarters, and taking security of themfor that purpose, but also raised four hundred men in the shire ofArgyle, which he took in hand to maintain at his own charges. Whichnumber he afterward increased to nine hundred able men, one half whereofhe set on Kintyre to wait on the marquis of Antrim's design, and therest on the head of Lorn to attend the motions of those of Lochaber, andthe western isles. From thence he himself went over to Arran with somecannon, and took the castle of Brodick, belonging to Hamilton; whichsurrendered without resistance. He was again, in the absence of the covenanters army, _anno_ 1640, appointed to the same business, which he managed with no less success, for he apprehended no less than eight or nine of the ring-leaders of themalignant faction, and made them give bonds for their better behaviourin time coming. Which industrious and faithful conduct in this great manstirred up the malice of his and truth's adversaries, that they foughton all occasions to vent their mischief against him afterward. For, at the very next sitting down of the Scots parliament, the earl ofMontrose discovered a most mischievous attempt to wound his reputation, and to set the king at perpetual variance with his lordship; and amongother offensive speeches uttered by Montrose, one was, That when theearl of Athol and the other eight gentlemen taken up by him last year(for carrying arms against their country), were in his lordship's tentat the ford of Lyons, he (_viz. _, Argyle) should have said publicly, "That they (meaning the parliament) had consulted both lawyers anddivers others, anent the deposing of the king, and had got resolutionthat it might be done in three cases, _viz. _ 1. Desertion. 2. Invasion;and 3. Vendition. And that they once thought to have done it at the lastsitting of parliament, but would do it at the next sitting thereof. "Montrose condescended on Mr. James Stuart commissary of Dunkeld, one ofthe foresaid eight taken by Argyle, as his informer; and some of hislordship's friends, having brought the said commissary to Edinburgh, hewas so fool-hardy as to subscribe the acknowledgment of the above reportto Montrose. The earl of Argyle denied the truth of this in thestrongest terms, and resolved to prosecute Mr. Stuart before the courtof justiciary where his lordship insisted for an impartial trial, whichwas granted, and according to his desire four lords of the session wereadded _hac vice_ to the court of justiciary. Stuart was accused upon thelaws of leasing, particularly of a principal statesman, to evite theeminent danger of which he wrote to Argyle, wherein he cleared him ofthe charge as laid against him, and acknowledged that he himself forgedthem, out of malice against his lordship, &c. But though Argyle'sinnocency was thus cleared, it was thought necessary to let the trial goon, and the fact being proven he was condemned to die. Argyle wouldwillingly have seen the royal clemency extended to the unfortunatewretch; but others thought the crime tended to mar the design of thelate treaty, and judged it needful as a terror to others, to make anexample. At his execution, he discovered a great deal of remorse forwhat he had done, and although this worthy nobleman was vindicated inthis, yet we find that after the restoration it was made one of theprincipal handles against this noble martyr. During these transactions, the king disagreeing with his Englishparliament, made another tour to Scotland, and attended the Scotsparliament there; in which parliament, (that he might more effectuallygain the Scots over to his interest) he not only granted a ratificationof all their former proceedings, both in their own defence, and withrespect to religion, but also dignified several of the Scots nobility:and being sensible of the many great and good services done by thisnoble earl, he was placed at the head of the treasury, and the daybefore the rising of the parliament all the commissions granted to, andservices and employments performed by Archibald, earl of Argyle, in theservice of his country were approved of; and an act of parliament madethereon was read and voted, the king giving him this testimony inpublic, That he dealt over honestly with him, though he was still stiffas to the point in controversy. And on the same day, Nov, 15th, 1641, the king delivered a patent to the lion king at arms, and he to theclerk register, who read it publicly, whereby his majesty createdArchibald earl of Argyle, &c. Marquis of Argyle, earl of Kintyre, lordLorn, &c. Which being read, and given back to the king, his majestydelivered the same with his own hand to the marquis, who rose and made avery handsome speech in gratitude to his majesty, shewing that heneither expected nor deserved such honour or preferment. During the sitting of the foresaid parliament, another incidentoccurred, wherein a plot was laid to destroy this nobleman, in thefollowing manner: Some of the nobility, envying the power, prefermentand influence that he and the marquis of Hamilton had with the king, laid a close design for their lives. The earl of Crawford, colonelCochran, and lieut. Alexander Stuart, were to have been the actors (inwhich it was insinuated, that his majesty, lord Almond, &c. Were privyto the design), which was, that Hamilton and Argyle should be called forin the dead of the night to speak with the king; in the way they were tohave been arrested as traitors, and delivered to earl Crawford, who wasto wait for them with a considerable body of armed men. If anyresistance was made, he was to stab them immediately, if not, carry themprisoners to a ship of war in the road of Leith, where they were to beconfined until they should be tried for treason. --But this breaking outbefore it was fully ripe, the two noblemen the night before went off toa place of more strength, twelve miles distant, and so escaped thisdanger, as a bird out of the hands of the fowler. Yet such was theirlenity and clemency, that upon a petition from them, the foresaidpersons were set at liberty. After this, the earl (now marquis) of Argyle had a most active hand incarrying on the work of reformation, and uniformity in religion _anno_1643. And while he was busied among the covenanters _anno_ 1644, Montrose and some others associated themselves to raise forces for theking, intending to draw the Scots army forth of England. --To effectwhich, the earl of Antrim undertook to send over ten thousand Irish, under the command of one Alaster M'Donald, a Scotsman, to the north ofScotland. A considerable body was accordingly sent, who committed manyoutrages in Argyle's country. --To suppress this insurrection, thecommittee of estates _April_ 10, gave orders to the marquis to raisethree regiments; which he accordingly did, and with them marchednorthward, took several of their principal chieftains, and dispersed therest for some time. But Montrose being still on the field, wherein hegained several victories during this and the following year, and in themean time plundered and murdered the greater part of Argyle-shire, andother places belonging to the covenanters, without mercy, and althoughhe was at last defeated and totally routed by general Lesly atPhiliphaugh, yet such was the cruelty of those cut-throats, that theforesaid M'Donald and his Irish band returned to Argyle-shire (in thebeginning of the year 1646) and burnt and plundered the dwellings of thewell-affected, in such a terrible manner, that about twelve hundred menassembled in a body under Acknalase, who brought them down to Monteith, to live upon the disaffected in that country, but the Athol men fallingupon them at Calender (and being but poorly armed) several of them werekilled, and the rest fled towards Stirling, where their master the noblemarquis met them, and commiserating their deplorable condition, carriedthem through to Lennox, to live upon the lands of the lord Napier andothers of the disaffected, until they were better provided for. And inthe mean time went over himself to Ireland, and brought over the remainsof the Scots forces, and with those landed in Argyle-shire, upon whichM'Donald betook himself to the isles, and from thence returned back toIreland; whereby peace was restored in those parts. [94] Again _anno_ 1648, when the state fell into two factions, that of themalignants was herded by the duke of Hamilton; and the other (thecovenanters) by the marquis of Argyle, from which it is easy toconclude, that from the year 1643, (when he had such an active hand incalling the convention of estates, and entering into the solemn leagueand covenant) to 1648, he was the principal agent amongst thecovenanters, and never failed on all occasions to appear in defence ofthe civil and religious liberties of his native country. And for what was enacted _anno_ 1649, it is well known what appearanceshe made, and what interest he had in the parliament, and to the utmostof his power did employ the same for bringing home Charles II. Andpossessing him of his crown and the exercise of his royal authority, andin this he succeeded to good purpose, as long as the king followed hiscounsel and advice. But afterwards taking in the malignant faction intoplaces of power and trust, all went to shipwreck together, which was nosmall matter of grief to this worthy and religious nobleman. And as the king was well received then by the marquis of Argyle, so hepretended a great deal of regard and kindness for him about that time;as appears from a letter or declaration given under his own hand at St. Johnston Sept. 24, 1650, in which he says, "Having taken to myconsideration the faithful endeavours of the marquis of Argyle, forrestoring me to my just rights, &c. ----I am desirous to let the worldsee how sensible I am of his real respect to me, by some particularfavour to him. ----And particularly I do promise that I shall make himduke of Argyle, a knight of the garter, and one of the gentlemen of mybed-chamber, and this to be performed when he shall think fit. I dofurther promise to hearken to his counsel, whenever it shall please Godto restore me to my just rights in England, I shall see him paid the40, 000 pounds sterling which are due to him. All which I do promise tomake good upon the word of a king. _C. R. _" * * * * * But how all these fair promises were performed will come afterwards tobe observed. For this godly nobleman taking upon him to reprove the kingfor some of his immoralities[95], which faithful admonition, howeverwell it appeared to be taken off the marquis's hand for the present, yetit appeared afterwards that this godly freedom was never forgot, untilit was again repaid him with the highest resentment (such was the way tohearken to his counsel); for if debauchery and dissimulation had everbeen accounted among the liberal sciences, then this prince wasaltogether a master in that faculty[96]. In the mean time January 1. 1651, the king was crowned at Scone, whereafter an excellent sermon by Mr. Robert Douglas from 2 Kings ii. 17, theking took the coronation oath, then sitting down in the chair of state(after some other ceremonies were performed), the marquis of Argyletaking the crown in his hands, (Mr. Douglas prayed) he set it on theking's head; and so ascending the stage, attended by the officers of thecrown, he was installed unto the royal throne by Archibald marquis ofArgyle, saying, "Stand, &c. Fast from henceforth the place whereof youare the lawful and righteous heir, by a long and lineal succession ofyour fathers, which is now delivered to you by the authority of GodAlmighty. [97]" Then the solemnity was concluded by a pertinentexhortation, both to king and people, wherein they were certified, thatif they should conspire together against the kingdom of Jesus Christ, both supporters and supported should fall together. But the king's forces having been before that defeated by Cromwel atDunbar, and being no longer able to make head against the English, hewent for England, and here by his particular allowance the marquis ofArgyle (after kissing his hand) was left at Stirling. But the king'sarmy being totally routed on the third of September at Worcester, andfrom thence driven from all his dominions; in the mean time the Englishover-run the whole country, so that the representatives of the nationwere either obliged to take the tender, or else suffer great hardships, which tender the marquis had refused at Dunbarton, whereupon theyresolved to invade the highlands and the shire of Argyle, being inclosedon all hands with regiments of foot and horse. Major Dean coming to themarquis's house at Inverary where he was lying sick, presented a paper, which he behoved to subscribe against to-morrow, or else be carried offprisoner, which (though sore against his will) for his own and hisvassals and tenants safety he was obliged to subscribe with somealterations, which capitulation was made a mighty handle against himafterwards. And although he had some influence upon the usurper, and waspresent at several meetings wherein he procured an equal hearing to theprotestors at London, while he was there _anno_ 1657, yet he was rathera prisoner on demand than a free agent, and so continued until therestoration. Soon after the king's return, this noble marquis being very muchsolicited to repair to court, and no doubt he himself inclined to waiton a prince on whose head he had set the crown, and though some of hisbest friends used several arguments to divert him from his purpose tillmatters were better settled, yet from the testimony of a goodconscience, knowing that he was able to vindicate himself from allaspersions, if he was but once admitted to the king's presence. He setout for London, where he arrived on the 8th of July, and went directlyto Whitehall to salute his majesty, but whenever the king heard he wascome thither (notwithstanding his former fair promises) he ordered SirWilliam Fleming to apprehend him, and carry him to the tower, where hecontinued till toward the beginning of December, that he was sent downin a man of war, to abide his trial before the parliament in Scotland. On the 20th they landed at Leith, and next day he was taken up (thestreets of Edinburgh covered) betwixt two of the town-baillies to thecastle, where he continued until his trial came on. On Feb. 13, 1661, his lordship was brought down from the castle in acoach, with three of the magistrates of Edinburgh, attended by thetown-guard, and presented before the bar of the house, where the king'sadvocate Sir John Fletcher accused him in common form of high treason, and producing an indictment, craved that it might be read. The marquishimself begged liberty to speak before that was done, but the houserefused his reasonable desire, and ordered it to be read, and though heintreated them to hear a petition he had to present, yet that was toogreat a favour to be granted. The indictment, which was more months informing than he had days allowed at first to bring his defence, consisted of fourteen articles, the principal of which were, hisentering into the solemn league and covenant with England; and hiscomplying with Oliver Cromwel, &c. ; all the rest being a heap ofslanders, and perversion of matters of fact, gathered up against thisgood and great man, all which he abundantly takes off in his informationand answers[98]. After his indictment was read, he had leave to speak and discoursed forsometime to good purpose. Among other things he said with Paul inanother case, "The things laid against him cannot be proven;"--but thishe confessed, that in the way allowed by solemn oath and covenant, heserved God, his king, and his country; and though he he owned he wantednot failings common to all persons in public business in such a time, yet he blessed God that he was able to make the falsehood of everyarticle of his charge appear, that he had done nothing with a wickedmind, but with many others had the misfortune to do many things, theunforeseen events of which had proved bad. The parliament fixed on the 27th of February for bringing in hisdefence, which was too short a time for replying to so many articles. However, at his request it was put off till the 5th of March, when heappeared before the lord of the articles, who ordered him immediately toproduce his defence, whereupon he delivered a very moving speech, andgave in a most affecting petition, remitting himself to the king'smercy, and beseeching the parliament to intercede for him, which are toolong here to be inserted. March the 6th, he was brought before theparliament--It was reported from the articles, that he had offered asubmission to his majesty, &c. But his submission was voted notsatisfactory, and he commanded on the morrow to give in his defence tothe lords of the articles. When he came before them, and told hisdefence was not ready, he was appointed to give them in on Monday April9th, otherwise they would take the whole business before them, withoutany regard to what he should afterwards say, but it seems on the dayappointed, his defence was given in, which contained fifteen sheets ofsmall print, wherein the marquis's management was fully vindicated fromall the falsehoods and calumnies in the indictment. Upon the 16th of April he was again before the parliament, where afterthe process was read, he had a very handsome and moving speech, whereinat a considerable length[99], he removed several reproaches cast uponhim, and touched at some things not in his papers, but whatever he orhis lawyers could say, had little weight with the members of parliament. Some of them were already resolved what to do, the house had manymessages to hasten his process to an end, but the misgiving of many oftheir designed probations against this good man embarrassed themmightily for some time, for it appears that there were upwards of thirtydifferent libels all formed against him, and all came to nothing whenthey began to prove them, as other lies usually do; so that they wereforced to betake themselves to the innocent but necessary compliancewith the English, after every shire and burgh in Scotland had madetheir submission to their conquerors. In the beginning of May witnesses were examined and depositions takenagainst him, after which he was upon the 25th brought before the bar ofthe house to receive his sentence from his judges, who were _sociicriminis_ (or accomplices, as he told the king's advocate). The housewas very thin, all withdrawing except those who were resolved to followthe courses of the time. He put them in mind of the practice ofTheodosius the emperor, who enacted that the sentence of death shouldnot be executed till thirty days after it was passed, and added, I cravebut ten that the king may be acquainted with it--but this was refused. Then the sentence was pronounced, "That he was found guilty of hightreason, and adjudged to be executed to the death as a traitor, his headto be severed from his body at the cross of Edinburgh, upon Monday the27th instant, and affixed on the same place where the marquis ofMontrose's head formerly was, and his arms torn before the parliament atthe cross. " Upon this he offered to speak, but the trumpet sounding hestopped till they ended, and then said, "I had the honour to set thecrown on the king's head, and now he hastens me to a better crown thanhis own. " And directing himself to the commissioner and parliament, hesaid, "You have the indemnity of an earthly king among your hands, andhave denied me a share in that, but you cannot hinder me from theindemnity of the King of kings, and shortly you must be before histribunal. I pray he mete not out such measure to you as you have done tome, when you are called to an account for all your actings, and thisamongst the rest. " After his sentence he was ordered to the common prison, where hisexcellent lady was waiting for him. Upon seeing her he said, "They havegiven me till Monday to be with you, my dear, therefore let us make forit. " She embracing him wept bitterly and said, "The Lord will requireit: The Lord will require it. " Which drew tears from all in theroom. ----But being himself composed, he said, "Forbear, forbear. I pitythem, they know not what they are doing. They may shut me in where theyplease, but they cannot shut God out from me. For my part I am ascontent to be here as in the castle, and as content in the castle as inthe tower of London, and as content there as when at liberty, and I hopeto be as content on the scaffold as any of them all, &c. " He added, "He remembered a scripture cited by an honest minister to him while inthe castle, which he intended to put in practice. When Ziklag was takenand burnt, the people spake of stoning David, but he encouraged himselfin the Lord. " He spent all his short time till Monday with the greatest serenity andcheerfulness, and in the proper exercise of a dying Christian. To someministers, who were permitted to attend him, he said, "That shortly theywould envy him who was got before them, ----and added, Remember that Itell you, my skill fails me, if you who are ministers will not eithersuffer much or sin much; for tho' you go along with these men in part, if you do not in all things, you are but where you were, and so mustsuffer, and if you go not at all with them you must but suffer. " During his life he was reckoned rather timorous than bold to any excess. In prison, he said he was naturally inclined to fear in his temper, butdesired those about him as he could not but do, to observe that the Lordhad heard his prayer, and removed all fear from him, &c. At his owndesire his lady took her leave of him on the Sabbath night. Mr. RobertDouglas and Mr. George Hutcheson preached to him in the tolbooth on theLord's day, and his dear and much valued friend Mr. David Dickson (I amtold, says Mr. Wodrow) was his bedfellow the last night he was in time. The marquis had a sweet time in the tolbooth as to his souls case, andit still increased nearer his end, as he had sleeped calmly andpleasantly his last night, so in the intervals of his necessarybusiness, he had much spiritual conservation. On Monday morning thoughhe was much engaged in settling his affairs in the midst of company, yethe was so overpowered with a sensible effusion of the Holy Spirit, thathe broke out in a rapture and said, "I thought to have concealed theLord's goodness, but it will not do. I am now ordering my affairs, andGod is sealing my charter to a better inheritance, and just now sayingto me, _Son, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee. _" Some time before he went to the place of execution, he received anexcellent letter from a certain minister, and wrote a most moving one tothe king, and dined precisely at twelve o'clock along with his friendswith great cheerfulness, and then retired a little. Upon his opening thedoor Mr. Hutcheson said, What cheer, my lord? He answered, "Good cheer, sir, the Lord hath again confirmed and said to me from heaven, _Thysins be forgiven thee. _" Upon this tears of joy flowed in abundance; heretired to the window and wept there; from that he came to the fire, andmade as if he would stir it a little to conceal his concern, but allwould not do, his tears ran down his face, and coming to Mr. Hutchesonhe said, "I think his kindness overcomes me. But God is good to me, thathe let not out too much of it here, for he knows I could not bearit[100]. Get me my cloke and let us go. " But being told that the clockwas kept back till one, till the bailies should come, ----He answered, They are far in the wrong; and presently kneeled and prayed before allpresent, in a most sweet and heavenly manner. As he ended, the bailiessent up word for to come down; upon which he called for a glass of wine, and asked a blessing to it, standing, and continuing in the same frame, he said, "Now let us go, and God be with us. " After having taken his leave of such in the room, who were not to gowith him to the scaffold, when going towards the door he said, "I coulddie like a Roman, but choose rather to die like a Christian. Come away, gentlemen, he that goes first goes cleanliest. " When going down stairs, he called the reverend Mr. James Guthrie to him, and embracing him in amost endearing way, took his farewel of him; Mr. Guthrie at partingaddressed the marquis thus, "My lord, God hath been with you, he is withyou, and will be with you. And such is my respect for your lordship, that if I were not under sentence of death myself, I would cheerfullydie for your lordship. " So they parted, to meet again in a better placeon the Friday following. Then the marquis accompanied with several noblemen and gentlemen mountedin black, with his cloke and hat on, went down the street, and mountedon the scaffold with great serenity and gravity, like one going to hisFather's house, and saluted all on it. Then Mr. Hutcheson prayed, afterwhich his lordship delivered his speech, in which among other things hesaid, "I come not here to justify myself, but the Lord, who is holy inall his ways, righteous in all his works, holy and blessed is his name. Neither come I to condemn others. I bless the Lord, I pardon all men, and desire to be pardoned of the Lord myself. Let the will of the Lordbe done, that is all I desire. ----I was real and cordial in my desiresto bring the king home, and in my endeavours for him when he was home, and had no correspondence with the adversaries army, nor any of themwhen his majesty was in Scotland, nor had I any hand in his latemajesty's murder. I shall not speak much to these things for which I amcondemned, lest I seem to condemn others. --It is well known it is onlyfor compliance, which was the epidemical fault of the nation; I wish theLord to pardon them. I say no more----but God hath laid engagements onScotland. We are tied by covenants to religion and reformation, thosewho were then unborn are yet engaged, and it passeth the power of allthe magistrates under heaven to absolve from the oath of God. Thesetimes are like to be either very sinning or suffering times, and letChristians make their choice, there is a sad dilemma in the business, sin or suffer, and surely he that will choose the better part willchoose to suffer, others that will choose to sin will not escapesuffering. They shall suffer, but perhaps not as I do (pointing to themaiden) but worse. Mine is but temporal, theirs shall be eternal. When Ishall be singing, they shall be howling. Beware therefore of sin, whatever you are aware of, especially in such times. --And hence mycondition is such now, as, when I am gone, will be seen not to be asmany imagined. I wish, as the Lord hath pardoned me, so may he pardonthem, for this and other things, and what they have done to me may nevermeet them in their accounts. ----I have no more to say, but to beg theLord that when I go away, he would bless every one that stayeth behind. " When he had delivered this his seasonable and pathetic speech, whichwith his last words is recorded at length in Naphtali[101]. Mr. Hamiltonprayed, after which he prayed most sweetly himself, then he took hisleave of all his friends on the scaffold. He first gave to theexecutioner a napkin with some money in it; to his sons in lawCaithness and Ker his watch and some other things out of his pocket, hegave to Loudon his silver penner, to Lothian a double ducat, and thenthrew off his coat. When going to the maiden, Mr. Hutcheson said, Mylord, now hold your grip sickker. ----He answered, "You know Mr. Hutcheson, what I said to you in the chamber. I am not afraid to besurprised with fear. " The laird of Shelmerlie took him by the hand, whennear the maiden, and found him most composed. He kneeled down mostcheerfully, and after he had prayed a little, he gave the signal (whichwas by lifting up his hand), and the instrument called the maiden struckoff his head from his body, which was fixed on the west end of thetolbooth, as a monument of the parliaments injustice and the land'smisery. His body was by his friends put in a coffin and conveyed with agood many attendants through Linlithgow and Falkirk to Glasgow, and fromthence to Kilpatrick, where it was put in a boat, carried to Denune, andburied in Kilmunn church. Thus died the noble marquis of Argyle, the proto-martyr to religionsince the reformation from popery, the true portrait of whose charactercannot be (a historian[102] says I dare not) drawn. His enemiesthemselves will allow him to have been a person of extraordinary piety, remarkable wisdom and prudence, great gravity and authority, andsingular usefulness. He was the head of the covenanters in Scotland, andhad been singularly active in the work of reformation there, and of anyalmost that had engaged in that work he stuck closest by it, when mostof the nation quitted it very much, so that this attack upon him was astroke at the root of all that had been done in Scotland from 1638, tothe usurpation. But the tree of prelacy and arbitrary measures behovedto be soaked when planting, with the blood of this excellent patriot, staunch presbyterian, and vigorous assertor of Scotland's liberty, andas he was the great promoter thereof during his life, and stedfast inwitnessing to it at his death, so it was to a great degree buried withhim in Scotland, for many years. In a word, he had piety for achristian, sense for a counsellor, carriage for a martyr, and soul for aking. If ever any was, he might be said to be a born Scotsman. _The Life of Mr. JAMES GUTHRIE. _ Mr. James Guthrie son to the laird of Guthrie (a very honourable andancient family) having gone through his course of classical learning atthe grammar school and college, taught philosophy in the university ofSt. Andrews, where for several years he gave abundant proof that he wasan able scholar. His temper was very steady and composed; he couldreason upon the most subtle points with great solidity, and when everyone else was warm his temper was never ruffled. At any time whenindecent heats or wranglings happened to fall in when reasoning, it washis ordinary custom to say, "Enough of this, let us go to some othersubject; we are warm, and can dispute no longer with advantage. " Perhapshe had the greatest mixture of fervent zeal and sweet calmness in histemper, of any man in his time. But being educated in opposition topresbyterian principles he was highly prelatical in his judgment when hecame first to St. Andrews, but by conversing with worthy Mr. Rutherfordand others, and especially through his joining the weekly society'smeetings there, for prayer and conference, he was effectually broughtoff from that way, and perhaps it was this that made the writer of thediurnal (who was no friend of his) say, "That if Mr. Guthrie hadcontinued fixt to his first principles, he had been a star of the firstmagnitude in Scotland. " Whenas he came to judge for himself, he happilydeparted from his first principles, and upon examination of that waywherein he was educated, he left it, and thereby became a star of thefirst magnitude indeed. It is said, that while he was regent in thecollege of St. Andrews, Mr. Sharp being then a promising young manthere, he several times wrote this verse upon him, If thou, Sharp, die the common death of men, I'll burn my bill, and throw away my pen. Having passed his trials, _anno_ 1638, he was settled minister atLauder, where he remained for several years. _Anno_ 1646, he wasappointed one of those ministers who were to attend the king, while atNewcastle, and likewise he was one of those nominated in the commissionfor the public affairs of the church, during the intervals betwixt thegeneral assemblies. And in about three years after this, he wastranslated to Stirling, where he continued until the restoration, a mostfaithful watchman upon Zion's walls, who ceased not day and night todeclare the whole counsel of God to his people, _shewing Israel theiriniquities, and the house of Jacob their sins_. After he came to Stirling, he again not only evidenced a singular careover that people he had the charge of, but also was a great assistant inthe affairs of the church, being a most zealous enemy to all error andprofanity. And when that unhappy difference fell out with the publicresolutioners, he was a most staunch protestor, opposing theseresolutions unto the utmost of his power, insomuch as after thepresbytery of Stirling had wrote a letter to the commission of thegeneral assembly, shewing their dislike and dissatisfaction with theresolutioners, after they had been concluded upon at Perth Dec. 14. 1650. Mr. Guthrie and his colleague Mr. Bennet went somewhat further, and openly preached against them, as a thing involving the land inconjunction with the malignant party, for which by a letter from thechancellor they were ordered to repair to Perth on Feb. 19th, 1651, toanswer before the king[103] and the committee of estates for thatletter and their doctrine: but upon the indisposition of one of them, they excused themselves by a letter, for their non-appearance that day, but promised to attend upon the end of the week. Accordingly on the 22dthey appeared at Perth, where they gave in a protestation; signifying, that although they owned his majesty's civil authority, yet was Mr. Guthrie challenged by the king and his council for a doctrinal thesiswhich he had maintained and spoken to in a sermon, ----whereof they wereincompetent judges in matters purely ecclesiastical, such as is theexamination and censuring of doctrines, --he did decline them on thataccount[104]. The matter being deferred for some days, till the king returned fromAberdeen, in the mean time the two ministers were confined to Perth andDundee, whereupon they (Feb. 28. ) presented another paper orprotestation[105], which was much the same, though in stronger terms, and supported by many excellent arguments. After this the king andcommittee thought proper to dismiss them, and to proceed no farther inthe affair at present, and yet Mr. Guthrie's declining the king'sauthority in matters ecclesiastical here, was made the principal articlein his indictment some ten years after, to give way to a personal piqueMiddleton had against this good man, the occasion of which is asfollows: By improving an affront the king met with _anno_ 1659, some malignantsabout him so prevailed to heighten his fears of the evil designs ofthose about him, that by a correspondence with the papists, malignants, and such as were disaffected to the covenants in the north, matters camein a little to such a pass, that a considerable number of noblemen, gentlemen, and others were to rise and form themselves into an armyunder Middleton's command, and the king was to cast himself into theirarms, &c. Accordingly the king with a few in his retinue, as if hewere going a-hunting, left his best friends, crossed the Tay, and cameto Angus, where he was to have met with those people, but soon findinghimself disappointed, he came back to the committee of estates, whereindeed his greatest strength lay. In the meanwhile several who had beenin the plot fearing punishment, got together under Middleton's command. General Leslie marched towards them, and the king wrote to them to laydown their arms. The committee sent an indemnity to such as shouldsubmit, and while the dates were thus dealing with them, the commissionof the assembly were not wanting to shew their zeal against such asventured to disturb the public peace, and it is said that Mr. Guthriehere proposed summary excommunication, as a censure Middleton deserved, and as what he thought to be a suitable testimony from the church atthis juncture. This highest sentence was carried in the commission by aplurality of votes, and Mr. Guthrie was appointed the next sabbath topronounce the sentence. In the mean time the committee of estates (notwithout some debates) had agreed upon an indemnity to Middleton. --Therewas an express sent to Stirling with an account how things stood, and aletter desiring Mr. Guthrie to forbear the intimation of thecommission's sentence. But this letter coming to him just as he wasgoing to the pulpit, he did not open it till the work was over, andthough he had, it is a question if he would have delayed thecommission's sentence upon a private missive to himself. However thesentence was inflicted, and although the commission of the church Jan. 3, 1651. (being their next meeting) did relax Middleton from thatcensure, (and laid it on a better man, col. Strachan[106]) yet it isbelieved Middleton never forgave or forgot what Mr. Guthrie did uponthat day, as will afterward be made more fully to appear. Mr. Guthrie about this time wrote several of the papers upon theprotestors side, for which, and his faithfulness, he was one of thosethree who were deposed by the pretended assembly at St. Andrews 1657. Yea, such was the malice of these woeful resolutioners, that upon hisrefusal of one of that party, and accession to the call of Mr. Rule, tobe his colleague at Stirling (upon the death of Mr. Bennet _anno_ 1656)they proceeded to stone this seer in Israel with stones, his testimonywhile alive so tormented the men who dwell upon the earth. And as Mr. Guthrie did faithfully testify against the resolutioners andthe malignant party, so he did equally oppose himself to the sectariesand to Cromwell's usurpation; and although he went up to London _anno_1657, when the marquis of Argyle procured an equal hearing betwixt theprotestors and the resolutioners, yet he so boldly defended the king'sright in public debate with Hugh Peters, Oliver's chaplain, and from thepulpit asserted the king's title in the face of the English officers, aswas surprizing to all gainsayers. Yet for this and other hardships thathe endured on this account, at this time, he was but sorrily rewarded, as by and by will come to be observed. Very soon after the restoration, while Mr. Guthrie and some other of hisfaithful brethren (who assembled at Edinburgh) were drawing up a paper, _Aug. _ 23d, in way of supplication to his majesty, they were allapprehended (except one who happily escaped) and imprisoned in thecastle of Edinburgh, and from thence Mr. Guthrie was taken to Stirlingcastle (the author of the apologetical relation says to Dundee), wherehe continued till a little before his trial, which was upon the 20th ofFebruary, 1661. When he came to his trial, the chancellor told him, Hewas called before them to answer to the charge of high treason, (a copyof which charge he had received some weeks before) and the lord advocateproposed, his indictment should be read; which the house went into: Theheads of which were: (1. ) His contriving, consenting to, and exhibiting before the committeeof estates, the paper called, The western remonstrance. (2. ) His contriving, writing and publishing that abominable pamphlet, called, the causes of the Lord's wrath. (3. ) His contriving, writing and subscribing the paper called the humblepetition[107] of the twenty-third of _August_ last. (4. ) His convocating of the king's lieges, &c. (5. ) His declaring his majesty, by his appeals and protestationspresented by him at Perth, incapable to be judge over him. And, (6. ) Some treasonable expressions he was alledged to have uttered in ameeting in 1650 or 1651. His indictment being read, he made an excellent speech before theparliament (wherein he both defended himself, and that noble cause forwhich he suffered), which being too nervous to abridge, and too prolixto insert in this place: The reader will find it elsewhere[108]. After he had delivered this speech, he was ordered to remove. He humblycraved, that some time might be given him to consult with his lawyers. This was granted; and he was allowed till the 29th to give in hisdefence. --It is affirmed, upon very good authority, that when he metwith his lawyers to form his defence, he very much surprized them by hisexactness in our Scots laws, and suggested several things to be addedthat had escaped his advocate, which made Sir John Nisbet expresshimself to this purpose, "If it had been in the reasoning part, or inconsequences from scripture and divinity, I would have wondered the lessif he had given us some help, but even in the matter of our ownprofession, our statutes and acts of parliament, he pointed out severalthings that had escaped us. " And likewise the day before his firstappearance in parliament, it is said he sent a copy of the forementionedspeech to Sir John and the rest of his lawyers of the reasoning and lawpart, and they could mend nothing therein. The advocate's considering his defence, and the giving of it in, took upsome weeks, until April the 11th, when the process against him was readin the house, upon which he made a speech affecting and close to thepurpose; in which he concludes thus: "My Lord, in the last place, I humbly beg, that having brought sopregnant and clear evidence from the word of God, so much divine reasonand human laws, and so much of the common practice of kirk and kingdomin my defence; and being already cast out of my ministry, out of mydwelling and maintenance; myself and my family put to live on thecharity of others; having now suffered eight months imprisonment, yourLordships, would put no other burden upon me. I shall conclude with thewords of the prophet Jeremiah, _Behold, I am in your hands_, saith he, _do to me what seemeth good to you: I know, for certain, that the Lordhath commanded me to speak all these things, and that if you put me todeath, you shall bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon theinhabitants of this city_. " "My Lords, my conscience I cannot submit; but this old crazy body andmortal flesh I do submit, to do with it whatever ye will, whether bydeath, or banishment, or imprisonment, or any thing else; only I beseechyou to ponder well what profit there is in my blood: it is not theextinguishing of me or many others, that will extinguish the covenantand work of reformation since the year 1638. My blood, bondage, orbanishment will contribute more for the propagation of these things, than my life or liberty could do, though I should live many years, &c. " And though this speech had not that influence that might have beenexpected, yet it made such impression upon some of the members that theywithdrew, declaring to one another, that they would have nothing to dowith the blood of this righteous man. But his judges were determined toproceed, and accordingly his indictment was found relevant. Bp. Burnet[109] says, "The earl of Tweeddale was the only man that movedagainst putting him to death; he said, Banishment had hitherto been theseverest censure laid upon preachers for their opinions, --yet he wascondemned to die. " The day of his execution was not named till the 28thof May, when the parliament ordered him and William Govan to be hangedat the cross of Edinburgh, on the first of June, and Mr. Guthrie's headto be fixed on the Nether-bow, his estate to be confiscated, and hisarms torn; and the head of the other upon the west-port of Edinburgh. And thus a sentence of death was passed upon Mr. Guthrie, for hisaccession to the causes of God's wrath, his writing the petition lastyear, and the protestation above-mentioned; matters done a good manyyears ago, and every way agreeable and conform to the word of God, theprinciples and practice of this and other churches and the laws of thekingdom. After he received his sentence, he accosted the parliamentthus, "My lords, let never this sentence affect you more than it doesme, and let never my blood be required of the king's family. " Thus it was resolved that this excellent man should fall a sacrifice toprivate and personal pique, as the marquis's was said to be to a moreexalted revenge; and it is said, that the managers had no small debatewhat his sentence should be, for he was dealt with by some of them toretract what he had done and written, and join with the presentmeasures, and he was even offered a bishopric. The other side were in nohazard in making the experiment, for they might be assured of hisfirmness in his principles. A bishopric was a very small temptation tohim, and the commissioner improved his inflexibility to have his lifetaken away, to be a terror to others, that they might have the lessopposition in establishing prelacy. Betwixt Mr. Guthrie's sentence and his execution, he was in perfectcomposure and serenity of spirit, and wrote a great many excellentletters to his friends and acquaintances. In this interval, he utteredseveral prophetical expressions, which, together with the foresaidreligious letters, could they now be recovered, might be of no small usein this apostate and backslidden age. June 1st, the day on which he wasexecuted, upon some reports that he was to buy his life at the expenceof retracting some of the things he had formerly said and done, he wroteand subscribed the following declaration. "There are to declare that I do own the causes of God's wrath, thesupplication at Edinburgh August last, and the accession I had to theremonstrances. And if any do think, or have reported that I was willingto recede from these, they have wronged me, as never having any groundfrom me to think, or to report so. This I attest under my hand atEdinburgh, about eleven o'clock forenoon, before these witnesses. " Mr. Arthur Forbes, Mr. John Guthrie, Mr. Hugh Walker, Mr. James Cowie. That same day he dined with his friends with great cheerfulness. Afterdinner he called for a little cheese, which he had been dissuaded fromtaking for some time, as not good for the gravel, which he was troubledwith, and said, I am now beyond the hazard of the gravel. ----When he hadbeen secret for sometime, he came forth with the utmost fortitude andcomposure, and was carried down under a guard from the tolbooth to thescaffold, which was erected at the cross. Here he was so far fromshewing any fear, that he rather expressed a contempt at death, andspake an hour upon the ladder with the composure of one delivering asermon. His last speech is in Naphtali, where among other thingsbecoming a martyr, he saith, "One thing I warn you all of, That God isvery wroth with Scotland, and threatens to depart, and remove hiscandlestick. The causes of his wrath are many, and would to God it werenot one great cause, that causes of wrath are despised. Consider thecase that is recorded, Jer. Xxxvi. And the consequences of it, andtremble and fear. I cannot but also say that there is a great additionof wrath by that deluge of profanity that overfloweth all the land, inso far that many have not only lost all use and exercise of religion, but even of morality. 2. By that horrible treachery and perjury that isin the matters of the covenant and cause of God. Be ye astonished, O yeheavens, at this! &c. 3. Horrible ingratitude. The Lord, after tenyears oppression, hath broken the yoke of strangers, from oft our necks, but the fruits of our delivery, is to work wickedness and to strengthenour hands to do evil, by a most dreadful sacrificing to the creature. Wehave changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the image of acorruptible man, in whom many have placed almost all their salvation. God is also wroth with a generation of carnal corrupt time-servingministers. I know and do bear testimony, that in the church of Scotlandthere is a true and faithful ministry, and I pray you to honour these;for their works sake. I do bear my witness to the national covenant ofScotland, and solemn league and covenant betwixt the three kingdoms. These sacred solemn public oaths of God, I believe can be loosed ordispensed with by no person or party or power upon earth, but are stillbinding upon these kingdoms, and will be so for ever hereafter, and areratified and sealed by the conversion of many thousand souls, since ourentering thereinto. I bear my testimony to the protestation against thecontroverted assemblies, and the public resolutions. I take God torecord upon my soul, I would not exchange this scaffold with the palaceor mitre of the greatest prelate in Britain. Blessed be God, who hathshewed mercy to me such a wretch, and has revealed his Son in me, andmade me a minister of the everlasting gospel, and that he hath deigned, in the midst of much contradictions from Satan and the world, to seal myministry upon the hearts of not a few of his people, and especially inthe station wherein I was last, I mean the congregation and presbyteryof Stirling. Jesus Christ is my light and my life, my righteousness, mystrength and my salvation, and all my desire. Him! O him! I do with allthe strength of my soul commend to you. Bless him, O my soul, fromhenceforth, even for ever!" He concluded with the words of old Simeon, _Now let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thysalvation. _ He gave a copy of this his last speech and testimony, subscribed and sealed, to a friend to keep, which he was to deliver tohis son, then a child, when he came to age. When on the scaffold helifted the napkin off his face just before he was turned over and cried, The covenants, the covenants shall yet be Scotland's reviving. A few weeks after he was executed, and his head placed on theNeitherbow-port, Middleton's coach coming down that way, several dropsof blood fell from the head upon the coach, which all their art anddiligence could not wipe off, and when physicians were called, anddesired to inquire, If any natural cause could be given for this, butthey could give none. This odd incident being noised abroad, and allmeans tried, at length the leather was removed, and a new cover put on:But this was much sooner done, than the wiping off the guilt of thisgreat and good man's blood upon the shedders of it, and this poornation[110]. Thus fell the faithful Mr. James Guthrie, who was properly the first whosuffered unto death in that period, for asserting the kingly prerogativeof Jesus Christ in opposition to Erastian supremacy. He was a manhonoured of God to be zealous and singularly faithful in carrying on thework of reformation, and had carried himself straight under all changesand revolutions, and because he had been such, he must live no longer. He did much for the interest of the king in Scotland, which the king nodoubt was sensible of: When he got notice of his death, he said withsome warmth, "And what have you done with Mr. Patrick Gillespie. " He wasanswered, that having so many friends in the house, his life could notbe taken. Well, said the king, "If I had known you would have spared Mr. Gillespie, I would have spared Mr. Guthrie. " And indeed he was not farout with it; for Mr. Guthrie was capable to have done him as muchservice. For he was one accomplished with almost every qualificationnatural or acquired, necessary to complete both a man and a Christian. But it is a loss we are favoured with so few of the writings of thisworthy. For beside those papers already mentioned, he wrote severalothers upon the protestors side, among which was also a paper wroteagainst the usurper Oliver Cromwel, for which he suffered some hardshipsduring the time of that usurpation. His last sermon at Stirling preachedfrom Matth xiv. 22. Was published in 1738, intitled a cry from the dead, &c. ; with his ten considerations anent the decay of religion, firstpublished by himself in 1660; and an authentic paper wrote andsubscribed by himself upon the occasion of his being stoned by theresolution party about 1656, for his accession to the call of Mr. RobertRule to be his colleague, after the death of Mr. Bennet. He also wrotea treatise on ruling elders and deacons, about the time he entered intothe ministry, which is now affixed to the last edition of his cousin Mr. William Guthrie's treatise of the trial of a saving interest in Christ. _The Life of JOHN CAMPBEL Earl of Loudon. _ He was heir to Sir James Campbel of Lawer, and husband of MargaretBaroness of Loudon. The first of his state-preferments was _anno_ 1633. When king Charles I. Came to Scotland, in order to have his coronation performed there[111]. At which time he dignified several of the Scots nobility with highertitles of honour; and among the rest this nobleman, who was created earlof Loudon May 12th, 1633. It appears, that from his youth he had been well affected to thepresbyterian interest, for no sooner did that reformation (commonlycalled the second reformation) begin to take air, which was about theyear 1637, than he appeared a principal promoter thereof, and that notonly in joining these petitioners, afterwards called the covenanters, but also when the general assembly sat down at Glasgow in Nov. 1638, hethought it his honour to attend the same in almost every sessionthereof, and was of great service both by his advice in difficult cases, and also by several excellent speeches that he delivered therein. Aswitness Upon the very entry, when the difference arose between themarquis of Hamilton the king's commissioner, and some of the rest, anentchoosing a clerk to the assembly, the marquis refusing to be assisted byTraquair and Sir Lewis Stuart, urged several reasons for compliance withhis majesty's pleasure, &c. And at last renewed his protest, whereupon lord Loudon, in name of commissioners to the assembly, gave inreasons of a pretty high strain, why the lord commissioner and hisassessors ought to have but one vote in the assembly, &c. Of thesereasons Traquair craved a double, and promised to answer them, but itappears never found leisure for this employment. About this time, he told the king's commissioner roundly, "They knew noother bonds betwixt a king and his subjects but religion and laws; andif these were broken, mens lives were not dear to them. They would notbe so; such fears were past with them[112]. " The king and the bishops being galled to the heart to see that, by theassembly, presbytery was almost restored, and prelacy well nighabolished, he immediately put himself at the head of an army in order toreduce them, &c. The Scots, hearing of the preparation, provided aswell as they could. Both armies marched towards the border, but upon theapproach of the Scots, the English were moved with great timidity, whereupon ensued a pacification. ----Commissioners being appointed totreat on both sides, the Scots were permitted to make known theirdesires; the lord Loudon being one of the Scots commissioners, upon hisknees said, "That their demand was only to enjoy their religion andliberties, according to the ecclesiastical and civil laws of thekingdom. " The king replied, "That if that was all that was to bedesired, the peace would soon be made. " And after several particularswere agreed upon, the king promised, "That all ecclesiastical mattersshould be decided by an assembly, and civil matters by the parliament, which assembly should be kept once a-year. That on the 6th of Augustshould be held a free general assembly when the king would be present, and pass an act of oblivion, &c. " The articles of the pacificationwere subscribed June 18th, by the commissioners of both sides, in viewof both armies at kirks near Berwick, _anno_ 1639. But this treaty was short-lived and ill observed, for the king irritatedby the bishops, soon after burnt the pacification by the hands of thehangman, charging the Scots with a breach of the articles of the treaty, although the earl of Loudon gave him sufficient proofs to the contrary. Which freedom used by his lordship no way pleased the king; but he wassuffered to return home, and the king kept his resentment unto anotheropportunity. In the mean time, the general assembly sat down at Edinburgh, August12th. Mr. Dickson was chosen moderator, and at this assembly, afterseveral matters were discussed, Messrs. Henderson and Ramsay enteredupon a demonstration, that episcopacy hath its beginning from men, andis of human institution, &c. But they had not proceeded far, till theywere interrupted by Traquair, the king's commissioner, who declared hedid not desire them to fall upon any scholastic dispute, but how farthose in the reformation had found episcopacy contrary to theconstitution of this church; whereupon the truly noble lord Loudon(being present) did most solidly explain the act of the generalassembly, 1580, which condemned the office of bishops in the mostexpress terms, prior to the subscription of the national covenant, andbecause of a difficulty raised from these words in that act, _viz. _ (asit was then used) his lordship observed that in the assemblies 1560, 1575, 1576, 1577, and 1578, episcopacy came still under consideration, though not directly as to the office, yet as to the corruption, &c. And having enlarged upon the office of bishops as without a warrant fromthe word of God, he concludes--"As we have said, so that the connectionbetween the assemblies of 1574, and of 1581, is quite clear; episcopacyis put out as wanting warrant from the word of God, and presbytery putin, as having that divine warrant; and was accordingly sworn unto. " The same day on which the assembly arose, the parliament sat down, butfalling upon matters that did not correspond with the king's design, Traquair did all he could to stop them that they might have nothingdone, whereupon they agreed to send up the earls of Dunfermline andLoudon to implore his majesty to allow the parliament to proceed, and todetermine what was before them, &c. But ere these two lords hadreached the court, orders were sent them discharging them in the king'sname, from coming within a mile of him, on supposition they had noexpress warrant from the lord commissioner; and they were returned home. In the mean time the parliament by the kings orders is prorogued to the2d of June 1640, and matters continued so till Jan. 1641, that thecommittee of parliament having obtained leave to send up commissionersto represent their grievances, did again commission the two foresaidearls, to whom they added Sir William Douglas of Cavers, and Mr. Barclayprovost of Irvine. On their arrival they were allowed to kiss the king'shand, and some time after were appointed to attend at the councilchamber, but understanding they were not to have a hearing of the kinghimself, they craved a copy of Traquair's information to the council ofEngland, which was denied. At last the king gave them audience himselfupon the third of March, when the lord Loudon, after having addressedhis majesty, shewed that his ancient and native kingdom is independentupon any other judicatory whatever, and craved his majesty's protectionin defence of religion, liberty, and the cause of the church andkingdom, and then speaking concerning those who have or may misrepresentor traduce these his most loyal Scots subjects, he says, "If it pleaseGod, for our sins to make our condition so deplorable as they may getthe shadow of your majesty's authority, (as we hope in God they willnot) to palliate their ends, then as those who are sworn to defend ourreligion, our recourse must be only to the God of Jacob for our refuge, who is the Lord of lords, and king of kings, and by whom kings do reignand princes decree justice. And if, in speaking thus out of zeal toreligion, and the duty we owe to our country, and that charge which islaid upon us, any thing hath escaped us, sith it is spoken from thesincerity of our hearts, we fall down at your majesty's feet, cravingpardon for our freedom. " Again having eloquently expatiated upon thedesires of his subjects, and the laws of the kingdom, he speaks of thelaws of God and power of the church, and says, "Next, we mustdistinguish betwixt the church and the state, betwixt the ecclesiasticaland civil power; both which are materially one, yet formally they arecontradistinct in power, in jurisdiction, in laws, in bodies, in ends, in offices and officers, and although the church and ecclesiasticassemblies thereof be formally different and distinct from theparliament and civil judicatories, yet there is so strict and necessarya conjunction betwixt the ecclesiastic and civil jurisdiction, betwixtreligion and justice; as the one cannot firmly subsist and be preservedwithout the other, and therefore they must stand and fall, live and dietogether, &c. " He enlarged further upon the privileges of both churchand state, and then concluded with mentioning the sum of their desires, which----"is that your majesty (saith he) may be graciously pleased tocommand that the parliament may proceed freely to determine all thesearticles given in to them, and whatsoever exceptions, objections, orinformations are made against any of the particular overtures, &c. Weare most willing to receive the same in write, and are content in thesame way, to return our answers and humble desires[113]. " March 11, the commissioners appeared, and brought their instructions, whereupon ensued some reasonings betwixt them and the king, in whichtime arch-bishop Laud, who sat on the king's right-hand, was observed tomock the Scots commissioners, causing the king put such questions tothem as he pleased. At last Traquair gave in several queries andobjections to them, unto which they gave most solid and sufficientanswers in every particular. But this farce being over, for it seems nothing else was here intendedby the court than to intrap the commissioners, (and particularly thisnoble earl who had so strenuously asserted the laws and liberties of hisnative country). In the end, all the deputies, by the king's order, weretaken into custody, and the earl of Loudon sent to the tower for aletter alledged to be wrote by him, and sent by the Scots to the Frenchking, as to their sovereign, imploring his aid against their naturalking, of the following tenor: "_SIRE_, "Your majesty being the refuge and sanctuary of afflicted princes andstates, we have found it necessary to send this gentleman Mr. Colvil, torepresent unto your majesty, the candor and ingenuity as well of ouractions and proceedings, as of our inventions, which we desire to beingraven and written in the whole world, with a beam of the sun, as wellas to your majesty. We therefore beseech you, Sire, to give faith andcredit to him, and to all that he shall say on our part, touching us andour affairs. Being much assured, Sire, of an assistance equal to yourwonted clemency heretofore, and so often shewed to the nation, whichwill not yield the glory of any other whatsoever, to be eternally, Sire, your majesty's most humble, most obedient and most affectionateservants. " This letter, says a historian[114], was advised to and composed byMontrose, when the king was coming against Scotland with a potent army, transcribed by lord Loudon, and subscribed by them two and the lordsRothes, Marr, Montgomery and Forrester, and general Leslie; but thetranslation being found faulty by lord Maitland, &c. It was droppedaltogether, which copy wanted both the date, which the worst of itsenemies never pretended it had, and a direction, which the Scotsconfidently affirmed it never had; but falling into the king's hand (bymeans of Traquair), he intended to make a handle of it, to make lordLoudon the first sacrifice. This noble lord being examined before thecouncil, did very honestly acknowledge the hand-writing and subscriptionto be his; but said, It was before the late pacification, when hismajesty was marching in hostility against his native country; that inthese circumstances it seemed necessary to have an intercessor tomitigate his wrath, and they could think of none so well qualified asthe French king, being the nearest relation by affinity to theirsovereign of any other crowned head in the world; but that being butshortly thought on before the arrival of the English on the border, wasjudged too late, and therefore was never either addressed by them, orsent to the French king. Notwithstanding this evil was intended against this noble peer, andbeing remanded back to prison, was very near being dispatched, and thatnot only without the benefit of his peers, but without any legal trialor conviction. Burnet fairly acknowledges[115], that the king wasadvised to proceed capitally against him. But the Englishhistorians[116] go still farther, and plainly say, That the king aboutthree o'clock in the afternoon, sent his own letter to William Balfourlieutenant of the tower, commanding him to see the lord Loudon's headstruck off, within the tower, before nine the next morning, (a strikingdemonstration of the just and forgiving spirit for which by some kingCharles is so much extolled). Upon this command, the lieutenant of thetower, that his lordship might prepare for death, gave him notice of it;which awful intimation, he (knowing the justice of his cause) receivedwith astonishing composure and serenity of mind. The lieutenant wenthimself to the marquis of Hamilton, who he thought was bound in honourto interpose in this matter. The marquis and the lieutenant made theirway to the king, who was then in bed. The warrant was scarce named, whenthe king, understanding their errand, stopped them, saying, By G--d itshall be executed. But the marquis laying before him the odiousness ofthe fact, by the violation of the safe conduct he had granted to thatnobleman, and the putting him to death without conviction, or so much asa legal trial, with the dismal consequences that were like to attend anaction of that nature, not only in respect of Scotland, which wouldcertainly be lost, but likewise of his own personal safety from thenobility. Whereupon the king called for the warrant, tore it, anddismissed the marquis and the lieutenant somewhat abruptly. --After this, about the 28th of June, this noble lord (upon promise of concealing fromhis brethren in Scotland the hard treatment he had met with from theking, and of contributing his endeavours to dispose them to peace) wasliberated from his confinement, and allowed to return home. But things being now ripened for a new war, the king put himself at thehead of another army, in order to suppress the Scots: On the other handthe Scots resolved not to be behind in their preparations, and enteredEngland with a numerous army, mostly of veteran troops, many of whom hadserved in Germany under Gustavus Adolphus[117]. A party of the king'sforces disputed the passage of the Tyne, but were defeated by them atNewburn; whereupon the Scots took Newcastle and Berwick, pushing theirway as far as Durham. Here the noble earl of Loudon acted no mean part, for he not only gained upon the citizens of Edinburgh and other places, to contribute money and other necessaries, for the use and supply of theScots army, but also commanded a brigade of horse, with whom, in theforesaid skirmish at Newburn, he had no small share of the victory. Theking retired to York, and finding himself environed on all hands, appointed commissioners to treat with the Scots a second time. On theother side, the Scots nominated the earls of Dunfermline, Rothes, andLoudon, with some gentlemen, and Messrs. Henderson and Johnson, advocates for the church, as their commissioners for the treaty. Bothcommissioners upon Oct. 1, 1640, met at Rippon, where, after agreeingupon some articles for a cessation of arms for three months, the treatywas transferred to London. Unto which the Scots commissioners (upon apatent granted from the king for their safe conduct) consented and wentthither. And because great hopes were entertained by friends in England, from their presence and influence at London, the committee at Newcastleappointed Mr. Robert Blair, for his dexterity in dealing with theIndependents; Mr. Robert Bailey, for his eminence in managing theArminian controversy; and Mr. George Gillespie for his nervous and pithyconfutation of the English ceremonies, to accompany the three noblemen, as their chaplains: And Messrs. Smith and Borthwick followed soon after. After this treaty, things went pretty smooth for some time in Scotland, but the king, not relishing the proceedings of the English parliament, made a tour next year to Scotland, where he attended the Scotsparliament. When this parliament sat down (before the king's arrival), Traquair, Montrose, and several other incendiaries, having been citedbefore them for stirring up strife between the king and his subjects, for undoing the covenanters, of whom some appeared, and some appearednot. In the mean while, the noble earl of Loudon said so much in favoursof some of them, discharging himself so effectually of all the orderslaid on him last year by the king, that some, forgetting the obligationhe came under to steer with an even hand, began to suspect him ofchanging sides, so that he was well nigh left out of the commission toEngland with the parliament's agreement to the treaty; which so muchoffended his lordship, that he supplicated the parliament to be examinedby them of his past conduct and negotiations, if they found him faithful(so far was he emboldened, having the testimony of a good conscience), which grieved the members of the house very much. The house declared, indeed, that he had behaved himself faithfully and wisely in all hispublic employments, and that he not only deserved to have an act ofapprobation, but likewise to be rewarded by the estates, that theirfavours and his merit might be known to posterity, &c. They furtherconsidered, that the loss of such an eminent instrument could not beeasily supplied. The English dealt not so freely with any of ourcommissioners, as with lord Loudon, nor did ever any of ourcommissioners use so much ingenuous freedom with his majesty as he did;and he behoved once more to return to London, with the treatynew-revised by the parliament, subscribed by the lord president andothers. After the return of the commissioners, the king being arrived inparliament, they began to dignify several of the Scots nobility withoffices of state, and because a lord-treasurer was a-wanting it wasmoved that none did deserve that office so well as the earl of Loudon, who had done so much for his country. But the king, judging more wiselyin this, thought it was more difficult to find a fit person for thechancery than for the treaty, was obliged to make the earl of Loudonchancellor, contrary, both to his own inclination (for he never wasambitious of preferment) and to the solicitation of his friends. But tomake amends for the smallness of his fees, an annual pension of 100pounds was added to this office. Accordingly upon the 2d of Oct. 1642, this noble lord did solemnly, inthe face of the parliament, on his bended knees, before the throne, first swear the oath of allegiance, then that of private counsellor, andlastly, when the great seal, (which for two years had been kept by themarquis of Hamilton) was with the mace delivered to him out of hismajesty's hand, he did swear the oath _de fideli administrationeofficii_, and was by the lion king at arms, placed in the seat under hismajesty's feet, on the right hand of the lord president of parliament;from thence he immediately arose, and prostrating himself before theking, said, "Preferment comes neither from the east nor from the west, but from God alone. I acknowledge, I have this from your majesty as fromGod's vicegerent upon earth, and the fountain of all earthly honourhere, and I will endeavour to answer that expectation your majesty hasof me, and to deserve the goodwill of this honourable house, infaithfully discharging what you both (without desert of mine) have puton me. " And kissing his majesty's hand, he retired to his seat. This was a notable turn of affairs from the womb of providence; forbehold him, who last year, (for the cause of Christ and love of hiscountry) in all submission receiving the message or sentence of death, is now, for his great wisdom and prudence, advanced by the same personand authority unto the helm of the highest affairs of the kingdom; whichverifies what the wise man saith, _The fear of the Lord is the beginningof wisdom, and before honour is humility_, Prov. Xv. 33. As soon as this excellent nobleman was advanced unto this dignity andoffice, he not only began to exert his power for the utility and welfareof his own native country, but also, the next year, went up to London toimportune his majesty to call his English parliament, as the mostexpedient way to bring about a firm, permanent or lasting peace betwixtthe two kingdoms. And although he was not one of those commissionersnominated and sent up from the parliament and assembly of the church ofScotland, _anno_ 1643, yet it is evident from a letter sent from themwhile at London, bearing the date of Jan. 6th, 1645, that he was amongstthem there, using his utmost endeavours for bringing about that happyuniformity of religion, in doctrine, discipline, and church-governmentwhich took place, and was established in these nations at that time. And next year, before the king surrendered himself to the Scots army toNewcastle, lord Loudon, being sent up as commissioner to the king, (after the lord Leven at the head of 100 officers in the army hadpresented a petition upon their knees, beseeching his majesty to givethem satisfaction in point of religion, and to take the covenant, &c. )did, in plain terms, accost the king in this manner: "The differencebetween your majesty and your parliament is grown to such an height, that after many bloody battles, they have your majesty with all yourgarrisons and strong holds in their hands, &c. They are in a capacitynow to do what they will in church and state; and some are so afraid, and others so unwilling to proceed to extremities, till they know yourmajesty's last resolution. Now, Sire, if your majesty shall refuse yourassent to the propositions, you will lose all your friends in the houseand in the city, and all England will join against you, as one man; theywill depose you and set up another government; they will charge us todeliver your majesty to them, and remove our arms out of England, andupon your refusal, we will be obliged to settle religion and peacewithout you, which will ruin your majesty and your posterity. We own, the propositions are higher in some things than we approve of, but theonly way to establish your majesty is to consent to them at present. Your majesty may recover, in a time of peace, all that you have lost ina time of tempest and trouble. " Whether or not the king found him a trueprophet in all this, must be left to the history of these times. He was again employed in the like errand to the king, _anno_ 1648, butwith no better success, as appears from two excellent speeches to theScots parliament at his return, concerning these proceedings[118]. Andin the same year, in the month of June, he was with a handful ofcovenanters at a communion at Mauchline muir, where they were set uponby Calender and Middleton's forces, after they had given their promiseto his lordship of the contrary. Although this noble earl (through the influence of the earl of Lanerk)had given his consent at first to the king, who was setting on foot anarmy for his own rescue, yet he came to be among those who protestedagainst the duke of Hamilton's unlawful engagement. To account some wayfor this, --He had before received a promise of a gift of the teinds, anda gift sometimes blindeth the eyes, and much more of a nobleman whoseestate was at that time somewhat burdened; but by converting with someof the protesting side, and some ministers, who discovered to him hismistake (when his foot was well nigh slipt), he was so convinced thatthis was contrary to his trust, that he subscribed an admonition to morestedfastness for the commission of the church, in the high church ofEdinburgh. But at last Charles I, being executed, and his son Charles II. Calledhome by the Scots, a new scene begins to appear _anno_ 1650, formalignants being then again brought into places of power and trust, itbehoved the lord chancellor (who never was a friend to malignants) todemit. He had now for near the space of ten years presided inparliament, and had been highly instrumental in the hand of the Lord, toestablish in this nation, both in church and state, the purestreformation that ever was established in any particular nation, underthe new Testament dispensation; but now he was turned out, and lordBurleigh substituted in his place. In what manner he was mostly employed during the time of Cromwel'susurpation, there is no certain account, only it is probable, thatnotwithstanding the many struggles he had in asserting the king'sinterest, he mostly lived a private life, as most of the noblemen andgentlemen of the nation did at that time. But no sooner was the king restored again unto his dominions, than theselands did again return back unto the old vomit of popery, prelacy andslavery; and it is inconceivable to express the grief of heart thisgodly nobleman sustained, when he beheld not only the carved work of thesanctuary cut down, by defacing that glorious structure of reformation, which he had such an eminent hand in erecting and building up, but alsoto find himself at the king's mercy, for his accession to the same. Heknew, that next to the marquis of Argyle, he was the butt of the enemiesmalice, and he had frequently applied for his majesty's grace, but wasas often refused; so that the violent courses now carrying on, and theplain invasions upon the liberties and religion of the nation made himweary of his life; and being then at Edinburgh, he often exhorted hisexcellent lady to pray fast, that he might never see the next session ofparliament, else he might follow his dear friend the marquis of Argyle;and the Lord was pleased to grant his request: For he died in a mostChristian manner at Edinburgh March 15th, 1662, and his corpse wascarried home and interred beside his ancestors. The most exaggerated praises that can be at present bestowed on thisrenowned patriot, the worthy earl of Loudon, must be far below hismerit, who was possessed of such singular prudence, eloquence andlearning, joined with remarkable courage. Which excellent endowments heinvariably applied for the support of our ancient and admirableconstitution, which he maintained upon all hazards and occasions;whereby he might be truly accounted the chief advocate both for thecivil and religious liberties of the people. To sum up all in a fewwords: he was a most exquisite orator in the senate, a refinedpolitician without what some would say it is impossible to be so, and anhonour to his name, an ornament to this nation, and in every virtue inpolitic, social and domestic life, a pattern worthy of imitation. Andalthough HIS OFFSPRING[119] have hitherto all along retained a sense oftheir civil liberties, yet it is to be lamented, that few or none of ournoblemen at this day, will follow his example. _The Life of Mr. ROBERT BAILEY. _ Mr. Robert Bailey was born at Glasgow _anno_ 1539. His father was acitizen there, being lineally descended from Bailey of Jerviston, abrother of the house of Carphin, and a branch of the ancient house ofLamington, all in the county of Lanerk; and by his mother's side, he wasof the same stock with the Gibsons of Durie, who have made such a figurein the law. He received his education at Glasgow, and, at thatuniversity, plied his studies so hard, that, by his industry anduncommon genius, he attained to the knowledge of twelve or thirteen ofthe languages, and could write a Latin style that, in the opinion of thelearned, might well become the Augustan age. After his study of divinity, he took orders from arch-bishop Law, aboutthe year 1622, and was soon after presented by the earl of Eglinton tothe church of Kilwinning. When the reformation began _anno_ 1637, hewanted not his own difficulties, from his education and tenderness ofthe king's authority, to see through some of the measures then taken. Yet after reasoning, reading and prayer, (as he himself exprest it) hecame heartily into the covenanters interest about that time. Being a man of distinct and solid judgment, he was often employed in thepublic business of the church. In 1638, he was chosen by his ownpresbytery, to be a member of that memorable assembly held at Glasgow, where he behaved himself with great wisdom and moderation. He was also one of those who attended as chaplains to the army in 1639, and 1640, and was present during the whole treaty begun at Rippon andconcluded at London. ----What comfort he had in these things he describesin these words, "As for myself, I never found my mind in a better temperthan it was all that time, from my outset until my head was againhomeward. I was one who had taken leave of the world, and resolved todie in that service. I found the favour of God shining on me, and asweet, meek and humble, yet strong and vehement spirit leading mealong. " The same year 1640, he was by the covenanting lords sent toLondon to draw up an accusation against arch-bishop Laud, for theinnovations he had obtruded upon the church of Scotland. He was translated from Kilwinning to be professor of divinity atGlasgow, when Mr. David Dickson was translated from thence to thedivinity chair at Edinburgh. And he was one of those commissioners sentfrom the church of Scotland to the Westminster assembly _anno_ 1645, where he remained almost the whole time of that assembly. And after theyrose, as an acknowledgment of his good services, the parliament ofEngland made him a handsome present of silver plate, with aninscription, signifying it to be a token of their great respect to him, which not long since was to be seen in the house of Carnbrue, beingcarefully preserved, and perhaps it remains there to this day. By his first wife Lillias Fleming he had one son and four daughters, byhis second wife, principal Strang's daughter he had one daughter whowas married to Walkinshaw of Barrowfield. About this time he was a great confident of the marquis of Argyle, theearls of Cassils, Eglinton, Lauderdale, and Loudon, lord Balmerino, andSir Archibald Johnston lord Warriston, with others of the chief managersamong the covenanters, whereby he obtained the most exact knowledge ofthe transactions of that time, which he has carefully collected in hisletters; as he expresses himself, there was not any one from whom hiscorrespondent could get a more full narrative under Cromwell'susurpation. He joined with that party called resolutioners, and composedseveral of the papers belonging to that side _anno_ 1661. He was byLauderdale's interest, made principal of the college of Glasgow, uponthe removal of Mr. Patrick Gillespie, about which time it is commonlysaid, he had a bishopric offered him, but that he refused it, because, says the writer of the memorial[120], he did not choose to enter into adispute with those, with whom he had formerly lived in friendship. Butthis was only a sly way of wounding an amiable character, for Mr. Baileycontinued firmly attached to presbyterian government, and in oppositionto prelacy to his very last; several instances could be brought to thispurpose, but a few excerpts from some of his own letters, particularlyone to Lauderdale a little before his death[121], may effectually wipeaway that reproach. "Having the occasion of this bearer, I tell you myheart is broken with grief, and I find the burthen of the publicweighty, and hastening me to my grave. What need you do that disserviceto the king, which all of you cannot recompense, to grieve the hearts ofall your godly friends in Scotland, with pulling down all our laws atonce, which concerned our church since 1633? Was this good advice, orwill it thrive? Is it wisdom to bring back upon us the Canterburiantimes, the same designs, the same practices? Will they not bring on thesame effects, whatever fools dream?" And again, in the same letterdownward, he says, "My lord, you are the nobleman in all the world Ilove best, and esteem most----I think I may say I write to you what Iplease. If you have gone with your heart to forsake your covenant; tocountenance the re-introduction of bishops and books, and strengthenthe king by your advice in those things, I think you a primetransgressor, and liable among the first to answer for that great sin, &c. " And when the arch-bishop came to visit him, when on hisdeath-bed, he would not so much as give him the appellation of lord: yeait appears, that the introduction of prelacy was a means of bringing onhis death, as appears evident from his last public letter to his cousinMr. Spang, dated May 12, 1662, some weeks before his death. After someaccount of the west country ministers, being called in to Edinburgh, hesays, "The guise is now, the bishops will trouble no man, but the stateswill punish seditious ministers. This poor church is in the most hardtaking that ever we have seen. This is my daily grief; this hath broughtall my bodily trouble on me, and is like to do me more harm. " And veryquickly after that, in the month of July, he got to his rest andglorious reward, being aged 63 years. Mr. Robert Bailey may very justly, for his profound and universallearning, exact and solid judgment, be accounted amongst the great menof his time. He was an honour to his country, and his works do praisehim in the gates; among which are, his scripture-chronology, wrote inlatin; his Canterburian self-conviction; his parallel or comparison ofthe liturgy with the mass-book; his dissuasive against the errors of thetimes; and a large manuscript collection of historical papers andletters, consisting of four volumes _folio_, beginning at the year 1637, and ending at the restoration, never hitherto published. To him is, bysome, ascribed that book, intitled, _Historia motuum in regno Scotiæ, annis 1634, ----1640. _; and if he was the author of that, then also ofanother anonymous paper called, a short relation of the state of thekirk of Scotland, from the reformation of religion to the month ofOctober 1638. For, from the preface of the last mentioned book, itappears, that both were wrote by the same hand. He also wroteLaudensium, an anecdote against Arminianism; a reply to the modestenquirer, with other tracts and some sermons on public occasion. _N. B. _ In the life and now published letters of principal Bailie, wehave a recent proof of human frailty. --Nay, more, that even great andgood men will be biassed in judgment, and prejudiced in mind at othersmore faithful than themselves: for instance, these very noblemen andministers to whom he gives the highest elogiums of praise, for being theprime instruments in God's hand for carrying on the work of reformationbetwixt 1638, and 1649, --As soon as they took the remonstrators side, henot only represents some of them to be of such a character as I shallforbear to mention; but even gives us a very diminutive view of theirmost faithful contendings about that time; wherein the gallantArgyle, --courageous Loudon, --the able statesman Warriston, --faithfulGuthrie, --godly Rutherford, --peaceable Livingston, --honest M'Ward, &c. Cannot evite their share of reflections; which no doubt add nothing tothe credit of the last ten years of his history; and all from a mistakenview of the controversy betwixt those protestors and his own party theresolutioners; taking all the divisions and calamities that befelchurch, state and army at that time to proceed from the protestors notconcurring with them; whereas it is just the reverse; the taking inCharles II. That atheistical wretch, and his malignant faction into thebosom of the church, proved the Achan in the camp, that brought allthese evils upon the church, state, and army, at and since thattime. --These protestors could not submit their consciences to thearbitrary dictates of the public resolutioners: they could not agree toviolate their almost newly sworn covenant, by approving of the admissionof these wicked malignants into public places of power and trust;--indefence of which many of them faced the awful gibbet, banishment, imprisonment, and other excruciating hardships;--whereas severalhundreds of the resolutioners, on the very first blast of temptation, involved themselves in fearful apostacy and perjury; some of them becameviolent persecutors of these their faithful brethren, and not a few ofthem absolute monsters of iniquity. --The dreadful effects of which havealmost ruined both church and state in these lands; and perhaps thissame malignant faction will utterly do it at last, if the Lord in mercyprevent not. For the above, see Bailie's letters, Vol. II. Page350, ----448. _The Life of Mr. DAVID DICKSON. _ Mr. Dickson was born about the year 1583. He the only son of Mr. JohnDick or Dickson merchant in Glasgow, whose father was an old fenar andpossessor of some lands in the barony of Fintry, and parish of St. Ninian's, called the kirk of the muir. His parents were religious, of aconsiderable substance, and were many years married before they had Mr. David, who was their only child; and as he was a Samuel asked of theLord, so he was early devoted to him and the ministry; yet afterwardsthe vow was forgot, till providence by a rod, and sore sickness on theirson, brought their sins to remembrance, and then he was sent to resumehis studies at the university of Glasgow. Soon after he had received the degree of master of arts, he was admittedprofessor of philosophy in that college, where he was very useful intraining up the youth in solid learning; and with the learned principalBoyd of Trochridge, the worthy Mr. Blair, and other pious members ofthat society, his pains were singularly blessed in reviving decayedserious piety among the youth, in that declining and corrupted time, alittle after the imposition of prelacy upon the church. Here by arecommendation of the general assembly not long after our reformationfrom popery, the regents were only to continue eight years in theirprofession; after which, such as were found qualified were licensed, andupon a call after trial were admitted to the holy ministry; by whichconstitution the church came to be filled with ministers well seen inall the branches of useful learning. Accordingly Mr. Dickson was in1618, ordained minister to the town of Irvine, where he laboured forabout twenty-three years. That same year the corrupt assembly at Perth agreed to the five articlesimposed upon the church by the king and the prelates. Mr. Dickson atfirst had no great scruple against episcopacy, as he had not studiedthose questions much, till the articles were imposed by this meeting, and then he closely examined them; and the more he looked into them, themore aversion he found to them; and when some time after, by a soresickness, he was brought within views of death and eternity, he gaveopen testimony of the sinfulness of them. But when this came to take air, Mr. James Law, arch-bishop of Glasgow, summoned him to appear before the high-commission court Jan. 29, 1622. Mr. Dickson, at his entrance to the ministry at Irvine, preached upon 2Cor. V. 11. The first part, _knowing the terrors of the Lord, wepersuade men_; and when he perceived, at this juncture, a separation (atleast for a time); the Sabbath before his compearance, he chose the nextwords of that text, _but we are made manifest unto God_: extraordinarypower and singular movings of the affections accompanied that partingsermon. Mr. Dickson appeared before the commission, where after the summonsbeing read, and some other reasoning among the bishops, he gave in hisdeclinature, upon which some of the bishops whispering in his ear (as ifthey had favoured him upon the good report they had heard of him and hisministry), said to him, Take it up, take it up. ----He answered calmly, Ilaid it not down for that end, to take it up again. Spotswood, archbishop of St. Andrews, asked if he would subscribe it. He professedhimself ready. The clerk, at the bishop's desire, began to read it, buthad scarce read three lines, till the bishop burst forth in railingspeeches, full of gall and bitterness, and turning to Mr. David, hesaid, "These men will speak of humility and meekness, and talk of theSpirit of God, &c. But ye are led by the spirit of the devil; there ismore pride in you, I dare say, than in all the bishops of Scotland. Ihanged a jesuit in Glasgow for the like fault. " Mr. David answered, "Iam not a rebel; I stand here as the king's subject, &c. Grant me thebenefit of the law, and of a subject, and I crave no more. " But thebishop seemed to take no notice of these words. Aberdeen asked him, Whether he would obey the king or not? He answered, "I will obey theking in all things in the Lord. " I told you that, said Glasgow, I knewhe would seek to his limitation. Aberdeen asked again, May not the kinggive his authority that we have, to as many sutors and taylors inEdinburgh, to sit and see whether ye be doing your duty or not? Mr. David said, My declinature answers to that. Then St. Andrews fell againto railing, The devil, said he, will devise, he has scripture enough;and then called him knave, swinger, a young lad, and said, He might havebeen teaching bairns in the school, thou knowest what Aristotle saith, said he, but thou hast no theology, because he perceived that Mr. Dickson gave him no titles, but once called him Sir, he gnashed histeeth, and said Sir, you might have called me lord; when I was inGlasgow long since, you called me so, but I cannot tell how, ye arebecome a puritan now. All this time he stood silent, and once lifted uphis eyes to heaven, which St. Andrews called a proud look. So after somemore reasoning betwixt him and the bishops, St. Andrews pronounced thesentence in these words, "We deprive you of your ministry at Irvine, andordain you to enter in Turref in the north in twenty days. " "The will ofthe Lord be done, said Mr. David, though ye cast me off, the Lord willtake me up. Send me whither ye will, I hope my Master will go with me, and as he has been with me heretofore, he will be with me still, as withhis own weak servant. " Mr. Dickson continued preaching till the twenty days were expired, andthen began his journey. But the earl of Eglinton prevailed with thebishop of Glasgow, that he might come to Eglinton, and preach there. Butthe people, from all quarters, resorting to his sermons in Eglinton'shall and court-yard, he enjoyed that liberty but two months; for thebishop sent him another charge, and he went to the place of hisconfinement. While in Turref, he was daily employed to preach, by Mr. Thomas Mitchelminister there. But he found far greater difficulty both in studying andpreaching there, than formerly. Some time after, his friends prevailedwith the bishop of Glasgow to repone him, upon condition he would takeback his declinature, and for that purpose, wrote to Mr. Dickson to cometo Glasgow. He came as desired, and though many wise and graciouspersons urged him to yield, yet he could not be persuaded; yea, at lastit was granted to him, That if he, or any friend he pleased, would go tothe bishop's castle, and either lift the paper, or suffer his friend totake it off the hall-table, without seeing the bishop at all, he mightreturn to Irvine----But he found that to be but a juggling in such aweighty matter, in point of public testimony, and resolved to meddle nofarther in this matter, but to return to his confinement. Accordingly hebegan his journey, and was scarce a mile out of town, till his soul wasfilled with such joy and approbation from God, that he seldom had thelike. But some time after, by the continual intercession of the earl ofEglinton and the town of Irvine with the bishop, the earl got a licenceto send for him, and a promise, that he should stay till the kingchallenged him. Thus he returned, without any condition on his part, tohis flock, about the end of July 1623. While at Irvine, Mr. Dickson's ministry was singularly countenanced ofGod, and multitudes were convinced and converted, and few who lived inhis day, were more instrumental in this work than he, so that people, under exercise and soul-concern, came from every quarter about Irvine, and attended his sermons; and the most eminent christians, from allcorners of the church, came and joined with him at the communion, whichwere then times of refreshing, from the presence of the Lord. Yea, nota few came from distant places, and settled at Irvine, that they mightbe under the drop of his ministry, yet he himself observed, that thevintage of Irvine was not equal to the gleanings of Ayr in Mr. Welch'stime; where indeed the gospel had wonderful success in conviction, conversion and confirmation. Here he commonly had his week-days sermonupon Monday, which was the market-day then at Irvine. Upon the Sabbathevenings, many persons under soul-distress used to resort to his houseafter sermon, when usually he spent an hour or two in answering theircases, and directing and comforting those who were cast down. --In allwhich he had an extraordinary talent; indeed he had the tongue of thelearned, and knew how to speak a word in season to the weary soul. In alarge hall, which was in his own house, there would sometimes have beenscores of serious Christians waiting for him after he came from church. These, with the people round the town, who came into the market, madethe church as throng (if not thronger) on the Mondays, as on the Lord'sday. By these week-day sermons, the famous Stuarton sickness (as it wascalled) was begun about the year 1630, and spread from house to housefor many miles in the valley, where Stuarton water runs. Satan indeedendeavoured to bring a reproach upon such serious persons, as were atthis time under the convincing work of the Spirit, by running some, seemingly under serious concern, to excess, both in time of sermon, andin families. But the Lord enabled Mr. Dickson, and other ministers whodealt with them, to act so prudent a part, that Satan's design was muchdisappointed, and solid serious practical religion flourished mightilyin the west of Scotland about this time, under the hardships of prelacy. About the years 1630 and 1631, some of our Scots ministers, Messrs. Livingston, Blair and others, were settled among the Scots in the northof Ireland, where they were remarkably owned of the Lord in theirministry and communions about the six-mile water, for reviving religionand the power and practice of it. But the Irish bishops, at theinstigation of the Scots bishops, got them removed, for a season. Afterthey were silenced, and had come over to Scotland, about the year 1637, Mr. Dickson employed Messrs. Blair, Livingston and Cunningham at hiscommunion, for which he was called before the high commission; but, theprelates' power being on the decline, he soon got rid of that trouble. Several other instances might be given concerning Mr. Dickson, both asto his usefulness in answering perplexing cases of conscience, and tostudents who had their eye to the ministry. While he was at Irvine, hisprudent directions, cautions and encouragements given them wereextremely useful and beneficial, as also some examples might be given ofhis usefulness to his very enemies; but there is little room here toinsist on these things. It was Mr. Dickson who brought over the presbytery of Irvine tosupplicate the council in 1637, for a suspension of the service-book. Atthis time four supplications, from different quarters, met at thecouncil-house-door, to their mutual surprize and encouragement; whichwere the small beginnings of that happy turn of affairs, that next yearensued: In which great revolution Mr. Dickson had no small share. He wassent to Aberdeen, with Messrs Henderson and Cant, by the covenanters, topersuade that town and country to join in renewing the covenant; thisbrought him to bear a great part in the debates with the learned doctorsForbes, Barrow, Sibbald, &c. At Aberdeen; which, being in print, needsno further notice at present. And when the king was prevailed with to allow a free general assembly atGlasgow, Nov. 1638, Mr. Dickson and Mr. Bailey, from the presbytery, made no small figure there in all the important matters before thatgrave assembly. Here Mr. Dickson signalized himself in a most seasonableand prudent speech he had, when his majesty's commissioner threatened toleave the assembly; as also in the 11th session Dec. 5th, he had anothermost learned discourse against Arminianism[122]. By this time the Lord's eminent countenancing of Mr. Dickson's ministryat Irvine, not only spread abroad, but his eminent prudence, learning, and holy zeal came to be universally known, especially to ministers, from the part he bore in the assembly of Glasgow, so that he was almostunanimously chosen moderator to the next general assembly at Edinburghin Aug. 1639, in the 10th session whereof the city of Glasgow presenteda call to him; but partly because of his own aversion, and the vigorousappearance of the earl of Eglinton, and his loving people, and mostlyfor the remarkable usefulness of his ministry in that corner, thegeneral assembly continued him still at Irvine. Not long after this about 1641, he was transported to be professor inthe university of Glasgow, where he did great service to the church, bytraining up young men for the holy ministry; and yet notwithstanding ofhis laborious work, he preached on the forenoon of every sabbath, in thehigh church there; where for some time he had the learned Mr. PatrickGillespie for his colleague. _Anno_ 1643, the church laid a very great work upon him, together withMr. Calderwood and Mr. Henderson to form a draught of a directory for apublic worship, as appears by an act of the general assembly. When thepestilence was raging at Glasgow in 1647, the masters and students, uponMr. Dickson's motion, removed to Irvine. There it was that the learnedMr. Durham passed his trials, and was earnestly recommended by theprofessor to the presbytery and magistrates of Glasgow. A very strictfriendship subsisted between those two great lights of the church, and, among other effects of their religious conversation, we have the sum ofsaving knowledge, which hath been so often printed with our confessionof faith and catechisms. This, after several conversations upon thesubject, and manner of handling it, so that it might be useful to vulgarcapacities, was, by Messrs. Dickson and Durham, dictated to a reverendminister about the year 1650, and though never judicially approven bythis church, yet it deserves to be much more read and practised thanwhat it at present is. About this time he was transported from the profession of divinity atGlasgow, to the same work at Edinburgh. At which time he published his_prelectiones in confessionem fidei_ (now published in English), whichhe dictated in latin to his scholars. There he continued his laboriouscare of students in divinity, the growing hopes of a church; and eitherat Glasgow or at Edinburgh, the most part of the presbyterian ministers, at least in the west, south and east parts of Scotland, from 1640, wereunder his inspection; and from the forementioned book, we may perceivehis care to educate them in the form of sound words, and to ground themin the excellent standards of doctrine agreed to by the once famouschurch of Scotland; and happy had their successors been, had theypreserved and handed down to posterity the scriptural doctrines pure andentire, as they were delivered by our first reformers, to Mr. Dicksonand his contemporaries, and from him and them handed down withoutcorruption to their successors. All this time, _viz. _ in 1650 and 1651, Mr. Dickson had a great share inthe printed pamphlets upon the unhappy debates betwixt theresolutioners and the protestors, he was in his opinions for the publicresolutioners: and most of the papers on that side were wrote by him, Mr. Bailey and Mr. Douglas; as those on the other side were wrote by Mr. James Guthrie, Mr. Patrick Gillespie, and a few others. Mr. Dickson continued at Edinburgh, discharging his trust with greatdiligence and faithfulness, until the melancholy turn by the restorationof prelacy upon the return of Charles II. ; when, for refusing the oathof supremacy, he was with many other worthies, turned out; so that hisheart was broken with this heavy change on the beautiful face of thatonce famed reformed church. He had married Margaret Robertson daughter to Archibald Robertson ofStone-hall, a younger brother of the house of Ernock, in the shire ofLanerk; by her he had three sons, John, clerk to the exchequer inScotland; Alexander, professor of Hebrew in the college of Edinburgh;and Archibald, who lived with his family afterward in the parish ofIrvine. On December 1662, he fell extremely sick, at which time worthy Mr. Livingston, now suffering for the same cause, though he had then butforty-eight hours liberty to stay in Edinburgh, came to see him on hisdeath-bed. They had been intimately acquainted near forty years, and nowrejoiced as fellow-confessors together. When Mr. Livingston asked theprofessor, What were his thoughts of the present affairs, and how it waswith himself? His answer was, "That he was sure Jesus Christ would notput up with the indignities done against his work and people:" and asfor himself, said he, "I have taken all my good deeds and all my baddeeds, and have cast them together in a heap before the Lord, and havefled from both to Jesus Christ, and in him I have sweet peace[123]. " Having been very low and weak for some days, he called all his familytogether, and spoke in particular to each of them, and having gonethrough them all, he pronounced the words of the apostolical blessing, 1Cor. Xiii. 13, 14, with much gravity and solemnity, and then put up hishand, and closed his own eyes; and, without any struggle or apparentpain, immediately expired in his son's arms, and with Jacob of old, wasgathered to his people in a good old age, being now upwards ofseventy-two years. He was a man singularly endowed with an edifying gift of preaching; andhis painful labours had been, in an eminent manner, blessed withsuccess. His sermons were always full of solid and substantial matter, very scriptural, and in a very familiar style; not low, but extremelystrong and affecting, being somewhat a-kin to the style of godly Mr. Rutherford; and it is said, That scarce any minister of that time cameso near Mr. Dickson's style or method of preaching, as the reverend Mr. William Guthrie, minister at Finwick, who equalled, if not exceeded him. His works are, a commentary on the epistle to the Hebrews in 8vo; onMatthew's gospel in 4to; on the psalms of David in 8vo; on the epistles, Latin and English, in 4to; and his _prelectiones in confessionem fidei_, or truth's victory over error, &c. In folio; his _therapeutica sacra_, or cases of conscience resolved, in Latin 4to, in English 8vo; atreatise of the promises 12mo printed at Dublin in 1630. And besidethese he wrote a great part of the answers to the demands, and dupliesto the replies of the doctors of Aberdeen in 4to; and some of thepamphlets in defence of the public resolutioners, as has been alreadyobserved; and some short poems on pious and serious subjects, such as, the Christian sacrifice, true Christian love, to be sung with the commontunes of the Psalms. There are also several other pieces of his, mostlyin manuscript, such as his _tyronis concionaturi_, supposed to bedictated to his scholars at Glasgow; _summarium libri Jesaiæ_: hisletters on the resolutioners; his first paper on the public resolutions;his replies to Mr. Gillespie and Mr. James Guthrie; his _non_-separationfrom the well-affected in the army; as also some sermons at Irvine upon1 Tim. I. 5. And his precepts for a daily direction of a Christian, &c. By way of catechism, for his congregation at Irvine; with acompend of his sermons upon Jeremiah and the Lamentations, and the firstnine chapters to the Romans. _The Life of Sir ARCHIBALD JOHNSTON, Lord WARRISTON. _ The first of his public appearances in the favours of that glorious workof reformation (commonly called the second reformation period) seems tohave been about the beginning of 1638. When it came first to be knownthat Traquair was going up to the king, the deputies (afterward calledthe covenanters) were desirous that he would carry up an information, which the lord Balmerino and Mr. Johnston (the only advocates as yettrusted by the petitioners) had drawn up, and that he would present thesame, with their supplication, to his majesty. But both these wererejected, and orders given by him to Traquair, to publish a proclamationat Edinburgh and Stirling, against the requisitions of the covenanters. Sixteen of the nobles, with many barons, gentlemen, burgesses, andministers, did, after hearing said proclamation, cause Mr. Johnston reada protest against the same. And the same year, when the marquis ofHamilton caused publish another declaration, in name of the king, thecovenanters, upon hearing it, gave in another protestation in the sameplace by Mr. Johnston; whereupon the earl of Cassils, in name of thenobility, Gibson of Durie, in name of the barons, Fletcher provost ofDundee, in name of the burgesses, Mr. Kerr minister at Preston, in nameof the church, and Mr. Archibald Johnston, in name of all others, whoadhered to the covenant, took instruments in the hands of threenotaries, and, in all humility, offered a copy of the same to the heraldat the cross of Edinburgh[124]. Upon the 9th of September, a declaration of the same nature beingpublished, the noblemen, gentlemen, burgesses, &c. Gave anotherprotest, and Mr. Johnston header and advocate for the church, in name ofall who adhered to the confession of faith, and covenant lately renewedwithin the kingdom, took instruments in the hands of three notariesthere present, and offered a copy thereof to the herald at the cross ofEdinburgh. In the same year, when the famous general assembly sat down at Glasgow, in the month of November, Mr. Henderson, being chosen moderator, it wasmoved, That Mr. Johnston, who had hitherto served the tables atEdinburgh without reward, and yet with great diligence, skill andintegrity, deserved the office of clerk above all others. After muchreasoning, concerning him and some others (put on a leet for election), the rolls being called, on a vote for a clerk, it carried unanimouslyfor Mr. Johnston, who then gave his oath for fidelity, diligence, and aconscientious use of the registers; and was admitted to all the rights, profits and privileges, which any in that office had formerly enjoyed;and instruments taken both of his admittance and acceptance. Mr Johnston being thus installed, the moderator desired, that all whohad any acts or books of former assemblies, would put them into hishands; whereupon Mr. Sandihills, (formerly clerk) exhibited two books, containing some acts from 1592, to that of Aberdeen in 1618, &c. Andbeing interrogate concerning the rest, he solemnly averred, that he hadreceived no more from the arch-bishop, and to his knowledge, he had noother belonging to the church. --Then a farther motion was made by theassembly for recovering the rest, wanting, that if any had them, theyshould give them up, whereupon Mr. Johnston gave an evidence howdeserving he was of the trust reposed in him, by producing on the tablefive books (being now seven in all), which were sufficient to make up aregister of the church, from the beginning of the reformation; which wasvery acceptable to the whole assembly. In the 24th session of this assembly, a commission was given to Mr. Johnston to be their procurator, and Mr. Dalgliesh to be their agent;and in their last session of December 20, an act passed, allowing himthe instruction of all treaties and papers that concerned the church, prohibiting all printers from publishing any thing of that kind, notlicensed by him. But the king and the Canterburian faction, being highly displeased withthe proceedings of this assembly, advanced with an army toward theborders, which made the covenanters, seeing the danger they were exposedunto, raise another army, with which, under the command of generalLeslie, they marched towards the king's army, now encamped on the southside of Tweed, about three miles above Berwick. Upon their approach, theEnglish began to faint, whereupon the king and the English nobilitydesired a treaty, which was easily granted by the Scots, who appointedthe earls of Rothes, Dunfermline and Loudon, the sheriff of Teviotdale, Mr. Henderson and Mr. Archibald Johnston advocate for the church, astheir commissioners to treat with the English commissioners, to whom hismajesty granted a safe conduct upon the 9th of June, 1639. The Scots, having made known their demands, condescended upon several particulars, which were answered by the other side. On the 17th and the dayfollowing, the articles of specification were subscribed to by bothparties, in sight of both armies at Birks near Berwick. But this treatywas but short lived, and as ill kept; for the very next year, the kingtook arms again against the Scots, who immediately armed themselves asecond time, and went for England, where they defeated a party of theEnglish at Newburn, and pushed their way as far as Durham. The king, finding himself in this strait, the English supplicating him behind, andthe Scots with a potent army before him, resolved on a second treaty, which was set on foot at Rippon, and concluded at London; and thitherMr. Henderson and Mr. Johnston were sent again, as the commissioners forthe church; in which affairs they behaved with great prudence andcandor. When the Scots parliament sat down this year, they, by an act, appointed a fee of 100 merks to Mr. Johnston, as advocate for thechurch, and 500 merks as clerk to the general assembly; so sensible werethey of his many services done to this church and nation. Next year, 1641, the king, having fallen out with his Englishparliament, came to Scotland, where he attended the Scots parliament. Inthis parliament several offices of state were filled up with persons fitfor such employments. The earl of Argyle being put at the head of thetreasury, and the earl of Loudon made chancellor; among others, Mr. Archibald Johnston stood fair for the register office; and thegenerality of the well-affected thought it the just reward of hislabours; but the king, Lennox and Argyle, &c. Being for Gibson ofDurie, he carried the prize. Yet Mr. Johnston's disappointment wassupplied by the king's conferring the order of knight-hood upon him, andgranting him a commission to be one of the lords of session, with anannual pension of 200 pounds; and Orbiston was made justice clerk[125]. During this and the next year Mr. (now Sir) Archibald Johnston hadseveral great employments committed to his trust. He was one of thosenominated to conserve the articles of peace betwixt the two kingdomsuntil the meeting of parliament, &c. And then he was appointed one ofthese commissioners, who were sent up to London to negotiate with theEnglish parliament, for sending over some relief from Scotland toIreland (it being then on the back of the Irish rebellion). While atLondon, they waited on his majesty at Windsor, and offered theirmediation betwixt him and his two houses of parliament; but for this hegave them little thanks, although he found his mistake afterwards. When the general assembly sat down at Edinburgh, _anno_ 1643, they, upona motion from Sir Archibald Johnston their clerk, emitted a declarationfor joining with the English parliament for a variety of reasons, ofwhich these were the sum and substance. "(1. ) They apprehend the war isfor religion. (2. ) The protestant faith is in danger. (3. ) Gratitude forthe assistance in the time of the former reformation required a suitablereturn. (4. ) Because the churches of Scotland and England being embarkedin one bottom, if the one be ruined, the other cannot subsist. (5. ) Theprospect of an uniformity between the two kingdoms in discipline andworship, will strengthen the protestant interest at home and abroad. (6. ) The present parliament had been friendly to the Scots, and might beso again. (7. ) Though the king had so lately established religionamongst them, according to their desire, yet they could not confide inhis royal declaration, having so often found his actions and promisescontradictory the one to the other, &c. " These the estates took ingood part, and suggested other reasons of their own, as they saw proper. Toward the latter end of this assembly, upon the arrival of thecommissioners from the parliament and assembly at Westminster, the Scotsassembly, by an act of session 14, commissioned Messrs. Henderson, Douglas, Rutherford, Bailey and Gillespie ministers, John earl ofCassils, John lord Maitland, and Sir Archibald Johnston of Warriston, ruling elders, or any three of them, whereof two should be ministers, "to repair to the kingdom of England, and there to deliver thedeclaration sent to the parliament of England, and the letter sent tothe assembly of divines, now sitting in that kingdom, and to propound, consult, treat and conclude with that assembly, or any commissionerdeputed, or any committee or commissioner deputed by the house ofparliament, in all matters which may further the union of this island, in one form of church-government, one confession of faith, onecatechism, one directory for the worship of God, according to theinstructions they have received from the assembly, or shall receive fromtime to time hereafter, from the commissioners of the assembly deputedfor that effect. "--This commission was again renewed by several acts ofthe subsequent assemblies, till the year 1648. --And it appears, thatlord Warriston did not only use all diligence as a member of theWestminster assembly, for bringing about the uniformity of religion inworship, discipline and government, but also, for some time, he sat as amember of the English parliament, for concerting such methods as mightbring about a firm and lasting peace betwixt the two kingdoms afterward;which is, and was reckoned a most noble piece of service both to churchand state in those days; yet we shall find it accounted high treason inthis worthy man afterward. Lord Warriston had, for his upright and faithful dealing, in the manyimportant matters committed to his charge, received many marks of favourand dignity, both from church and state; and to crown all the rest, theScots parliament in 1646, made an act, appointing his commission to belord advocate, with the conduct of the committee of London andNewcastle, and the general officers of the army: all which evidence, what a noble hand he had in carrying on that blessed work ofreformation. He had now been clerk to the general assembly since the year 1638, andwhen that unhappy difference fell out _anno_ 1650, when the act ofclasses was repeated, whereby malignants were again taken into places ofpower and trust; which occasioned the rise of those called protestorsand resolutioners _anno_ 1650, lord Warriston was one of those who had aprincipal hand in managing affairs among those faithfulanti-resolutioners; for he wrote a most solid letter to that meeting atSt. Andrews, July 18, 1651, concerning which, the protestors, in theirreasons, proving the said meeting to be no lawful, full or free generalassembly, say, "Sir Archibald Johnston, clerk to the assembly a manundeniably faithful, singularly acquainted with the acts and proceedingsof this kirk, and with the matters presently in controversy, and whohath been useful above many in all the tracts of the work ofreformation, from the beginning, in all the steps thereof, both at homeand abroad; having written his mind to the meeting (not being able tocome himself) about the things that are to be agitated in the assembly, and held out much clear light from the scriptures, and from the acts offormer assemblies, in these particulars. Albeit the letter was deliveredpublicly to the moderator, in the face of the assembly, and urged to beread by him who presented it, that then the moderator did break it up, and caused it to be read; and that many members did thereafter, uponseveral occasions, and at several diets, press the reading of it, but itcould never be obtained, &c. [126]" And further, those papers bearing the name of representations, propositions, protestations, &c. Were by the said lord Warriston, Messrs. Cant, Rutherford, Livingston, &c. Presented to the reverendministers and elders met at Edinburgh, July 24, 1652, when the marquisof Argyle at London procured an equal hearing to the protestors; and Mr. Simpson, one of these three ministers deposed by the assembly 1651, being sent up by the protestors for that purpose; in the beginning of1657, Messrs. James Guthrie and Patrick Gillespie, the other three whohad been deposed by that assembly, together with lord Warriston, weresent up to assist Mr. Simpson[127]. Lord Warriston had now, for the space of five years or more, wrestledand acted with all his power, for the king's interest, and, being a manof great resolution, he both spoke and wrote as openly against Scotsmensubmitting to take offices under the usurper; but being sent up toLondon in the foresaid year 1657, with some of the Scots nobility, uponsome important affairs, and Cromwel being fully sensible how much itwould be for his interest to gain such a man as Warriston was, over tohis side, he prevailed upon him to re-enter to the office ofclerk-register; which was much lamented by this worthy man afterwards, as well as his sitting and presiding in some meeting at London afterOliver's death. A late historian has observed, That, at that meeting at Edinburgh, whichsent him up to London upon business, he reasoned against it, and to theutmost of his power opposed his being sent up, acquainting them withwhat was his weak side, that, through the easiness of his temper, hemight not be able to resist his importunity, craving that he might notbe sent among snares; and yet after all he was peremptorily named[128]. To account some way for his conduct in this:----His family was numerous;and very considerable sums were owing him, which he had advanced for thepublic service, and a good many bygone years salaries; he was, throughimportunity, thus prevailed upon to side with the usurper, there beingno other door open then for his relief. And yet after this hiscompliance, it was observed, he was generally more sad and melancholythan what he had formerly been, and it is said that his outward affairsdid not prosper so well afterward. The king being restored again to his dominions _anno_ 1660, and thenoble marquis of Argyle imprisoned July 14, orders came down to seizeSir James Stuart provost of Edinburgh, Sir Archibald Johnston ofWarriston, and Sir John Chiesly of Carswel. The first and last weretried, but lord Warriston escaped for a time, and therefore wassummoned, by sound of trumpet, to surrender himself, and a proclamationissued out for seizing him, promising an hundred pounds Scots to any whoshould do it, and discharging all from concealing or harbouring himunder pain of treason. A most arbitrary step indeed! For here is notonly a reward offered for apprehending this worthy gentleman, butdeclaring it treason for any to harbour him, and that without any causeassigned. Upon the 10th of October following, he was, by order of the council, declared fugitive; and next year Feb. 1st, the indictment against lordWarriston, William Dundas, and John Hume, was read in the house, none ofthem being present. Warriston was forfeited, and his forfeiture publiclyproclaimed, by the heralds, at the cross of Edinburgh. The principalarticles of his indictment were, his pleading against Newton Gordon, when he had the king's express orders to plead for him; His assisting tothe act of the west kirk, &c. ; His drawing out, contriving orconsenting to the paper called the western remonstrance, and the bookcalled the causes of the Lord's wrath; his sitting in parliament as apeer in England, contrary to his oath, &c. ; His accepting the officeof clerk-register from the usurper;----and being president of thecommittee of safety, when Richard was laid aside, &c. But neither ofall these were the proper causes of this good man's sufferings, but apersonal prejudice or pique was at the bottom of all these bitterproceedings; for the godly freedom he took in reproving vice, was whatcould never be forgotten nor forgiven. The last-cited historian hints, that the earl of Bristol was interceeding for him, and says, "I have anaccount of this holy freedom in lord Warriston, used from a reverendminister, who was his chaplain at that time, and took freedom to advisemy lord not to adventure on it; yet this excellent person, having theglory of God and the honour of religion more in his eyes than his ownsafety, went on in his designed reproof, and would not for a compliment, quit the peace he expected in his own conscience, be the event what itwould, by disburthening himself; he got a great many fair words, and allwas pretended to be taken well from my lord register; but, as he wastold by his well-wishers, it was never forgot[129]. " For, in compliancewith Cromwel, he was not alone in the matter; the greater part of thenation being involved therein as well as he: And several of those whohad been named trustees to the usurper, were all discharged from court, except Warriston, who was before come to Scotland, and ordered to appearbefore the parliament at the sitting down thereof. This good man, after the sentence of forfeiture and death passed againsthim by the first parliament, being obliged to go abroad, to escape thefury of his enemies, even there did their crafty malice reach him; forwhile at Hamburg, being visited with sore sickness, it is certain thatDr. Bates, one of king Charles's physicians, intending to kill him(contrary to his faith and office), prescribed poison to him instead ofphysic, and then caused draw from him sixty ounces of blood, whereby(though the Lord wonderfully preserved his life) he was brought near thegates of death, and so far lost his memory, that he could not rememberwhat he had said or done a quarter of an hour before, and continued sountil the day of his martyrdom. And yet all this did not satisfy his cruel and blood-thirsty enemies, while he was yet in life they sought him carefully; and at last, hehaving gone unadvisedly to France, one Alexander Murray, beingdispatched in quest of him, apprehended him at Roan, while he wasengaged in secret prayer, a duty wherein he much delighted. In Jan. 1663, he was brought over prisoner, and committed to the tower ofLondon, where he continued till the beginning of June, when he was sentdown to Edinburgh to be executed. His carriage during his passage was truly christian. He landed at Leithon the 8th, and was committed to the tolbooth of Edinburgh; and fromthence he was brought before the parliament on the 8th of July. Hisnephew, Bp. Burnet, says, He was so disordered both in body and mind, that it was a reproach to any government to proceed against him[130]. When at the bar of the house, he discovered such weakness of memory andjudgment, that almost every person lamented him, except Sharp and theother bishops, who scandalously and basely triumphed over, and publiclyderided him; although it is well known, says a very noted author, thatlord Warriston was once in case, not only to "have been a member, but apresident of any judicatory in Europe, and to have spoke for the causeand interest of Christ before kings, to the stopping of the mouths ofgainsayers[131]. " Here it seemed, that many of the members of parliament inclined to sparehis life; but when the question was put, Whether the time of hisexecution should be just now fixed, or delayed, Lauderdale interposed, upon calling the rolls, and delivered a most dreadful speech for hispresent execution. And sentence was pronounced, That he be hanged at thecross of Edinburgh, on the 22d of July, and his head placed on theNether-bow, beside that of Mr Guthrie. He received his sentence withsuch meekness as filled all with admiration; for then he desired, Thatthe best blessings might be on church and state, and on his majesty(whatever might befal himself), and that God would give him true andfaithful counsellors[132]. During the whole time of his imprisonment, he was in a most spiritualand tender frame, to the conviction of his very enemies; and the nearerthat his death approached, the composure of his mind became the moreconspicuous. He rested agreeably the night before his execution, and inthe morning was full of consolation, sweetly expressing his assurance ofbeing clothed with a long white robe, and of getting a new song of theLamb's praise in his mouth. Before noon he dined with cheerfulness, "hoping to sup in heaven, and to drink the next cup fresh and new in hisFather's kingdom. " After he had spent some time in secret prayer, about two o'clock he wastaken from prison, attended by several of his friends in mourning, though he himself was full of holy cheerfulness and courage, and in aperfect serenity of mind. When come to the scaffold, he said frequentlyto the people, "Your prayers, your prayers. " When he was on the scaffoldhe said, "I intreat you, quiet yourselves a little, till this dying mandeliver his last speech among you;" and desired they would not beoffended at his making use of the paper to help his memory, so muchimpaired by long sickness and the malice of physicians. Then he readhis speech first on the one side of the scaffold, and then on the other. In which speech, after a a short preamble, shewing that that which heintended to have spoken at his death, was not now in his power, beingtaken from him, yet hoped the Lord would preserve it to be histestimony; being now for some time in a most melancholy concumitance, through long and sore sickness, drawing of blood, &c. He, in the firstplace, confesseth his sins, pleads for forgiveness, bewails hiscompliance with the usurper, although, said he, he was not alone in thatoffence, but had the body of the nation going before him, and theexample of all ranks to insnare him, &c. Then declares his adherenceto the covenanted work of reformation, earnestly desiring the prayers ofall the Lord's praying people, &c. And vindicates himself from havingany accession to the late king's death, and to the making of the changeof government; taking the great God of heaven to witness between him andhis accusers. And at last concluded with these words, "I do here nowsubmit, and commit my soul and body, wife and children, and children'schildren, from generation to generation for ever, with all others hisfriends and followers, all his doing and suffering witnesses, sympathizing ones in present and subsequent generations, unto the Lord'schoice mercies, graces, favours, services, employment, enjoyments andinheritments on earth and in heaven, in time and all eternity; all whichsuits, with all others which he hath at any time, by his Spirit, movedand assisted me to put up, according to his will, I leave before andupon the Father's merciful bowels, the Son's mediating merits, and theHoly Spirit's compassionate groans, both now and for ever moreAmen[133]. " After the reading of his speech, he prayed with great fervency andliberty, and, being in a rapture, he began thus, "Abba, Father! Acceptthis thy poor sinful servant, coming unto thee, through the merits ofJesus Christ, &c. " Then taking leave of his friends, he prayed againwith great fervency, being now near the end of that sweet work, he hadso much, through the course of his time, been employed in. No ministerswere allowed to be with him, but it was, by those present, observed thatGod sufficiently made up that want. He was helped up the ladder by someof his friends in deep mourning; and, as he ascended, he said, "Yourprayers, your prayers. --Your prayers I desire in the name of theLord. "--Such was the esteem he had for that duty. When got to the top of the ladder, he cried out with a loud voice, "Ibeseech you all who are the people of God, not to scare at suffering forthe interest of Christ, or stumble at any thing of this kind, fallingout in these days; but be encouraged to suffer for him, for I assure youin the name of the Lord, he will bear your charges. " While the rope wasputting about his neck, he repeated these words again, adding, The Lordhath graciously comforted me. When the executioner desired hisforgiveness he said, The Lord forgive thee, poor man, --and withal gavehim some money, bidding him do his office if he was ready; and cryingout, O pray, pray! Praise, praise, praise, --he was turned over, and diedalmost without any struggle, with his hands lifted up unto heaven, whither his soul ascended, to enjoy the beatific presence of his Lordand Saviour Jesus Christ. He was soon cut down, and his head struck off, and set up beside that ofhis dear friend Mr. Guthrie; and his body carried to Gray-friarschurch-yard. But his head soon after, by the interest and intercessionof lieutenant-general Drummond (who was married to one of hisdaughters), was taken down and interred with his body. Thus stood and thus fell the eminently pious and truly learned lordWarriston, whose talents as a speaker in the senate, as well as on thebench, are too well known to be here insisted upon; and for prayer, hewas one among a thousand, and oftimes met with very remarkable returns;and though he was for some time borne down with weakness and distress, yet he never came in the least, to doubt of his eternal happiness, andused to say, "I dare never question my salvation, I have so often seenGod's face in the house of prayer. " And, as the last cited historianobserves, "Although his memory and talents were for some time impaired, yet like the sun at his setting, after he had been a while under acloud, shone most brightly and surprizingly, and so in some measure themore sweetly; for that morning he was under a wonderful effusion of theSpirit, as great perhaps as many have had since the primitive times. " He wrote a large diary, which yet remains in the hands of his relations, and in which is a valuable treasure both of christian experience, andmatters of fact little known at present, which might be of great use andlight to the history of that period, and wherein he records his surehopes (after much wrestling in which he was mightily helped) that thechurch of Scotland would he manifestedly visited and freed from theevils she fell under after the restoration. And his numerous family, whom he so often left upon the Lord's providence, were, for the mostpart, as well provided for as could have been expected, though he hadcontinued with them in his own outward prosperity. _He that overcometh, shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name outof the book of life: but I will confess his name before my Father andhis angels. _ _The Life of Mr. JAMES WOOD. _ He was, some time after the year 1651, made provost or principal of theold college of St. Andrews, and one of the ministers there, and beingone who in judgment fell in with the resolution party, it occasionedsome difference betwixt him and Mr. Rutherford at that time professor ofdivinity in the new college there, and yet he had ever a great and highesteem for Mr. Wood, as appears from a message he sent him when on hisdeath-bed, wherein he said, "Tell Mr. James Wood from me, I heartilyforgive him all the wrongs he hath done, and desire him from me todeclare himself the man he is still for the government of the church ofScotland. " And truly he was not deceived in him; for Mr. Wood was trueand faithful to the presbyterian government; nothing could prevail uponhim to comply in the least degree with abjured prelacy. So far was hefrom that, that the apostacy and treachery of others (_viz. _ Mr. Sharp), whom he had too much trusted, broke his upright spirit, particularly theaggravated defection and perfidy of him whom he termed Judas, Demas andGehazi all in one, after he had found what part he had acted to thechurch of Scotland under trust[134]. Mr. Wood continued in the exercise of the foresaid offices, until 1663, when, by the instigation of bishop Sharp, he got a charge to appearbefore the council on the twenty-third of July, to answer to severalthings laid to his charge; and though Mr. Sharp was indebted to Mr. Woodfor any reputation he had, and was under as great obligations to him asone man could be to another, for they had been more than ordinarilyfamiliar, yet now the primate could not bear his continuing any longerthere, and he caused cite him before the council. When he compeared he was interrogate, --How he came to be provost of thecollege of St. Andrews?--When he began to answer, he was interrupted, ina very huffing manner, and commanded to give in his answer in a word, for the arch-bishop and others present could not endure his telling sometruths he was entering upon. He told them, He was called by the facultyof that college, at the recommendation of the usurpers, as some here, added he (meaning bishop Sharp), very well know. Whereupon he wasremoved, and a little after called in again, and his sentence intimateunto him; which was, "That the lords of council, for the present, dodeclare the said place to be vacant, and ordain and command him toconfine himself within the city of Edinburgh, and not to depart fromthence until farther orders. "--When his sentence was intimate to him, hetold them, He was sorry they had condemned a person without hearing him, whom they could not charge with the breach of any law. In Septemberfollowing, bishop Sharp got the charge and privileges of that office;which shews that he had some reason for pushing Mr. Wood from thatplace. Upon the 30th of the same month, Mr. Wood presented a petition to thecouncil, shewing----That his father was extremely sick, that he hadseveral necessary affairs at St. Andrews, and desired liberty to gothere for that effect. Which petition being read, with a certificate ofhis father's infirmity, the council granted licence to the petitioner togo to St. Andrews, to visit his father, and perform his other necessaryaffairs; always returning when he should be called by the council. Thus he continued, till toward the beginning of the year 1664, when hetook sickness, whereof he died; and tho' he suffered not in his body, asseveral of his brethren did, yet the arch-bishop, it appears, wasresolved to ruin his name and reputation after his death, if not sooner, in order to which the primate saw good, once or twice, to give him avisit, when on his death-bed in St. Andrews. He was now extremely low inhis body, and spoke very little to Mr. Sharp, and nothing at all aboutthe changes made in the state of public affairs; however the consequenceof these visits was, ----The primate spread a rumour, That Mr. Wood, being now under the views of death and eternity, professed himself veryindifferent as to church-government, and declared himself as much forepiscopacy as for presbytery: and in all companies Sharp talked, thatMr. Wood had declared to himself, Presbyterian government to beindifferent and alterable at the pleasure of the magistrate, and otherfalsehoods; yea, he had the impudence (says the historian[135]) to writeup an account of this to court, even before Mr. Wood's death. --Whichreports coming to the ears of this good man, they added grief unto hisformer sorrow, and he could have no rest till he vindicated himself fromsuch a false calumny, by a solemn testimony, which he dictated himself, and subscribed upon the 2d of March before two witnesses and a publicnotary; which testimony, being burnt by order of the high commission inApril following, deserves a place here. "I James Wood, being very shortly, by appearance, to render up my spiritto the Lord, find myself obliged to leave a word behind me, for myvindication before the world. ----It hath been said of me, That I have, in word at least, departed from my wonted zeal for the presbyteriangovernment, expressing myself concerning it, as if it were a matter notto be accounted of, and that no man should trouble himself therefore inmatter of practice--Surely any Christian that knows me in this kirk, will judge that this is a wrong done to me. --It is true, that I beingunder sickness, have said sometimes, in conference about my soul'sstate, that I was taken up about greater business, than any thing ofthat kind; and what wonder I said so, being under such wrestling anentmy interest in Jesus Christ, which is a matter of far greaterconcernment than any external ordinance. But for my estimation ofpresbyterian government, the Lord knoweth, that since the day heconvinced my heart, which was by a strong hand, that it is the ordinanceof God, appointed by Jesus Christ, for governing and ordering hisvisible church, I never had the least change of thought concerning thenecessity of it, nor of the necessity of the use of it. --And I declarebefore God and the world, that I still account so of it, and that, however there may be some more precious ordinances, that is so precious, that a true Christian is obliged to lay down his life for the professionthereof, if the Lord shall see meet to put him to the trial; and formyself, if I were to live, I would account it my glory to seal this wordof my testimony with my blood. Of this declaration I take God, angelsand men to be my witness, and have subscribed these presents at St. Andrews on the 2d of March 1664, about seven hours in the afternoon, before these witnesses, &c. " Mr. William Tullidaff, Mr. John Carstairs, John Pitcairn, _writer_. JAMES WOOD. After this he uttered many heavenly expressions, to several persons whocame to see him, all setting forth the sweet experience of his soul, until, upon the 5th of March, he made a happy and glorious exit, exchanging this present life for a crown of righteousness. Mr. Wood was among the brightest lights of that period. He had beencolleague to Mr. Sharp, and, after the restoration, he lamented much, that he had been deceived by that unhappy man. He refuted theindependents and asserted presbyterial government, as is evident fromthat work of his, wrote in opposition to Nicolas Lockier's little stonehewed out of the mountain, and his other books that are in print. It isalso said, that before his death, he lamented his taking his part withthe public resolutioners very much. 'I have been informed (says Wodrow) that he left some very valuablemanuscripts behind him, particularly a complete refutation of theArminian scheme of doctrine, ready for the press, which doubtless ifpublished would be of no small use in this age, when Arminianism hath sofar got the ascendant. ' _The Life of Mr. WILLIAM GUTHRIE. _ Mr. William Guthrie was born at Pitfrothy _anno_ 1620. He was eldest sonof the laird of Pitfrothy in the shire of Angus; and by the mother'sside, descended from the ancient house of easter Ogle, of which she wasa daughter. God blessed his parents with a numerous offspring, for hehad three sisters german and four brothers, who all, except one, dedicated themselves to the service of the gospel of God and his son;namely, Mr. Robert, who was licensed to preach, but was never ordainedto the charge of any parish, his tender constitution and numerousinfirmities rendered him unfit, and soon brought him to the end of hisdays; Mr. Alexander was a minister in the presbytery of Brichen, aboutthe year 1645, where he continued a pious and useful labourer in thework of the gospel, till the introduction of prelacy, which unhappychange affected him in the tenderest manner, and was thought to haveshortened his days; for he died _anno_ 1661. And Mr. John, the youngest, was minister at Tarbolton in the shire of Ayr, in which place hecontinued till the restoration _anno_ 1662, when the council met atGlasgow, (commonly called the drunken meeting) on the first of October. By this infamous act of Glasgow, above a third part of the ministers inScotland were thrust from their charges, amounting to near 400. Mr. JohnGuthrie had his share of the hardships that many faithful ministers ofJesus Christ at that time were brought under. The next year, being 1663, the council, at the instigation of the bishop of Glasgow, summoned himand other nine to appear before them on the 23d of July, under the painof rebellion; but he and other six did not appear. _Anno_ 1666, hejoined with that party, who, on the 26th of November, renewed thecovenants at Lanerk; after a sermon preached by him, he tendered thecovenants, which were read; to every article of which, with their handslifted up to heaven, they engaged[136] with great solemnity anddevotion. After their defeat at Pentland, he, no doubt, had his share ofthe violence and cruelty that then reigned, till _anno_ 1668, he wasremoved to a better world. Mr. William soon gave proofs of his capacity and genius, by veryconsiderable progress made in the Latin and Greek languages. Then he wassent to the university of St. Andrews, where he studied philosophy underthe memorable Mr. James Guthrie his cousin, who was afterwards ministerat Stirling, "and who (says Mr. Trail) I saw die in, and for the Lord, at Edinburgh, June 1, 1661. " As the master and scholar were near relations, Mr. Guthrie was hispeculiar care, and lodged, when at the college, in the same chamber withhim, and therefore had the principles of learning infused into him withmore accuracy than his class-fellows. Having taken the degree of master of arts, he applied himself, for someyears, to the study of divinity, under the direction of Mr. SamuelRutherford. Mr. Trail says, "Then and there it pleased the Lord, whoseparated him from his mother's womb, to call him, by his grace, by theministry of excellent Mr. Samuel Rutherford, and this young gentlemanbecame one of the first fruits of his ministry at St. Andrews. Hisconversion was begun with great terror of God in his soul, and completedwith that joy and peace in believing that accompanied him through hislife. After this blessed change wrought upon him, he resolved to obeythe call of God to serve him in the ministry of his gospel, which wasgiven him by the Lord's calling him effectually to grace and glory. Hedid for this end so dispose of his outward estate, (to which he was bornheir) as not to be intangled with the affairs of this life. " He gave hisestate to the only brother of the five who was not engaged in the sacredoffice, that thereby he might be perfectly disintangled from the affairsof this life, and entirely employed in these of the eternal world. Soon after he was licensed to preach, he left St. Andrews, with highesteem and approbation from the professors of that university, whichthey gave proof of, by their ample recommendations. After this he becametutor to lord Mauchlin, eldest son to the earl of Loudon; in whichsituation he continued for some time, till he entered upon a parochialcharge. The parish of Kilmarnock, in the shire of Ayr, being large, and many ofthe people, belonging to the said parish, being no less than six orseven miles distant from their own kirk; for which and other reasons theheritors and others procured a disjunction, and called the new parishFen wick or new Kilmarnock. Mr. Guthrie was employed to preach at Galston, on a preparation-daybefore the celebration of the Lord's supper; and several members of thenew-erected parish, were present at that occasion, who, being greatlyedified by his sermons, conceived such a value for him, that theyimmediately resolved to make choice of him for their minister; and inconsequence thereof gave him a very harmonious call, which he compliedwith. It is said, that he, along with the people, made choice of theplace of ground for building the church upon, and preached within thewalls of the house before it was completed; which bears the date ofbeing built _anno_ 1643; and he was ordained unto the sacred office Nov. 7, 1644. He had many difficulties at first to struggle with; and manycircumstances of his ministry were extremely discouraging: and yet, through the divine blessing, the gospel preached by him had surprisingsuccess; and became, in an eminent manner, the wisdom and power of Godto the salvation of many perishing souls. After Mr. Guthrie came to Fenwick, many of the people were so rude andbarbarous, that they never attended upon divine worship; and knew not somuch as the face of their pastor: To such, every thing that respectedreligion was disagreeable. Many refused to be visited, or catechised byhim; they would not even admit him into their houses: To such hesometimes went in the evening, disguised in the character of atraveller, and sought lodging; which he could not even obtain withoutmuch intreaty; but having obtained it, he would engage in some generalamusing conversation at first, and then ask them, How they liked theirminister? When they told him, They did not go to church, he engaged themto go and take a trial; others he hired with money to go. --When the timeof family worship came, he desired to know if they made any, and if not, what reasons they had for so doing. There was one person, in particular, whom he would have to performfamily worship, who told him That he could not pray; and he asked, Whatwas the reason? He told him, That he never used to pray any, and socould not:--He would not take that for answer, but would have the man tomake a trial in that duty before him; to which the man replied, "O Lord!thou knowest that this man would have me to pray; but, thou knowest, that I cannot pray. "--After which Mr. Guthrie bid him stop, and said, Hehad done enough; and prayed himself, to their great surprise. Whenprayer was ended, the wife said to her husband, That surely this was aminister (for they did not know him): After this, he engaged them tocome to the kirk on sabbath, and see what they thought of theirminister. When they came there, they discovered, to their consternation, that it had been their minister himself who had allured themthither. --And this condescending manner of gaining them, procured aconstant attendance on public ordinances; as was at length accompaniedby the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ unto thepraise of God. There was also another person in his parish, who had a custom of goinga-fowling on the Sabbath-day, and neglecting the church; in whichpractice he had continued for a considerable time. Mr. Guthrie askedhim, What reason he had for so doing? He told him, That the sabbath-daywas the most fortunate day in all the week for that exercise, --Mr. Guthrie asked, What he could make by that day's exercise? He replied, That he would make half a-crown of money that day. --Mr. Guthrie toldhim, If he would go to church on sabbath he would give him as much; and, by that means, got his promise. After sermon was over, Mr. Guthrieasked, If he would come back the next sabbath-day, and he would give himthe same?--which he did; and from that time afterwards, never failed tokeep the church, and also freed Mr. Guthrie of his promise. --Heafterwards became a member of his session. He would frequently use innocent recreations, such as fishing, fowling, and playing on the ice, which contributed much to preserve a vigorousstate of health. --And, while in frequent conversation with theneighbouring gentry, as these occasions gave him opportunity, he wouldbear in upon them reproofs and instructions with an inoffensivefamiliarity; as Mr. Dunlop has observed of him, "But as he was animatedby a flaming zeal for the glory of his blessed Master, and a tendercompassion to the souls of men, and as it was the principal thing thatmade him desire life and health, that he might employ them inpropagating the kingdom of God, and in turning transgressors from theirways; so the very hours of recreation were dedicated to this purpose;which was so indeared to him, that he knew how to make his diversionssubservient to the nobler ends of his ministry. He made them theoccasion of familiarizing his people to him, and introducing himself totheir affections, and in the disguise of a sportsman he gained some to areligious life, whom he could have little influence upon in a ministersgown, of which there happened several memorable examples. " His person was stately and well-set; his features comely and handsome;he had a strong clear voice, joined to a good ear, which gave him agreat pleasure in music, and he failed not to employ that talent for thenoblest use, the praising of his Maker and Saviour, in which part ofdivine worship his soul and body acted with united and unwearied vigour. He was happily married to one Agness Campbel, daughter to David Campbelof Sheldon in the shire of Ayr, a remote branch of the family of Loudon. August 1645, his family affairs were both easy and comfortable. His wifewas a gentlewoman endued with all the qualities that could render her ablessing to her husband, joined to handsome and comely features, goodsense and good breeding sweetened by a modest cheerfulness of temper, and, what was most comfortable to Mr. Guthrie, she was sincerely pious, so that they lived a little more than twenty years in the most completefriendship, and with a constant mutual satisfaction founded on thenoblest principles; one faith, one hope, one baptism, and a sovereignlove to Jesus Christ, which zealously inspired them both. By her he hadsix children; two of whom only out-lived himself; both of themdaughters, who endeavoured to follow the example of their excellentparents; one of them was married to Miller of Glenlee, a gentleman inthe shire of Ayr, and the other to Mr. Peter Warner _anno_ 1681. ; afterthe revolution, Mr. Warner was settled at Irvine. He had two children, William of Ardrie in Ayr-shire, and Margaret Warner, married to Mr. Wodrow minister at Eastwood, who wrote the history of the sufferings ofthe church of Scotland betwixt the years 1660 and 1688, inclusive. --Butto return. When Mr. Guthrie was but young and new married, he was appointed by thegeneral assembly to attend the army. When he was preparing for hisdeparture, a violent fit of the gravel (unto which he was often subject)reduced him to the greatest extremity of pain and danger; which made hisreligious spouse understand and improve the divine chastisement; shethen saw how easily God could put an end to his life, which she was tooapprehensive about, and brought herself to a resolution never to opposeher inclination to his entering upon any employment, whereby he mighthonour his Maker, though never so much hazard should attend it. While he was with the army, upon the defeat of a party he was then with, he was preserved in a very extraordinary manner; which made him everafter retain a greater sense of the divine goodness; and after hisreturn to his parish, was animated to a more vigorous diligence in thework of the ministry, and propagating the kingdom of the Son of God, both among his people and all round about him; his public preaching, especially at the administration of the Lord's Supper, and his privateconversation conspiring together for these noble purposes. After this, Mr. Guthrie had occasion again to be with the army, when theEnglish sectaries prevailed under Oliver Cromwel. After the defeat atDunbar Sept. 3d, 1650, when the army was at Stirling, that godly man Mr. Rutherford writes a letter to him; wherein, by way of caution, near theend, he says, "But let me obtest all the serious seekers of his face, his secret sealed ones, by the strongest consolations of the Spirit, bythe gentleness of Jesus Christ, that Plant of renown, by your lastaccounts, and by your appearing before God, when the white throne shallbe up, be not deceived with these fair words: though my spirit beastonished at the cunning distinctions, which are found out in thematters of the covenant, that help may be had against this man; yet myheart trembleth to entertain the least thought of joining with thesedeceivers[137]. " Accordingly he joined the remonstrators, and was chosenmoderator at that synod at Edinburgh after the public resolutioners wentout and left them. The author of his memoirs saith, "His pleasant and facetiousconversation procured him an universal respect from the Englishofficers, and made them fond of his company; while at the same time hiscourage and constancy did not fail him in the cause of his great Master, and was often useful to curb the extravagancies of the sectaries, andmaintain order and regularity. " One instance of which happened, at thesacrament of the Lord's Supper, at Glasgow, celebrated by Mr. AndrewGray. ----Several of the English officers had formed a design to put inexecution the disorderly principle of a promiscuous admission to theLord's table, by coming to it themselves without acquainting theminister, or being in a due manner found worthy of that privilege. ----Itbeing Mr. Guthrie's turn to serve at that table, he spoke to them, whenthey were leaving their pews in order to make the attempt, with suchgravity, resolution and zeal, that they were quite confounded, and satdown without making any further disturbance. About this time that set of heretics, called quakers, endeavoured to sowtheir tares in Fenwick parish, when Mr. Guthrie was some weeks absent, about his own private affairs in Angus. --But he returned before thisinfection had sunk deep; recovered some who were in hazard of beingtainted by its fatal influence; and confounded the rest, that theydespaired of any further attack upon his flock. --This wild set had mademany proselytes to their demented delusions in Kilbryde, Glasgow, andother neighbouring parishes; yea, they prospered so well in Glasfordparish, that there is yet a church-yard in that place, where they buriedtheir own dead, with their heads to the east, contrary to the practiceof all other christians. After this, he had several calls for transportation to other parishes, of more importance than ever Fenwick was; which places were, Renfrew, Linlithgow, Stirling, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. But the air and recreationof a country life were useful to him, in maintaining a healthfulconstitution; and, above all, the love his flock had to him caused himput on an invincible obstinacy, against all designs of separation fromthem; a relation, when it is animated with this principle of thespiritual life, and founded on so noble a bottom, enters deepest intothe soul; and a minister can scarce miss to have peculiar tenderness andwarmth of divine affections to those whose father he is after theSpirit; and hath been honoured of God, in bringing them to the kingdomof his Son, and begetting them through the gospel; whose heavenly birthis now the highest pleasure and brightest triumph of his life, and willbe one day his crown of glory and rejoicing. And doubtless, when Mr. Guthrie preferred Fenwick, a poor obscure parish, to the mostconsiderable charges in the nation, it was a proof of his mortificationto the world, and that he was moved by views superior to temporalinterests. About the year 1656, or 1657, some unknown person somehow got a copy ofa few imperfect notes of some sermons that Mr. Guthrie had preached fromthe 55th chapter of the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah, with relation topersonal covenanting; and, without the least intimation of the designmade to him, printed them in a little pamphlet of 61 pages _12mo_, underthis title, A clear, attractive, warming beam of light, from Christ, theSun of light, leading unto himself, &c. ----printed at Aberdeen, 1657. ---- This book was indeed anonymous; but Mr. Guthrie was reputed the authorby the whole country, and was therefore obliged to take notice of it. Hewas equally displeased at the vanity of the title, and the defect of thework itself, which consisted of some broken notes of his sermons, confusedly huddled together, by an injudicious hand. ----He saw that theonly method to remedy this, was to review his own sermons; from which hesoon composed that admirable treatise, The Christian's great interest;the only genuine work of Mr. Guthrie, which hath been blessed by Godwith wonderful success, in our own country; being published veryseasonably a little before the introduction of prelacy in Scotland atthe restoration. The author of his memoirs saith, "He had a story from a reverendminister of the church, who had the sentiments of Dr. Owen from his ownmouth, who said, ----You have truly men of great spirits in Scotland;there is, for a gentleman, Mr. Bailey of Jerviswood, a person of thegreatest abilities I almost ever met with; and, for a divine, (said he, taking out of his pocket a little gilt copy of Mr. Guthrie's treatise)that author I take to have been one of the greatest divines that everwrote. It is my _vade mecum_, and I carry it and the Sedan new testamentstill about with me. I have wrote several folios, but there is moredivinity in it than in them all. ----It was translated into low dutch bythe reverend and pious Mr. Kealman, and was highly esteemed in Holland, so that Mrs. Guthrie and one of her daughters met with uncommon civilityand kindness, when their relation to its author was known. It was alsotranslated into french, and high dutch; and we are informed, that it wasalso translated into one of the eastern languages, at the charge of thatnoble pattern of religion, learning and charity, the honourable RobertBoyle. " At the synod of Glasgow held April 1661, after long reasoning aboutproper measures for the security of religion, the matter was referred toa committee; Mr. Guthrie prescribed the draught of an address to theparliament, wherein a faithful testimony was given to the purity of ourreformation, in worship, doctrine, discipline and government, in termsequally remarkable for their prudence and courage. Every body approvedof it; and it was transmitted to the synod. But some, on the resolutionside, judged it not convenient, and gave an opportunity to those, whodesigned to comply with prelacy, to procure a delay; and, at that time, got it crushed: Yet it affords a proof of the zealous honesty andfirmness of Mr. Guthrie. About this time, being the last time that he was with his cousin Mr. James Guthrie, he happened to be very melancholy, which made Mr. Jamessay, "A penny for your thought, cousin. "----Mr. William answered, "Thereis a poor man at the door, give him the penny;" which being done, heproceeded and said, "I'll tell you, cousin, what I am, not only thinkingupon, but I am sure of, if I be not under a delusion. ----The malignantswill be your death, and this gravel will be mine; but you will have theadvantage of me, for you will die honourably before many witnesses, witha rope about your neck; and I will die whining upon a pickle straw, andwill endure more pain before I rise from your table, than all the painyou will have in your death. " He took a resolution to wait on his worthy friend Mr. James, at hisdeath (his execution being on Saturday June 1. ) notwithstanding theapparent hazard, at that time, in so doing; but his session prevailed onhim (although with much difficulty) by their earnest intreaties, to layaside his design at that time. Through the interposition of the earl of Eglinton, and the chancellorGlencairn, whom he had obliged before the restoration, when he wasimprisoned for his loyalty, now contributed what he could for hispreservation; by which means (of the chancellor) he, above many, hadnear four years further respite with his people at Fenwick. In whichtime, his church, although a large country one, was overlaid and crowdedevery Sabbath-day, and very many, without doors, from distant parishes, such as Glasgow, Paisley, Hamilton, Lanerk, Kilbryde, Glasford, Strathaven, Newmills, Egelsham, and many other places, who hungred forthe pure gospel preached, and got a meal by the word of his ministry. Itwas their usual practice to come to Fenwick on Saturday, and to spendthe greatest part of the night in prayer to God, and conversation aboutthe great concerns of their souls, to attend the public worship on theSabbath, to dedicate the remainder of that holy day in religiousexercises, and then to go home on Monday the length of ten, twelve ortwenty miles without grudging in the least at the long way, want ofsleep or other refreshments; neither did they find themselves the lessprepared for any other business through the week[138]. ----These yearswere the most particular under the divine influences of the Holy Spirit, accompanying the ministry and ordinances dispensed by Mr. Guthrie in allhis life, and will still be had in remembrance; a remarkable blessingaccompanied ordinances to people who came with such a disposition ofsoul, great numbers were converted unto the truth, and many built up intheir most holy faith. ----In a word, He was honoured to be a man in theLord's hand of turning many to a religious life; and who, after hisbeing taken from them, could never, without exultation of soul andemotion of revived affection, think upon their spiritual father, and thepower of that victorious grace, which, in those days, triumphed sogloriously; and for many years afterwards, were considered, above manyother parishes in the kingdom, as a civilized and religious people; hehaving with a becoming boldness, fortified them in a zealous adherenceto the purity of our reformation; warned them of the defection that wasthen made by the introduction of prelacy; and instructed them in theduty of such a difficult time, so that they never made any compliancewith the prelatical schemes afterwards. The extraordinary reputation and usefulness of his ministry were admiredand followed by all the country around him, which provoked the jealousand angry prelates against him, and was one of the causes of his beingat last attacked by them. Then the earl of Glencairn made a visit to thearch-bishop of Glasgow at his own house, and at parting asked as afavour in particular from him, That Mr. Guthrie might be overlooked, asknowing him to be an excellent man. ----The bishop not only refused him, but did, with a disdainful haughty air, tell him, That shall not bedone; it cannot be, he is a ringleader and keeper up of schism in mydiocese, ----and then left the chancellor very abruptly. Row, Allan, andsome other presbyterian gentlemen, who were waiting on him, observingthe chancellor discomposed when the bishop left him, presumed to ask himwhat the matter was; to which the earl answered, "we have set up thesemen, and they will tread us under their feet. " In consequence of thisresolution of bishop Burnet, Mr. Guthrie was, by a commission from him, suspended; and the bishop dealt with several of his creatures, thecurates, to intimate the sentence against him, and many refused, for(saith Wodrow), "There was an awe upon their spirits, which feared themfrom meddling with this great man. " Be as it will, at last he prevailedwith the curate of Calder, and promised him five pounds sterling ofreward. Mr. Guthrie, being warned of this design of the bishop againsthim, advised with his friends to make no resistance at his depositionfrom the church and manse, since his enemy wanted only this as a handleto persecute him criminally for his former zeal and faithfulness. Accordingly, on Wednesday July 20, he, with his congregation, kept theday with fasting and prayer. He preached to them from Hos. Xiii. 9. _OIsrael! thou hast destroyed thyself_, &c. From that scripture, withgreat plainness and affection, he laid before them their own sins, andthe sins of the land and age they lived in; and indeed the place was a_Bochim_----At the close of this day's work, he gave them intimation ofsermon on the next Lord's day, very early; and accordingly his people, and many others, met him at the church of Fenwick, betwixt four and fivein the morning, when he preached to them from the close of his lasttext, _But in me is thine help. _----And as he used on ordinary Sabbaths, he also now had two sermons, and a short interval betwixt them, anddismissed the people before nine in the morning. Upon this melancholyoccasion he directed them unto the great Fountain of help, when thegospel and ministers were taken from them; and took his leave of them, commending them to God, who was able to build them up, and help them intime of need. Upon the day appointed, the curate came to Fenwick, with a party oftwelve soldiers, on the sabbath-day; and, by commission from thearch-bishop, discharged Mr. Guthrie to preach any more in Fenwick, declared the church vacant and suspended him from the exercise of hisministry. The curate left the party without, and came into the manse; anddeclared, That the bishop and committee, after much lenity shewed to himfor a long time, were constrained to pass the sentence of suspensionagainst him, for not keeping of presbyteries and synods with the rest ofhis brethren, and his unpeaceableness in the church; of which sentencehe was appointed to make public intimation unto him, for which purposehe read his commission under the hand of the arch-bishop of Glasgow. Mr. Guthrie answered, "I judge it not convenient to say much in answerto what you have spoken; only, whereas you alledge there hath been muchlenity used toward me--be it known to you, that I take the Lord forparty in that, and thank him first----yea, I look upon it as a doorwhich God opened to me, for the preaching of this gospel, which you norany man else was able to shut, till it was given you of God; and as tothat sentence, passed against me, I declare before these gentlemen(meaning the officers of the party) that I lay no weight upon it, as itcomes from you, or those that sent you--though that I do respect thecivil authority, who, by their law, laid the ground for this sentencepassed against me. ----I declare I would not surcease from the exerciseof my ministry for all that sentence. ----And as to the crimes I amcharged with, --I did keep presbyteries and synods with the rest of mybrethren; but I do not judge those who do now sit in these to be mybrethren, who have made defection from the truth and cause of God; nordo I judge those to be free and lawful courts of Christ, that are nowsitting; and as to my peaceableness--I know I am bidden follow peacewith all men, but I know also I am bidden follow it with holiness; andsince I could not obtain peace without prejudice to holiness, I thoughtmyself obliged to let it go. ----And as for your commission, Sir, tointimate this sentence, --I here declare, I think myself called by theLord to the work of the ministry, and did forsake the nearest relationin the world, and gave up myself to the service of the gospel in thisplace, having received an unanimous call from this parish, and waslicenced and ordained by the presbytery; and I bless the Lord, he hathgiven me some success and seals of my ministry, upon the souls andconsciences of not a few, who are gone to heaven, and of some who areyet in the way to it. ----And now, Sir, if you will take it upon you tointerrupt my work among this people, I shall wish the Lord may forgiveyou the guilt of it; I cannot but leave all the bad consequences thatmay fall out upon it betwixt God and your own consciences, and here I dofurther declare, before these gentlemen, that I am suspended from myministry for adhering to the covenants and word of God, from which youand others have apostatized. " Here the curate interrupting him, said, The Lord had a work before thatcovenant had a being, and that he judged them apostates that adhered tothat covenant, and he wished that the Lord would not only forgive him(meaning Mr. Guthrie) but if it were lawful to pray for the dead (atwhich expression the soldiers laughed) that the Lord might forgive thesin of this church these hundred years by-past. It is true, answered Mr. Guthrie, the Lord had a work before that covenant had a being, but it isas true, that it hath been more glorious since that covenant; and it isa small thing for us to be judged of you, in adhering to this covenant, who have so deeply corrupted your ways; and seem to reflect on the wholework of reformation from popery these hundred years bygone, byintimating that the church had need of pardon for the same. ----As foryou, gentlemen (added he, to the soldiers), I wish the Lord may pardonyour countenancing this man in his business. One of them scoffinglyreplied, I wish we never do a greater fault. Well, said Mr. Guthrie, alittle sin may damn a man's soul. After all this and more had passed, Mr. Guthrie called for a glass ofale, and, craving a blessing himself, drank to the commander of thesoldiers. After they were by him civilly entertained, they left thehouse. At parting with the curate, Mr. Guthrie signified so much to him, that he apprehended some evident mark of the Lord's displeasure wasabiding him, for what he was a-doing; and seriously warned him toprepare for some stroke coming upon him, and that very soon. When the curate left the manse, he went to the church with the soldiershis guard (now his hearers) and preached to them not a quarter of anhour, and intimated to them from the pulpit the bishop's sentenceagainst Mr. Guthrie. Nobody came to hear him but his party, and a fewchildren, who created him some disturbance, till they were chased awayby the soldiers[139]. Indeed his people were ready to have sacrificedtheir all, and resisted even unto blood, in his defence and the gospel, had they been permitted by him. As for the curate, (says Mr. Wodrow) I am well assured he never preachedany more after he left Fenwick; he reached Glasgow, but it is notcertain if he reached Calder (though but four miles from Glasgow):However, in a few days he died, in great torment of an iliac passion, and his wife and children died all in a year or thereby, and nonebelonging to him were left. ----His reward of five pounds was dearbought; it was the price of blood, the blood of souls. Neither he, norhis had any satisfaction in it. Such a dangerous thing it is to meddlewith Christ's servants. After this Mr. Guthrie continued in Fenwick until the year 1665. Thebrother, to whom his paternal estate was made over, dying in summer, Mr. Guthrie's presence at home was the more necessary, for ordering of hisprivate affairs; which made him and his wife make a journey to Angusabout the same time. He had not been long in that country until he wasseized with a complication of distempers; the gravel, with which he hadbeen formerly troubled; the gout; a violent heart-burning; and an ulcerin his kidneys: All which attacked him with great fury. And being thustormented with violent pain, his friends were sometimes obliged to holddown his head and up his feet; and yet he would say, The Lord hath beenkind to him, for all the ills he had done; and at the same time said, "Though I should die mad, yet I know I shall die in the Lord. --Blessedare the dead that die in the Lord at all times, but more especially whena flood of errors, snares and judgments are beginning, or coming on anation, church or people. " In the midst of all his heavy affliction he still adored the measures ofdivine providence, though at the same time he longed for hisdissolution, and expressed the satisfaction and joy with which he wouldmake the grave his dwelling-place, when God should think fit to give himrest there. ----His compassionate Master did at last indulge the piousbreathing of his soul; for, after eight or ten days illness, he wasgathered to his fathers, in the house of his brother in-law, Mr. LewisSkinnier of Brechin, upon Wednesday forenoon, October 10th, 1665, (inthe 45th year of his age), and was buried in the church of Brechin, under Pitfrothy's desk. During his sickness he was visited by the bishop of Brechin, and severalepiscopal ministers and relations, who all had a high value for him, notwithstanding he exprest his sorrow (with great freedom) for theircompliance with the corrupted establishment in ecclesiastical affairs. He died in the full assurance of faith as to his own interest in God'scovenant, and under the pleasing hopes that God would return in glory tothe church of Scotland. Mr. John Livingston, in his memorable characteristics, says, "Mr. William Guthrie, minister at Fenwick, was a man of a most ready wit, fruitful invention, and apposite comparisons, qualified both to awakenand pacify conscience, straight and zealous for the cause of Christ, and a great light in the west of Scotland. "--And elsewhere says, "Mr. Guthrie, in his doctrine, was as full and free as any man in Scotlandhad ever been; which, together with the excellency of his preachinggift, did so recommend him to the affection of his people, that theyturned the corn-field of his glebe into a little town, every onebuilding a house for his family on it that they might live under thedrop of his ministry. " Mr. Crawford, in a MSS. Never published, says, "Mr. Guthrie was aburning and a shining light, kept in after many others, by the favour ofthe old earl of Eglinton, the chancellor's father-in-law. --He convertedand confirmed many thousands of souls, and was esteemed the greatestpreacher in Scotland. " And indeed, he was accounted as singular a person for confirming thosethat were under soul-exercise, as almost any in his age, or any age wehave heard of. ----Many have made reflections on him, because he left offhis ministry, on account of the bishop's suspension; his reasons may betaken from what hath been already related. It is true indeed, theauthority of the Stuarts was too much the idol of jealousy to many ofour worthy Scots reformers; for we may well think (as a late authorsays, tho' no great enemy unto these civil powers) that it was a wonderthe nation did not rise up as one man, to cut off those who had razedthe whole of the presbyterian constitution; but the Lord, for holy andwise ends, saw meet to do otherwise, and cut off those in power byanother arm, after they had all been brought to the furnace together;altho' they might well have all the while seen as Mr. Guthrie hasobserved, "That the civil power laid the foundation for the other. " So far as can be learned, Mr. Guthrie never preached in Fenwick again, after the intimation of the bishop's sentence to him; and it is wellknown, that he, with many of his people in Fenwick, upon a time, went toStuarton, to hear a young presbyterian minister preach, and when cominghome, they said to him, that they were not pleased with that man'spreaching (he being of a slow delivery);--he said, They were allmistaken in the man, he had a great sermon; and, if they pleased, at aconvenient place, he should let them hear a good part thereof. ----Andsitting all down on the ground in a good summer night, aboutsun-setting; when, he having rehearsed the sermon, they thought it awonderful great one, because of his good delivery, and their amazinglove to him: After which they arose, and set forward. All allow that Mr. Guthrie was a man of strong natural parts(notwithstanding his being a hard student at first); his voice was, among the best sort, loud, and yet managed with a charming cadence andelevation; his oratory was singular, and by it he was wholly master ofthe passions of his hearers. He was an eminent chirurgion at thejointing of a broken soul, and at the stating of a doubtful conscience;so that afflicted persons in spirit came far and near, and received muchsatisfaction and comfort by him. Those who were very rude, when he camefirst to the parish, at his departure were very sorrowful, and, at thecurate's intimation of the bishop's commission, would have maderesistance, if he would have permitted them, not fearing the hazards orhardships they might have endured on that account afterwards. Besides his valuable treatise already mentioned, there are also a fewvery faithful sermons, bearing his name, said to be preached at Fenwickfrom Matth. Xiv. 44, &c. Hos. Xiii. 9, &c. But because they aresomewhat rude in expression, differing from the stile of his treatise, some have thought them spurious, or, at least, not as they were at firstdelivered by him. And as for that treatise on ruling elders, which isnow affixed to the last edition of his treatise (called his works), itwas wrote by his cousin, Mr. James Guthrie of Stirling. There are alsosome other discourses of his yet in manuscript, out of which I had theoccasion to transcribe seventeen sermons published in the year 1779. There are yet a great variety of sermons and notes of sermons bearinghis name yet in manuscript, some of which seems to be wrote with his ownhand. _The Life of Mr. ROBERT BLAIR. _ Mr. Blair was born at Irvine _anno_ 1593. His father was John Blair ofWindyedge, a younger brother of the ancient and honourable family ofBlair of that ilk; his mother was Beatrix Muir of the ancient family ofRewallan. His father died when he was young, leaving his mother with sixchildren (of whom Robert was the youngest). She continued near fiftyyears a widow, and lived till she was an hundred years old. Mr. Robert entered into the college of Glasgow, about the year 1608, where he studied hard and made great progress; but lest he should havebeen puffed up with his proficiency (as he himself observes) the Lordwas pleased to visit him with a tertian fever, for full four months, tothe great detriment of his studies. Nothing remarkable occurred till the 20th year of his age, when he gavehimself sometimes to the exercise of archery and the like recreations;but lest his studies should have been hindered, he resolved to be busyat them every other night, and for that purpose could find no place soproper as a room whereinto none were permitted to go, by reason of anapparition that was said to frequent it, yea, wherein it is also said, that he himself had seen the devil, in the likeness of one of hisfellow-students[140], whom he took to be really his companion, but whenhe, with a candle in his hand, chased him to the corner of the room, offering to pull him out, he found nothing; after which he was nevermore troubled, studying the one night without fear, and the other heslept very sweetly, believing in him, who was still his great Preserverand Protector for ever. Having now finished his course of philosophy under the discipline of hisown brother, Mr. William Blair (who was afterwards minister atDumbarton). He engaged for some time to be an assistant to an agedschoolmaster at Glasgow, who had above 300 scholars under hisinstruction, the half of whom were committed to the charge of Mr. Blair. At this time he was called, by the ministry of the famous Mr. Boyd ofTrochrigg (then principal of the college of Glasgow), in whose hand, theLord, as he himself observes[141], did put the key of his heart, so thatwhenever he heard him in public or private he profited much, being as itwere sent to him from God to speak the words of eternal life. Two years after he was admitted in the room of his brother Mr. William, to be regent in the college of Glasgow, though not without theopposition of arch-bishop Law, who had promised that place toanother. ----But neither the principal nor regents giving place to hismotion, Mr. Blair was admitted. After his admission, his eldercolleagues, perceiving what great skill and insight he had in humanity, urged him to read the classical authors; whereupon he began and readPlautus, but the Lord, being displeased with that design, diverted himfrom this, by meeting with Augustine's confession, wherein he inveighssharply against the education of youth in heathen writings. ----Whereuponhe betook himself to the reading of the holy scriptures and the ancientfathers, especially Augustine, who had another relish; and though heperceived that our reformed divines were more sound than several of theancient, yet in his spare hours he resolved to peruse the ancientmonuments, wherein he made a considerable progress. In summer 1616, he entered on trials for the ministry, and it was laidupon him to preach in the college-kirk the first Sabbath after hislicence; and some years after, being told by some of the hearers (whowere better acquainted with religion, than he was then) that in hissermon the Lord did speak to their hearts, which not only surprized him, but also stirred him to follow after the Lord. Upon an evening, the same year, having been engaged with someirreligious company, when he returned to his chamber to his wonteddevotion, he was threatened to be deserted of God, had a restless night, and to-morrow resolved on a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, andtowards the end of that day he found access to God with sweet peace, through Jesus Christ, and turned to beware of such company; but runninginto another extreme of rudeness and incivility to profane persons, hefound it was very hard for short-sighted sinners to hold the right andthe straight way. While he was regent in the college, upon a report that some sinful oathwas to be imposed upon the masters, he enquired at Mr. Gavin Forsyth, one of his fellow-regents, What he would do in this? He answered, By myfaith I must live. ----Mr. Blair said, "Sir, I will not swear by myfaith, as you do, but, truly, I intend to live by my faith. You maychoose your own way, but I will adventure on the Lord. "----And so thisman did continue (to whom the matter of an oath was a small thing) afterhe was gone, but it is to be noticed, that Mr. Forsyth was many years insuch poverty as forced him to supplicate the general assembly for somerelief, when Mr. Blair (who was chosen moderator) upon his appearing insuch a desperate case, could not shun observing that former passage ofhis, and upon his address to him in private, with great tenderness, puthim in mind, that he had been truly carried through by his faith, atwhich he formerly had scoffed. Some time after he was a regent in the college, he was under deepexercises of soul, wherein he attained unto much comfort. --Amongst otherthings, that great oracle, _the just shall live by faith_, soundedloudly in his ears, which put him on a new search of the scriptures, inwhich he went on till Mr. Culverwal's treatise of faith came out; whichbeing the same with what is since published by the Westminster assembly, he was thereby much satisfied and comforted. "By this study of the nature of faith, and especially of the text beforementioned; (says he) I learned, _1st_, That nominal Christians or commonprofessors were much deluded in their way of believing; and that notonly do Papists err who place faith in an implicit assent to the truthwhich they know not, and that it is better defined by ignorance thanknowledge, (a way of believing very suitable to Antichrist's slaves, whoare led by the nose they know not whither); but also secure Protestants, who, abusing the description of old given of faith, say that it impliesan assured knowledge in the person who believes of the love of God inChrist to him in particular: this assurance is no doubt attainable, andmany believers do comfortably enjoy the same, as our divines proveunanswerably against the Popish doctors who maintain the necessity ofperpetual doubting, and miscall comfortable assurance the Protestant'spresumption. But notwithstanding that comfortable assurance dothordinarily accompany a high degree of faith, yet that assurance is notto be found in all the degrees of saving faith: so that by not advertingto that distinction many gracious souls and sound believers, who havereceived Jesus Christ and rested upon him, as he is offered to them inthe word, have been much puzzled, as if they were not believers at all:on the other hand, many secure and impenitent sinners, who have not yetbelieved the Lord's holiness, nor abhorrence of sin, nor their ownruined state and condition, do from self-love imagine, without anywarrant of the word, that they are beloved of God, and that the foresaiddescription of faith agrees well to them. "_2dly_, I perceived, that many that make a right use of faith, in orderto attain to the knowledge of their justification, make no direct use ofit in order to sanctification, and that the living of _the just byfaith_, reacheth further than I formerly conceived, and that the heartis purified by faith. If any say, Why did I not know, that preciousfaith, being a grace, is not only a part of our holiness, but doespromote other parts of holiness, I answer, that I did indeed know this, and made use of faith as a motive to stir me up to holiness, accordingto the apostle's exhortation, _Having therefore these promises, let uscleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. _ But I had not beforelearned to make use of faith as a mean and instrument to draw holinessout of Christ, though, it may be, I had both heard and spoken that byway of a transient notion; but then I learned to purpose that they whoreceive forgiveness of sin, are sanctified through faith in Christ, asour glorious Saviour taught the apostle, Acts xxiv. 18. --Then I saw, that it was no wonder that my not making use of faith forsanctification, as has been said, occasioned an obstruction in theprogress of holiness, and I perceived that making use of Christ forsanctification without direct employing of faith to extract the same outof him, was like one seeking water out of a deep well without a longcord to let down the bucket, and draw it up again. --Then was I like onethat came to the storehouse, but got my provision reached unto me, as itwere, through a window: I had come to the house of mercy, but had notfound the right door; but by this discovery, I found a patent door, atwhich to go in, to receive provision and furniture from Christ Jesus. Thus the blessed Lord trained me up, step by step, suffering manydifficulties to arise, that more light from himself might flow in. "I hoped then to make better progress with less stumbling; but shortlyafter I met with another difficulty; and wondering what discovery wouldnext clear the way, I found that the spirit of holiness whose immediateand proper work was to sanctify, had been slighted, and thereby grieved:for though the Holy Spirit had been teaching, and I had been speaking ofhim and to him frequently, and had been seeking the outpouring thereof, and urging others to seek the same; yet that discovery appeared unto mea new practical lesson: and so I laboured more to cherish and not quenchthe Holy Spirit, praying to be led unto all truth, according to thescripture, by that blessed guide; and that by that heavenly Comforter, Imight be encouraged in all troubles, and sealed up thereby in strongassurance of my interest in God. "About that time, the Lord set me to work to stir up the students undermy discipline, earnestly to study piety, and to be diligent in secretseeking of the Lord: and my endeavours this way were graciously blessedto severals of them. " Dr. John Cameron, being brought from France, and settled principal ofthe college in Mr. Boyd's place, and being wholly set on to promote thecause of episcopacy, urged Mr. Blair to conform to Perth articles, buthe utterly refused. ----And, it being a thing usual in these days, forthe regents to meet to dispute some thesis, for their betterimprovement, Mr. Blair had the advantage of his opponent (who was aFrench student), who maintained that election did proceed upon foreseenfaith; but the doctor stated himself in the opposition to Mr. Blair, ina way which tended to Arminianism; and Mr. Blair being urged to a seconddispute by the doctor himself, did so drive him to the mire ofArminianism, as did redound much to the doctor's ignominy afterward, andalthough he and Mr. Blair were afterward reconciled, yet he, being sonettled in that dispute, improved all occasions against him; and, forthat purpose, when Mr. Blair was on a visit to some of his godly friendsand acquaintances, he caused one Garner search his prelections onAristotle's ethics and politics, and finding some things capable ofwresting, he brought them to the doctor, who presented them to thearch-bishop of Glasgow; which coming to Mr. Blair's ears, he was so farfrom betraying his innocence, being assured the Lord would clear hisintegrity, that he prepared a written apology, and desired a publichearing before the ministers and magistrates of the city; which beinggranted, he managed the points so properly, that all present professedtheir entire satisfaction with him; yea, one of the ministers of thecity (who had been influenced against him formerly) said in the face ofthat meeting, Would to God, king James had been present, and heard whatanswers that man hath given. Such a powerful antagonist rendered hislife so uneasy, that he resolved to leave the college and go abroad;which resolution no sooner took air than the doctor and the arch-bishop(knowing his abilities) wrote letters to cause him stay; but he, findingthat little trust was to be put in their fair promises, and being wearyof teaching philosophy, demitted his charge, took his leave of thedoctor, wishing him well (although he was the cause of his going away)and left the college, to the great grief of his fellow-regents andstudents, and the people of Glasgow. Though he had several charges in Scotland presented him, and aninvitation to go to France, yet, the next day after his leaving Glasgow, he had an invitation to go and be minister of Bangor in the county ofDown in Ireland, which call he, for some time, rejected, until he wasseveral times rebuked of the Lord, which made him bound in spirit to sethis face towards a voyage to that country; and although he met with acontrary wind, and turned sea-sick, yet he had such recourse to God, that upon the very first sight of that land, he was made to exult forjoy; and whilst he came near Bangor, he had a strong impression borne inupon him, that the dean thereof was sick; which impression he found tobe true when he came thither, for Mr. Gibson, the incumbent, being sick, invited him to preach there (which he did for three sabbaths, to thegood liking of the people of that parish); and, though he was formerlybut a very naughty man, yet he told Mr. Blair, he was to succeed him inthat place, and exhorted him, in the name of Christ, not to leave thatgood way wherein he had begun to walk, professing a great deal of sorrowthat he had been a dean; he condemned episcopacy more strongly than everMr. Blair durst, and drawing his head toward his bosom, with both hisarms he blessed him; which conduct being so unlike himself, and speakingin a strain so different from his usual, made a gentlewoman standing bysay, An angel is speaking out of the dean's bed to Mr. Blair; thinkingit could not be such a man. Within a few days he died, and Mr. Blair wassettled minister there, whose ordination was on this manner--He went tobishop Knox, and told him his opinions, and withal said, That his soleordination did contradict his principles. --But the bishop, beinginformed before-hand of his great parts and piety, answered him bothwittily and submissively, saying, "Whatever you account of episcopacy, yet, I know, you account presbytery to have a divine warrant--Will yenot receive ordination from Mr. Cunningham and the adjacent brethren, and let me come in among them in no other relation than a presbyter;"for on no lower terms could he be answerable to law. This Mr. Blaircould not refuse; he was accordingly ordained about the year 1623. Being thus settled, his charge was very great, having above 1200 personscome to age, besides children, who stood greatly in need of instruction;and in this case, he preached twice a week, besides the Lord's day; onall which occasions, he found little difficulty either as to matter ormethod. He became the chief instrument of that great work which appeared shortlythereafter at Six-mile water, and other parts in the counties of Downand Antrim, and that not only by his own ministry, wherein he was bothdiligent and faithful, but also in the great pains he took to stir upothers unto the like duty. While he was at Bangor, there was one Constable, in that parish, whowent to Scotland with horses to sell, and at a fair sold them all toone, who pretended he had not that money at present, but gave him a bondtill Martinmass. --The poor man, suspecting nothing, returned home; andone night, about that time, going homeward near Bangor, his merchant(who was supposed to be the devil) meets him; "Now, says he, you know mybargain, how I bought you at such a place, and now am come, as Ipromised, to pay the price. " Bought me! said the poor man trembling, youbought but my horses. Nay, said the devil, I will let you know I boughtyourself and farther said, He must either kill somebody, and the moreexcellent the person, the better it would be for him; and particularlycharged him to kill Mr. Blair, else he would not free him. The man wasso overcome with terror, thro' the violence of the temptation, that hedetermined the thing and went to Mr. Blair's house, with a dagger in hisright hand, under his cloke, and though much confounded, was moving toget it out, but, on Mr. Blair's speaking to him, he fell a-trembling, and on inquiry declared the whole fact, and withal said, He had labouredto draw out the dagger but it would not come from the scabbard, thoughhe knew not what hindered it; for when he essayed to draw it forth, again, it came out with ease. Mr. Blair blessed the Lord, and exhortedhim to choose him for his refuge; after which, he departed[142]. But two weeks afterwards (being confined to his bed) he sent for Mr. Blair, and told him, That the night before as he was returning home, thedevil appeared to him, and challenged him for opening to Mr. Blair whathad passed betwixt them, claiming him as his, and putting the cap offhis head and the band from his neck, said, That on hallow-evening heshould have him soul and body, in spite of the minister and all others, and begged Mr. Blair, for Christ's sake, to be with him against thattime. Mr. Blair instructed him, prayed with him, and promised to be withhim against the appointed time; but, before that time, he had muchhesitation in his own mind, whether to keep that appointment or not:Yet, at last, he took one of his elders with him, and went according topromise, and spent the whole night in prayer, explaining the doctrine ofChrist's temptation, and praising with short intermissions, &c. --Andin the morning they took courage, defying Satan and all his devices: theman seemed very penitent, and died in a little after. It was during the first year of his ministry, that he resolved not to gothrough a whole book or chapter, but to make choice of some passageswhich held forth important heads of religion, and to close the coursewith one sermon of heaven's glory, and another of hell's torments; butwhen he came to meditate on these subjects, he was held a whole day ingreat perplexity, and could fix upon neither method nor matter tillnight, when, after sorrowing for his disorder, the Lord, in great pity, brought both matter and method unto his mind, which remained with himuntil he got the same delivered. About this time he met with a most notable deliverance, for, staying ina high house at the end of the town until the manse was built, beinglate at his studies, the candle was done, and calling for another, asthe landlady brought it from a room under which he lay, to herastonishment, a joist under his bed had taken fire, which, had he beenin bed as usual, the consequence, in all probability, had been dreadfulto the whole town, as well as to him, the wind being strong from thatquarter; but, by the timeous alarm given, the danger was prevented;which made him give thanks to God for this great deliverance. When he first celebrated the Lord's supper, his heart was much lifted upin speaking of the new covenant, which made him, under the view of asecond administration of that ordinance, resolve to go back unto thatinexhaustible fountain of consolation; and coming over to Scotland aboutthat time[143], he received no small assistance from Mr. Dickson, whowas then restored unto his flock at Irvine, and was studying andpreaching on the same subject. But it was not many years that he could have liberty in the exercise ofhis office, for in harvest 1631, he and Mr. Livingston, were, by Ecklimbishop of Down, suspended from their office, but, upon recourse to Dr. Usher, who sent a letter to the bishop, their sentence was relaxed, andthey went on in their ministry, until May 1632, that they were by thesaid bishop, deposed from the office of the holy ministry. After this, no redress could be had; whereupon Mr. Blair resolved on ajourney to court to represent their petitions and grievances to theking; but, after his arrival at London, he could have no access for sometime to his majesty, and so laboured under many difficulties with littlehopes of redress, until one day, having gone to Greenwich park, where, being wearied with waiting on the court, and while at prayer, the Lordassured him that he would hunt the violent man to destroy him. And whilethus in earnest with the Lord for a favourite return, he adventured topropose a sign, that if the Lord would make the reeds, growing hard by, which were so moved with the wind, as he was tossed in mind, to ceasefrom shaking, he would take it as an assurance of the dispatch of hisbusiness; unto which the Lord condescended; for in a little time itbecame so calm, that not one of them moved; and in a short time he got adispatch to his mind, wherein the king did not only sign his petition, but with his own hand wrote on the margin (directed to the depute)Indulge these men, for they are Scotchmen. It was while in England, that he had from Ezekiel xxiv. 16. A strangediscovery of his wife's death, and the very bed whereon she was lying, and particular acquaintances attending her; and although she was in goodhealth at his return home, yet, in a little, all this exactly came topass. And yet, after his return, the king's letter being slighted by thedepute, who was newly returned from England, he was forced to haverecourse to arch-bishop Usher; which drew tears from his eyes, that hecould not help them, and yet, by the interposition of lord Castle-Stuartwith the king, they got six months liberty; but upon the luck of this inNov. 1634, he was again conveened before the bishop, and the sentence ofexcommunication pronounced against him, by Ecklin bishop of Down. --Afterthe sentence was pronounced, Mr. Blair rose up and publicly cited thebishop to appear before the tribunal of Jesus Christ, to answer for thatwicked deed; whereupon he did appeal from the justice of God to hismercy; but Mr. Blair replied, Your appeal is like to be rejected, because you act against the light of your own conscience. In a fewmonths after he fell sick, and the physician inquiring of his sickness, after some time's silence, he, with great difficulty, said, It is myconscience, man--To which the doctor replied, I have no cure forthat;--and in a little after he died. After his ejection, he preached often in his own house, and in othershouses, until the beginning of the year 1635, that he began to think ofmarriage again with Catherine Montgomery, daughter to Hugh Montgomery, formerly of Busbie in Ayr-shire (then in Ireland) for which he came overto Scotland with his own and his wife's friends. --And upon his return toIreland, they were married in the month of May following. But matters still continuing the same, he engaged with the rest of theejected ministers in their resolution in building a ship, called theEagle-wings, of about 115 tons, on purpose to go to New-England. Butabout three or four hundred leagues from Ireland, meeting with aterrible hurricane, they were forced back unto the same harbour fromwhence they loosed, the Lord having work for them elsewhere, it was fittheir purposes should be defeated. And having continued some four monthsafter this in Ireland, until, upon information that he and Mr. Livingston were to be apprehended, they immediately went out of the way, and immediately took shipping, and landed in Scotland _anno_ 1631. All that summer after his arrival, he was as much employed in public andprivate exercises as ever before, mostly at Irvine and the countryaround, and partly at Edinburgh. But things being then in a confusion, because the service-book was then urged upon the ministers, his oldinclination to go to France revived, and upon an invitation to bechaplain of col. Hepburn's regiment in the French service (newlyinlisted in Scotland), with them he imbarked at Leith; but some of theserecruits, who were mostly highlanders, being desperately wicked, uponhis reproofs, threatening to stab him, he resolved to quit that voyage, and calling to the ship-master to set him on shore, without impartinghis design, a boat was immediately ordered for his service; at whichtime he met with another deliverance, for his foot sliding, he was indanger of going to the bottom, but the Lord ordered, that he got hold ofa rope, by which he hung till he was relieved. Mr. Blair's return gave great satisfaction to his friends at Edinburgh, and, the reformation being then in the ascendant, in the spring of 1638, he got a call to be colleague to Mr. Annan at Ayr; and upon May 2, ameeting of presbytery, having preached from 2 Cor. Iv. 5. He was, atthe special desire of all the people there, admitted a minister. He stayed not long here, for, having, before the general assembly heldat Glasgow 1638, fully vindicated himself, both anent his affair withDr. Cameron, while regent in the university, and his settlement inIreland, he was, for his great parts and known abilities, by themordered to be transported to St. Andrews; but the assembly's motives tothis did prove his determent for some time, and the burgh of Ayr, wherethe Lord had begun to bless his labours, had the favour for anotheryear. But the assembly held at Edinburgh 1630, being offended for hisdisobeying, ordered him peremptorily to transport himself thither. _Anno_ 1640, when the king had, by the advice of the clergy, caused burnthe articles of the former treaty with the Scots, and again prepared tochastise them with a royal army, the Scots, resolving not always to playafter-game, raised an army, invaded England, routed about 4000 Englishat Newburn, had Newcastle surrendered to them, and within two days, weremasters of Durham; which produced a new treaty, more favourable to themthan the former; and with this army was Mr. Blair, who went with lordLindsay's regiment; and, when that treaty was on foot, the committee ofestates and the army sent him up to assist the commissioners with hisbest advice. Again after the rebellion in Ireland 1641, those who survived the storm, supplicated the general assembly 1642, for a supply of ministers, whenseverals went over, and among the first Mr. Blair. During his staythere, he generally preached once every day, and twice on Sabbath, andfrequently in the field, the auditors being so large, and in some ofthese he administered the Lord's supper. After his return, the condition of the church and state was variousduring the years 1643, and 1644; and particularly in Aug. 1643, thecommittee of the general assembly, whereof Mr. Blair was one, with Johnearl of Rutland, and other Scots commissioners from the parliament ofEngland, and Messrs. Stephen Marshal and Philip Nye, ministers, agreedto a solemn league and covenant betwixt the two kingdoms of Scotland andEngland; and in the end of the same year, when the Scots assisted theEnglish parliament, Mr. Blair was, by the commission of the generalassembly, appointed minister to the earl of Crawford's regiment; withwhom he stayed until the king was routed at Marston-muir July 1644, when he returned to his charge at St. Andrews. The parliament and commission of the kirk sat at Perth in July 1645. Theparliament was opened with a sermon by Mr. Blair; and, after he had, upon the forenoon of the 27th, a day of solemn humiliation preachedagain to the parliament, he rode out to the army, then encamped atTorgondermy, and preached to Crawford's and Maitland's regiments, to thefirst of whom he had been chaplain:--He told the brigade, That he wasinformed that many of them were turned dissolute and profane, andassured them, that though the Lord had covered their heads in the day ofbattle (few of them being killed at Marston-muir), they should not beable to stand before a less formidable foe, unless they repented. Thoughthis freedom was taken in good part from one who wished them well, yetwas too little laid to heart; and the most part of Crawford's regimentwere cut off at Kilsyth in three weeks afterwards. After the defeat at Kilsyth, severals were for treating with Montrose, but Mr. Blair opposed it, so that nothing was concluded until the Lordbegan to look upon the affliction of his people; for the committee ofestates recalled general Leslie, with 4000 foot and 1000 dragoons, fromEngland, to oppose whom Montrose marched southward; but was shamefullydefeated at Philiphaugh Sept. 13, many of his forces being killed andtaken prisoners, and he hardly escaped. On the 26, the parliament andcommission of the general assembly sat down at St. Andrews (the plaguebeing then in Edinburgh); here Mr. Blair preached before the parliament, and also prayed before the several sessions thereof; and when severalprisoners, taken at Philiphaugh, were tried, three of them, _viz. _ SirRobert Spotiswood, Nathaniel Gordon, and Mr. Andrew Guthrie, were to beexecuted on the 17th of January thereafter, Mr. Blair visited themoften, and was at much pains with them: He prevailed so far with Gordon, that he desired to be relaxed from the sentence of excommunication whichhe was under; and accordingly Mr. Blair did the same: The other two, whowere bishops sons, died impenitent. --_Mali corvi malum ovum. _ _Anno_ 1646, the general assembly, sitting at Edinburgh ordered Mr. Blair (who was then moderator), with Mr. Cant and Mr. Robert Douglas, torepair to the king at Newcastle, to concur with worthy Mr. AlexanderHenderson and others, who were labouring to convince him greatbloodshed in these kingdoms, and reconcile him to presbyterianchurch-government and the covenants. When these three ministers got ahearing, the room was immediately filled with several sorts of people tosee their reception; Mr. Andrew Cant, bring eldest, began briskly toinsinuate, with his wonted zeal and plainness, that the king favouredpopery; Mr. Blair interrupted him, and modestly hinted, That it was nota fit time nor place for that. --The king, looking on him earnestly, said, "That honest man speaks wisely and discreetly; therefore I appointyou three to attend me to-morrow at ten o'clock in my bed-chamber. " Theyattended, according to appointment, but got little satisfaction; onlyMr. Blair asked his majesty, If there were not abominations in popery, &c. The king, lifting his hat, said, "I take God to witness that thereare abominations in popery, which I so much abhor, that ere I consent tothem, I would rather lose my life and crown. " Yet after all this, Mr. Blair and Mr. Henderson (for these two he favoured most) having mostearnestly desired him to satisfy the just desires of his subjects, heobstinately refused, though they besought it on their knees with tears. Renewed commissions for this end, were sent from Scotland, but to nogood purpose, and Mr. Blair returned home to St. Andrews. Mr. Henderson died at Edinburgh, Aug. 19, which the king no soonerheard, than he sent for Mr. Blair to supply his place, as chaplain inScotland; which Mr. Blair, thro' fear of being insnared, was at firstaverse unto, but having consulted with Mr. David Dickson, and reflectingthat Mr. Henderson had held his integrity fast unto the end, he appliedhimself to that employment with great diligence, every day prayingbefore dinner and supper in the presence chamber; on the Lord's daylecturing once and preaching twice; besides preaching some week days inSt. Nicholas's church; as also conversing much with the king, desiringhim to condescend to the just desires of his parliament, and at othertimes debating concerning prelacy, liturgies and ceremonies. One day after prayer, the king asked him, If it was warrantable inprayer to determine a controversy?--Mr. Blair, taking the hint, said, Hethought he had determined no controversy in that prayer. Yes, said theking, you have determined the pope to be antichrist, which is acontroversy among orthodox divines. To this Mr. Blair replied, To methis is no controversy, and I am sorry it should be accounted so by yourmajesty, sure it was none to your father. This silenced the king, forhe was a great defender of his father's opinions; and his testimony, Mr. Blair knew well, was of more authority with him than the testimony ofany divine. After a few months stay, Mr. Blair was permitted to visithis flock and family. After the sitting of the Scots parliament, Mr. Blair made another visitto the king at Newcastle, where he urged him with all the arguments hewas master of, to subscribe the covenants, and abolish Episcopacy inEngland, and he was confident all his honest Scotsmen would espouse hisquarrel against his enemies in England, &c. To which the kinganswered, That he was bound by his great oath to defend Episcopacy, &c. In that church, and ere he wronged his conscience by violating hiscoronation-oath, he would lose his crown. Mr. Blair asked the form ofthat oath; he said, It was to maintain it to the utmost of hispower. --Then, said Mr. Blair, you have not only defended it to theutmost of your power, but so long and so far, that now you have nopower, &c. But by nothing could he prevail upon the king, and left himwith a sorrowful heart, and returned to St. Andrews. Again in the year 1648, when Cromwel came to Edinburgh, the commissionof the kirk sent Mr. Blair and Messrs. David Dickson and James Guthrieto deal with him, for an uniformity in England. When they came, heentertained them with smooth speeches and solemn appeals to God as tothe sincerity of his intentions. Mr. Blair being best acquaint with him, spoke for all the rest; and among other things, begged an answer tothese three questions: (1. ) What was his opinion of monarchicalgovernment? He answered, He was for monarchical government, &c. (2. )What was his opinion anent toleration? He answered confidently, That hewas altogether against toleration. (3. ) What was his opinion concerningthe government of the church? O now, said Cromwel, Mr. Blair, youarticle me too severely; you must pardon me, that I give you not apresent answer to this, &c. This he shifted, because he had before, inconversation with Mr. Blair, confessed he was for independency. Whenthey came out, Mr. Dickson said, I am glad to hear this man speak noworse; whereunto Mr. Blair replied, If you knew him as well as I, youwould not believe one word he says, for he is an egregious dissemblerand a great liar. When the differences fell out betwixt the protestors and resolutioners, Mr. Blair was at London, and afterward for the most part remained neuterin that affair; for which he was subjected to some hardships; yet henever omitted any proper place or occasion for the uniting and cementingthese differences, none now in Scotland being more earnest in this thanhe and the learned and pious Mr. James Durham minister at Glasgow. Thesetwo, meeting at St. Andrews, had the influence to draw a meeting of thetwo sides to Edinburgh, where harmony was like to prevail; but theLord's anger, being still drawn out for the prevailing sins of thattime, all promising beginnings were blasted, and all hopes of agreementdid vanish. Thus affairs continued until the year 1660, that the kingdom, beingquite sick of distractions, restored again Charles II. ; the woefulconsequences are otherwise too well known; And, on this last occasion, Mr. Blair again began to bestir himself to procure union betwixt the twoforesaid parties, and for that end obtained a meeting; but hisendeavours were frustrated, and no reconciliation could be made, tillboth sides were cast into the furnace of a sore and long persecution. For in Sept. 1661, Mr. Sharp came to St. Andrews, and the presbytery, having had assurance of his deceitful carriage at court, and of theprobability of his being made arch-bishop of St. Andrews, sent Mr. Blair, and another, to him, to discharge their duty, which they did sofaithfully, that Sharp was never at ease till Mr. Blair was rooted out. Mr. Blair taking occasion, in a sermon from 1 Pet. Iii. 13 &c. Toenlarge on suffering for righteousness sake, giving his testimony to thecovenants and work of reformation, against the sinful and corruptcourses of the times, he was called over before the council Nov. 5. Whenthe advocate and some noblemen were appointed to converse with Mr. Blair, where they posed him on the following points: (1. ) Whetherhe had asserted presbyterial government to be _jure divino_? (2. )Whether he had asserted, that suffering for it was suffering forrighteousness-sake? And, (3. ) Whether in his prayers against Popery, hehad joined Prelacy with it? Having answered all in the affirmative, professing his sorrow that they doubted his opinions in these points, hewas first confined to his chamber in Edinburgh; and afterward, uponsupplication, and the attestation of physicians on account of hishealth, he was permitted to retire to Inveresk about the 12th ofJanuary, 1662. Mr. Blair continued here till Oct. Following, enjoying much of God'spresence amidst his outward trouble; but, being again commanded beforethe council, by the way, he took a sore fit of the gravel, and was forthat time excused; and afterward, through the chancellor's favour, gotliberty to go where he pleased, except St. Andrews, Edinburgh and thewest country;--he went to Kirkaldy. While at Kirkaldy, he lectured and prayed often to some Christianfriends in his own family; and for his recreation taught his younger sonthe Greek language and logic. But the arch-bishop, envying the reposeMr. Blair and some others had in these circumstances, procured an act, that no outed minister should reside within 20 miles of an arch-bishop'ssee; and Mr. Blair removed from Kirkaldy to meikle Couston, in theparish of Aberdour, an obscure place, in Feb. 1666, where he continuedtill his death, which was shortly after. For, upon the 10th of Aug. Mr. Blair, being now worn out with old age, and his spirits sunk with sorrow and grief for the desolations of theLord's sanctuary in Scotland, took his last sickness, and entertainedmost serious thoughts of his near approaching end, ever extolling hisglorious and good Master whom he had served. His sickness increasing, hewas visited by many Christian friends and acquaintances, whom hestrengthened by his many gracious and edifying words. At one time, when they told him of some severe acts of council newlymade upon arch-bishop Sharp's instigation, he prayed that the Lord wouldopen his eyes, and give him repentance, &c. And to Mrs. Rutherford, atanother time, he said, I would not exchange conditions with that man(though he was now on his bed of languishing, and the other possest ofgreat riches and revenues) though all betwixt them were red gold, andgiven him to the bargain. When some ministers asked him, If he had anyhopes of deliverance to the people of God, he said, He would not takeupon him to determine the times and seasons the Lord keeps in his ownhand, but that it was to him a token for good, that the Lord was castingthe prelates out of the affections of all ranks and degrees of people, and even some who were most active in setting them up, were nowbeginning to lothe them for their pride, falsehood and covetousness. To his wife and children he spake gravely and Christianly, and after hehad solemnly blessed them, he severally admonished them as he judgedexpedient. His son David said, The best and worst of men have theirthoughts and after thoughts; now, Sir, God having given you time forafter-thoughts on your way, we would hear what they are now. --Heanswered, I have again and again thought upon my former ways, andcommuned with mine heart; and as for my public actings and carriage, inreference to the Lord's work, if I were to begin again, I would just doas I have done. He often repeated the 16th and 23d psalm, and once the71st psalm, which he used to call his own psalm. About two days beforehis death, his speech began to fail, and he could not be well heard orunderstood; however some things were not lost; for, speaking of someeminent saints then alive, he prayed earnestly that the Lord would blessthem; and, as an evidence of his love to them, he desired Mr. GeorgeHutcheson (then present) to carry his Christian remembrance to them. When Mr Hutcheson went from his bed-side, he said to his wife and otherswho waited on him, That he rejoiced in suffering as a persecutedminister. Is it not persecution, added he, to thrust me from the work ofthe ministry, which was my delight, and hinder me from doing good to mypeople and flock, which was my joy and crown of rejoicing, and to chaseme from place to place, till I am wasted with heaviness and sorrow forthe injuries done to the Lord's prerogative, interest and cause. What heafterwards said was either forgot or not understood, till at length, about four o'clock in the morning, he was gathered to his fathers, by ablessed and happy death (the certain result of a holy life). His body lies near the kirk-wall, in the burial place at Aberdour, andupon the church-wall above his grave, was erected a little monument, with this inscription, _Hic reconditæ iacent mortuæ Exuviæ D. Roberti Blair, S. S. Evangelii apud Andreapolin Prædicatoris fidelissimi. Obiit Augusti 27, 1666. Ætatis suæ 72. _ Mr. Blair was a man of a fine constitution, both of body and mind, of amajestic but amiable countenance and carriage, thoroughly learned, andof a most public spirit for God. He was of unremitting diligence andlabour, in all the private as well as public duties of his station. Hedid highly endear himself to the affection of his own people, and to thewhole country wherein he lived, and their attachment to him was not alittle strengthened by his conduct in the judicatories of the church, which indeed constituted the distinguishing part of his character. When the general assembly resolved upon a new explication of the holybible, and among others of the godly and learned in the ministry, Mr. Blair had the book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes assigned to him for hispart, but he neglected that task, till he was rendered useless for otherpurposes, and then set about and finished his commentary on the Proverbsin 1666. He composed also some small poetical pieces, as a poem incommendation of Jesus Christ, for the confutation of Popish errors; withsome short epigrams on different subjects. _The Life of Mr. HUGH M'KAIL. _ Mr. M'Kail was born about the year 1640, and was educated at theuniversity of Edinburgh, under the inspection of his uncle Mr. HughM'Kail (in whose family he resided). In the winter 1661, he offeredhimself to trials for the ministry, before the presbytery of Edinburgh, (being then about 20 years old) and being by them licensed he preachedseveral times with great applause. He preached his last public sermonfrom Cant. I. 7. In the great church of Edinburgh, upon the Sabbathimmediately preceding the 8th of Sept. 1662, the day fixed, by the thenparliament, for the removal of the ministers of Edinburgh. In this sermon, taking occasion to speak of the great and manypersecutions to which the church of God has been and is obnoxious, amplifying the point from the persons and powers that have beeninstrumental therein, he said, That the church and people of God hadbeen persecuted both by a Pharaoh on the throne, a Haman in the state, and a Judas in the church, &c. ; which case, to the conviction of hisadversaries, seemed so similar to the state and condition of the thenrulers of church and state, that though he made no particularapplication, yet was he reputed guilty; whereupon, a few days after, aparty of horse was sent to the place of his residence near Edinburgh, toapprehend him; but, upon little more than a moment's advertisement, heescaped out of bed into another chamber, where he was preserved from thesearch. After this, he was obliged to return home to his father's house, and, having lurked there a-while, he spent other four years before hisdeath in several other places. While he lived at his father's house, troubles arose in the west; andthe news thereof having alarmed him, with the rest of that country, uponthe 18th of November, for such motives and considerations as he himselfafterwards more fully declares, he joined himself to those who rose inthese parts, for the assisting of that poor afflicted party. --Being of atender constitution, by the toil, fatigue, and continual marching intempestuous weather, he was so disabled and weakened, that he could nolonger endure; and upon the 27th of the said month, he was obliged toleave them near Cramond water; and, in his way to Libberton parish, passing through Braid's craigs, he was taken without any resistance, (having only a small ordinary sword) by some of the countrymen who weresent out to view the fields[144]. --And here it is observable, that hisformer escape was no more miraculous than his present taking was fatal;for the least caution might have prevented him this inconveniency; butGod who gave him the full experience of his turning all things to thegood of them that love him, did thus, by his simplicity, prepare the wayfor his own glory, and his servant's joy and victory. He was brought to Edinburgh, first to the town-council house, and theresearched for letters; but none being found, he was committed prisoner tothe tolbooth. Upon wednesday the 28, he was, by order of the secretcouncil, brought before the earl of Dumfries, lord Sinclair, Sir RobertMurray of Priest-field, and others, in order to his examination; where, being interrogate, concerning his joining the west-land forces, he, conceiving himself not obliged by any law or reason, to be his ownaccuser, did decline the question. After some reasoning, he was desiredto subscribe his name, but refused; which, when reported to the council, gave great offence, and brought him under some suspicion of adissembler. On the 29, he was again called before them, where, forallaying the council's prejudice, he gave in a declaration under his ownhand, testifying that he had been with the west land forces, &c. Though it was certainly known, that he had both formed and subscribedthis acknowledgment the night before, yet they still persisted in theirjealousy, suspecting him to have been privy to all the designs of thatparty, and dealt with him, with the greater importunity, to declare anaccount of the whole business, and upon Dec. 3, the boots (a mostterrible instrument of torture) were laid on the council-house tablebefore him, and he was certified, that if he would not confess, heshould be tortured to-morrow; accordingly he was called before them, andbeing urged to confess, he solemnly declared, that he knew no more thanwhat he had already confessed; whereupon they ordered the executioner toput his leg to the boot, and to proceed to the torture, to the number often or eleven strokes, with considerable intervals; yet all did not movehim to express any impatience or bitterness. This torture was the cause of his not being indicted with the first ten, who were arraigned and sentenced on Wednesday Dec. 5. To be hanged onthe Friday following. Many thought, that his small accession to therising, and what he had suffered by torture, should have procured himsome favour, but it was otherwise determined; nor was his former sermonforgot, and the words _Achab on the throne_. On Monday the 10, he andother seven received their indictment of treason, and were summoned toappear before the justices on Wednesday Dec. 12; but his torture andclose imprisonment (for so it was ordered) had cast him into a fever, whereby he was utterly unable to make his appearance; therefore, uponTuesday the 11, he gave in to the lords of the council a supplication, declaring his weak and sickly condition, craving that they may surceaseany legal procedure against him, in such a weak and extreme condition, and that they would discharge him of the foresaid appearance. Hereuponthe council ordered two physicians and two chirurgeons to visit him, andto return their attestations, upon soul and conscience, betwixt andto-morrow at ten o'clock, to the justices. Upon Dec. 8, his brother went from Edinburgh to Glasgow, with a letterfrom the lady-marquis of Douglas, and another from the duchess ofHamilton to the lord commissioner in his favour, but both provedineffectual; his cousin Mr. Matthew M'Kail carried another letter fromthe lady-marquis of Douglas, to the arch-bishop of St. Andrews, for thesame purpose, but with no better success. On Dec. 18, he, being indifferently recovered, was with other threebrought before the justices, where the general indictment was read, founded both on old and late acts of parliament, made against rising inarms, entering into leagues and covenants, and renewing the solemnleague and covenant without and against the king's authority, &c. Mr. Hugh was particularly charged with joining the rebels at Ayr, Ochiltry, Lanerk and other places, on horseback, &c. ; whereupon, being permittedto answer, he spoke in his own defence, both concerning the charge laidagainst him, and likewise of the ties and obligations that were uponthis land to God; commending the institution, dignity, and blessing ofpresbyterial government; he said, The last words of the nationalcovenant had always a great weight upon his spirit. Here he wasinterrupted by the king's advocate, who bade him forbear that discourse, and answer the question for the crime of rebellion. --Unto which heanswered, The thing that moved him to declare as he had done, was thatweighty and important saying of our Lord Jesus, _Whosoever shall confessme before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angelsof God_, &c. After this confession, and the depositions of thoseexamined anent him were read, with his replies to the same, the assizewas inclosed; after which they gave their verdict _una voce_, and by themouth of Sir William Murray their chancellor, reported him guilty, &c. The verdict being reported, doom was pronounced, declaring and adjudginghim, and the rest, to be taken, on Saturday Dec. 20. To the market crossof Edinburgh, there to be hanged on a gibbet till dead, and his goodsand lands to be escheated and forfeited for his Highness use. At thehearing of this sentence, he cheerfully said, _The Lord giveth, and theLord taketh away: blessed be the name of the Lord_. He was then carriedback to the tolbooth through the guards, the people making lamentationfor him by the way. After he came to his chamber, he immediatelyaddressed himself to God in prayer, with great enlargement of heart, inbehalf of himself, and those who were condemned with him. Afterwards, toa friend he said, "O how good news! to be within four days journey toenjoy the sight of Jesus Christ;" and protested "he was not so cumberedhow to die, as he had sometimes been to preach a sermon. " To some womenlamenting for him, he said, "That his condition, though he was butyoung, and in the budding of his hopes and labours in the ministry, wasnot to be mourned; for one drop of my blood, through the grace of God, may make more hearts contrite, than many years sermons might have done. " This afternoon he supplicated the council for liberty to his father tocome to him; which being granted, his father came next night, to whom hediscoursed a little concerning obedience to parents from the fifthcommandment, and then, after prayer, his father said to him, "Hugh, Icalled thee a goodly olive tree, of fair fruit, and now a storm hathdestroyed the tree and his fruit. "----He answered, That his too goodthought of him afflicted him. His father said, "He was persuaded God wasvisiting not his own sins, but his parents sins, so that he might say, Our fathers have sinned, and we have borne their iniquity. "--He furthersaid, "I have sinned, thou poor sheep, what hast thou done. " Mr. Hughanswered, with many groans, "That, through coming short of the fifthcommandment, he had come short of the promise, That his days should beprolonged in the land of the living, and that God's controversy with himwas for over-valuing his children, especially himself. " Upon the 20 of December, through the importunity of friends, more thanhis own inclination, he gave in a petition to the council, craving theirclemency after having declared his own innocence; but it provedaltogether ineffectual. During his abode in prison, the Lord was verygraciously present with him, both to sustain him against the fears ofdeath, and by expelling the overcloudings of terror, that some times thebest of men, through the frailty of flesh and blood, are subject unto. He was also wonderfully assisted in prayer and praise, to the admirationof all the hearers, especially on Thursday's night, when, being set atsupper with his fellow-prisoners, his father and one or two more, herequested his fellow-prisoners, saying merrily, eat to the full, andcherish your bodies, that we may be a fat Christmass-pye to theprelates. After supper in thanksgiving, he broke forth into severalexpressions, both concerning himself and the church of God, and at lastused that exclamation in the last of Daniel, _What, Lord, shall be theend of these wonders!_ The last night of his life he propounded and answered several questionsfor the strengthening of his fellow prisoners: How should he go from thetolbooth thro' a multitude of gazing people, and guards of soldiers to ascaffold and gibbet, and overcome the impressions of all this? Heanswered, By conceiving a deeper impression of a multitude of angels, who are on-lookers; according to that, _We are a gazing-flock to theworld, angels and men_, for the angels, rejoicing at our goodconfession, are present to convoy and carry our souls, as the soul ofLazarus, to Abraham's bosom, not to receive them, for that is JesusChrist's work alone, who will welcome them to heaven himself, with thesongs of angels and blessed spirits; but the angels are ministringspirits, always ready to serve and strengthen all dying believers, &c. What is the way for us to conceive of heaven, who are hastening to it, seeing the word faith, _Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard_, &c. ? To thishe answered, That the scripture helps us two ways to conceive of heaven;(1. ) By way of similitude, as in Rev. Xxi, where heaven is held forth bythe representation of a glorious city, there discoursed, &c. (2. ) Byholding forth the love of the saints to Jesus Christ, and teaching us tolove him in sincerity, which is the very joy and exultation of heaven, Rev. V. 12. And no other thing than the soul breathing forth love toJesus Christ, can rightly apprehend the joys of heaven. The last words he spoke at supper were in the commendation of love aboveknowledge, "O but notions of knowledge without love are of small worth, evanishing in nothing, and very dangerous. " After supper, his fatherhaving given thanks, he read the 16th psalm, and then said, "If therewere any thing in the world sadly and unwillingly to be left, it werethe reading of the scriptures. I said, I shall not see the Lord in theland of the living; but this needs not make us sad, for where we go, theLamb is the book of scripture and the light of that city, and there islife, even the river of the water of life, and living springs, &c. "Supper being ended, he called for a pen, saying, It was to write histestament; wherein he ordered some few books he had, to be re-deliveredto several persons. He went to bed about eleven o'clock, and slept tillfive in the morning; then he arose, and called for his comrade JohnWodrow, saying pleasantly, "Up, John, for you are too long in bed; youand I look not like men going to be hanged this day, seeing we lie solong. " Then he spake to him in the words of Isaiah xlii. 24. And aftersome short discourse, John said to him, You and I will be chamberedshortly beside Mr. Robertson. --He answered, "John, I fear you bar meout, because you was more free before the council than I was; but Ishall be as free as any of you upon the scaffold. He said, He had got aclear ray of the majesty of the Lord after his awakening, but it was alittle over-clouded thereafter. " He prayed with great fervency, pleadinghis covenant-relation with him, and that they might be enabled that dayto witness a good confession before many witnesses. Then his fathercoming to him, bade him farewel. His last word to him, after prayer, was, That his sufferings would do more hurt to the prelates, and be moreedifying to God's people, than if he were to continue in the ministrytwenty years. Then he desired his father to leave him, and go to hischamber, and pray earnestly to the Lord to be with him on the scaffold;for how to carry there is my care, even that I may be strengthened toendure to the end. About two o'clock afternoon he was brought to the scaffold (with otherfive who suffered with him), where, to the conviction of all thatformerly knew him, he had a fairer and more stayed countenance than everthey had before observed. Being come to the foot of the ladder, hedirected his speech to the multitude northward, saying, "That as hisyears in the world had been but few, his words then should not be many;"and then spoke to the people the speech and testimony which he hadbefore written and subscribed[145]. Having done speaking, he sung a part of the 31st psalm, and then prayedwith such power and fervency, as caused many to weep bitterly. Then hegave his hat and cloke from him, and when he took hold of the ladder togo up, he said, with an audible voice, "I care no more to go up thisladder and over it, than if I were going home to my father's house. "Hearing a noise among the people, he called down to hisfellow-sufferers, saying, Friends and fellow-sufferers, be not afraid;every step of this ladder is a degree nearer heaven: and then, havingseated himself thereon, he said, "I do partly believe that the noblecounsellors and rulers of this land would have used some mitigation ofthis punishment, had they not been instigated by the prelates, so thatour blood lies principally at the prelates door; but this is my comfortnow, that I know that my Redeemer liveth, &c. And now I do willinglylay down my life for the truth and cause of God, the covenants and workof reformation, which were once counted the glory of this nation; and itis for endeavouring to defend this, and to extirpate that bitter root ofprelacy, that I embrace this rope, " (the executioner then putting therope about his neck). Then hearing the people weep, he said, "Your workis not to weep, but to pray, that we may be honourably borne through, and blessed be the Lord that supports me now; as I have been beholden tothe prayers, and kindness of many since my imprisonment and sentence, soI hope, ye will not be wanting to me now in the last step of my journey, that I may witness a good confession, and that ye may know what theground of my encouragement in this work is, I shall read to you in thelast chapter of the bible;" which having read, he said, "Here you seethe glory that is to be revealed on me, a pure river of water of life, &c. And here you see my access to my glory and reward, _Let him thatis athirst come_, &c. And here you see my welcome, _the Spirit and thebride say, Come_. Then he said, I have one word more to say to myfriends (looking down to the scaffold), Where are ye? Ye need neitherlament nor be ashamed of me in this condition, for I may make use ofthat expression of Christ, _I go to our Father and my Father, to yourGod and my God_, to your King and my King, to the blessed apostles andmartyrs, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, toan innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly of thefirst-born, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men madeperfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant; and I bid youall farewel, for God will be more comfortable to you than I could be, and he will be now more refreshing to me than you can be:--Farewel, farewel in the Lord. " Then, the napkin being put on his face, he prayeda little, and put it up with his hand, and said, he had a word more tosay concerning what comfort he had in his death, "I hope you perceive noalteration or discouragement in my countenance and carriage, and as itmay be your wonder, so I profess it is a wonder to myself; and I willtell you the reason of it; beside the justice of my cause, this is mycomfort, what was said of Lazarus when he died, _That the angels didcarry his soul to Abraham's bosom_, so that as there is a greatsolemnity here, of a confluence of people, a scaffold, a gallows, apeople looking out at windows; so there is a greater and more solemnpreparation of angels to carry my soul to Christ's bosom; again this ismy comfort, that it is to come to Christ's hand, and he will present itblameless and faultless to the Father, and then shall I be ever with theLord. And now I leave off to speak any more to creatures, and begin myintercourse with God, which shall never be broken off:--Farewel fatherand mother, friends and relations; farewel the world and all delights;farewel meat and drink; farewel sun, moon and stars; welcome God andFather; welcome sweet Jesus Christ, the Mediator of the new covenant;welcome blessed Spirit of grace, and God of all consolation; welcomeglory; welcome eternal life; and welcome death. " Then he desired the executioner not to turn him over until he himselfshould put over his shoulders, which, after praying a little in privatehe did, saying, "O Lord, into thy hands I commit my spirit, for thouhast redeemed my soul, O Lord God of truth. " And thus in the 26th yearof his age he died, as he lived, in the Lord. His death was so much lamented by the on-lookers and spectators, thatthere was scarce a dry cheek seen in all the streets and windows aboutthe cross of Edinburgh, at the time of his execution. A late historiangives him this character, that "he was a youth of 26 years of age, universally beloved, singularly pious, of very considerable learning; hehad seen the world, and travelled[146] some years abroad, and was a verycomely and graceful person. I am told, saith he, that he used to fastone day every week, and had frequently, before this, signified to hisfriends his impression of such a death as he now underwent. His share inthe rising was known to be but small; and when he spoke of his comfortand joy in his death, heavy were the groans of those present. " _The Life of Mr. JOHN NEVAY. _ Mr. John Nevay was licensed and ordained a minister (in the time ofScotland's purest reformation) and settled at Newmills in the parish ofLoudon; and was, besides his soundness in the faith, shining piety inconversation, and great diligence in attending all the parts of hisministerial function, particularly church-judicatories, one who was alsovery zealous in contending against several steps of defection, whichwere contrary to the work of reformation carried on in that period. Thus, When the earl of Callender and major-general Middleton were cruellyharassing the covenanters, and well affected people in the west ofScotland, because they would not join in the duke of Hamilton's unlawfulengagement in war against England, (which was a manifest breach of thesolemn league and covenant), Mr. Nevay was one of those ministers andother well-affected people, who were assembled at the celebration of ourLord's supper at Machlin-muir, in the month of June 1648, whereopposition (in their own defence) was made to the said Calender andMiddleton's forces, who attacked them there upon the last day of thatsolemnity. [147] Again, when that pretended assembly held at Edinburgh and St. Andrews_anno_ 1651, did approve and ratify the public resolutions, in bringingin the justly excluded malignants into places of public power and trust, in judicatories and armies, he was one of those called remonstrators, who faithfully witnessed and protested against that sad course ofcovenant-breaking and land-defiling sin. And, as a conclusion to all, when that head of malignants, Charles II. Was again restored as king over these lands, in consequence of which thewhole of our covenanted work of reformation (which for some time hadflourished) now began to be defaced and overturned; and therefore itbehoved the chief promoters thereof to be, in the first place, attacked;and Mr. Nevay, being the earl of Loudon's chaplain and very much valuedby him, must be included among the rest; and was, upon the 18th ofNovember 1662, by order of the council, cited, with some others, torepair to Edinburgh, and appear before the council on the 9th of Dec. Next. He did not compear until the 23d, when he was examined, and uponrefusal of the oath of allegiance, he was banished, and enacted himselfin a bond as follows: "I JOHN NEVAY, minister of the gospel at Newmills, bind and obligemyself to remove forth of the king's dominions, and not to return underpain of death; and that I shall remove before the first of February; andthat I shall not remain within the diocese of Glasgow and Edinburgh inthe mean time. Subscribed at Edinburgh, Dec. 23. JOHN NEVAY. " And taking leave of his old parishioners (no doubt with a sorrowfulheart), he prepared for his journey, and went over to Holland, among therest of our banished ministers, where, for some years, he preached tosuch as would come and hear him; and yet all the while he retained theaffection of a most dear and loving pastor to his old parishioners ofLoudon, both by sending them many sermons and several affectionateletters, wherein he not only exhorted them to stedfastness in the midstof manifold temptations, but also shewed a longing desire to return tohis own native land and parishioners again; as is evident from thatexcellent letter, wrote some time before his death, dated at RotterdamOct. 22. 1669, in which letter, among many other things, he has theseexpressions: "I can do no more but pray for you; and if I could do thatwell, I had done almost all that is required. I am not worthy of theesteem you have of me; I have not whereof to glory, but much whereof Iam ashamed, and which may make me go mourning to my grave; but if youstand fast, I live; you are all my crown and joy in this earth (next tothe joy of Jerusalem and her king), and I hope to have some of you myjoy and crown in our Father's kingdom, besides those that are gonebefore us, and entered into the joy of the Lord. I have not beenaltogether ignorant of the changes and wars which have been amongst you, deep calling unto deep, nor how the Lord did sit on all your floods asking, and did give you many times some more ease than others, and youwanted not your share in the most honourable testimony that ever wasgiven to the truth and kingdom of Christ in that land, since the days ofMr. Patrick Hamilton, Mr. George Wishart, and Mr. Walter Mill martyrs, &c. " That Mr. John Nevay was no mean divine in his day, either in parts orlearning, is fully evident, both from an act of the general assembly_anno_ 1647, wherein he was one of these four ministers who wereappointed to revise and correct Rouse's paraphrase of David's psalms inmetre, lately sent from England (of which he had the last thirty for hisshare); and also that elegant and handsome paraphrase of his upon thesong of Solomon in Latin verse, both of which shew him to have been of aprofound judgment and rare abilities. There are 52 sermons (or rather notes of sermons) of his published, uponthe nature, properties, blessings, &c. Of the covenant of grace, in8vo; 39 sermons on Christ's temptations in manuscript, (being all sentfrom Holland for the benefit of his old parishioners of Newmills), andmight also have been published, if those upon the covenant had met withthat reception they deserved. _The Life of Mr. JOHN LIVINGSTON. _ Mr. Livingston was born _anno_ 1603. He was son to Mr. WilliamLivingston, minister first at Monybroch or Kilsyth, and afterwardstransported to Lanerk, he was nearly related to the house of Calender. Having first taught his son to read and write, he put him to the Latinschool at Stirling, under Mr. Wallace a godly and learned man. He stayedhere till summer 1617, when he returned home. In October following hewas sent to the college of Glasgow, where he stayed four years, until hepassed master of arts in 1621. After this he stayed with his father until he began to preach, duringwhich time he began to observe the Lord's great goodness that he wasborn of such parents, who taught him the principles of religion so soonas he was capable to understand any thing. --He says, in his ownhistorical account of his life, That he does not remember the time ormeans particularly whereby the Lord at first wrought upon his heart, only when he was but very young, he would sometimes pray with somefeeling, and read the word with some delight; but thereafter did oftenintermit such exercise, and then would have some challenges, and beginand intermit again, &c. He says, He had no inclination to theministry, till a year or more after he had passed his course in thecollege, upon which he bent his desires to the knowledge and practice ofmedicine, and to go to France for that end: but when proposed to hisFather, he refused to comply. About this time his father, havingpurchased some land in the parish of Monybroch, took the rights in hisson's name, proposing that he should marry and live there; but this herefused, thinking it would divert him from his studies, and, in themidst of these straits, he resolved to set apart a day by himself beforeGod, for more special direction; which he did near Cleghorn wood, where, after much confusion anent the state of his soul, at last he thought itwas made out to him, that he behoved to preach Jesus Christ, which if hedid not, he should have no assurance of salvation: upon which, layingaside all thoughts of other things, he betook himself to the study ofdivinity. He continued a year and a half in his father's house, where hestudied and sometimes preached; during which time he wrote all hissermons before he preached them, until one day, being to preach afterthe communion of Quodgen, and having in readiness a sermon which he hadpreached at another place one day before, but perceiving severals therewho had heard him preach that sermon formerly, he resolved to choose anew text, and wrote only some notes of the heads he was to deliver; yet, he says, he found, at that time, more assistance in enlarging upon thesepoints, and more motion in his own heart than ever he had found before, which made him afterwards never write any more sermons, excepting onlysome notes for the help of his memory. About April 1626, he was sent for by lord Kenmuir to Galloway, inreference to a call to the parish of Anwoth, but some hindrance comingin the way, this design was laid aside. In the harvest following, hehearkened to another call to Torphichen, but this proved alsounsuccessful. After this he went to the earl of Wigton's, where he stayed some time;the most part of this summer he travelled from place to place, accordingas he got invitations to preach, and especially at communions in Lanerk, Irvine, Newmills, Kinniel, &c. He was also sometimes invited to preachat the Shots; in that place, he says, he used to find more liberty inpreaching than elsewhere; yea, the only day in all his life wherein hefound most of the presence of God in preaching, he observes, was on amonday after a communion at the kirk of Shots, June 21, 1630. The nightbefore he had been with some Christians, who spent the night in prayerand conference; on the morning there came such a misgiving of spiritupon him, in considering his own unworthiness and weakness, and theexpectation of the people, that he was consulting to have stolen awaysomewhere, and declined that day's work; but thinking he could not sodistrust God, he went to sermon, where he got remarkable assistance inspeaking about one hour and a half from Ezekiel xxxvi. 25, 26. _Thenwill I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean, from allyour filthiness_, &c. Here he was led out in such a melting strain, that, by the down-pouring of the Spirit from on high, a most discerniblechange was wrought upon about 500 of the hearers, who could either datetheir conversion or some remarkable confirmation from that dayforward[148]. Some little of that stamp, he says, remained on him theThursday after, when he preached at Kilmarnock; but on the Mondayfollowing, preaching at Irvine, he was so deserted, that what he hadmeditated upon, wrote, and kept fully in memory, he could not getpronounced; which so discouraged him, that he was resolved not to preachfor some time, at least in Irvine, but Mr. Dickson would not suffer himto go from thence, till he preached next sabbath, which he did with somefreedom. This summer, being in Irvine, he got letters from viscount Clanniboy tocome to Ireland, in reference to a call to Killinchie; and, seeing noappearance of entering into the ministry in Scotland, he went thither, and got an unanimous call from that parish. Here he laboured with theutmost assiduity among that people, who were both rude and profanebefore that, and they became the most experienced Christians in thatcountry. But he was not above a year here until the bishop of Downsuspended him and Mr. Blair for non-conformity. They remained deposeduntil May 1632. When, by the intercession of lord Castle-Stuart, awarrant was granted them from the king to be restored. After this he was married to the eldest daughter of Bartholomew Flemingmerchant in Edinburgh, who was then in Ireland. In Nov. 1635, he wasagain deposed by the bishop of Down, and a little after, by his orders, excommunicated by one Mr. Melvil minister of Down. This winter, findingno appearance of liberty either to ministers or professors from thebondage of the prelates, he, with others of the deposed ministers, tooka resolution to go to New-England; upon which they built a ship for thatpurpose, and when all things were ready, they, about the 9th of Sept. Loosed from Lochfergus; but a violent storm arising, they were drivennear the bank of Newfoundland, and were all in danger of being drowned, and, after prayer and consultation, they were obliged to return back toLochfergus. After this he stayed in Ireland, until he heard that he andMr. Blair were to be apprehended; and then they went out of the way, andcame over to Scotland. When he came to Irvine, Mr. Dickson caused himpreach, for which he was called in question afterwards. Leaving Irvine, he passed by Loudon and Lanerk to Edinburgh, where he continued sometime. About the beginning of March 1638, when the body of the land was aboutto renew the national covenant, he was sent post to London with severalcopies of the covenant, and letters to friends at court of bothnations; when he came there, Mr. Borthwick delivered the letters forhim; but he had been there but few days until he had word sent him fromthe marquis of Hamilton, that he had overheard the king say, He wascome, but he should put a pair of fetters about his feet: whereupon, fearing he should be taken in the post-way, he bought a horse, and camehome by St. Albans and the western way, and was present at Lanerk andother places, when the covenant was read and sworn unto; and, exceptingat the kirk of Shots already noticed, he, as himself says, never sawsuch motions from the Spirit of God, all the people so generally andwillingly concurring; yea, thousands of persons all at once lifting uptheir hands, and the tears falling from their eyes; so that, through thewhole land, the people (a few papists and others who adhered to theprelates excepted) universally entered into the covenant of God, for thereformation of religion against prelates and their ceremonies. After this _anno_ 1638, he got a call both from Stranrawer in Galloway, and Straiton in Carrick, but he referred the matter to Messrs. Blair, Dickson, Cant, Henderson, Rutherford and his father, who, having heardboth parties, advised him to Stranrawer; and he was received there bythe presbytery upon the 5th of July 1638. Here he remained, in thefaithful discharge of the ministry, until harvest 1648, that he was, bythe sentence of the general assembly, transported to Ancrum inTeviotdale. When he came to Ancrum, he found the people very tractable, but very ignorant, and some of them very loose in their carriage; and itwas a long time before any competent number of them were brought to sucha condition, that he could adventure to celebrate the Lord's supper; butby his diligence, through the grace of God, some of them began to layreligion to heart. _Anno_ 1649, the parliament and church of Scotland had sent somecommissioners to treat with the king at the Hague, in order to hisadmission; but they returned without satisfaction. Yet the parliament insummer 1650, sent other commissioners to prosecute the foresaid treatyat Breda; and the commission of the kirk chose Mr. Livingston and Mr. Wood, and after that added Mr. Hutcheson to them, with the lords Cassilsand Brody as ruling elders, that in name of the church they shouldpresent and prosecute their desires. Mr. Livingston was very unwillingto go, and that for several reasons, the chief of which was, he stillsuspected the king to be not right at heart in respect of the truepresbyterian religion, and notwithstanding, he saw that many in thekingdom were ready to receive the king home upon any terms; but he wasprevailed on by Messrs. Dickson, James Guthrie, and Patrick Gillespie, to go. After much conference and reasoning with the king at Breda, theywere not like to come to any conclusion; here he observed, that the kingstill continued the use of the service-book and his chaplains, and wasmany a night balling and dancing till near day. This, with many otherthings, made him conclude there would be no blessing on that treaty; thetreaty, to his unspeakable grief, was at last concluded, and some timeafter the king set sail for Scotland; but Mr. Livingston refused to goaboard with them; so that when Brody and Mr. Hutcheson saw that theycould not prevail with him to come aboard, they desired him beforeparting to come into the ship, to speak of some matters in hand, whichhe did, and in the mean while, the boat that should have waited hisreturn, made straight for shore without him. After this the king agreedwith the commissioners to swear and subscribe the covenant, and it waslaid upon him to preach the next sabbath, and tender the covenantsnational and solemn league, and take his oath thereon; but he, judgingthat such a rash and precipitate swearing of the covenants would not befor the honour of the cause they were embarked in, did all he could todeter the king and commissioners from doing it until he came toScotland; but when nothing would dissuade the king from his resolution, it was done; for the king performed every thing that could have beenrequired of him; upon which Mr. Livingston observed, that it seems tohave been the guilt not only of commissioners, but of the whole kingdom, yea of the church also, who knew the terms whereupon he was to beadmitted to his government; and yet without any evidence of a realchange upon his heart, and without forsaking former principles, counselsand company. After they landed in Scotland, before he took his leave of the king atDundee, he used some freedom with him. After speaking somewhat to himanent his carriage, he advised him, that as he saw the English armyapproaching in a most victorious manner, he would divert the stroke by adeclaration, or some such way, wherein he needed not weaken his right tothe crown of England, and not prosecute his title at present by fire andsword, until the storm blew over, and then perhaps they would be in abetter case to be governed, &c. But he did not relish this motionwell, saying he would not wish to sell his father's blood; which madeMr. Livingston conclude, that either he was not called to meddle instate matters, or else he should have little success. Another instanceof this he gives us, _anno_ 1654, when he and Mr. Patrick Gillespie andMr. Minzies were called up by the protector to London, where he proposedto him, that he would take off the heavy fines, that were laid onseverals in Scotland, which they were unable to pay; he seemed to likethe motion, but when he proposed the overture to the council, they wentnot into the purpose. While at London, preaching before the protector, he mentioned the kingin prayer, whereat some were greatly incensed; but Cromwel knowing Mr. Livingston's influence in Scotland, said, "Let him alone; he is a goodman; and what are we poor men in comparison of the kings of England?" The general assembly appointed some ministers, and him among the rest, to wait upon the army and the committee of estates that resided withthem; but the fear and apprehension of what ensued, kept him back fromgoing, and he went home until he got the sad news of the defeat atDumbar. After which Cromwel wrote to him from Edinburgh to come andspeak to him; but he excused himself. That winter the unhappy differencefell out anent the public resolutions; his light carried him to join theprotestors against the resolutioners; and the assembly that followedthereafter, he was present at their first meeting in the west atKilmarnock, and several other meetings of the protesting brethrenafterwards; but not being satisfied with keeping these meetings sooften, and continuing them so long, which he imagined made the breachwider, he declined them for some time. After this, he spent the rest of his time in the exercise of theministry, both at Ancrum and other places, until summer 1660, that newswas brought him that the king was called home, and then he clearlyforesaw that the overturning of the whole work of reformation wouldensue, and a trial to all who would adhere to the same. But _anno_ 1662, when the parliament and council had, by proclamation, ordered allministers, who had come in since 1649, and had not kept the holy day ofthe 29th of May, either to acknowledge the prelates or remove, he thenmore clearly foresaw a storm approaching. At the last communion which hehad at Ancrum, in the month of October, he says, That after sermon onMonday, it pleased the Lord to open his mouth, in a reasonably largediscourse anent the grounds and encouragements to suffer for the presentcontroversy of the kingdom of Christ, in the appointing the governmentof his house; then he took his leave of that place, although he knewnothing of what was shortly to follow after. After he had, with Elijah, eaten before a great journey, havingcommunicated before he entered upon suffering, he heard in a littletime, of the council's procedure against him and about twelve or sixteenothers who were to be brought before them; he went presently toEdinburgh (before the summons could reach him) and lurked there sometime, until he got certain information of the council's design, whetherthey were for their life, like as was done with Mr. Guthrie, or only forbanishment, as was done with Mr. Mac Ward and Mr. Simpson; but, findingthat they intended only the last, he accordingly resolved to appear withhis brethren. He appeared Dec. 11, and was examined[149] before thecouncil; the sum of which came to this, That they required him tosubscribe or take the oath of allegiance, which he, upon several solidgrounds and reasons, refused; and sentence was pronounced, that inforty-eight hours he should depart Edinburgh, and go to the north sideof Tay, and within two months depart out of all the king's dominions. Accordingly he went from Edinburgh to Leith, and thereafter, upon apetition in regard of his infirmity, he obtained liberty to stay thereuntil he should remove. He petitioned also for a few days to go home tosee his wife and children, but was refused; as also for an extract ofhis sentence, but could not obtain it. _Anno_ 1663, he went aboard, accompanied by several friends to the ship; they set sail, and in eightdays came to Rotterdam, where he found the rest of the banishedministers there before him. Here he got frequent occasion of preachingto the Scots congregation at Rotterdam; and in Dec. Following, his wife, with two of his children, came over to him, and the other five were leftin Scotland. Here, upon a retrograde view of his life, he (in the foresaid historicalaccount) observes, that the Lord had given him a body not very strong, and yet not weak; for he could hardly remember himself wearied inreading and studying, although he had continued some seven or eighthours without rising, and also that there was but two recreations thathe was in danger to be taken with; the first was hunting on horseback, but this he had very little occasion of, yet he found it very inticing;the other was, singing in concerts of music, wherein he had some skill, and in which he took great delight. He says further, That he was alwaysshort-sighted, and could not discern any person or thing afar off, buthitherto he had found no occasion for spectacles, and could read smallprint as long and with as little light almost as any other. And, as tohis inclination, he was generally soft and amorous, averse to debates, rather given to laziness than rashness, and too easy to be wrought upon. And, although he could not say what Luther affirmed of himselfconcerning covetousness, yet he could say, that he had been lesstroubled with covetousness and cares than many other evils, and ratherinclined to solitariness than company, and was much troubled withwandering of mind and idle thoughts; and for outward things, he wasnever rich (and although when in Killinchie he had not above four poundssterling of stipends a-year) yet he was never in want. He further observes, that he could not remember any particular time ofconversion, or that he was much cast down or lifted up; only one night, in the dean of Kilmarnock, having been, most of the day before, incompany with some people of Stuarton, who were under rare and sadexercise of mind; he lay down under some heaviness, that he never hadsuch experience of; but, in the midst of his sleep, there came such aterror of the wrath of God upon him, that if it had but increased alittle higher, or continued but a few minutes longer, he had been in amost dreadful condition, but it was instantly removed, and he thought itwas said within his heart, See what a fool thou art to desire the thingthou couldst not endure. --In his preaching he was sometimes muchdeserted and cast down, and again at other times tolerably assisted. Hehimself declares, That he never preached a sermon, excepting two, thathe would be earnest to see again in print; the first was at the kirk ofShots (as was already noticed), and the other at a communion Monday atHolywood in Ireland[150]; and both these times he had spent the nightbefore in conference and prayer with some Christians, without any morethan ordinary preparation. ----For otherwise, says he, his gift wasrather suited to common people than to learned judicious auditors. Hehad a tolerable insight in the Hebrew, Chaldee, and somewhat of theSyriac languages; Arabic he did essay, but he soon dropped it. He had as much of the French, Italian, Dutch and Spanish as enabled himto make use of their books and bibles. It was thrice laid upon him bythe general assembly to write the history of the church of Scotlandsince the reformation 1638: but this, for certain reasons, he hadaltogether omitted. The greater part of his time in Holland he spent in reducing theoriginal text unto a Latin translation of the bible; and for thatpurpose compared Pagnin's with the original text, and with the latertranslations, such as Munster, the Tigurine, Junius, Diodati, theEnglish, but especially the Dutch, which he thought was the mostaccurate translation. Whether by constant sitting at these studies, or for some other reasons, the infirmities of old age creeping on, he could not determine, butsince the year 1664, there was such a continual pain contracted in hisbladder, that he could not walk abroad, and a shaking of his hands, thathe could scarcely write any; otherwise, he blessed the Lord thathitherto he had found no great defection either of body or mind. Thus he continued at Rotterdam until Aug. 9th, 1672, when he died. Someof his last words were, "Carry my commendation to Jesus Christ, till Icome there myself;" after a pause he added, "I die in the faith, thatthe truths of God, which he hath helped the church of Scotland to own, shall be owned by him as truths so long as sun and moon endure, and thatindependency, tho' there be good men and well-meaning professors of thatway, will be found more to the prejudice of the work of God than manyare aware of, for they evanish into vain opinions. I have had my ownfaults as well as other men, but he made me always abhor shews. I have, I know, given offence to many, through my slackness and negligence, butI forgive and desire to be forgiven. " After a pause, for he was not ableto speak much at a time, he said, "I would not have people to forecastthe worst, but there is a dark cloud above the reformed churches whichprognosticates a storm coming. " His wife, fearing what shortly followed, desired him to take leave of his friends; "I dare not (replied he, withan affectionate tenderness), but it is like our parting will only be fora short-time. " And then he slept in the Lord. Although it is usual with the most of men when writing their own account(through modesty) to conceal their own parts, qualifications and otherabilities, yet here these things cannot be hid; for it is prettyevident, that since our reformation commenced in Scotland, there hasbeen none whose labours in the gospel have been more remarkably blessedwith the down-pouring of the spirit in conversion-work, than great Mr. Livingston's were; yea, it is a question, if any one, since theprimitive times, can produce so many convincing and confirming seals oftheir ministry; as witness the kirk of Shots, and Holywood in Ireland, at which two places, it is said that about 1500 souls were eitherconfirmed or converted and brought to Christ. His works, besides his letter from Leith 1663, to his parishioners atAncrum, are, his memorable characteristics of divine providence, &c. And a manuscript of his own life, of which this is an abbreviate. Healso (while in his Patmos of Holland) wrote a new Latin translation ofthe old Testament, which was revised and approven of by Vossius, Essenius, Nethneus, Leusden and other eminent lights of that time;before his death, it was put into the hands of the last to be printed. _The Life of Mr. JOHN SEMPLE. _ Mr. John Semple was, for his exemplary walk and singular piety, had insuch esteem and veneration, that all ranks of people stood in awe ofhim, and particularly the clergy, he being a great check upon the lazyand corrupt part of them, who oftentimes were much afraid of him. ----Onetime, coming from Carsphairn to Sanquhar, being twelve miles of a roughway, on a Monday morning, after the sacrament, the ministers, beingstill in bed, got up in all haste, to prevent his reproof; but he, perceiving them putting on their cloaths, said, "What will become of thesheep, when the shepherds sleep so long; in my way hither, I saw someshepherds on the hills looking after their flocks. "--Which, consideringhis age, and early journey so many miles, after he had preached the daybefore at home, had much influence on them, and made them somewhatashamed. He was one who very carefully attended church-judicatories, from whichhe was seldom absent, and that from a principle of conscience; so thatalmost no impediment could hinder him in his purposes; for one timegoing to the presbytery of Kirkudbright, twenty miles distant fromCarsphairn, when about to ford the water of Dee, he was told by somethat it was impassable, yet he persisted, saying, "I must go through, ifthe Lord will; I am going about his work. "----He entered in, and thestrength of the current carried him and his horse beneath the ford; hefell from the horse, and stood upright in the water, and taking off hishat, prayed a word; after which he and the horse got safely out, to theadmiration of all the spectators there present. He was also a man much given to secret prayer, and ordinarily prayed inthe kirk before sacramental occasions, and oftentimes set apart Fridayin wrestling with the Lord for his gracious presence on communionsabbaths; and was often favoured with merciful returns, to the greatcomfort of both ministers and people; and would appoint a week daythereafter for thanksgiving to God. As he was one faithful and laborious in his Master's service, so he wasalso most courageous and bold, having no respect of persons, but didsharply reprove all sorts of wickedness in the highest as well as in thelowest, and yet he was so convincingly a man of God, that the mostwicked (to whom he was a terror) had a kindness for him, and sometimesspoke very favourably of him, as one who wished their souls well;insomuch as one time, some persons of quality calling him a varlet, another person of quality (whom he had often reproved for hiswickedness) being present, said, he was sure if he was a varlet he wasone of God's varlets, &c. At another time, when a certain gentleman, from whose house he was going home, sent one of the rudest of hisservants, well furnished, with a horse, broad sword and loaded pistols, to attack him in a desert place in the night time; and the servant wasordered to do all that he could to fright him. --Accordingly he surprizedhim with holding a pistol to his breast, bidding him render up his purseunder pain of being shot; but, Mr. Semple, with much presence of mind(although he knew nothing of the pre-conceit), answered, It seems youare a wicked man, who will either take my life or my purse, if God givesyou leave; as for my purse, it will not do you much service, though youhad it; and for my life, I am willing to lay it down when and where Godpleaseth; however if you will lay bye your weapons I will wrestle afall with you for my life, which if you be a man, you cannot refuse, seeing I have no weapons to fight with you. ----In short, after manythreats (though all in vain), the servant discovered the whole plot, andasked him, If he was not at the first afraid?--Not in the least, answered he, for although you had killed me, as I knew not but youmight, I was sure to get the sooner to heaven; and then they parted. Mr. Semple was a man who knew much of his Master's mind, as evidentlyappears by his discovering of several future events:--for on a time whennews came, that Cromwel and those with him were upon the trial ofCharles I. Some persons asked him, What he thought would become of theking? He went to his closet a little, and coming back he said to them, The king is gone, he will neither do us good nor ill any more; which ofa truth came to pass. At another time, passing by the house of Kenmuir, as the masons were making some additions thereunto, he said, Lads, yeare busy, enlarging and repairing the house, but it will be burnt like acrow's nest in a misty morning, which accordingly came to pass, for itwas burnt in a dark misty morning by the English. Upon a certain time, when a neighbouring minister was distributingtokens before the sacrament, and when reaching a token to a certainwoman, Mr. Semple (standing by) said, Hold your hand, she hath gottentoo many tokens already; she is a witch;----which, though none suspectedher then, she herself confessed to be true, and was deservedly put todeath for the same. At another time, a minister in the shire ofGalloway, sending one of his elders to Mr. Semple, with a letter, earnestly desiring his help at the sacrament, which was to be in threeweeks after; he read the letter, and went to his closet, and comingback, he said to the elder, I am sorry you have come so far on aneedless errand; go home and tell your minister, he hath had all thecommunions that ever he will have; for he is guilty of fornication, andGod will bring it to light ere that time. --This likewise came to pass. He often said to a person of quality (my lord Kenmuir) that he was arough wicked man, for which God would shake him over hell before hedied; and yet God would give him his soul for a prey: which had itsaccomplishment at last, to the no small comfort and satisfaction of allhis near and dear relations. When some Scots regiments, in the year 1648, in their march throughCarsphairn for Preston in England to the duke's engagement (as it wascommonly called) and hearing that the sacrament was to be dispensedthere next Lord's day, some of the soldiers put up their horses in thekirk, and went to the manse, and destroyed the communion elements in amost profane manner, Mr. Semple being then from home. The next day hecomplained to the commanding officer, in such a pathetical mannerrepresenting the horrible vileness of such an action, that the officernot only regretted the action, but also gave money for furnishing themagain:--he moreover told them, He was sorry for the errand they weregoing upon, for it would not prosper, and the profanity of that armywould ruin them. About or after this, he went up to a hill and prayed;and being interrogated by some acquaintances, What answer he got? Hereplied, That he had fought with neither small nor great, but with theduke himself, whom he never left until he was beheaded:--which was toosadly verified[151]. His painful endeavours were blest with no small success, especially atsacramental occasions, and this the devil envied very much; andparticularly one time, among many, which he designed to administer theLord's supper, before which he assured the people of a great communion, by a gracious and remarkable down-pouring of the Spirit, but that thedevil would be envious about this good work, and that he was afraid hewould be permitted to raise a storm or speat of rain, designing to drownsome of them: but, said he, it shall not be in his power to drown any ofyou, no, not so much as a dog. Accordingly it came to pass on Monday, when he was dismissing the people, they saw a man all in black enteringthe water a little above them, at which they were amazed, as the waterwas very large. He lost his feet (as they apprehended) and came down onhis back, waving his hand; the people ran and got ropes, and threw themin to him; and there were ten or twelve men upon the ropes, yet theywere in danger of being all drawn into the water and drowned--Mr. Semplelooking on, cried, Quit the rope, and let him go; I see who it is; it isthe devil, he will burn but not drown, and by drowning of you would haveGod dishonoured, because he hath got some glory to his free grace inbeing King to many of your souls at this time, and the wicked world toreproach the work of God, &c. All search was made in that country tofind if any man was lost, but none was heard of, which made themconclude it to be the devil. Mr. Semple, being one of the faithful protestors, in the year 1657, wasapprehended with the famous Mr. James Guthrie at Edinburgh in Aug. 1660, and after ten months imprisonment in the castle, was brought before thebloody council, who threatened him severely with death and banishment;but he answered with boldness, My God will not let you either kill orbanish me, but I will go home and die in peace, and my dust will lieamong the bodies of my people; accordingly he was dismissed, and wenthome, and entered his pulpit, saying, I parted with thee too easy but Ishall hing by the wicks of thee now. It was some time after therestoration, that, while under his hidings, being one night in bed withanother minister, the backside of the bed falling down to the ground, the enemy came and carried away the other minister, but got nothim:--which was a most remarkable deliverance. Lastly, He was so concerned for the salvation of his people, that whenon his death-bed, he sent for them, and preached to them with suchfervency, shewing them their miserable state by nature, and their needof a Saviour, expressing his sorrow to leave many of them as gracelessas he got them, with so much vehemency as made many of them weepbitterly. He died at Carsphairn (about the year 1677, being upwards of seventyyears of age) in much assurance of heaven, often longing to be there, rejoicing in the God of his salvation; and that under great impressionsof dreadful judgments to come on these covenanted sinning lands; andwhen scarce able to speak, he cried three times over, A popish sword forthee, O Scotland, England, and Ireland! &c. _The Life of Mr. JAMES MITCHEL. _ Mr. James Mitchel[152] was educated at the university of Edinburgh, andwas, with some other of his fellow-students, made master of arts _anno_1656. Mr. Robert Leighton (afterwards bishop Leighton), being thenprincipal of that college, before the degree was conferred upon them, tendered to them the national and solemn league and covenant; whichcovenants, upon mature deliberation, he took, finding nothing in thembut a short compend of the moral law, binding to our duty towards Godand towards man in their several stations, and taking the king'sinterest to be therein included, when others were taking the tender toOliver Cromwel, he subscribed the oath of allegiance to the king; buthow he was repaid for this, after the restoration, the following accountwill more fully discover. Mr. Mitchel, having received a licence to preach the gospel, very soonafter the restoration, was, with the rest of his faithful brethren, reduced to many hardships and difficulties. I find (says a historian)Mr. Trail minister at Edinburgh _anno_ 1661, recommending him to someministers in Galloway as a good youth, that had not much to subsistupon, and as fit for a school, or teaching gentlemen's children[153]. There being no door of access then to the ministry for him, or any such, when prelacy was on such an advance in Scotland. But whether he employed himself in this manner, or if he preached onsome occasions, where he could have the best opportunity, we have nocertain account; only we find he joined with that faithful handful whorose in 1666, but was not at the engagement at Pentland[154], being sentin by captain Arnot to Edinburgh the day before, upon some necessarybusiness, on such an emergent occasion. --However, he was excepted fromthe indemnity in the several lists for that purpose. After Pentland affair, in the space of six weeks, Mr. Mitchel wentabroad, in the trading way, to Flanders, and was for some time upon theborders of Germany, after which he, in the space of three quarters of ayear, returned home (with some Dutchmen of Amsterdam), having a cargo ofdifferent sorts of goods, which took some time up before he got them allsold off. Mr. Mitchel, being now excluded from all mercy or favour from thegovernment, and having not yet laid down arms, and taking thearch-bishop of St. Andrews to be the main instigator of all theoppression and bloodshed of his faithful brethren, took up a resolution_anno_ 1668, to dispatch him, and for that purpose, upon the 11th ofJuly, he waited the bishop's coming down in the afternoon to his coach, at the head of black friar's wynd in Edinburgh, and with him wasHoneyman bishop of Orkney. ----When the arch-bishop had entered, andtaken his seat in the coach, Mr. Mitchel stepped straight to the northside of the coach, and discharged a pistol (loaded with three balls) inat the door thereof; that moment Honeyman set his foot in the boot ofthe coach, and reaching up his hand to step in, received the shotdesigned for Sharp in the wrist of his hand, and the primate escaped. Upon this, Mr. Mitchel crossed the street with much composure, till hecame to Niddry's wynd-head, where a man offered to stop him, to whom hepresented a pistol, upon which he let him go; he stepped down the wynd, and up Steven Law's closs, went into a house, changed his cloaths, andcame straight to the street, as being the place where, indeed, he wouldbe least suspected. The cry arose, that a man was killed; upon whichsome replied, It was only a bishop, and all was very soon calmed. UponMonday the 13, the council issued out a proclamation offering a rewardof five thousand merks to any that would discover the actor, and pardonto accessories; but nothing more at that time ensued. The managers, and those of the prelatical persuasion, made a mightynoise and handle of this against the presbyterians, whereas this deedwas his only, without the knowledge or pre-concert of any, as he himselfin a letter declares; yea, with a design to bespatter the Presbyterianchurch of Scotland, a most scurrilous pamphlet was published at London, not only reflecting on our excellent reformers from popery, publishingarrant lies anent Mr. Alexander Henderson, abusing Mr. David Dickson, and breaking jests upon the remonstrators and presbyterians (as theycalled them), but also, in a most malicious and groundless kind ofrhapsody, slandering Mr. Mitchel. After this Mr. Mitchel shifted the best way he could, until thebeginning of the year 1674. ; he was discovered by Sir William Sharp, thebishop's brother, and ere ever Mr. Mitchel was aware, he caused acertain number of his servants (armed for that purpose) lay hold on him, and apprehend and commit him to prison; and on the 10th of February wasexamined by the lord chancellor, lord register and lord Halton; hedenied the assassination of the arch-bishop, but being taken apart bythe chancellor, he confessed (that it was he who shot the bishop ofOrkney while aiming at the arch-bishop), upon assurance of his life, given by the chancellor in these words, "Upon my great oath andreputation, if I be chancellor, I shall save your life. " On the 12th hewas examined before the council, and said nothing but what he had saidbefore the committee. He was remitted to the justice-court to receivehis indictment and sentence, which was, To have his right hand struckoff at the cross of Edinburgh, and his goods forfeited; which last partwas not to be executed, till his majesty had got notice; because, sayslord Halton, in a letter to earl Kincardine, assurance of life was givenhim upon his confession. However, he was, on the second of March, brought before the lordsjudiciary, and indicted for being concerned at Pentland, and for theattempt on the arch-bishop of St Andrews; but he pleaded not guilty, andinsisted that the things alledged against him should be proved: Thelords postponed the affair till the 25th; meanwhile, the council made anact March 12, specifying that Mr. James Mitchel confessed his firing thepistol at the arch-bishop of St. Andrews, upon assurance given him oflife by one of the committee, who had a warrant from the lordcommissioner and secret council to give the same, and therefore didfreely confess, &c. In the said act it was declared, That, on accountof his refusing to adhere to his confession, the promises made to himwere void, and that the lords of justiciary and jury ought to proceedagainst him, without any regard to these. About the 25, he was broughtbefore the justiciary; but as there was no proof against him, they withconsent of the advocate protracted the affair, and he was again remandedto prison. Thus he continued until Jan. 6th, 1676, that he was ordered to beexamined before the council by torture, concerning his being in therebellion (as they formed it) in the year 1666. Accordingly he wasbrought before them upon the 18th, about six o'clock atnight;--Linlithgow, being preses, told him, He was brought before themto see whether he would adhere to his former confession. --He answered, "My lord, it is not unknown to your lordship, and others here present, that, by the council's order, I was remitted to the lords of justiciary, before whom I received an indictment at my lord advocate's instance, &c. To which indictment I answered at three several diets, and at thelast diet, being deserted by my lord advocate, I humbly conceive, that, both by the law of the nation, and the practice of this court, I oughtto have been set at liberty; yet notwithstanding, I was, contrary tolaw, equity and justice, returned to prison; And upon what account I amthis night before you, I am ignorant. " The preses told him, He was onlycalled to see if he would own his former confession. --He replied, "Heknew no crime he was guilty of, and therefore made no such confession ashe alledged. " Upon this, the treasurer depute said, The pannel was oneof the most arrogant liars and rogues he had known. --Mr. Mitchelreplied, "My lord, if there were fewer of these persons, you have beenspeaking of, in the nation, I should not be standing this night at thebar; but my lord advocate knoweth, that what is alledged against me isnot my confession. " The preses said, Sir, we will cause a sharper thingmake you confess. --He answered, "My lord, I hope you are Christians andnot pagans. " Then he was returned to prison. On the 22d, he was again called before them, to see if he would own hisformer confession, and a paper produced, alledged to be subscribed byhim; but he would not acknowledge the same. The preses said, You seewhat is upon the table (meaning the boots), I will see if that will makeyou do it. Mr. Mitchel answered, "My lord, I confess, that, by torture, you may cause me to blaspheme God, as Saul did compel the saints; youmay compel me to speak amiss of your lordships; to call myself a thief, a murderer, &c. And then pannel me on it: But if you shall here put meto it, I protest before God and your lordships, that nothing extortedfrom me by torture, shall be made use of against me in judgment, norhave any force in law against me, or any other person. But to be plainwith you, my lords, I am so much of a Christian, that whatever yourlordships shall legally prove against me, if it be truth, I shall notdeny it;--but, on the contrary, I am so much of a man, and a Scotsman, that I never held myself obliged, by the law of God, nature and nations, to be my own accuser. " The treasurer-depute said, He had the devil'slogic, and sophisticated like him: ask him whether that be hissubscription. Mr. Mitchel replied, I acknowledge no such thing; and hewas sent back to prison. Upon the 24th, they assembled in their robes in the inner parliamenthouse, and the boots and executioner were presented. Mr. Mitchel wasagain interrogated, as above, but still persisting, he was ordered tothe torture. And he, knowing that, after the manner of the Spanishinquisition, the more he confessed, either concerning himself or others, the more severe the torture would be, to make him confess the more, delivered himself in this manner:--"My lord, I have been now these twofull years in prison, and more than one of them in bolts and fetters, which hath been more intolerable to me than many deaths, if I had beencapable thereof; and it is well known, that some in a shorter time havebeen tempted to make away with themselves; but respect and obedience tothe express law and command of God hath made me to undergo all thesehardships, and I hope this torture with patience also, _viz. _ that forthe preservation of my own life and the life of others, as far as liesin my power; and to keep innocent blood off your lordships persons andfamilies, which, by shedding of mine, you would doubtless bring uponyourselves and posterity, and wrath from the Lord to the consumingthereof, till there should be no escaping; and now again I protest, &c. As above: When you please, call for the man appointed for thework. " The executioner being called, he was tied in a two armed chair, and the boot brought; the executioner asked which of the legs he shouldtake; the lords bade him take any of them; the executioner laying theleft in the boot, Mr. Mitchel, lifting it out again, said, "Since thejudges have not determined, take the best of the two, for I freelybestow it in the cause;" and so laid his right leg into the engine. After which the advocate asked leave to speak but one word, butnotwithstanding, insisted at a great length; to which Mr. Mitchelanswered, "The advocate's word or two hath multiplied to so many, thatmy memory cannot serve, in the condition wherein I am (the torturebeing begun) to resume them in particular; but I shall essay to answerthe scope of his discourse; whereas he hath been speaking of thesovereignty of the magistrate, I shall go somewhat further than he hathdone, and own that the magistrate whom God hath appointed, is God'sdepute; both the throne and the judgment are the Lord's, when he judgethfor God and according to his law; and a part of his office is to deliverthe poor oppressed out of the hand of the oppressor, and shed noinnocent blood, Jerem. Xxii. 3, &c. And whereas the advocate hath beenhinting at the sinfulness of lying on any account; it is answered, thatnot only lying is sinful, but also a pernicious speaking of the truth, is a horrid sin before the Lord, when it tendeth to the shedding ofinnocent blood; witness the case of Doeg, Psalm lii. Compared with 2Sam. Xxii. 9. But what my lord advocate hath forged against me is false, so that I am standing upon my former ground, _viz. _ the preservation ofmy own life, and the life of others, as far as lies in my power, thewhich I am expressly commanded by the Lord of hosts. " Then the clerk's servant, being called, interrogated him in the torture, in upwards of thirty questions, which were all in write, of which thefollowing are of the most importance. Are you that Mr. James Mitchel who was excepted out of the king's graceand favour? _A. _ I never committed any crime deserving to be excluded. _Q. _ Were you at Pentland? _A. _ No. _Q. _ Were you at Ayr, and did you join with the rebels there? _A. _ I never joined with any such. _Q. _ Where was you at the time of Pentland? _A. _ In Edinburgh. _Q. _ When did you know of their rising in arms? _A. _ When the rest of the city knew of it. _Q. _ Where did you meet with James Wallace? _A. _ I knew him not at that time. _Q. _ Did you go out of town with captain Arnot? _A. _ No. The other questions were anent his going abroad, &c. He perceived thatthey intended to catch him in a contradiction, or to find any who wouldwitness against him. --At the beginning of the torture he said, "Mylords, not knowing that I shall escape this torture with my life, therefore, I beseech you to remember what Solomon saith, _He who shewethno mercy, shall have judgment without mercy_, &c. --And now, my lords, Ido freely, from my heart, forgive you, who are sitting judges upon thebench, and the men who are appointed to be about this horrible piece ofwork, and also those who are vitiating their eyes in beholding the same;and I intreat that God may never lay it to the charge of any of you, asI beg God may be pleased for Christ's sake to blot out my sins andiniquities, and never to lay them to my charge here nor hereafter. " All this being over, the executioner took down his leg from a chestwhereon it was lying all the time in the boot, and set both on theground; and thrusting in the shelves to drive the wedges, began hisstrokes; at every one of which, enquiring if he had any more to say, orwould say any more; Mr. Mitchel answered no; and they continued to ninestrokes upon the head of the wedges; at length he fainted, through theextremity of pain at which the executioner cried, Alas! my lords, he isgone! then they stopped the torture and went off; and in a little time, when recovered, he was carried, in the same chair, to the tolbooth. It is indeed true that Mr. Mitchel made a confession, upon the promiseof his life; but the managers, having revoked their promise, because hewould not adhere to his confession before the justiciary, (being advisedby some friends not to trust too much to that promise) and be his ownaccuser. "The reader must determine (says a very impartialhistorian[155]) how far he was to blame now, in not owning hisconfession judicially, as they had judicially revoked the condition uponwhich the confession was made, and to put a man to torture for findingout things, for which they had not the least proof, seems to beunprecedented and cruel, and to bring him to a farther trial appears tobe unjust. " For as another author has well observed, "That when aconfession or promise is made upon a condition, and that condition isjudicially rescinded, the obligation of the promise or confession istaken away, and both parties are _statu quo_, Josh. Ii. 14, &c. That, in many cases it is lawful to conceal and obscure a necessary duty, anddivert enemies from a pursuit of it for a time. 1 Sam. Xvi. 1, 2. Xx. 5, 6. Jer. Xxxviii. 24, &c. That when an open enemy perverts andoverturns the very nature and matter of a discourse or confession, byleaving out the most material truths, and putting in untruths andcircumstances in their room, it no longer is the former discourse orconfession, &c. That when a person is brought before a limitedjudicatory, &c. Before whom nothing was ever confessed or proven, theperson may justly stand to his defence, and put his enemies to bring inproof against him, &c. " After this Mr. Mitchel continued in prison till the beginning of nextyear, when he and Mr. Frazer of Brae were with a party of twelve horseand thirty foot, sent to the Bass, where he remained till about the 6thof Dec. When he was again brought to Edinburgh, in order for his trialand execution; which came on upon the 7th of Jan. 1678. On the third ofthe month Sir George Lockhart and Mr. John Ellis were appointed to pleadfor the pannel; but Sharp would have his life, and Lauderdale gave wayto it. Sir Archibald Primrose, lately turned out of the register'splace, took a copy of the council's act anent Mr. Mitchel, and sent itto this council; and a day or two before the trial, went to Lauderdale, who, together with lord Rothes, lord Halton and Sharp, was summoned: Theprisoner's witness, Primrose, told Lauderdale, That he thought a promiseof life had been given----The latter denied it----The former wished thatthat act of the council might be looked into----Lauderdale said, Hewould not give himself the trouble to look over the book of council. When his trial came on, the great proof was, his confession, Feb. 16. 1674. ; many and long were the reasons upon the points of the indictment. Sir George Lockhart[156] argued in behalf of the prisoner with greatlearning, to the admiration of the audience, That no extra-judicialconfession could be allowed in court, and that his confession wasextorted from him by hopes and promises of life. The debates were sotedious that the court adjourned to the 9th of January; the replies andduplies are too tedious to be inserted here: The reader will find themat large elsewhere. [157] The witnesses being examined, lord Rothes (being shewn Mr. Mitchel'sconfession) swore that he was present, and saw him subscribe that paper, and heard him make that confession, but that he did not at all give anyassurance to the prisoner for his life; nor did he remember that therewas any warrant given by the council to his lordship for that effect, &c. Halton and Lauderdale swore much to the same purpose; but thearch-bishop swore, that he knew him, at the very first sight at the bar, to be the person who shot at him, &c. But that he either gave himassurance or a warrant to any to give it, was a false and maliciouscalumny. That his grace gave no promise to Nichol Somerville, other thanthat it was his interest to make a free confession. This NicholSomerville, Mr. Mitchel's brother-in-law, offered, in court, to depone, That the arch-bishop promised to him to secure his life, if he wouldprevail with him to confess. The arch-bishop denied this, and called ita villainous lie. Several other depositions were taken; such as SirWilliam Paterson, Mr. John Vanse, and the bishop of Galloway, who allswore in Sharp's favour, it being dangerous for them, at this juncture, to do otherwise. After the witnesses were examined, the advocate declared he had closedthe probation; whereupon Mr Mitchel produced a copy of an act of councilMarch 12th, 1674, praying that the register might be produced, or theclerk obliged to give extracts; but this they refused todo. ----"Lockhart (says Burnet[158]) pleaded for this, but Lauderdale, who was only a witness, and had no right to speak, refused, and so itwas neglected. " The assize was inclosed, and ordered to return their verdict to-morrowafternoon, which being done, the sentence was pronounced, "That the saidMr. James Mitchel should be taken to the grass-market of Edinburgh, uponFriday the 18th of Jan. Instant, betwixt two and four o'clock, in theafternoon, and there to be hanged on a gibbet till he be dead, and allhis moveables, goods and gear escheat, and in-brought to his majesty'suse, &c. " No sooner did the court break up, than the lords, beingupstairs found the act recorded, and signed by lord Rothes the presidentof the council. 'This action' says the last-cited historian, 'and allconcerned in it, were looked on by all the people with horror, and itwas such a complication of treachery, perjury and cruelty, as the likehad not perhaps been known. ' Two days after the sentence, orders came from court, for placing Mr. Mitchel's head and hands on some public place of the city; but thesentence being passed, no alteration could be made; and if Sharp had anyhand in this, he missed his end and design. About the same time, hiswife petitioned the council, that her husband might be reprieved forsome time, that she might be in case to see and take her last farewel ofhim, especially as it was not above twelve days since she was deliveredof a child, and presently affected with a fever; but no regard was paidto this: The sentence must be executed[159]. While he was in prison, he emitted a most faithful and largetestimony[160]. In the first place, testifying against all profanity. Then he gives the cause of his suffering, in the words of Elijah, 1Kings xix. 14. _I have been very zealous for the Lord of hosts_, &c. Headheres to the covenanted work of reformation and the covenant; approvesof _lex rex_, the causes of God's wrath, apologetical relation, Naphtali, _jus populi_, &c. Afterwards he speaks of magistracy in thesewords, "I believe magistracy to be an ordinance and appointment of God, as well under the new Testament as it was under the old; and thatwhosoever resisteth the lawful magistrate in the exercise of his lawfulpower, resisteth the ordinance and appointment of God, Rom. Xiii. 1. &c. 1 Pet. Ii. 13. Deut. Xvii. 15, &c. The lawful magistrate must hea man qualified according to God's appointment, and not according to thepeople's lust and pleasure, lest in the end he should prove to them aprince of Sodom and governor of Gomorrah, whom God, in hisrighteousness, should appoint for their judgment, and establish fortheir correction, &c. " Then he comes to be most explicit in testifyingagainst the givers and receivers of the indulgence, as an incroachmenton Christ's crown and prerogative royal, &c. ; protests before God, angels and men, against all acts made anywise derogative to the work ofGod and reformation; likewise protests against all banishments, imprisoning, finings and confinements that the people of God had beenput to these years by-past; describing the woful state and condition ofmalignants, and all the enemies of Jesus Christ. And in the last placespeaks very fervently anent his own sufferings, state and condition, which he begins to express in these words, "Now if the Lord, in his wiseand over-ruling providence, bring me to the close of my pilgrimage, tothe full enjoyment of my long-looked for and desired happiness, let himtake his own way and time in bringing me to it. And in the mean time, Othou my soul I sing thou this song, Spring thou up, O well of thyhappiness and salvation, of thy eternal hope and consolation; and whilstthou art burdened with this clogg of clay and tabernacle, dig thou deepin it by faith, hope and charity, and with all the instruments that Godhath given thee; dig in it by precepts and promises; dig carefully, anddig continually; ay and until thou come to the source and head of theFountain himself, from whence the water of life floweth: Dig until thoucome to the assembly of the first-born, where this song is most suitablysung, to the praise and glory of the rich grace and mercy of theFountain of life, &c. " And a little farther, when speaking of hismortification to the world, and other sweet experiences, he says, "Andalthough, O Lord, thou shouldst send me in the back track and tenor ofmy life, to seek my soul's comfort and encouragement from them, yet Ihave no cause to complain of hard dealing from thy hand, seeing it isthy ordinary way with some of thy people, Psalm xlii. 6. _O God, my soulis cast down in me, from the land of Jordan and the hill Hermon_, &c. Yea, though last, he brought me to the banquetting house, and made lovehis banner over me, among the cold highland hills beside Kippen Nov. 1673. He remembered his former loving kindness towards me; but withal hespoke in mine ear, that there was a tempestuous storm to meet me in theface, which I behoved to go through, in the strength of that provision, 1 Kings xix. 7. " Then, after the reciting of several scriptures, ascomforting to him in his sufferings, he comes at last to conclude withthese words, "And seeing I have not preferred nor sought after mine ownthings, but thy honour and glory, the good liberty and safety of thychurch and people; although it be now misconstructed by many, yet I hopethat thou, Lord, wilt make thy light to break forth as the morning, andmy righteousness as the noon-day and that shame and darkness shall coverall who are enemies to my righteous cause: For thou, O Lord, art theshield of my head, and sword of my excellency; and mine enemies shall befound liars, and shall be subdued. Amen, yea and Amen. _Sic subscribitur_, JAMES MITCHEL. " Accordingly, upon the 18th of Jan. He was taken to the grass-market ofEdinburgh, and the sentence put in execution. In the morning hedelivered some copies of what he had to say, if permitted, at his death;but not having liberty to deliver this part of his vindicatory speech tothe people, he threw it over the scaffold, the substance of which was asfollows. "_Christian people_, "It being rumoured abroad, immediately after I received my sentence, that I would not have liberty to speak in this place, I have nottroubled myself to prepare any formal discourse, on account of thepretended crime for which I am accused and sentenced; neither did Ithink it very necessary, the same of the process having gone so muchabroad, what by a former indictment given me near four years ago, thediet of which was suffered to desert, in respect the late advocate couldnot find a just way to reach me with the extra-judicial confession theyopponed to me; all knew he was zealous in it, yet my charity to him issuch, that he would not suffer that unwarrantable zeal so far to blindhim, as to overstretch the laws of the land beyond their due limits, inprejudice of the life of a native subject; next by an extreme inquiry oftorture, and then by exiling me to the bass; and then, after all bygiving me a new indictment at the instance of the new advocate, who, before, was one of mine, when I received the first indictment; to whichnew indictment and debate in the process, I refer you; and particularlyto these two defences of an extra-judicial confession, and the promiseof life given to me by the chancellor, upon his own and the public faithof the kingdom; upon the verity thereof I am content to die, and readyto lay down my life, and hope your charity to me a dying man will besuch as not to mistrust me therein; especially since it is notoriouslyadminiculate by an act of secret council, and yet denied upon oath bythe principal officers of state present in council at the making of saidact, and whom the act bears to have been present: the duke ofLauderdale, being then his majesty's commissioner, was likewisepresent;----and which act of council was, by the lords of justiciary, most unjustly repelled, &c. Thus much for a short account of theaffair for which I am unjustly brought to this place; but I acknowledgemy private and particular sins have been such as have deserved a worsedeath to me; but I hope in the merits of Jesus Christ to be freed fromthe eternal punishment due to me for sin. I am confident that God dothnot plead with me in this place, for my private and particular sins, butI am brought here that the work of God may be made manifest, and for thetrial of faith, John ix. 3, 1 Pet. I. 7. That I might be a witness forhis despised truths and interest in this land, where I am called to sealthe same with my blood; and I wish heartily that this my poor life mayput an end to the persecution of the true members of Christ in thisplace, so much actuated by these perfidious prelates, in opposition towhom, and testimony to the cause of Christ, I at this time lay down mylife, and bless God that he hath thought me so much worthy as to do thesame, for his glory and interest. Finally, Concerning a christian duty, in a singular and extraordinary case, and anent my particular judgment, concerning both church and state, it is evidently declared andmanifested elsewhere. Farewell all earthly enjoyments, and welcomeFather, Son and Holy Ghost, into whose hands I commit my spirit. JAMES MITCHEL. " Here we have heard the end of the zealous and faithful Mr. JamesMitchel, who, beyond all doubt, was a most pious man, notwithstandingall the foul aspersions that have been, or will be cast upon him (notonly by malignant prelates, but even by the high fliers, or morecorrupted part of the presbyterian persuasion) namely, on account of hisfiring at bishop Sharp; which, they think, is enough to explode, affrontor bespatter all the faithful contendings of the true reformed andcovenanted church of Scotland. But in this Mr. Mitchel stands in need oflittle or no vindication; for by this time the reader may perceive, thathe looked upon himself as in a state of war, and that, as Sharp wasdoubtless one of the chief instigators of the tyranny, bloodshed andoppression in that dismal period, he therefore, no doubt, thought he hada right to take every opportunity of cutting him off, especially as allthe ways of common justice were blocked up; yet all this opens no doorfor every private person, at their own hand, to execute justice on anopen offender, where there is access to a lawful magistrate appointedfor that end. Yea what he himself saith anent this affair, in a letterdated Feb. 1674. May be sufficient to stop the mouths of all that haveor may oppose the same, a few words of which may be subjoined to thisnarrative; where, after he has resumed what passed betwixt him and thechancellor, he says, that as to his design against Sharp, "He looked uphim to be the main instigator of all the oppression and bloodshed of hisbrethren, that followed thereupon, and of the continual pursuing of hislife; and he being a soldier, not having laid down arms, but being stillupon his own defence, and having no other end or quarrel at any man butwhat (according to his apprehension of him) may be understood by themany thousands of the faithful, besides the prosecution of the ends ofthe same covenant, which was and is in that point, the overthrow ofprelates and prelacy, and he being a declared enemy to him on thataccount, and he to him in like manner; and as he was always to take hisadvantage, as it appeared, so he took of him any opportunity thatoffered----For, " says he, "I, by his instigation, being excluded fromall grace and favour, thought it my duty to pursue him at all occasions, &c. " And a little farther he instances in Deut. Xiii. 19. Where theseducer or inticer to a false worship is to be put to death, and that bythe hand of the witness, whereof he was one; takes notice of Phinehas, Elijah, &c. ; and then observes, that the bishops would say, what theydid was by law and authority, but what he did was contrary to both; buthe answers, The king himself and all the estates of the land, &c. Bothwere and are obliged by the oath of God upon them, to extirpate theperjured prelates and prelacy, and, in doing thereof, to have defendedone another with their lives and fortunes, &c. _The Life of Mr. JOHN WELWOOD. _ Mr. John Welwood, born about the year 1649, was son to Mr. JamesWelwood, sometime minister at Tindergirth (and brother to Mr. AndrewWelwood and James Welwood doctor of medicine at London). After he hadgone through the ordinary courses of learning he entered on theministry, and afterwards preached in many places, but we do not hearthat he was ever settled minister in any parish, it being then a timewhen all who intended any honesty or faithfulness in testifying againstthe sins and defections of the times, were thrust out of the church andprosecuted with the greatest extremity. It is said, that he preachedsome five or six sermons in the parish where his father was minister, which were blessed with more discernible effects of good amongst thatpeople than all the diligent painfulness his father had exercised in thetime he was minister of that parish. And besides his singular piety and faithfulness in preaching, he was amost fervent presser to all the duties of the christian life, particularly to the setting up and keeping of fellowship and societymeetings, for prayer and christian conference, which he often frequentedhimself. One time, among several others, at the new house in Livingstonparish, after the night was far spent, he said, Let one pray, and beshort that we may win to our apartments before it be light; it was theturn of one who exceeded many in gifts. ----But before he ended it wasday-light within the house. After prayer he said, James, James, yourgifts have the start of your graces: And to the rest he said, Beadvised, all of you, not to follow him in all times and in all things, otherwise there will be many ins and many outs in your tract and walk. _Anno_ 1677, there was an Erastian meeting of the actually indulged andnon-indulged, procured by the indulged and their favourites, in order toget unity made and kept up (but rather in reality a conspiracy withoutany truth, unity or veracity among these backsliders and falseprophets). --Mr. Welwood, worthy Mr. Cameron, and another minister werecalled before this meeting, in order to have them deposed, and theirlicence taken from them, for their faithfulness in preaching upseparation from the actually indulged. But they declined theirauthority, as being no lawful judicatory of Jesus Christ, whilst thusmade up of those who were actually indulged. Some of them went to Mr. Hog, who was then in town, though not at this meeting, for his adviceanent them. To whom he said, His name is Welwood, but if ye take thatunhappy course to depose them, he will perhaps turn out their Torwood atlast. Mr. Welwood was a man of a lean and tender body. He always slept, ateand drank but little, as being one still under a deep exercise, thestate and case of his soul laying a great concern upon his spirit, aboutthe defections and tyranny of that day, especially concerning theindulged, and so many pleading in their favour. But, being of a sicklyconstitution before, he turned more melancholy and tender. Much[161]about this time, he was informed against to the managers at Edinburgh, that having intruded upon the kirk of Tarboltoun, in the shire of Ayr;the council appointed Glencairn and lord Ross to see that he be turnedout and apprehended; but there is nothing further can be learned anentthis order. One Sabbath when he was going to preach, and the tent set up for him, the laird on whose ground it was, caused lift it, and set it on anotherlaird's ground. But when Mr. Welwood saw it, he said, in a short timethat laird shall not have one furr of land. Some quarrelled him forsaying so (this laird being then a great professor). He said, Let alonea little and he will turn out in his own colours. Shortly after this, hefell out in adultery, and became most miserable and contemptible, being, as was said, one of York's four pound papists. In the beginning of the year 1679, he said to William Nicolson aFife-shire man, Ye shall have a brave summer of the gospel this year, and for your further encouragement an old man or woman for very age mayyet live to see the bishops down, and yet the church not delivered, butere all be done we will get a few faithful ministers in Scotland tohear; but keep still amongst the faithful poor mourning remnant that isfor God, for there is a cloud coming on the church of Scotland, the likeof which was never heard; for the most part will turn todefection. ----But I see, on the other side of it, the church's delivery, with ministers and christians, that you would be ashamed to open a mouthbefore them. Among his last public days of preaching, he preached at Boulterhall inFife, upon that text, _Not many noble_, &c. Here he wished that all theLord's people, whom he had placed in stations of distinction, there andeverywhere would express their thankfulness that the words _not many_were not _not any_, and that the whole of them were not excluded. In theend of that sermon he said, (pointing to St. Andrews) "If that unhappyprelate Sharp die the death of all men, God never spoke by me. " Thebishop had a servant, who, upon liberty from his master on Saturday'snight, went to visit his brother, who was a servant to a gentleman nearBoulterhall (the bishop ordering him to be home on Sabbath night). Hewent with the laird, and his brother that day. Mr. Welwood noticed himwith the bishop's livery on, and when sermon was ended, he desired himto stand up, for he had somewhat to say to him. "I desire you, said he, before all these witnesses when thou goest home, to tell thy master, that his treachery, tyranny and wicked life are near an end, and hisdeath shall be both sudden, surprising, and bloody; and as he haththirsted after and shed the blood of the saints, he shall not go to hisgrave in peace, &c. " The youth went home, and at supper the bishopasked him, If he had been at a conventicle? He said, He was. He asked, What his text was, and what he said? The man told him several things, and particularly the above message from Mr. Welwood. The bishop madesport of it. But his wife said, I advise you to take more notice ofthat, for I hear that these men's words are not vain words. Shortly after this he went to Perth, and there lodged in the house ofone John Barclay. His bodily weakness increasing, he was laid aside fromserving his Master in public; and lingered under a consumptive distemperuntil the beginning of April 1679, when he died. During the time of hissickness, while he was able to speak, he laid himself out to do good tosouls. None but such as were looked upon to be friends to the persecutedcause knew that he was in town; and his practice was, to call them in, one family after another, at different times; and discourse to themabout their spiritual state. His conversation was both convincing, edifying and confirming. Many came to visit him, and among the rest oneAiton, younger of Inchdarny in Fife, (a pious youth about eighteen yearsof age) and giving Mr. Welwood an account of the great tyranny andwickedness of prelate Sharp, Mr. Welwood said, "You will shortly be quitof him, and he will get a sudden and sharp off-going, and ye will be thefirst that will take the good news of his death to heaven. " Whichliterally came to pass the May following. About the same time he said to another who came to visit him, "that manyof the Lord's people should be in arms that summer for the defence ofthe gospel; but he was fully persuaded that they would work nodeliverance; and that, after the fall of that party, the public standardof the gospel should fall for some time, so that there would not be atrue faithful minister in Scotland, excepting two, unto whom they couldresort, to hear or converse with, anent the state of the church; andthey would also seal the testimony with their blood; and that after thisthere should be a dreadful defection and apostacy; but God would pourout his wrath upon the enemies of his church and people, wherein many ofthe Lord's people, who had made defection from his way should fall amongthe rest in this common calamity; but this stroke, he thought, wouldnot be long, and upon the back thereof there would be the most gloriousdeliverance and reformation that ever was in Britain, wherein the churchshould never be troubled any more with prelacy. " When drawing near his end, in conversation with some friends, he usedfrequently to communicate his own exercise and experience, with theassurance he had obtained of his interest in Christ, he said, "I have nomore doubt of my interest in Christ, than if I were in heaven already. "And at another time he said, "Although I have been for some weekswithout sensible comforting presence, yet I have not the least doubt ofmy interest in Christ. I have oftentimes endeavoured to pick a hole inmy interest, but cannot get it done. " That morning ere he died, when heobserved the light of the day, he said, "Now eternal light, and no morenight and darkness to me. "--And that night he exchanged a weakly body, awicked world, and a weary life, for an immortal crown of glory, in thatheavenly inheritance which is prepared and reserved for such as him. The night after his exit his corpse was removed from John Barclay'shouse into a private room, belonging to one Janet Hutton (till hisfriends might consult about his funeral) that so he might not be put totrouble for concealing him. It was quickly spread abroad that anintercommuned preacher was dead in town, upon which the magistratesordered a messenger to go and arrest the corpse. They lay there thatnight, and the next day a considerable number of his friends in Fife, ingood order, came to town in order to his burial, but the magistrateswould not suffer him to be interred at Perth, but ordered the townmilitia to be raised, and imprisoned John Bryce, box-master or treasurerto the guildry, for returning to give out the militia's arms. Howeverthe magistrates gave his friends leave to carry his corpse out of town, and bury them without their precincts, where they pleased. But any ofthe town's people, who were observed to accompany the funeral wereimprisoned. After they were gone out of town, his friends sent two menbefore them to Drone, four miles from Perth, to prepare a grave in thatchurch-yard. The men went to Mr. Pitcairn, the minister there (one ofthe old resolutioners), and desired the keys of the church-yard thatthey might dig a grave for the corpse of Mr. Welwood, but he refused togive them. They went over the church-yard-dyke and digged a grave, andthere the corpse was interred. There appears to be only one of his sermons in print (said to bepreached in Bogles-hole in Clydesdale), upon 1 Peter iv. 18. _And if therighteous scarcely be saved_, &c. -- There are also some of his religious letters, written to his godlyfriends and acquaintances, yet extant in manuscript. But we are not toexpect to meet with any thing considerable of the writings of Mr. JohnWelwood[162], or the succeeding worthies; and no wonder, seeing that insuch a broken state of the church, they were still upon their watch, haunted and hurried from place to place, without the least time orconveniency for writing; yea, and oftentimes what little fragments theyhad collected, fell into the hand of false friends and enemies, and wereby them either destroyed or lost. _The Life of WILLIAM GORDON of Earlstoun. _ William Gordon of Earlstoun was born about the year----. He was son tothat famous reformer Alexander Gordon of Earlstoun, and was lineallydescended of that famous Alexander Gordon who entertained the followersof John Wickliffe, and who had a new testament of the vulgar tonguewhich they used to read in their meetings at the wood near Airds besideEarlstoun. William Gordon, having thus the advantage of a very religiouseducation, began very early to follow Christ. As early as the year 1637, Mr. Rutherford in a letter admonishes him thus: "Sir, lay the foundationthus and ye shall not soon shrink nor be shaken: make tight work at thebottom, and your ship shall ride against all storms; if withal youranchor be fastened on good ground, I mean, within the vail, &c. [163]"And indeed by the blessing of God, he began very early to distinguishhimself for piety and religion with a firm attachment to thepresbyterian interest and a covenanted work of reformation; in which hecontinued stedfast and unmoveable until he lost his life in thehonourable cause. What hand he had in the public affairs during Cromwel's usurpation, Icannot so well say: we must suppose him upon the remonstrators' side. But the first public testimony he gave after the restoration of CharlesII. Recorded in history, was, about the year 1663, when somecommissioners were appointed by the council to go south and inquireanent some opposition that was then made by the people to the settlementof curates at Kirkendbright and Irongray: and the said commissioners, knowing this worthy gentleman's firmness to the presbyterian principles, and being designed either to make him comply in settling an episcopalincumbent in the parish of Dalry in Galloway (where, by the onceestablished laws, he had some right in presenting) or, if he refused toconcur with the bishop, which they had all reason imaginable to suspecthe would, to bring him to further trouble. Accordingly they wrote him aletter in the following tenor:--"Finding the church of Dalry to be oneof those that the bishop hath presented, an actual minister Mr. GeorgeHenry fit and qualified for the charge, and that the gentleman is tocome to your parish this Sabbath next to preach to that people, and thatyou are a person of special interest there, --we do require you to causehis edict to be served, and the congregation to conveen and countenancehim so as to be encouraged to prosecute his ministry in thatplace. "--Your loving friends and servants, LINLITHGOW, GALLOWAY, ANNANDALE, DRUMLANERK. To this letter Earlstoun give them a very respectful return, shewing, upon solid reasons, why he could not comply with this their unjustdemand, as the following excerpt from that letter evidences:--"I everjudged it safest to obey God, and stand at a distance from whatsoeverdoth not tend to God's glory and the edification of the souls of hisscattered people, of which that congregation is a part. And besides, myLords, it is known to many, that I pretend to lay claim to the light ofpatronage of that parish, and have already determined therein with theconsent of the people to a truly worthy and qualified person, that hemay be admitted to exercise his gifts amongst that people; and for me tocountenance the bearer of your Lordship's letter, were to procure memost impiously and dishonourably to wrong the majesty of God andviolently to take away the Christian liberty of his afflicted people andenervate my own right, &c. "[164] This was, without question, what the managers wanted, and so his troublebegan: for, on the 30th of July following, "the lords of council orderletters to be directed, to charge William Gordon of Earlstoun to compearbefore them--to answer for his seditious and factious carriage:" thatwas, his refusing to comply with prelacy, and hear the curates, and forhis favouring and hearing the outed ministers. And further, Nov. 24th, same year, "The council being informed, that the laird of Earlstoun keptconventicles and private meetings in his house, --do order letters to bedirected against him to compear before this council to answer for hiscontempt, under the pain of rebellion. " But all this no-ways dashed thecourage of this confessor of Christ in adhering to his persecuted anddespised gospel; which made these malignant enemies yet pass a moresevere and rigorous act against him; in which it was exhibited that hehad been at several conventicles (as they were pleased to call thepreachings of the gospel) where Mr. Gabriel Semple, a deposed minister, did preach in the Corsack wood and wood of Airds; and heard texts ofscripture explained both in his mother's and in his own house by outedministers; "--and being required to enact himself to abstain from allsuch meetings in time coming, and to live peaceably and orderly, conformto law, " he refused to do the same: They did, therefore, order the saidWilliam Gordon of Earlstoun to be banished, and to depart forth of thekingdom within a month, and not to return under pain of death, and thathe live peaceably during that time, under, the penalty of 10, 000 l. Orotherwise, to enter his person in prison. Here it would appear, that he did not obey this sentence. And althoughwe have little or no particular account of his sufferings, yet we areassured he endured a series of hardships. --In the year 1667, he wasturned out of his house and all; and the said house made a garrison forBannantine that wicked wretch and his party; after which, almost everyyear produced him new troubles, until the 22d or 23rd of January, 1679, that he emerged out of all his troubles, and arrived at the haven ofrest, and obtained his glorious reward in the following manner-- Having some affairs to settle (perhaps on a view never to return) hecould not join that suffering handful who were then in arms nearBothwel: he sent his son who was in the action. He himself hasteningforward as soon as possible to their assistance, and not knowing oftheir disaster, was met near the place by a party of English dragoonswho were in quest of the sufferers, and, like another valiant championof Christ, he refused to surrender or comply with their demand, and sothey killed him straight out upon the spot[165]; his son being out ofthe way, and his friends not obtaining that his body should be urnedamongst the bones of his ancestors; he was interred in the church-yardof Glassford: and though a pillar or monument was erected over hisgrave, yet no inscription was got inscribed because of the severity ofthese times. Thus fell a renowned Gordon, one whose character at present I am in nocapacity to describe: only, I may venture to say, that he was agentleman of good parts and endowments; a man devoted unto religion andgodliness; and a prime supporter of the Presbyterian interest in thatpart of the country wherein he lived. --The Gordons have all along madeno small figure in our Scottish history;--but here was a patriot, a goodChristian, a confessor and (I may add) a martyr of Jesus Christ. _The Lives of Messrs. JOHN KID and JOHN KING. _ Messrs. John Kid and John King suffered many hardships during thepersecuting period, namely, from the year 1670, to the time of theirmartyrdom 1679. Mr. King was sometime chaplain to lord Cardross; and itappears, he was apprehended and imprisoned in the year 1674. But got outon a bond and surety for 5000 merks, to appear when called. Next year hewas again, by a party of the persecutors, apprehended in the said lordCardross's, but was immediately rescued from their hands by some countrypeople, who had profited much by his ministry. After this, he was takena third time by bloody Claverhouse near Hamilton, with about 17 others, and brought to Evandale, where they were all rescued by their sufferingbrethren at Drumclog. After which he and Mr. Kid were of great service, and preached often among the honest party of our sufferers, till theirdefeat at Bothwel, where Mr. Kid, among other prisoners, was taken andbrought to Edinburgh. It would appear that Mr. King was apprehended alsoat the same time in or west from Glasgow[166]. For a party of Englishdragoons being there, and one of them on horseback called for some ale, and drank to the confusion of the covenants. Another of his comradesasking him at the stable-green port, where he was going, he answered, Tocarry King to hell. But this poor wretch had not gone far whistling andsinging, till his carbine accidentally went off, and killed him on thespot. _God shall shoot at them with an arrow, suddenly shall they bewounded_, Psal. Lxiv. 7. Mr. King was taken to Edinburgh, where both he and Mr. Kid were beforethe council, July 9th. Mr. King confessed, when examined, That he waswith those who rose at that time, &c. Mr. Kid confessed, he hadpreached in the fields, but never where there were men in arms, exceptin two places. They signed their confession, which was afterwardsproduced in evidence against them before the justiciary. On the 12th Mr. Kid was again examined before the council, and put to the torture. Itseems he was more than once in the boots, where he behaved with muchmeekness and patience. Mr. King was examined on the 16th before thejusticiary, and Mr. Kid on the day following. On the 22d, they receivedtheir indictments. Their trial came on upon the 28th. They were againbefore the justiciary, where, upon their former petition on the 24th, advocates were allowed to plead for them[167], but no exculpation wasallowed them. When their indictments were read, the advocate producedtheir confessions before the council, as proof against them; andaccordingly they were brought in guilty and condemned to be hanged atthe market cross of Edinburgh on Thursday the 14th of Aug. And theirheads and right arms to be cut off, and disposed of at the council'spleasure. Accordingly, the same day the king's act of indemnity was published inthe forenoon, and, to grace the solemnity, the two noble martyrs (whowere denied a share therein) were in the afternoon brought forth totheir execution. It was related by one there present, that, as theyapproached the place, walking together hand in hand, Mr. Kid, lookingabout to Mr. King with a cheerful countenance, said, "I have often heardand read of a kid sacrificed, but I seldom or never heard of a king madea sacrifice. " Upon the scaffold they appeared with a great deal ofcourage and serenity of mind, (as was usual with the martyrs in thesetimes), and died in much peace and joy; even a joy that none of theirpersecutors could intermeddle with. Their heads were cut off on anotherscaffold prepared for the purpose. Thus ended these two worthy ministers and martyrs of Jesus Christ, afterthey had owned their allegiance to Zion's king and Lord, and given afaithful testimony against popery, prelacy, Erastianism, &c. And forthe covenanted work of reformation in its different parts and periods. The reader will find their dying testimonies in Naphtali and the westernmartyrology, page 146. &c. A few of their sermons I had occasionlately to publish. _The Life of Mr. JOHN BROWN. _ Mr. Brown was ordained minister at Wamphray in Annandale. There is nocertain account how long he was minister there, only it was some timebefore the restoration of Charles II. As appears from his greatfaithfulness in opposing prelacy, which was then about to be intrudedupon the church; insomuch that, for his fortitude and freedom with someof his neighbouring ministers for their compliance with the prelates, contrary to the promise they had given him, he was turned out of thatplace. Upon the 6th of Nov. 1662, he was brought before the council. Whether byletters to converse with the managers, or by a citation, it is notcertain. But the same day, the council's act against him runs thus: "Mr. John Brown of Wamphray, being conveened before the council, forabusing and reproaching some ministers for keeping the diocesan synodwith the arch-bishop of Glasgow, calling them perjured knaves andvillains, did acknowledge that he called them false knaves for so doing, because they had promised the contrary to him. The council ordain him tobe secured close prisoner in the tolbooth till further orders. " He remained in prison till Dec. 11, when, after Mr. Livingston andothers had received their sentence, the council came to this conclusionanent him, "Upon a petition presented by Mr. John Brown minister ofWamphray now prisoner in Edinburgh, shewing, that he had been kept closeprisoner these five weeks by-past, and seeing that, by want of free airand other necessaries for maintaining his crazy body, he is in hazard tolose his life, therefore, humbly desiring warrant to be put at liberty, upon caution to enter his person when he should be commanded, as thepetition bears; which being at length he heard and considered, the lordsof council ordain the king's supplicant to be put at liberty, forth ofthe tolbooth, his first obliging himself to remove and depart off theking's dominions, and not to return, without licence from his majestyand council, under pain of death. " Great were the hardships he underwent in prison, for (says a historian)he was denied even the necessaries of life; and though, because of theill treatment he met with, he was brought almost to the gates of death, yet he could not have the benefit of the free air until he signed a bondobliging himself to a voluntary banishment, and that without any justcause. [168] But, upon the 23d of the same month, on presenting a petition to thecouncil to prorogue the time of his removal from the kingdom, in regardhe was not able to provide himself with necessaries, and the weather sounseasonable that he could not have the opportunity of a ship, &c. Asthe petition bears; which being read and considered, "They grant him twomonths longer after the 11th of Dec. By-past; in the mean time he beingpeaceable, acting nothing in prejudice of the present government, &c. "--And next year he went over to Holland (then the asylum of thebanished) where he lived many years, but never, that we heard of, sawhis own native country any more. How he employed himself mostly in Holland we are at a loss to say; hismany elaborate pieces, both practical, argumentative and historical, witness that he was not idle; which were either mostly wrote there, orpublished from thence; and particularly those concerning theindulgences-paying, &c. Sent for the support and strengthening of hispersecuted brethren in the church of Scotland, unto whom he and Mr. M'Ward contributed all in their power, that they might be kept straight(while labouring in the furnace of affliction) under a scene of soreoppression and bloody tyranny. But hither did the malice of theirenemies yet pursue them. For the king, by the infliction of prelateSharp, _anno_ 1676, wrote to the states-general to remove them fromtheir province. And although the states neither did nor could reasonablygrant this demand, seeing they had got the full stress of laws inScotland many years before, yet it appears that they were obliged towander further from the land of their nativity. Some time before his death, he was admitted minister of the Scotscongregation at Rotterdam; where he, with great prudence and diligence, exercised that function; it being always his study and care to gain manysouls to Christ. For as he was faithful in declaring the whole counselof God to his people, in warning them against the evils of the time, sohe was likewise a great textuary, close in handling any truth hediscoursed upon, and in the application most home, warm and searching, shewing himself a most skilful casuist. His sermons were not so plain, but the learned might admire them; nor so learned, but the plainunderstood them. His fellow-soldier and companion[169] in tribulationgives him this testimony, "That the whole of his sermons, without theintermixture of any other matter, had a specialty of pure gospeltincture, breathing nothing but faith in Christ, and communion with him, &c. " The ordination of faithful Mr. Richard Cameron seems to have been thelast of his public employments; and his last but excellent discourse(before his exile from this world, which appears to have been about theend of the year 1679) was from Jer. Ii. 35. _Behold I will plead withthee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned_, &c. And having finishedhis course with joy, he died in the Lord. _Blessed are the dead whichdie in the Lord, that they may rest from their labours, and their worksdo follow them_. No doubt Mr. Brown was a man famous in his day, both for learning, faithfulness, warm zeal and true piety. He was a notable writer, achoice and pathetical preacher; in controversy he was acute, masculineand strong, in history plain and comprehensive, in divinity substantialand divine; the first he discovers in his work printed in Latin againstthe Sodinians, and his treatise _de causa Dei contra anti-sabbatanios_, which the learned world know better than can be here described. There isalso a large manuscript history intitled, _Apologia pro ecclesia_, &c. _anno Domini_ 1660, consisting of 1600 pages in 4to, which he gave in toCharles Gordon, sometime minister at Dalmony, to be by him presented tothe first free general assembly of the church of Scotland, and was byhim exhibited to the general assembly _anno_ 1692; of this history theapologetical relation seems to be an abridgment. His letters and otherpapers, particularly the history of the indulgence, written and senthome to his native country, manifest his great and fervent zeal for thecause of Christ. And his other practical pieces, such as that onjustification, on the Romans, Quakerism the way to Paganism; the hope ofglory; and Christ the way, the truth and the life; the first and secondpart of his life of faith, and Enoch's testament opened up, &c. ; allwhich evidence his solid piety, and real acquaintance with God andgodliness. _The Life of HENRY HALL of Haugh-head. _ Mr. Hall of Haugh-head (in the parish of Eckford in Teviotdale), havinghad a religious education, began very early to mind a life of holiness, in all manner of godly conversation. In his younger years he was a mostzealous opposer of the public resolutions (that took place _anno_ 1651)insomuch, that when the minister of that parish complied with thatcourse, he refused to hear him, and often went to Ancrum to hear Mr. John Livingston. After the restoration of that wicked tyrant Charles II. Being oppressed with the malicious persecutions of the curates and othermalignants, for his non-conformity, he was obliged to depart his nativecountry, and go over to the border of England _anno_ 1665, where he wasvery much renowned for his singular zeal in propagating the gospel, byinstructing the ignorant, and procuring ministers to preach now and thenamong that people, who before his coming were very rude and barbarous, but now many of them became famous for piety. _Anno_ 1666, he was takenprisoner on his way coming to Pentland, to the assistance of hiscovenanted brethren, and imprisoned with some others in Cesford castle. But, by divine providence, he soon escaped thence, through the favour ofhis friend the earl of Roxburgh, (who was a blood-relation of his), untowhom the castle then pertained. He retired again to Northumberland, where, from this time until the year 1679, he lived, being very muchbeloved, of all that knew him, for his care and concern in propagatingthe gospel of Christ in that country, insomuch that his blameless andshining conversation drew love, reverence and esteem even from his veryenemies. About the year 1678, the heat of the persecution in Scotlandobliged many to wander about in Northumberland, as one colonel Strutherswas violently pursuing all Scotsmen in those places. Haugh-head was inthat scuffle near Crookham, a village upon the English border, where oneof his nearest intimates, that gallant and religious gentleman ThomasKer of Hayhop, fell. Upon which he was obliged to return again toScotland, where he wandered up and down in the hottest time of thepersecution, mostly with Mr. Donald Cargil and Mr. Richard Cameron. During which time, beside his many other Christian virtues, hesignalized himself by a real zeal, in defence of the persecuted gospelin the fields. He was one of these four elders of the church ofScotland, who at the council of war at Shawhead-muir June 18. 1769, werechosen, with Messrs Cargil, Douglas, King and Barclay, to draw up thecauses of the Lord's wrath against the land, which were to be the causesof a fast on the day following. He had, indeed, an active hand in themost part of the transactions among the covenanters at that time; asbeing one of the commanding officers in that army, from the skirmish atDrumclog, to their defeat at Bothwel-bridge. After this, being forfeited, and diligently searched for and pursuedafter, to eschew the violent hands of these his indefatigablepersecutors, he was forced to go over to Holland (the only refuge thenof our Scots sufferers). But he had not stayed there long, until hiszeal for the persecuted interest of Christ, and his tender sympathy forthe afflicted remnant of his covenanted brethren, who were thenwandering in Scotland, through the desolate caves and dens of the earth, drew him home again; choosing rather to undergo the utmost efforts ofpersecuting fury, than to live at ease in the time of Joseph'saffliction, making Moses's generous choice, rather to suffer afflictionwith the people of God, than to enjoy what momentary pleasures the easeof the world could afford. Nor was he very much concerned with theriches of this world; for he stood not to give his ground[170] to holdfield preachings on, when few or none else would do it; for he wasstill a true lover of the free and faithful preached gospel, and wasalways against the indulgence. About a quarter of a year after his return from Holland, he was mostlywith Mr. Cargil, lurking as privily as they could about Borrowstonessand other places on this and the other side the frith of Forth. At lastthey were taken notice of by these two bloody hounds, the curates ofBorrowstoness and Carridden, who soon smelled out Mr. Cargil and hiscompanion, and presently sent information to Middleton, governor ofBlackness castle (who was a papist). After consultation, he immediatelytook the scent after them, ordering his soldiers to follow him at adistance, by twos and threes together, at convenient intervals, to avoidsuspicion, while he and his man rode up after them at some distance, till they came to Queensferry; where perceiving the house where theyalighted, he sent his servant off in haste for his men, putting up hishorse in another house, and coming to the house to them as a stranger, pretended a great deal of kindness and civility to Mr. Cargil and him, desiring that they might have a glass of wine together. --When each hadtaken a glass, and were in some friendly conference, the governor, wearying that his men came not up, threw off the mask, and laid hands onthem, saying, they were his prisoners, and commanded the people of thehouse, in the king's name to assist. But they all refused, except oneThomas George a waiter; by whose assistance he got the gate shut. In themean while Haugh-head, being a bold and brisk man, struggled hard withthe governor, until Cargil got off; and after the scuffle, as he wasgoing off himself, having got clear of the governor, Thomas Georgestruck him on the head, with a carbine, and wounded him mortally. However he got out; and, by this time the women of the town, who wereassembled at the gate to the rescue of the prisoners, convoyed him outof town. He walked some time on foot, but unable to speak much, saveonly some little reflection upon a woman who interposed, hindering himto kill the governor, that so he might have made his escape moretimeously. At last he fainted, and was carried to a country house nearEchlin; and although chirurgeons were speedily brought, yet he neverrecovered the use of his speech any more. Dalziel, living near-by, wassoon advertised, and came quickly with a party of the guards, andseized him; and although every one saw the gentleman just a-dying, yetsuch was his inhumanity, that he must carry him to Edinburgh. But hedied, on their hands, on the way thither; and made an end of this hisearthly pilgrimage to receive his heavenly crown. His corpse was carriedto the Cannongate tolbooth, where they lay three days without burial;and then his friends conveened for that end, to do their last office tohim; yet that could not be granted. At last they caused bury himclandestinely in the night; for such was the fury of these limbs ofantichrist, that after they had slain the witnesses, they would notsuffer them to be decently interred in the earth; which is anotherlasting evidence of the cruelty of those times. Thus the worthy gentleman, after he had in an eminent manner, served hisday and generation, fell a victim to prelatic fury. Upon him was found, when he was taken, a rude draught of an unsubscribed paper, afterwardscalled the Queensferry paper; which the reader will find, inserted atlarge, in Wodrow's history, vol. II. Appendix, No. 46; the substance ofwhich is contained in Crookshank's history, and in the appendix to thecloud of witnesses. _The Life of Mr. RICHARD CAMERON. _ Mr. Richard Cameron was born in Falkland, in shire of Fyfe (his fatherbeing a merchant there). He was of the episcopal persuasion at first;for, after he had passed his course of learning, he was some timeschoolmaster and precentor to the curate of Falkland. He sometimesattended the sermons of the indulged, as he had opportunity; but at lastit pleased the Lord to incline him to go out to hear the persecutedgospel in the fields; which when the curates understood, they set uponhim, partly by flattery and partly by threats, and at last by moredirect persecution to make him forbear attending these meetings. Butsuch was the wonderful working of the Lord by his powerful Spirit uponhim, that having got a lively discovery of the sin and hazard ofprelacy, he deserted the curates altogether, and no sooner was heenlightened anent the evil of prelacy, but he began more narrowly tosearch into the state of things, that he might know what was his properand necessary duty. The Lord was pleased to discover to him thesinfulness of the indulgence, as flowing from the ecclesiasticalsupremacy usurped by the king; and, being zealously affected for thehonour of Christ, wronged by that Erastian acknowledgment of themagistrate's usurped power over the church, he longed for an opportunityto give a testimony against it. This made him leave Falkland, and go toSir Walter Scot of Harden, who attended the indulged meetings. Here hetook the opportunity (notwithstanding of many strong temptations to thecontrary) to witness in his station, against the indulgence. Particularly on Sabbath when called to attend the lady to church, hereturned from the entry, refusing to go that day; and spent it in hischamber, where he met with much of the Lord's presence (as he himselfafterwards testified) and got very evident discoveries of the nature ofthese temptations and suggestions of Satan, which were like to prevailwith him before; and upon Monday, giving a reason unto the said SirWilliam and his lady why he went not to church with them, he tookoccasion to be plain and express in testifying against the indulgence, in the original rise, spring, and complex nature thereof. After which, finding his service would be no longer acceptable to them, he went tothe south, where he met with the reverend Mr. John Welch. He stayed sometime in his company, who, finding him a man every way qualified for theministry, pressed him to accept a licence to preach; which he forsometime refused, chiefly upon the account that having such cleardiscoveries of the sinfulness of the indulgence, he could not buttestify against it explicitly, so soon as he should have opportunity topreach the gospel in public, &c. ----But the force of his objectionsbeing answered by Mr. Welch's serious solicitations, he was prevailed onto accept of a licence from the outed ministers, who were then preachingin the fields, and had not then complied with the indulgence. Accordingly he was licenced by Mr. Welch and Mr. Semple at Haugh-head inTeviotdale, at the house of Henry Hall. Here he told them, He would be abone of contention among them; for if he preached against a national sinamong them it should be against the indulgences, and for separation fromthe indulged. After he was licenced, they sent him at first to preach in Annandale. Hesaid, How could he go there. ----He knew not what sort of people theywere. But Mr. Welch said, Go your way, Richie, and set the fire of hellto their tail. He went, and, the first day, he preached upon that text, _How shall I put thee among the children_, &c. In the application hesaid, Put you amongst the children! the offspring of robbers andthieves. Many have heard of Annandale thieves. Some of them got amerciful cast that day, and told it afterwards, That it was the firstfield-meeting that ever they attended; and that they went out ofcuriosity, to see how a minister could preach in a tent, and people siton the ground. After this, he preached several times with Mr. Welch, Mr. Semple and others, until 1679, that he and Mr. Welwood were calledbefore that Erastian meeting at Edinburgh, in order to be deposed fortheir freedom and faithfulness in preaching against the sinfulcompliance of that time. After this he preached at Maybole, where many thousands of people wereassembled together, it being the first time that the[171]sacrament ofthe Lord's supper was then dispensed in the open fields. At this time heused yet more freedom in testifying against the sinfulness of theindulgences, for which he was also called before another meeting of theindulged at Dinugh in Galloway; and a little after that, he was againcalled before a presbytery of them, at Sundewal in Dunscore inNithsdale: And this was the third time they had designed to take hislicence from him. Here it was where Robert Gray a Northumberland man(who suffered afterwards in the Grass-market in 1682. ), Robert Neilsonand others protested against them for such a conduct. At this meetingthey prevailed with him to give his promise, That for some short time heshould forbear such an explicit way of preaching against the indulgence, and separation from them who were indulged:----Which promise lay heavyon him afterwards, as will appear in its own proper place. After the giving of this promise, finding himself by virtue thereofbound up from declaring the whole counsel of God, he turned a littlemelancholy; and, to get the definite time of that unhappy promiseexhausted, in the end of the year 1678, he went over to Holland (notknowing what work the Lord had for him there, ); where he conversed withMr. M'Ward and others of our banished worthies. In his privateconversation and exercise in families, but especially in his publicsermon in the Scots kirk of Rotterdam, he was most refreshing unto manysouls, where he was most close upon conversion work from that text, _Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden_, &c. ; and mostsatisfying and agreeable to Mr. M'Ward, Mr. Brown and others, who weresadly misinformed by the indulged, and those of their persuasion, thathe could preach nothing but babble against the indulgence, cess-paying, &c. But here he touched upon none of these things, except in prayer, when lamenting over the deplorable case of Scotland by defection andtyranny. About this time Mr. M'Ward said to him, "Richard, the public standard isnow fallen in Scotland, and, if, I know any thing of the mind of theLord, you are called to undergo your trials before us; and go home, andlift the fallen standard, and display it publicly before the world; butbefore ye put your hand to it, ye shall go to as many of thefield-ministers (for so they were yet called) as ye can find, and givethem your hearty invitation to go with you; and if they will not go, goalone, and the Lord will go with you. " Accordingly he was ordained by Mr. M'Ward, Mr. Brown and Roleman, afamous Dutch divine. When their hands were lift up from his head, Mr. M'Ward continued his on his head, and cried out, "Behold, all yebeholders, here is the head of a faithful minister and servant of JesusChrist, who shall lose the same for his Master's interest, and shall beset up before sun and moon, in the view of the world. " In the beginning of the year 1680, he returned home to Scotland, wherehe spent some time in going from minister to minister, of those whoformerly kept up the public standard of the gospel in the fields; butall in vain, for the persecution being then so hot after Bothwel, against all such who had not accepted the indulgence and indemnity, noneof them would adventure upon that hazard, except Mr. Donald Cargil andMr. Thomas Douglas who came together, and kept a public fast-day inDarmeid-muir, betwixt Clydesdale and Lothian; one of the chief causes ofwhich was the reception of the duke of York (that sworn vassal ofantichrist) unto Scotland, after he had been excluded from England andseveral other places. After several meetings among themselves, forforming a declaration and testimony, which they were about to publish tothe world, at last they agreed upon one, which they published at themarket-cross of Sanquhar, June 22d, 1680. From which place it iscommonly called the Sanquhar declaration. After this they were obliged, for some time, to separate one from another, and go to different cornersof the land: And that not only upon the account of the urgent call andnecessity of the people, who were then in a most starving condition, with respect to the free and faithful preached gospel, but also onaccount of the indefatigable scrutiny of the enemy, who, for theirbetter encouragement, had, by proclamation, 5000 merks offered forapprehending Mr. Cameron, 3000 for Mr. Cargil and Mr. Douglas, and 100for each of the rest, who were concerned in the publication of theforesaid declaration. After parting, Mr. Cameron went to Swine-know in New-Monkland, where hehad a most confirming and comforting day upon that soul-refreshing text, Isa. Xxxi. 2. _And a man shall be a hiding-place from the wind, and acovert from the tempest_, &c. In his preface that day, he said, He wasfully assured that the Lord, in mercy unto this church and nation, wouldsweep the throne of Britain of that unhappy race of the name of Stuart, for their treachery, tyranny and lechery, but especially their usurpingthe royal prerogatives of Christ, and this he was as sure of as hishands were upon that cloth, yea and more sure, for he had that by sense, but the other by faith. Mr. H. E. [172] who suffered much by imprisonment and otherways in thisperiod, and though otherways a worthy good man, yet was so misled thathaving one time premeditated a sermon, wherein he intended to speaksomewhat against Mr. Cameron and Mr. Cargil, (so far was he from takingpart with them): But on the Saturday's night he heard an audible voicewhich said twice unto him, _audi_, he answered, _audio_, I hear: thevoice spoke again, and said, "Beware of calling Cameron's words, vain. "This stopt him from his intended purpose. This he told himselfafterwards unto an old reverend minister, who afterwards related thematter as above said. When he came to preach in and about Cumnock, he was much opposed by thelairds of Logan and Horseclugh, who represented him as a Jesuit, and avile naughty person. But yet some of the Lord's people, who had retainedtheir former faithfulness, gave him a call to preach in that parish. When he began, he exhorted the people to mind that they were in thesight and presence of a holy God, and that all of them were hastening toan endless estate of either well or woe. One Andrew Dalziel, adebauchee (a cocker or fowler), who was in the house, it being a stormyday, cried out, "Sir, we neither know you nor your God. " Mr. Cameron, musing a little, said, "You, and all who do not know my God in mercy, shall know him in his judgments, which shall be sudden and surprizing ina few days upon you; and I, as a sent servant of Jesus Christ, whosecommission I bear, and whose badge I wear upon my breast, give youwarning, and leave you to the justice of God. " Accordingly, in a fewdays after, the said Andrew, being in perfect health, took his breakfastplentifully, and before he rose fell a-vomiting, and vomited his heart'sblood in the very vessel out of which he had taken his breakfast; anddied in a most frightful manner. This admonishing passage, together withthe power and presence of the Lord going along with the gospel dispensedby him, during the little time he was there, made the foresaid twolairds desire a conference with him, which he readily assented to. Afterwhich they were obliged to acknowledge, that they had been in the wrongto him, and desired his forgiveness. He said, From his heart he forgavethem what wrongs they had done to him, but for what wrongs they had doneto the interest of Christ, it was not his part, but he was persuadedthat they would be remarkably punished for it. And to the laird of Loganhe said, That he should be written childless; and Horseclugh, That heshould suffer by burning. Both of which came afterwards to pass. Upon the fourth of July following (being 18 days before his death), hepreached at the Grass-water-side near Cumnock. In his preface that day, he said, "There are three or four things I have to tell you this day, which I must not omit, because I will be but a breakfast or four-hoursto the enemy, some day or other shortly; and then my work and my timewill be finished both. And the first is this, As for king Charles II. Who is now upon the throne of Britain, after him there shall not be acrowned king of the name of Stuart in Scotland[173]. _2dly_, There shallnot be an old covenanter's head above ground that swore these covenantswith uplifted hands, ere ye get a right reformation set up in Scotland. _3dly_, A man shall ride a day's journey in the shires of Galloway, Ayr, and Clydesdale, and not see a reeking house nor hear a cock crow, ere yeget a right reformation, and several other shires shall be littlebetter. And _4thly_, The rod that the Lord will make instrumental inthis, will be the French and other foreigners, together with a party inthis land joining them: but ye that stand to the testimony in that day, be not discouraged at the fewness of your number, for when Christ comesto raise up his own work in Scotland, he will not want men enough towork for him, &c. " In the week following, he preached in the parish of Carluke, upon thesewords Isa. Xl. 24. _Shall the prey be taken from the mighty?_ &c. Andthe Sabbath following, at Hind-Bottom near Crawford-John, he preached onthese words, _You will not come to me that you may have life. _ In thetime of which sermon he fell a-weeping, and the greater part of themultitude also, so that few dry cheeks were to be seen among them. Afterthis, unto the death of his death, he mostly kept his chamber door shutuntil night; for the mistress of the house where he stayed, having beenseveral times at the door, got no access. At last she forced it up, andfound him very melancholy. She earnestly desired to know how it was withhim. He said, That weary promise I gave to these ministers has lainheavy upon me, and for which my carcase shall dung the wilderness, andthat ere it be long. Being now near his end, he had such a large earnestof the Spirit, which made him have such a longing desire for fullpossession of the heavenly inheritance, that he seldom prayed in afamily, asked a blessing or gave thanks, but he requested patience towait until the Lord's appointed time came. His last-sabbath[174] he preached (with Mr. Cargil in Clydesdale) onPsal. Xlvi. 10. _Be still and know that I am God_, &c. That day he said, He was sure that the Lord would lift up a standard against Antichrist, that would go to the gates of Rome and burn it with fire, and that bloodshould be their sign, and _no quarter_ their word; and earnestly wishedthat it might begin in Scotland. At their parting, they concluded tomeet the second Sabbath after this at Craigmead. --But he was killed onthe Thursday thereafter. And the Sabbath following, Mr. Cargil preachedin the parish of the Shots upon that text, _Know ye not that there is agreat man and prince fallen this day in Israel?_ The last night of his life, he was in the house of William Mitchel inMeadow-head, at the water of Ayr, where about 23 horse and 40 foot hadcontinued with him that week. That morning a woman gave him water towash his face and hands; and having washed and dried them with a towel, he looked to his hands, and laid them on his face, saying, This is theirlast washing, I have need to make them clean, for there are many to seethem. At this the woman's mother wept. He said, Weep not for me, but foryourself and yours, and for the sins of a sinful land, for ye have manymelancholy, sorrowful and weary days before you. The people who remained with him were in some hesitation, whether theyshould abide together for their own defence, or disperse and shift forthemselves. But that day, being the 22d of July, they were surprised byBruce of Earls-hall; who, having got command of Airely's troop andStrahan's dragoons (upon notice given him by Sir John Cochran ofOchiltree[175]) came furiously upon them about four o'clock in theafternoon, when lying on the east end of Airs-moss. When they saw theenemy approaching, and no possibility of escaping, they all gatheredround about him, while he prayed a short word; wherein he repeated thisexpression thrice over, Lord, spare the green and take the ripe. Whenended, he said to his brother with great intrepidity, Come, let us fightit out to the last; for this is the day that I have longed for, and theday that I have prayed for, to die fighting against our Lord's avowedenemies: this is the day that we will get the crown. --And to the rest hesaid, Be encouraged all of you to fight it out valiantly, for all of youthat shall fall this day, I see heaven's gates open to receive you. But the enemy approaching, they immediately drew up eight horse with himon the right, the rest, with valiant Hackston, on the left, and the footin the middle; where they all behaved with much bravery untiloverpowered by a superior number. At last Hackston was taken prisoner(as will afterwards be more fully narrated) and Mr. Cameron was killedon the spot, and his head and hands cut off by one Murray, and taken toEdinburgh. His father being in prison for the same cause, they carriedthem to him (to add grief unto his former sorrow), and inquired at him, if he knew them. He took his son's hands and head, which were very fair, being a man of a fair complexion with his own hair, and kissed them, andsaid, "I know, I know them; they are my son's, my own dear son's; it isthe Lord, good is the will of the Lord, who cannot wrong me nor mine, but has made goodness and mercy to follow us all our days. " After which, by order of the council, his head was fixed upon the Nether-bow port, and his hands beside it, with the fingers upward. Thus this valiant soldier and minister of Jesus Christ came to his end, after he had been not only highly instrumental in turning many soulsunto God, but also in lifting up a faithful standard for his royal Lordand Master, against all his enemies, and the defections and sinfulcompliances of that time. One of his and Christ's declared enemies, whenhe took out his head at Edinburgh, gave him this testimony, saying, "There the head and hands of a man who lived praying and preaching, anddied praying and fighting. " And wherever the faithful contendings of theonce famous covenanted church of Scotland are honourably made mentionof, this, to his honour, shall be recorded of him. When he was slain, there was found upon him a short paper, or bond ofmutual defence, which the reader will find inserted in Wodrow's history, and in the appendix to the cloud of witnesses. There are also some fewof his letters now published with Mr. Renwick's collection of letters, but the only sermon of his that appeared in print formerly, is thatpreached at Carluke, intitled, Good news to Scotland, published _anno_1733. He wrote also in defence of the Sanquhar declaration, but we cangive no account of it ever being published. Some more of his sermonswere lately published. _An ACROSTIC on his Name. _ Most noble Cameron of renown, A fame of thee shall ne'er go down; Since truth with zeal thou didst pursue, To Zion's king loyal and true. Ev'n when the dragon spil'd his flood, Resist thou didst unto the blood: Ran swiftly in thy Christian race, In faith and patience to that place Christ did prepare to such as thee, He knew would not his standard flee. A pattern of valour and zeal, Rather to suffer than to fail; Didst shew thyself with might and main, Counting that dross others thought gain; A faithful witness 'gainst all those, Men of all sorts did truth oppose; Even thou with Moses didst esteem Reproaches for the God of heaven: On him alone thou didst rely, Not sparing for his cause to die. _The Life of DAVID HACKSTON of Rathillet. _ David Hackston of Rathillet, in the shire of Fife, is said in hisyounger years to have been without the least sense of any thingreligious, until it pleased the Lord, in his infinite goodness, toincline him to go out and attend the gospel then preached in the fields, where he was caught in the gospel net, and became such a true convert, that after a most mature deliberation upon the controverted points ofthe principles of religion in that period, he at last embarked himselfin that noble cause (for which he afterward suffered), with a fullresolution to stand and fall with the despised persecuted people, causeand interest of Jesus Christ. There is no account of any public appearance that this worthy gentlemanmade, amongst that party, until the 3d of May 1679, that we find him, with other eight gentlemen, who were in quest of one Carmichael, who, bymeans of the arch-bishop, had got commission to harrass and persecuteall he could find (in the shire of Fife) for non-conformity; but notfinding him, when they were ready to drop the search, theyprovidentially met with their arch-enemy himself. Whenever they descriedhis coach, one of them said, It seems that the Lord hath delivered himinto our hand; and proposed that they should choose one for theirleader, whose orders the rest were to obey. Upon which they chose DavidHackston for their commander; but he absolutely refused, upon account ofa difference subsisting betwixt Sharp and him in a civil process, wherein he judged himself to have been wronged by the primate; whichdeed he thought would give the world ground to think, it was rather outof personal pique and revenge, which he professed he was free of. Theythen chose another, and came up with the coach; and having got thebishop out, and given him some wounds, he fell on the ground. Theyordered him to pray, but, instead of that, seeing Rathillet at somedistance, (having never alighted from his horse), he crept towards himon his hands and his feet, and said, Sir, I know you are a gentleman, you will protect me. --To which he answered, I shall never lay a hand onyou. At last he was killed; after which every one judged of the actionas their inclinations moved them. However, the deed was wholly chargedupon him (and his brother-in-law, Balfour of Kinloch) although he had noactive hand in this action. About the latter end of the same month of May, that he might not befound wanting to the Lord's cause, interest and people, upon anyemergent or occasion, he, with some friends from Fife, joined thatsuffering handful of the covenanters at Evandale, where, after he andMr. Hamilton, &c. Had drawn up that declaration (afterward called theRutherglen declaration), he and Mr. Douglas went to the market cross ofRutherglen, and upon the anniversary day the 29 of May, where theyextinguished the bonefire, and published the said testimony. Theyreturned back to Evandale, where they were attacked by Claverhouse, uponthe first of June near Drumclog. Here Mr. Hackston was appointed one ofthe commanding officers (under Mr. Hamilton who commanded in chief), where he behaved with much valour and gallantry during thatskirmish. --After which he was a very useful instrument among thatfaithful remnant (as witness his repeated protests against the corruptand Erastian party), and had an active hand in the most part of thepublic transactions among them, until that fatal day the 22d of June, where he and his troop of horse were the last upon the field of battleat Bothwel-bridge[176]. But, this worthy and religious gentleman, being now declared a rebel tothe king (though no rebel to Zion's king), and a proclamation issuedout, wherein was a reward offered of 10, 000 merks to any who couldinform of or apprehend him, or any of those concerned in the death ofthe arch-bishop of St. Andrews. Upon this and the proclamation afterBothwel, he was obliged to retire out of the way for about a year'sspace. In which time he did not neglect to attend the gospel in thefields, where-ever he could have it faithfully dispensed. But thispious gentleman, having run fast and done much in a little time, itcould not be expected he should continue long, and upon the 22d of July1680, having been with that little party a few days, who attended Mr. Richard Cameron at Airs-moss, they were surprized by Bruce ofEarls-hall, Airly's troop and Strahan's dragoons. Here, being commander in chief of that little band, and seeing the enemyapproaching fast, he rode off to seek some strength of ground for theirbetter advantage, and the rest followed; but seeing they could go nofurther, they turned back, and drew up quickly. Eight horse on theright, and fifteen on the left; and the foot who were but ill armed inthe middle. He then asked, If they were all willing to fight? They allanswered, They were. Both armies advanced, and a strong party of theenemies horse coming hard upon them, their horse fired, killed andwounded severals of them, both horse and foot; after which they advancedto the enemies very faces, when, after giving and receiving fire, valiant Hackston being in the front, finding the horse behind him broke, rode in among them, and out at a side, without any damage; but beingassaulted by severals with whom he fought a long time, they followinghim and he them by turns, until he stuck in a bog, and the foremost ofthem, one Ramsay, one of his acquaintance, who followed him in, and theybeing on foot, fought with small swords, without much advantage oneither side. But at length closing, he was struck down by three onhorseback behind him; and falling after he had received three sorewounds on the head, they saved his life, which he submitted to. He was, with the rest of the prisoners, carried to the rear, where they gavethem all a testimony[177] of brave resolute men. After this he wasbrought to Douglas, and from thence to Lanerk, where Dalziel threatenedto roast him for not satisfying him with answers. After which he andother three prisoners were taken to Edinburgh, where, by order of thecouncil, they were received by the magistrates at the water-gate, andhe set on a horse's bare back, with his face backward, and the otherthree laid on a goad of iron, and carried up the street (and Mr. Cameron's head on a halbert before them) to the parliament closs, wherehe was taken down, and the rest loosed by the hand of the hangman. He was immediately brought before the council, where his indictment wasread by the chancellor, and he examined, which examination and answersthereunto being elsewhere[178] inserted at large, it may suffice here toobserve, that being asked, if he thought the bishop's death murder? hetold them, That he was not obliged to answer such questions; yet hewould not call it so, but rather say, it was not murder. Being furtherasked, If he owned the king's authority, he replied, "That though he wasnot obliged to answer, yet as he was permitted to speak, he would saysomething to that; and _1st_, That there could be no lawful authoritybut what was of God, and that no authority stated in a direct oppositionto God could be of God, and that he knew of no authority nor justiciarythis day in these nations, but what were in a direct opposition to God, and so could neither be of God nor lawful, and that their fruits werekything it, in that they were letting murderers, sorcerers, and suchothers at liberty from justice, and employing them in their service, andmade it their whole work to oppress, kill and destroy the Lord'speople. " Bishop Paterson asked, "If ever Pilate and that judicature, whowere direct enemies to Christ, were disowned by him as judges?" He said, "He would answer no perjured prelate in the nation. " Paterson replied, "He could not be called perjured, since he never took that sacrilegiouscovenant. " Mr. Hackston said, "That God would own that covenant, whennone of them were to oppose it, &c. " Notwithstanding these bold, free, and open answers, they threatened him with torture, but this he no-wiseregarded. Upon the 26th, he was again brought before the council, where heanswered much to the same purpose as before. The chancellor said, He wasa vicious man. He answered, That while he was so, he had been acceptableto him, but now when otherwise it was not so. He asked him, If he wouldyet own that cause with his blood, if at liberty?--He answered, Thatboth their fathers had owned it with the hazard of their blood beforehim. Then he was called by all a murderer. --He answered, God shoulddecide it betwixt them, to whom he referred it, who were most murderersin his sight, him or them. Bishop Paterson's brother, in conference, told him, That the whole council found that he was a man of great parts, and also of good birth. He said, That for his birth, he was related tothe best of the kingdom, which he thought little of, and as for hisparts, they were very small; yet he trusted so much to the goodness ofthat cause for which he was a prisoner, that if they would give God thatjustice, as to let his cause be disputed, he doubted not to plead itagainst all that speak against it. Upon the 27, he was taken before the justiciary, where he declined theking's authority as an usurper of the prerogative of the Son of God, whereby he had involved the land in idolatry, perjury and otherwickedness; and declined them as exercising under him the supreme powerover the church, usurped from Jesus Christ, &c. And therefore durstnot, with his own consent, sustain them as competent judges; butdeclined them as open and stated enemies to the living God, andcompetitors for his throne and power, belonging to him only. On the 29, he was brought to his trial, where the council, in a mostunprecedented manner, appointed the manner of his execution; for theywell knew his judges would find him guilty. And upon Friday the 30th, being brought again before them, they asked, If he had any more tosay. ----He answered, What I have said I will seal. Then they told him, They had something to say to him; and commanded him to sit down andreceive his sentence, which he did, but told them, They were allmurderers; for all the power they had was derived from tyranny; and thatthese years bygone they had not only tyrannized over the church of God, but also grinded the faces of the poor, so that oppression, perjury andbloodshed were to be found in their skirts. Upon this, he was carried from the bar on a hurdle drawn backwards, untothe place of execution at the cross of Edinburgh. None were suffered tobe with him but two bailies, the executioner and his servants. He waspermitted to pray to God Almighty but not to speak to the people. Beingcome upon the scaffold, his right hand was struck off, and a littleafter his left; which he endured with great firmness and constancy. Thehangman being long in cutting off the right hand, he desired him tostrike in the joint of the left, which being done, he was drawn up tothe top of the gallows with a pully, and suffered to fall down aconsiderable way upon the lower scaffold three times with his wholeweight, and then fixed at the top of the gallows. Then the executioner, with a large knife, cut open his breast, and pulled out his heart, before he was dead, for it moved when it fell on the scaffold. He thenstuck his knife in it, and shewed it on all sides to the people, crying, Here is the heart of a traitor. At last, he threw it into a fireprepared for that purpose, and having quartered his body, his head wasfixed on the Nether-bow; one of his quarters, with his hands at St. Andrews; another at Glasgow; a third at Leith; and the fourth atBruntisland. ----Thus fell this champion for the cause of Christ, asacrifice unto prelatic fury, to gratify the lust and ambition of wickedand bloody men. Whether his courage, constancy or faithfulness had thepre-eminency it is hard to determine. --But his memory is still alive, and it is better to say no more of him, than either too much or toolittle. _The Life of ROBERT KER of Kersland, Esq. _ Robert Ker of Kersland being born and educated in a very religiousfamily, began early to discover more than an ordinary zeal for religion. But the first public appearance that we find he made for the cause, andinterest of religion, was in the year 1666, about Nov. 26, when he, Caldwell and some others of the Renfrew gentlemen, gathered themselvestogether, and marched eastward to join Col. Wallace and that littlehandful who renewed the covenant at Lanerk. But, having heard thatGeneral Dalziel was, by that time got betwixt them and their friends, they were obliged to dismiss. But this could not escape the knowledge ofthe managers: for the laird of Blackstoun one of their own number, upona promise of pardon, informed against the rest, and so redeemed his ownneck by accusing his neighbour. --But of this he had nothing to boast ofafterwards[179]. Kersland was after this, obliged to retire out of the way; and the nextyear he was forfeited in his life and fortune, and his estate given toLieut. General Drummond of Cromlie, and his lands in Beith to WilliamBlair of that ilk, which estate they unjustly held until theRevolution[180]. After this, to elude the storm, he thought fit to retire and go over toHolland; and there chose to live with his family at Utrecht;--where hehad the advantage of hearing the gospel and other excellentconversation. In that place he continued near three years. But hisfriends thinking it necessary, that he should come home to settle someof his affairs, if possible, his lady returned home in the end of 1669, and himself soon followed: but to his unspeakable grief, he found, whenhe came to Edinburgh, that she was in a fever: She lodged in a woman'shouse who was a favourer of the sufferers. And though he lodged in amore private place, and only used to come in the evenings to visit hissick lady; yet one Cannon of Mardrogate, who had not yet altogether castoff the mask, at least his treachery and apostacy was not thendiscovered, got notice of it--He soon gave information to theChancellor, and orders were procured from Lauderdale then in town, tosearch that house on pretence that Mr. John Welch was keepingconventicles in the Lady Kersland's chamber. But the design was forKersland himself, as the sequel will declare. Accordingly, a party came, and finding no conventicle, were just going to retire. But oneMurray[181] having particular notice from Mardrogate, that when anycompany came to the room, Kersland in the evening used to retire behinda bed; and having a torch in his hand, provided for that end, said, hebehoved to search the room: and so went straight behind the bed andbrought him out, charging him to render his arms. Kersland told him hehad none but the Bible, which he had then in his hand; and that wasenough to condemn him in these times. --At parting with his lady, sheshewed much calmness and composure, exhorting him to do nothing thatmight wound his conscience out of regard to her or her children, andrepeated that text of scripture, _No man having put his hand to theplough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. _ He was forthwith taken to the guard, and then to the Abbey; where acommittee of the council, that same night, was gathered for hisexamination. When he was brought before them, they asked him concerningthe lawfulness of the appearance at Pentland; which he, in plain terms, owned to be lawful, and what he thought duty. --Upon which he wasimmediately imprisoned. When going away, the Chancellor upbraided himwith what passed betwixt him and his lady, which he suffered with muchpatience. He was near three months prisoner in Edinburgh; and from thence sent toDumbarton castle, where he continued near a year and a half. Then he wasordered for Aberdeen, where he was kept close prisoner without fire forthree months space in the cold winter season. --From Aberdeen he wasbrought south to Stirling castle, where he continued some years; andthen was, a second time, returned to Dumbarton, where he continued tillOctober 1677. Then the council confined him to Irvine, and allowed himsome time to transport himself and his family, then at Glasgow, intothat place. Coming to his family at Glasgow, he was visited by many friends andacquaintance: and the same night, convoying the Lady Caldwall and herdaughter, he was taken by some of the guards, and kept in the guardhouse till next day; when the commanding officer would have dismissedhim, but first he behoved to know the arch-bishop's pleasure, whoimmediately ordered him a close prisoner in the tolbooth. Thearch-bishop took horse immediately for Edinburgh: Lady Kersland followedafter, if possible, to prevent misinformation. --In the mean time, a firebreaking out in Glasgow, the tolbooth being in hazard, and themagistrates refusing to let out the prisoners, the well affected peopleof the town got long ladders and set the prisoners free, and Kerslandamongst the rest, after he had been eight years prisoner. After thehurry was over, he inclined to have surrendered himself again prisoner;but hearing from his lady of the arch-bishop's design against him, heretired and absconded all that winter. [182] In the spring and summerfollowing, he kept company with the persecuted ministers, and heard thegospel preached in the fields, and was at communions, particularly thatat Maybole. About the beginning of harvest, 1678, he returned again tohis old retiring place Utrecht, where he continued until the day of hisdeath. When near his departure, his dear acquaintance Sir Robert Hamilton beingwith him, and signifying to him that he might be spared as another Calebto see the good land when the storm was over; to whom, amongst his lastwords, he said, "What is man before the Lord? yea, what is a nation? asthe drop of a bucket, or the small dust in the balance: yea, less thannothing and vanity. But this much I can say in humility, that, throughfree grace, I have endeavoured to keep the post that God hath set me at. These fourteen years I have not desired to lift the one foot till theLord shewed me where to set down the other. " And so, in a few minutes, he finished his course with joy and fell asleep in Jesus, Nov. 14. 1680, leaving his wife and five children in a strange land. It were superfluous to insist here upon the character of the thricerenowned Ker. It is evident to all, he was a man of a great mind, farabove a servile and mercenary disposition. --He was, for a number ofyears, hurried from place to place, and guarded from prison to prison. He endured all this with undaunted courage. --He lost a good estate thenfor the cause of Christ: and, though he got not the martyrs crown, yethe beyond all doubt obtained the sufferers reward. _The Life of Mr. DONALD CARGIL. _ Mr. Cargil seems to have been born sometime about the year 1610. He waseldest son to a most respected family in the parish of Rattray. After hehad been sometime in the schools of Aberdeen, he went to St. Andrews, where having perfected his course of philosophy, his Father prest uponhim much to study divinity, in order for the ministry; but he, throughtenderness of spirit, constantly refused, telling his father, That thework of the ministry was too great a burden for his weak shoulders;--andrequested to command to any other employment he pleased. But his fatherstill continuing to urge him, he resolved to set apart a day of privatefasting to seek the Lord's mind therein. And after much wrestling withthe Lord by prayer, the third chapter of Ezekiel, and chiefly thesewords in the first verse (_Son of man, eat this roll, and go speak untothe house of Israel_), made a strong impression upon his mind, to thathe durst no longer refuse his father's desire, but dedicated himselfwholly unto that office. After this, he got a call to the Barony church of Glasgow. It was soordered by divine providence that the very first text the presbyteryordered him to preach upon, was these words in the third of Ezekiel(already mentioned) by which he was more confirmed that he had God'scall to that parish. This parish had been long vacant, by reason thattwo ministers of the resolution party, _viz. _ Messrs Young and Blair, had still opposed the settlement of such godly men as had been called bythe people. But in reference to Mr. Cargil's call, they were, in God'sprovidence, much bound up from their wonted opposition. Here Mr. Cargilperceiving the lightness and unconcerned behaviour of the people underthe word, was much discouraged thereat, so that he resolved to returnhome and not accept the call; which when he was urged by some godlyministers not to do, and his reasons asked, he answered, They are arebellious people. The ministers solicited him to stay, but in vain. Butwhen the horse was drawn, and he just going to begin his journey, beingin the house of Mr. Durham, when he had saluted several of his christianfriends that came to see him take horse, as he was taking farewel of acertain godly woman, she said to him, "Sir, you have promised to preachon Thursday, and have you appointed a meal to a poor starving people, and will ye go away and not give it? if you do, the curse of God will gowith you. " This so moved him, that he durst not go away as he intended;but sitting down desired her and others to pray for him. So he remainedand was settled in that parish, where he continued to exercise hisministry with great success, to the unspeakable satisfaction both of hisown parish, and all the godly that heard and knew him, until that by theunhappy restoration of Charles II. Prelacy was again restored. Upon the 26th of May following, the day consecrated in commemoration ofthe said restoration, he had occasion to preach in his own church (itbeing his ordinary week-day's preaching) when he saw an unusual throngof people come to hear him, thinking he had preached in compliance withthat solemnity. Upon entering the pulpit, he said, "We are not come hereto keep this day upon the account for which others keep it. We thoughtonce to have blessed the day, wherein the king came home again, but nowwe think we shall have reason to curse it, and if any of you be comehere in order to the solemnizing of this day we desire you to remove. "And enlarging upon these words in the 9th of Hosea, _Rejoice not, OIsrael_, &c. He said, This is the first step of our going a-whoring fromGod; and whoever of the Lord's people this day are rejoicing, their joywill be like the crackling of thorns under a pot, it will soon be turnedto mourning; he (meaning the king) will be the wofullest sight that everthe poor church of Scotland saw; wo, wo, wo unto him, his name shallstink while the world stands, for treachery, tyranny and lechery. This did extremely enrage the malignant party against him, so that beinghotly pursued, he was obliged to abscond, remaining sometime in privatehouses, and sometime lying all night without, among broom near the city, yet never omitting any proper occasion of private preaching, catechizingand visiting of families and other ministerial duties. But at lengthwhen the churches were all vacated of presbyterians by an act of council_anno_ 1662. Middleton sent a band of soldiers to apprehend him, who, coming to the church, found him not, he having providentially juststepped out of the one door, a minute before they came in at the other;whereupon they took the keys of the church-door with them and departed. In the mean while the council passed an act of confinement, banishinghim unto the north side of the Tay, under penalty of being imprisonedand prosecuted as a seditious person: But this sentence he no wayregarded. During this time, partly by grief for the ruin of God's work in theland, and partly by the toils and inconveniences of his labours andaccommodation, his voice became so broken, that he could not be heard bymany together, which was a sore exercise to him, and discouragement topreach in the fields; but one day, Mr. Blackater coming to preach nearGlasgow, he essayed to preach with him, and standing on a chair (as hiscustom was) he lectured on Isa. Xliv. 3. _I will pour water on him thatis thirsty_, &c. The people were much discouraged (knowing his voice tobe sore broken) lest they should not have heard by reason of the greatconfluence. But it pleased the Lord to loose his tongue, and restore hisvoice to such a distinct clearness, that none could easily exceed him;and not only his voice, but his spirit was so enlarged, and such a doorof utterance given him, that Mr. Blackater, succeeding him, said to thepeople, "Ye, that have such preaching, have no need to invite strangersto preach to you; make good use of your mercy. " After this he continuedto preach without the city, a great multitude attending and profiting byhis ministry, being wonderfully preserved in the midst of danger, theenemy several times sending out to watch him, and catch something fromhis mouth whereof they might accuse him, &c. In the month of October 1665, they made a public search for him in thecity. But he, being informed, took horse, and rode out of town, and at anarrow pass of the way he met a good number of musketteers. As he passedthem, turning to another way on the right hand, one of them asked him, Sir, What-o-clock is it? he answered, It is six. Another of them, knowing his voice, said, There is the man we are seeking. Upon hearingthis, he put spurs to his horse, and so escaped. For about three years he usually resided in the house of one MargaretCraig, a very godly woman, where he lectured morning and evening to suchas came to hear him. And though they searched strictly for him here, yetprovidence so ordered it, that he was either casually or purposelyabsent; for the Lord was often so gracious to him, that he left him notwithout some notice of approaching hazard. Thus, one sabbath, as he wasgoing to Woodside to preach, as he was about to mount the horse, havingone foot in the stirrup, he turned about to his man, and said, I mustnot go yonder to-day. --And in a little, a party of the enemy came therein quest of him, but missing the mark they aimed at, they fell upon thepeople, by apprehending and imprisoning severals of them. Another of his remarkable escapes was at a search made for him in thecity, where they came to his chamber and found him not, beingprovidentially in another house that night. But what is most remarkable, being one day preaching privately in the house of one Mr. Calender, theycame and beset the house; the people put him and another into a window, closing the window up with books. The search was so strict, that theysearched the very cieling of the house, until one of them fell throughthe lower loft. Had they removed but one of the books, they wouldcertainly have found him. But the Lord so ordered that they did it not;for as one of the soldiers was about to take up one of them, the maidcried to the commander, That he was going to take her master's books, and he was ordered to let them be. Thus narrowly he escaped this danger. Thus he continued until the 23d of November 1668. That the council, uponinformation of a breach of his confinement, cited him to appear beforethem on the 11th of January thereafter. But when he was apprehended andcompeared before the council, and strictly examined (wherein he was mostsingularly strengthened to bear a faithful testimony to his Master'shonour and his persecuted cause and truths), yet by the interposition ofsome persons of quality, his own friends, and his wife's relations, hewas dismissed and presently returned to Glasgow, and there performed allthe ministerial duties, as when in his own church, notwithstanding thediligence of persecutors in searching for him again. Some time before Bothwel, notwithstanding all the searches that weremade for him by the enemy, which were both strict and frequent, hepreached publicly for eighteen Sabbath-days to multitudes, consisting ofseveral thousands, within a little more than a quarter of a mile of thecity of Glasgow; yea, so near it, that the psalms when singing wereheard through several parts of it; and yet all this time uninterrupted. At Bothwel being taken by the enemy, and struck down to the ground witha sword, seeing nothing but present death for him, having receivedseveral dangerous wounds in the head, one of the soldiers asked hisname; he told him it was Donald Cargil, another asked him, if he was aminister? He answered, he was: whereupon they let him go. When hiswounds were examined, he feared to ask if they were mortal, desiring, insubmission to God, to live, judging that the Lord had yet further workfor him to accomplish. Some time after the fight at Bothwel, he was pursued from his ownchamber out of town, and forced to go through several thorn hedges. Buthe was no sooner out, than he saw a troop of dragoons just opposite tohim, back he could not go, soldiers being posted every where to catchhim; upon which he went forward, near by the troop, who looked to him, and he to them, until he got past. But coming to the place of the water, at which he intended to go over, he saw another troop standing on theother side, who called to him, but he made them no answer. And goingabout a mile up the water he escaped, and preached at Langside nextSabbath without interruption. At another time, being in a house besetwith soldiers, he went through the midst of them, they thinking it wasthe goodman of the house, and escaped. After Bothwel, [183] he fell into a deep exercise anent his call to theministry, but, by the grace and goodness of God, he soon emerged out ofthat, and also got much light anent the duty of the day, being afaithful contender against the enemy's usurped power, and against thesinful compliance of ministers, in accepting the indulgence, withindemnities, oaths, bonds, and all other corruptions. There was a certain woman in Rutherglen, about two miles from Glasgow, who, by the instigation of some, both ministers and professors, waspersuaded to advise her husband to go but once to hear the curate, toprevent the family being reduced; which she prevailed with him to do. But she going the next day after to milk her cows, two or three of themdropt down dead at her feet, and Satan, as she conceived, appeared untoher; which cast her under sad and sore exercises and desertion: so thatshe was brought to question her interest in Christ, and all that hadformerly passed betwixt God and her soul, and was often tempted todestroy herself, and sundry times attempted it. Being before known to bean eminent Christian, she was visited by many Christians; but withoutsuccess: still crying out, she was undone; she had denied Christ, and hehad denied her. After a long time's continuance of this exercise, shecried for Mr. Cargil; who came to her, but found her distemper sostrong, that for several visits he was obliged to leave her as he foundher, to his no small grief. However, after setting some days apart onher behalf, he at last came again to her; but finding her no better, still rejecting all comfort, still crying out, That she had no interestin the mercy of God, or merits of Christ, but had sinned theunpardonable sin; he, looking in her face for a considerable time, tookout his Bible, and naming her, said, "I have this day a commission frommy Lord and Master, to renew the marriage contract betwixt you and him;and if ye will not consent, I am to require your subscription on thisBible, that you are willing to quit all right, interest in, or pretenceunto him:" and then he offered her pen and ink for that purpose. She wassilent for some time; but at last cried out, "O! _salvation is come untothis house. _ I take him; I take him on his own terms, as he is offeredunto me by his faithful ambassador. " From that time her bonds wereloosed. One time, Mr. Cargil, Mr. Walter Smith, and some other Christian friendsbeing met in a friend's house in Edinburgh, one of the company, havinggot notice, told him of the general bonding of the west countrygentlemen for suppressing the field meetings, and for putting all out oftheir grounds who frequented them. After sitting silent for some time, he answered, with several heavy sighs and groans, The enemy have beenlong filling up their cup; and ministers and professors must have timeto fill up theirs also; and it shall not be full till enemies and theybe clasped in one another's arms; and then, as the Lord lives, he willbring the wheel of his wrath and justice over them altogether. Some time after the beginning of the year 1680, he retired toward thefrith of Forth, where he continued until that scuffle at Queensferry, where worthy Haugh-head was killed, and he sorely wounded. But escaping, a certain woman found him in a private place, on the south side of town, and tying up his wounds with her head-clothes, conducted him to thehouse of one Robert Puntens, in Carlowrie, where a surgeon dressed hiswounds, and Mrs. Puntens gave him some warm milk, and he lay in theirbarn all night. From thence he went to the south, and next Sabbathpreached at Cairn-hill, somewhere adjacent to Loudon, in his blood andwounds (for no danger could stop him from going about doing good). Histext was in Heb. Xi. 32. _And shall I more say, for time would fail meto tell of Gideon_, &c. At night some persons said to him, We think, Sir, preaching and praying go best with you when your danger anddistress are greatest. He said, It had been so, and he hoped it would beso, that the more that enemies and others did thrust at him that hemight fall, the more sensibly the Lord had helped him; and then (as ithad been to himself) he repeated these words, _The Lord is my strengthand song, and has become my salvation_, in the 118th psalm, which wasthe psalm he sung upon the scaffold. After this, he and Mr. Richard Cameron met and preached together inDarmeid-muir, and other places, until that Mr. Cameron was slain atAirs-moss, and then he went north, where, in the month of Septemberfollowing, he had a most numerous meeting at the Torwood near Stirling, where he pronounced the sentence of excommunication against some of themost violent persecutors of that day, as formally as the present stateof things could then permit. Some time before this, it is said, he wasvery remote and spoke very little in company; only to some he said, Hehad a tout to give with the trumpet that the Lord had put in his hand, that would sound in the ears of many in Britain, and other places inEurope also. It is said[184], that nobody knew what he was to do thatmorning, except Mr. Walt Smith, to whom he imparted the thoughts of hisheart. When he began, some friends feared he would be shot. Hislandlord, in whose house he had been that night, cast his coat and ranfor it. In the forenoon he lectured on Ezek. Xxi. 25, &c. And preachedon 1 Cor. V. 13. And then discoursed some time on the nature ofexcommunication, and then proceeded to the sentence; after which, in theafternoon, he preached from Lam. Iii. 31, 32. _For the Lord will notcast off for ever. _ The next Lord's day he preached at Fallow-hill in the parish ofLivingston. In the preface he said, "I know I am and will be condemnedby many, for excommunicating those wicked men; but condemn me who will, I know I am approven of by God, and am persuaded that what I have doneon earth is ratified in heaven; for, if ever I knew the mind of God, andwas clear in my call to any piece of my generation-work, it was that. And I shall give you two signs, that ye may know I am in no delusion:(1) If some of these men do not find that sentence binding upon them, ere they go off the stage, and be obliged to confess it, &c. (2. ) Ifthese men die the ordinary death of men, then God hath not spoken byme[185]. " About the 22d of October following, a long and severe proclamation wasissued out against him and his followers, wherein a reward of 5000 merkswas offered for apprehending him, &c. --Next month governor Middleton, having been frustrated in his design upon Mr. Cargil at Queensferry, laid another plot for him, by consulting one James Henderson in Ferry, who, by forging and signing letters, in name of bailie Adam in Culross, and some other serious Christians in Fife, for Mr. Cargil to come over, and preach to them at the hill of Baith. Accordingly Henderson went toEdinburgh with the letters, and, after a most diligent search, found himin the west bow. Mr. Cargil being willing to answer the call, Hendersonproposed to go before, and have a boat ready at the Ferry against theycame; and, that he might know them, he desired to see Mr. Cargil'scloath, (Mr. Skeen and Mr. Boig being in the same room). In the meantime he had Middleton's soldiers lying at the Mutton-hole, about threemiles from Edinburgh, &c. Mr. Skeen, Archibald Stuart, Mrs. Muir andMarion Hervey took the way before on foot, Mr. Cargil and Mr. Boig beingto follow on horseback. Whenever they came to the place, the soldiersspied them; but Mrs. Muir escaped, and went and stopped Mr. Cargil andMr. Boig, who fled back to Edinburgh. After this remarkable escape, Mr. Cargil, seeing nothing but the violentflames of treachery and tyranny against him above all others, retiredfor about three months to England, where the Lord blessed his labours, to the conviction and edification of many. In the time of his absencethat delusion of the Gibbites arose, from one John Gib sailor inBorrowstoness, who, with other three men and twenty-six women, ventedand maintained the most strange delusions. Some time after, Mr. Cargilreturned from England, and was at no small pains to reclaim them, butwith little success. After his last conference with them[186] (atDarngavel in Cambusnethen parish) he come next sabbath, and preached atthe Underbank wood, below Lanerk, and from thence to Loudon-hill, wherehe preached upon a fast day, being the 5th of May. Here he intended onlyto have preached once, and to have baptized some children. His text was, _No man that hath followed me in the regeneration_, &c. When sermon wasover, and the children baptized, more children came up; whereuponfriends pressed him to preach in the afternoon; which he did from thesewords, _Weep not for me_, &c. In the mean while, the enemy at Glasgow, getting notice of this meeting, seized all the horses in and about thetown, that they could come by, and mounted in quest of him; yea, suchwas their haste and fury, that one of the soldiers, who happened to bebehind the rest, riding furiously down the street, called the Stockwell, at mid-day, rode over a child, and killed her on the spot. Just as Mr. Cargil was praying at the close, a lad alarmed them of the enemy'sapproach. They (having no centinels that day, which was not theirordinary) were surprized, that some of them, who had been at Pentland, Bothwel, Airs-moss, and other dangers, were never so seized with fear, some of the women throwing their children from them. In this confusionMr. Cargil was running straight on the enemy, but Gavin Wotherspoon andothers baled him to the moss, unto which the people fled. The dragoonsfired hard upon them, but there were none either killed or taken thatday. About this time, some spoke to Mr. Cargil of his preaching and prayingshort. They said, "O Sir, it is long betwixt meals, and we are in astarving condition; all is good, sweet and wholesome that you deliver;but why do you so straiten us?" He said, "Ever since I bowed a knee ingood earnest to pray, I never durst preach and pray with my gifts; andwhen my heart is not affected, and comes not up with my mouth, I alwaysthought it time to quit it. What comes not from the heart, I have littlehope it will go to the hearts of others. " Then he repeated these wordsin the 51st psalm, _Then will I teach transgressors thy way_, &c. From Loudon hill he took a tour through Ayr-shire to Carrick andGalloway, preaching, baptizing, and marrying some people; but stayed notlong until he returned to Clydesdale. He designed, after his return, tohave preached one day at Tinto-hill, but the lady of St. John's kirkgave it out to be at Home-common. He, being in the house of John Liddelnear Tinto, went out to spend the Sabbath morning by himself, and seeingthe people all passing by, he inquired the reason, which being told, herose and followed them five miles. The morning being warm (about thefirst of June) and the heights steep, he was very much fatigued beforehe got to the place, where a man gave him a drink of water out of hisbonnet, and another between sermons; this being the best entertainmenthe got that day, for he had tasted nothing in the morning. Here helectured on the 6th of Isaiah, and preached on these words, _Be nothigh-minded, but fear_, &c. From thence he went to Fife, and baptizedmany children, and preached one day at Daven-common, and then returnedto the Benry-ridge in Cambusnethen, where he received a call from thehands of two men, to come back to Galloway, but got it notanswered[187]. Mr. Cargil, in that short time, had ran very fast towards his end[188], which now hastens apace. Having left the Benry-ridge, he preached oneday at Auchingilloch[189], and then came to preach his last sermon onDunsyre-common, (betwixt Clydesdale and Lothian) upon that text, Isa. Xxvi. 20. _Come, my people, and enter into your chambers_, &c. Some time that night, through the persuasion of Mr. Smith and Mr. Boig, he went with the lady of St. John's kirk, as far as Covington mill, tothe house of one Andrew Fisher. In the mean time, James Irvin ofBonshaw, having got a general commission, marched with a party ofdragoons from Kilbride, and next morning, by sun-rising, came to St. John's kirk, and having searched it, he searched also the house of oneThomson, and then came to Covington mill, and there apprehended him, Mr. Smith and Mr. Boig. Bonshaw, when he found them, cried out, O blessedBonshaw! and blessed day that ever I was born! that has found such aprize! a prize of 5000 marks for apprehending of him this morning! Theymarched hard to Lanerk, and put them in jail, until they got somerefreshment, and then brought them out in haste, got horses and set theprisoners on their bare backs. Bonshaw tied Mr. Cargil's feet below thehorse's belly (with his own hand) very hard, at which this good manlooked down to him, and said, "Why do you tie me so hard? yourwickedness is great. You will not long escape the just judgment of God, and, if I be not mistaken, it will seize you in this place. " Whichaccordingly next year came to pass; for having got this price of blood, one of his comrades, in a rage, ran him through with a sword at Lanerk;and his last words were, "G--d d----n my soul eternally, for I am gone. "_Mischief shall hunt the violent man. _ They came to Glasgow in haste, fearing a rescue of the prisoners, andwhile waiting at the tolbooth till the magistrates came to receive them, one John Nisbet, the arch-bishop's rector, said to Mr. Cargil inridicule, three times over, Will you give us one word more, (alluding toan expression he used sometime when preaching) to whom Mr. Cargil saidwith regret, "_Mock not, lest your hands be made strong. _ The day iscoming, when you will not have one word to say though you would. " Thisalso came quickly to pass, for, not many days after, he fell suddenlyill, and for three days his tongue swelled, and though he was mostearnest to speak, yet he could not command one word, and died in greattorment and seeming terror. From Glasgow they were taken to Edinburgh; and July 15th, were broughtbefore the council. Chancellor Rothes (being one of those whom heexcommunicated at Torwood) raged against him, threatening him withtorture and a violent death. To whom he said. "My lord Rothes forbear tothreaten me, for die what death I will, your eyes shall not seeit. "--Which accordingly came to pass, for he died the morning of thatday, in the afternoon of which Mr. Cargil was executed. When before the council, he was asked, If he owned the king's authority, &c. ? He answered, As the magistrates authority is now established bythe act of parliament and explanatory act, that he denied the same. Being also examined anent the excommunication at Torwood, he declined toanswer, as being an ecclesiastical matter, and they a civil judicatory. He owned the lawfulness of defensive arms in cases of necessity, anddenied that those who rose at Bothwel, &c. Were rebels; and beinginterrogate anent the Sanquhar declaration, he declined to give hisjudgment until he had more time to peruse the contents thereof. Hefurther declared, he could not give his sense of the killing of thebishop; but that the scriptures say, Upon the Lord's giving a call to aprivate man to kill, he might do it lawfully; and gave the instances ofJael and Phinehas. These were the most material points on which he wasexamined[190]. While he was in prison a gentlewoman (who came to visit him) told himweeping, "That these heaven-daring enemies were contriving a mostviolent death for him; some, a barrel with many pikes to roll him in;others, an iron chair red-hot to roast him in, &c. " But he said, "Letyou, nor none of the Lord's people be troubled for these things, for allthat they will get liberty to do to me will be to knit me up, cut medown, and chop off my old head, and then fare them well; they have donewith me and I with them for ever. " He was again before the council on the 19th, but refused to answer theirquestions, except anent the excommunication, wherein he exprest himselfmuch as above. It appears that there was some motion made to spare him, as he was an old man, and send him prisoner to the Bass during life;which motion, being put to a vote, was, by the casting vote of the earlof Argyle, rejected, who doomed him to the gallows, there to die like atraitor. Upon the 26th, he was brought before the justiciary, and indicted incommon form. His confession being produced in evidence against him, hewas brought in guilty of high treason, and condemned, with the rest, tobe hanged at the cross of Edinburgh, and his head placed on theNether-bow. When they came to these words, in his indictment, viz. _having cast off all fear of God_, &c. He caused the clerk to stop, and(pointing to the advocate Sir George MacKenzie) said, "The man that hathcaused that paper to be drawn up, hath done it contrary to the light ofhis own conscience, for he knoweth that I have been a fearer of God frommine infancy; but that man, I say, who took the holy Bible in his hand, and said, It would never be well with the land, until that book wasdestroyed, &c. I say, he is the man that hath cast off all fear ofGod. " The advocate stormed at this, but could not deny the truththereof. When they got their sentence announced by sound of trumpet, he said, "That is a weary sound, but the sound of the last trumpet will be ajoyful sound to me, and all that will be found having on Christ'srighteousness. " Being come to the scaffold, he stood with his back to the ladder, anddesired the attention of the numerous spectators, and after singing fromthe 16th verse of the 118th psalm, he began to speak to three sorts ofpeople, but being interrupted by the drums, he said, with a smilingcountenance, Ye see we have not liberty to speak, or speak what wewould, but God knoweth our hearts. As he proceeded, he was againinterrupted. Then after a little pause or silence he begin to exhort thepeople; and to shew his own comfort in laying down his life, in theassurance of a blessed eternity, expressing himself in these words, "Now, I am as sure of my interest in Christ and peace with God, as allwithin this Bible and the Spirit of God can make me; and I am fullypersuaded that this is the very way for which I suffer, and that he willreturn gloriously to Scotland; but it will be terrifying to many. Therefore I intreat you, be not discouraged at the way of Christ, andthe cause for which I am to lay down my life, and step to eternity, where my soul shall be as full of him as it can desire to be; and nowthis is the sweetest and most glorious day that ever mine eyes did see. Enemies are now enraged against the way and people of God, but ere longthey shall be enraged one against another, to their own confusion;" herethe drums did beat a third time. Then setting his foot on the ladder, hesaid, "The Lord knows I go on this ladder with less fear andperturbation of mind, than ever I entered the pulpit to preach. "--Whenup, he sat down and said, "Now I am near the getting of the crown, whichshall be sure, for which I bless the Lord, and desire all of you tobless him, that he hath brought me here, and made me triumph overdevils, men and sin; They shall wound me no more. I forgive all men thewrongs they have done me; and I pray the sufferers may be kept from sin, and helped to know their duty. " Then having prayed a little withinhimself, he lifted up the napkin and said, "Farewel all relations andfriends in Christ; farewel acquaintances and earthly enjoyments; farewelreading and preaching, praying and believing, wanderings, reproach andsufferings. Welcome Father, Son and Holy Ghost; into thy hands I commitmy spirit. " Then he prayed a little, and the executioner turned him overas he was praying; and so he finished his course, and the ministry thathe had received of the Lord. Take his character from Sir Robert Hamilton of Preston, who was hiscontemporary. --He was affectionate, affable and tender-hearted to allsuch as he thought had any thing of the image of God in them; sober andtemperate in his diet, saying commonly, It was well won that was won offthe flesh; generous, liberal and most charitable to the poor; a greathater of covetousness; a frequent visiter of the sick; much alone;loving to be retired; but when about his Master's public work, layinghold of every opportunity to edify; in conversation still dropping whatmight minister grace to the hearers; his countenance was edifying tobeholders; often sighing with deep groans; preaching in season, and outof season, upon all hazards; ever the same in judgment and practice. From his youth he was much given to the duty of secret prayer, for wholenights together; wherein it was observed that, both in secret and infamilies, he always sat straight up upon his knees with his hands liftedup, and in this posture (as some took notice) he died with the ropeabout his neck. Beside his last speech and testimony, and several other religiousletters, with the lecture, sermon and sentence of excommunication atTorwood, which were all published, there are also several other sermonsand notes of sermons interspersed, among some people's hands in printand manuscript, some of which were lately published. Yet if we maybelieve one[191] who heard severals of them preached, they are nothingto what they were when delivered; and however pathetical, yet doubtlessfar inferior to what they would have been, had they been corrected andpublished by the worthy author himself. _Follows an ACROSTICK on his Name. _ Most sweet and savoury is thy fame, And more renowned is thy name, Surely than any can record, Thou highly favoured of the Lord. Exalted thou on earth didst live; Rich grace to thee the Lord did give. During the time thou dwelt below, On in a course to heaven didst go. Not casten down with doubts and fears, Assured of heaven near thirty years. Labour thou didst in Christ's vineyard; Diligent wast, no time thou spar'd. Christ's standard thou didst bear alone, After others from it were gone. Right zeal for truth was found in thee, Great sinners censur'dst faithfully. In holding truth didst constant prove, Laidst down thy life out of true love. _June 21st, 1741. _ W. W. _The Life of Mr. WALTER SMITH. _ Walter Smith was son to Walter Smith in the parish of St. Ninian's, nearAirth in Stirling-shire. He was an eminent Christian and good scholar. He went over to Holland, where he studied sometime under the famousLeusden, who had a great esteem and value for him, as being one both ofhigh attainments and great experience in the serious exercise and solidpractice of christianity. In the year 1679, we find that he made no mean figure among that littlehandful of the Lord's suffering remnant, who rose in their own defenceat Bothwel-bridge. --For he was both chosen clerk to the council of war, and also a commanding-officer among the honest party; and had the honournot only to witness and protest against the sinful compliance of thatcorrupt Erastian party, that then foisted themselves in amongst them, but was also one of those three who were then appointed to draw up thecauses of the Lord's wrath against the land, and the Hamiltondeclaration was to be one of the last causes thereof, with a newdeclaration which they intended to have published at that time; andalthough both of these were undertaken, yet the Lord did not honour themto publish the same, as some of them with great regret, unto their dyingday, did acknowledge. [192] After the overthrow and dissipation of the covenanters at Bothwel(wherein the Erastian party among them had no little hand), it appearsthat Mr. Smith went over, for some time to Holland, but did not staylong; for we meet with him again with Mr. Cargil at Torwood, in Sept. 1680, after which he was very helpful to him in his conversation andadvice in difficult cases, and praying in families (when he was fatiguedwith sore travel, being an old man, and going then often on foot), andmany times in public preaching days precenting for him. He had a longing desire to preach Christ, and him crucified unto theworld, and the word of salvation thro' his name. Mr. Cargil had the samedesire, and for that end, it is said, had written to two ministers tomeet him at Cummerhead in Lismehago in Clydesdale, but ere that daycame, that door was closed (for they were in the enemies hands). HoweverMr. Smith followed the example of our blessed Lord and Saviour, in goingabout doing good, in many places and to many persons, in spiritual, edifying conversation, and was a singular example of true piety andzeal, which had more influence upon many than most part of the ministersof that day. A little before his death he drew up twenty-two rules for fellowship orsociety meetings, which at that time greatly increased, from the riverTay to Newcastle, in which he was very instrumental, which afterwardssettled unto a general and quarterly correspondence four times yearly, that so they might speak one with another, when they wanted the publicpreaching of the gospel; and to appoint general fasting days through thewhole community, wherein their own sins, and the prevailing sins anddefections of the times, were the principal causes thereof; and thateach society was to meet and spend some time of the Lord's day together, when deprived of the public ordinances[193]. Mr. Cargil said, Thatthese society-meetings would increase more and more for a time; but whenthe judgment came upon these sinful lands, there would be few standingsociety-meetings, when there would be most need, few mourners, prayers, pleaders, &c. What through carnality, security, darkness, deadness anddivisions. But he was now well nigh the evening of his life, and his labours both. For having been with Mr. Cargil, when he preached his last sermon onDunsyre common, betwixt Clydesdale and Lothian, he was next morning, bywicked Bonshaw (who had formerly traded in fine horses betwixt the twokingdoms), apprehended at Covington-mill. He was, with the rest of theprisoners, carried from Lanerk to Glasgow, and from thence taken toEdinburgh, where, upon the 15th of July, he was brought before thecouncil, and there examined if he owned the king and his authority aslawful? He answered, "He cannot acknowledge the present authority theking is now invested with, and the exercise thereof, being now clothedwith a supremacy over the church. " Being interrogate, If the king'sfalling from the covenant looses him from his obedience, and if the kingthereby loses his authority? He answered, "He thinks he is obliged toperform all the duties of the covenant, conform to the word of God, andthe king is only to be obeyed in terms of the covenant. " Being furtherinterrogate anent the Torwood excommunication, he declared, He thoughttheir reasons were just. On the 19th he was again brought before them and interrogate, If heowned the Sanquhar declaration? It was then read to him, and he ownedthe same in all its articles, except that he looked not upon thesepersons as the formal representatives of the presbyterian church, asthey called themselves. And as to that expression, The king should havebeen denuded many years ago, he did not like the word _denuded_, butsaid, What the king has done justifies the peoples revolting againsthim. As to these words, where the king is called an usurper and atyrant, he said, Certainly the king is an usurper, and wished he was nota tyrant. Upon the 20. He was with the rest, brought before the justiciary, where, being indicted in common form, their confessions were produced asevidences against them, and they all brought in guilty of high treason, and condemned to be hanged at the cross of Edinburgh upon the 27. Andtheir heads to be severed from their bodies, and those of Messrs. Cargil, Smith and Boig to be placed on the Nether-bow, and the heads ofthe others on the West-port, all which was done accordingly. After Mr. Cargil was executed, Mr. Smith was brought upon the scaffold, where he adhered to the very same cause with Mr. Cargil, and declaredthe same usurpation of Christ's crown and dignity, and died with greatassurance of his interest in Christ, declaring his abhorrence of popery, prelacy, erastianism and all other steps of defection. He went up theladder with all signs of cheerfulness, and when the executioner was tountie his cravat, he would not suffer him, but untied it himself, andcalling to his brother, he threw it down, saying, This is the last tokenyou shall get from me. After the napkin was drawn over his face, heuncovered it again, and said, I have one word more to say, and that is, to all who have any love to God and his righteous cause, that they wouldset time apart, and sing a song of praise to the Lord, for what he hasdone for my soul, and my soul saith, To him be praise. Then the napkinbeing let down, he was turned over praying, and died in the Lord, withhis face bending upon Mr. Cargil's breast. These two cleaved to oneanother, in love and unity, in their life; and between them in theirdeath, there was no disparity. _Saul and Jonathan were lovely andpleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided_, &c. The now glorified Mr. Walter Smith was a man no less learned than pious, faithful and religious. His old master, the professor of divinity atUtrecht in Holland (when he heard of his public violent bloody death ofmartyrdom), gave him this testimony, weeping, saying, in broken English, "O Smith! the great, brave Smith! who exceeded all that I ever taught. He was capable to teach many, but few to instruct him. " Besides someletters, and the forementioned twenty-two rules for fellowship meetings, he wrote also twenty-two steps of national defection; all which are nowpublished; and if these, with his last testimony, be rightly considered, it will appear that his writings were inferior to few of the contendingsof that time. _The Life of Mr. ROBERT GARNOCK. _[194] Robert Garnock was born in Stirling, _anno_ ----, and baptized byfaithful Mr. James Guthrie. In his younger years, his parents took muchpains to train him up in the way of duty: but soon after therestoration, the faithful presbyterian ministers being turned out, curates were put in their place, and with them came ignorance, profanityand persecution. --Some time after this, Mr. Law preached at his ownhouse in Monteith, and one Mr. Hutchison sometimes at Kippen. Being oneSaturday's evening gone out to his grandmother's house in the country, and having an uncle who frequented these meetings, he went along withhim unto a place called Shield-brae. --And next Sabbath he went with himthrough much difficulty (being then but young) through frost and snow, and heard Mr. Law at Montieth; which sermon through a divine blessing, wrought much upon his mind. --Thus he continued for some considerabletime to go out in the end of the week for an opportunity of hearing thegospel, and to return in the beginning of next week to Stirling, but didnot let his parents know anything of the matter. But one time, hearing a proclamation read at the cross exhibiting, thatall who did not hear or receive privileges from the curates were to beseverely punished; which much troubled his mind, making him hesitatewhether to go to a field preaching that he heard was to be next Sabbath, or not. But at last he came to this resolution. Says he, "the Lordinclined my heart to go and put that word to me, go for once, go forall, if they take thee, for that which is to come. So I went there, andthe Lord did me good: for I got at that sermon that which, although theyhad rent me into a thousand pieces, I would not have said what I hadsaid before. So the Lord made me follow the gospel for a long time; andtho' I knew little then what I meant, yet he put it in my heart still tokeep by the honest side, and not to comply or join with enemies of onekind or another, yea not to watch, ward or strengthen their hands anymanner of way. When I was asked, why I would not keep watch (or standcentry) on the town; it was a commanded duty; I told them, I would notlift arms against the work of God. If ever I carried arms, it should befor the defence of the gospel. " Now, he became a persecuted man, and was obliged to leave the town. Hisfather being a black-smith, he had learned the same trade, and so hewent some time to Glasgow, and followed his occupation. From Glasgow hereturned home; and from thence went again to Borrowstouness, where hehad great debate, as himself expresses it, --"about that woefulindulgence: I did not know the dreadful hazard of hearing them, until Isaw they preached at the hazard of men's lives. --This made me examinethe matter, until I found out that they were directly wrong and contraryto scripture, had changed their head, had quitted Jesus Christ as theirhead, and had taken their commission from men, owning that perjuredadulterous wretch as head of the church, receiving then commission topreach in such and such places from him and those bloody thieves underhim. " From Borrowstouness he returned back to Falkirk; and thence home toStirling, where he remained for some time under a series ofdifficulties: for, after he got off when taken with others at theShield-brae, --while he was making bold to visit Mr. Skeen, he was takenin the castle, and kept all night, and used very barbarously by thesoldiers, and at eight o'clock next morning taken before the provost, who not being then at leisure, he was imprisoned till afternoon. But bythe intercession of one Colin M'Kinzie (to whom his father was smith) hewas got out, and without so much as paying the jailor's fee. "I had muchof the Lord's kindness at that time, (says he) although I did not knowthen what it meant, and so I was thrust forth unto my wandering again. " About this time, he intended to go to Ireland; but being disappointed, he returned back to Stirling, where he was tost to and fro for sometime, and yet he remarks, he had some sweet times in this condition;particularly one night, when he was down in the Carfe with one BartonHendry;[195] after which heavy trials ensued unto him from professors;because he testified against every kind of their compliance with thecurrent of the times. Upon this account, the society meeting he was inand he could not agree. This made him leave them, and go to one in thecountry; which, he says, "were more sound in judgment, and of anundaunted courage and zeal for God and his cause; for the life ofreligion was in that society. " At this time, he fell into such a degree of temptation by the devices ofthe enemy of man's salvation, that he was made to supplicate the Lordseveral times that he might not be permitted to a affright him in somevisible shape, which he then apprehended he was attempting to do. Butfrom these dreadful oppressions he was at last, through the goodness ofGod, happily delivered. [196] Although, as yet, he knew but little ofexperimental religion. And, says he, "The world thought I had religion:but to know the hidden things of godliness was yet a mystery to me. Idid not know any thing as yet of the new birth, or what it wasspiritually to take the kingdom of heaven by violence, &c. " Whichserves to shew, that one may do and suffer many things for Christ andreligion, and yet at the same time be a stranger to the life and powerthereof. But anon he falls into another difficulty; for a proclamation beingissued, that all betwixt thirteen and sixty was to pay Poll-money; wordwas sent his father, that if he would pay it, he should have hisliberty; which was no small temptation. But this he absolutely refused, and also told his father plainly (when urged by him to do it) that, ifone plack (or four pennies) would do it, he would not give it. Hisfather said, He would give it for him; to whom he answered, If he did, he needed never expect it or any consideration for it from him. And forthe result of the matter, hear his own words: "And O! but the Lord waskind to me then; and his love was better than life. I was tossed in mywanderings and banishment with many ups and downs, till I came toEdinburgh, where I heard of a communion to be on the borders of England;and then I went to it. O! let me bless the Lord that ever trysted mewith such a lot as that was: for the 20, 21 and 22 of April [1677] werethe three most wonderful days with the Lord's presence that ever I sawon earth. O! but his power was wonderfully seen, and great to all theassembly, especially to me. Of the three wonderful days of the Lord'spresence at East-Nisbet in the Merse. That was the greatest communion, Isuppose, these twenty years. I got there what I will never forget whileI live. Glory to his sweet name that ever there was such a day inScotland. His work was wonderful to me both in spirituals and temporals. O! that I could get him praised and magnified for it. He was seen thatday sitting at the head of his table, and his spikenard _sending forth apleasant smell_. Both good and bad were made to cry out, and some tosay, with the disciples, _It is good for us to be here_. They would havebeen content to have staid there. And I thought it was a begun heaven tobe in that place. " After this, he returned home to Stirling, and got liberty to follow hisemployment for some time. --But, lo! another difficulty occurred; forwhile the Highland host was commanded west, [in the beginning of 1678]all Stirling being commanded to be in arms, which all excepting a veryfew, obeyed; he refused, and went out of town with these few, and kept ameeting. When he returned, his father told him, he was past for thefirst time, but it behoved him to mount guard to-morrow. --He refused:his father was angry, and urged him with the practices of others. Hetold his father, he would hang his faith upon no man's belt, &c. Onthe morrow, when the drums beat to mount the guard, being the day of hissocial meeting, he went out of the town under a heavy load of reproach, and even from professors, who made no bones to say, that it was notprinciple of conscience he hesitated upon, but that he might haveliberty to strole through the country: because he attended thesemeetings; which was no easy matter to bear. Orders were given toapprehend him; but at that time he escaped their hand, and wandered fromone place to another, until the beginning of August 1678, that he cameto Carrick communion at Maybole: and what his exercise was there, himself thus expresses: "I was wonderfully trysted there; but not so asat the other. I went to the first table, and then went and heard worthyMessrs. Kid and Cameron preach at a little distance from the meeting, who never left the fields till they sealed and crowned it with theirblood. I cannot say but the Lord was kind to me, on the day after there, and on the fast day in the middle of the week after that, near theborders of Kilmarnock parish, where a division arose about theindulgence, which to this day is never yet done away. After my returnhome, I was made to enter into covenant with him upon his own termsagainst the indulgence and all other compliances: and, because throughthe Lord's strength I resolved to keep my bargain, and not to join withthem, it was said, I had got new light; and I was much reproached, yet Igot much of the Lord's kindness when attending the preached gospel inthe field, to which I would sometimes go twenty miles. " And having thus wandered to and fro for some time, he went to Edinburghto see the prisoners, and then returned home to Stirling in the end ofthe week. Late on Saturday night, he heard of a field preaching, andseeing the soldiers and troopers marching out of the town to attack thepeople at that meeting, he made himself ready, and, with a few others, went toward the meeting: and, being armed, they arrived near the place;but the soldiers coming forward, the people still, as they approached, seeing the enemy, turned off. So he and a few armed men and theminister, seeing this, took a hill above Fintry beside the craigs ofBall-glass. So the enemy came forward. This little handful drew up inthe best posture the time and circumstances would allow; and sung apsalm, at which the soldiers were so affrighted, that they toldafterward, that the very matches had almost fallen out of their hands. At last a trooper coming up, commanded them to dismiss: but theyrefused. This was repeated several times, till the captain of the footcame forward, and gave them the same charge; which they also refused. Upon this, he commanded a party of his men to advance and fire uponthem: which they did once or twice: which was by this little companyreturned with much courage and agility, until the whole party and thecommanding officer (consisting of 48 men and 16 horsemen) fired uponthis little handful, which he thinks amounted to not above 18 that hadarms, with a few women. After several fires were returned on both sides, one of the sufferers stepped forward, and shot one side of the captain'speriwig off, at which the foot fled; but the horsemen, taking theadvantage of the rising ground, surrounded this small party. They thenfired on a young man, but missed him. However, they took him and someothers prisoners. The rest fled off. Robert Garnock was hindermost, being the last on the place of action, and says, he intended not to havebeen taken, but rather killed. At last one of the enemy came after him, on which he resolved either to kill or be killed before hesurrendered, --catching a pistol from one for that purpose. But anothercoming in for assistance, the trooper fled off, and so they escaped untothe other side of a precipice, where they staid until the enemy weregone, who marched directly with their prisoners to Stirling[197]. After the fray was over, Robert staid till evening, and spoke with somefriends and the minister, who dissuaded him all they could from goinginto Stirling. But being now approaching toward the eve of hispilgrimage state, with Paul, in another case, when going up toJerusalem, he could not be prevailed upon; and so went to town: andentering the town about One in the morning, he got into a house at thefoot of the castle-hill, and there got his arms left with muchdifficulty: but, as he was near the head of the castle-hill, he was bytwo soldiers (who were lying in wait for those who had been at thatmeeting) apprehended and brought to the guard; and then brought beforelord Linlithgow's son: who asked him, if he was at that preaching? hetold him, he was at no preaching. Linlithgow's son said, he was a liar. Robert said, he was no liar; and seeing ye will not believe me, I willtell no more: prove the rest. Linlithgow said, he would make him doit. --But he answered, he should not. Then he asked his name, trade, andhis father's name, and where they dwelt? all which he answered. Then hebade keep him fast. At night he was much abused by the soldiers; some ofthem who had been wounded in the skirmish, threatening him with torture, gagging in the mouth, &c. All which he bore with much patience. In themorning a serjeant came to examine him; but he refused him as a judge toanswer to. At last the commanding officer came and examined him, if hewas at that skirmish. He answered, That for being there he was taken;and whether I was there or not, I am not bound to give you an account. So he went out, and in a little returned with the provost, who thoughtto surplant him by asking, who of Stirling folk was there? he answered, That they were both his neighbours and his; and though he had beenthere, he might account him very impudent to tell: for though he thoughtit his duty to ask, yet it was not his to tell or answer: and he thoughthe should rather commend him for so doing. After several other thingsanent that affair, he was commanded to close prison; and none, not somuch as his father, allowed to speak to him; but he did not want companyat that time; for, says he, "O but I had a sweet time of it: the Lord'scountenance was better unto me than all the company in the world. " The forementioned skirmish had fallen out May 8th, 1679, and upon the19th of the same month, he was put into the common prison amongstmalefactors; where he got some more liberty, having some others of thesufferers with him. However, they were very much disturbed by anotorious murderer, who, being drunk one time, thought to have killedhim with a large plank or form. But happily the stroke did not hurt him, though he struck with all his force twice, whereby another was almostkilled. This made him and other five to lie sometimes upon the stairs;for they could have no other place; though they desired the thieveshole, they could not obtain it. And thus they passed the time with muchpain and trouble, until June 16th, that the Fife men were broke atBewly[198], and numbers taken which were brought in prisoners on the11th; whereby they were very much thronged. Here he continued till thebreak at Bothwel on the 22d, after which there was no small confusion bytendering and pressing of a bond of conformity against offensive arms, wherein he got his share during that time. Upon the 13th of July, he was brought forth and in company with about100 more prisoners under a strong guard of red coats taken from Stirlingto Edinburgh, and put into Gray-friar's church-yard, amongst the Bothwelprisoners: there he was more vexed both by the enemy and hisfellow-sufferers than ever. A specimen of which I shall give in his ownwords: "Some of my neighbours desired the bond, so they put it to me;but I refused. However, the most part of them took it. Nay, there weresome of them supplicated for any bond. This made some of us conclude itwas our duty to testify against it; which piece of employment was putupon me, against which some of the prisoners obtested. --So I wasrendered odious; but many a-day the Lord was kind to me in that yard, and kept me from many a fear and snare; his love was sweet unto me. Themen complained of us to the commanders, who sent for me and examined meon the bond and other things: they said, I should be gagged, and everyday I was vexed with them; until almost the whole prisoners petitionedfor it--And there was as good as seventy ministers sent unto the ward totake it, and they said, it was not a head to suffer upon: when they haddone, they sent in two gentlewomen with the commission; and they setupon me: I told them, if every one of them had as much of it as I had, they would not be so busy to press it: for before this, the bloody crewcame to the yard, and called on me, and asked, If I would take the bond. I said, No. They said, I would get no other sentence. --So I was sore putto it: I would often have been at the doing of something; but the Lordwould not suffer me. So, in his strength, I fought on against my ownheart and them all, and overcame. But O! the cross was sweet unto me andeasy. There needs none fear to venture on suffering in his way andstrength. O happy day, that ever I was trysted with such a thing. Mybargaining with lovely Jesus was sweet unto me. It is true, affliction, for the present, seems not joyous but grievous; but afterwards _ityieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness to those who areexercised thereby_. I never knew the treachery of ministers, and theirdreadful hypocrisy and double dealing in the matters of God before thattime, and I could never love them after that; for they made many a oneto rack their conscience in taking that bond. I was brought out of theyard, Oct. 25th, with a guard of soldiers; when coming out, one Mr. White asked, if I would take the bond? I, smiling, said, No. He, in wayof jeer, said, I had a face to glorify God in the Salt market. So I badefarewel to all my neighbours who were sorry; and White bade me takegoodnight with them, for I should never see them more. But I said, Lads, take good heart; for we may yet meet again for all this. --So I wasbrought before their council-court. They asked, if I would take thebond? I said, No. --Some of them said, May be he does not know it; butHalton said, he knows it well enough. So one of them read it. I asked, if they would have me subscribe a lie to take away my life; for I neverwas in rebellion, nor intended to be so. They said, they would makeanother bond for me. I answered they needed not trouble themselves; forI was not designed to subscribe any bond at this time. "_Quest. _ Will ye rise in rebellion against the king? "_Answ. _ I was not rising in rebellion against the king. "_Q. _ Will ye take the bond never to rise against the king and hisauthority? "_A. _ What is the thing ye call authority? They said, If they, thesoldiers or any other subject, should kill me, I was bound not toresist. I answered, That I will never do. "_Q. _ Is the bishop's death murder? "_A. _ I am a prisoner; and so no judge. "_Q. _ Is Bothwel-bridge rebellion? "_A. _ I am not bound to give my judgment in that. "Then one of them said, I told you what the rebel rascal would say: youwill be hanged, Sir. I answered, you must first convict me of a crime. They said, you did excommunicate prisoners for taking the bond. I said, that was not in my power; and moreover, I was now before them, and proveit if they were able. They said, they would hang me for rebellion. Isaid, you cannot: for if you walk according to your own laws, I shouldhave my liberty. They said, Should we give a rebellious knave, like you, your liberty? you should be hanged immediately. I answered, That liesnot yet in your power: so they caused quickly to take me away, and putme in the iron-house tolbooth. Much more passed that I must not spendtime to notice. "So they brought me to the iron-house to fifteen of my dear companionsin tribulation; and there we were a sweet company, being all of onejudgment. There serving the Lord, day and night, in singleness of heart, his blessing was seen amongst us; for his love was better than life. Wewere all with one accord trysted sweetly together: and O it was sweet tobe in this company, and pleasant to those who came in to see us, untilthe indictments came in amongst us. There were ten got theirindictments. Six came off, and four got their sentence to die at Magusmuir. There were fifteen brought out of the yard, and some of them gottheir liberty offered, if they would witness against me. But theyrefused, so they got all their indictments, but complied all, save one, who was sentenced to die with the other four at Magus muir. " In this situation he continued till Nov. 13, that he was, by theintercession of some friends, brought to the west galleries on the otherside of the tolbooth, where he continued sometime, till called againbefore some of the council; after which he was again committed to closeprison for a time, till one night being called forth by one of thekeepers, one Mr. John Blair, being present, accosted him thus, Whereforedo ye refuse the bond? He answered, I have no time now for that matter. But out of that place, said Blair, you shall not go, for the covenantsand the xiii. Of the Romans bind you to it. I answered, No; they justbound me to the contrary. What if popery should come to the land, should we bind ourselves never to defend the true religion? He said, wewere loosed then. I said, No; Presbyterians were taken by their word, and they should abide by it: and ere all were done, it should be a dearbond unto them:--as for my part, I would rather go to the Grass-market, and seal it with my blood, &c. After he came down, the goodman of thetolbooth abused him in a very indiscreet manner, saying, that, if therewere no more men, he should be hanged; and that he was an ignorant fool;ministers nor men could not convince him; and bade take him off again toclose prison, where he was again as much vexed with a company of bondersas ever: for they were not only become lax in principle but in dutyalso, for he roundly told them, "You are far from what you were in theiron-house before you took the bond: then you would have been up at dutyby two or three in the morning; now you lie in bed till eight or nine inthe day. --They said, it was true enough; but said no more. " After these got their liberty, he was accompanied with some otherprisoners, some of whom were kept in for debt. And then, he says, hewould have been up by four in the morning, and made exercise amongstthem three times a-day, and the Lord was kind to him during that time;and he resolved never to make any compliance, and in this he was made to_eat meat out of the eater, and sweet out of the strong_. But somegentlemen, prisoners for religion where he was before, prevailed withthe goodman of the tolbooth to have him back to them about the beginningof 1680. But here the old temptation to compliance and tampering withthe enemy was afresh renewed; for the ministers coming in to visitthese, when they could do no more, they brought ministers to the roomsto preach, and would make him hear them; which he positively refused. Atlast, they brought a minister, one of his acquaintance; him that shouldhave preached that day he was taken[199]. But hearing he had made somecompliance with the enemy, he would not go to the next room to hear himmake exercise, till he knew the certainty of the matter. After which, hecame to another room, where they had some conference. A short hint of itI shall here subjoin as follows: "He asked after my welfare; and if Iwas going out of the prison? I told him, I blessed the Lord for it, Iwas well, and was not going out yet. " After some conversation anentfield-preachings, particularly, one by worthy Mr. Cameron at Monkland, which he condemned; "He asked, why I did not hear ministers? I answered, I desired to hear none but what are faithful; for I am a prisoner, andwould gladly be in the right way, not to wrong myself. --He said, whereinare they unfaithful? I said, in changing their head, quiting the Lord'sway, and taking on with covenant breakers, murderers of his people, &c. He said, how would I prove that? I said, their own practice provesit. He said, these were but failings, and these would not perjure a man;And it is not for you to cast at ministers: you know not what you aredoing. --Answer, I do not cast them off: they cast off themselves byquiting the holding of their ministry of Christ. _Quest. _ How prove youthat? _Answ. _ The 10th of John proves it; for they come not in by thedoor. --You may put me wrong; but I think that in Gal. I. 6. _I marvelthat ye are so soon removed from him that called you_, &c. You may readthat at your leisure, how Paul had not his gospel from men, nor by thewill of men. He said, lay by these: but what is the reason you will nothear others? I said, I desire to hear none of these gaping for theindulgence, and not faithful in preaching against it. " After some conference anent Messrs. Cameron and Cargil, in which he saidMr. Cameron was no minister; and Mr. Cargil was once one, and hadquitted it; that they received their doctrines from men, their hearers, who said, you must preach such and such doctrines, and we will hear you. To all which the martyr gave pertinent answers. He said, "Robert, do notthink I am angry that you come not to hear me; for I desire not you, norany of your faction to come and hear me; for I cannot preach to all yourhumours. I said, it was all the worse for that. He said, none of thesefaults would cast off a minister. They were but failings, notprinciples. I said I could not debate, but I should let any Christianjudge, if it was no principle for a minister to hold Christ head of thechurch. I told him, there was once a day I would have ventured my lifeat his back for the defence of Christ's gospel; but not now; and I wasmore willing to lay down my life now for his sweet and dear truths thanever I was. He said, the Lord pity and help me. I said, I had much needof it. And so he went away, and rendered me odious. This, amongst otherthings, made me go to God and to engage in covenant with his Son neverto hear any of those who betrayed his cause, till I saw evidences oftheir repentance. And I would have been willing to have quitted all forthat chiefest among ten thousands. " Thus he continued, till, he says, he got bad counsel from some of hisfriends to supplicate for his liberty; and they prevailed so far as todraw up a supplication and brought him to subscribe. But when they hadgot him to take the pen in his hand. "The Lord bade me hold, (says he)and one came and bade me take heed. So I did it not, for which I blesshis holy name. But this lets me see, there is no standing in me. Had itnot been his free love, I had gone the blackest way ever one did, &c. " The night before gallant Hackston was executed, being down stairs, andhearing of the way and manner he was to be executed, he went up stairs, (though it was treason to speak to him) and told him of it; which hecould scarcely believe: But the keepers hearing came up to persuade himto the contrary, and to put Robert in the irons. However they got eightgray coats who watched Mr. Hackston all night, persuading him to thecontrary. So that he did not know till at the place of execution. It would appear, he was not put in the irons then until some time after, that a young woman, who was taken at the Ferry when Hall-head waskilled, who having liberty to come into the lady Gilkerclugh then inprison, was conveyed out in a gentleman's habit, of which he and anothergot the blame, though entirely innocent; for which they were laid inirons: the other got his liberty, but Robert continued his alonesometime, till they intended to send him off with some soldiers toTanguirs. But the Lord having other ways determined, they could not getas many of the council conveened, as to get an order made out: and so hewas continued in prison, during which time he endured sore conflict withthose his fellow prisoners, who still complied and got off, and otherscame in their place who set upon him afresh: So that he and any one whowas of his own judgment, could scarcely get liberty to worship God inthe room without disturbance, calling him a devil, &c. And those whowere faithful and a comfort to him, were still taken from him andexecuted, while he was retained (his time not being yet come) in prisonwhere he was sometime with one John Scarlet, who, he says, was one ofthe basest of creatures. To relate all the trials and difficulties he underwent, during the timeof his imprisonment near the space of two years and a half, with hisvarious exercises, with the remarkable goodness of God towards him allthat time, will be more than can conveniently be accomplished atpresent. I shall only notice one or two very strange occurrences ofdivine providence towards him; which he observes, with a few of his ownexpressions concerning himself and exercise, and his condition towardthe end of his narrative and life also, which follows in his own words. "I have no reason (says he) but to go through with cheerfulness, whatever he puts me to for owning of his cause: for if it had not beenhis sweet love to me, I might have been a sufferer for the worst ofcrimes: for there is in me what is in the worst of creatures: aremarkable instance of which I was tristed with long since;--which, while I live, I will not forget. Being at home working with my father, and having mended a chest-lock to an honest woman, I went home with itto put it on: the woman not being at leisure, there was a gun standingbesides me: and I oftimes having guns amongst my hands to dress, took itup, and (not adverting that it was loaded) thinking her not good, triedto fire her; whereupon she went off, and the ball went up through a loftabove, and had almost killed a woman and a child; and had not providencedirected that shot, I had suffered as a murderer: And am I not obligedto follow and suffer for the _chiefest among ten thousands_, that has sohonoured me a poor wretch? for many other things have escaped me; but Imay not stay to mention what the Lord has done for me both at fieldpreachings and other places. "I have had a continued warfare, and my predominants grew mightily on myhand, which made my life sometimes heavy; but, amongst the many sweetnights and days I have had, was that 23d in the evening and 24th in themorning of August, 1681. The Lord was kind to me; that was the beginningof mornings indeed, whereon I got some of the Lord's love, and whereon Igot an open door, and got a little within the court, and there wasallowed to give in what I had to say either as to my own souls case orthe case of the church which is low at this day. I have indeed had somesweet days since, but I have misguided them, and could not keep in withhim; for my corruptions are so mighty, that sometimes I have been madeto cry out, Woes me that ever I was born a man of strife and contentionto many. _O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from me fromthe body of this death?_ But the Lord maketh up all again with hislove; so that I have many ups and downs in my case. --I have forgottensome things particularly worthy remark: Such as, one night I was setupon by a French captain when out of town; but the Lord remarkablydelivered me and brought me back again. So the Lord has let me see, Imight have been staged for worse actions. So that I have no ground butto be for God while I live, and bless his name that ever honoured mewith this dignity of suffering for his name and honourable cause. "What will become of me is yet uncertain; but upon some considerations, what the land was doing in bringing in of popery--the love I bear to theLord and his righteous cause, made me give in my protestation againstthe parliament, which this present year 1681 has made laws for thestrengthening of popery: and I could do no less; for the glory of Godwas dearer to me than my life. "And now for any thing I know, I will be tortured, and my life taken, and so will get no more written. As to any that read it, I beg of themto shun all that is evil in my life, as they wish to shun hell; and ifthere be any thing in it that is for use, I request the Lord that he maybring it home upon them, when I am gone, and make it thus useful forthem that read it. --So I bid you all farewel, desiring none of you mayslight your time or duty as I have done; but shun the appearances ofevil, cleave to that which is good, and spend much of your time withGod: be not idle night nor day, and give not ever much sleep untoyourselves. --O sirs, if you would be prevailed with to spend time forGod, it would be the sweetest and most desireable service ever you tookin hand. O be persuaded to fall in love with him, who is, withoutcompare, _the chiefest among ten thousand, yea, altogetherlovely_. --Take him for your all, and bind yourselves hand and foot tohis obedience. Let your ears be nailed to the posts of his doors, and behis servants for ever. " "And now seeing I get no more time allowed me here on earth, I closewith my hearty farewel to all friends, and pray the Lord may guide themin all truth, and keep them from dreadful snares that are coming throughthis covenanted land of Scotland. So I bid you all farewel, and befaithful to the death. I know not certainly what may become of me afterthis; but I look and expect that my time in this world is now near anend, and so desire to welcome all that the Lord sends. Thinkingpresently to be called in before God's enemies, I subscribe it, _Sept. 28th, 1681_ROBERT GARNOCK. " And having now with pleasure heard somewhat of the life and exercises ofRobert Garnock, we come now to notice somewhat anent his trial, death ormartyrdom which now hastens apace. So, according to his own expectation, above narrated, he was brought before the council, October 1st, where hedisowned the king's authority, refused them as his judges, and on the7th was brought before the Justiciary, and indicted, "That he did beforethe council, on the 1st of October, decline the authority of the kingand council, and called the king and council tyrant, murderers, perjuredand mansworn, declaring it was lawful to rise in arms against them;--Andgave in a most treasonable paper, termed, _A protestation and testimonyagainst parliamenters_, wherein he terms the members of parliament, idolaters, usurpers of the Lord's inheritance; and protests againsttheir procedure in their hell-hatched acts: which paper is signed by hishand, whereby he is guilty of the crime of treason; and further gave ina declaration to the council, wherein the said Robert Garnock disownsthe king's authority and government, and protests against the council astyrants: Therefore, &c. " By such an explicit confession, his ownpapers being turned to an indictment without any matters of fact againsthim, there was no difficulty of probation, his own protest anddeclinature being produced before the justiciary and assize, to whom hewas remitted. But before the assize were inclosed, Robert Garnock andother five who were indicted with him, delivered a paper to the inquest, containing a protestation and warning, wherein "They advise them toconsider what they are doing, and upon what grounds they pass a sentenceupon them. They declare they are no rebels: they disown no authoritythat is according to the word of God and the covenants the land is boundby. --They charge them to consider how deep a guilt covenant breaking is, and put them in mind they are to be answerable to the great Judge of allfor what they do in this matter; and say they do this, since they are inhazard of their lives, and against them. It is a dangerous thing to passa sentence on men merely because of their conscience and judgment; onlybecause they cannot in conscience yield to the iniquous laws ofmen;--that they are free subjects never taken in any action contrary tothe present laws; adding that these whom they once thought should orwould rule for God have turned their authority for tyranny andinhumanity, and employ it both in destroying the laws of God, andmurdering his people against and without law;--as we ourselves can proveand witness, when brought in before them. After two years imprisonment;one of them most cruelly and tyrant-like rose from the place ofjudgment, and drew a sword, and would have killed one of us[200], butProvidence ordered it otherways: However the wound is yet to be shown. The like action was never heard or read of. After reminding them ofDavid Finlay murdered at Newmills, Mr. Mitchel's case, and JamesLearmond's, who was murdered after he was three times freed by theassize. They add, that, after such murders as deserve death, they cannotsee how they can own them as judges, charging them to notice what theydo; assuring them their blood will be heavy upon them:--Concluding withJer. Xxvi. 15. And charging them not to take innocent blood on theirheads. " And subscribe at Edinburgh October 7th 1681. ROBERT GARNOCK, D. FARRIE, JA. STEWART, ALEX. RUSSEL, PAT. FORMAN, and G. LAPSLY. Notwithstanding all this, they were brought in guilty and sentenced tobe executed at the Gallowlee betwixt Leith and Edinburgh, upon the 10thinstant; Forman's hand to be cut off before, and the heads and hands ofthe rest after death, and to be set up upon the Pleasance port. What his deportment and exercises were at the place of execution we areat a loss to describe: but from what is already related, we may safelyconclude that, through divine grace, his demeanour was truly noble andChristian. But that the reader may guess somewhat of his exercises, temper and disposition about that time, I shall extract a few sentencesof his own words from his last speech and dying testimony. "I bless the Lord, that ever he honoured the like of me with a bloodygibbet and bloody windy sheet for his noble, honourable and sweet cause. O will ye love him, sirs? O he is well worth the loving and quitting allfor. O for many lives to seal the sweet cause with: if I had as manylives as there are hairs on my head, I would think them all little to bemartyrs for truth. I bless the Lord, I do not suffer unwillingly nor byconstraint, but heartily and cheerfully. --I have been a long timeprisoner, and have been altered of my prison. I was amongst and in thecompany of the most part who suffered since Bothwell, and was incompany with many ensnaring persons; though I do not question theirbeing godly folk; and yet the Lord kept me from harkening to theircounsel. Glory, glory to his holy and sweet name. --It is many times mywonder how I have done such and such things; but it is he that has doneit: he hath done all things in me and for me: holy is his name. --I blessthe Lord I am this day to step out of time into eternity, and I am nomore troubled than if I were to take a match by marriage on earth, andnot so much. I bless the Lord I have much peace of conscience in what Ihave done. O but I think it a very weighty piece of business to bewithin twelve hours of eternity, and not troubled. Indeed the Lord iskind, and has trained me up for this day, and now I can want him nolonger. I shall be filled with his love this night; for I will be withhim in paradise, and get a new song put in my mouth, the song of Mosesand the Lamb; I will be in amongst the general assembly of the firstborn, and enjoy the sweet presence of God and his Son Jesus Christ, andthe spirits of just men made perfect: I am sure of it. "Now my Lord is bringing me to conformity with himself, and honouring mewith my worthy pastor Mr. James Guthrie: although I knew nothing when hewas alive, yet the Lord hath honoured me to protest against popery, andto seal it with my blood: and he hath honoured me to protest againstprelacy and to seal it with blood. The Lord has kept me in prison tothis day for that end. His head is on one port of Edinburgh, and minemust go on another. Glory, glory to the Lord's sweet name for what hehath done for me. "Now I bless the Lord, I am not as many suspect me, thinking to wonheaven by my suffering. No, there is no attaining of it but through theprecious blood of the Son of God. --Now, ye that are the true seeker ofGod, and the butt of the world's malice, O be diligent, and run fast. Time is precious: O make use of it, and act for God: contend for truth:stand for God against all his enemies: fear not the wrath of man: loveone another; wrestle with God: mutually in societies _confess yourfaults one to another; pray one with another: reprove, exhort and rebukeone another in love. _ Slight no commanded duty: Be faithful in yourstations as you will be answerable at the great day: seek not counselfrom men: follow none further than they hold by truth. "Now, farewell, sweet reproaches for my lovely Lord Jesus, though oncethey were not joyous but grievous, yet now they are sweet. And I blessthe Lord for it, I heartily forgive all men for any thing they have saidof me; and I pray it may not be laid unto their charge in the day ofaccounts: and for what they have done to God and his cause, I leave thatto God and their own conscience. Farewell, all Christian acquaintance, father, mother, &c. Farewell, sweet prison for my royal Lord JesusChrist, now at an end. Farewell, all crosses of one sort or another: andso farewell, every thing in time, reading, praying and believing. Welcome eternal life, and the spirits of just men made perfect: Welcome, Father, Son and Holy Ghost: into thy hands I commit my Spirit. "--_SicSubscribitur_, ROBERT GARNOCK. Accordingly the foregoing sentence in all its parts was executed[201]upon them all except Lapslay who got off. --And so they had their passagefrom the valley of misery into the celestial country above, to inhabitthat land _where the inhabitants say not, I am sick, and the peoplethat dwell therein are forgiven their iniquities. _ Thus ended Robert Garnock in the flower of his youth; a young man, butold in experimental religion. --His faithfulness was as remarkable as hispiety, and his courage and constancy as both. --He was inured untotribulations almost from his youth, wherein he was so far from beingdiscouraged at the cross of Christ, that he, in imitation of theprimitive martyrs, seemed rather ambitious of suffering. --He alwaysaimed at honesty; and, notwithstanding all opposition from pretendedfriends and professed foes, he was by the Lord's strength, enabled toremain unshaken to the last: for, though he was nigh tripped, yet withthe faithful man he was seldom foiled, never vanquished. --May the Lordenable many in this apostate, insidious, and lukewarm generation toemulate the martyr in imitation of him who now inherits the promise, _Bethou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee a crown of life. _ _The Life of Mr. ROBERT M'WARD. _ Mr. Robert M'Ward was born in Glenluce. After he had gone through hiscourses of learning at the university, he was ordained minister of thegospel at Glasgow, where he continued for some time in the faithfuldischarge of his duty until the year 1661, that this good man andaffectionate preacher began to observe the design of the then managersto overturn the whole covenanted work of reformation. In the month ofFebruary that year, he gave a most faithful and seasonable testimonyagainst the glaring defections of that time, in an excellent sermon inthe Trone-church of Glasgow, upon a week-day; which sermon was afterwardthe ground of a most severe prosecution. His text was in Amos iii. 2. _You have I known of all the families of the earth_, &c. He had preachedupon it for some time upon the week-days, and after he had run throughpersonal abounding sins, and those of the city, he came to the generaland national sins that were then abounding. And having enlarged uponthese things in scriptural eloquence, in a most moving way, he gives agood many pertinent directions to mourn, consider, repent and return, towrestle and pour out their souls before the Lord, and encourageth themto these duties from this, "That God will look upon these duties astheir dissent from what is done, prejudicial to his work and interest, and mark them among the mourners of Zion. " But what was most noticed, was that with which he closeth this sermon, "As for my part (saith he)as a poor member of this church of Scotland, and an unworthy minister init, I do this day call you who are the people of God to witness, that Ihumbly offer my dissent to all acts which are or shall be passed againstthe covenants and the work of reformation in Scotland. And _2dly_, Iprotest that I am desirous to be free of the guilt thereof, and praythat God may put it upon record in heaven. " The noise of this sermon quickly flew abroad, and Mr. M'Ward was broughtto Edinburgh under a guard, and imprisoned. Very soon after, he had anindictment given him by the king's advocate, for treasonable preachingand sedition. What the nature of his indictment was, we may easily guessfrom the scope of his excellent sermon. He was allowed lawyers, wherebyhis process became pretty long and tedious. Upon the 6th of June, he wasbrought before the parliament, where he had a very public opportunity togive a proof of his eminent parts and solid judgment. His charmingeloquence was owned here by his very adversaries, and he defended, byscripture and reason, his expressions in his sermon before the bar ofthe house. And although his excellent speech had not the influence that might havebeen expected, yet doubtless it had some, for the house delayed comingto an issue at this time. He indeed expected a sentence of death, whichno way damped him; but his Master had more, and very considerable worktoo, for him elsewhere. Whether it was from orders from court to shed nomore blood, or for other certain reasons, it is not known; but hisaffair was delayed for some time, and upon some encouragement given himof success, he, upon the Monday following, gave in a supplication to theparliament, wherein he exchanges the words protest and dissent, which hehad used in his sermon, with those of testifying, solemnly declaring andbearing witness, and yet at the same time declares he is not brought tothis alteration, so much for fear of his person, &c. As from anearnest desire to remove out of the way any, or the least occasion ofstumbling, that there may be the more ready and easy access, withoutprejudice of words, to ponder and give judgment of the matter, &c. , and withal humbly prostrates himself at their honours feet to bedisposed of as they shall think meet. This supplication, with what went before, might have softened thepersecutors (as the forecited historians observe) and yet it had noeffect; for Mr. Sharp and his friends resolved now to be rid, as much asthey could, of the most eminent of the presbyterian minsters; andtherefore he behoved to be banished, which was the highest thing theycould go to, unless they had taken his life. Upon the 5th or 6th ofJuly, the parliament gave him for answer, "That they pass sentence ofbanishment upon the supplicant, allowing him six months to tarry in thenation; one of which only in Glasgow, with power to him to receive thefollowing year's stipend at departure. " His Master having work for him elsewhere, he submitted to the sentence, and transported himself and his family to Rotterdam, where for a while, upon the death of the reverend Mr. Alexander Petrie (author of thecompendious church history), he was employed as minister of the Scotscongregation there, to the no small edification of many; and that notonly to such as were fled hither from the rage and fury of the bloodypersecutors, but also to those who resorted to him and Mr. Brown, fortheir advice in difficult cases, in carrying on and bearing up afaithful testimony against both right and left-hand extremes, with everyother prevailing corruption, and defection in that day, it being a day_of treading down in the valley of vision_. Thither the rage of his persecutors followed him, even in a strangeland; for about the end of the year 1676, the king by the influence ofprimate Sharp, wrote to the state-general to cause remove James Wallace, Robert M'Ward, and John Brown, out of their provinces. But the states, considering that Messrs. M'Ward and Brown had already submitted unto theScots law, and received the sentence of banishment, during life, out ofthe king's dominion, and having come under their protection, could notbe imposed on to remove them out of these provinces, or be any furtherdisquieted; and for this end sent a letter to their ambassador at thecourt of England, to signify the same to his majesty. After this, this famous man was concerned in ordaining worthy andfaithful Mr. Richard Cameron, when in Holland in the year 1679, andafterwards sent him home with positive instructions to lift and bear upa free and faithful standard against every defection and encroachmentmade upon the church of Christ in these lands, and particularly theindulgences, against which Mr. M'Ward never failed to give a free andfaithful testimony, as is evident from several of his writings, particularly that in answer to Mr. Fleming. He remained at Rotterdam until some time about the 1681 or 1682, that hedied. It is said, that when, in his last sickness, he desired Mr. Shields and some other friends to carry him out to see a comet orblazing-star (that then appeared), and when he saw it, he blest the Lordthat now was about to close his eyes, and was not to see the woful daysthat were coming on Britain and Ireland, but especially upon sinfulScotland. After which he died, and entered into his Master's joy, afterhe had been for twenty years absent from his native country. It were altogether superfluous here to insist upon the character of thisfaithful minister and witness of Jesus Christ, seeing that his ownwritings do fully evidence him to have been a man of admirable eloquence(not to speak of his learning) and singular zeal and faithfulness. Whileremaining in Holland, he wrote several pieces[202] which are said to bethese;--The poor man's cup of cold water ministred to the saints andsufferers for Christ in Scotland, published about 1679; earnestcontendings, &_c. _ published in 1723; banders disbanded; with severalprefatory epistles to some of Mr. Brown's works. He wrote also manyother papers and letters, but especially a history of the defections ofthe church of Scotland, which has never hitherto been published. _The Life of Captain JOHN PATON. _ John Paton was born at Meadow-head, in the parish of Fenwick and shireof Ayr. He was brought up in the art and occupation of husbandry tillnear the state of manhood. --But of the way and manner in which he wentat first to a military life, there are various accounts. --Some say, thathe inlisted at first a volunteer, and went abroad to the wars inGermany, where, for some heroic atchievement, at the taking of a certaincity (probably by Gustavus Adolphus king of Sweden), he was advanced toa captain's post; and that when he returned home, he was so far changedthat his parents scarcely knew him. Other accounts bear, that he waswith the Scots army (or militia) who went to England in January 1643-4, and was at the battle of Marston-muir, at which place, it is said thatby some bad drink, an asthmatical disorder was contracted in his breast, which continued ever after. But whatever of the ways, or if both ways were certain, he behoved toreturn very suddenly home; for it is said, That _anno_ 1645, when theseveral ministers in the western shires were called out upon the head oftheir own parish militia, to oppose Montrose's insurrection, he wascalled out by Mr. William Guthrie (or, as some say, taken by him fromthe plough), and, under the character of a captain, behaved with muchgallantry about that time among the covenanters, particularly upon theirdefeat by Montrose at Kilsyth, which fell out in the following manner: Montrose, having upon July 2d obtained a victory over the covenanters, advanced over the Forth, and upon the 14th encamped at Kilsyth nearStirling, and upon the 15th encountered the covenanters army, commandedby lieutenant-general Bailey. At the first on-set, some of Montrose'shighlanders, going too far up the hill, were invironed by thecovenanters, and like to have been worsted; but the old lord Airly beingsent from Montrose with fresh supplies of men, the covenanters wereobliged to give way, and were, by the enemy, turned over unto a standingmarsh or bog, where there was no probability either of fighting orescaping. In this hurry, one of the captain's acquaintance, whensinking, cried out to him, for God's sake to help; but when he got timeto look that way, he could not see him, for he was gone through thesurface of the marsh, and could never be found afterwards. Upon thisdisaster, the swiftest of the covenanters horse got to Stirling; thefoot were mostly killed on the spot and in the chace, which, accordingto some historians[203], continued for the space of fourteen miles, whereby the greater part of the covenanters army was either drowned, orby these cruel savages cut off and killed. In this extremity, the captain, as soon as he could get free of the bog, with sword in hand made the best of his way through the enemy, till hegot safe to the two colonels Hacket and Strahan, who all three rode offtogether: but had not gone far till they were encountered by aboutfifteen of the enemy, all of whom they killed, except two who escaped. When they had gone a little farther, they were again attacked by aboutthirteen more, and of these they killed ten, so that only three of themcould make their escape from them. But, upon the approach of abouteleven Highlanders more, one of the colonels said (in a familiardialect), Johny, if thou do not somewhat now, we are all dead men. Towhom the captain answered, Fear not; for we will do what we can, beforewe either yield, or flee before them. They killed nine of them, and putthe rest to flight. About this time, the Lord began to look upon the affliction of hispeople. For Montrose, having defeated the covenanters at five or sixdifferent times, the committee of estates began to bethink themselves, and for that end saw cause to recall general Leslie, with 4000 foot and1000 dragoons, from England. To oppose him Montrose marched southward, but was shamefully routed by Leslie at Philiphaugh upon the 13th ofSept. Many of his forces were killed and taken prisoners, and he himselfescaped with much difficulty[204]. After which Mr. William Guthrie andcaptain Paton returned home again to Fenwick. Thus matters went on till the year 1648, that there arose two factionsin Scotland, which were headed by duke Hamilton and the marquis ofArgyle. The one party aimed at bringing down the king to Scotland; butthe other opposed the same. However, the levies went on, whereby dukeHamilton, with a potent army, marched to England. In the meanwhilemajor-general Middleton came upon a certain handful of the covenanters, assembled at the celebration of the Lord's supper at Mauchlin, a smallvillage in the shire of Ayr. At which place were Messrs. William Ardair, William Guthrie and John Nevay ministers, and the earl of Loudon, whosolicited Middleton to let the people dismiss in a peaceable manner;which he promised to do: but, in a most perfidious way, he fell uponthem on the Monday after; which occasioned some bloodshed on bothsides, for captain Paton (being still aware of these malignantsnotwithstanding all their fair promises) caused his people from Fenwickto take arms with them, which accordingly they did; whereby they onlymade resistance. --Yea it is said, that the captain that day killedeighteen of the enemy with his own hand. But duke Hamilton and his army being defeated, and he himself afterwardbeheaded, the English pursuing the victory, Cromwel and his men enteredScotland, by which means the engagers were not only made to yield, butquite dissipated. Whereupon some of the stragglers came west plundering, and took up their residence for some time in the muirs of Loudon, Egletham and Fenwick, which made the captain again bestir himself; andtaking a party of Fenwick men he went in quest of them; and found someof them at a certain house in that parish called Lochgoin, and theregave them such a fright (though without any bloodshed) as made them givetheir promise never to molest or trouble that house or any other placein the bounds again, under pain of death:--and they went off without anyfurther molestation. Charles I. Having been beheaded Jan. 30, 1648-9, and Charles II. Calledhome from Breda 1650, upon notice of an invasion from the English, theScotch parliament appointed a levy of 10, 000 foot and 3000 horse to beinstantly raised for the defence of the king and kingdom; among whom itbehoved the captain again to take the field, for he was now become toopopular to be hid in obscurity. Accordingly Cromwel and his army entered Scotland in July 1650. Afterwhich several skirmishes ensued betwixt the English and the Scots army, till the Scots were, by Cromwel and his army, upon the 3d of September, totally routed at Dumbar. After which, the act of classes beingrepealed, both church and state began to act in different capacities, and to look as suspiciously on one another as on the common enemy. Therewere in the army on the protestors side, colonels Ker, Hacket andStrahan, and of inferior officers, major Stuart, captain Arnot (brotherto the laird of Lochridge) captain Paton, and others. The contentioncame to such a crisis, that the colonels Ker and Strahan left the king'sarmy, and came to the west[205] with some other officers; and many ofthem were esteemed the most religious and best affected in the army. They proceeded so far as to give battle to the English at Hamilton, butwere worsted; the Lord's wrath having gone forth against the whole land, because Achan was in the camp of our Scottish Israel[206]. The king and the Scots army, being no longer able to hold out againstthe English, shifted about and went for England, and about the end ofAugust 1651, had Worcester surrendered to them. But, the English armyfollowing hard upon their heels, they were by them totally routed uponthe 3d of September, which made the king fly out of the kingdom. Afterwhich the captain returned home, when he saw how fruitless andunsuccessful this expedition had been. About this time, he took up the farm of Meadow-head, where he was born, and married one Janet Lindsay (who lived with him but a very shorttime). And here he no less excelled in the duties of the true Christianlife, in a private station, than he exceeded others while a soldier inthe camp; and being under the ministry of that faithful man Mr. WilliamGuthrie, by whom he was made one of the members of his session, andcontinued so till that bright and shining light in the church was turnedout by Charles II. Who was again restored, and the yoke of supremacy andtyranny being by him wreathed about the neck of both church and state, whereby matters grew still worse, till the year 1660, that upon someinsolencies committed in the south and west by Sir James Turner, somepeople rose (under the command of Barscob and other gentlemen fromGalloway) for their own defence. Several parties from the shire of Ayrjoined them, commanded by colonel James Wallace from Achan's; captainArnot came with a party from Mauchlin; Lockhart of Wicketshaw with aparty from Carluke; major Lermont with a party from above Galston;Neilson of Corsack with a party from Galloway; and captain Paton (whonow behoved to take the field again) commanded a party of horse fromLoudon, Fenwick and other places. And being assembled they wenteastward, renewed the covenants at Lanerk, and from thence went toBathgate, then to Collington, and so on till they came to Rullion, nearPentland hills, where they were upon that fatal day November 28, attacked by general Dalziel and the king's forces. At their first on-setcaptain Arnot, with a party of horse, fought a party of Dalziel's menwith good success; and, after him, another party made the general's menfly; but upon their last rencounter about sun-setting, Dalziel (beingrepulsed so often) advanced the whole left wing of his army upon col. Wallace's right, where he had scarce three weak horse to receive them, and were obliged to give way[207]. Here captain Paton (who was all alongwith captain Arnot in the first encounter) behaved with great courageand gallantry. Dalziel, knowing him in the former wars, advanced uponhim himself, thinking to take him prisoner. Upon his approach, eachpresented their pistols. Upon their first discharge, captain Patonperceived the pistol-ball to hoop down upon Dalziel's boots, and knowingwhat was the cause (he having proof), put his hand to his pocket forsome small pieces of silver he had there for the purpose, and put one ofthem into his other pistol. But Dalziel, having his eye on him in themean while, jumped his horse behind that of his own man, who by thatmeans was slain. The colonel's men, being flanked in, on all hands, byDalziel's men, were broke and overpowered in all their ranks. So thatthe captain and other two horsemen from Finwick were surrounded, fivemen deep, by the general, through whom he and the two men at his backhad to make their way, when there was almost no other on the field ofbattle, having, in this last rencounter, stood almost an hour. Whenever Dalziel perceived him go off, he commanded three of his men tofollow hard after him, giving them marks whereby they should know him. Immediately they came up with the captain, before whom was a greatslough or stank in the way, out of which three Galloway men had justdrawn their horses. They cried to the captain, What would they do now!He answered them, What was the fray--he saw but three men coming uponthem; and then caused his horse jump the ditch, and faced about with hissword drawn in his hand, stood still till the first, coming up, endeavoured to make his horse jump over also. --Upon which he, with hissword[208], clove his head in two, and his horse being marred, fell intothe bog, with the other two men and horse. He told them to take hiscompliments to their master, and tell him he was not coming this night, and came off, and got safe home at last. After this Christ's followers and witnesses were reduced to manyhardships, particularly such as had been any way accessory to the risingat Pentland, so that they were obliged to resort unto the wildernessesand other desolate and solitary places. The winter following he andabout twenty persons had a very remarkable deliverance from theenemy. --Being assembled at Lochgoin, upon a certain night, forfellowship and godly conversation, they were miraculously anticipated orprevented by a repeated dream (of the enemies approaching) by the oldman of the house, who was gone to bed for some rest on account of hisinfirmity; and that just with as much time as they could make theirescape, the enemy being within forty falls of the house. --After they gotoff, the old man rose up quickly and met them with an apology, for thecircumstance the house was then in (it being but a little after daybreak), and nothing at that time was discovered. About this time, the captain sometimes remained at home, and sometimesin such remote places wherein he could best be concealed from the furyof his persecutors. He married a second wife, one Janet Millar fromEglesham (whose father fell at Bothwel-bridge), by whom he had sixchildren, who continued still to possess the farm of Meadow-head andArtnock in tack, until the day of his death. He was also one who frequented the pure preached gospel where-ever hecould obtain it, and was a great encourager of the practice of carryingarms for the defence thereof, which he took to be a proper mean in partto restrain the enemy from violence. But things growing still worse andworse, new troops of horse and companies of foot being poured in uponthe western shires on purpose to suppress and search out thesefield-meetings, which occasioned their rising again _anno_ 1679. While, by these unparalleled severities, they were with those of whom theapostle speaks, _destitute, afflicted and tormented, of whom the worldwas not worthy, and they wandered in deserts and in mountains, and indens and caves of the earth_[209]. For that suffering remnant, under the command of Mr. Robert Hamilton, having got the victory over Claverhouse on the 1st of June 1676, atDrumclog in Evandale (in which skirmish there was about 36 or 40 of thatbloody crew killed), they went on the next day for Glasgow, in pursuitof the enemy; but that proving unsuccessful, they returned back, and onJune 3d formed themselves into a camp, and held a council of war. Onthe 4th they rendezvouzed at Kyperidge, &c. ; and on the 5th they wentto commissar Fleming's park, in the parish of Kilbride, by which timecaptain Paton (who all this time had not been idle) came to them with abody of horsemen from Finwick and Galston; and many others joined them, so that they were greatly increased. They had hitherto been of one heart and one mind, but a certain party ofhorse from Carrick came to them (with whom were Mr. Welch, and someother ministers who favoured the indulgence), after which they never hada day to do well, until they were defeated at Bothwel-bridge, upon the22d of June following. The protesting party were not for joining with those of the Erastianside, till they should declare themselves fully for God and his cause, against all and every defection whatever; but Mr. Welch and his partyfound out a way to get rid of such officers as they feared mostopposition from: For orders were given to Rathillet, Haugh-head, Carmichael, and Mr. Smith, to go to Glasgow, to meet with Mr. King andcaptain Paton; and they obeyed. When at Glasgow, Mr. King and captainPaton led them out of the town, as they apprehended, to preach somewherewithout the town; but at last, upon inquiry where they were going, itwas answered (according to orders sent privately to Mr. King and captainPaton), That they were to go and disperse a meeting of the enemy atCampsie; but upon going there, they found no such thing, which made thembelieve it was only a stratagem to get free of Mr. King and the rest ofthe faithful officers; upon which they returned. The faithful officers were Mr. Hamilton, general Hackston of Rathillet, Hall of Haugh-head, captain Paton in Meadow-head, John Balfour ofKinloch, Mr. Walter Smith, William Carmichael, William Cleland, JamesHenderson, and Robert Fleming. Their ministers were Messrs. DonaldCargil, Thomas Douglas, John Kid, and John King; for Mr. Richard Cameronwas then in Holland. Henry Hall of Haugh-head, John Paton inMeadow-head, William Carmichael, and Andrew Turnbull, were ruling eldersof the church of Scotland. Thus the protesting party continued to struggle with the Erastian party(in which contending captain Paton had no small share) until that fatalday June 22d, when they were broke, and made to flee before the enemy. The captain, at this time, was made a major; and some accounts bear, that the day preceding, he was made a colonel. An author[210], whenwriting upon that affair, says, That he supposes John Paton, RobertFleming, James Henderson and William Cleland were chosen to be colonelsof regiments; however, as he did not enjoy this place long, we find himstill afterward continued in the character of captain John Paton. After the defeat at Bothwel-bridge, captain Paton made the best of hisway homeward; and having had a fine horse, with all manner of furniturefrom the sheriff of Ayr, upon the way he gave him to one to take home tohis master, but being robbed of all its fine mounting, by an oldintelligencer (of the same name as was supposed), which very muchsurprised the sheriff when he received the horse, and the captain whenhe got notice thereof. This was a most base and shameful action, designing to stain the character of this honest and good man. The sufferers were now exposed to new hardships, and none more thancaptain Paton, who was not only declared rebel by order of proclamation, but also a round sum offered for his head, which made him be more hotlypursued, and that even in his most secret lurking places. In which time, a little after Bothwel, he had another most remarkable escape anddeliverance from his blood-thirsty enemies, which fell out in thismanner. ---- The captain, with a few more, being one night quartered in theforementioned house of Lochgoin[211], with James Howie (who was one ofhis fellow sufferers), at which time one captain Ingles, with a party, lay at the dean of Kilmarnock's, who sent out partie, on all hands, tosee what they could apprehend; and that night, a party, being out inquest of some of the sufferers, came to Meadow-head, and from thencewent to another remote place in the muirs of Finwick, called Croilburn, but finding nothing there, they went next to Lochgoin, as apprehendingthey would not miss their design there; and that they might come uponthis place more securely, they sent about five men, with one serjeantRae, by another way whereby the main body could not come so well upundiscovered. The sufferers had watched all night (which was very stormy) by turns, and about day-break the captain, on account of his asthmatical disorder, went to the far end of the house for some rest. In the mean while, oneGeorge Woodburn went out to see if he could observe any thing (but itseems he looked not very surely), and going to secret duty instead ofthis, from which he was but a little time returned, until on a sudden, ere they were aware, serjeant Rae came to the inner door of the house, and cried out, Dogs, he had found them now. The four men took to thespence--James and John Howie happened to be then in the byre, among thecattle. The wife of the house, one Isabel Howie, seeing none but theserjeant, cried to them to take the hills, and not be killed in thehouse. She took hold of Rae, as he was coming boldly forward to the doorof the place in which they were, and ran him backward out of the outerdoor of the house, giving him such a hasty turn as made him ly on theground. In the mean while, the captain, being alarmed, got up, put onhis shoes (though not very hastily, ) and they got all out; by which timethe rest of the party was up. The serjeant fired his gun at them, whichone John Kirkland answered by the like with his. The bullet passed sonear the serjeant, that it took off the knot of hair on the side of hishead. The whole crew being now alarmed, the captain and the rest tookthe way for Eglesham muirs; and they followed. Two of the men ran withthe captain, and other two stayed by turns and fired back on the enemy, the enemy firing on them likewise; but by reason of some wetness theirguns had got, in coming through the water, they were not so ready tofire, which helped the others to escape. After they had pursued them some time, John Kirkland turned about, andstooped down on his knee, and aimed so well, that he shot a highlandsarjeant through the thigh, which made the front still stoop as theycame forward, till they were again commanded to run. By this time thesufferers had got some ground, and, being come to the muirs of Eglesham, the four men went to the height in view of the enemy, and caused thecaptain (who was old and not able to run) take another way by himself. At last he got a mare upon the field, and took the liberty to mount hera little, that he might be more suddenly out of their reach. But ere hewas aware, a party of dragoons going for Newmills was at hand, and whatwas more observeable, he wanted his shoes (having cast them off before, and was riding on the beasts bare back), but he passed by them veryslowly, and got off undiscovered; and at length gave the mare herliberty (which returned home) and went unto another of hislurking-places. All this happened on a Monday morning, and on the morrowthese persecutors returned, and plundered the house, drove off theircattle and left almost nothing remaining[212]. About this time the captain met with another deliverance. For, he havinga child removed by death, the incumbent of the parish, knowing the timewhen the corpse was to be interred, gave notice to a party of soldiersat Kilmarnock to come up and take him at the burial of his child. Butsome persons present at the burial, persuaded him to return back in casethe enemy should come upon them at the church-yard, which he accordinglydid (when he was but a little distant from the church). He was also a great succourer of those sufferers himself, in so far ashis circumstances could admit, several of his fellow-companions in thetribulation and patience of Jesus Christ, resorting at certain times tohim: Such as worthy David Hackston of Rathillet, Balfour of Kinloch, andMr Donald Cargil; and it is said, That Mr. Cargil dispensed thesacrament of baptism to twenty-two children in his barn at Meadow-head, sometime after the engagement at Bothwel-bridge[213]. But, being now near the end of his race and weary pilgrimage, about thebeginning of Aug. 1684. He came to the house of one Robert Howie inFloack, in the parish of Mearns (formerly one of his hiding places)where he was, by five soldiers, apprehended before ever he or any in thehouse were aware. He had no arms, yet the indwellers there offered himtheir assistance, if he wanted it. Indeed they were in a condition tohave refused him, yea, he himself, once in a day, was in case to haveextricated himself from double that number. But he said, It would bringthem to further trouble, &c. And as for himself, he was now becomeweary of his life, being so hunted from place to place, and being nowwell stricken in years, his hidings became the more irksome; and he wasnot afraid to die, for he knew well, that, whenever he fell into theirhands, this would be the case, and he had got time to think thereon formany years; and for his interest in Christ, of that he was sure. Theytook him to Kilmarnock, but knew not who he was (taking him for some oldminister or other) till they came to a place on the high-way, calledMoor-yeat, where the good man of that place, seeing him in thesecircumstances, said, Alas! captain Paton, are you there! And then totheir joy, they knew who they had got into their hands. He was carriedfrom Kilmarnock (where his eldest daughter, being about 14 years of age, got access to see him) to Ayr, and then back to Glasgow, and soon afterto Edinburgh. It is reported as a fact, that general Dalziel met him here, and tookhim in his arms, saying, "John, I am both glad and sorry to see you. IfI had met you on the way before you came hither I should have set you atliberty: But now it is too late. But be not afraid, I will write to hismajesty for your life. " The captain replied, "You will not be heard. "Dalziel said, "Will I not! If he does not grant me the life of one man, I shall never draw a sword for him again. " And it is said, That, havingspoken some time together, a man came and said to the captain, You are arebel to the king. To whom he replied, Friend, I have done more for theking than perhaps thou hast done. Dalziel said, Yes, John, that is true, (perhaps he meant at Worcester). And struck the man on the head with hiscane till he staggered, saying, He would learn him other manners than touse such a prisoner so. After this and more reasoning, the captainthanked him for his courtesy, and they parted. His trial was not long delayed. I find (says a historian[214]) thatApril 16th, the council ordered a reward of 20 pounds sterling to CornetLewis Louder, for apprehending John Paton who had been a notorious rebelthese 18 years. He was brought before the justiciary, and indicted forbeing with the rebels at Glasgow, Bothwel, &c. The advocate, _ex superabundanti_, passed his being at Pentland, and insisted on his being atBothwel. The lords found his libel relevant, and for probation theyrefer to his own confession before the council: John Paton inMeadow-head in Finwick, that he was taken in the parish of Mearns, inthe house of Robert Howie in Floack, and that he haunted ordinarily inthe fields and muirs, confesses that he was moved by the country peopleto go out in the year 1666, commanded a party at Pentland, confessesthat he joined with the rebels at Glasgow, about eight days before theengagement, commanded a party at Bothwel, &c. The assize had no moreto cognize upon, but his own confession, yet brought him in guilty. TheLords condemned him to be hanged at the grass-market of Edinburgh onWednesday the 23d of April. But, by other accounts he was charged beforethe council for being a rebel since the year 1640; his being an opposerof Montrose; his being at Mauchlin muir, &c. He was prevailed on to petition the council, upon which he was respitedto the 30th, and from that to May 9th, when he suffered according to hissentence. And no doubt, Dalziel was as good as his word. --For it is saidthat he obtained a reprieve for him from the king; but that coming tothe hands of bishop Paterson, was kept up by him, till he was executed, which enraged the general not a little. It seems that they had a mind tospare him, but as he observed in his last speech, the prelates put aneffectual stop to that. In the last eight days that he lived, he got aroom by himself, that he might more conveniently prepare for death, which was a favour at that time granted him above many others. What his conduct or deportment at the place of execution was, we are nowat a loss to know, only we must believe it was such as well became sucha valiant servant and soldier of Jesus Christ, an evidence of which wehave in his last speech and dying testimony wherein among other thingshe says, "You are come here to look on me a dying man, and you need notexpect that I shall say much, for I was never a great orator or eloquentof tongue, though I may say as much to the commendation of God in ChristJesus, as ever a poor sinner had to say, &c. --I bless the Lord I am notcome here as a thief or murderer, and I am free of the blood of all menand hate bloodshed directly or indirectly, and now I am a poor sinner;and never could merit any thing but wrath: and I have no righteousnessof my own, all is Jesus Christ's and his alone. Now as to myinterrogations I was not clear to deny Pentland or Bothwel. The councilasked me if I acknowledged authority; I said, All authority according tothe word of God. They charged me with many things as if I had been arebel since the year 1640, at Montrose's taking, and at Mauchlin-muir. Lord, forgive them, for they know not what they do. " In the next placehe adheres to the scriptures, the covenants and the whole of the work ofreformation, and then says, "Now, I leave my testimony as a dying managainst that horrid usurpation of our Lord's prerogative andcrown-rights, I mean that supremacy established by law in these lands, which is a manifest usurpation of his crown, for he is given by theFather to be head to the church, Col. I. 18, &c. " And further, headdressed himself in a few words to two or three sorts of people, exhorting them to be diligent in the exercise of duty, and then in thelast place comes to salute all his friends in Christ, whether prisoned, banished, widows, the fatherless, wandering and cast out for Christ'ssake and the gospel's. He forgave all his enemies in these words, "Nowas to my persecutors, I forgive all of them, instigators, reproachers, soldiers, private council, judiciaries, apprehenders, in what they havedone to me, but what they have done in despite against the image of Godin me, who am a poor thing, without that, it is not mine to forgivethem, but I wish they may seek forgiveness of him who hath it to give, and would do no more wickedly. " Then he leaves his wife and six smallchildren on the Lord, takes his leave of worldly enjoyments, andconcludes, saying, "Farewel, sweet scriptures, preaching, praying, reading, singing, and all duties. Welcome Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Idesire to commit my soul to thee in well doing: Lord, receive myspirit[215]. " Thus another gallant soldier of Jesus Christ came to his end, theactions of whose life and demeanour at death, do fully indicate that hewas of no rugged disposition (as has been by some asserted of these ourlate sufferers) but rather of a meek, judicious and Christianconversation, tempered with true zeal and faithfulness for the cause andinterest of Zion's King and Lord. He was of a middle stature (asaccounts bear) large and robust, somewhat fair of complexion, with largeeye-brows. But what enhanced him more was courage and magnanimity ofmind, which accompanied him upon every emergent occasion; and though hisextraction was but mean, it might be truly said of him, That he lived ahero and died a martyr. _The Life of JOHN NISBET of Hardhill. _ John Nisbet born about the year 1627, was son to James Nisbet, andlineally descended from one Murdoch Nisbet in Hardhill, who about 1500, joined those called the Lollards of Kyle; but, a persecution beingraised against them, he fled over seas, and took a copy of the newTestament in writing. Sometime after, he returned home, digged a vaultin the bottom of his own house, unto which he retired, serving God, reading his new book, and instructing such as had access to him. But toreturn, John Nisbet, being somewhat advanced in years, and one who had theadvantage of a tall, strong, well-built body, and of a bold, daring, public spirit, went abroad and joined in the military, which was ofgreat use to him afterwards. Having spent some time in foreigncountries, he returned to Scotland, and swore the covenants when kingCharles at his coronation swore them at Scoon in 1650. Then, having leftthe military, he came home and married one Margaret Law, who proved anequal, true and kind yoke-fellow to him all the days of her life, and bywhom he had several children, three of whom survived himself, _viz. _Hugh, James and Alexander. In the month of Dec. 1683, she died on the 8th day of her sickness, andwas buried in Stone-house church-yard. This behoved to be done in thenight, because it might not be known, neither would any do it but suchas might not appear in the day-time. The curate having knowledge of it, threatened to take the corpse up, burn it or cast it to the dogs; butsome of the persecuted party sent him a letter, assuring him, That if hetouched these graves they would burn him and his family, and all hehad;--so he forbare. He early applied himself to the study of the holy scriptures, which, through the grace of God, was so effectual, that he not only became atlast one well acquainted with the most interesting parts of practicalreligion, but also he attained no small degree of knowledge in points ofprinciple, which proved of unspeakable advantage to him in all thatoccurred to him in the after-part of his life, in maintaining thetestimony of that day. He married and took up the Hardhill in the parish of Loudon, in whichstation he behaved with much discretion and prudence. For no sooner didprelacy and Erastianism appear on the field, in opposition to ourantient and laudable form of church-government, at the restoration ofCharles II. Than he took part with the presbyterian side. And having_anno_ 1664, got a child baptized by one of the ejected ministers (asthey were then called), the incumbent or curate of the parish was soenraged, that he declared his resolution from the pulpit, toexcommunicate him the next Lord's day. But behold the Lord's handinterposed here; for, before that day came, the curate was landed ineternity. This gentleman, being always active for religion, and a great encouragerof field-meetings, was, with the rest of Christ's faithful witnesses, obliged to go without the camp bearing his reproach. When that faithfulremnant assembled together, and renewed the covenant at Lanerk 1666, hisconscience summoned him out to join them in that particularcircumstance, which being known and he threatened for such an action, heresolved to follow these persecuted people, and so kept with them inarms till their defeat upon the 28th of Nov. At Pentland hills, at whichfight he behaved with great courage and resolution. He fought till hewas so wounded, that he was stript for dead among the slain, and yetsuch was the providence of God, that (having more work for him toaccomplish) he was preserved. He had espoused Christ's cause by deliberate choice, and was indeed ofan excellent spirit; and, as Solomon says, _more excellent than hisneighbour_. His natural temper was likewise noble and generous: As hewas travelling through a muir on a snowy day, one of his old neighbours(who was seeking sheep) met him, and cried out, "O Hardhill, are you yetalive! I was told, you was going in a pilgrim's habit, and that yourburns were begging, and yet I see you look as well as ever. " Then takingout a six-dollar, he offered it to him. John, seeing this, took out aducat, and offered it to him, saying, "I will have none of yours, butwill give you if you please; for you may see that nothing is wanting tohim that fears the Lord, and I would never have thought that you(calling him by his name) would have gone so far with the enemies ofGod, as to sell your conscience to save your gear, &c. Take warning, H. Go home and mourn for that, and all your other sins, before God; for, if mercy do not prevent, you will certainly perish. " The poor manthanked him, put up his money, and went home. After this remarkable escape he returned home, where probably hecontinued (not without enduring many hardships) till the year 1670, thatby his fame for courage, wisdom and resolution among the sufferers, whenthat party who were assembled near Loudon-hill to hear the gospel, June1st, came in view of an engagement with Claverhouse (who attacked themthat day at Drumclog), Hardhill, not being present, was sent for by oneWoodborn in the mains of Loudon, to come in all haste to theirassistance. But before they got half-way they heard the platoons of theengagement, and yet they rode with such alacrity, that they just came upas the firing was over. Upon their approach, Hardhill (for so he wascommonly called) cried to them to jump the ditch, and get over upon theenemy sword in hand. Which they did with so great resolution andsuccess, that in a little they obtained a complete victory over theenemy, wherein Hardhill had a share, by his vigorous activity in thelatter end of that skirmish. The suffering party, knowing now that they were fully exposed to therage and resentment of their bloody persecuting foes, resolved to abidetogether. And for that purpose sent a party to Glasgow in pursuit of theenemy, among whom Hardhill was one. After which he continued with themand was of no small advantage to the honest party, till that fatal dayJune 22d, that they fled and fell before the enemy at Bothwel-bridge. Here, says Wodrow, he was a captain, if I mistake not. And being sentwith his party along with those who defended the bridge, he fought withgreat gallantry, and stood as long as any man would stand by him, andthen made his retreat just in time, and through the goodness of God, heescaped from their hands at this time also. After Bothwel, he was denounced a rebel, and a large reward offered tosuch as could apprehend him. At which time the enemy seized all that hehad, stripped his wife and four children of all, turning them out ofdoors, whereby he was reduced as one of those mentioned Hebrews xi. 38. _They wandered about in desarts and in mountains, and in dens and cavesof the earth_, &c. Thus he lived for near the space of five years, suffering all manner of hardships, not accepting deliverance, that hemight preserve to himself the free enjoyment of the gospel, faithfullypreached in the fields. And being a man of a public spirit, a greatobserver of fellowship meetings (alas, a duty now too much neglected!)and very staunch upon points of testimony, and become very popular amongthe more faithful part of our sufferers, and was by them often employedas one of their commissioners to their general meetings, which they haderected some years before this, that they might the better understandthe mind of one another in carrying on a testimony in that broken state. One thing very remarkable was--The Sabbath night (being that day eightdays before he was taken) as he and four more were travelling, it beingvery dark, no wind, but a thick small rain: no moon, for that was nother season; behold, suddenly the clouds clave asunder, toward east andwest, over their heads, and a light sprang out beyond that of the sun, which lasted above the space of two minutes. They heard a noise, andwere much amazed, saying one to another, What may that mean? but hespoke none, only uttering three deep groans, one of them asked him, Whatit might mean? He said, "We know not well at present, but within alittle we shall know better: yet we have a _more sure word of prophecy_, unto which we would do well to take heed:" And then he groaned again, saying, "As for me, I am ready to live or to die for him, as he in hisprovidence shall call me to it, and bear me through in it; and althoughI have suffered much from prelates and false friends these 21 years, yetnow I would not for a thousand worlds I had done otherwise; and if theLord spare me, I will be more zealous for his precious truths, and ifnot, I am ready to seal his cause with my blood; for I have longed forit these 16 years, and it may be I will ere long get it to do. Welcomebe his will, and if he will help me through with it, I shall praise himto all eternity. " Which made them all wonder, he being a very reservedman; for although he was a strict observer of the Sabbath, a greatexaminer of the scripture, and a great wrestler in prayer, yet he was soreserved as to his own case and soul's concernment, that few knew how itwas with him as to that, until he came to prison. All this and more could not escape the knowledge of the managers, as isevident from Earlston's answers before the council 1683, and we findthat one of the articles that John Richmond suffered for, at the crossof Glasgow, March 19th 1684, was his being in company with John Nisbet. This made the search after him and other sufferers more desperate. Whereupon in the month of November 1683, having retired amongst otherof his lurking places, unto a certain house called Midland, in theparish of Fenwick, where were assembled for prayer and other religiousexercises (on a Saturday's night) other three of his faithful brethren, _viz. _ Peter Gemmel, a younger brother of the house of Horse-hill in thesame parish, George Woodburn, a brother of the Woodburns in the Muirs ofLoudon, and one John Fergushill from Tarbolton. Upon notice thatlieutenant Nisbet, and a party of col. Buchan's dragoons were out inquest of the wanderers (as they were sometimes called) they resolved onthe Sabbath morning to depart. But old John Fergushill, not being ableto go by reason of some infirmities, they were obliged to return backwith him, after they had gone a little way from the house; and were, thesame day, apprehended. The way and manner of which, with his answersboth at Ayr, and before the council at Edinburgh, as they stand in anold manuscript given under his own hand, while he was their prisoner, isas follows: "First when the enemy came within sight of the house, we seeing no wayof escape, John Fergushill went to the far end of the house, and theother two and I followed. And ere we were well at the far end of thehouse, some of the enemy were in the house. And then in a little afterthey came and put in their horses, and went to and fro in the house formore than an hour, and we four still at the far end of the house; And weresolved with one another to keep close till they should come just onus; and if it should have pleased the Lord to have hid us there, weresolved not to have owned them; but if they found us out, we thought tofight, saying one to another, It was death at length. They got all outof the house, and had their horses drawn forth. But in a little timecame back[216], tittling one to another, and at last cried for a candleto search the house with; and came within a yard of us with a lightburning in their hand. According to our former resolution, we didresist them, having only three shot; and one of them misgiving, and theyfired above twenty-four shot at us, and when we had nothing else, weclubbed our guns, till two of them were quite broke, and then went ingrips with some of them; and when they saw they could not prevail, theycried, All to go out and fire the house. Upon which we went out afterthem, and I received six wounds in the going out. After which, theygetting notice what I was, some of themselves cried out to spare mylife, for the council had offered 3000 merks for me. So they brought metowards the end of the yard, and tied my hands behind my back, (havingshot the other three to death). He that commanded them, scoffingly askedme, What I thought of my self now? I smiled and said, I had fullcontentment with my lot, but thought that I was at a loss that I was yetin time and my brethren in eternity. At which he swore he had reservedmy life for a farther judgment to me. When we were going towardsKilmarnock; he (the lieutenant, who was a cousin of his own) called forme, and he and I went before the rest, and discoursed soberly aboutseveral things. I was free in telling him what I held to be sin, andwhat I held to be duty; and when we came to Kilmarnock tolbooth, hecaused slack my arms a-little, and inquired if I desired my woundsdressed: and at the desire of some friends in the town, he caused bringin straw and some cloaths for my brother John Gemmel[217] and me to lieupon, but would not suffer us to cast off our cloaths. On Monday, onthe way to Ayr, he raged against me, and said that I had the blood ofthe three men on my head that were killed yesterday; and that I wasguilty of all, and the cause of all the troubles that were come on thepoor barony of Cunningham first and last. But when we came near thetown, he called me out from the rest, and soberly asked me, What heshould say to the superior officers in my behalf? I told him, That ifthe Lord would keep me from wronging truth, I was at a point already inwhat he put me to, as to suffering. When we first entered the tolboothof Ayr, there came two and asked some things at me, but they were tolittle purpose. Then I was taken out with a guard and brought beforeBuchan. He asked me, _1st_, If I was at that conventicle? I told him, Ilooked upon it as my duty. _2dly_, How many armed were there? I toldhim, I went to hear the gospel preached, and not to take up the accountof what men were there. _3dly_, Where away went they, &c. ? I told himit was more than I could tell. _4thly_, Do you own the king? I told him, while he owned the way and work of God, I thought myself bound both toown and fight for him, but when he quitted the way of God, I thought Iwas obliged to quit him. _5thly_, Will ye own the duke of York as king?I told him, I would not; for it was both against my principles and thelaws of the nation. _6thly_, Was you clear to join with Argyle? I said, No. He held me long, and spoke of many things. We had the mustersthrough hands, popery, prelacy, presbyterianism, malignants, defensiveand offensive arms, there being none in the room but him and I. Ithought it remarkable, that all the time from sabbath and to thispresent, I had and have as much peace and quietness of my mind, as everin my life. O help me to praise him! for he alone did it. Now, my dearfriends and acquaintance, cease not to pray for me while I am in thebody, for I may say I fear nothing, but that, thro' weakness, I wrongtruth. And my last advice is, that ye be more diligent in followingChristian duties. Alas! that I was not more sincere, zealous and forwardfor his work and cause in my day. --Cease to be jealous one of another, and only let self-examination be more studied, and this, through hisblessing, shall open a door to more of a Christian soul-exercise; andmore of a soul-exercise, through his blessing, would keep away vainjangling, that does no way profit, but gives way to Satan and histemptations, &c. "When I came to Edinburgh, I was the first night kept in the guard. Thenext night I was brought into their council-house, where were presentDrummond (_viz. _ Perth) Linlithgow and one Paterson, together with someothers. They first said to me, that they looked upon me as oneacquainted with all that was done amongst these rebellious persons, therefore the lords of his majesty's privy council would take it as agreat favour that I would be free in telling them what I knew, thatmight most conduce to the peace and security of the nation. I told them, That when I came to particulars, I should speak nothing but truth, for Iwas more afraid to lie than to die, but I hoped they would be so muchchristians as not to bid me tell any thing that would burden myconscience. Then they began thus: (1. ) What did ye in your meetings? Itold them, We only sung a part of a psalm, read a part of the scripture, and prayed time about. (2. ) Why call ye them fellowship andsociety-meetings? _A. _ I wonder why you ask such questions, for thesemeetings were called so when our church was in her power. (3. ) Werethere any such meetings at that time? _A. _ There were in some places ofthe land. (4. ) Did the ministers of the place meet with them in these?_A. _ Sometimes they did, and sometimes they did not. (5. ) What mean youby your general meeting, and what do you do at them? While I wasthinking what to answer, one of themselves told them more distinctlythan I could have done, and jeeringly said, looking to me, When theyhave done, then they distribute their collections. I held my peace allthe time. (6. ) Where keep ye these meetings? _A. _ In the wildest muirswe can think off. (7. ) Will ye own the king's authority? _A. _ No. (8. )What is your reason? you own the scriptures and your own confession offaith? _A. _ That I do with all my heart. (9. ) Why do ye not own theking's authority (naming several passages of scripture, and that in the23d chapter of the confession)? _A. _ There is a vast difference, for hebeing a Roman catholic, and I being not only brought up in thepresbyterian principles from my youth, but also sworn against popery. (10. ) What is that to you though he be popish, he is not bidding you bea papist, nor hindring you to live in your own religion? _A. _ Thecontrary does appear, for we have not liberty to hear agospel-preaching, but we are taken, killed and put to the hardest ofsufferings. They said, It was not so, for we might have the gospel, ifour wild principles would suffer us to hear it. I said, They might sayso, but the contrary was well known through the land, for ye banishedaway our faithful ministers, and thrust in such as live rather likeprofligates than like ministers; so that poor things neither can nordare join with them. (11. ) Are ye clear to join with Argyle? _A. _ No. Then one of them said, Ye will have no king but Mr. James Renwick; andasked, If I conversed with any other minister upon the field than Mr. Renwick? I told them, I conversed with no other:----And a number ofother things that were to little purpose. "Sirs, this is a true hint of any material thing that passed betwixtthem and me. As for their drinking of healths, never one of them spokeof it to me, neither did ever any of them bid me pray for their king;but they said, That they knew I was that much of a christian, that Iwould pray for all men. I told them, I was bound to pray for all; butprayer being instituted by a holy God, who was the hearer of prayer, nochristian could pray when every profligate did bid them, and it was noadvantage to their cause to suffer such a thing. "How it may be afterwards with me, I cannot positively say, for he is afree Sovereign, and may come and go as he pleaseth. But this I say andcan affirm, that he has not quarreled with me since I was prisoner; buthas always waited on to supply me with all consolation and strength, asmy necessity required; and now when I cannot lay down my own head norlift it without help, yet of all the cases that ever I was, I had nevermore contentment. I can now give the cross of Christ a noblecommendation. It was always sweet and pleasant, but never so sweet andpleasant as now. Under all my wanderings, and all my toilings, a prisonwas still so terrifying to me, that I could never have been so sure as Iwould have been. But immediately at my taking, he so shined on me, andever since that, he and his cross are to me far beyond whatever he wasbefore. Therefore let none scare or stand at a distance from their dutyfor fear of the cross, for now I can say from experience, that it is aseasy, yea, and more sweet, to ly in prison in irons, than it is to be atliberty. But I must forbear at present. " Upon the 26th, he was ordered by the council to be prosecuted before thejusticiary. Accordingly on the 30th he was before the justiciary, andarraigned, his own confession being the only proof against him, whichruns thus, "John Nisbet of Hardhill, prisoner, confesses, when examinedbefore the council, That he was at Drumclog, had arms, and made use ofthem against the king's forces; and that he was at Glasgow; and that hewas at a field meeting within these two months, betwixt Eglesham andKilbride; &c. " The which being read, he adhered to, but refused tosubscribe it. The assize brought him in guilty, and the lords sentencedhim to be hanged at the grass-market, Dec. 4th, betwixt two and four inthe afternoon, and his lands, goods and gear to be forfeited to theking's use. It was inserted by the council in his confession, That the reason why hecould not join with Argyle was, that one Cleland told him, that Argyleand his party were against all kingly government. Mr. Wodrow thinks thisfalse, and that it was only foisted in by the clerk of the council, itnot being the first time that things of this nature had been done bythem. But he behoves to have been in a mistake here, for in one ofHardhill's papers, in manuscript, left behind him in way of testimony, he gives this as the first reason for his not joining with Argyle, andthe second was to the same purpose with what Mr. Wodrow has observed, _viz. _ because the societies could not espouse his declaration, as thestate of the quarrel was not concerted according to the ancient plea ofthe Scottish covenanters, and because it opened a door to a sinfulconfederacy. His sentence was accordingly executed, and he appeared upon the scaffoldwith a great deal of courage and christian composure, and died in muchassurance, and with a joy which none of his persecutors couldintermeddle with. It was affirmed by some, who were present at hisexecution, that the scaffold or gibbet gave way and came down, whichmade some present flatter themselves, that by some laws in being, he hadwon his life (as they used to say in such cases). But behold adisappointment here, for he behoved not to escape so (for to this end hewas born). Immediately all was reared up, and the martyr executed. In his last testimony, which is inserted in the cloud of witnesses, after a recital of many choice scripture texts, which had beencomforting and strengthening to him in the house of his pilgrimage, hecomes among other things in point of testimony, to say, "Now, my dearfriends in Christ, I have alway since the public resolutioners were forbringing in the malignants, and their interest, thought it my duty tojoin with the Lord's people, in witnessing against these sinful courses, and now see clearly that it has ended in nothing less than the making uscaptains, that we may return to Egypt by the open doors, that are madewide to bring in popery, and set up idolatry in the Lord's covenantedland, to defile it. Wherefore it is the unquestionable and indispensibleduty of all who have any love to God and to his son Jesus Christ, towitness faithfully, constantly and conscientiously against all that theenemies have done or are doing to the overthrow of the glorious work ofreformation, and banishing Christ out of these lands, by robbing him ofhis crown rights. ----And however it be, that many, both ministers andprofessors, are turning their back upon Christ and his cause, reproaching and casting dirt upon you and the testimony of the day. Yetlet not this weaken your hands, for I assure you it will not be long tothe fourth watch, and then he will come in garments dyed in blood, toraise up saviours in mount Zion, and to judge the mount of Esau; andthen the cause of Jacob and Joseph shall be for fire, and themalignants, prelates and papists, shall be for stubble; the flamethereof shall be great: But my generation work being done with my time, I go to him who loved me, and washed me from all my sins. " Then he goes on declaring, that he adhered to the scripture, confessionof faith, catechisms larger and shorter, and all the pieces ofreformation attained to in Scotland from 1638, to 1649, with all theprotestations, declarations, &c. Given by the faithful since thattime; owns all their appearances in arms, at Pentland, Drumclog, Bothwel, Airs-moss, &c. Against God's stated enemies, and the enemiesof the gospel, and kingly government, as appointed and emitted in theword of God, they entering covenant ways and with covenantqualifications. And withal adds, "But I am persuaded, Scotland'scovenanted God will cut off the name of Stuart, because they have statedthemselves against religion, reformation, and the thriving of Christ'skingdom and kingly government in these lands; and although men idolizethem so much now, yet ere long there shall none of them be to tyrannizein covenanted Britain any more. " Then he proceeds in protesting against popery, prelacy, the granters andaccepters of the indulgence, and exhorting the people of God to forbearcontention and censuring one another; to keep up their sweet fellowshipand society-meetings, with which he had been much comforted:----Andconcludes, bidding farewel to all his dear fellow-sufferers, to hischildren, christian friends, sweet Bible, and to his wanderings, andcontendings for truth. Welcomes death, the city of his God, the blessedcompany of angels, and the spirits of just men; but above all, theFather, Son, and Holy Ghost;----Into whose hands he commits his spirit. Amen. After he wrote his last speech, he was taken out immediately to thecouncil, and from that to the place of execution. All the way thither hehad his eyes lifted up to heaven. He seemed to rejoice, and his faceshined visibly. He spoke but little till he came to the scaffold. Whenhe came there, he jumped upon it and cried out, "My soul doth magnifythe Lord, my soul doth magnify the Lord. I have longed these 16 years toseal the precious cause and interest of precious Christ with my blood, who hath answered and granted my request, and has left me no more to dobut to come here and pour out my last prayer, --sing forth my lastpraises of him in time on this sweet and desirable scaffold, mount thatladder, and then I shall get home to my father's house, see, enjoy, serve and sing forth the praises of my glorious Redeemer for ever, worldwithout end. " Then he resumed the heads of his last testimony to thetruth, and enlarged on what he owned and disowned, but the drums beingbeat, little could be heard. Only with difficulty he was heard to say, "The covenanted God of Scotland hath a dreadful storm of wrath provided, which he will surely pour out suddenly and unexpectedly, like athunderbolt, upon these covenanted lands, for their perfidy, treachery, and apostacy, and then men shall say, they have got well away that got ascaffold for Christ. " He exhorted all to "make use of Christ for ahiding place; for blood, blood, shall be the judgment of these lands. "He sang the first six verses of the 34th psalm, and read the 8th of theRomans, and prayed divinely with great presence of mind and very loud. Then went up the ladder rejoicing and praising the Lord, which allevidently saw: And so ended the race which he had run with faith andpatience upon the 4th of Dec. 1685, in the 58th year of his age. He was a man of strong memory, good judgment, and much given toself-denial. It is said of him, that, under his hidings in a cave, nearor about his own house, he wrote out all the new testament; whichprobably (according to some accounts) might be a transcription of an oldcopy, which one of his ancestors is said to have copied out in the timeof popery, when the scriptures were not permitted to be read in thevulgar language. Hardhill was always a man very particular upon the testimony of the day, which made some compliers censure him as one too harsh and rugged inpoint of principle; but this must be altogether groundless. For in oneof the forementioned manuscripts, he lets fall these words, "Now as formisreports, that were so much spread of me, I declare, as a dying persongoing out of time to eternity, that the Lord never suffered me in theleast to incline to follow any of those persons who were drawn away tofollow erroneous principles. Only I thought it still my duty, to betender of them, as they had souls, wondring always wherefore I was rightin any measure, and they got leave to fall in such a manner. I couldnever endure to hear one creature rail and cry out against another, knowing we are all alike by nature. " And afterwards when speaking ofArgyle's declaration, he farther says, "Let all beware of refusing tojoin with ministers or professors, upon account of personal infirmities, which is ready to raise prejudice among persons. But it shall be found awalking contrary to the word of God, and so contrary to God himself, tojoin either with ministers or professors, that hold it lawful to meddlewith sinful things; for the holy scriptures allow of no such thing. Heis a holy God, and all that name the name of God must depart from evil. " There were also twenty-six steps of defection drawn up by him (yet inmanuscript) wherein he is most explicit in proving from clear scriptureproofs the sinfulness of the land's apostacy from God, both nationallyand personally, from the public resolutions to the time of his death inthe year 1685. He was by some thought too severe in his design ofkilling the prisoners at Drumclog. But in this he was not altogether toblame, for the enemies word was No quarters, and the sufferers were thesame; and we find it grieved Mr. Hamilton very much, when he beheld someof them spared, after the Lord had delivered them into their hand. _Happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us_, &c. Psalm cxxxvii. 8. Yea Hardhill himself seems to have had clear groundsand motives for this, in one of the above mentioned steps of defection, with which we shall conclude this narrative. "_Fifteenthly_, As there has been rash, envious and carnal executing ofjustice on his and the church's enemies, so he has also been provoked toreject, cast off, and take the power out of his people's hand, for beingso sparing of them, when he brought forth and gave a commission toexecute on them that vengeance due unto them, as it is Psalm cxlix. 9For as justice ought to be executed in such and such a way and manner asaforesaid; so it ought to be fully executed without sparing, as is clearfrom Joshua vii. 24. &c. For sparing the life of the enemy, andfleeing upon the spoil, 1 Sam. Xv. 18. Saul is sharply rebuked, andthough he excused himself, yet for that very thing he is rejected frombeing king. Let the practice of Drumclog be remembered and mourned for. If there was not a deep ignorance, reason might teach this; for whatmaster, having servants and putting them to do his work, would take sucha flight at his servants hands, as to do a part of his work, and comeand say to the master, That it is not needful to do the rest; when thenot doing of it would be dishonourable to the master, and hurtful to thewhole family. Therefore was the wrath of the Lord against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his inheritance, and hiding his face from hispeople, making them afraid at the shaking of a leaf, and to flee whennone pursueth, being a scorn and a hissing to enemies and fear to somewho desire to befriend his cause. And, O lay to heart and mourn for whathas been done to provoke him to anger, in not seeking the truth toexecute judgment, and therefore he has not pardoned. _Behold! for youriniquities have you sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is yourmother put away_, Isa. L. 1. ; &c. " _The Life of Mr. ALEXANDER PEDEN. _ Mr. Alexander Peden was born in the parish of Sorn in the shire of Air. After he had past his courses of learning at the university, he was, forsome time, employed to be schoolmaster, precentor and session clerk toMr. John Guthrie, minister of the gospel then at Tarbolton[218]. When hewas about to enter into the ministry, he was accused by a young woman, as being the father of a child, which she was with. But of thisaspersion he was fully cleared, by the confession of the real father. The woman, after suffering many calamities, put an end to her own life, in the very same place where Mr. Peden had spent 24 hours seeking thedivine direction, while he was embarrassed with that affair. A little before the restoration, he was settled minister at New Glenlucein Galloway, where he continued for about the space of three years, until he was among others thrust out by the violence and tyranny ofthese times. When he was about to depart from that parish, he lecturedupon Acts xx. From the seventh verse to the end, and preached in theforenoon from these words in the 31st verse, _Therefore watch, andremember, that for the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyman_, &c. Asserting that he had declared unto them the whole counsel ofGod, and had kept back nothing, professing he was free from the blood ofall souls. In the afternoon, he preached from the 32d verse, _And now, brethren, I commend you to the word of his grace_, &c. Which occasioneda weeping day in that church. He many times requested them to be silent, but they sorrowed most of all when he told them, they should never seehis face in that pulpit again. He continued till night, and when heclosed the pulpit door, he knocked three times very hard on it, with hisBible, saying three times over, I arrest thee, in my Master's name, thatnone ever, enter thee, but such as come in by the door, as I have done. Accordingly never did curate or indulged enter that pulpit, until therevolution, that one of the presbyterian persuasion opened it. About the beginning of the year 1666, a proclamation was emitted by thecouncil against him (and several of the ejected ministers); wherein hewas charged with holding conventicles, preaching and baptizing childrenat the Ralstoun in Kilmarnock parish in October last, and another inCastlehill in Craigy parish, where he baptized 25 children. But upon hisnon-appearance at this citation, he was next year declared a rebel, andforfeited in both life and fortune. [219] After this, he joined with that faithful party, which, in the same year, was broke at Pentland hills; and with them he came the length of Clyde, where he had a melancholy view of their end, and parted with them there. Afterward, when one of his friends said to him, Sir, You did well thatleft them, seeing you was persuaded that they would fall and flee beforethe enemy, he was offended, and said, Glory, glory to God, that he sentme not to hell immediately, for I should have stayed with them, though Ishould have been all cut in pieces. In the same year he met with a very remarkable deliverance. For he, Mr. Welch and the laird of Gler-over, riding together, they met a party ofthe enemy's horse whom there was no evading. The laird fainted, fearingthey should be taken. Mr. Peden, seeing this, said, Keep up your courageand confidence, for God hath laid an arrest on these men, that theyshall do us no harm. When they met, they were courteous, and asked theway. Mr. Peden went off the way, and shewed them the ford of the waterof Titt. When he returned, the laird said, Why did you go? you mighthave let the lad go with them. No, said he, they might have askedquestions of the lad, which might have discovered us; but as for me, Iknew they would be like Egyptian dogs; they could not move a tongueagainst me, my time not being yet come, &c. He passed his time sometimes in Scotland and sometimes in Ireland[220], until June 1673, that he was by Major Cockburn taken in the house ofHugh Ferguson of Knockdew in Carrick, who constrained him to stay allnight. Mr. Peden told them it would be a dear night's quarters to themboth, accordingly they were both carried prisoners to Edinburgh. Therethe said Hugh was fined in 1000 merks for reset, harbour and conversewith him. Some time after his examination he was sent prisoner to thebass one sabbath morning. Being about the public worship of God, a younggirl, about the age of fourteen years, came to the chamber door mockingwith loud laughter. He said, Poor thing, thou laughest and mockest atthe worship of God, but ere long God shall write such a sudden andsurprising judgment on thee, that shall stay thy laughing &c. Veryshortly after that, as she was walking on the rock, a blast of windswept her off to the sea, where she was lost. Another day as he was walking on the rock, some soldiers were passingby, and one of them cried, the devil take him. He said, Fy, fy! poorman, thou knowest not what thou art saying; but thou shalt repent that. At which he stood astonished, and went to the guard distracted, cryingout for Mr. Peden, saying, The devil would immediately come and take himaway. Mr. Peden came, and spoke to and prayed for him, and next morningcame to him again and found him in his right mind, under deepconvictions of great guilt. The guard being to change, they commandedhim to his arms, but he refused; and said, He would lift no arms againstJesus Christ, his cause and people; I have done that too long. Thegovernor threatened him with death to-morrow by ten o-clock. Heconfidently said, three times over, That though he should tear him inpieces, he should never lift arms that way. About three days after, thegovernor put him forth of the garrison, letting him ashore. And he, having a wife and children, took a house in East Lothian, where hebecame a singular christian. He was brought from the Bass to Edinburgh, and sentence of banishmentparted upon him in Dec. 1678 with other 60 prisoners for the same cause, to go to America, never to be seen again in Scotland, under pain ofdeath. After this sentence was past, he often said, That that ship wasnot yet built that should take him or these prisoners to Virginia, orany other of the English plantations in America. When they were onship-board in the road of Leith, there was a report that the enemieswere to send down thumbkins to keep them in order; on which they weremuch discouraged. He went above deck and said, Why are ye sodiscouraged; you need not fear, there will neither thumbkins norbootkins come here; lift up your hearts, for the day of your redemptiondraweth near: If we were once at London, we will all be let at liberty, &c. In their voyage thither, they had the opportunity of commandingthe ship and escaping, but would not adventure upon it without hisadvice. He said, Let all alone, for the Lord will set all at liberty ina way more conducive to his own glory and our own safety. Accordinglywhen they arrived, the skipper who received them at Leith, being tocarry them no farther, delivered them to another to carry them toVirginia, to whom they were represented as thieves and robbers. But whenhe came to see them, and found they were all grave sober Christians, banished for presbyterian principles, he said, he would sail the seaswith none such. In this confusion, that the one skipper would notreceive them, and the other would keep them no longer for beingexpensive to him, they were set at liberty. Some, says the skipper, gotcompliments from friends in London. Others assure us, That they got offthrough means of the Lord Shaftesbury, who was always friendly to thepresbyterians. However it is certain that they were all liberated atGravesend, without any bond or imposition whatever. And in their wayhomeward the English showed them no small degrees of kindness. After they were set at liberty, Mr. Peden stayed in London and otherplaces of England until June 1670, that he came to Scotland, and thatdismal day, the 22d of that month, when the Lord's people fell and fledbefore their enemies at Bothwel-bridge, he was 40 miles distant (beingnear the border), where he kept himself retired until the middle of theday, that some friends said to him, Sir, the people are waiting forsermon, (it being the Lord's day). To whom he said, Let the people go totheir prayers; for me, I neither can nor will preach any this day; forour friends are fallen and fled before the enemy at Hamilton, and theyare hashing and hagging them down, and their blood is running down likewater. Shortly after this stroke at Bothwel-bridge, he went to Ireland, but didnot stay long at that time. For in the year 1630, being near Mauchlin inthe shire of Ayr, one Robert Brown, in Corsehouse in Loudon parish, andone Hugh Pinaneve, factor to the earl of Loudon, stabling their horsesin that house where he was, went to a fair in Mauchlin, and in theafternoon, when they came to take their horses, they got some drink; inthe taking of which the said Hugh broke out into railing against oursufferers, particularly against Mr. Cameron, who was lately, beforethat, slain at Airs-moss. Mr. Peden, being in another room overhearingall, was so grieved that he came to the chamber door and said to him, Sir, hold your peace; ere twelve o'clock you shall know what for a manMr. Cameron was: God shall punish that blasphemous mouth of yours insuch a manner, that you shall be set up for a beacon to all such railingRabshakehs. Robert Brown, knowing Mr. Peden, hastened to his horse, being persuaded that his word would not fall to the ground; and fearingalso that some mischief might befal him in the said Hugh's company, hehastened home to his own house, and the said Hugh to the earl's; andcasting off his boots, he was struck with a sudden sickness and painthrough his body, with his mouth wide open, and his tongue hanging outin a fearful manner. They sent for the said Robert to take some bloodfrom him, but all in vain; for he died before midnight. After this, in the year 1682, he married that singular christian JohnBrown, at his own house in Priesthall (in the parish of Moor-kirk inKyle) upon one Mabel Weir. After marriage, he said to the bride Mabel, You have got a good man to be your husband, but you will not enjoy himlong; prize his company, and keep linen by you to be his winding-sheet, for ye will need it when ye are not looking for it, and it will be abloody one. Which sadly came to pass in the beginning of May 1685. In the same year 1682, he went to Ireland again, and coming to the houseof William Steel in Glenwhary in the county of Antrim, he enquired atMrs. Steel, if she wanted a servant for threshing of victuals. She said, They did, and asked what his wages were a-day and a-week. He said, Thecommon rate was a common rule. To which she assented. At night he wasput to bed in the barn with the servant lad, and that night he spent inprayer and groaning. To-morrow he threshed with the lad, and the nextnight he spent in the same way. The second day the lad said to hismistress, This man sleeps none, but groans and prays all night; I canget no sleep with him; he threshes very well and not sparing himself, though I think he hath not been used to it, &c. ; and when I put thebarn in order, he goes to such a place and prays for the afflictedchurch of Scotland, and names so many people in the furnace, &c. Hewrought the second day; his mistress watched and overheard him praying, as the lad had said. At night she desired her husband to enquire if hewas a minister: which he did, and desired him to be free with him, andhe should not only be no enemy to him but a friend. Mr. Peden said, hewas not ashamed of his office, and gave an account of his circumstances. But he was no more set to work, or to lie with the lad. He staid someconsiderable time in that place, and was a blessed instrument in theconversion of some, and the civilizing of others, &c. There was aservant lass in that house, whom he could not look upon but with frowns;and at last he said to the said William Steel and his wife, Put heraway, for she will be a stain to your family; she is with child, andwill murder it, and will be punished for the same. Which accordinglycame to pass; for which she was burnt at Craigfergus; the usualpunishment of malefactor, in that country. In the year 1684, being in the house of John Slowan in the parish ofConert, in the same country of Antrim, about 10 o'clock at night sittingby the fireside, discoursing with some honest people, he started to hisfeet, and said, Flee off, Sandy, and hide yourself, for col ---- iscoming to this house to apprehend you, and I advise you all to do thelike, for they will be here within an hour. Which came to pass. Whenthey had made a most inquisitive search without and within the house, and went round the thorn bush where he was lying praying, they went offwithout their prey. He came in and said, And has this gentleman givenpoor Sandy such a fright, and other poor things, for this night's work, God shall give him such a blow within a few days, that all thephysicians on earth shall not be able to cure. Which likewise came topass; for he soon died in great misery, vermin issuing from all thepores of his body, with such a nauseous smell that none could enter theroom where he lay. At another time, when he was in the same parish, one David Cuningham, minister in the meeting-house there, one Sabbath day broke out into verybitter reflections upon Mr. Peden. One Mr. Vernon, one of Mr. Cuningham's elders, being much offended thereat, told Mr. Peden onMonday what he had said. Mr. Peden, taking a turn in his garden, cameback and charged him to go tell Mr. Cuningham from him, That beforeSaturday's night he should be as free of a meeting-house as he was. Which accordingly came to pass, for he got a charge that same week notto enter his meeting-house under pain of death. One time travelling alone in Ireland, being a dark mist, and nightapproaching, he was obliged to go to a house belonging to a quaker, where he begged the favour of his roof all night. The quaker said, Thouart a stranger, thou art very welcome, and shalt be kindly entertained, but I cannot wait upon thee, for I am going to the meeting. Mr. Pedensaid, I will go along. The quaker said, Thou mayest if thou pleasest, but thou must not trouble us. He said, I shall be civil. When they cameto the meeting (as their custom was) they sat for some time silent, somewith their faces to the wall, and some covered; and, there being a voidin the loft above, there came down the appearance of a raven, and sat onone man's head, who rose up and spoke with such vehemence, that the foamflew from his mouth. It went to a second, and he did so likewise. Mr. Peden, sitting next the landlord, said, Do you not see? You will notdeny yon afterward. He answered, Thou promised to be silent. From asecond it went to a third man's head, who did as the former two. Whenthey dismissed, on the way home, Mr. Peden said to his landlord, Ialways thought there was devilry amongst you, but I never thought thathe had appeared visibly till now I have seen it. O! for the Lord's sake, quit this way, and flee to the Lord Jesus, in whom there is redemptionthro' his blood, even the forgiveness of all your iniquities. The poorman fell a-weeping and said, I perceive that God hath sent you to myhouse, and put it in your heart to go along with me, and permitted thedevil to appear visibly among us this night. I never saw the likebefore; let me have the help of your prayers, for I resolve, through theLord's grace, to follow this way no longer. After this he became asingular Christian; and when dying, blessed the Lord that in mercy hesent the man of God to his house. Before he left Ireland, he preached in several places, particularly onetime near the forementioned Mr. Vernon's house in 1685, where he hadmade a most clear discovery of the many hardships his fellow-suffererswere then undergoing in Scotland; and of the death of king Charles, thenews of which came not to Ireland till twenty-four hours thereafter. After this he longed to be out of Ireland; what through the fearfulapprehension of that dismal rebellion that broke out there about fouryears after, and what from a desire he had to take part with thesufferings of Scotland. And before his departure from thence, hebaptised a child to one John Maxwel a Glasgow-man (who had fled overfrom the persecution) which was all the drink-money (as he expressed it)that he had to leave in Ireland. After he and twenty Scots sufferers came aboard, he went above deck, andprayed, (there not being then the least wind) where he made a rehearsalof times and places when and where the Lord had heard and helped them inthe day of their distress, and now they were in a great strait. Wavinghis hand to the west (from whence he desired the wind) he said, Lord, give us a loof-full of wind; fill the sails, Lord, and give us a freshgale, and let us have a swift and safe passage over to the bloody land, come of us what will. When he began to pray, the sails were hanging allstraight down, but ere he ended they were all blown full, and they got avery swift and safe passage over. In the morning, after they landed, helectured ere they parted on a brae side; in which he had some awfulthreatening against Scotland, saying, The time was coming, that theymight travel many miles in Galloway, Nithsdale, Ayr and Clydesdale, andnot see a reeking house or hear a cock crow; and further added, My soultrembles to think what will become of the indulged, backslidden andupsitten ministers of Scotland; as the Lord lives, none of them shallever be honoured to put a tight pin in the Lord's tabernacle nor assertChrist's kingly prerogative as Head and King of his church. After his arrival in Scotland, in the beginning of the year 1683, he metwith several remarkable deliverances from the enemy. One time fleeingfrom them on horseback, he was obliged to ride a water where he was ineminent danger. After he got out, he cried, Lads, do not follow me, forI assure you, ye want my boat, and so will drown; and consider whereyour landing will be, &c. --which affrighted them from entering thewater. At another time, being also hard pursued, he was forced to take abog and a moss before him. One of the dragoons, being more forward thanthe rest, run himself into that dangerous bog, where he and the horsewere never seen more. About this time he preached one Sabbath night in a sheep-house (thehazard of the time affording no better). That night he lectured uponAmos vii. 8. _And I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people thehouse of Israel, _ &c. On this lecture he said, I'll tell you goodnews--Our Lord will take a feather out of Antichrist's wing, which shallbring down the duke of York, and banish him out of these kingdoms----Andthere shall never a man of the house of Stuart sit upon the throne ofBritain after the duke of York, whose reign is now short; for theirlechery, treachery, tyranny, and shedding the precious blood of theLord's people. --But oh! black, black! will the days be that will comeupon Ireland! that they shall travel forty miles, and not see a reekinghouse or hear a cock crow, &c. When ended, he and those with him laydown in the sheep-house, and got some sleep; and early next morning wentup a burn-side and stayed long. When he came back, he sang the 32d psalmfrom the 7th verse to the end; and then repeated that verse, _Thou art my hiding-place, thou shalt from trouble keep me free; Thou with songs of deliverance about shalt compass me. _ Saying these and the following are sweet lines which I got at theburn-side this morning, and will get more to-morrow; and so will getdaily provision. ----He was never behind any who put their trust in him, and we will go on in his strength, making mention of his righteousness, and of his only. He met with another remarkable deliverance, for theenemy coming upon him, and some others, they were pursued by both horseand foot a considerable way. At last, getting some little height betweenthem and the enemy, he stood still and said, Let us pray here; for ifthe Lord hear not our prayers and save us, we are all dead men, &c. Then he began, saying, Lord, it is thy enemy's day, hour and power, theymay not be idle: But hast thou no other work for them, but to send themafter us? send them after them to whom thou wilt give strength to flee, for our strength is gone. Twine them about the hill, Lord, and cast thelap of thy cloke over old Sandy and their poor things, and save us thisone time; and we'll keep it in remembrance, and tell it to thecommendation of thy goodness, pity and compassion, what thou didst forus at such a time. And in this he was heard; for a cloud of mistinterveened immediately betwixt them; and in the mean time a post cameto the enemy to go in quest of Mr. Renwick and a great company with him. At this time it was seldom that Mr. Peden could be prevailed on topreach; frequently answering and advising people to pray much, saying, It was praying folk that would get through the storm; they would yet getpreaching, both meikle and good, but not much good of it, until judgmentwas poured out to lay the land desolate, &c. In the same year 1685, being in Carrick, John Clark of Muirbrook, beingwith him, said, Sir, what think ye of this time? Is it not a dark andmelancholy day? Can there be a more discouraging time than this? Hesaid, Yes, John, this is a dark discouraging time, but there will be adarker time than this; these silly graceless creatures the curates shallgo down, and after them shall arise a party called presbyterians, buthaving little more but the name, and these shall as really as Christ wascrucified without the gates of Jerusalem on mount Calvary bodily, I say, they shall as really crucify Christ in his cause and interest inScotland, and shall lay him in his grave, and his friends shall give himhis winding-sheet, and he shall ly as one buried for a considerabletime; O then, John, there shall be darkness and dark days, such as thepoor church of Scotland never saw the like, nor ever shall see if oncethey were over; yea, John, this shall be so dark that if a poor thingwould go between the east sea-bank and the west sea-bank, seeking aminister to whom they would communicate their case, or tell them themind of the Lord concerning the time, he shall not find one. John asked, Where the testimony should be then? He answered, In the hands of a few, who should be despised and undervalued of all[221], but especially bythese ministers who buried Christ; but after that he shall get up uponthem, and at the crack of his winding sheet as many of them as arealive, who were at his burial, shall be distracted and mad with fear, not knowing what to do; then, John, there shall be brave days such asthe church of Scotland never saw the like, but I shall not see them, butyou may. About this time as he was preaching in the day-time, in the parish ofGirvin, and being in the fields, one David Mason, then a professor, camein haste trampling upon the people, to be near him. At which he said, There comes the devil's rattle-bag; we do not want him here. After this, the said David became officer and informer in that bounds, runningthrough rattling and summoning the people to their unhappy courts fornon-conformity, at which he and his got the name of the devil'srattle-bag. ----Since the revolution, he complained to his minister, thathe and his family got that name. ----The minister said, Ye weel deservedit, and he was an honest man that gave you it; you and yours must enjoyit; there is no help for that. It is very remarkable, that being sick, and the landlord, where hestayed, being afraid to keep him in his house (the enemy being then insearch of hiding people), made him a bed among the standing corn; atwhich time a great rain fell out, insomuch that the waters were raised, and yet not one drop to be observed within ten feet of his bed, while helay in that field. Much about the same time he came to Garfield, in the parish of Mauchlin, to the house of one Matthew Hog (a smith to trade). He went to his barn, but thought himself not safe there, foot and horse of the enemysearching for wanderers (as they were then called). He desired thefavour of his loft, being an old waste house two story high. This herefused. He then said, Weel, weel, poor man, you will not let me havethe shelter of your roof, but that same house will be your judgment andruin yet. Some time after this, the gable of that house fell and killedboth him and his son. His last sermon was preached in the Collimwood at the water of Air, ashort time before his death. In the preface before this sermon, he said, There are four or five things I have to tell you this night; and the1_st_ is, A bloody sword, a bloody sword, a bloody sword for thee, OScotland, that shall pierce the hearts of many. 2_dly_, Many miles shallye travel and see nothing but desolation and ruinous wastes in thee, OScotland. 3_dly_, The fertilest places in Scotland shall be as waste asthe mountains. 4_thly_, The women with child shall be ript up anddashed in pieces. And 5_thly_, Many a conventicle has God had in thee, OScotland, but ere long God will make a conventicle that will makeScotland tremble. Many a preaching hath God bestowed on thee, but erelong God's judgment shall be as frequent as these precious meetingswere, wherein he sent forth his faithful servants to give faithfulwarning of the hazard of thy apostacy from God, in breaking, burning andburying his covenant, persecuting, slighting and contemning the gospel, shedding the precious blood of his saints and servants. God sent forth aWelwood, a Kid, a King, a Cameron, a Cargil and others to preach tothee, but ere long God shall preach to thee by fire and a bloody sword. God will let none of these mens words fall to the ground, that he sentforth with a commission to preach these things in his name, &c. In thesermon he further said, That a few years after his death there would bea wonderful alteration of affairs in Britain and Ireland, and Scotland'spersecution should cease; upon which every one would believe thedeliverance was come, and consequently would fall fatally secure; butyou will be all very far mistaken, for both England and Scotland will bescourged by foreigners, and a set of unhappy men in these lands takingpart with them, before any of you can pretend to be happy, or get athorough deliverance, which will be more severe chastisement than anyother they have met with, or can come under, if once that were over. After much wandering from place to place, through Kyle, Carrick andGalloway (his death drawing near), he came to his brother's house, inthe parish of the Sorn, where he was born, where he caused dig a cave, with a willow bush covering the mouth thereof, near to his brother'shouse. The enemy got notice, and searched the house narrowly severaltimes, but him they found not. While in this cave, he said to somefriends[222], 1_st_, That God would make Scotland a desolation. 2_nd_, There would be a remnant in the land, whom God would spare and hide, 3_dly_, They would be in holes and caves of the earth, and be suppliedwith meat and drink; and when they came out of their holes, they wouldnot have freedom to walk for stumbling on dead corpses. And 4_thly_, Astone cut out of the mountain would come down, and God would be avengedon the great ones of the earth, and the inhabitants of the land fortheir wickedness; and then the church would come forth with a bonnybairn-time at her back of young ones; and he wished that the Lord'speople might be hid in their caves as if they were not in the world, fornothing would do until God appeared with his judgments, &c. ; andwithal gave them this sign, That if he be but once buried, they might bein doubt, but if oftener than once, they might be persuaded that all hehad said would come to pass, and earnestly desired them to take hiscorpse out to Airs-moss, and bury him beside Richie (meaning Mr. RichardCameron) that he might have rest in his grave, for he had got littleduring his life. But he said, bury him where they would, he would belifted again; but the man that would first put hands to his corpse, fourthings would befal him, 1_st_, He would get a great fall from a house. 2_dly_, He would fall in adultery. 3_dly_, In theft, and for that heshould leave the land. 4_thly_, Make a melancholy end abroad for murder. All which came to pass. This man was one Murdoch, a mason to trade, butthen in the military service, being the very first man who put hands tohis corpse. Mr. Peden had for some time been too credulous in believing theobliquous misrepresentations of some false brethren concerning Mr. JamesRenwick, whereby he was much alienated from him; which exceedinglygrieved Mr. Renwick, stumbled some of his followers, and confirmed someof his adversaries, who boasted that now Mr. Peden was turned hisenemy[223]. But now, when dying, he sent for him, who came to him in allhaste, and found him lying in very low circumstances. When Mr. Renwickcame in, he raised himself upon his elbow, with his head on his hand, and said, Are you the Mr. James Renwick there is so much noise about? Heanswered, Father, my name is James Renwick, but I have given the worldno ground to make any noise about me, for I have espoused no newprinciples or practices, but what our reformers and covenantersmaintained, &c. He caused him sit down and give him an account of hisconversion, principles and call to the ministry. All which Mr. Renwickdid in a most distinct manner. When ended, Mr. Peden said, Sir, You haveanswered me to my soul's satisfaction; I am very sorry that I shouldhave believed any such ill reports of you, which not only quenched mylove to, and marred my sympathy with you, but made me express myself sobitterly against you, for which I have sadly smarted. But, Sir, ere yougo, you must pray me, for I am old and going to leave the world. Whichhe did with more than ordinary enlargement. When ended, he took him bythe hand and drew him to him, and kissed him, saying, Sir, I find you afaithful servant to your Master; go on in a single dependence upon theLord, and ye will get honestly through, and clear off the stage, whenmany others who hold their heads high will ly in the mire and make foulhands and garments. And then prayed that the Lord might spirit, strengthen, support and comfort him in all duties and difficulties[224]. A little before his death he said, Ye will all be displeased where Iwill be buried at last, but I discharge you all to lift my corpse again. At last one morning early he left the cave and came to his brother'sdoor. His brother's wife said, Where are you going, the enemy will behere? He said, I know that. Alas! Sir (said she), what will become ofyou, ye must go back to the cave again. He said, I have done with that, for it is discovered; but there is no matter; for within forty-eighthours I will be beyond the reach of all the devil's temptations, and hisinstruments in hell and on earth, and they shall trouble me no more. About three hours after that he entered the house, the enemy came, foundhim not in the cave, searched the barn narrowly, casting the unthreshencorn, searched the house, stabbing the beds, but entered not into theplace where he lay. After a weary pilgrimage, within forty eight hourshe became an inhabitant of that land, where the weary are at rest, beingthen past sixty years of age. He was buried in the laird of Affleck's isle; but a troop of dragoonscame and lifted his corpse, and carried it[225] two miles, to Cumnockgallows-foot (after he had been forty days in the grave) where he liesburied beside other martyrs. Thus died Mr. Alexander Peden so much famed for his singular piety, zealand faithfulness, and indefatigableness in the duty of prayer; butespecially who exceeded all we have heard of in latter times, for thatgift of foreseeing and foretelling future events, both with respect tothe church and nation of Scotland and Ireland, and particular personsand families, several of which are already accomplished. A gentleman oflate, when speaking in his writings of Mr. Peden, says, Abundance ofthis good man's predictions are well known to be already come topass[226]. And although these things are now made to stoop or yield tothe force of ridicule and the sarcasms of the profane, and fashions ofan atheistical age and generation, yet we must believe and conclude withthe Spirit of God, that the secrets of the Lord both have been, are, andwill be with them who fear his name. There are some few of Mr. Peden's sermons in print, especially twopreached at Glenluce _anno_ 1682. The one from Matth. Xxi. 38. And theother from Luke xxiv. 21. ; which prophetical sermons, though in a homelystile, are of a most zealous and spiritual strain; now re-printed in alate collection of sermons. As for those papers handed about under Mr. Peden's name, anent Mr. James Renwick and his followers, they are, withgood reason, looked upon as altogether spurious. _The Life of Mr. JOHN BLACKADDER. _ Mr. John Blackadder was a lineal descendent, and the only representativeof the house of Tullialen. After he had undergone his courses ofclassical learning, he was ordained minister of the gospel at Traquairnear Dumfries, where he continued faithfully to discharge the trustcommitted unto his charge, until he was with many others of his faithfulbrethren thrust out by that act commonly called, the drunken act ofGlasgow, in the year 1662. --At that time, a party came from Dumfries toseize him; but he was gone out of the way. But his wife and children (towhom the soldiers were extremely rude) were forced to retire toBarndennoch in Glencairn parish. But there he and his numerousfamily[227] met with further troubles: for in the year 1665, a party ofSir James Turner's men came in quest of him; but happily he and his wifewere at Edinburgh. However with great fury and terrible oaths andexecrations in the middle of the night they turned out the children fromtheir beds, caused one of them to hold the candle till they searched hisbook and papers, and took what they lifted. They stabbed the beds withtheir swords, and threatened to roast the children on the fire, andcaused one of them to run near half a mile in a dark night in his shirt. After this he went and preached in the fields, where he had numerousmeetings, particularly at the hill of Beeth in Fife in the year 1670. Hehad been before this, by the council's letter, put to the horn; andafter this, came west about the year 1675, and preached in the parish ofKilbride and other places. The same year being in the Cow-hill in Mr. Livingston parish, he went out in the evening (being in the month ofAugust) unto a retired place. When he came in again, he seemed somewhatmelancholy. Being asked by some friends, what was the reason? He said hewas afraid of a contagious mist that should go through the land in manyplaces that night, which might have sad effects, and death to follow;and as a mean he desired them to keep doors and windows as close aspossible, and notice where it stood thickest and longest: which theydid; which was upon a little town called the Craigs, wherein was but afew families; and within four months after that, thirty corpses went outof that place: great dearth and scarcity followed for three years spaceafter. Mr. Blackadder was in his judgment against the indulgence, andpreached sometimes with Mr. John Dickson, they being both of onesentiment. He continued under several hardships until the year 1678, that he went over to Mr. M'Ward in Holland. Having continued sometimethere, and then returned home, he was about Edinburgh in the time ofBothwel[228]; and, after that, was of no small use to the prisoners indissuading them from taking the bond, and other compliances; which hedid by letters. After he had endured a series of hardships, and surmounted a number ofdifficulties, he came to discharge his last public work at a moor side, at the new house in the parish of Livingston, March 28th, 1681. Helectured upon Micah iv. Chapter from the 9th verse, where he asserted, "That the nearer the delivery, our pains and showers would come thickerand sorer upon us; and that we had been in the fields; but ere we weredelivered, we would go down to Babylon; that either popery wouldoverspread the land, or else would be at the breaking in upon us, likean inundation of water. " He preached upon 1 Thess. Iii. 3. And, amongstother things desired people to take good heed what ministers they heard, and what advice they followed: and, praying, he said, he was as clearand willing to hold up the blest standard of the gospel, as ever, andblessed the Lord he was free of every bond and imposition; and said, "The Lord rebuke, give repentance and forgiveness to these ministers whopersuaded the poor prisoners to take the bond; for their perishing atsea was more shaking to him than some thousands of them that had beenslain in the fields. " He went to Edinburgh, and being got notice of bymajor Johnston, he was by him apprehended upon the 6th of Aprilfollowing, and brought first to general Dalziel, then to the guard, andthen before a committee of council, consisting of the chancellor, general, advocate, and bishop Paterson. The chancellor asked, if he hadexcommunicated the king, or was at Torwood? He answered, he was notthere these four years. Chan. But do ye approve of what was done there?Answ. I am not free to declare my inward sentiments of things andpersons; and therefore I humbly beg to be excused[229]: You may form alibel against me, and I shall endeavour to answer it as I can. Chan. Butwe hear you keep conventicles since the indemnity. Answ. I am a ministerof the gospel, though unworthy, and under the strictest obligation toexercise my ministry as I shall be answerable at the great day. I didand do full count it my duty to exercise my ministry as I am calledthereunto. Chan. But you have preached in the fields, that is to say, onmoors and hill sides. I shall not ask you, if ye have preached inhouses, though there is no liberty even for that. Answ. I place no caseof conscience, nor make any difference between preaching in houses andin the fields, but as it may best serve the conveniency of the hearers;nor know I any restriction as to either in the word. My commissionreaches to houses and fields, within and without doors. Chan. We doubt, you know and have seen the laws discharging such preaching. Answ. Ihave, and I am sorry that ever any laws were made against preaching thegospel. Chan. Not against the gospel, but against preachingrebellion--The chancellor asked, if he kept conventicles in Fife? whichhe did not deny. --He was carried to the guard. The council sat in theafternoon; but he was not again called before them; but without afarther hearing, was sentenced to go to the Bass. Accordingly, April7th, he was carried thither, when on the way, at Fisher's-row therehappened to be a gathering of people, the captain, apprehending it mightbe for his rescue, told Mr. Blackadder, if they attempted any thing ofthis kind, he would instantly shoot him through the head: He told thecaptain he knew nothing of any such design. He continued there, till the end of this year 1685, when he contracted arheumatism from the air of the place. A motion was made for hisliberation on bail on this account; but it never took effect; and so heentered into the joy of his Lord about the beginning of the year 1686and as the interest of Christ always lay near his heart through hislife, so amongst his last words he said, "The Lord would yet arise, anddefend his own cause in spite of all his enemies. " Thus died Mr. JohnBlackadder, a pious man, and a powerful preacher. There are several wellvouched instances of the Lord's countenancing his ministry, while in thefields, and of the remarkable success of his sermons, (which were not solow and flat but the pious learned might admire them, nor so learned butthe plainest capacity might understand them). In a word, he waspossessed of many singular virtues. His going through so many eminentdangers with such undaunted courage, was remarkable, and his love to Godand his church exemplary. I have only seen two of his many pathetick sermons, which are veryextensive upon the sufferings of Christ from Isa. Liii. 11. _He shallsee of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied_, &c--The readerwill find them in a small collection of sermons lately published. _The Life of Mr. JAMES RENWICK. _ Mr. James Renwick was born in the parish of Glencairn in Nithsdale, Feb. 15, 1662. His parents though not rich, yet were exemplary for piety. Hisfather Andrew Renwick (a weaver to trade) and his mother ElizabethCorsan, had several children before Mr. James, who died young; for whichwhen his mother was pouring forth her motherly grief, her husband usedto comfort her with declaring, that he was well satisfied to havechildren, whether they lived or died, young or old, providing they mightbe heirs of glory. But with this she could not attain to be satisfied, but had it for her exercise to seek a child from the Lord, that mightnot only be an heir of glory, but might live to serve him in hisgeneration: whereupon when Mr James was born, she took it as an answerof prayer, and reputed herself under manifold engagements to dedicatehim to the Lord, who satisfied her with very early evidences of hisaccepting that return of his own gift, and confirmed the same with veryremarkable appearances of his gracious dealings with the child. For, bythe time he was two years of age, he was observed to be aiming at prayereven in the cradle and about it, wherewith his mother conceived suchexpectations and hopes, that the Lord would be with him, and do good byhim, &c. So that all the reproaches he sustained, difficulties anddangers that afterwards he underwent, to his dying day, never moved herin the least, from the confidence that the Lord would carry him through, and off the stage in some honourable way for his own glory. His fatheralso, before his death, (which was Feb. 1, 1679. ) obtained the samepersuasion, that his time in the world would be but short, but that theLord would make some eminent use of him. After he had learned to read the Bible, about 6 years old, the Lord gavehim some sproutings of gracious preparations, training him in his way, exercising him with doubts and debates above childish apprehension, about the Maker of all things, how all things were made, and for whatend; and with strange suppositions of so many invisible worlds above andbeneath, with which he was transported into a train of musing, andcontinued in this exercise for about the space of two years, until he, by prayer and meditation on the history of the creation, came to athorough belief that God made all things, and that all which he made wasvery good. And yet after he came to more maturity, he relapsed to adeeper labyrinth of darkness about these foundation truths, and was soassaulted with temptations of atheism, that being in the fields andlooking to the mountains, he said, "If these were all devouring furnacesof burning brimstone, he would be content to go through them all, if sobe he could be assured there was a God. " Out of which he emerged throughgrace into the sweet serenity of a settled persuasion of the being of aGod, and of his interest in him. From his younger years he made much conscience of obeying his parents, whose order (if they had spoken of putting him to any trade) he would noway decline, yet his inclination was constant for his book, untilprovidence propitiously furnished him with means of greater proficiencyat Edinburgh, by many, who were so enamoured of his hopeful disposition, that they earnestly promoted his education; and when he was ready forthe university, they encouraged him in attending gentlemen's sons forthe improvement of their studies and his own both; which consorting ofyouths, as it is usually accompanied with various temptations toyouthful vanity, so it inticed him, with others, to spend too much ofhis time in gaming and recreations. Then it was, for no other part ofhis time can be instanced, when some, who knew him not (for these wereonly his traducers), took occasion from this extravagance, to reproachhim with profanity and flagitiousness, which his nature ever abhorred, and disdained the very suspicion thereof. When his time at the collegedrew near an end, he demonstrated such a tenderness of offending God, &c. That, upon his refusal of the oath of allegiance then tendered, hewas denied his share of the public solemnity of laureation with the restof the candidates; but received it privately at Edinburgh. After whichhe continued his studies, attending on the then private and persecutedmeetings for gospel-ordinances for a time. But upon a deplorable discovery of the unfaithfulness of the generality, even of non-conformist ministers, he was again for some time plunged inthe deeps of darkness; doubting what should be the end of suchbacksliding courses, until, upon a more inquisitive search after suchministers as were freest from these defections, he found more light, andhis knowledge of the iniquity of these courses was augmented and hiszeal increased. And being more confirmed, when he beheld how signallythe faithful ministers were owned of the Lord, and carried off the stagewith great stedfastness, faith and patience, especially after the deathof that faithful minister and martyr, Mr. Donald Cargil (at whoseexecution he was present July 27, 1681. ), he was so commoved, that hedetermined to embark with these witnesses in that cause for which theysuffered: and he was afterward so strengthened and established in thatresolution, getting instruction about these things in and from the word, so sealed with a strong hand upon his soul, that all the temptations, tribulations, oppositions and contradictions he met with from all handsto the day of his death, could never shake his mind to the least doubtconcerning them. Accordingly in this persuasion, upon grounds of scripture and reason, &c. In Oct. 1681, he came to a meeting with some of these faithfulwitnesses of Christ, and conferring about the testimonies of some othermartyrs lately executed (which he was very earnest always to gather andkeep on record), he refreshed them greatly by a discourse shewing howmuch he was grieved and offended with those who heard the curates, pleaded for cess-paying, and defended the owning of the tyrant'sauthority, &c. And how sad it was to him that none were giving aformal testimony against these things; and in the end, added, "That hewould think it a great ease to his mind, to know and be engaged with aremnant that would singly prosecute and propagate the testimony againstthe corruptions of the times to the succeeding generations, and woulddesire nothing more than to be helped to be serviceable to them. " At his very first coming amongst them, he could not but be taken noticeof; for, while some were speaking of removing of the bodies of themartyrs lately executed at the Gallowlee, Mr. Renwick was very forwardto promote it, and active to assist therein, and when the serious andsincere seekers of God who were interspersed up and down the land, andadhered to the testimony, as Messrs. Cameron and Cargil left it, towardsthe end of that year 1681, began to settle a correspondence in general, for preserving union, understanding one another's minds, and preventingdeclensions to right or left hand extremes. In the first of which (theduke of York holding a parliament at Edinburgh), they agreed uponemitting that declaration published at Lanerk Jan. 12, 1682, wherein Mr. Renwick was employed proclaiming it, but had no hand in the penningthereof, otherwise it might have been more considerately worded thanwhat it was; for, though he approved of the matter of it, yet he alwaysacknowledged there were some expressions therein somewhat unadvised. After publishing this declaration, the next general meeting, findingthemselves reproached and informed against both at home and abroad inforeign churches (as if they had fallen from the principles of thechurch of Scotland), thought it expedient to send the laird of Earlstounto the United Provinces to vindicate themselves from these reproaches, and to crave that sympathy which they could not obtain from their owncountrymen. Which at length, thro' mercy, proved so encouraging to them, that a door was opened to provide for a succession of faithfulministers, by sending some to be fitted for the work of the ministrythere. Accordingly Mr. Renwick, with some others, went thither. Hiscomrades were ready and sailed before, which made him impatiently hasteto follow. Yet, at his departure, to a comrade, he affirmed, "Thoughthey were gone before him, as they did not depart together, so he sawsomething should fall out, which should obstruct their coming hometogether also. " Which was verified by the falling off of Mr. Flint(however forward at that time) unto a contrary course of defection. When he went over, he was settled at the university of Groningen, wherehe plied his studies so hard, and with such proficiency, that (upon thenecessities of his friends in Scotland longing for his labours, and hisown ardent desire to be at the work) in a short time he was ready forordination. --To precipitate which, his dear friend Mr. Robert Hamilton, (who merited so much of those who reaped the benefit of Mr. Renwick'slabours afterward) applied to one Mr. Brakel, a godly Dutch minister, who was much delighted at first with the motion, and advised it shouldbe done at Embden; but this could not be obtained, because the principalman there who was to have the management of the affair was in hisjudgment Cocceian, &c. Whereupon Mr. Hamilton solicited the classes ofGroningen to undertake it; which they willingly promised to do; andcalling for the testimonial of Mr. Renwick and the rest who went over atthat time, Mr. Renwick's was produced (being providentially in readinesswhen the others were a-wanting) and though in a rude dress, wassustained. The classes being conveened, they were called in and had anopen harangue, wherein open testimony was given against all the formsand corruptions of their church: whereat they were so far from beingoffended, that after a solemn and serious consideration of their cause, they declared it was the Lord's cause, and cost what it would, thoughall the kings of the earth were against it, they would go through withit. They all three should have passed together, but upon somediscontents arising, the other two were retarded. It was the custom ofthe place, that every one that passes, must pay twenty guilders for theuse of the church, but they jointly declared that they would be at allthe charges themselves. But the next difficulty was, that being told it was impossible for anyto pass without subscribing their catechism, &c. And observing thattheir forms and corruptions are therein justified, Mr. Renwickresolutely answered, He would do no such thing, being engaged by solemncovenant to the contrary. This was like to spoil all, but at length theycondescended that he subscribe the confession and catechism of thechurch of Scotland, a practice never before heard of in that land; whichwas accepted. The day of ordination being come, Mr. Renwick was calledin a very respectful way. After spending some time in prayer, theexamination began, which lasted from ten in the morning, to two o'clockin the afternoon. Then His friends, who were attending in the church, were called in (amongstwhom was his honoured friend Mr. Hamilton, and another elder of thechurch of Scotland[230]), to be witness to the laying on of the hands;which, after the exhortation, they performed with prayer, the wholemeeting melting in tears; and thereafter he had a discourse to theclasses. With this solemnity the classes were so much affected, that atdinner (to which he and his friends were invited) the preses declaredthe great satisfaction all the brethren had in Mr. Renwick, that theythought the whole time he was before them, he was so filled with theSpirit of God, that his face seemed to shine, and that they had neverseen nor found so much of the Lord's Spirit accompanying any work asthat, &c. But no sooner were these difficulties over, than others of amore disagreeable aspect began to arise, which if they had appeared butone day sooner might have stopped the ordination, at least for a time. But the very next day, Mr. Brakel told them, That a formed libel wascoming from the Scottish ministers at Rotterdam, containing heavyaccusations against the poor society people in Scotland, &c. Whichthey behoved either to vindicate, or else the ordination must bestopped, but this being too late as to Mr. Renwick, it came to nothingat last. After his ordination, he had a most longing desire to improve his talentfor the poor persecuted people in Scotland, who were his brethren; andhaving received large testimonials of his ordination and learning(particularly in the Hebrew and Greek tongue) from the classes, andfinding a ship ready to sail, he embarked at the Brill; but waiting somedays upon a wind, he was so discouraged by some profane passengerspressing the king's health, &c. That he was forced to leave thatvessel, and take another bound for Ireland. A sea storm compelled themto put in to Rye harbour in England, about the time when there was somuch noise of the Rye-house plot, which created him no small danger;but, after many perils at sea, he arrived safe at Dublin, where he hadmany conflicts with the ministers there, anent their defections andindifference; and yet in such a gaining and gospel-way, that he leftconvictions on their spirits of his being a pious and zealous youth, which procured him a speedy passage to Scotland. In which passage he hadconsiderable dangers and a prospect of more, as not knowing how or wherehe should come to land, all ports being then so strictly observed, andthe skipper refusing to let him go till his name be given up. But yet atlast he was prevailed on to give him a cast to the shore, where he beganhis weary and uncertain wanderings (which continued with him till he wasapprehended) thro an unknown wilderness, amongst unknown people, itbeing some time before he could meet with any of the societies. In Sept. 1683, he commenced his ministerial work in Scotland, taking upthe testimony of the standard of Christ, where it was fixed, and hadfallen at the removal of the former witnesses Messrs. Cameron andCargil, which in the strength of his Master he undertook to prosecuteand maintain against opposition from all hands, which seemedinsupportable to sense and reason. In the midst of which difficulties, he was received by a poor persecutedpeople, who had lost all that worldly enjoyment they had, for the sakeof the gospel. His first public meeting was in a moss at Darmead, wherefor their information and his own vindication, he thought it expedientnot only to let them know how he was called to the ministry, and what headhered to, but besides to unbosom himself about the then puzzlingquestions of the time, particularly concerning ministers, defections, &c. --shewing, whom he could not join with, and his reasons for sodoing; and in the end told them, on what grounds he stood, and resolvedto stand upon; which he resolved (the Lord assisting him) to seal withhis blood. After this the father of lies began to spue out a flood of reproaches toswallow up and bury his name and work in contempt, which was verycredulously entertained and industriously spread, not only by profane, but even by many professors, &c. Some saying, he had excommunicatedall the ministers in Scotland, and some after they were dead; whereas heonly gave reasons why he could not keep communion with some in thepresent circumstances. Others said, That he was no presbyterian, andthat his design was only to propagate schism. But the truth was, he wasa professed witness against all the defections of presbyterians from anypart of their covenanted work of reformation, &c. Again, otherministers alleged he was sectarian, independent or anabaptist, or theyknew not what. But when he had sometimes occasion to be among them, inand about Newcastle and Northumberland[231], they were as much offendedas any, at his faithful freedom in discovering the evils of their way, and declared that they never met with such severe dealing from anypresbyterian before him. But the general out-cry was, that he had no mission at all. Othersslandering him, that he came only by chance, at a throw of the dice;with many other calumnies, refuted by the foregoing relation. On the other hand, some gave out that he and his followers maintainedthe murdering principles of the delirious and detestable blasphemies ofGib; all which shameless and senseless fictions he ever opposed andabhorred. Yea some ministers, more seemingly serious in their essays toprepossess the people against him, said, "That they had sought and gotthe mind of the Lord in it, that his labours should never profit thechurch of Scotland, nor any soul in it, &c. " assuring themselves hewould break, and bring to nothing, him and them that followed him ere itwere long; comparing them to Jannes and Jambres, who withstood Moses. All which reproaches he was remarkably supported under, and went on inhis Master's business, while he had any work for him to do. In the mean while, by the noise that went through the country concerninghim, the council got notice; and thereupon, being enraged at the reportof his preaching in the fields, they raised a hotter and more cruelpersecution against him than can be instanced ever to be against any oneman in the nation; nay, than ever the most notorious murderer waspursued with. For, having publicly proclaimed him a traitor, rebel, &c. , they proceeded to pursue his followers with all the rigour thathellish fury and malice could suggest or invent; and yet the more theyopposed, the more they grew and increased. In 1684, his difficulties from enemies, and discouragements from friendsopposite to him, and manifold vexations from all hands, began toincrease more and more; and yet all the while he would not intermit oneday's preaching, but was still incessant and undaunted in his work;which made the ministers inform against him, as if he had intruded uponother men's labours; alledging, that when another minister had appointedto preach in a place, he unexpectedly came and preached in the sameparish, and for that purpose instanced one time near Paisley; whereas hewent upon a call from severals in that bounds, without knowing thenwhether there was such a minister in that country. It is confessed, thathe hath sometimes taken the churches to preach in, when either theweather, instant hazard at the time, or respect to secresy or safety didexclude from every other place. But, could this be called intrusion, tocreep into the church for one night, when they could not stand, nordurst they be seen without. This year, in prosecution of a cruel information, the soldiers becamemore vigilant in their indefatigable diligence to seek and hunt afterhim; and from whom he had many remarkable deliverances: particularly inthe month of July, as he was going to a meeting, a country man, seeinghim wearied, gave him a horse for some miles to ride on, they weresurprized with lieutenant Dundass and a party of dragoons. The two menwith him were taken and pitifully wounded. He escaped their hands, andwent up Dungavel hill, but was so closely followed (they being so nearthat they fired at him all the time), that he was forced to leave thehorse (losing thereby his cloak-bag with many papers) and seeing noother refuge, he was fain to run, in their sight, towards a heap ofstones, where, for a little moment getting out of their sight, he founda hollow place into which he crept; and committing himself by earnestejaculation to God, in submission to live or die; and believing, that heshould yet be reserved for greater work, that part of scripture oftencoming into his mind, Psalm vi. 8. _Depart from me all ye workers ofiniquity_, together with these words, Psalm xci. 11. _For he shall givehis angels charge_, &c. In the mean time, the enemy searched up and downthe hill, yet were restrained from looking into that place where he was. Many such sore and desperate chaces he and those with him met; somecontinuing whole nights and days, without intermission, in the wildestplaces of the country, for many miles together, without so much as apossibility of escaping the sight of those who pursued them. This year Sept. 24. Letters of intercommuning were issued out againsthim, commanding all to give him no reset or supply, nor furnish him withmeat, drink, house, harbour or any thing useful to him; requiring allsheriffs &c. To apprehend and commit to prison his person, whereverthey could find him; by virtue of which the sufferers were reduced untoincredible straits, not only in being murdered, but by hunger, cold, harrassing, &c. In which perplexity, having neither a possibility toflee nor ability to fight, they were forced to publish an apologeticalrepresentation of their sentiments, shewing how far they might, according to the approven principles and practices, and covenantengagements of our reformers, &c. Restrict and reduce into practicethat privilege of extraordinary executing of judgment, on murderingbeasts of prey, professing and prosecuting a daily trade of destroyinginnocents, &c. ----When this declaration was first proposed, Mr. Renwick was somewhat averse to it, fearing the sad effects it mightproduce; but, considering the necessity of the case would admit of nodelay, he consented and concurred in the publication thereof. Accordingly, it was fixed upon several market-crosses and parishchurch-doors Nov. 8. 1684. After the publication of this declaration, rage and reproach seemed tostrive which should shew the greatest violence against the publishersand owners of it. The council published a proclamation for discoveringsuch as own, or will not disown it; requiring that none above the age offifteen travel without a pass, and that any who could apprehend any ofthem should have 500 merks for each person, and then every one shouldtake the oath of abjuration; whereby the temptation and hazard became sodreadful, that many were shot instantly in the fields, others, refusingthe oath were brought in, sentenced and executed in one day, yetspectators at executions were required to say, whether these mensuffered justly or not. All which dolorous effects and more, when Mr. Renwick with a sad and troubled heart observed, he was often heard tosay, though he had peace in his end and aim by it, yet he wished fromhis heart that declaration had never been published. Neither was the year 1685, any thing better. For it became now theenemy's greatest ambition and emulation, who could destroy most of thesepoor wandering mountain men (as they were called); and when they hadspent all their balls, they were nothing nearer their purpose than whenthey began; for the more they were afflicted, the more they grew. _Thebush did burn but was not consumed, because the Lord was in the bush. _ Charles II. Being dead, and the duke of York, a professed papistproclaimed in Feb. 1685. Mr. Renwick could not let go this opportunityof witnessing against that usurpation of a papist upon the government ofthe nation, and his design of overturning the covenanted work ofreformation, and introducing popery. Accordingly he and about 200 menwent to Sanquhar May 28. 1685. And published that declaration, afterwardcalled the Sanquhar declaration. In the mean time the earl of Argyle's expedition taking place, Mr. Renwick was much solicited to join with them. He expressed the esteem hehad of his honest and laudable intention, and spoke very favourably ofhim, declaring his willingness to concur if the quarrel and declarationwere rightly stated, but because it was not concerted according to theancient plea of our Scottish covenants, &c. He could not agree withthem; which created unto him a new series of trouble and reproach, andthat from all hands, and from none more than the indulged. In the year 1686. Mr. Renwick was constrained to be more public andexplicit in his testimony against the designs and defections of thetime; wherein he met with more contradictions and opposition from allhands and more discouraging and distracting treatment, even from somewho once followed him; and was much troubled with letters of accusationagainst him from many hands. One of the ministers that came over withArgyle, wrote a very vindictive letter[232] against him, which letter heanswered at large. He also was traduced both at home and abroad by oneAlexander Gordon, who sometimes joined with that suffering party. But bynone more than one Robert Cathcart in Carrick, who wrote a mostscurrilous libel against him; from which Mr. Renwick vindicated himselfin the plainest terms. But this not satisfying the said Robert Cathcart, he did, in the name of his friends in Carrick and the shire of Wigton(though without the knowledge of the half of them), take a protestagainst Mr. Renwick's preaching or conversing within their jurisdiction;giving him occasion with David to complain, _They speak vanity, theirheart gathereth iniquity_, &c; _yea mine own familiar friend in whom Itrusted, hath lift up his heel against me. _ Notwithstanding of all former obloquies he sustained from all sorts ofopposers, he had one faithful and fervent wrestler on his side, Mr. Alexander Peden; and yet a little before his death, these reproachers sofar prevailed with him as to instigate him to a declared oppositionagainst Mr. Renwick, which not only contributed to grieve him much, butwas also an occasion of stumbling to many[233] others of the wellaffected, and to the confirmation of his opposers. Yet nevertheless heproceeded in his progress through the country, preaching, catechizingand baptizing; travelling through Galloway, where he was encounteredwith a most insolent protestation given in against him by the professorsbetween Dee and Cree, subscribed by one Hutchison, which paper he readover at a public meeting in that bounds (after a lecture upon Psalm xv. And a sermon from Song ii. 2. ), giving the people to know what was donein their name, with several animadversions thereon, as that whichoverturned several pieces of our valuable reformation; exhorting them, if there were any there who concurred therein, that they would speedilyretract their hand from such an iniquity, &c. [234] Shortly after this, while his work was increasing daily on his hand, andhis difficulties multiplying, the Lord made his burthen lighter by thehelp of Mr. David Houston from Ireland, and Mr. Alexander Shields, whojoined with him, all in one accord, witnessing against the sins of thetime; which as it was very refreshing to him, and satisfied his longing, desires and endeavours, so it furnished him withal to answer those whosaid, That he neither desired to join with another minister, not so muchas to meet with any other for joining. The first being alreadyconfuted, and as for the other, it is well known how far he travelledboth in Scotland and England to meet with ministers for a coalescence, who superciliously refused. He once sent a friend on that purpose to aminister of great note in Glendale in Northumberland, but heperemptorily refused. At another time, in the same country, before thathe happened to be in a much respected gentlewoman's house, whereprovidentially Dr. Rule came to visit, whom Mr. James, in another room, overheard discharging her by many arguments to entertain or countenanceMr. Renwick, if he should come that way; whereupon he sent for thedoctor, letting him know that the same person was in the house, and thathe desired to discourse with him on that head, but this he refused. After this one informed against him to the Holland ministers, whoreturned back with Mr. Brackel's advice to Mr. Renwick and others; butas it relished of a gospel spirit, not like that of his informers, itwas no way offensive to him. Mr. Roelman, another famous Dutch divine, and a great sympathizer once with Mr. Renwick and that afflicted party, by their informations, turned also his enemy, which was more weighty tohim, that such a great man should be so credulous; but all these thingsnever moved him, being fully resolved to suffer this and more for thecause of Christ. In 1687, a proclamation was issued out Feb. 12. Tolerating the moderatepresbyterians to meet in their private houses to hear the indulgedministers, while the field meetings should be prosecuted with the utmostrigour of law, &c. A second proclamation was given June 28. Allowingall to serve God in their own way, in any house, &c. A third wasemitted Oct. 5. Declaring that all preachers and hearers at any meetingin the open fields should be prosecuted with the utmost severity thatlaw will allow, &c. And that all dissenting ministers who preach inhouses should teach nothing that should alienate the heart of the peoplefrom the government; and that the privy counsellors, sheriffs, &c. Should be acquainted with the places set apart for their preaching, _etc. _ This proclamation it seems was granted as an answer to an addressfor the toleration given in, in name of all the presbyterian ministersJuly 21. 1687. Whereupon Mr. Renwick found it his duty not only to declare against thegranters, but also against the accepters of this toleration; warningalso the people of the hazard of their succession to it, _etc. _ At whichthe indulged were so incensed, that no sooner was their meeting wellsettled, than they began to shew their teeth at him, calling him anintruder, a jesuit, a white devil, going through the land carrying thedevil's white flag; that he had done more hurt to the church ofScotland, than its enemies had done these twenty years, _etc. _: As alsospreading papers through the country, as given under his hand, to renderhim odious; which in truth were nothing else than forgeries, whereinthey only discovered their own treachery. Yet all this could not move him, even when his enemies were shootingtheir arrows at him; being not only the butt of the wicked, but thescorn of professors also, who were at their ease; and a man muchwondered at every way; yet still he continued at his work, his inwardman increasing more and more, when his outward man was much decaying;and his zeal for fulfilling his ministry, and finishing his testimonystill increasing the more, the less peace and accommodation he couldfind in the world; at the same time becoming so weak, that he could notmount or sit on horseback; so that he behoved to be carried to the placeof preaching, and never in the least complained of any distemper in thetime thereof. In the mean while, the persecution against him being so furious, that inless than five months after the toleration, fifteen most desperatesearches were made for him: To encourage which a proclamation was madeOct. 18. Wherein a reward of 100 pounds sterling was offered to any whocould bring in the persons of him, and some others, either dead oralive. In the beginning of the year 1688, being now drawing near the period ofhis course, he ran very fast, and wrought very hard both as a christianand as a minister: And having for some time had a design to emitsomething in way of testimony against both the granters and accepters ofthe toleration, that might afterward stand on record. He went towardEdinburgh, and on his way at Peebles he escaped very narrowly beingapprehended. When at Edinburgh he longed and could have no rest till hegot that which he, with the concurrence of some others, had drawn up inform delivered; and upon inquiry, hearing that there was to be nopresbytery or synod of tolerated ministers for some time, he went to aminister of great note amongst them[235], whom he heard was moderator, and delivered a protestation into his hands; and then, upon somereasons, emitted it in public as his testimony against thetoleration[236]. From thence he went to Fife, and preached some sabbaths: and, upon the29th of January, preached his last sermon at Borrowstonness. Thenreturned to Edinburgh, and lodged in a friend's house in the Castlehill, who dealt in uncustomed goods; and wanting his wontedcircumspection (his time being come), one John Justice, a waiter, discovered the house that very night; and hearing him praying in thefamily, suspected who it was, attacked the house next morning Feb. 1. And pretending to search for uncustomed goods, they got entrance; and, when Mr. Renwick came to the door, Mr. Justice challenged him in thesewords, My life for it this is Mr. Renwick. --After which he went to thestreet crying for assistance to carry the dog Renwick to the guard. In the mean time, Mr. James and other two friends essayed to make theirescape at another door, but were repelled by the waiters. Whereupon hedischarged a pistol which made the assailants give way; but as he passedthro' them, one with a long staff hit him on the breast, which doubtlessdisabled him from running. Running down the Castle-wynd toward the headof the Cowgate, having lost his hat, he was taken notice of, and seizedby a fellow on the street, while the other two escaped. He was taken to the guard, and there kept some time. One Graham, captainof the guard, seeing him of a little stature and comely youthfulcountenance, cried, What! is this the boy Renwick that the nation hathbeen so much troubled with. At the same time one bailie Charters, comingin, with great insolency accused him with bawdy houses, which he repliedto with deserved disdain. Then he was carried before a quorum of thecouncil; and when Graham delivered him off his hand, he was heard say, Now I have given Renwick up to the presbyterians, let them do with himwhat they please. What passed here could not be learned. He was committed close prisoner and laid in irons, where as soon as hewas left alone he betook himself to prayer to his God, making a freeoffer of his life to him, requesting for through-bearing grace, and thathis enemies might be restrained from torturing his body; all whichrequests were signally granted, and by him thankfully acknowledgedbefore his execution. Before he received his indictment, he was taken before the chancellor, into the viscount of Tarbet's lodging, and there examined concerning hisowning the authority of James VII. The cess, and carrying arms atfield-meetings; and delivered himself with such freedom and boldness asastonished all present. The reason why he was interrogate anent the cesswas, a pocket-book found about him, in which were the notes of twosermons he had preached on these points which he owned. There were alsosome capitals in the same book, and because the committee was urgent toknow these names, partly to avoid torture, and knowing they could renderthe persons no more obnoxious, he ingenuously declared the truth of thematter. ----Which ingenuity did much allay their rage against him; andbeing asked by the chancellor, What persuasion he was of? He answered, Of the protestant presbyterian persuasion. Again, How it came to pass hediffered then so much from other presbyterians, who had accepted of thetoleration, and owned the king's authority; and what he thought of them?He answered, He was a presbyterian, and adhered to the old presbyterianprinciples (which all were obliged by the covenant to maintain), andwere once generally professed and maintained by the nation from 1640, to1660, from which they had apostatized for a little liberty (they knewnot how long), as you yourselves (said he) have done for a littlehonour. The chancellor replied, and the rest applauded, That theybelieved, that these were the presbyterian principles, and that allpresbyterians would own them as well as he, if they had but the courage, _etc. _ However on Feb. 3. He received his indictment upon the threeforesaid heads, _viz. _ disowning the king's authority, the unlawfulnessof paying the cess, and the lawfulness of defensive arms. All which hewas to answer on the 8th of February. To the indictment was added a listof forty-five, out of which the jury was to be chosen, and a list of thewitnesses to be brought against him; which are too tedious here toinsert. After receiving his indictment, his mother got access to see him, towhom he spoke many savoury words. And on Sabbath Feb. 5. He regrettedthat now he must leave his poor flock; and declared, "That if it werehis choice, he could not think on it without terror, to enter again intoand venture upon that conflict with a body of sin and death; yet if hewere again to go and preach in the field, he durst not vary in theleast nor flinch one hair-breadth from the testimony, but would look onhimself as obliged to use the same freedom and faithfulness as he haddone before. " And in a letter on Feb. 6. He desired that the persons, whose names were decyphered, might be acquainted with it, and concludes, "I desire none may be troubled on my behalf, but rather rejoice withhim, who, with hope and joy, is waiting for his coronation-hour. "Another time his mother asked him, How he was? He answered, He was well, but that since his last examination he could scarcely pray. At which shelooked on him with an affrighted countenance, and he told her, He couldhardly pray, being so taken up with praising, and ravished with the joyof the Lord. When his mother was expressing her fear of fainting, saying, How shall I look upon that head and those hands set up among therest on the port of the city, _etc_! He smiled, telling her, She shouldnot see that, for (said he) "I have offered my life unto the Lord, andhave fought that he may bind them up, and I am persuaded that they shallnot be permitted to torture my body, nor touch one hair of my headfarther. " He was at first much afraid of the tortures, but now, havingobtained a persuasion that these should not be his trials, thro' gracehe was helped to say, "That the terror of them was so removed, that hewould rather choose to be cast into a chaldron of burning oil, than doany thing that might wrong truth. " When some other friends werepermitted to see him, he exhorted them to make sure their peace withGod, and to study stedfastness in his ways; and when they regrettedtheir loss of him, he said, "They had more need to think the Lord, thathe should now be taken away from these reproaches[237] which had brokenhis heart, and which could not be otherwise wiped of, even though heshould get his life, without yielding in the least. " Monday Feb. 8. He appeared before the justiciary, and when hisindictment was read, the justice-clerk asked him, If he adhered to hisformer confession, and acknowledged all that was in the libel? Heanswered, "All except where it is said I have cast off all fear of God;that I deny; for it is because I fear to offend God, and violate hislaw, that I am here standing ready to be condemned. " Then he wasinterrogate, If he owned authority, and James VII. To be his lawfulsovereign? He answered, "I own all authority that hath its prescriptionsand limitations from the word of God, but cannot own this usurper aslawful king, seeing both by the word of God, such an one is incapable tobear rule, and likewise by the ancient laws of the kingdom, which admitnone to the crown of Scotland, until he swear to defend the Protestantreligion; which a man of his profession could not do. "--They urged, Could he deny him to be king? Was he not the late king's brother? Hadthe late king any children lawfully begotten? Was he not declared to behis successor by act of parliament! He answered, "He was no questionking _de facto_, but not _de jure_, that he was brother to the otherking, he knew nothing to the contrary; what children the other had heknew not; but from the word of God, that ought to be the rule of alllaws, or from the ancient laws of the kingdom, it could not be shewenthat he had or ever could have any right. " The next question was, If heowned and had taught it to be unlawful to pay cesses and taxations tohis majesty? He answered, "For the present cess enacted for the presentusurper, I hold it unlawful to pay it, both in regard it is oppressiveto the subject, for the maintenance of tyranny, and because it isimposed for suppressing the gospel. Would it have been thought lawfulfor the Jews in the days of Nebuchadnezzar to have brought every one acoal to augment the flame of the furnace to devour the three children, if so they had been required by that tyrant, &c. ?" Next they moved the question, If he owned he had taught his hearers tocome armed to their meetings, and in case of opposition to resist? Heanswered, "It were inconsistent with reason and religion both to dootherwise; you yourselves would do it in the like circumstances. I ownthat I taught them to carry arms to defend themselves, and resist yourunjust violence. " Further they asked if he owned the note-book and thetwo sermons written therein, and that he had preached them? He said, "Ifye have added nothing I will own it, and am ready to seal all the truthscontained therein with my blood. "--All his confession being read over, he was required to subscribe it. He said, "He would not do it, since helooked on it as a partial owning of their authority. " After refusingseveral times, he said, "With protestation I will subscribe the paper asit is my testimony, but not in obedience to you. " Then the assizers were called in by fives and sworn, against whom heobjected nothing; but protested, "That none might sit on his assize, that professed Protestant or Presbyterian principles, or an adherence tothe covenanted work of reformation[238]. " He was brought in guilty, andsentence passed, That he should be executed in the grass-market on theFriday following. Lord Linlithgow justice-general asked, If he desiredlonger time? He answered, "It was all one to him, if it was protracted, it was welcome; if it was shortened, it was welcome; his Master's timewas the best:"--Then he was returned to prison. Without his knowledge, and against his will, yea, after open refusing to the advocate to desireit, he was reprieved to the 17th day; which gave occasion to severals torenew their reproaches. Though none who suffered in the former part of this dismal period, spokewith more fortitude, freedom and boldness than Mr. Renwick, yet nonewere treated with so much moderation. The lenity of the justiciary wasmuch admired beyond their ordinary; for they admitted him to say what hepleased without threatening and interruption, even though he gave noneof them the title of lord, but Linlithgow, who was a nobleman by birth. And though his friends (which was not usual after sentence) were deniedaccess, yet both papists and episcopals were permitted to see him. Bishop Paterson often visited him, nay he sought another reprieve forhim; which would easily have been granted, had he only petitioned forit. The bishop asked him, Think you none can be saved but those of yourprinciples? He answered, "I never said nor thought that none could besaved, except they were of these principles; but these are truths whichI suffer for, and which I have not rashly concluded on, but deliberatelyand of a long time have been confirmed that they are sufficient pointsto suffer for. " The bishop took his leave, declaring his sorrow for hisbeing so tenacious, and said, "It had been a great loss he had been ofsuch principles, for he was a pretty lad. " Again, the night before hesuffered, he sent to him, to signify his readiness to serve him to theutmost of his power. Mr. Renwick thanked him for his courtesy, but knewnothing he could do, or that he could desire. Mr. M'Naught, one of the curates, made him a visit in his canonicalhabit, which Mr. Renwick did not like. The curate among other thingsasked his opinion concerning the toleration, and those that accepted it. Mr. Renwick declared that he was against the toleration, but as for themthat embraced it, he judged them to be godly men. The curate leavinghim, commended him for one of great gravity and ingenuity, &c. Dalrymple the king's advocate came also to visit him, and declared thathe was sorry for his death, and that it should fall out in his shorttime. Several popish priests and gentlemen of the guard, with some ofthe tolerated ministers, were permitted to converse with him. The priestat leaving him was overheard saying, He was a most obstinate heretic, for he had used such freedom with them as it became a proverb in thetolbooth at the time; Begone (said they), as Mr. Renwick said to thepriests. Several petitions were wrote from several hands, of the most favourablestrain that could be invented, and sent him to subscribe, but all invain; yea, it was offered to him, if he would but let a drop of ink fallon a bit of paper, it would satisfy; but he would not. In the mean time, he was kept so close that he could get nothing wrote. His beguntestimony which he was writing was taken from him, and pen and inkremoved. However he got a short paper wrote the night before, which isto be found in the cloud of witnesses, as his last speech and testimony. On Tuesday the 14th, he was brought before the council on account of theinformatory vindication, but what passed there cannot be learned, farther than their signifying how much kindness they had shewn him, inthat they had reprieved him without his supplication; a thing never donebefore. He answered with extraordinary cheerfulness, rejoicing that hewas counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of his Master. A friend, asking him, how he was?--He said, Very well, and he would be betterwithin three days. He told his mother, That the last execution he waswitness to was Robert Gray's, and that he had a strong impression in hismind that he should be the next; and often said, He saw need for hissuffering at this time; and that he was persuaded his death would domore good than his life for many years could have done. Being asked, what he thought God would do with the remnant behind him? He answered, It would be well with them, for God would not forsake nor cast off hisinheritance. On the day of his execution, the chief jailor begged that at the placeof execution, he would not mention the causes of his death, and wouldforbear all reflections. Mr. Renwick told him, That what God would givehim to speak, that he would speak, and nothing less. The jailor toldhim, that he might still have his life, if he would but sign thatpetition which he offered him. He answered, That he never read inscripture or in history, where martyrs petitioned for their lives, whencalled to suffer for truth, though they might require them not to taketheir life, and remonstrate the wickedness of murdering them; but in thepresent circumstance he judged it would be found a receding from truth, and a declining from a testimony for Christ. His mother and sisters, having obtained leave to see him, after somerefreshment, in returning thanks, he said, "O Lord, thou hast brought mewithin two hours of eternity, and this is no matter of terror to me, more than if I were to ly down in a bed of roses; nay, thro' grace, tothy praise, I may say, I never had the fear of death since I came tothis prison; but from the place where I was taken, I could have gonevery composedly to the scaffold. O! how can I contain this, to be withintwo hours of the crown of glory. " He exhorted them much "to prepare fordeath, for it is (said he) the king of terrors, though not to me now, asit was sometimes in my hidings; but now let us be glad and rejoice, forthe marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. Would ever I have thought that the fear of suffering and of death couldbe so taken from me! But what shall I say to it? It is the doing of theLord, and marvellous in our eyes. --I have many times counted the cost offollowing Christ, but never thought it would be so easy; and now whoknows the honour and happiness of that? _He that confesseth me beforemen, him will I confess before the Father. _" He said many times, "Now Iam near the end of time, I desire to bless the Lord, it is an expreslysweet and satisfying peace to me, that he hath kept me from complyingwith enemies in the least. " Perceiving his mother weep, he exhorted her"to remember that they who loved any thing better than Christ were notworthy of him. If ye love me, rejoice that I am going to my Father, toobtain the enjoyment of what eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, &c. " Thenhe went to prayer, wherein he run out much in praise, and pleaded muchin behalf of the suffering remnant, that the Lord would raise upwitnesses that might transmit the testimony to succeeding generations, and that the Lord would not leave Scotland, asserting with greatconfidence of hope, that he was strengthened in the hope of it, that theLord would be gracious to Scotland. At length, hearing the drums beat for the guard, he fell into atransport, saying, Yonder the welcome warning to my marriage; thebridegroom is coming; I am ready, I am ready. Then taking his leave ofhis mother and sisters, he intreated them not to be discouraged, for ereall were done, they should see matter of praise in that day's work. Hewas taken to the low council-house (as was usual) where after hissentence was read, they desired him to speak what he had to say there. He said, "I have nothing to say to you, but that which is written inJer. Xxiv. 14, 15. _As for me, behold I am in your hand_, &c. " He wastold that the drums would beat at the scaffold all the time, andtherefore they desired him to pray there; but he refused, and declaredhe would not be limited in what he would say, and that he hadpremeditated nothing, but would speak what was given him. They offeredhim any minister to be with him; but he answered, "If I would have hadany of them for my counsellors or comforters, I should not have beenhere this day. I require none with me but this one man;" meaning thefriend that was waiting upon him. He went from thence to the scaffold with great cheerfulness, as one in atransport of triumphant joy, and had the greatest croud of spectatorsthat has perhaps been seen at any execution; but little was heard onaccount of the beating of the drums all the time without intermissionfrom his first ascending the scaffold until he was cast over. Yet fromthe friends and others, permitted to attend him, there were some of hislast words collected, which were as follows. When he went first unto the scaffold, some forbade him to speak anything, because the people could not hear; which he took no notice of. There was a curate standing at the side of the scaffold, who, temptinghim, said, Own our king and we shall pray for you. He answered, I willhave none of your prayers; I am come here to bear my testimony againstyou and such as you are. The curate said, Own our king and pray for him, whatever you say against us--He replied, "I will discourse no more withyou. I am within a little to appear before him, who is King of kings andLord of lords, who shall pour shame, contempt and confusion upon all thekings of earth, who have not ruled for him. " Then he sang Psalm ciii. Read Rev. Xix. : then prayed, commending hissoul to God through the Redeemer, and his cause to be vindicated in hisown time, and appealed to the Lord if this was not the most joyful dayhe ever saw in the world; a day that he had much longed for. He insistedmuch in blessing the Lord in honouring him with the crown of martyrdom, an honour which the angels were not privileged with, being incapable oflaying down their lives for their princely Master. He complained ofbeing disturbed in worshipping God; but, said he, I shall be above theseclouds; then shall I enjoy thee, and glorify thee, without interruptionor intermission for ever. Prayer being ended, he spoke to the peoplemuch to the purpose of his written testimony, whereof somewhat wasremembered to this effect: "SPECTATORS, I am come here this day to lay down my life for adhering tothe truths of Christ, for which I am neither afraid nor ashamed tosuffer. Nay I bless the Lord that ever he counted me worthy, or enabledme to suffer any thing for him; and I desire to praise his grace that hehath not only kept me from the gross pollutions of the time, but alsofrom the many ordinary pollutions of children; and for such as I havebeen stained with, he hath washed and cleansed me from them in his ownblood. I am this day to lay down my life for these three things: (1) Fordisowning the usurpation and tyranny of James duke of York. (2. ) Forpreaching that it was unlawful to pay the cess expresly exacted forbearing down the gospel. (3. ) For teaching, that it was lawful forpeople to carry arms for defending themselves in their meeting for thepersecuted gospel-ordinances. I think a testimony for these is worthmany lives, and if I had ten thousand I would think it little enough tolay them all down for the same. "Dear friends, I die a Presbyterian Protestant; I own the word of God asthe rule of faith and manners; I own the Confession of Faith, larger andshorter Catechisms, Sum of saving knowledge, Directory for public andfamily Worship, Covenants national and solemn League, Acts of generalassemblies, and all the faithful contendings that have been for thecovenanted reformation. I leave my testimony approving the preaching inthe fields, and the defending the same by arms. I adjoin my testimony toall these truths that have been sealed by bloodshed, either on scaffold, field or seas, for the cause of Christ. I leave my testimony againstpopery, prelacy, Erastianism, &c. Against all profanity, and everything contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godliness, particularly against all usurpations and encroachments made uponChrist's right, the Prince of the kings of the earth, who alone mustbear the glory of ruling in his own kingdom the church, and inparticular against this absolute power, usurped by this usurper, thatbelongs to no mortal, but is the incommunicable prerogative of Jehovah, and against his toleration, flowing from this absolute power. " Here he was ordered to have done. ----He answered, I have near done; andthen said, "Ye that are the people of God, do not weary to maintain thetestimony of the day in your stations and places; and, whatever ye do, make sure an interest in Christ, for there is a storm coming, that shalltry your foundation. Scotland must be rid of Scotland before thedelivery come; and you that are strangers to God, break off your sins byrepentance, else I will be a sad witness against you in the day of theLord. " Here they made him desist, and go up the ladder, where he prayed andsaid, "Lord, I die in the faith that thou wilt not leave Scotland, butthat thou wilt make the blood of thy witnesses the seed of thy church, and return again and be glorious in our land. ----And now, Lord, I amready; the bride, the Lamb's wife, hath made herself ready. " The napkinbeing tied about his face, he said to his friend attending, "Farewel;be diligent in duty, make your peace with God through Christ. There is agreat trial coming. As to the remnant I leave, I have committed them toGod. Tell them from me, not to weary nor be discouraged in maintainingthe testimony, and the Lord will provide you teachers and ministers, andwhen he comes, he will make these despised truths glorious in theearth. " He was turned over with these words in his mouth, Lord, into thyhands I commend my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me, Lord God of truth. Thus died the faithful, pious, and zealous Mr. James Renwick on thethird day over the 26th year of his age, a young man and a youngminister, but a ripe Christian and renowned martyr of Christ, for whosesake he loved not his life dear unto the death, by whose blood and theword of his testimony he overcame, and thus got above all snares andsorrows, and to the conviction of many that formerly reproached him wasas signally vindicated of, as he was in his life shamefully reproachedwith all the aspersions, obloquies and calumnies, that were cast uponhim for prosecuting that testimony for truth, which now he sealed withhis blood, in such a treasure of patience, meekness, humility, constancy, courage, burning love and blazing zeal, as did very muchconfound enemies, convince neutrals, confirm halters, comfort friends, and astonish all. He was of stature somewhat low, of a fair complexion, and, like anotheryoung David, of a ruddy and beautiful countenance. Most men spoke wellof him after he was dead; even his murderers, as well as others, said, They thought he went to heaven. Malignants generally said, He died aPresbyterian. The viscount of Tarbet (one of the counsellors), one dayin company, when speaking of him, said, "That he was one of the stiffestmaintainers of his principles that ever came before them. Others we usedalways to cause one time or other to waver, but him we could nevermove. --Where we left him, there we found him. We could never make himyield or vary in the least. He was the man we have seen most plainly andpertinaciously adhering to the old way of Presbyterian government, who, if he had lived in Knox's days, would not have died by any laws then inbeing. " He was the last that on a scaffold sealed his testimony forreligion, liberty, and the covenanted work of reformation in Scotland. Besides what hand Mr. Renwick had in the informatory vindication, andthe forementioned testimony against the toleration (both of which havelong ago been published), there was also of late, by some well wishersto the same cause and testimony, published a collection of very valuableprefaces, lectures and sermons of his, in two volumes; as also anothercollection of very choice letters, wrote by him from July 8. 1682, tothe day of his death, Feb. 17. 1688. There is also a treatise of hisupon the admission of ruling elders, which the reader will find affixedto his life and vindication of his testimony wrote by Mr. Shields. _Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, &c. --These are they which came out of great tribulations, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. --I saw, under the altar, the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth--Here is the patience of the saints, here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. _--Heb. Xii. 1. Rev. Vii. 14. And vi. 9, &c. Xiv. 2. N. B. In Scotland during these twenty eight years persecution, accordingto calculation, above 18000 people suffered death, or the outmosthardships and extremities; whereof 1700 were banished to theplantations, besides 750 banished to the northern islands, of these 200were executed. Those who suffered by imprisonment, confinement and othercruelties of this nature, were computed at or above 3600, including the800 last mentioned, and 55 who were panneled to be executed whenapprehended. Those killed in several skirmishes or on surprise, andthose who died of their wounds on such occasions were reckoned to be680. Those who went to voluntary banishment to other countries, &c. Were calculated at 7000. About 498 were murdered in cold blood withoutprocess of law, beside 362 who were by form of law executed. But thenumber of those who perished through cold, hunger and other distresses, contracted in their flight to the mountains, and sometimes even in thearticle of death murdered by the bloody soldiers, cannot be wellcalculated, but will certainly make up the number above specified. Andyet like the Lord's church and people of old, while in Egypt, the morethey were oppressed the more they grew, the blood of the martyrs beingalways the seed of the church. Yea to the honour of truth, and thepraise of that God whom they served, they were so far from being spent, wasted or eradicated, that at the revolution they could raise a regimentin one day without beat of drum, the ancient motto of the church ofScotland being verified now as evidently as ever, _Behold the bushburned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. _ See a more full account of these sufferings in the memoirs of the churchof Scotland, from page 290 to 295. _The Life of Mr. ALEXANDER MONCRIEF. _ In virtue of an act of the general assembly 1642, appointing a list ofsix able men for the planting of vacant churches, Mr. Moncrief waspitched upon for the church of Skunie in Fife; and upon Sept. 26. 1643, was received there with great contentment. After which he had an active hand in carrying on the work of reformationat that time; and was nominated in the commission for the affairs of thekirk. In the years 1650 and 1651, he made no small appearance amongthese called protestors; and had a particular hand in the westernremonstrance, and the causes of God's wrath, which were drawn up aboutthat time. During Cromwel's usurpation, he suffered much on account of his loyalty, in praying for the king. Upon account of which his house was oftensearched, and rifled by the English, and he obliged to hide himself. Upon the Sabbath he had spies set upon him, and was closely watchedwhere he went after preaching. He was frequently pursued, and one time aparty of horse came after him, yet by a special providence (thoughattacked once and again by them) he got clear of them. Yet a littleafter he was seized by them in a neighbouring congregation andimprisoned some time[239]. After he was liberated, he was pitched upon as a person of great courageand magnanimity to present the protestation and testimony[240] againstthe toleration, and the errors and sectaries that then prevailed inchurch and state, given in Oct. 1658, to general Monk, drawn up andsigned by himself, Messrs. Rutherford, James Guthrie and many others. This he did with the greatest firmness, for which he was exposed untonew extremities, but what return he had for all his faithfulness andloyalty to the king comes immediately to be discovered. For no sooner was the king restored and settled in his dominions, thanthis worthy and good man was involved in a new series of sufferings. For, being assembled at Edinburgh, with Mr. James Guthrie and eightothers of his brethren in Aug. 1660, where they drew up that humblesupplication and address to the king, commonly called, The paper of the23d of August, they were all imprisoned in the castle of Edinburgh, except Mr. Hay of Craignethen, who escaped. He continued under confinement until July 12. 1661, that he had hisindictment and charge, much about the same time with Mr. James Guthrie, which runs upon his having a share in the remonstrance, and in formingthe causes of God's wrath. Refusing to retract any thing in them, he wasbrought before the parliament several times, and their prosecution forhis life was so hot, that the earl of Athol, and others in parliamentparticularly interested and concerned in this good man and his wife, being importuned by her to appear for him in parliament, dealt with herto endeavour to prevail with him to recede from some of his principles, otherwise, they told her, it was impossible to save his life. Thisexcellent woman answered, "That they all knew she was happy in a goodhusband, and she had a great affection for him, and many children; yetshe knew him to be so stedfast to his principles, where his consciencewas concerned, that nobody needed deal with him on that head; for herpart, before the world contribute any thing that would break his peacewith his Master, she would rather chuse to receive his head at thecross. " About the same time, two ladies of the first quality werepleased so far to concern themselves in his case, as to provide acompliment in plate (which was not unusual at that time), and send it tothe advocate's lady. Afterward they went and visited her on his behalf, but were told by her it was impossible to save his life, and thecompliment was again returned. Yet it was so over-ruled in providence, that Mr. Moncrief being muchrespected, and his hardships almost universally regreted, upon accountof his eminent piety, integrity and uprightness, severals of all ranks, and different persuasions, and unknown to him, began to makeapplication, and interpose for him, so that the spirit of some of hismost violent persecutors began to abate, his process lingred, till, after a tedious imprisonment, he fell sick and obtained the favour ofconfinement in Edinburgh. ----The parliament passed this sentence uponhim, "That he, the said Mr. Alexander Moncrief, be for ever incapable ofexercising any public trust, civil or ecclesiastic, within the kingdom, until, in the next session of parliament, further orders be takenconcerning him, and discharge him in the mean time to go to his parish. "And all this for owning before them his accession to the remonstranceand causes of God's wrath. After this sentence, when living peaceably some eight or nine miles fromhis own parish, people began to resort to him, and hear him preach, whereupon, under a most severe storm in the middle of winter, by virtueof an act made against him, he was charged to remove twenty miles fromhis house and charge, and seven or eight from a bishop's seat or royalburgh; and was with his family forced from his house, and obliged towander in that great storm; and yet when he had removed to a place at acompetent distance, even then he got a second charge to remove further, till he was obliged to go to a remote place in the Highlands, where hisGod who had all along countenanced and supported him wonderfully in histroubles, honoured him to be instrumental in the conversion of many. The persecution somewhat abating, he brought his family to Perth, forthe education of his children, where he continued preaching the gospel. A few at first, but afterwards a great many, attended his ministry. Being again informed against, a party of the horse-guards were sent toapprehend him, but he escaped, though his house was narrowly searched. This forced him from his family, and he was obliged to lurk a good whileafter this. At length he came with his family to Edinburgh, where he preached thegospel many years under a series of persecution. He was intercommuned inthe year 1675, and his house, and many other places in and about thecity, were narrowly searched for him, yet he was always marvelously hid, of which many instances might be given. When he went to the country, many a time parties of the guard were sent in quest of him, andsometimes he would meet them in his return, and pass through the midstof them unknown. When he was one time lodged in a remote part of thesuburbs of Edinburgh, a captain, with a party, searched every house andchamber of the closs, but never entered into the house he was in, thoughthe door was open. Again, when he was lurking in a private family without the walls ofEdinburgh, a party was sent to apprehend him. Providentially he had goneout to walk by the house; the party, observing him by his gravity to bea minister, said one to another, That may be the man we areseeking. ----Nay, said another, he would not be walking there. Again, when he was advertised that the soldiers were coming to search for himin his own house, he lingered till another minister came to him, andsaid, Sir, you must surely have a protection from heaven, that you areso secure here, when the town is in such disorder, and a general searchto be made. Immediately he went off, and in a little after Mr. Moncriefwent out; and was not well down stairs before the guard came up andsearched his house. He took a short turn in the street, and came backjust as the guard went off. But the persecution growing still worse, he was obliged to disperse hisfamily for some time. He was solicited, when in these circumstances, toleave the kingdom, and had an ample call to Londonderry in Ireland, yethe always declined to leave his native country, and, in his pleasantway, used to say, He would suffer where he had sinned, and essay to keeppossession of his Master's house, till he should come again. He had asore sickness about the beginning of June 1680. In which time he utteredmany heavenly expressions. But he recovered and continued in this thehouse of his pilgrimage until harvest 1688, when he died, and got aboveall sin and sorrow, after he had endured a great fight of affliction toobtain a crown of eternal life. He was mighty in prayer, and had some very remarkable and strangereturns thereof. His memory was savoury a long time after his death. Many could bear witness, that God was with him of a truth. He left manyseals of his ministry in Fife, and was a most faithful and painfulminister. His sufferings are a little hinted at in the fulfilling of thescripture, though neither he nor his persecutors are mentioned there. The relation runs thus: "The first relates to a considerable family in this country, who made ittheir business to trouble and persecute the minister of that parish, aneminently holy and faithful man, yea, upon account of his faithfulness, the old laird of that house did pursue him, out of malice, with a falselibel before the synod, either to get him broken and put out of theparish, or at least to crush his spirit and weaken him in the exerciseof his ministry, but did there meet with a disappointment the Lordclearing the innocence of his servant, and the malice of the other. Atwhich time that gentleman, while he went to the stable where his horseswere, being then at the synod on that account, was in the place strickenwith sickness, forced to hasten home, and take his bed; and there seizedwith horror of conscience, which made him often cry, intreating mostearnestly for his minister, whom he had thus persecuted, and often said, Oh! to see his face; and told his friends, that if he would not come tohim, they should carry him to his house. But his lady did out of malice, in a most rude and violent way, hinder the minister's access to him, andthus that poor gentleman in great horror and anguish died. "After his death his lady still pursued the quarrel with no less malice, until she also fell sick, and had much terror upon her conscience, crying out for the minister, who was providentially absent, so that shewas denied in that which she kept back from her husband; but he came toher before her death, and she confessed, with much bitterness, her wrongto him. After this, a young man, who had been their chaplain, andengaged by them to appear as a witness against that godly man, was soterrified in his conscience, that he could get no rest till he went tothe next synod, to acknowledge that horrid sin, in bearing false witnessagainst his minister; but being by some kept from a public appearance, he went to another part of the country, where it is reported he dieddistracted. "Last of all the young laird, who succeeded in that estate, would needspursue the quarrel, and finding more access through the change of thetimes, did so endeavour with some who were in power, that an order waspassed for banishing him out of that parish; and although he was thenotherwise accused upon account of the public cause, yet it was known, the violent persecution of that gentleman was the main cause of thatsentence, as those who had a hand in passing it did confess; for he hadsolemnly sworn, that if he lived there, that minister should not be inthat place. Returning to his house a few days after, and boasting how hehad kept his word, and got his minister cast out of his parish, he wassuddenly struck by the Lord with a high fever, which plucked him away inthe very strength of his years. " Fulfilling of the scriptures, page428. _The Life of Mr. ANGUS MACBEAN. _ Mr. Angus MacBean was born about the year 1656. After he had spent sometime at the grammar-school with good proficiency, he went to theuniversity of Aberdeen; where he began to distinguish himself, no lessfor his great regard to practical religion (altho' he was yet of theepiscopal persuasion), than for his extraordinary parts and abilities inlearning. About this time the bishops, having found their mistake in sending menof little learning and less religion to the south and west parts ofScotland, where the people were much disaffected to them, applied to theprofessors of divinity to name some of the greatest abilities to be sentto these parts. Accordingly professor Minzies singled out Mr. MacBeanfrom amongst all his students, to be sent to the town of Ayr; but he didnot continue long there, having got a call to be minister of Inverness, which he accepted of, and was there admitted Dec. 29, 1683; and here heproved a very pathetic and zealous preacher, and one of the mostesteemed of that way. He usually once a-week lectured on a large portionof scripture, which was not the custom then in that apostate anddegenerate age. But notwithstanding of his being in the highest esteem among theprevailing party, the constancy shewn by the sufferers for the cause oftruth, and the cruelty used toward them, made such deep impressions onhis mind, as could never afterward be rooted out or effaced. As a nativeconsequence of the toleration granted by the duke of York, the mass wasopenly set up in the castle of Inverness, against which Mr. MacBeanpreached publicly, and warned the people of the imminent danger thenation was then in. At which the priest was so incensed, that he sentMr. MacBean a letter, challenging him to a public dispute. This letterhe received in a crowd on the weekly market, where he usually walkedwith some constables to prevent common swearing. He went to a shop, andthere wrote such an answer to the priest, as determined him to send himno more challenges. The report of this having spread, some of kingJames's officers (being there) entered into a resolution to go to churchnext Lord's day, and to take him out of the pulpit in case he utteredought against that way. Of this he was informed late on Saturday, and bysome friends was importuned to abstain from saying any thing that mightexasperate them. But he preached next day on Col. I. 18. And proved, that Christ was the sole King and Head of his church, in opposition tothe usurpation of both popery and Erastianism; whereupon the officersgot all up to execute their design, which the good man did not observetill he turned himself about (for they sat in a loft on the left side ofthe pulpit). Then he said with an authority that put them out ofcountenance, For these things I am become the song of drunkards. Onwhich they all sat down, for it was when drinking, that they had formedthat wicked design. From the popish controversy, he was led to a moreserious inquiry into the merits of what was then the real controversy;and after serious wrestling with God, and earnest prayer for light anddirection from him, in which he spent several nights in his garden, heat length determined fully to declare for the truth, whatever might bethe consequence: And accordingly in June 1687, he declined to sit in thepresbytery, but continued to preach. In August, the presbytery wereinformed not only that he absented wilfully, but that he disowned thegovernment of the church by arch-bishops, bishops, &c. And appointed acommittee to converse with him. Who, having done so, at a subsequentdiet, reported that Mr. MacBean declared plainly to them that he had nofreedom to meet with them in their judicatories any more; that it wasover the belly of convictions that he had entered into the ministryunder bishops; and that these convictions were returning with greaterforce upon his conscience, so that he could not overcome them; that hewas convinced presbytery was the only government God owned in thesenations; that he was fully determined to make all the satisfaction hecould to the presbyterians; to preach for them and in their favours; andthat though he should be dispensed with by bishop and presbytery fromkeeping their meetings, he could not promise that, in his preaching, hewould not give ground of misconstruction to those that owned prelacy. Atthe same time his colleague Mr. Gilbert Marshal farther reported, ThatMr. MacBean, both in his public lectures and sermons, did so reflectupon the government of the church, as was like to make a schism atInverness; and therefore he had caused cite him to that meeting, toanswer for his reproachful doctrine that could not be endured. Mr. MacBean did not appear before them, nevertheless the magistratesprevailed with the presbytery to desist from proceeding against him atthat time. But shortly thereafter the presbytery referred him to thesynod of Murray, who appointed a committee to join with the presbyteryof Inverness to deal with him. In the mean time Mr. MacBean went to church without his cannonicalhabit, publicly renounced prelacy, declared himself a presbyterian, andas he found not freedom in the exercise of his charge in that place, hedemitted it. He preached his farewel sermon on Job xxxiv. 31, 32. Thescriptures he advanced and insisted on, as warrants for his conduct, were Isaiah viii. 11, -14. Jerem. Xv. 18, -21. 2 Cor. Vi. 16, 18. And toprove that Christ was sole Head of the church, Eph. V. 23. Col. I. 18. 1Pet. Ii. 7. Next Lord's day he went to Ross, and there, in Mr. MacGiligen's meeting-house, preached the truths he formerly opposed; andsome times thereafter he preached at Inverness, till he was, by order ofthe council, called to Edinburgh before them. On this surprizing change and alteration, a great opposition among theprevailing party soon appeared against him; which was the less to bewondered at, as he embraced every opportunity of declaring for the causeof truth, which they were most violent against; and therefore thepresbytery of Inverness sent one of their number to inform the bishop ofMurray, then at Glasgow, of the whole affair. But the bishop dying atthat time, the arch-bishop of St. Andrews took the affair into hiscognizance, and procured an order from the council to bring him toEdinburgh. In consequence of which he was carried south in Jan. 1688. Invery tempestuous weather, and was called before the council, where hemade a bold and noble stand in defence of the truths he had so solemnlyprofessed. One of the questions asked at him, was, If he thought theking's power was limited? To which he answered, He knew no power, butthe Almighty's, unlimited. And though the council could not find thenwherewith to attack him, anent the state, yet, to please the bishops, hemust be imprisoned: And upon the 27th of Feb. Thereafter, thearch-bishop of St. Andrews conveened him before him and the bishop ofMurray, and five doctors and ministers in Edinburgh, where (in thevirtue of his metropolitan capacity) he deposed him from the exercise ofany part of his pastoral office, and deprived him of all benefits thatmight accrue to him thereby, since the time of his wilful desertion;with certification, if he should transgress therein, the sentence ofexcommunication should pass against him. He was thereupon remanded backto prison; and though the town of Inverness wrote, earnestly solicitinghim to make some compliance, that they might be favoured with hisreturn, yet he valiantly withstood their intreaties, and by his answerdated July 1688. He dissuaded them from insisting on his return, as whathe assured them would never happen, and condemns himself in thestrongest manner for his adherence to prelacy, declaring against it inthe most express way, as anti-scriptural as well as tyrannical. Hisconfinement and the fatigue of his journey, having given such a shock tohis constitution, as his life was in danger, Sir Robert Gordon ofGordonstoun, and Dun. Forbes of Culloden offered a bail bond for 10, 000merks to the earl of Perth, then chancellor, that they would present himwhen called upon, providing he was set at liberty; but he utterlyrefused to set him at liberty, though he was in a very languishingcondition in the tolbooth; where he remained till Perth run away, andthat the Edinburgh mob set the prisoners at liberty. After this hecontinued in the suburbs of Edinburgh, till in the month of Feb. 1689. He joyfully finished his course in the Lord, being in the 33d year ofhis age. Some days before, news came that the parliament of England hadsettled the crown on king William, who put an end to those bloody times, and that tyrannical government. Mr. MacBean without all doubt was a man, both pious and learned, although at first brought up in the prelatical persuasion, and when nearhis death frequently compared himself in this particular to Moses, whofrom mount Pisgah saw the land of promise, but for his sinfulcompliance, as he always called it, would not be allowed to entertherein, having some time before his death, a firm belief of the amazingdeliverance which the church and nation soon met with, and left hismortal life rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. _The Life of Mr. THOMAS HOG. _ Mr. Thomas Hog was born in the beginning of the year 1628, in the burghof Tain, in the county of Ross. His parents were careful to give theirson a liberal education; for which purpose he was early sent to school, and, from his commencement to the study of letters, he discovered anuncommon genius, and soon made such proficiency as rendered himrespected during his youth. He was much addicted to the harmlessdiversions of that age, yet they did never abate his progress in hisstudies, nor his detestation of any thing immoral or unbecoming thecharacter of a scholar. He was put to the university in the new town ofAberdeen, where he made great proficiency, till at last he was admittedmaster of arts, with the universal approbation of the regents of thecollege. About this time, a very remarkable incident fell out, which confirmedMr. Hog's aversion to drunkenness, and his belief of an over-rulingprovidence: For, having accompanied a merchant of Aberdeen to a ship inthe mouth of the river Dee, who was going a voyage (being one of hisacquaintance), upon his return, with two burgesses who had gone the sameerrand, through the importunity of one of them, they turned all aside totake a bottle in an inn by the way. There he tarried till he thoughtthey had drunk sufficiently, and, finding they were not disposed to gohome, he laid down his share of the reckoning, and was going away, butthey, being averse to part with him, and resolute in their cups, laidhold on him to stay, but he, being full six feet high, andproportionably strong and vigorous, soon twisted himself out of theirgripes, and went off; and came home to his chamber, and went to bed athis usual hour, but, though in good health, he could get no rest tillthe clock struck one, when he fell asleep, and rested quietly till themorning, when he arose. At which time coming forth to his class, one methim weeping, and told him, That the two men he left yesternight, aftercontinuing a while at their cups, fell a-contending and then a-fighting, in which the one killed the other. He asked, at what time? and beingtold just at one, he adored that providence which had both seasonablydisposed him to leave them, and made him uneasy whilst the complicationof sin was thus committing. And though Mr. Hog was adorned with these natural and acquiredaccomplishments which constitute a truly amiable person, heightened withthe lustre of an unblameable life, yet, as he himself acknowledged, heremained a stranger to the saving operations of the Spirit of God tillabout the year 1638, when the arm of the Lord was gloriously revealed inthe revival of the work of reformation, and the influences of his gracepoured out upon many through the nation: and yet still his conversationwas strictly moral, and he frequented societies, conversed and prayedwith them, was in the diligent use of means, and in reference to thepublic state of religion and reformation, was found, bold and resolute;in his straits acknowledging the Lord, bringing these his difficultiesbefore him, to which he thought he got some notable returns; yet uponall these he himself declared, That if he was then in a state of graceand salvation, he was not in that state afterwards, for that the wholeof the following work, which, by the Spirit and Word of God, was wroughton his heart, was founded upon a strong and clear conviction of hishaving been at that time out of Christ, notwithstanding all theforementioned lengths. What the manner and means of his saving conversion were, we are at aloss to describe; only we find he was under a very deep and severelaw-work, and that his convictions were very close, particular andpointed, setting his sin before him; and that during this work, whichwas of long continuance, whole clouds of sin were charged home upon himwithout end or measure, so that he was brought well nigh to despair, being then chaplain to the earl of Sutherland, where the work of Godflourished in several souls about that house; and amongst whom thebutler was at the same time under the same law-exercise, and yet the onedid not know of the other; notwithstanding the countess (who was aneminent Christian), wanted not some discerning of what was a-workingwith them both, and particularly with Mr. Hog; as will appear by whatfollows: One time Mr. Hog, sitting alone in his chamber in extreme anguish, nothing but wrath in his view, a horrible temptation was thrown in likea thunderbolt, _viz. _ Why do you continue under such intolerableextremity of distress? Put rather an end to a miserable lifeimmediately. Upon this suggestion, he resented the temptation and thetempter with indignation; his pen-knife (at which the enemy pointed)lying well sharpened upon the table, lest the assault should have beenrenewed, he rose up and threw it over the window, after which he satdown and fell a-musing upon the intricacies of this his complicateddistress, and while in the midst of this his terrible whirlpool, thecountess, besides her custom (though she had been ever affable at table)knocked gently at the door, and invited him to go and partake with herof a present of summer fruit; he went with her, and behaved so, thatnothing could be known concerning his former troubles. She discoveredby her kind speech and behaviour, that she was either impressed with hisdanger, or that she suspected somewhat of the matter with him. Afterthis entertainment he returned to his room, and found the temptationmercifully removed. As to the manner of his relief we learn in general, that, from aconviction of actual sin, he was carried up to the fountain-head, original sin, and to a conviction of unbelief as the seat of thisfountain, according to Rom. Xi. 32. John iii. 16, 38. The Lord having inthis manner laid a solid, clear and excellent foundation, he was atlength blessed with faith's views of the glory of Christ in his officesand person; which did so ravish his soul, as to render him most willing, through grace, to forego, endure, and, in his strength, to adventureupon any thing in his cause, and for his sake. But the last and most considerable adventure, while in this family, washis being the instrument to convert a young gentleman of the name ofMunro who frequented the house, and though of a sober deportment, yetvoid of real religion. He took great pleasure in Mr. Hog's company, butwasted his time with idle, frothy and useless discourse. He bore withhim for some time, but pitying his case, he used all means possible withhim, till by divine grace he was wholly brought over from a state ofblack nature unto a state of grace; and if he had visited Mr. Hog oftenbefore, he made many more visits to him after this, but never gave himoccasion to impeach him, for the gentleman became eminently gracious;and for an evidence that this free dealing was blessed, the good man inhis after-conduct did so excel in the virtues opposite to the formerblemishes, that he was esteemed for accommodating differences, andseveral gentlemen did submit their contests to him, and acquiesced inhis sole determination. After Mr. Hog was settled at Killearn, this gentleman made him a visit;where, after their mutual endearments, the gentleman addressed Mr. Hogin this amazing dialect, "Sir, my course is nigh finished, and I am uponmy entrance into a state of eternal rest. The Lord hath his own way ofgiving the watchful Christian previous warning concerning the end of thewarfare, 2 Pet i. 14. ; and I, being so privileged, have been seriouslypondering where it may be most convenient to breathe out my last, andquietly lay down this tabernacle, and seeing, after deliberation, I canfind no place nor company so fit as with you, I have adventured to comeand die with you. " At this time the gentleman was in good health, andate his meat as well as ever, whereupon Mr. Hog endeavoured to diverthim from these thoughts; but he firmly persisted in his persuasion: andaccordingly in a few days he was seized with a fever, whereof he died. Mr. Hog was licensed to preach the gospel in the 26th year of his age, and ere one year elapsed, several parishes were competing for him, someof which could have yielded him a greater living than what he ever had;but he preferred Killearn to the rest, because he understood thatsovereign grace was pursuing some elect vessels there, and he knew thatseveral gentlemen (especially the baron of Foulis) were friends toreligion there: And he was ordained minister in the year 1654 or 1655, with the unanimous consent and approbation of all concerned. Mr. Hog, being thus settled, he heartily applied himself to his work, taking heed to himself and his doctrine, that he might both save himselfand them that heard him, casting a good copy or example before them, inall manner of temperance and Christian virtues, but more especiallyremarkable in his public character. His concern and sympathy with theignorant was great, the bulk of the people of that parish, through thelong infirmity of their former pastor, and the interveening vacation, being neglected in their examination, became very ignorant; but he wasat great pains in spreading catechisms and other abstracts among them;and, going from house to house, he prayed with, exhorted and instructedthem in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God; and his deportmentwas attended with as much majesty proper to that function, as had beenobserved in any; and no wonder, for few were favoured with so manytestimonies of the divine presence, in the discharge of their ministry;as witness J----s N----o, E----b B----e his spouse, B----a B----e hersister, afterwards Mrs. S----d, Mrs. R----s, the judicious and famousJohn Monro of Ross, Mr. Thomas Taylor, Mr. Angus MacBean minister atInverness, John Bulloch his own servant, Christian MacIntosh a poorwoman in the depths of soul distress; holy Mr. Ross; Mr. John Welwood, and the so much famed John Monro, were either converted or confirmed byhim while in this parish, or after his ejection, while he was settled atKnockgaudy in Murray; and none more particular than that instance ofMonro of Lumlair, an heritor in that parish, who, upon some reprehensoryexpressions by Mr. Hog, which he was at first dreadfully offended at, yet were made the means of his thorough conversion, so that he everlooked on Mr. Hog after as his best friend, and laid himself out topromote the success of his ministry. So soon as it pleased the Lord thus to bless his parochial labours witha gracious change wrought upon a considerable number of the people, hetook care to join the more judicious in societies for prayer andconference. These he kept under his own inspection, and did heartilyconcur with them; for he himself was much in the exercise of that duty, and had several notable returns thereof, of which we have severalinstances. _1st_, A good woman having come to him with this sore lamentation, thather daughter C---- L---- was distracted, Mr. Hog charged one or twodevout persons (for he frequently employed such on extraordinaryoccasions) to set apart a day and a night for fasting and prayer, andthen join with him in prayer for the maid next day. Accordingly whenthis appointment was performed, she recovered her senses as well asbefore. _2ndly_, A daughter of the laird of Parks, his brother-in-law, wholodged with him, being seized with a high fever, and little hope oflife; Mr. Hog loved the child dearly, and while he and his wife werejointly supplicating the Lord in prayer, acknowledging their own and thechild's iniquity, the fever instantly left her. This passage was foundin his own diary, which he concludes with admiration upon the goodnessof God, to whom he ascribes the praise of all. _3dly_, In like manner, a child of the reverend Mr. Urquhart having beenat the point of death, those present pressed Mr. Hog to pray (for he wasnow become so esteemed that none other would in such case do it, hebeing present) upon which he solemnly charged them to join with him; andhaving fervently wrestled in prayer and supplication for some time, thechild was restored to health. A like instance is found of a child ofKinmundy's in his own diary. _4thly_, One David Dumbar, who lived at a distance, being in a frenzy, came to Mr. Hog's house in one of his fits. Mr. Hog caused him to sitdown, and having advised with Mr. Frazer of Brae, and some otherspresent, what could be done for the lad; some were for letting blood, but Mr Hog said, The prelates have deprived us of money, wherewith topay physicians, therefore let us employ him who cures freely, and solaid it on Mr. Frazer to pray, but he put it back on himself. So aftercommanding the distracted person to be still, he prayed fervently forthe poor man, and he was immediately restored to his right mind. Thisis faithfully attested by those who were eye and ear witnesses. _5thly_, Mr. Hog having once gone to see a gracious woman in greatextremity of distress, both of body and mind, he prayed with and forher, using this remarkable expression among many others, O Lord, rebukethis temptation, and we in thy name rebuke the same; and immediately thewoman was restored both in body and mind. And yet notwithstanding theLord had honoured him in such a manner, it is doubtful if any in his daymore carefully guarded against delusions than he did, it being hisordinary, whenever he bowed a knee, to request to be saved fromdelusions, &c. But as Mr. Hog was sent of God to be an ambassador of peace to some, sohe was also a messenger of wrath to others. Of which we have severalinstances, but none more particular than the following, of a certaingentleman in the parish, who had one dead in his family, and intended tobury in the kirk; but on account of the vulgar superstition the generalassembly had by an act discharged the same, and Mr. Hog being astrenuous defender of the act of the church, the gentleman wasnon-plussed what to do; but one William Munro, a strong hectoringfellow, engaged to make his way good against all opposition, andsucceeded so far that the people with the corpse were entering thechurch-yard when Mr. Hog got notice. He went out and set his back to thedoor through which the corpse was to pass, and began to reason with thepeople to convince them of their error in breaking through good order;but this had not the desired effect, for the fellow laid violent handson Mr. Hog to pull him from the door; but he, having the spirit of a manas well as of a Christian, turned on his adversary, wrested the key outof his hand, and told the assailant, Were he to repel force with force, probably he would be no gainer; and then said to the people, "This manhath grieved the Spirit of the Lord, and you shall see either his suddenrepentance or a singular judgment befal him. " Accordingly the poorwretch continued in his wicked courses, and met with the foretoldjudgment in a few months after that. Having made a violent attack uponone, who drew out the wretch's sword and dagger, and thrust him throughthe belly, so that his bowels burst out, and he died most miserably. Another instance of this kind fell out, while he was lecturing in thelaird of Lethem's house in the county of Murray. During the time ofworship, he observed a servant laugh once and again, and after anadmonition the third time, at which Mr. Hog paused a little, and thenwith an air of severity said, "The Spirit of God is grieved by one inthe company, for mocking at these great truths, therefore I am bold tosay, Such offers of grace shall be visibly and more suddenly punishedthan any here could wish, &c. " After they had supped, and retired totheir apartments, a message came to his chamber, telling him, that theforementioned mocker was seized with a sudden sickness and criedbitterly for him. Upon this Mr. Hog arose, quickly cast on his gown, andcame down stairs to see him without losing a minute's time, but ere hegot to him, the poor creature was dead. Mr. Hog was in judgment on that side called protestors, and thereforewas in the beginning of the year 1661. Deposed by the synod of Ross, because he would not decline that party judicially; and afterward whenhe knew he was to be put out of the charge at Killearn _anno_ 1662. Hehad a farewell sermon to them, where, with the apostle Paul, he took Godand their own consciences to witness that he had not shunned to declarethe whole counsel of God to them, and added, That the storm would be ofa long continuance, but, after all, the sky would clear, and he wouldlive to see it, and be called to his own charge again as minister ofKillearn, and die with them. And further said, If any of you shalldecline from that good way, and these truths wherein ye have beentaught, and shall comply with the wicked designs now carried on, I takeheaven and earth to witness against you, I take the stones of thesewalls I preached in, every word that was spoken, and every one of you tobe witnesses against another. With many other words he exhorted them, and his labours were not altogether in vain; for there was not a parishin Scotland that complied less with the corruptions than they did. After his ejection, John Card, who was converted by his ministry, toldhim, That he should go to Murray. Of which he had no thoughts then, butin a little the laird of Park offered him Knockgaudy near Oldearn tolabour and dwell in, of which he accepted, and went thither; where hewas a very useful instrument in the hand of the Lord in turning manysouls to him, as has been already said, and here finding his privateministry so blessed with success, he adventured to give the sacrament inthis place, which was a bold attempt, considering the severity of thelaws at that time. But this solemnity being remarkably blessed with thedivine presence and glory, the communicants returned to theirhabitations with unspeakable joy, and amongst the rest one MacLoad whocame from Ross-shire, and understood nothing of the English language;but, Mr. Hog understanding the Irish language, he told him, That he camehither obeying the command of his exalted Redeemer, and understood whatwas preached there in the English, as well as if every word had beenspoken in his own tongue. Which when Mr. Hog interpreted to the rest, they were filled with wonder, and the good man was allowed tocommunicate, which he did with joy. _Anno_ 1668. He was imprisoned for the truth at Forres, upon a complaintfor keeping conventicles, &c. And there he was wonderfullystrengthened and comforted, having great joy in his sufferings. Upon hisaccount many prayers were put up by many in Murray, and their prayers, as one faith of the church's prayers for Peter while in the like case, set God a-working. The effect was, That Mr. Hog, without his ownknowledge or expectation, was set at liberty, without any concessions onhis part. But what was more remarkable, he was again apprehended about thebeginning of the year 1676. For the same cause, and sent to Edinburgh. He said to some in company, I thank my God, this messenger was mostwelcome to me: And giving a scratch with his nails on the wall, he said, I trust in the living God, that before my conscience shall get that muchof a scratch, this neck (pointing to it) shall go for it. Accordinglywhen tried, he submitted himself joyfully to a prison, rather than bindhimself from preaching; and was sent to the Bass, where by the air ofthe place and his close confinement he fell into a bloody flux, whereofhe was in great danger. A physician being called, gave his opinion, Unless he was liberated from that place, there was no hope of life. ButMr. Hog, hesitating, would not address that mongrel court, at any rate. However the doctor, of his own accord, did it without his knowledge, andgave in a petition to the council, in the strongest terms he coulddevise. The petition being read, some of the lords interceeded for Mr. Hog, and said, That he lived more quietly, and travelled not the countryso much as other presbyterians did. Upon which bishop Sharp, taking upthe argument, said, That the prisoner did, and was in a capacity to do, more hurt to their interests, sitting in his elbow-chair, than twentyothers could do by travelling from this corner of the land to the other;and if the justice of God was pursuing him, to take him off the stage, the clemency of the government should not interpose to hinder it; and itwas his opinion that if there was any place in the prison worse thananother, he should be put there. Which motion, being seconded by theprelates, was put to vote, and carried, To the closest prison in theBass; which was speedily put in execution. When the keeper intimatedthis to Mr. Hog, he said, It was as severe as if Satan himself hadpenned it. His servant William Bulloch, being with him when he carriedhim down to that low, nasty dungeon in the Bass, fell a-weeping, andcried, Now, master, your death is unavoidable. But the good man, directing his eyes up, said, Now, that men have no mercy, the Lord willshew himself merciful; from the moment of my entering this dungeon Idate my recovery. And so it fell out, for the very next day he recoveredsurprisingly, and in a short time was as well as ever. Yet afterward, when speaking of the arch-prelate, he never shewed any resentment, butmerrily said, Commend him to me for a good physician. In the end of the year 1679 being brought to Edinburgh before thecouncil, and refusing to take the bond to live peaceably, he wasremanded back to prison, and afterwards liberated, but on whatconditions we do not learn. About the year 1683, he fell again under the displeasure of themanagers, for holding private conventicles, and was banished by theprivy council, and ordained to remove off the kingdom in 48 hours, unless he gave caution not to exercise any part of his ministry, under apenalty of 5000 merks over and above performance; which conditions hewould by no means submit to, and therefore retired to Berwick, and fromthence to London, with a design the first opportunity to go from thenceto Carolina; but the pretended plot, called the presbyterian plot, thenfalling out, he was thrown into prison, where he continued some time, till his money being near spent, for beside his own and his servant'smaintenance, he paid 10 shillings sterling weekly to the keeper, for aplace by himself, and not to be put down among thieves and felons, hesaid to his servant William, I'll set to-morrow apart for prayer and seethat no person be allowed to come in to interrupt me. Accordingly herose early and continued close at meditation and prayer till 12 o'clock, when a person in the habit of a gentleman desired to speak with him. William Bulloch told him, that his master was retired, &c. Yet hestill interceeded to see him. Upon which William, seeing him of a gravepleasant aspect, reported his desire to his master, who ordered him tohis room. Mr. Hog received him courteously. The other entertained himwith a discourse about suffering for a good God and a good cause, andshewed that _our light afflictions which are but for a moment, are notto be compared with the glory that shall be revealed_. After which hearose and embraced Mr. Hog most lovingly, exhorted him to continue inwell-doing, and then took out of his pocket a white paper, and gave itto him. Mr. Hog, finding its weight, understood it was money, and saidto the stranger, Upon what account, Sir, do you give me this money? Theother answered, Because I am appointed by our great and exalted Masterto do so. Mr. Hog asked his name, and upon his refusing to tell it, Mr. Hog said, Sir, it is not curiosity that prompts me to ask, but I hope tobe enlarged, and then I shall account it my duty to call for you at yourdwelling in this city, for I suppose you are a citizen in London. Theother replied, You must ask me no more questions, but _be faithful tothe death, and thou shalt have a crown of life_. Then he retired, andMr. Hog never saw nor heard of any him more. When Mr. Hog opened thepaper, there were five pounds sterling in it, which to the good man wassweeter than if he had got 1000 pounds settled on him yearly[241]. After he was set at liberty, being at London in the year 1685. When theduke of Monmouth landed in England, and Argyle in Scotland, he plainlytold some of his acquaintance, That God would never honour any of thesemen to be instruments of our deliverance. And much about the same time, some protestants at court, knowing he was in the city, and that he wasendued with a prophetic spirit, drew king James's attention so far, thathe wanted Mr. Hog should be consulted concerning affairs at thatjuncture. This being communicated to him, he concealed his mind, till heconsulted the Lord by prayer. In the mean time he made ready for hisdeparture, and then told them (what he charged them to report to himfaithfully) That if king James had seriously adhered to the principlesof our holy reformed religion, his throne should have been establishedin righteousness, and if he would yet turn from popery matters might bewell with him, but if otherwise the land would spue him out. When thiswas reported, the king ordered he should be speedily apprehended, buthe, having foreseen this, eschewed it by a speedy flight to Holland. When in Holland, he was soon introduced to the prince of Orange, who hadhim in great esteem, and therefore let him into the secret of hisresolution to deliver these nations from popery and tyranny. In theindulgence Mr. Hog agreed with worthy Mr. M'Ward and Mr. Brown, yet wasfar from clearness to withdraw from all presbyterian[242] ministers, whoeither had not taken the benefit of the indulgence, or those exposed tosuffering notwithstanding the same. Mr. Hog returned to Scotland _anno_ 1688. Where he stayed till 1691. ;that his old parishioners, finding the way cleared, sent commissionersto accompany him back to his parish of Killearn; where he was receivedwith great joy in June or July that year. But his constitution beingbroken, he was unable to discharge his function much in public afterthat; however his conversation became still more heavenly. King Williamas a reward to his merit, resolving to have this good man near him, senthim a commission to be one of his chaplains, which was no mean evidenceof his esteem for him, and the truth of his prediction concerning him. But before ever that honour was bestowed upon him, he was seized withthe trouble, or rather the complication of troubles, whereof he died. His sickness was considerably long, and accompanied with great pain. Onetime his judicious servant, hearing the heavy moans he made, asked, Whether it was soul or bodily pain that extorted such heavy groans fromhim? To which he composedly replied, No soul trouble, man, for a hundredand a hundred times my Lord hath assured me that I shall be with him forever, but I am making moan for my body. And thereupon entertained himagreeably concerning the Lord's purging away sin from his own children, Isa. Xxvii. 9. At another time he said, Pity me, O ye my friends, and donot pray for my life; you see I have a complication of diseases upon me;allow me to go to my eternal rest. And then with deep concern of soul hecried, Look, O my God, upon mine affliction, and forgive all my sins. And yet, says his servant, never was his conversation more heavenly andspiritual, than when thus chastised. Toward his end he was much feastedwith our Saviour's comfortable message to his disciples, John xx. 17. _Iascend to my Father, and to your father; and to my God, and your God. _To the writer of some remarkable passages of his life he said, He couldnot give a look to the Lord, but he was persuaded of his everlastinglove. And to Mr. Stuart (who succeeded him in that place) at anothertime he said, Never did the sun in the firmament shine more brightly tothe eyes of my body, than Christ the Sun of Righteousness hath shined onmy soul. "And some time after, " (continues the same writer), "when Iunderstood he was very low, I made him my last visit; and when I askedhim how he did, he answered, The unchangeableness of my God is my rock. Upon Sabbath evening, for I stayed with him that week, when I came fromthe church, his speech was unintelligible to me, but his servant desiredme to pray, and commit his soul and body to God. After prayer I retireda little, and when I returned, I found all present in tears at hisdissolution, especially his wife and his faithful servant WilliamBulloch. " Mr. James Hog and the forementioned writer of the remarkablepassages add, That Mr. Thomas Hog had many times foretold that his Lordand husband was coming; so in the end he cried out, "Now he is come, myLord is come, praise, praises to him for ever more. Amen. " And withthese words death closed his eyes, upon the 4th day of Jan. 1692, beingabout 60 years old. Mr. Hog was of a tall stature, but more remarkable for his courage andfortitude of mind; he was most temperate in his diet and sleep. Gluttony, he said, is a great incentive to lust, and rising betimes isnot only good for the health, but best adapted for study, wherein hetook great pleasure. His more serious work, his necessary diversions, asvisiting of friends, &c. And even meaner things were all gone about bythe rule of duty. He was sought unto by many for his good and faithfuladvices, and in prayer he was most solemn and fervent, the profoundestreverence, the lowest submission, and yet a marvelous boldness andintimacy with God attended his engagements in this exercise. It mighttruly be said of him as of Luther when he prayed. It was with so muchreverence as if he was praying to God, and with so much boldness as ifhe had been speaking to his friend. And though the Lord did not blesshim with natural children, he gave him the powerful assurance of thatpromise, Isa. Lvi. 5. _I will give thee a name better than of sons anddaughters_, which he signally fulfilled to him in making him theinstrument of begetting many sons and daughters to the Lord. _The Life of Mr. ROBERT FLEMING. _ Mr. Robert Fleming was born at Bathens _anno_ 1630. He was son to Mr. James Fleming minister of the gospel there, who, being a very godly andreligious man, took great care of his son's education; and for thatpurpose sent him first to the college of Edinburgh, where he ran throughthe course of philosophy with great applause, and made great progress inthe learned languages. Then being translated to St. Andrews, he passedhis course of theology in that university under the conduct of worthyMr. Rutherford. His natural parts bring very great, his understanding quick andpenetrative, his judgment clear and profound, his fancy rich, his memorystrong, and expressions masculine, they did with such a grace take withthem who were not acquainted with his accents or idioms, and to allthese his acquired learning was answerable, the culture of which he, through the divine blessing, improved with great diligence. History, theeye of learning, he singularly affected, especially sacred history, theright eye. But to him all history was sacred, seeing he considered God'sactions more than man's therein. Nor did he value any man, but for theknowledge of God, wherewith he himself was so much acquainted; for hisconversion to God was very early. Before he was full 23 years old, he was called to a pastoral charge, andwas settled therein at Cambuslang in the shire of Clydesdale, where heserved the Lord in the ministry, till after the restoration of CharlesII. When that storm arose that drove out so many, and particularly thatact (commonly called the Glasgow act) whereby near 400 faithfulministers were ejected, of whom the world was not worthy. He had taken to wife Christiana Hamilton, justly famed for her person, gifts and graces. By her he had seven children, and with them andhimself, sweetly committed unto his God's provision, he humbly receivedthe honour of his ejection. Of the children the Lord received three ofthem to himself, before their mother, and two of them died afterward;the other two survived their father for some time. As for his worldlysubstance, his share seemed according to Agur's desire, and with Lutherhe said, To his knowledge he never desired much of it, or was verycareful for or about it; for during the most tragical days, his tablewas spread and cup filled, and his head anointed with fresh oil, hischildren were liberally educated, and in his work he was profusely rich;but of his own laying up he had no treasure but in heaven. His owntestimony of his life was this, It was once made up of seemingcontrarieties, great outward trouble and great inward comfort, and Inever found (said he) more comfort than when under most affliction. For some time after his ejection, he lived mostly at Edinburgh, Fife andother places until Sept. 1673, that all the ministers in and aboutEdinburgh being called to appear before the council to hear theirsentence, to repair unto the places of their confinement; but he andsome others not appearing were ordered to be apprehended wherever theycould be found. Which made him shift as well as he could for some time, till he was at last apprehended and imprisoned in the tolbooth ofEdinburgh, where he was during the time of Bothwel battle. A littleafter he was, with some others, called before the council, and tho' theywere willing to find bail for their appearance when called, yet becausethey refused to live peaceably, and not to rise against the king or anyauthorized by him, they were remanded to prison. However he wasliberated[243] and went to Holland, where, after the death of the famousand faithful Mr. Brown, he was admitted minister of the Scotscongregation at Rotterdam. And here again his activity in the ministry was such as was to beexpected from such a large soul, comprehensive of the interest of Godand his church. What a writer he was need not here be told, but inpreaching he might be called a Boanerges and Barnabas also for converse, and for all things useful. What might Cambuslang testify of him! Whatmight Edinburgh and adjacent places, where, after his ejection, helived and laboured? What might Rotterdam say, where, from the year 1679, till towards his end, he was a most bright and shining light? There wasno time wherein we may suppose that he had no good design going on. Itis well known that the sun of his life did set on an excellent design, which was, of sending forth a treatise concerning the ways of the HolyGhost's working upon the souls of men, &c. As he was religious, so he was said to be of a peaceable and friendlydisposition, as not affecting controversy much, so that when speaking ofthe differences amongst some brethren, he would say, I am amazed to seegood men thus tear one another in the dark, nor can I understand howthey should have grace in a lively exercise, who value their ownparticular designs above the interest of the catholic church, &c. Noris it to be forgot what he said to one of his own begotten sons in thefaith, I bless God (said he) that in 15 years time I have never givenany man's credit a thrust behind his back, but when I had ground tospeak well of any man, I did so with faithfulness, and when I wanted asubject that way, I kept silence. And according to his practice, his life was a life of worshipextraordinary. His solemn dedication of himself to his God was frequent;his soliloquies with him almost perpetual; as spending his days andyears after this manner, in order to which we find it was his customfrom the 15th or 16th year of his age, to set apart the first day ofevery year for renewing his covenant with God; or if interrupted thatday, to take the next day following. For the first years of his life wecannot give any particular account of the manner of his doing this; butwe may guess what they have been, from the few instances following. 1691. In the entry of this new year, (as I have now done for many yearsmost solemnly) I desire again to renew my personal engaging of myself tothe Lord my God, and for him, and with my whole heart and desire toenter myself into his service, and take on his blessed yoke, and humblyto lay claim, take and embrace him (O him!) to be my God, my all, mylight and my salvation, my shield and exceeding great reward. _Whom haveI in heaven but thee, O Lord, or in the earth whom I desire besidesthee?_ And now under thy blessed hand my soul desires, and does heretestify my trusting myself and securing my whole interest, my credit, myconduct, my comfort, my assistance, and my poor children and to leavemyself herein on thy gracious hand, on my dearest Lord, whilst in time, as I write this the 2d day of January 1691. R. FLEMING. 1692. In the entry and first day of this new year, that I desire asformerly to enter (in this hidden record) a new surrender and offeringof myself to my dear Lord and Master, who hath been wonderfully tenderand gracious to me, and hath brought me by his immediate conduct throughthe days and years of my pilgrimage past, hath still cared for his poorservant, and given more singular mercies and evidences of respect thanto many else; and now, as still formerly, hath taken me through thislast year with singular evidences of his presence and assistance, and asI trusted myself to my Lord, so he hath graciously answered; for whichand his special grace hitherto, I desire to insert this witness of mysoul's blessing the Lord my God. And now I do here with my full and joyful consent testify my giving upmyself again to the Lord, and to his work and service here, and whereverhe shall call me, with desire to consecrate my old age to my God and theguide of my youth. I love my Master and his services, and let my ears benailed to the posts of his door, as one who would not go free from thatblessed yoke and service, and lay in hope the whole assistance hereof onhis grace and help, &c. To him I commit myself, my ways, my works andservices, which, with my whole desire, I offer to my Lord, in whose handI desire to secure my credit for the gospel's sake, my comfort andenlargement in this day of deep trouble and anguish, together with mypoor children and the whole interest of my family and concerns, desiringto put myself with humble confidence, and all that is dear to me, underhis care and conduct. O my soul, bless thou the Lord! This I write thefirst of Jan. 1692. _My Lord and my God. _ R. FLEMING. 1694. In the first day and Monday of this new year 1694, that as I haveformerly through most of my life past, so now I desire to renew mydedication and engagement to the Lord my God, and to join in the samewitness with what herein hath been formerly with my whole heart anddesire, and to offer to my dearest Lord praise, in remembrance of whathe hath been through the year past, and in the whole of my life, whosegracious tender conduct hath been so wonderfully (and well hast thou, Lord, dealt with thy servant according to thy word) in all that hathbefallen me, &c. And now I do again by a surrender witness my entire commitment ofmyself, my poor children, my credit for the gospel, my conduct andcomfort in so extraordinary a juncture to my dearest Lord, to hisgracious and compassionate care and providence; together with my works, and any small design to serve him and my generation; and I do intreatnew supplies of his grace and strength to secure and make his poorservant (if it were his blessed will) yet more abundantly forth-comingto him. And with hopes of acceptance I write this Jan. 1st, 1694. _Posttenebras spero lucem. _ R. FLEMING. But now drawing near his end in the same year 1694, upon the 17th ofJuly he took sickness, and on the 25th died. On his first arrest, Ofriends, said he to such as were about him, sickness and death areserious things; but till the spark of his fever was risen to a flame, hewas not aware that that sickness was to be unto death; for he told arelation, That if it should be so, it was strange, seeing the Lord didnot hide from him the things that he did with him and his. Yet beforehis expiration, he was apprehensive of its approach: Calling to him afriend, he asked, What freedom he found in prayer for him? seems God tobeckon to your petitions, or does he bring you up and leave darkimpressions on your mind? This way, said he, I have often known the mindof the Lord. His friend telling him he was under darkness in the case, he replied, I know your mind, trouble not yourself for me; I think I maysay, I have been long above the fear of death. All the while his groans and struggling argued him to be under no smallpain, but his answers to enquiring friends certified that the distressdid not enter his soul. Always he would say, I am very well, or, I wasnever better, or, I feel no sickness. This would he say, while he seemedto be sensible of every thing besides pain. But the malignant distemperwasting his natural spirits, he could speak but little, but what hespoke was all of it like himself. Having felt himself indisposed for hiswonted meditation and prayer, he thus said to some near him, I have notbeen able in a manner to form one serious thought since I was sick, orto apply myself unto God; he has applied himself unto me, and one of hismanifestations was such as I could have borne no more. Opening his eyesafter a long sleep, one of his sons asked how he did? He answered, Neverbetter. Do you know me? said his son. Unto which with a sweet smile heanswered, Yes, yes, dear son, I know you. This was about two hoursbefore he died. About an hour afterwards he cried earnestly, Help, helpfor the Lord's sake, and then breathed weaker and weaker till he gave upthe ghost, and after he had seen the salvation of God he departed inpeace in the 64th year of his age. Thus lived and died Mr. Fleming, after he had served his day andgeneration. His works yet declare what for a man he was; for besides theforenamed treatise, the confirming work of religion, his epistolarydiscourse, and his well known book, the fulfilling of the scriptures; heleft a writing behind him under this title, A short index of some of thegreat appearances of the Lord in the dispensations of his providence tohis poor servant, &c. And although the obscurity of these hints leavesus in the dark, yet as they serve to shew forth his Master's particularcare over his servant, who was most industrious in observing the Lord'sspecial providences over others, and perhaps may give some further lightinto the different transactions of his life, they are here inserted. * * * * * "How near I was brought to death in my infancy, given over and esteemeda burthen to my friends, so as my death was made desirable to them; Ibeing the refuse of my father's children, yet even I was then God'schoice, and in a most singular way restored. 2. That remarkabledeliverance, in receiving a blow by a club when a child, which was sonear my eye as endangered both my sight and life. 3. The strange andextraordinary impression I had of an audible voice in the church atnight, when being a child I had got up to the pulpit, calling me to makehaste, &c. 4. That I, of all my father's sons, should be spared, whenthe other three were so promising, and should thus come to be the onlymale heir surviving of such a stock. 5. That solemn and memorable day ofcommunion at Gray-friar's in the entry of the year 1648, where I had soextraordinary a sense of the Lord's presence, yea, whence I can date thefirst sealing evidence of my conversion, now 40 years past. 6. TheLord's gracious and signal preservation and deliverance given me atDumbar fight. 7. These solemn times and near approaches of the Lord tomy soul; the first at Elve when I went there, and the other a littleafter my father's death in the high study. 8. The scripture Acts xii. Was given me to be my first text, and how I was unexpectedly and bysurprize engaged therein. 9. The great deliverances at sea going toDundee, the first time in company with the duke of Lauderdale, theother in company with Mr. Gray of Glasgow. 10. That extraordinary dreamand marvellous vision I had twice repeated, with the inexpressible joyafter the same. 11. These memorable impressions and passages about myhealth, when it seemed hopeless, at my first entry upon the ministry, and the strange expression of Mr. Simpson of Newmills. 12. The Lord'simmediate and wonderful appearance for me in my first entry to theministry, with that extraordinary storm on the day of my ordination, andthe amazing assault which followed the same in what befel, whereinSatan's immediate appearance against me was so visible. --13. The greatand conspicuous seal given to my ministry from the Lord, in theconversion of several persons, with that marvellous power which thenaccompanied the word on the hearts of the people. 14. That signalappearance of the Lord and his marvellous condescendence in my marriagelot, and in the whole conduct of the same. 15. My deliverance from soimminent hazard of my life in my fall from my horse at Kilmarnock. 16. The Lord's marvellous assistance at the two communions of Cathcart andDunlop, with the great enlargement I had at the last of these two placesat the last table. 18. That as my entry to my charge was with such abright sunshine, so no less did the Lord appear at my parting from thatplace, &c. 18. The Lord's special providence as to my outward lotafter my removal thence, in many circumstances that way. 19. Thegracious sparing my wife so long, when her life was in such hazard inthe years 1665 and 1672. 20. The preservation I had in going over toFife in the year 1672. And the settlement I got there. 21. The dream atBoussay, wherein I got such express warning as to my wife's removal, with the Lord's marvellous appearance and presence the Thursday after atSt. Johnston's. 22. That extraordinary warning I got again of my dearwife's death, and of the manner of it at London in the year 1674. 23. These two remarkable scripture places given me at West Nisbet in myreturn from London 1674. _viz. _ that in Rom. Iv. In the forenoon, andthat in Psal. Cxv. In the afternoon. 24. Those great and signalconfirmations given me at my wife's death, and that great extraordinaryvoice so distinct and clear which I heard a few nights after her death. 25. These special confirmations given me at my leaving my country atWest Nisbet, Ridsdale, Stanton, and the first at sea from the Shiels. 26. These solemn passages to confirm my faith from Heb. Xi. And Exod. Xxxiii. And at other times at London, and the last night there before Iwent away. 27. These extraordinary and signal times I had at my firstentering at Rotterdam. 28. These two marvellous providences that didoccur to me at Worden, and about the business of William Mader. 29. Themarvellous sign given me of the state of my family, in what happened asto the sudden withering of the tree, and its extraordinary revivingagain at my first entry to my house at Rotterdam. 30. The greatdeliverance from fire in the high street. 31. The good providence inreturning my diary after it had been long lost. 32. The specialprovidence in preserving my son from perishing in water. 33. Thesurprizing relief when cited by the council[244] of Scotland to appear, with that sweet resignation to the Lord which I had then under such apungent trial. 34. The remarkable event of a warning I was forced togive that some present should be taken away by death before the nextLord's day. 35. The Lord's immediate supporting under a long series ofwonders (I may truly say) for which I am obliged in a singular way toset up my Ebenezer, that hitherto hath the Lord helped. 36. Theremarkable appearance of the Lord with me (which I omitted in its place)in the strange providence relating to Mr. Monypenny's death inPreston-pans. 37. The solemn providence and wonder in my life, my fallunder the York coach in August 1654, when the great wheel went over myleg, so as I could feel it passing me without hurting, far less breakingmy leg, as if it had been thus carried over in a just poise, to let mesee how providence watched over me, &c. 38. The comfort God gave me inmy children, and those extraordinary confirmations I got from God uponthe death of those sweet children whom God removed from me to himself. " Now, reader, go and do thou likewise, for _blessed is that servant, whomhis Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing_, Matth. Xxiv. _The Life of Mr. ALEXANDER SHIELDS. _ Mr. Alexander Shields, son to James Shields of Haugh-head in the Merse, born _anno_ 1660, or 1661, and being sent to school (when capable ofinstruction) made such proficiency there, that in a short time heentered upon the study of philosophy under Sir William Paterson, thenregent of the college of Edinburgh, (afterwards clerk to the bloodycouncil) where he made no less progress. For, being of a lively geniusand penetrating wit, he soon commenced master of arts, and that with nosmall applause. And having furnished his mind with no small degree ofthe ancillary knowledge of learning, he began to think upon the study ofdivinity in view for the ministry. But finding little encouragement thisway for any who could not in conscience join with prelacy, or theprevailing defections of those called the indulged, he took aresolution, and went over among others to Holland (shortly before orafter Bothwel) for the further improvement of his studies, where hecontinued some short time, and then returned home to his native country. But upon his going to London, to be an amanuensis to Dr. Owen, or someof the English divines who were writing books for the press; he had aletter of commendation to one Mr. Blackie a Scots minister, who, appointing him to speak with him at a certain season, had severalministers convened unknown to him, and did press and enjoin him to takelicense. So that being carried into it, in that sudden and surprizingway, he did accept of it from the Scots dissenting ministers at London, but without any imposition for sinful restriction. However, the oath ofallegiance becoming in a little time the trial of that place, Mr. Shields studied, as he had occasion, to shew the sinfulness thereof, which these ministers took so ill that they threatened to stop hismouth, but he refused to submit himself thereunto. But it was not long here that he could have liberty to exercise hisoffice. For, upon the 11th day of January 1685, he was, with someothers, apprehended by the city-marischal (at a private meeting inGutter-lane) who came upon them at an unawares, and commanded them tosurrender in the king's name. Mr. Shields, being first in his way, replied, What king do you mean? by whose authority do you disturb thepeaceable ordinances of Jesus Christ?----Sir, you dishonour your king inmaking him an enemy to the worship of God. At which the marischal said, He had other business to do than to stand pratting with him. Mr. Shieldsmade an attempt to escape, but was not able; and he and his companionswere brought before the lord mayor, who threatened to send him toBridewell. However bail was offered and admitted for him, to answer atGuildhall upon the 14th. Upon which day he attended, with a firmresolution to answer. But while he went out for a refreshment, he wascalled for, and none answering, his bail bond was forfeited, whichafterward gave him no small uneasiness when his bail's wife said to him, Alas! why have you ruined our family? However, to prevent furtherdamage, he appeared on the 20th, when he was arraigned in common formand examined, Whether he was at Bothwel, and if he approved of bishopSharp's death? with several other questions. To which he replied, Thathe was not obliged to give an account of his thoughts, and that he camethere to answer to his indictment, and not to such questions as these. Upon which he was taken to Newgate by a single officer without anymittimus or any express order unto what prison he should be committed. By the way (says he[245]) he could have escaped, had he not been led orbetrayed there by flattery. It was some days before his mittimus came, by which he was ordered to be kept in custody till the next quartersession, which was to be at Guildhall on the 23d of Feb. Following. But Charles II. In this interval dying, he was, with other seven whowere apprehended with him, March 5, put on board the Kitchen yacht forScotland, and landed at Leith on the 13th, and the next day Mr. Shieldswas examined before the council, where he pled the liberty of histhoughts, putting them to prove his accusation, and waving a directanswer anent owning the king's authority; which gave way to his slipafterwards, as he (in his own impartial account of his sufferings)observes among other reflections "In this I cannot but adore the wisdomof the Lord's conduct, but with blushing at the folly of mine. I wasindeed determined, I think, by a sovereign hand, and led upon this notusually trodden path by truth's confessor beyond my ordinary genius orinclination, to fence with these long weapons, declining direct answerswhich is the most difficult road, and most liable to snares; andwherein it is more hard to avoid wronging truth than in the plain andopen-hearted way. " However, he was remanded back to prison till the 23d, when he was brought before the justiciary, and interrogate, Whether hewould abjure the apologetical declaration, and own the authority ofJames VII. ? But being still on the reserve, he was sent back till the25th, and from thence continued till the day following, which he callsthe day of his fatal fall, the just desert of his former blind and boldapproaches to the brink of these precipices over which he had looked, and was now left to fall therein. Here he was again examined to theeffect aforesaid, and withal threatened with the most severe usage if hedid not satisfy them. Whereupon he gave in a minute in writing, wherein, after a short preamble, he says, "The result of my thoughts is in thesincerity of an unfeigned conscience and in the fear of God, that I dorenounce and disown that and all other declarations, in so far as thatthey declare war against the king expresly, proposedly or designedly, and assert that it is lawful to kill all employed by his majesty or any, because so employed in church, state, army or country. " When they readthis, they said it was satisfactory, and required him to hold up hishand. This he still refused, till allowed to dictate to the clerk whatwords he should swear. Which being done, he protested, that it might notbe constructed to any other sense than the genuine words he delivered inthe minute he did subscribe and swear. That which induced him to this, he says, was, "They gave it in his own meaning, and so far was his minddeceived, that by a quibble and nice distinction they thought that theword might bear, That this was not a disowning of that nor nodeclaration that ever he saw (save one of their pretending) nor thatneither but in so far, or if so be; which different expressions he wastaught to confound by scholastic notions infused into him by the court, and some of the indulged ministers while in prison, &c. " Having sodone, the justiciary dismissed him, but, on pretence he was thecouncil's prisoner, he was sent back to his now more weary prison thanever. For he had no sooner made this foolish and unfaithful step ofcompliance (as he himself expresses it) than his conscience smote him, and continuing so to do, he aggravated his fall in such a sort as hewanted words to express. Yet after all this his dangers were not over, for having wrote a letterto John Balfour to be by him transmitted to some friends in Hollanddeclaring his grief and sorrow, and his mind anent his formercompliances, &c. It fell into the enemies hands; whereupon he wasagain brought before the lords of council, and though much threateningensued, yet he owned the letter, and declared his sorrow for what he hadformerly done. After which they appointed him to confer with thearch-bishop of St. Andrews, and the bishops of Glasgow and Dunkeld. Withthem he had a long reasoning, and among other things they objected thatall powers were ordained of God, be they what they will. He answered, "All power is ordained of God by his provident will, but every powerassumed by man is not so by his approbative and preceptive will. " One ofthe prelates said, That even his provident will is not to beresisted. ----He answered, That the holy product of it cannot and maynot, but the instrument he made use of some times might be resisted. Itwas urged that Nero was then regnant when this command of non-resistancewas given. ----He answered, That the command was given in general for ourinstruction how to carry in our duty under lawful magistrates, abstracting from Nero. Then they asked him, How he would reconcile hisprinciples with that article in the confession of faith, that differencein religion, &c. ----He answered, "Very easily: For though differencein religion did not make void his power, yet it might stop his admissionto that power where that religion he differed from was established bylaw, &c. " He was continued till Aug. 6. When he was again before the justiciaryand indicted; which made him write two letters, one to the advocate andthe other to his old regent Sir William Paterson, which he thoughtsomewhat mitigated their fury. Whereupon he drew up a declaration of hissentiments, and gave in to the lords of council, upon which muchreasoning betwixt him and them ensued. After two conferences wherein hewas asked many questions, in the third he condescended to sign the oathof abjuration, (which they had so much insisted he should again take, ashe had at their command torn his name from the first) only it was wordedthus, If so be such things are there inserted; which he told them, hewas sure was not the case: This with difficulty was granted. As hesubscribed he protested before them, "That none were to think by this hejustified the act of succession or the abrogation of the ancient lawsabout it, or the want of security for religion or liberty, or that heacknowledged the divine approbation of it, &c. " When all was over hewas delayed till to-morrow. But to-morrow he was sent to the Bass, anddoubtless would have suffered, had he not got out in woman's clothesand eloped. After his escape (without seeking after any other party whatsoever) hecame straight to Mr. Renwick, and that faithful contending remnant thenin the fields, where upon the 5th of Dec. 1686. He attended a meetingfor preaching at the wood of Earlston in Galloway. After which hecontinued with Mr. Renwick for some time: In which time he ceased not, both in public and private, to give full proof and evidence of hishearty grief and sorrow for his former apostacy and compliances. Uponthe 22d he came to their general meeting, where he gave them fullsatisfaction in espousing all and every part of their testimony andlikewise made a public confession of his own guilt; wherein heacknowledged, (1. ) That he had involved himself in the guilt of owningthe (so called) authority of James VII. Shewing the sinfulness thereof, taking shame to himself. (2. ) He acknowledged his guilt in taking theoath of abjuration and his relapsing into the same iniquity, thesinfulness of which he held forth at great length, and spake so largelyto these particulars as discovering the heinousness of that sin as madeMr. Renwick say, "I think none could have done it, unless they had knownthe terrors of the Lord;" and added, "I thought it both singular andpromising to see a clergyman come forth with such a confession of hisown defections, when so few of that set are seen in our age to behonoured with the like. " After this when Mr. Renwick and the united societies were necessitatedto publish their informatory vindication, Mr. Shields went over toHolland to have the same printed about the beginning of the year 1687. ;but it appears he was necessitated to return home before that work wasfinished. After Mr. Renwick's death he continued for some time in the fieldspreaching in Crawford muirs at Disinckorn-hill in Galston parish andmany other places, and about the end of the same year 1688. WhenKersland and the united societies, who had, in the inter-regnum of thegovernment, thrust out some of the curates, and demolished some of thepopish monuments of idolatry, were obliged to publish a vindication ofthemselves in these proceedings; which they did at the cross of Douglas. Mr. Shields being present did sing some verses in the beginning of the76th psalm, _In Judah's land God is well known_, &c. Making some notesand while expatiating on the same, said, That this psalm was sweetlysung by famous Mr. Robert Bruce at the cross of Edinburgh at the breakof the Spanish Armada the same time a hundred years ago. Upon the 3d of March 1689. When Mr. Linning, he and Mr. Boyd renewed thecovenants at Borland-hill in Lismahago, Mr. Shields stood up againbefore a vast confluence of people, and declared his unfeigned sorrowfor his former sin of compliances, &c. To the affecting of all themultitude, and the abundant satisfaction of the godly there present, whohad been grieved therewith. At and after the revolution he was of much service to the army, andgreatly esteemed by King William. And after his return home he, with theforesaid Messrs. Linning and Boyd, presented a large paper of proposalsto the first general assembly after the revolution[246]; both craving aredress of their grievances, and likewise shewing on what terms theyand their people could and would join with them, &c. But this paperbeing judged by the committee of this assembly to contain "peremptoryand gross mistakes, unreasonable and impracticable proposals, anduncharitable and injurious reflections, tending rather to kindlecontentions than compose divisions[247], " it never once got a hearing, but was thrown over the bar of that assembly. And yet notwithstandingall this, the three foresaid brethren being resolved to unite with themat any rate, gave in another called the shorter paper, importing theirsubmission, casting down all their former proposals and desires at theassembly's feet, "to be disposed of as their wisdom should think fit. "Which paper he, through their insinuation, was brought to subscribe, andof which, it is said[248], he sadly repented afterwards. For havingdropt his former testimony at their feet, who trampled on it, and thoughthey did not rent him, yet they soon found out a way to get rid of him. For, Soon after the revolution, he was settled minister at St. Andrews, wherehe continued in the discharge of his office until the year 1699, thathe, with Messrs. Borland, Stobo and Dalgliesh, were pitched upon to goover with his countrymen to the national settlement at Darien inAmerica, where he, by letters under his own hand, gave particularaccount of matters there; wherein it is evident that his spirit wasquite sunk with the divisions, impiety and unrighteousness of too manyof that handful, and at last was sadly crushed with the fataldisappointment of that undertaking, by the conduct of the thengovernment; which he shewed, had it been faithfully and well managed, might have been of great advantage to this nation, as well as to theChristian religion; and yet for want of a proper reinforcement, theywere either cut off or dissipated. While in Caledonia he preachedmostly on Acts xvii. 26, 27. _God hath determined the times beforeappointed, and the bounds of our habitation_. One time, as he and therest of the ministers made a tour up the country, upon their returnthey were bewildered in the woods, and hearing the noise of the sea, they got at last to the shore, and so were obliged to pass throughvarious windings and bendings of the coast under lash of the swellingsurges or waves of the sea, being sometimes obliged to climb upon theirhands and feet upon the steep and hard rocks, until at last Mr. Shieldswas like to faint, which troubled them much. Their provision andcordials were spent, at length they came to a welcome spring of freshwater springing out of the rock by the sea side: "This well (says Mr. Borland) was to us as that well was to Hagar in the wilderness. --By thiswell we rested a little, and Mr. Shields having drunk of it, wasrefreshed and strengthened, and with the help of the Lord we wereenabled to proceed on our journey. " After which Mr. Shields and Mr. Borland escaped death very narrowly, the ship sinking in the harbour ofKingston a very little after they were gone out of it. He died of amalignant fever, June 14. 1700. In a Scot's woman's house at Port-Royal, in Jamaica, a little after he left Caledonia. A kind country womanIsabel Murray, paid the expence of his funeral. His last preaching wasfrom the last words of Hosea, _Who is wise? and he shall understandthese things: prudent? and he shall know them, for the ways of the Lordare right, and the just shall walk in them, but transgressors shall falltherein_[249]. And thus the so much famed Mr. Alexander Shields, after he had tastedsomewhat of the various vicissitudes of life and fortune, was obliged todie in a strange land. He was a man of a low stature, ruddy complexion, quick and piercing wit, full of zeal whatever way he intended, of apublic spirit, and firm in the cause he espoused; pretty well seen inmost branches of learning, in arguing very ready, only somewhat fiery, but in writing on controversy he exceeded most men in that age. His works are the Hind let loose, Mr. Renwick's life, and thevindication of his dying testimony, his own impartial relation, therenovation of the covenant at Borland hill. There are also some lecturesand sermons of his in print; a vindication of our solemn covenants, andseveral of his religious letters both before and since the revolution. After his death Mr. Linnings published an essay of his onchurch-communion. But how far this agrees with his conduct at therevolution, or what coherency it hath with his other writings, or if Mr. Linning had any hand therein, is not my province to determine atpresent. There are also three pocket volumes of his journals yet inmanuscript, which were, among other valuable papers, redeemed fromdestruction after Mr. Linning's death. _The Life of Mr. JOHN DICKSON. _ Mr. John Dickson born of creditable parents (as some say, related to Mr. David Dickson) was sent to the grammar-school, and from thence to theuniversity; where, after he had gone through his courses of learning, hestudied divinity, and then passed his trials for the ministry; and, being found duly qualified for that office, he was licensed. And, sometime before the restoration, was ordained and settled minister atRutherglen, where he continued for some time a most faithful, diligentand painful preacher of the gospel. But very soon after the restoration of Charles II. (prelacy beginning toadvance in Scotland) he was, upon the 13th of October 1660. Broughtbefore the committee of estates, and by them imprisoned in the tolboothof Edinburgh, information having been given in against him by Sir JamesHamilton of Elistoun[250], and some of his parishioners, of someexpressions he had used in a sermon alledged to reflect upon thegovernment and the committee of estates, tending to sedition anddivision. For which he was kept in prison till the parliament sat down, and his church vacated; and though he got out at this time, yet he wasexposed to much trouble and suffering afterwards, as now comes to beobserved. After this, Mr. Dickson was obliged to wander from place to place withthe rest of those who could not in conscience comply with the current ofdefection and apostacy at that time, preaching to such as employed him;wherein he ceased not, in shewing the sinfulness of bonding, cesspaying, and of the indulgence, and likewise wrote a faithful warning tothe shire of Fife against the same, shewing in the most affecting andstriking manner the hazard and evil of such compliance[251]. In 1670. We find he preached at Glenvail, and in June that year he andMr. Blackadder preached to a numerous congregation at Beeth-hill inDunfermline parish in Fife. While they were at public worship upon theLord's day, a lieutenant of militia in that place came up on horsebackto the people, and made a great deal of disturbance, threatening tofright and if possible to scatter them; whereupon one more courageousthan the rest stept forward to him, and, after intreating him to removepeaceably, took his horse by the bridle, pulled out a pistol, and toldhim, He would shoot him dead if he was not silent: And whether he wouldor would not, he was there compelled to sit on horseback till publicworship was over, after which he had his liberty to go where he pleased. Upon the back of this horrid insult (as the persecutors were pleased tocall it), upon the 11th of Aug. A decreet was obtained by the king'sadvocate against Mr. Dickson, Mr. Blackadder and several otherministers, wherein they were charged with holding conventicles in housesand in fields, and being after citation called and not compearing, theywere in absence denounced and put to the horn, which obliged them towander up and down the country, sometimes preaching in the fields wherethey had opportunity. And thus continued Mr. Dickson in the midst of imminent hazards: For, byvirtue of a new modelled council June 4th, 1764. There were orders tosend out parties in quest of all conventicle preachers (as they werecalled, who accepted not of the indulgence), amongst whom were Mess. Dickson, Welch, and Blackadder, &c. 400 pounds sterling were offeredfor Mr. Welch, and 1000 merks for Mr. Dickson and each of the rest. Nay, the soldiers were indemnified and their assistants, if any slaughter wascommitted in apprehending them, in case any resistance was made. Bywhich Mr. Dickson was exposed unto new dangers, but yet he escaped theirfury for some time. But after Bothwel-battle the persecution becoming still hotter, and thesearches more frequent, he was apprehended in 1680. ; and being broughtin to Edinburgh prisoner by some of the guard, under caution to answerbefore the council Sep. 1st. Accordingly the council ordered him to besent to the Bass, where he continued to be prisoner near the space ofeleven years. While he was prisoner in the Bass he wrote a most excellent letter tosome friends, wherein he not only bewails and laments the apostacy ofthese lands from God, &c. Demanding what our noble Scots worthieswould think or say, were they then alive to behold the same, but alsogives many practical and suitable directions how to behave in followingChrist, and owning his cause under the cross, and walking in the furnaceof affliction and tribulation, &c. After he got out of the Bass, he returned very early at the revolutionback to his flock at Rutherglen, where he again exercised hisministerial function, and that upon all hazards. [252] In the year 1698. Oct. 4th, at the sitting down of the synod at Air, he preached a veryfree and faithful sermon, upon the duty and qualifications of a faithfulwatchman from these words, Ha. Lxii. 6. _I have fit watchmen upon thywalls, O Jerusalem_, &c. And although Mr. Dickson still acceded to the revolution church, yet hewas much grieved when he beheld how far inferior the glory of the secondtemple was to the first, which does most evidently appear from his ownwords in a letter to one a little before his death (which was in theyear 1700. ) and which may stand here for his dying testimony, thecontents whereof are as follows. "The conception you have of the dispensation of the Lord towards thispoor plagued church, and the temper of the spirits of professors underthis dispensation, are not different from what many of the Lord's peopleare groaning under. There is palpably a sensible difference betwixt whatthe church now is, and what it was many years ago; yea, what it hathbeen within these few years. The church hath lost much ground, and isstill upon the losing hand, and it seems will continue so until itpleases the Lord to pour down his Spirit from on high, or else by somesharp awakening dispensation rouse up drowzy souls out of the lethargywherein they are fallen, &c. It is many years since the sun fell lowupon Scotland, many a dismal day hath it seen since 1649. At that timeour reformation mounted towards its highest horizon, and since we leftour building on that excellent foundation laid by our honouredforefathers, we have still moved from ill to worse, and is like stillmore (unless our gracious God prevent it) until we slide ourselves outof sight and sense of a reformation. We have been lately trysted with awonderful deliverance from the slavery of heaven-daring enemy, but notone line of reformation is pencilled upon our deliverance[253]. We havethe shell of ordinances and church-government, but want the kernel, thegreat things of Christ's law; as to contend for his interest is wraptunder a cloud. It is a long time since our covenant and solemnengagements looked pale. They have lost colour and verdure since therescinding our vows to God. These covenants are turned skeletons, fearsome and affrighting, and former respect to them is like graduallyto dwine away under a consumption. There are some few things that madethem the glory of nations that are turned to a shadow: "(1. ) They were the fruits of many prayers, fasting, tears, wrestling, and indefatigable labours of the greatest and best men that everbreathed in our nation, recovering a people sunk into antichristiandarkness, to enjoy liberty due to them by Christ's purchase. "(2. ) The renewing them so many times in old king James's reign spokeout the fervency of these worthy spirits, in ardour and affection tothem, as so many jewels of so great value, that they were set as gemsand pearls in Christ's crown, to wear so long as his interest remainedin the church. "(3. ) The blessing accompanying the entering unto and renewing thesecovenants were so fluent in all church-ordinances, both secret, privateand public, that whatever was planted in so fruitful a soil of suchblessing and influence of the Spirit, could not but grow up as calves inthe stall, fat and full of sap. "(4. ) These covenants were to our forefathers, like the renting of theirown cloths, as Elisha did, and taking up Elijah's mantle, and clothingthemselves with it, 2 Kings ii. 12, 13. ; enjoying of Moses's spirit, Deut. Xxiv. ; and like Joshua (chap. Xxiv. ) when dying, leaving atestimony of remembrance to posterity, by engaging them in thesecovenants. "(5. ) So long as our church cleaved to these our covenants, it fell outwith them as it did with king Asa, 2 Chron. Xv. 2. ; that the Lord waswith them while they were with him. But, our fathers offspring forsakingGod, he forsook them: from that day that our covenants were soignominiously treated, unto this day, all calamities as to our religiousconcerns have fallen upon us. "(6. ) The late sufferers, of all who shed their hearts blood upon thefields and scaffolds, imprisonments and banishments, were all dyed withthe crimson blood of the covenant: from that day of the force and furyof enemies, these solemn vows of our worthy forefathers, and the enemiestaking up Christ's march-stones (which were the bounds set by the MostHigh, when he divided to the church of Britain its inheritance, andseparated the sons of Adam, Deut. Xxix. 8. ), the giddy church strayingin the wilderness is much fallen out of sight either of pillar of cloudor fire. Our intermixtures are turned pernicious to the glory and honourof Christ's house which should not be a den of buyers and sellers. Although the suffering of our late brethren seemed to be heavy to bear, yet two prime truths were sealed with their blood (and that of the best, as of our honourable nobles, faithful ministers, gentry, burghers andcommons of all sorts) which were never before sealed either by the bloodof our primitive martyrs, our late martyrs in the dawning of ourreformation; and the two truths were, Christ's headship in the church indespite of supremacy and bold erastianism, and our covenants: Which twogreat truths were in the mouths of all our worthies, when mounting theirbloody theatres and scaffolds, ascending as it were up unto God in aperfumed cloud of transporting joy, that they were honoured to sufferupon such clear grounds. That supremacy was so agasted by our covenants, that no rest could it have till it got the grave stone laid upon them, and so conjured all who tasted the liquor of that supremacy, that thethoughts of getting the buried covenants out of the grave were moreterrible to them than the devils, who are now in the place of our vowsto God, managing their diabolical games in these places where thecovenants were most in honour and request, the one burned and the otherrising in its room. Much blood and treasure have been spent to set theflourishing crown upon Christ's head in Scotland. Declarations, acts ofcouncils and parliament, remonstrances, engagements, vows and covenants;but the sealing blood of the late martyrs was the cope-stone of all. Theprimitive martyrs sealed the prophetic office of Christ with theirhearts blood, the reforming martyrs sealed his priestly offices withtheir blood; but last of all our martyrs have sealed his kingly officewith their best blood: They indeed have cemented it upon his royal head, so that to the end of the world it shall not drop off again. Let usnever dream of a reviving spirit among us, till there be a revivingrespect to these solemn vows of God. If there was but a littleappearance of that spirit which actuated our worthy forefathers in ourpublic assemblies and preachings, ye would see a wonderful alteration inthe face of affairs: The fields, I assure you would look white near toharvest. If ye would adventure to trace our defections from the breachof the act of classes in the year 1650, all along to this day of ourbeing bound in the grave of our neutrality, and all to edge up thespirit of the people to a due sense of our woful and irrevocable likebacksliding from God (who hath acted many wonders for Scotland) youwould find a perfumed smoke of incense springing from our altar insavoury and soul refreshing blessings. But ah! when shall this day dawn?so long as the common enemy are gaining their long-wished for hopes, That ministers in their public preaching must confine themselves totheir nicknamed faith and repentance; without noticing any incroachmentsupon Christ's proper rights to his church in the glorious work ofreformation, lest constructed fire-{illegible}ands and seditions, whichin running the full career may gradually drop into superstition throughneutrality, and thence plunge into an abyss of the shadow of popery. Butto sum up shortly all my present thoughts of the time in this one, Icannot see an evasion of the church, in its present circumstance, from asharp and more trying furnace than ever it has yet met with, come thetrial from what airth it will, it fears me: Our principles are soslippry, and the truths of God so superficially rooted in us, that whenwe are thrown in the furnace, many of us shall melt to dross. It is manyyears since I heard one of the greatest seers in our nation, in horrorand with fear, dreading the heavy judgments of God upon the biassedprofessors in the west of Scotland. But all that I say, not diminishingmy hopes of the Lord's reserving his purchased inheritance in his owncovenanted land, though Malachi be affrighted at the day of his coming, and be made to cry out, _Who may abide it_, chap. Iii. 1, 2, 3. _when hesits as refiner and purifier of the sons of Levi_: A remnant shall beleft, that shall be as the teil tree or the oak whose feed is in them, when they cast their leaves; so the holy seed shall be the substancethereof. "To revive a reflection upon two stupenduous passages of providence, Iknow would have an imbittering relish to many professors in our countryside. The one is upon the last indulgence, wherein professors by bondand penalty obliged themselves to produce their minister before thecouncil, when called. For this was a restriction so narrow, that all thefreedom and faithfulness of ministers in their office was so blocked up, that either conscience towards God in discharging of necessary dutiesbehoved utterly to be buried, or else the life of their minister exposedto sacrifice. --And if this be not an universal evil to be mourned over, let conscience and reason judge; yet this is looked upon to be but atrip, in these gloomy times, of inconsiderable moment, though it was thebrat clecked by that supremacy, which not only hath wounded our solemnvows to death, but bound the freedom and faithfulness of the churchseers, as to the public interest of Christ in their graves, &c. "The other stupenduous providence is the obliterating the rich blessingof the gospel in our late suffering times, when blessings not onlyaccompanied these solemn field-meetings, but extraordinary influences, in gifts of freedom and faithfulness, were poured down upon theseministers, who went out with their lives in their hands, setting theirfaces as flints against the heaven-daring violence done to the mediator. I call to mind a passage with perpetuated remembrance, that in one shireof this kingdom there were about thirty ministers who cheerfully offeredup their service to Christ, all by turns out of Edinburgh. Each ofthese, when they returned back to Edinburgh again, being questioned whatpleasure, what delight, and what liberty they had in managing thathazardous task? they answered, That so soon as they set foot in thesebounds, another spirit came upon them; and no other reason could theygive for it, but that God wrought so mightily, that they looked upon itas _genius loci_, that God sensibly at that time was in that countyworking wonders; but the most part of all these are in their places, resting on their beds, and their works follow them. "Thus in answer to yours I have given you some of my confused thoughtsof the present times, wishing you God's blessing in sucking honey out ofthe eater. " JOHN DICKSON. * * * * * Thus lived and died worthy Mr. John Dickson, in a good old age _anno_1700, after he had, by his longevity, seen somewhat of the glory both ofthe first and second temple, and emerged forth of all his troubles, having got a most perspicuous view of our national apostacy, our breachof covenant and other defections past, present and to come, with theLord's goodness and mercy toward his own remnant: And all this from thetop of mount Pisgah, when he was just about to enter upon the confinesof Emmanuel's land in glory. Of his works we have only seen his synod sermon, and the foresaidletters, in print. If there be any other, it is more than is known atpresent, except the foresaid warning to the indulged in the shire ofFife, which was some time ago also published: All which shew him to havebeen a most pathetical writer, his writings (tho' but few) making asstriking and lively an impression upon the mind, as any man's of histime. _The Life of Sir ROB^T. HAMILTON of Preston_. Mr. Hamilton (afterwards Sir Robert Hamilton) brother to Sir WilliamHamilton of Preston, was born about 1650, and probably a son to SirWalter Hamilton the reformer, and lineally descended from that famousSir John Hamilton of Preston, who was commissioner for east Lothian atthat black parliament held at Edinburgh, 1621, where he most boldlyvoted against the ratification of the five articles of Perth; for which, and because he would not recall his vote, the king's commissioner, themarquis of Hamilton, and the secretary, thought to have disgraced him, but found themselves utterly disappointed: For although they sent thebishop of Dumblane, and after him lord Scone for that purpose, he wouldnot; and when by the secretary desired to absent, he told him, he wouldstay and bear witness to the truth, and would render his life and all hehad, before he would recall one word he had spoke; and that they shouldfind him as true to his word as any Hamilton in Scotland[254]. Mr. Hamilton having received a liberal education (as is usual for men insuch circumstances) before he was twenty-six years of age or thereby, the Lord, in his free and sovereign mercy, and by the efficaciousworking of the Holy Spirit, inclined his heart to fall in love with hisservice; and for that purpose he made him attend the free and faithful, (though persecuted) gospel, at that time preached in the fields; wherebyin a short time he came to espouse the true covenanted testimony of thechurch of Christ in Scotland, for which he was, through divine grace, enabled to be a true and faithful witness to his life's end. The first of his public appearances, we find he made in defence of thatnoble cause wherein he had embarked, was in the year 1679; when (afterconsulting with faithful Mr. Cargil) he, with Mr. Thomas Douglas andfaithful Rathillet, drew up that declaration (afterward called theRutherglen declaration) which they published upon the 27th of May, atthe market-cross of that burgh, after they had extinguished thebone-fires; that day being kept as a holy anniversary-day for the birthand restoration of Charles II. After this he returned with that littlehandful to Evandale, where he was by them appointed to command in chiefJune 1st, at the skirmish of Drumclog, wherein he shewed much bravery inputting Claverhouse and that bloody crew to light, killing 36 or 40 ofthem, Claverhouse himself narrowly escaping. But the Erastian partycoming up to that little army shortly after this, created them and Mr. Hamilton their general no small disturbance, they being to them _a snareupon Mispah, and a net spread upon Tabor_. ----And though he moststrenuously opposed them in all their sinful courses of defection andcompliance, yet he was by them treacherously betrayed, in giving hisconsent to their publishing the Hamilton declaration;--they promising tobe faithful in all time coming in preaching against the indulgence andall the land's defections; and that what was ambiguous in thatdeclaration should be, at the honest party's desire, explained, what waswrong should be left out, and what was wanting should be supplied, before it was printed, or otherwise published, save the reading of itthat day:--one word of which they never fulfilled or kept. But it were a task too tedious here to enumerate all the struggles andcontendings among them at that time; only it is to be remarked, that itwas through Mr. Hamilton's great (I may say deserved) confidence in Mr. Cargil's faithfulness (who was the principal minister among those calledthe protesting party) that Mr. Hamilton was again by the corrupt partyso pitifully ensnared in subscribing their declaration to the duke ofMonmouth, when they were about to engage with the enemy: For they beingintent upon supplicating, the honest party consented only that aninformation should be drawn up by Mr. Cargil and Mr. Morton, and sent tohim, of his own and his father's rebellion against God, by theirblasphemy, persecution and usurpation in church and state, &c. But thecorrupt party drawing up their own supplication, sent one of their partywith it in the one hand, and pen and ink in the other, to Mr. Hamiltonto subscribe, just as they were going to engage the enemy. Mr. Hamiltonasked, If it was Mr. Cargil's work? He answered, Yes, (whereas Mr. Cargil knew nothing of it). Whereupon, being in haste, and having nodoubt of Mr. Cargil's veracity therein, he did that which was stillmatter of great grief to him afterwards, as he himself, in a letter fromHolland dated 1685, doth fully testify. After their defeat at Bothwel-bridge, Mr. Hamilton was by the Erastianparty and their accomplices, most horridly stigmatized and reproached, as that he should have betrayed them to the enemy, sold them for money, swept the priming off the cannon at the bridge, &c. But from all thesehe has been by one (whom we must take to have been a very impartialwriter on that affair) some time ago sufficiently vindicated; unto whom, for brevity's sake, the reader must at present be referred[255]. Shortly after Bothwel, he went over to Holland; upon which his estatewas forfeited 1684, and he sentenced to be executed wheneverapprehended. During his stay here he was of great service and use to hisown countrymen, and had the honour to be employed by them ascommissioner of the persecuted true Presbyterian church of Christ inScotland, having received commission from them to represent their case, and crave the sympathy of foreign churches; and it was by his skill, industry and faithfulness in prosecuting this commission, that heprevailed with the presbytery of Groningen _anno_ 1683, to ordain thefamous and faithful Mr. James Renwick, a minister of the gospel, for thepersecuted true Presbyterian church of Christ in Scotland. Andafterwards, as their delegate with the presbytery of Embden, to ordainMr. Thomas Lining a minister of the gospel for the same church. Mr Hamilton, by virtue of his commissions which about that time he hadreceived from the united societies[256], went through several places ofGermany in the end of the year 1686: For an old manuscript (given underhis own hand dated March 10th, 1687) bears, that through many hazardsand difficulties, he arrived about the 10th of Oct. At Basil inSwitzerland, from whence he went to Geneva about the 16th of Nov. And sointo Bern, Zurich, and other places in Batavia and the HelvetianCantons, not without many imminent hazards and dangers. In which placeshe conferred with the most part of their professors and other learnedmen, craving their judgment and sympathy toward his mother church, andthe poor persecuted people in the kingdom of Scotland[257]. But having emerged forth of all these difficulties, he returned home atthe revolution, about which time his brother Sir William Hamilton ofPreston died, and he fell heir to his brother's estate and honours. Andalthough after that he was still designed by the name of Sir RobertHamilton of Preston, yet because he could not in conscience enter into, possess or enjoy that estate, unless he had owned the title of theprince and princess of Orange, as king and queen of these threecovenanted nations, and in consequence of that own the prelaticalgovernment as then established, upon the ruins of the cause and work ofGod in these nations, --he never entered or intermeddled with hisbrother's estate any manner of way; but with Moses he made that noblechoice, rather _to suffer affliction with the people of God than enjoythe pleasure of sin for a season_, and did esteem a stedfast adherenceto the cause of Christ, (with all the reproaches that followed thereon)greater riches than all his brother's estate. For out of a true love toJesus Christ, his covenanted cause, interest and people, he laid hisworldly honour in the dust, continuing still a companion in the faith, patience, affliction and tribulation of that poor, mean and despisedhandful of the Lord's witnesses in these lands, who still owned andadhered unto the state of the Lord's covenanted cause in Scotland. A little after his return from Holland, when Messrs. Lining, Shields andBoyd, were drawing and enticing those who had formerly been faithfulfor, and owning and suffering for the Lord's covenanted cause into aconformity and compliance with the defection of that time, in a generalmeeting held at Douglas on the 6th of November 1689, he gave a faithfulprotestation against these proceedings, as by them carried on, andparticularly their owning the then government, while sworn to prelacy, in opposition to our laudable establishment and covenanted work ofreformation: As also against the raising of the Angus regiment, which hetook to be a sinful association with malignants:--And likewise againstjoining with Erastian ministers at that time, from whom they hadformerly most justly withdrawn, without any evidence of repentance, forthe many gross sins and defections they were guilty of. --And (as thelast-cited author elsewhere observes[258]) after these three ministersaforesaid had yielded up that noble cause, and drawn many of the ownersthereof into the same state of compliance with them, he had the honourto be the chief instrument in the Lord's hand, in gathering together, out of their dispersion, such of the old sufferers as had escaped thesedefections that so many were fallen into, and in bringing them againunto an united party and general correspondence, upon the formerlaudable and honest state of the testimony. And farther, he had also a principal hand in drawing up and publishingthat faithful declaration, published at Sanquhar Aug. 10, 1692, forwhich he was apprehended by some of the old persecuting soldiers, atEarlstoun, upon the 10th of Sep. Following, and by them carried toEdinburgh, and there and elsewhere kept prisoner till the 5th of May1693. When he was brought before the council, Sep. 15th 1692, there werepresent the viscount of Tarbet, president Lothian, Ker, generalLivingston, lord Linlithgow, lord Bradalbain, and Sir William Lockhartsolicitor. He was by them examined concerning that declaration, but hedeclined them, and all upon whom they depended, as competent judges, because they were not qualified according to the word of God and oursolemn covenants: And being interrogate, If he would take the oath ofallegiance? he answered, No, it being an unlimited oath, not bottomedupon our covenants. If he would own the authority of K. William and Q. Mary? He answered, I wish them well. But being asked again, If he wouldown them and their government, live peaceably, and not rise againstthem? He answered, When they were admitted according to the laws of thecrown, the acts of parliament 1648 and 1649, bottomed upon our sacredcovenants and sound qualifications, according to these, pursuing theends of these covenants, &c. Then I shall give my answer. ----Whereuponsome of them turned hot, and Lothian said, They were pursuing the endsof the covenant. To whom he replied, How can that be, when joining with, and exalting the greatest of its enemies, whom by covenant we are boundto extirpate. Another answered, He had taken the coronation oath. --Atwhich Mr. Hamilton asked, What religion was established when that oathwas taken? They said, Prelacy was abolished. But he returned, Presbyterywas not established, so that he is not bound to us in religion, save toprelacy in Scotland. But being urged to the last question, he adhered tohis former answers; at which some of them raged, and said, He would giveno security for obedience and peaceable living? To which he made answersaying, I marvel why such questions are asked at me, who have lived soretiredly hitherto, neither found plotting with York, France, orMonmouth, or any such, as the rumour was; nor acting any thing contraryto the laws of the nation enacted in the time of the purity ofpresbytery. Lothian said, We are ashamed of you. He replied, Better yoube ashamed of me, than I be ashamed of the laws of the church andnation, whereof you seem to be ashamed. Lothian said, You desire to beinvolved in troubles. Sir Robert answered, I am not so lavish of eitherlife or liberty; but if the asserting of truth was an evidence thereof, it might be thought more strange. But being remanded back unto prison, where he continued until the 3rd ofMay 1693, that he was liberate. The day before his liberation he gave ina most faithful protestation and declinature to the privy council andparliament of Scotland, with another letter of the same nature to SirJames Stuart the advocate, and upon his coming forth of the tolbooth, hewas so far from yielding one jot in the least, that he left anotherfaithful protestation in the hands of the keepers of the tolbooth, shewing, that for his adhering to, and appearing for the fundamentallaws and laudable constitution of our church and covenanted nation, hehad been apprehended and kept for 8 months close prisoner, and that veryunjustly; and that for his own exoneration and truth's vindication toleave this protestation; disdaining all engagements to live peaceably, which were a condemning himself of former unpeaceableness, which hepositively denies; as also in coming in any terms of oaths or bonds withthose who have broken covenants, overturned the reformation, anddestroyed the people of God; or engaging unto a sinful peace with them, or any in confederacy with them, &c. Declaring his present outcomingmerely on the account of finding open doors, and desired hisprotestation to be inserted in the ordinary register, &c. [259] From his liberation to the day of his death, he continued most faithfulin contending earnestly for _the faith once delivered to the saints_, Jude, ver. 3. ; and did greatly strengthen and encourage the rest of thesuffering remnant, with whom he continued in Christian communion, bothby his pious and godly example, and seasonable counsel and advice, withrespect to principles, and what concerned the salvation of their souls, for the right carrying on the testimony for the cause that they wereowning. Some years before his death, he was taken ill with the stone, bywhich he endured a very sharp and sore affliction, with a great deal ofChristian patience and holy submission to the holy will of God; and whendrawing near his journey's end, he gave a faithful testimony to theLord's noble and honourable cause, which he had so long owned andsuffered for: And upon the account of this gentleman's being mostunjustly branded[260] for running to some extremes in principles, bothbefore and since the revolution, a copy of his own dying testimony mayperhaps be the best vindication of him from such aspersions, that atpresent can be produced; which is as follows: "Though I have many things that might discourage me from shewing myselfthis way at such a time, when the Lord's controverted truths, hiscovenanted reformation, and the wrestlings of his faithful and slainwitnesses, are things so much flouted at, despised and buried, not onlyby the profane, but alas! even by the ministers and professors of thisgeneration; yet I could not but leave this short line to you, who, ofall interests in the world, have been my greatest comfort, being nowcome to the utmost period of my time, and looking in upon my eternalstate, it cannot be readily apprehended by rational men, that I shoulddare to write any thing, but according to what I expect shortly to bejudged, having had such a long time to consider on my ways, under asharp affliction. As for my case, I bless God it is many years since myinterest in him was secured, and under all my afflictions from allairths, he hath been a present help in time of my greatest need. I havebeen a man of reproach, a man of contention; but praise to him, it wasnot for my own things, but for the things of my Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever were my infirmities, yet his glory, the rising and flourishingof his kingdom, was still the mark I laboured to shoot at, nor is it nowmy design to vindicate myself from the calumnies that have been castupon my name; for when his slain witnesses shall be vindicated, his ownglory and buried truths raised up, in that day, he will assuredly takeaway the reproaches of his servants, and will raise and beautify thename of his living and dead witnesses: Only this I must add, Though thatI cannot but say that reproaches have broken my heart, yet with what Ihave met with before, and at the time of Bothwel-battle, and also since, I had often more difficulty to carry humbly under the glory of hiscross, than to bear the burden of it. _O!_ peace with God, and peace ofconscience is a sweet feast! "Now as to his public cause, that he hath honoured you in some measureto side with, stand fast therein; let no man take your crown; for it isthe road he will take in coming to this poor land; and praise him forhonouring such poor things as you are, as to make you wish well to hiscause, when church and state, and all ranks, have turned their backupon it: and my humble advice to you as a dying brother is, To standstill, and beware of all tampering with these betrayers of the royalinterest, and concerns of Christ's kingdom, and listen to no conferenceswith the ministers and professors of this generation, till the publicdefections of this land from the doleful source of all our ruin andmisery, that sin of the public resolutions, the compliance with prelacy, the church-ruining and dividing indulgences and toleration, until thepresent sinful course of vindicating all these defections, and buryingall the testimonies against the same: I say, until these beacknowledged, and publicly rejected and disowned, both by church andstate. "I die a true Protestant, and to my knowledge a reformed Presbyterian, in opposition to popery, prelacy, and malignancy, and whatever iscontrary to truth, and the power of godliness, as well againstflattering pretenders to unwarrantable zeal on the right hand, asagainst lukewarmness on the left; adhering with my soul to the holysweet scriptures, which have often comforted me in the house of mypilgrimage, our confession of faith, our catechisms, the directory forworship, covenants, national and solemn league and covenant, acknowledgment of sins and engagement to duties, with the causes ofGod's wrath, and to all the faithful public testimonies given againstdefections of old or late, particularly these contained in theinformatory vindication, and that against the toleration, and the twolast declarations emitted since this fatal revolution, which testimoniesI ever looked upon as a door of hope of the Lord's returning again tothese poor backslidden lands. "And now, my dear friends, let nothing discourage you in that way. TheLord will maintain his own cause, and make it yet to triumph. The nearerto-day it may be the darker, but yet _in the evening time it shall belight_, and the farther distant ye keep from all the courses andinterests of this generation, the greater will your peace and securitybe. O! labour to be in Christ, for him, and like him, much in reading ofthe holy scriptures, much in prayer and holy unity among yourselves. Bezealous and tender in keeping up your private fellowship for prayer andChristian conference, as also your public correspondences and generalmeetings, go to them and come from them as these intrusted, reallyconcerned and weighted with Christ's precious controverted truths inScotland, and labour still to take Christ along with you to all yourmeetings, and to behave yourselves as under his holy and all-seeing eyewhen at them, that ye may always return with a blessing from his richhand. "Now farewel, my dear Christian friends, the Lord send us a joyfulmeeting at his own right hand after time; which shall be the earnestdesire, while in time, of your dying friend, " _Sic subscribitur_, R. HAMILTON. BORROWSTONESS, _Sept. 5th, 1701. _ And so, after he had come through many tribulations, and at last endureda series of sore bodily affliction, in all which he was still keptfaithful, in testifying for the word of Christ's patience, until heyielded up his life to that God who gave him his being, atBorrowstoness, Oct. 21st, being then 51 years of age; and _because thouhast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hourof temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them thatdwell upon the earth_. Thus ended another of Christ's faithful witnesses, Sir Robert Hamilton, who (for soundness in the faith, true piety, the real exercise ofgodliness, a conversation becoming the gospel, and a true understandingof the right state of the Lord's cause in every part thereof, accompanied with a true love and affection to, and zeal according toknowledge for the same), with stedfastness and stability to the last, maintained his cause against every opposition (being equally superior tothe influence of fear or flattery); and was preferable to the most partof his station in that age; and without flattery it may be said, he wasan honour to the name of Hamilton and to his nation. The faithful Mr. Renwick called him _Mi pater_, my father, and ever had a high esteem andregard for him, as the contents of most part of his letters bear: Yea, in the very last letter he wrote, he accosts him thus, "If I had livedand been qualified for writing a book, and if it had been dedicated toany, you would have been the man; for I have loved you, and I have peacebefore God in that; and I bless his name that ever I have beenacquainted with you, &c. " And indeed he was not mistaken in him, forhe was one who both professed and practiced truth, was bold in Christ'scause, and had ventured life, wealth, reputation and all, in defencethereof. He was of such constancy of life and manners, that it might betruly said of him, which was said of the emperor Marcus Antoninus, _Inomni vita sui similis, nec ulla unquam in re mutatus fuit. Itaque verefuit vir bonus, nec fictum aut simulatum quicquam habuit. _ _An ACROSTIC on his Name. _ Sin wrought our death, death strikes and none doth spare; It levels sceptres with the plowing-share; Raging among poor mortals every where. Religion's lovers death must also own, Or this brave soul his life had not laid down. But weep not: Why? death challenges but dross, Eternal gain compensates temporal loss; Rest from his labour, sickness, grief and pain: This makes him happy, and our mourning vain. Had he not reason rather to be glad At death's approach, that life he never had Must meet him there? He enters now that land, In view of which, believing, he did stand, Longing for ling'ring death; still crying, Come; Take me, Lord, hence, unto my father's home. O faithless age! of glory take a sight; Nor death nor grave shall then so much affright. _The Life of Mr. WILLIAM VETCH. _[261] Mr. William Vetch was born in the shire of Clydesdale, at Roberton sevenmiles from Lanerk, _an. _ 1640. He was the youngest son of Mr. JohnVetch, who was minister of that place for about the space of 45 years. His brethren were, Mr. John Vetch, who was minister of Westruthers inthe shire of Berwick 54 years; another brother, Mr. James Vetch wasordained minister in Mauchlin in the shire of Ayr, 1656; a third, Mr. David Vetch, the most eminent of them all, was sometime minister atGovan near Glasgow, co-temporary and co-presbyter with the famous Mr. Durham, to whom Mr. Rutherford gave this testimony at his trials, "Thatthe like of Mr. David Vetch in his age, for learning and piety, he hadnever known. " Mr. William, being laureat at Glasgow _anno_ 1650, was resolved tofollow the study and practice of physick, as having so many brethren inthe function of the ministry, and episcopacy being appearingly to besettled in the kingdom. And being then in the family of Sir Andrew Kerof Greenhead, great Mr. Livingston minister of Ancrum frequenting thathouse (as did other godly ministers) by many arguments dissuaded himfrom his intended design, and exhorted him to follow the footsteps ofhis brethren, who were then much esteemed in the church. About the beginning of 1663, he went to Murray land, where he wassometime chaplain to Sir Hugh Campbel of Calder's family; but at theinstigation of M'Kenzie then bishop of Murray, he was obliged aboutSept. 1664, to leave this family. He then returned home to his fatherthen dwelling at Lanerk, being ejected from his own parish by theprelates: in which time he fell acquainted with one Marion Fairlie, whomhe married; and being a woman eminent for religion, she proved a greatblessing to him afterwards. In the year 1666 he was solicited and prevailed upon by Mr. John Welchto join that party who were so oppressed by the inhuman cruelties of SirJames Turner and his forces then lying at Dumfries. Accordingly, afterthe Galloway forces had taken Sir James, Mr. Vetch and major Lermontwent west and joined them on a hill above Galston. Next day, they senthim with 40 or 50 horse to take up quarters in the town of Ayr. After some respite, they marched up the water of Ayr towards Douglas, and from thence to Lanerk; Dalziel and his forces having come as far asStrathaven in quest of them; but hearing they were at Lanerk, turned hismarch after them. In the mean time, the honest party being above 1500horse and foot, it was thought proper that both the national and solemnleague and covenant should be by them renewed; which they did with greatsolemnity: and hearing that Dalziel approached, they concluded it wouldbe best to abide some time there, as the heavy rains had made Clydeimpassable for him except by boat, (and that being broken) until thewater decreased; and that 50 of their number might be able to stop hispassage at the river; which might be both a dash upon the enemy, andencouraging to friends to join them at that place. But unhappily aletter came at that juncture from Sir James Stuart (after therevolution, advocate) to Messrs. Welch and Semple, to come as nearEdinburgh as possible, where they would get men and other necessaries. This made them break their resolution, and march for Bathgate, where, both night and snow coming on, they concluded to go forward toCollington. Having taken up their quarters, they consulted how they should do inanswer to Mr. Stuart's letter; and at last voted Mr. Vetch to go toEdinburgh, and converse with him anent the promised supply. This, against his own mind at the importunity of col. Wallace, heundertook. --And having disguised himself with a baggage horse, an oldhat and cloke, Mr. M'Cormick conveyed him a little way, minding him ofseveral things to communicate to James Stuart. He had but gone a littletill he met a brisk strong fellow riding with a drawn sword in his hand, who asked, Which way he came? He said, Biggar way. But, says he, Did younot see all Colington on fire? I fear my house be burnt; for I hear theWhigs are come. Mr. Vetch declared his ignorance of this, and so theyparted. Near Greenhill park, he met three women, who told him, that ifhe went by Greenhill house, &c. He was a dead man; for there lordKingston was placed with a party to intercept all the Whigs from comingto the town. This made him take a bye-road to Libberton wynd. A littlefarther, he espied a centinel on horseback, which obliged him to takeDalkeith way. But coming thither, some colliers told him, there was nogetting to the town; all the ports were shut and guards set upon them. This put him to a stand. Reason said, You must turn back; credit cried, You must go forward, else lose your reputation; and so he proceeded, till taken by two centinels, and carried to the Potter-row port, wherehe was examined by the captain of the guard; and instead of being letinto the city, was sent with a file of musqueteers back to lordKingston. Mr. Vetch, in this sad dilemma, had no other comfort but toput up his desires to God, that he would direct him what to do or say, if he had a mind to spare him any longer. Being examined by Kingston, towhom he gave soft answers; in the mean time, an alarm rose, that theWhigs (as they called them) approached; Kingston called them to theirarms; whereupon Mr. Vetch called for arms, saying, he would go againstthem in the first rank: This made Kingston say, he was a brave fellow. After the hurry was over, with great difficulty he got off into thetown. But finding nothing could be got there, the next morning hearingthat the western forces marched toward Pentland hills, he adventured toreturn by Libberton way toward the house in the muir; and making hisescape at Pentland town, when passing through Roslin moor, coming toGlencross water, a frontier of Dalziel's horse had almost taken him. Butbeing within cry of capt. Paton (now lieutenant of the rear-guard of thewestern army) who beat back Dalziel's horse, and delivered him, saying, O Sir, we took you for a dead man, and repented sore we sent you on suchan unreasonable undertaking. As they rode toward Pentland hills, theyperceived their friends leaving the high way, marching their main bodytowards the hill, and a select body to the top: general Dalziel's comingfrom Currie through the hills, occasioned this. It was about 12 o'clockthe 28th of November 1666. It had been snow and frost the night before, the day was pretty clear and sunshine. In half an hour, Dalziel's selectparty under Drummond fell upon their select party; but was beat back, tothe great consternation of their army, hundreds of whom, as they weremarching through the hills, threw down their arms and run away. Drummondhimself afterward acknowledged, that if they had pursued this advantage, they had utterly ruined Dalziel's army. M'Leland of Barmaguhen and Mr. Crookshanks commanded the first party, who took some prisoners; majorLermont commanded the second party, who beat the enemy again, where theduke Hamilton narrowly escaped by the dean of Hamilton's laying hissword upon the duke's back, which warded off the country man's blow uponhim. Dalziel sending up a party to rescue him, major Lermont's horse wasshot under him; but he, starting back to a dyke, killed one of the fourpursuers, mounted his horse, and came off in spite of the otherthree. --The last encounter was at day-light going, when the covenanterswere broke, and Mr. Vetch falling in amongst a whole troop of the enemywho turned his horse in the dark, and violently carried him along withthem, not knowing but he was one of their own. But they falling down thehill in the pursuit, and he wearing upward, the moon rising clear, forfear of being discovered, he was obliged to steer off; which theyperceiving, cried out, and pursued after him, discharging several shotat him; but their horses sinking, they could not make the hill, and sohe eloped, and came that night to a herd's house in Dunsyre common, within a mile of his own habitation. A little after this, he met with another remarkable deliverance at thelaird of Auston's, when the enemy were there in pursuit of hisson-in-law major Lermont. After this, Mr. Vetch was obliged to abscond, and so he went off for Newcastle, where he continued some time. Here hetook the name of William Johnston, his mother being of that name. Aftera considerable time of trouble, when he had the flux through the fatigueand cold he had got in the winter, he went home to visit his wife, wherehe again narrowly escaped, and so returned again to Newcastle. Fromthence he was invited to London, where he preached sometimes for Mr. Blackie, particularly one Sabbath on these words, _If thou hadst knownin this thy day_, &c. After the blessing was pronounced, some of theauditors cried, Treason, treason; which surprized Mr. Blackie and thepeople, till one col. Blood stood up and said, Good people, we haveheard nothing but reason, reason: and so he took off Mr. Vetch, whichended the business. Thus Mr. Vetch travelled from place to place, sometimes at London, sometimes Nottingham, Chester, Lanchester, sometimes in Northumberland, especially in Reidsdale, till 1671, that he was persuaded to bring hiswife and family to that county, which he did, and settled for some timewithin the parish of Rothbury in Northumberland. But no sooner was hesettled here (though in a moorish place) than the popish gang stirred upenemies unto him on account of his little meeting, which obliged him toremove five miles, farther up the country to a place called Harnam hall, where many, out of curiosity, frequented his preaching. LikewiseAnabaptists, who kept 7th day Sabbaths, were punctual attenders. Here he had no small success in the reformation of people's morals;several instances of which, for brevity's sake, must here beomitted[262]. But the devil, envying these small beginnings, againstirred him up enemies, particularly one justice Lorrain, who, at theinstigation of the clergy, issued out warrants to apprehend him. Butthis misgiving, Lorrain, in one of his drinking fits, promised to go inperson next Sabbath, and put an end to these meetings. But not manyhours after, he by an unusual and strange mean got his leg broke: sothat he could travel none for many weeks after. This design being frustrated, one parson Ward of Kirkhails went up tothe bishop of Durham, and returned well armed, as he thought, againstMr. Vetch, having orders to excommunicate all such. But being delayed byanother curate, they drank all night together; and that he might be homeagainst Sabbath, he so tired his horse, that he was not able to get himon alone. He hired the herd man of Harnam to lead him, taking his clubto drive him on; but while he so unmercifully was beating the poorbeast, it, without regard to his coat, canon, or the orders he carried, struck him on the cheek, till the blood gushed out; which made the boythat led the horse (seeing him fall) run to a gentlewoman's house hardby, who sent out two servants with a barrow, who carried him in where hehad his wounds dressed, and lay there several weeks under a cure; and sothey were again disappointed. Having continued there four years, he removed to Stanton-hall, where hefound the country filled with papists, and the parish church with aviolent persecutor, one Thomas Bell. This Bell, though he was his owncountry-man, and had received many favours from Mr. Vetch's brother, yetwas so maliciously set against him, that he vowed to some professedpapists, who were stimulating him on against that meeting, that heshould either ruin Mr Vetch, or he him. And, as the event proved, he wasno false prophet; for he never gave over till he got one major Oglethorpto apprehend him, which he did Jan. 19, 1679. After different turns, he was brought to Edinburgh, and Feb. 22. Broughtbefore a committee of the council, where bishop Sharp was preses. Thebishop put many questions to him to see if he could ensnare him. One ofthem was, Have you taken the covenant? He answered, This honourableboard may easily perceive, I was not capable to take the covenant, whenyou and other ministers tendered it. At which the whole company gave alaugh, which somewhat nettled the bishops. They asked, Did you nevertake it since. Answ. I judge myself obliged to covenant myself away toGod, and frequently to renew it. At which bishop Paterson stood up andsaid, You will get no good of this man: he is all evasion. After otherquestions, he was required to subscribe his own confession, which heassented to, if _in mundo_, without their additions; which at lastthrough Lundy's influence they granted. And though they could provenothing criminal against him, he was remanded back to prison, and by aletter from the king turned over to the criminal court, which was tomeet March 18th. But was adjourned to two different terms after, tillthe month of July, that sentence of death was to have been passed uponhim, upon the old sentence in 1666. Mr. Vetch, now finding sentence ofdeath was to be passed upon him, prevailed with his friend Mr. GilbertElliot to ride post to London, where not having access to Lauderdale, heapplied to Shaftsbury, and got his case printed, and a copy given toeach member of parliament, The king being applied unto, and threatenedwith a parliamentary enquiry, wrote a letter, and sent express to stopall criminal process against him: which expresses, procured at last byLauderdale out of antipathy to Monmouth, who was minded to haveinterceeded to the king for him, he was liberated under a sentence ofbanishment, to retire to England; which he did in a short time after. In the mean time these affairs were transacting, bishop Sharp was cutoff at Magus moor, the account of which it were needless to relate here, being touched elsewhere: excepting a circumstance or two somewhatdifferent, or more full, than some others on that particular; that is, after they had fired several pistols at him in the coach, being pulledout, Burly having a brazen blunderbuss charged with several bullets, fired it so near his breast, that his gown, cloaths and shirt wereburnt, and he fell flat on his face; they, thinking a window was madethrough his body, went off, but one staying to tie his horse's girth, heard his daughter call to the coachman for help, for her father was yetalive: which made him call back the rest, (knowing if he was not dead, their case would be worse than ever) Burly (or Balfour) coming to himwhile yet lying on his face, (as is said) putting his hat off with hisfoot, struck him on the head till his brains were seen; then, with acry, he expired. Searching his pockets, they found the king's letter forexecuting more cruelties, as also a little purse with two pistolbullets, a little ball made up of all colours of silk, like an ordinaryplumb, a bit of parchment, a finger breadth in length, with two longwords written upon it which none could read, though the characters werelike Hebrew or Chaldaick. This they took, but meddled with neither moneynor watch. After he was by the council's order examined by two surgeons, the bluemarks of the bullets were seen about his neck, back and breast, wherehis cloaths were burnt; but in all these places, the skin was not broke:so that the wound in his head had only killed him; which occasioned anuniversal talk, that he had got proof against shot from the devil, andthat the forementioned purse contained the sorcery or charm. However, his brother got liberty to erect a marble monument on him, which insteadof honour (the only end of such sumptuous structures) stands yet in St. Andrews as an ensign of his infamy unto this day. The rising of Bothwel immediately followed this. But being broke, anindemnity was granted to those concerned therein. But one of theconditions being, that no minister should preach without liberty given, which no faithful minister could assent to. However Monmouth, uponShaftsbury's recommendation, inserted Mr. Vetch's name in the roll withthe rest. But by bishop Paterson's means, his name was excluded. Thismade Monmouth say he should get the matter done another way, as soon ashe came to London. Which coming to Lauderdale's ears at court, by meansof lord Stairs, the king signed a warrant, turning the sentence of deathto banishment from Scotland only; and so he was liberated, and returnedback to his old habitation in England. But not long after his return, hearing they intended in these parts toapprehend him again, he retired westward in the English borders; wherehe frequently preached, _viz. _ Kilderhead, Wheeler, Causeway, Deadwater, &c. What wonderful success the preaching of the gospel had by ministersretiring thither under the persecuting period, to the repressing, yea, almost extinguishing, the feuds, thefts and robberies so connatural untothese places and people about the borders, has been worth a singular andserious observation. Before his apprehending, he had preached with much success at Blewcairnin Lauder moor, and several places in the Merse and Teviotdale, especially at Fogo moor, upon these words, Psal. Cii. _Thou shalt arise, and have mercy on Zion_, &c. After which he had a very remarkable escapefrom his enemies. After his return, upon a line from Mr. Temple, he wentto Berwick. But the news coming in the mean time there, that the earl ofArgyle was escaped from Edinburgh, caused no small confusion in thatplace; out of which he emerged, and at last having surmounted severaldifficulties, by means of his good friends and acquaintance, he got tothe house of Mr. Ogle the outed minister of Berwick, now six miles fromthe place. He desired him to stay till Sabbath was over, and perform anold promise of giving a sermon to one Hall and his lady; to which heassented. But going to bed after this confusion, he being weary fell asleep, anddreamed that his house at Stanton-hall (more than 30 miles distant) wasall on fire; which made him awake with no small consternation, resolvingto take journey home. But it not being time to rise, he fell asleep, anddreaming the same thing over again, awaking all in a sweat. The doublingof the dream he took for a clear call to go home, and telling the dreamto Mr. Ogle, (who called it a maggot) he excused himself the best way hecould to the laird and lady, to whom he was to preach, and went off. About a mile and a half from his own house, he met Torwoodlee's man, whosaid, O Sir, you are long looked for at your house: which made him askwhat was the matter, and if his family was all well? He answered, Yes;but, says he, there is a stranger, _viz. _ Argyle, and your wife longs tosee you, and we have been for two days sending about the country to findyou. After meeting and some converse, with his wife's consent, (who was nownear her time) he undertook to do his best for bringing the earl safe toLondon, and so he took Argyle under the name of Mr. Hope along with himto Midburn Grange, where he was to preach that Sabbath; and on Monday, he took him to a friend's house between Newcastle and Newburn, where heleft Argyle and went to Newcastle, and bought three horses for him athis own expence, the earl being then scarce of money: after which theycame to Leeds, and then to Roderam; and took up there one night; fromthence they set off, and at last arrived safe at London. After staying some time in London, Argyle set off to join with Monmouthin Holland, and Mr. Vetch returned to his house in Stanton-hall. But thething breaking out, he narrowly escaped being taken; and after lurkingsometimes in one place, and sometimes in another, he was obliged to goover secretly to Holland, where he met with old friends andacquaintances, Monmouth, Argyle, earl of Melvil, Polwart, Torwoodlee, and James Stuart. Monmouth and Argyle, having agreed to make a descentat one time, the one to England, and the other to Scotland, several oftheir friends were sent over _incognito_, to warn their friends in bothkingdoms to make ready. It was Mr. Vetch's part, to give Northumberlandand the Scots borders notice. Mr. Vetch had a verbal commission fromArgyle to procure money for buying arms, drums, colours, horses, andtaking on men, especially Oliverian officers: somewhat of all which hedid. But the matter taking air, he was obliged to hide himself nearReidsdale head, even from his very friends, till the season of appearingcame, where he narrowly escaped being taken, while hid on Carter-hillcovered with a turff of heather, col. Strothers and Meldrum's troopbeing out in quest of him and others. But this enterprize failing, Argyle being defeated and taken inScotland, and Monmouth in England, the design came to nothing, only Mr. Vetch, besides his time, trouble (wherein he was in many dangers) lostabout 120 l. Ster. And its interest; and Argyle's son, the late duke, gave him repeated promises to reimburse him, yet never was there anything of this kind done, his kindness being soon forgot. But prior to this affair of Monmouth and Argyle, one tyrant was cut offto make way for another. But as the death of king Charles II. Is relatedby so many historians, it were needless to relate the whole affair here:only the following circumstances seem more full and somewhat differentfrom the accounts of the most part of writers in that period. The king'sharlot, the Duchess of Portsmouth, (for so we may call her) being by theDuke of York's direction to give the king a treat on Sabbath night, andbeing by him stored with wines, especially Claret, which the king loved;after he was drunk, they bribed his coffee-man to put a dose of poisonin his coffee, and then advised the Duchess to keep him all night; andlikewise knowing that when he first awaked in the morning, he usuallycalled for his snuff, they hired the Duchess's chambermaid to putpoisoned snuff into his box. Accordingly having drunk the coffee atnight, in the morning he awoke, and cried out he was deadly sick, andcalled for his box and took a deal of it. Then growing worse, he calledfor his servant to put on his cloaths; which doing, he staggered and gotto the window, and leaning on it, cried, I am gone, I am poisoned, haveme to my chamber. The Duke getting notice, came running undrest tolament his fate, saying, Alas, Sir! what is the matter? To whom heanswered, O you know too well; and was in a passion at him. In the meantime he called for an antidote against poison he had got from a Germanmountebank; but that could not be found, being taken out of the way:neither was his physician to be got being as was thought out of town. All things failing, he being so enraged, made at his brother. But allentries being secured, in the mean time the duke seeing him so enraged, and that the poison was not likely soon to do his turn, set fourruffians on him, which made him cry out; but they soon choked him withhis cravat, and beat him instantly on the head, so that he died. It issaid, his head swelled bigger than two heads, and his body stunk, sothat they were obliged to take him out in the night, and bury him_incognito_[263]. But to return; after the defeat of Monmouth and Argyle, Mr. Vetch wasobliged to lurk for some time in a wood near Newcastle, until the stormwas a little calmed: and then he ventured to Newcastle, to see his wifeand family, where he met with some of his Scots relations; and someother good people of the town were also there. --They spent a part of thenight in prayer and mourning over the sad case that the church andnation were now in, the most part fearing they were never like to seegood days again. After this, Mr. Vetch being wearied with such toil and confinement, wentwith a Nottingham merchant to Yorkshire, and staid some time in a towncalled Southeave. --From thence he was invited to preach to the people ofBeverly. Here he met with another remarkable deliverance; for the mayorand aldermen compassed the house where he was preaching, and caused theclerk mark down all their names: but Mr. Vetch, by means of hislandlord, got off under the name of William Robertson, and so heescaped, and hid himself, sometime amongst bushes, and then went to aman's house two miles from town, where he preached out the rest of hissermon to some people that followed that way, and then went home withhis landlord. From thence Mr. Vetch returned to Yorkshire, where he met with anotherdeliverance; for a Scots jesuit priest, knowing him, procured a warrantto apprehend him; but, by a divine providence, he escaped their hand, and so went toward Newcastle. From Newcastle, he went to Nottingham. While there, king James's indemnity and liberty was proclaimed, and thenhe had a call from the people of Beverly to be their minister, which hecomplied with. At this place he had a numerous congregation, and severaltimes he was invited to preach at Hull six miles from thence. --There thepeople declared, There was never such a reformation in that place. Someof the justices of the peace in that place, being papists, were greatlyincensed against it, and used all means to break his preaching there, but were opposed by the people. Mr. Vetch never had more satisfaction ofhis ministerial work (as he himself says) than in that place. Having preached six or seven months there, and settled a meeting-houseand a people greatly reformed, --he was strongly invited to his nativecountry by those who had accepted of the toleration then granted. Andhis wife being forward for his return, he took his leave of Beverly, apleasant city, having preached his farewel sermon, where there were manytears shed. In his way home, he visited his friends at Darntoun, whopersuaded him to stay some time, where he settled a congregation, andleft one Mr. Long for his successor to that people. After allimpediments removed, he returned to his native land; where the people inthe parishes of Oxnam, Creilland, Eckford, Linton, Marbottle and Harnamgave him a call to preach to them at Whitton hall; unto which charge heentered in April 1688. Here he continued that summer, and sometimes wasinvited to preach at Reidsdale on the English side. But the prince ofOrange having landed in England, Nov. 4, 1688. The ministers of Scotlandwho had been outed, thought it expedient to meet at Edinburgh, andcalled all their brethren to attend there to consult of matters. It fell out unexpectedly to Mr. Vetch, that the meeting voted him topreach the next day after he came, in the new meeting-house over againstLibberton's wynd. This he was most averse to, being a stranger to thetransactions for the most part in Scotland for upwards of 30 years. Buthis reasons not being heard, he was so perplexed what to do, that till 8o'clock, he could not find a text: but at length falling upon Psal. Cxix. 18. _Thou hast trod down all that err from thy statutes_, &c. Hewas taken up the whole night in thinking on it without going to bed. When he came to the pulpit, seeing 16 of the old ministers sitting, andthe congregation greatly increasing, his fear increased also. However, he delivered his thoughts upon the subject with respect to the thencircumstances with such freedom and plainness as offended the prelates, who afterwards sent him a message, that ere long they resolved to beeven with him. --All the answer he returned them was, to put on theirspurs. --Upon the other hand, he seemed to give some offence to the godlyparty by some free expressions he had with respect to the presentgovernment, if presbytery was erected. When the Presbyterian church was restored, he had calls from severalparishes, _viz. _ one to Creilland, another to Melross, and a third toPeebles; which he was persuaded by the earl of Crawford and others toembrace: and yet he met with such opposition there, from the old duke ofQueensbury, that the church was so over-awed as to loose him from thatcharge: and he having a call from Edinburgh, one from Paisley, andanother from Dumfries, the assembly, hearing his aversion to Edinburgh, voted him to Dumfries, after he had been minister of Peebles full fouryears from Sept. 1690 to 1694, when he was settled or admitted to hisministry at Dumfries. He left Peebles with great aversion, not only with respect to theparish, but the country round about; and upon a new call, struggled tobe back; but lost it only by four voices. However, he lost all his legalstipend the four years, which, with the expences of suit, amounted to10, 000 merks. Mr. Vetch's hard usage from the assembly, with theirillegal removing him, merely to please the duke, and to send him toDumfries, made him resolve to leave the nation, and refuse to submit totheir sentence. In the mean time his old friends in England, hearingthis, sent a gentleman to Peebles to bring him back to them. Mr. Vetchwent with him; but he refused to settle with them, till he hadhandsomely ended with the commission of the church, to whom the matterwas referred. Upon his return, they persuaded him to submit: which atlast he did, and continued minister in that place until the day of hisdeath, which fell out (if I mistake not) about the year 1720, being thenabout 80 years of age. From the foregoing account two things are conspicuous: first, that thewhole of Mr. Vetch's life, at least during the persecuting period, wasattended with a train of remarkable occurrences of divine providence. Secondly, that in that time, he behoved to be a most powerful andawakening preacher from the influence he had upon the manners or moralsof those who attended his sermons. Nor is it any disparagement to himthat that black-mouthed calumniator in his Presbyterian Eloquencedisplayed, has published to the world, "That he murdered the bodies aswell as souls of two or three persons with one sermon, because (says he)preaching in the town of Jedhurgh, he said, _There are two thousand ofyou here, but I am sure eighty of you will not be favored_; upon whichthree of his ignorant hearers dispatched themselves soon after. " Indeedit must be granted, that, after the revolution in the latter end of hislife, he became somewhat inimical and unfriendly to dissenters[264], atleast some of those who professed to own and adhere unto the same causeand testimony that he himself had contended and suffered somewhat for;whether this proceeded from the dotage of old age (as some would haveit) or from mistaken principles, or any thing else, we cannot, and shallnot at present determine. _The Life of JOHN BALFOUR of Kinloch_. John Balfour of Kinloch (sometime called Burly) was a gentleman in thenorth of Fife. He joined with the more faithful part of our latesufferers, and altho' he was by some reckoned none of the mostreligious, yet he was always zealous and honest-hearted, courageous inevery enterprize and a brave soldier, seldom any escaping that came inhis hands. He was the principal actor in killing that arch-traitor tothe Lord and his Christ, James Sharp. After which his goods and gearwere inventoried by the sheriff, and he forfeited in life and fortune, areward of 10, 000 merks offered to any that could apprehend him. He was acommanding officer at Bothwel and Drumclog. At Drumclog he was the firstwho, with his party, got over the ditch upon the enemy. At Bothwel hewas still among the more faithful part, and at the fight behaved withgreat gallantry. At that meeting at Loudon-hill dispersed May 5th, 1681. It is said, that he disarmed one of duke Hamilton's men with his ownhand, taking a pair of fine pistols belonging to the duke from hissaddle, telling him to tell his master, he would keep them till meeting. Afterward, when the duke asked his man, What he was like? he told him, he was a little man, squint-eyed, and of a very fierce aspect, the dukesaid, He knew who it was, and withal prayed that he might never see hisface, for if he should, he was sure he would not live long. After thishe lurked mostly among his suffering brethren; and a little before therevolution went over to Holland, where he joined the prince of Orange(afterward king William), and having still a desire to be avenged uponthose who persecuted the Lord's cause and people in Scotland, it is saidhe obtained liberty from the prince for that purpose, but died at seabefore their arrival in Scotland. Whereby that design was neveraccomplished, and so the land was never purged by the blood of them whohad shed innocent blood, according to the law of the Lord, Gen. Ix. 6. _Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. _ _An Abstract of a Speech delivered by Lord WARRISTON, before theAssembly of Divines at Westminster, after the delivery of some Queriesfrom the Parliament to them. _ Mr. Prolocutor, I am a stranger. I will not meddle with the parliamentprivileges of another nation, nor the breaches thereof, but as achristian, under one common lord, a ruling elder in another church, anda parliament man in another kingdom, having commission from both thatchurch and state, and at the desire of this kingdom assisting in theirdebates, intreat for your favour and patience to express my thoughts ofwhat is before you. In my judgment, that is before you which concerns Christ and thesekingdoms most, and above all, and which will be the chiefest mean to endor continue these troubles. And that not only speaking _humaniter_, andlooking to the disposition of these kingdoms, but especially in regardof the divine dispensation, which hath been so special and sensible inthe rise and continuance of these commotions, as I can neither bepersuaded that they were raised for, or will be calmed upon thesettlement of civil rights and privileges either of kings or princes, whatsoever may seem to be our present success; but I am convinced theyhave a higher rise from, and for the highest end, the settling of thecrown of Christ in these islands, to be propagated from island tocontinent; and until king Jesus be set down on his throne, with hissceptre in his hand, I do not expect God's peace, and so not solid peacefrom men in these kingdoms. But establish that, and a durable peace willbe found to follow that sovereign truth. Sir, let us lay to heart whatis before us, a work which concerns God and man most of any thing inagitation now under the sun, and for which we will one day be called toa more strict account than for any other passage of our life. Let usboth tremble and rejoice when we reflect upon what is under debate, andnow in our hands. I was glad to hear the parliament confess their willingness to receiveand observe whatsoever shall be shown from the word of God to be Christor his church, their rights or due; albeit I was sorry to see any, inthe delivery thereof, intermix any of their own personal asperity, anyaspersions upon this assembly, or reflections on another nation; so inthis day of law for Christ, wherein justice is offered, if he get notright in not shewing his patent from his father, and his churches fromhimself, it will be counted your fault. Sir, all christians are bound to give a testimony to every truth whencalled to it, but ye are the immediate servants of the Most High, Christ's proctors and heralds, whose proper function it is to proclaimhis name, and preserve his offices, and assert his rights. Christ hashad many testimonies given to his prophetical and priestly offices bythe pleadings and sufferings of his saints, and in these latter daysseems to require the same unto his kingly office. A king loves atestimony to his crown best of any, as that which is tenderest to him, and confessors and martyrs for Christ's crown are the most royal andmost stately of any state martyrs; so although Christ's kingdom be notof this world, and his servants did not fight therefore when he was tosuffer, yet it is in this world, and for this end was he born. To give atestimony to this truth, among others, were we born, and must not beashamed of it, nor deny it; but confess and avouch it by pleading, doingand suffering for it, even when what is in agitation seems most tooppose it, and therefore requires a seasonable testimony. But it liesupon you, Sir, &c. Who have both your calling from Christ for it, andat this time a particular calling from many, that which the honourablehouses require from you at such a time, when the settlement of religionthereon, and when it is the very controversy of the times, and the civilmagistrates not only call you before them to aver the truth therein, butalso giveth you a good example, cometh before you out of tenderness totheir civil trust and duty, to maintain the privileges of parliament; togive a testimony assentatory to their civil rights and privileges, andto forewarn you lest you break the same, and incur civil premunires. Sir, this should teach us to be as tender, zealous and careful to assertChrist and his church, their privileges and rights, and to forewarn alllest they endanger their souls by encroaching thereon, and lest theiromissions and remissness bring eternal premunires upon them, let allknow that the spirit of your Master is upon you, and that Christ hathservants who will not only make pulpits to ring with the sound of hisprerogative, but also, if they shall be called to it, make a flame oftheir bodies burning at the stake for a testimony to it, carry it aloftthrough the earth (like the voice in Sicily) that _Christ lives andreigns alone in his church_, and will have all done therein according tohis word and will, and that he has given no supreme headship over hischurch to any pope, king or parliament whatsoever. Sir, you are often desired to remember the bounds of your commissionfrom man, and not to exceed the same. I am confident you will make asmuch conscience not to be deficient in the discharge of your commissionfrom Christ. But now, Sir, you have a commission from God and mantogether, to discuss that truth, That Christ is a king, and has akingdom in the external government of his church, and that he has setdown laws and offices, and other substantials thereof; and a part of thekingdom the which to come we daily pray (as Perkins shews well). We mustnot now before men mince, hold up, or conceal any thing necessary forthis testimony; all these would seem to me to be retiring and flying, and not to flow from the high spirit of the Most High, who will notflinch for one hour, nor quit one hoof, nor edge away a hem of Christ'srobe royal. These would seem effects of desertion, tokens of beingashamed, afraid or politically diverted; and all these and every degreeof them, Sir, I am confident will be very far from the thoughts of everyone here, who by their votes and petitions, according to theirprotestations at their entry, have shewed themselves so zealous andforward to give their testimony, albeit they easily saw it would not bevery acceptable to the powers on earth, who would hamper, stamp andhalve it. But would ye answer to that question, If this were aparliament, and if it was a full and free one, would he not, and shouldhe not be esteemed a great breaker of privileges, and _contemptorcuriæ_, albeit we are not so wise, yet let us be as tender and jealousin our day and generation. Truly, Sir, I am confident you will not be soin love with a peaceable and external profession of any thing that maybe granted to the church, as to conceal, disclaim or invert yourMaster's right. That were to lose the substance for a circumstance, todesert and dethrone Christ, to serve yourselves and enthrone others inhis place: a tenant doing so to his lord or landlord forfeits all. Yeare commanded to be faithful in little, but now ye are commanded to befaithful in much; for albeit the salvation of souls be called _curacuraru_, the welfare and happiness of churches (made up of these) isfar more; but the kingdom of Christ is _q. D. Optimum maximum_, and tohave it now under your debate, as it is the greatest honour God dothbestow upon an assembly, so it is the greatest danger: For according nowas God shall assist or direct you, you may, and will be the instrumentsof the greatest good or evil on earth. Let us do all in, with, for andby Christ. Remember the account we have to make to him, who subjects thestanding or falling of his crown in this island to our debate. I speak_humaniter_, for _diviniter_ I know it is impossible, and albeit weshould all prove false and faint-hearted, he can, and will soon raise upother instruments to assert, publish, and propagate his right to a_forum consistorii_. He will have it thoroughly pled and judged betwixthis kingdom and the kingdoms of the earth. And seeing he has begun toconquer, he will prevail over all that stand in his way, whether pope, king or parliament, that will claim any part of his headship, supremeprerogative, and monarchy over his own church. Sir, some may think you have had a design in abstaining so long fromasserting the divine right of church government, now to come in with ittruly. Sir, I look upon this check, as a good providence for your greatsparing and abstaining in that point, and must bear witness to manypassages of God's good hand in it, in not suffering us to make a standof our desires concerning religion, either in Scotland or here, albeitwe have often set down _mensura voti_ to ourselves; but he has as oftenmoved us step after step to trace back our defections, and make the lastinnovations a besom to sweep out the former, and the king refused to bea mean to engage in a covenant with himself and others, and so has drawnus, against our wills, and beyond our desires, to perform our duty, andto give a testimony to his truth, that much of God and divine wisdom anddesign, and little of man and his politic projects, might be seen in thebeginning, progress and continuance of the whole work, by this good handof God: And for this end I hope these queries are brought to your handat this time. Sir, your serving the parliament a while, I am confident, has been andwill be still, not that they may serve you, but for to serve the LordJesus Christ; and that parliament will glory more in their subordinationand subservience to him, than in the empire and command over the world. Sir, we may hear much of the breach of privilege, and of the covenant, in relation to civil rights. Let us remember in the covenant the threeorders in the title and preface, three main duties in the body, and thethree effects in the close. The covenant begins with the advancement, and ends with the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ, as thesubstantials and over-word of the whole. The first article of the seven is Christ, an article like _diesDominica_ in the week, all the rest are _in Domino_, and subordinatethereunto: And all laws contrary to the will of Christ are acknowledgedto be void in his kingdom, and so they should, with far greater reasonthan the constable's orders against the ordinance of parliament are voidin law. But, Sir, Christ's throne is highest, and his privileges supremeas only King and Head of his church, albeit kings and magistrates may bemembers in it. There is no authority to be balanced with his, nor poststo be set up against his, nor Korahs to be allowed against his Aarons, nor Uzziahs against his Azariahs. Is it so small a thing to have thesword? but they must have the keys also. Truly, Sir, I am confident thatthe parliament, and both nations will acknowledge themselves engagedunder this authority, and as they would not be drawn from it (for wemust deny our places, take up our cross, lay aside our love to father ormother, paternal or civil, yea lay down our lives, to aver and confessthis truth against all allurements and terrors) so ye would neverendeavour to draw us to any other, and whatsoever reflection to thecontrary was insinuated by the deliverer of this message, I cannot butimpute it to personal passion, which long ago was known to the world, but will never believe the honourable house will allow thereof, as beingfar beneath their wisdom, and contrary to your merit. And, Sir, seeing these queries are before you, I am confident thatwhatever diversity of opinion may be among you in any particular, yewill all hold out Christ's kingdom distinct from the kingdoms of theearth, and that he has appointed the government of his own house, andshould rule the same; and that none of this assembly, even for thegaining of their desires in all the points of difference, would by theirsilence, concealment and connivance, weaken, commutate or sell a part ofthis fundamental truth, this sovereign interest of Christ; and that yewill all concur to demonstrate the same by clear passages of scripture, or necessary consequences therefrom, and by constant practice of theapostles, which are rules unto us. Sir, I will close with remembering you of two passages of yourletter[265] sent, by order of the house of commons, to the generalassembly of the church of Scotland, that you will set out suchdiscipline as, to the utmost of your power, you may exalt Christ theonly Lord over the church, his own house, in all his offices, andpresent the church as a chaste virgin to Christ; and for this end thatyou were not restrained by the houses in your votes and resolutions, norbound up to the sense of others, nor to carry on a private design in acivil way, but by your oath were secured against all flattering of yourjudgment, and engaged thereby according to the house's desire, to useall freedom becoming the integrity of your consciences, the weight ofthe cause, and the integrity and honour of such an assembly. I will nomore, Sir, trouble you, but with one word upon the whole matter, todesire you seriously to consider if this business, whereon the eyes ofGod are fixed, deserves not a special day of humiliation and prayer, forthe Lord's extraordinary assistance and direction of this assembly. _The Lives of Messrs. ROBERT TRAILS. _ Messrs. Robert Trails, the father and son, deserve a place among theScots Worthies, as they were brought to much trouble for theirfaithfulness and zeal for our reformation-principles. Old Mr. RobertTrail, one of the ministers of Edinburgh, along with Mr. James Guthrieand others, met in a private house in Edinburgh, and assisted in drawingup a humble address and supplication to the king; but before it wasfinished, they were apprehended by the managers of the times, andcommitted prisoners to the castle of Edinburgh, without a hearing;matters went so high at that time, that a simple proposal of petitioningthe king for a redress of grievances was reckoned criminal. Mr. RobertTrail was brought Aug. 1661. Before the lords of articles, andafterwards before the parliament, where he delivered an excellent speechin his own defence, and pointed out the cruelty and injustice thenexercised, and the many false accusations that were exhibited againsthim and his reverend brethren at that time. This excellent speech of hismay be seen in Wodrow's history, vol. I. Page 73. After seven monthsimprisonment he wrote to Mr. Thomas Wylie minister at Kirkudbright. Hesays, "I need not write to you how matters do here. This I must say, your imprisoned brethren are kindly dealt with by our kind Lord, forwhose cause and interest we suffer; and if any of us be straitened, itis not in him, for we have large allowance from him, could we take it. We know it fares the better with us, that you and such as you, mind usat the throne. We are waiting from day to day what men will do with us;at best we are expecting banishment, but our sentence must proceed fromthe Lord; and whatsoever it shall be as good from him; and whithersoeverhe shall send us, he will be with us, and shall let us know that theearth is his, and the fulness thereof. " This was the resigned Christiantemper of these worthies. He was afterwards banished, and took refuge inHolland. On the 19th of July 1677, their persecuting fury also broke outagainst his son Mr. Robert Trail. Being accused with holdingfield-conventicles, he was brought before the council, where heacknowledged, that he had kept house-conventicles. But being asked, ifhe had preached at field-conventicles, he referred that to proof, because the law made it criminal. He owned he had conversed with Mr. Welch when on the English border, and that he was ordained to theministry by Presbyterian ministers at London in 1670. But refusing toclear himself by oath, he was therefore sent to the Bass; major Johnstongot 1000 l. Scots for apprehending him. We have no account at what timehe was released; but he was afterwards an useful minister to acongregation of dissenters in London; where he continued many years andlaboured with great diligence, zeal and success. Here he published hisvindication of the Protestant doctrine of justification, promptedthereto by his zeal for that distinguishing doctrine of the reformation;and his sermons on the throne of grace and the Lord's prayer, at theearnest desire of those who heard them. His sermons on Heb. X. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. Intitled, _A stedfast adherence to the profession of ourfaith_, were published after his death, at the request of many of hishearers. The simplicity and evangelical strain of his works have beensavoury to many, and will ever be so, while religion andscripture-doctrine are in request. _FINIS_ CONTENTS. PageINTRODUCTION 28The Life of Mr. Patrick Hamilton, 41 Mr. George Wishart, 46 Mr. Walter Mill, 60 James Stuart Earl of Murray, 64 Mr. John Knox, 77 Mr. George Buchanan, 90 Mr. Robert Rollock, 96 Mr. John Craig, 99 Mr. David Black, 101 Mr. John Davidson, 105 Mr. William Row, 108 Mr. Andrew Melvil, 111 Mr. Patrick Simpson, 119 Mr. Andrew Duncan, 126 Mr. John Scrimzeor, 129 Mr. John Welch, 132 Mr. Robert Boyd, 152 Mr. Robert Bruce, 154 Mr. Josias Welch, 162 John Gordon Viscount of Kenmuir, 164 Mr. Robert Cunningham, 181 Mr. James Mitchel, 183 Mr. Alexander Henderson, 189 Mr. George Gillespie, 196 Mr. John M'Clelland, 200 Mr. David Calderwood, 205 Mr. Hugh Binning, 210 Mr. Andrew Gray, 216 Mr. James Durham, 220 Mr. Samuel Rutherford, 229 Archibald Campbel Marquis of Argyle, 239 Mr. James Guthrie, 254 John Campbel Earl of Loudon, 264 Mr. Robert Bailey, 275 Mr. David Dickson, 279 Sir Archibald Johnston, Lord Wariston, 287 Mr. James Wood, 299 Mr. William Guthrie, 303 Mr. Robert Blair, 318 Mr. Hugh M'Kail, 336 Mr. John Nevay, 354 Mr. John Livingston, 357 Mr. John Semple, 366 Mr. James Mitchel, 371 Mr. John Welwood, 384 William Gordon of Earlstoun, 389 Messrs. John Kid and John King, 392 Mr. John Brown, 395 Henry Hall of Haugh-head, 398 Mr. Richard Cameron, 401 David Hackston of Rathillet, 410 Robert Ker of Kersland, 415 Mr. Donald Cargil, 419 Mr. Walter Smith, 433 Mr. Robert Garnock, 437 Mr. Robert M'Ward, 455 Captain John Paton, 458 John Nisbet of Hardhill, 472 Mr. Alexander Peden, 485 Mr. John Blackadder, 499 Mr. James Renwick, 503 Mr. Alexander Moncrief, 528 Mr. Angus M'Bean, 533 Mr. Thomas Hog, 536 Mr. Robert Fleming, 549 Mr. Alexander Shields 557 Mr. John Dickson, 577 Sir Robert Hamilton of Preston, 584 Mr. William Vetch, 594 John Balfour of Kinloch, 607 A speech of Lord Warriston's, 608 The lives of Messrs. Trails. 613 ERRATA. Page 262. Line 5. From the foot, after _cried_, read, _The covenants, the covenants shall yet be Scotland's reviving_. P. 292. L. 18. From the foot, for 1657, r. 1651. P. 505. L. 29. For _in_ r. _from_. P. 448. L. 29. For _Fanquirs_ r. _Tanquirs_. P. 452. L. 7. For _Learmoril_ r. _Learmond_. P. 499. L. 10. From the foot, for _Fullialen_ r. _Tullialen_. P. 500. Foot note, for _Stirleg_ r. _Stirling_. P. 502. L. 17. For _first_ r. _farther_. P. 603. Foot note, last line, for _they_ r. _the king_. FOOTNOTES [1] Mr Renwick's life wrote by Mr Shields and published _anno_ 1724. [2] Of these records belonging to the state carried away by Cromwel tosecure our dependence on England, there were 85 hogsheads lost Dec. 18, 1660, in a ship belonging to Kirkaldy, as she was returning with themfrom London. And as for the church records and registers, a great manyof them also (either through the confusion of the then civil wars, orfalling into the hands of the prelates while prelacy prevailed inScotland) are also a-missing. PREFACE to Stevenson's History. [3] Mr Wodrow in history. [4] Sure 'tis a serious thing to die; my soul What a strange moment must it be when near Thy journey's end, thou hast the gulph in view! That awful gulph no mortal e'er repass'd, To tell what's doing on the other side. The GRAVE, by Blair [5] Mr Henry on 1 Cor. Xi. 1. [6] For confirmation of this, see the Edinburgh monthly review forFebruary 1774. [7] See the parliamentary chronicle, or God on the mount [8] See act v. Parl. 1640 act v. 1644. Act xv. 1649. ; acts of thegeneral assembly, sess. 26. 1638. Sess. 23. 1639. Sess. 6. 1642. Sess. {illegible} 1647. Sess. 31. 1648, &c. [9] Act v. Sess 1. Parl. 1. James VII. See James VII. And William andMary's acts of parliament abridged, p. 42. [10] Such as Messrs Currie, Ferguson, and Smith of Newburn &c. Who, inorder to palliate and extenuate the evil of the present backslidingcourses, seem to have left no stone unturned to expose or blacken thereforming period. [11] See more anent patronage and our covenants in the notes, pag. 184and 185. [12] Although toleration principles be now espoused, boasted of andgloried in by many, yea by some from whom other things might beexpected, yet it is contrary to scripture. See Gen. Xxxv. 2. &c. Deut. Xiii. 6. Judg. Ii. 2. Ezek. Xliii. 8. Prov. Xvii. 15. Zech. Xiii. 2. Rom. Xiii. 6. Rev. Ii. 14, &c. And how far the civil magistrate is toexert his power in punishing heretics, I shall not at present determine, or whether the word _extirpate_ in our solemn league and covenantextends to the temporal or spiritual sword, only there are differentsentiments and expositions, yet sure I am that according to the verynature of things that which is morally good (being a commanded duty)needs no toleration; and that which is morally evil no mortal on earthcan lawfully grant an immunity unto: And betwixt these there is nomedium in point of truth and duty. And it is observable, that wheretoleration or toleration principles prevail, real religion neverprospers much; and besides all it is of woful consequence, for as innatural bodies antipathies of qualities cause destruction, so in bodiespolitic different religions, or ways of worship in religion, cause manydivisions and distractions, whereby the seamless coat of Christ is liketo be torn in pieces, and this oftentimes terminates in the ruin of thewhole. _For a kingdom, city or house divided against itself_ (saithChrist) _cannot stand. _ And yet some will say, That toleration is a goodthing, for by it people may live as good as they please. I answer, It istrue, but they may also live as bad as they please, and that we haveliberty and freedom to serve God in his own appointed way, we have himprimarily to thank for it, as for all his other mercies and goodnesstoward us. [13] Witness the Quebec act, establishing popery in Canada, 1774. --TheCatholic bills granting a toleration to Papists in England and Ireland, 1778, with the gloomy aspect that affairs bear to Scotland since thattime. [14] This doctrine of original sin is plainly evinced from scripture, canonical and apocryphal, Job xiv. 4. Psal. Li. 5. Rom. V. 12. _etc. _ 1Cor xv. 21. John iii. 6. Apocrypha Eccles. Xxv. {illegible}6; assertedin our church standards, illustrated and defended by many able divines(both ancient and modern) and by our British poets excellentlydescribed: Thus, Adam, now ope thine eyes, and first behold Th' effects which thy original crime hath wrought In some, to spring from thee, who never touch'd Th' excepted tree, nor with the snake conspir'd, Nor sinn'd thy sin; yet from that sin derive Corruption to bring forth more violent deeds. PARADISE LOST. Lib. Ix. Conceiv'd in sin, (O wretched state!) before we draw our breath: The first young pulse begins to beat iniquity and death. Dr WATTS. [15] However much these leading articles in the Arminian and Pelagianscheme be now taught and applauded yet sure they are God-dishonouringand soul-ruining tenets, contrary to scripture, God's covenant, andeversive of man's salvation. For, (1. ) They are contrary to scripture, which teaches us that we are noless dependant in working than in being, and no more capable to act froma principle of life of ourselves, than to exist. _The way of man is notin himself, neither is it in man that walketh to direct his steps. Whathast thou, O man, but what thou hast received? How to perform that whichis good I find not_, Jer. X. 23. 1 Cor. Iv. 7. Rom. Vii. 18. _So that aman can do nothing, except it be given him from above; and no man cancome unto me except the Father draw him_, saith Christ, John iii, 27. Vi. 44. See Con. Ch. Ix. § 3. Article of the church of England 10. Andfor good works, however far they may be acceptable to God in anapprobative way (as being conformable to his command, and agreeable tothe holiness of his nature) yet we are assured from his word that moralrectitude in its very summit can never render one acceptable in hissight in a justifying way, _for by the works of the law shall no man bejustified; not by works of righteousness that we have done_, &c. Rom. Iii. 28. Gal. Ii. 16. Tit. Iii 5. So though good works or gospelobedience, and true holiness be absolutely necessary unto salvation, (asbeing the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith in everybeliever) the greatest saint being the best moralist, yet there are noways meritorious of man's salvation; no, this depends upon God's eternalpurposes, Rom. Ix. 11. Eph. I. 4. --We find it often said in scripture, that it shall be rendered to every man _according to his works_, Rom. Iii. 6. Rev. Xxii. 12 &c. But never for their works; yea works (thoughotherwise materially good in themselves) in an unregenerate man becomesinful before God, _for whatsoever is not of faith is sin_, Rom. Xiv. 23. Although the omitting of them be more dishonouring to him, Rom. Viii. 8. Psal. Xxvi. 5. Matth. Xxiii. 23. See Conf. Chap. Xvi. §2, 3, 7. --And so Luther, Calvin, Diodati, Beza, Perkins, Fisher, Flavel, Owen, Simson, Binning, Dickson, Gray, Rutherford, Durham, Gillespie, Guthrie, Renwick, Pool, Henry, Halyburton, Boston, Marshal and manyothers. (2. ) They are antipodes to reason, and strike eminently against the verynature of God's covenant, for according to the tenor of the covenant ofworks, nothing but perfect, personal and perpetual obedience can merit(if any thing in a degenerate creature may be so called) and can anyreasonable man look his own conscience in the face and say, that he isthe person that can perform this. Again, if we betake ourselves unto thecovenant of grace, reason itself might blush and be ashamed once tosuppose, that the blood of the immaculate Son of God stood in any needof an addition of man's imperfect works, in order to complete salvation. See Catechising on the Heidelberg catechism on question lii. Page 180. Blackwall's _ratio sacra_, page 17, &c. (3) They must be very dangerous, soul-ruining and Christ dishonouringerrors, for it might be counted altogether superfluous for a person tocome to a physician for a cure, while he is not in the least suspiciousof being infected with any malady: So in like manner, can it be expectedthat any soul can cordially come (or be brought) to Christ, without adue sense of its infinite distance from God by nature? of theimpossibility of making any suitable approaches to him? and of the utterdisability to do any thing that may answer the law, holiness andrighteousness of God therein, _etc. _? _For they that be whole_ (at leastthink themselves so) _need not a physician_, saith Christ; _and I came, not to call the righteous_ (or such as think themselves so) _but sinnersto repentance_, Mark ix. 12. From hence observe, that whosoever intends to forsake his sin, in orderto come to Christ, or effectually to correct vice, before he believes onhim, must needs meet with a miserable disappointment, for _without faithit is impossible to please God_, Heb. Xi. 6. And in the end sink himselfinto an immense and bottomless chaos of uncertainties, like one loppingthe branches off a tree to kill the root; _no man cometh to the Fatherbut by me, and without me ye can do nothing_, says Christ himself, Johnxiv. 6. Xv. 5. The love of God being the _prima causa_, the obedienceand meritorious righteousness of Christ the foundation, source andspring of man's salvation and all true happiness, _for by grace ye aresaved_, Eph. 2. 8. And whosoever has been made rightly to know any thingof the depravity of his nature in a lapsed state, or experienced anything of the free grace of a God in Christ, will be made to acknowledgethis, _That it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of hisgood pleasure_, Phil. Ii. 13. And yet I know it is objected, That it ishighly dishonouring to the Author of nature, to argue man to be such amean and insufficient creature, and that it can never be supposed, thata gracious and merciful God would make such a number of intelligentbeings to damn them, or command a sinner to repent and come to Christ, and condemn him for not doing it, if it were not in his own power uponmoral suasion to obey, &c. It is true indeed, that in comparison of theirrational insect and inanimate creation, man is a noble creature, bothas to his formation, _I am wonderfully made_, Psal cxxxix. 14. And alsoin his intellectual parts, but much more in his primeval state anddignity, when all the faculties of the mind and powers of the soul stoodentire, being endued not only with animal and intelligent, but alsoheavenly life, _Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels_, Psal. Viii. 5. But then in what follows, these objecters seem, eitherinadvertently, or willingly, to have forgot, (1. ) _That man in honourabideth not_, Psal. Xlix. 12, (or as the Rabbins read, and sometranslate it, as Cartwright, Ainsworth, Leigh and Broughton) _Adam inhonour abideth not one night_. Adam, by his disobedience, not onlyintroduced a jarr into the whole creation, rendered his posteritydecrepit and lame, but also lost all power to any spiritual good, thewhole of his intellectual parts concreated with him being eithercorrupted, darkened, obliterated or lost. Indeed Dr Taylor would have usbelieve, that what Adam lost, and more, was restored to Noah, Gen. Ix. And that man's mental capacities are now the same as Adam's ininnocence, saving so far as God sees fit to set any man above or belowhis standard, some are below Adam in rational endowments and some areabove him, of the latter he thinks Sir Isaac Newton was one (doctrine oforiginal sin, page 235. Supplement, page 85. ) The fallacy of which is soobvious and absurd that it deserves no observation, for every man to hisdear bought experience may know, that man now unassisted by all the darkremains of original, natural, moral and political knowledge he is masterof, can acquire no certain knowledge of any part of his duty, as tomoral good or evil, but by a gradation of labour, slow and multiplieddeductions, and much less is he able to bind the strong man and cast himout. And yet all this is no way dishonouring to the great author ofnature as to the works of his hands, for although he made man at first, he made him not originally a sinful man, so that it is our sin that isdishonouring to him. _Lo, this have I found out_, says the wisest ofmen, _that God at first made man upright, but he sought out manyinventions_. (2. ) That in a proper sense God neither made man to savenor to damn him, but only for his pleasure and the manifestation of hisown power and glory, Rev. Iv. 11. Conf. Chap. Ii. § 3. (3. ) Although wehave lost power to obey, yet he still retains his right to demandobedience, and nothing can be more suitable to the justice, wisdom andsovereignty of God, than to maintain his right to perfect obedience fromman whom he originally endued with all power and abilities for what hecommanded; neither is he any wise bound to restore that power again toman, which he by his disobedience lost. (4. ) All mankind by the fallstand condemned by God's judicial act, _In the day that thou eatestthereof thou shalt surely die_, Gen. Ii. 17. And you'll say, a judgedoes a malefactor no injury in condemning him, when by the law he isfound guilty of death, _and cursed is every one who confirmeth not allthe words of this law to do them_, Deut. Xxvii. 26. ; and much less thesupreme Judge of all, who can do nothing wrong to any, in condemningman, _for the wages of sin is death_, Rom. Vi. 13. _and hath not thepotter power over the clay_, &c. --And finally, if the first Adam'sposterity be thus naturally endued with a power to do that which isspiritually good, pray what need was there for the second Adam to die toquicken his elect, Eph. Ii. 1. ; indeed we are commanded to repent andturn from our iniquities, _turn ye, turn ye, and live_, Ezek. Xxxiii. 11. And ye _will not come unto me that ye might have life_, John v. 40. But who, excepting a bold Arminian, will say, that these texts imply anatural power in man to turn, come or not as he pleases. If this werethe case, the same Spirit of God would not have said elsewhere, _Draw meand we will run after thee; turn thou us, and we shall be turned_, Cant. I. 4. Jer. Xxxi. 18; _surely after I was turned, I repented_, ver. 19;it was not before I was turned I repented: No, this command andcomplaint only points out our duty, but the prayers and promises in theword shew us our ability for the performance thereof. And yet after all, proud ignorant man must needs be his own Saviour, and if God say not sotoo, Cain will be wroth and his countenance fall, Gen. Iv. 5. _But letthe potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth; but we unto himthat striveth with his Maker. _ [16] Mr John Dickson in a letter while prisoner in the Bass. [17] See Josephus _de bello Jud. _ lib. V. And vi. ; and of thisdestruction Eusebius lib. Iii. Chap. 6. ; and the life of TitusVespasian. [18] Well may we tremble now! what manners reign? But wherefore ask we? when a true reply Would shock too much. Kind heaven, avert events, Whose fatal nature might reply too plain! ---- Vengeance delay'd but gathers and ferments; More formidably blackens in the wind, Brews deeper draughts of unrelenting wrath, And higher charges the suspended storm. Young's NIGHT THOUGHTS. [19] Here Christ's crown rights not only became the word of theirtestimony, but also the very motto of their civil and military banners, insomuch as when that gallant Scots army lay at Dunce muir, (_anno_1639) each captain had his colours flying at his tent door, whereon wasthis inscription in letters of gold, CHRIST'S CROWN AND COVENANT. Stevenson's History, Vol. II. P. 729. [20] Here it neither can nor need be expected, that, in such a number oflives they could be all found alike precise in point of publictestimony; yet I would fain expect, that what is here recorded of themmight be somewhat equivalent to whatever blemishes they otherwise had, seeing their different sentiments are also recorded: Otherwise I presumeit were hard to please all parties. For Mr Wodrow has been charged bysome (and that not without some reason) that, in favours of some of hisindulged _quondam_ brethren, in the last volume of his history, he hasnot only smothered some matters of fact relative to the more honest partof our sufferers, but even given the most faithful part of theircontendings the epithets of unwarrantable heats, heights, flights, extravagancies, extremities, _etc. _ [in his history, vol. II. P. 133, 298, 584. ] Again, he and Mr Currie (in his essay on separation, p. 160, and 211) have blamed the publishers of the cloud of witnesses (but onvery slender grounds) for corrupting, perverting and omitting sometestimonies of our late sufferers, whom they say, came "not to the samelength of principles with themselves, or those they had pickt out forthat purpose. " To avoid both rocks, all possible care has been heretaken, and yet it must needs meet with its fate also, according to thevarious capacities, tempers and dispositions of the readers (and why notcensure if blame-worthy?): Yet it is hoped that the honesty, labour anddiligence used therein, will counterpoise all other reflections orexceptions. [21] See collection of acts of parliament (said to be AndrewStevenson's) preface to part II. [22] Mr Rutherford, in a letter to the Earl of Cassils. See his letters, part I. Epist. 23. [23] Fuller in the preface to his lives in the holy state. [24] It is not at all pretended that all and every part of their works, is here inserted, but only those most commonly in print or those come tothe knowledge of the publishers. [25] Vid. Bede's ecclesiastical history, lib. I. Ch. 13. Buch. History, book v. [26] Book iii. Cap. 8. [27] Hind let loose, period II. Page 11, prior edition. [28] The queen and Darnly became so irreconcileable, that as he neverrested until he had caused the Italian Rizzio to be murdered, the queennever rested till she caused her husband to be murdered, and divinejustice after all never rested till it had caused her to be murdered; sothat blood followed blood, till the whole knot was destroyed. DEFOE'S memoirs, p. 59. [29] Sir James Melvil of Halhill, in his memoirs, from page 173 to page178, seems to insinuate, that altho' the earl of Moray was at first of agentle nature, religiously educated, well inclined, good, wise, &c. Yetwhen he was advanced to the helm of government, through the mean offlatterers, he became more proud and rough in his proceedings, which, together with his too remiss conduct anent his own preservation after somany warnings, was the cause of his own ruin. --And says further, That hewas compelled sometimes to receive and apply divers sentences of Solomonconcerning chancellors and rulers to this good regent, which he orderedhim to commit to writing that he might carry them in his pocket: Butbefore he was slain, this different gloss on the life and character ofMoray is contradicted, in substance, by the historians, Knox andBuchanan. [30] Buchanan's history, vol. II. P. 392. [31] Spotswood's history, P. 234. [32] In the memoirs of the duke of Sully, prime minister to Henry IV ofFrance, Vol. 1. Page 392. Edin. Edit. 1773, there is the following note:James de Bethune, arch bishop of Glasgow in Scotland, came to Paris inquality of ambassador in ordinary from the queen of Scotland, and diedthere in 1603, aged 66 years, having 57 years suffered greatvicissitudes of fortune, since the violent death of cardinal de Bethunearch-bishop of St. Andrews his uncle, which happened in 1646: Hisepitaph may be still seen in the church of St. John de Lateran. [33] Vide Calderwood's history, page 31. [34] In the space of two or three days, there were about 70000protestants murdered in cold blood in Paris, and other parts of France. This massacre was begun in the night of St. Bartholomew's day in thereign of Charles IX. Of that kingdom; the king of Navarre, afterwardHenry the Great, narrowly escaped on that occasion, for he was then inParis, on account of the solemnization of his marriage with Charles'ssister, which marriage the papists had contrived, in order to draw asmany protestants into that city as possible, that they might have themin their power. See the account of this mournful event at large inSully's memoirs, volume I. [35] Spotswood says he was born within the parish of Killearn, at houseof Drunmakill. History, page 325. [36] In the midst of these evils, he (the king) caused to put hands onthat notable man Mr. George Buchanan: But by the merciful providence ofGod he escaped the rage of those that sought his life, although withgreat difficulty, and remains alive to this day, (anno 1566) to theglory of God, the great honour of this nation, and to the comfort ofthose who delight in learning and virtue. KNOX's history. [37] A little before his death, he returned home from court to visit hisfriends, during which time king James sent him several messages, and, atlast, a very threatening letter to return in twenty days, but he, finding his death approaching, sent him back a letter of admonitionrelative to the government of his kingdom, and well-being of hiscouncil, and, at the end, told him, that he could run the hazard of hismajesty's displeasure without danger, for that "by the time limited, hewould be where few kings or great men should be honoured to enter;" atreading which it is said the king wept. [38] His works that are now extant, make two folio volumes. --Histreatise, de jure regni apud Scotos, was condemned by act of parliament, about two years after his death, which happened at Edinburgh on the 28thof September, 1582. These pamphlets going under the name of the wittyexploits of George Buchanan, seem to be spurious, although it is true hepronounced many witty expressions, many of which have (I suppose) neverbeen committed to writing, and some of which I could mention, were ithere necessary. [39] Mira et vera relatio de Davidis Black transmigratione incoelestem patriam. [40] Mr Robert Montgomery, minister in Stirling, had made a simoniacalpurchase of the Arch-bishopric of Glasgow from the earl of Lennox, forwhich he was to give him five hundred pounds sterling of yearly rent. Accordingly on the 8th of March 1582. Montgomery came to Glasgow, with anumber of soldiers, and pulled the minister in the pulpit by the sleeve, saying, "Come down sirrah;" the minister replied. "He was placed thereby the kirk, and would give place to none who intruded themselveswithout order. " Much confusion and bloodshed ensued in the town. Thepresbytery of Stirling suspended Montgomery, in which the generalassembly supported them: Lennox obtained a commission from the king totry and bring the offenders to justice. Before that commission courtmet, the earls of Marr and Gowrie, the master of Oliphant, youngLochlevin, &c. Carried the king to Ruthven castle, and there supplicatedhim to revoke his commission to Lennox, which he did: and the kingordered him to leave the country, which, after some delays, he also did, retiring to Berwick. Afterwards two persons concerned in the affair atRuthven, were charged to leave the realm upon pain of corporalpunishment, because the council had adjudged that affair to be treasonagainst the king and government. The earl of Gowrie was ordered to leavethe kingdom, notwithstanding he had, at the command of the council, confessed that the fact at Ruthven was treason. [41] The persons concerned in the raid of Ruthven, assembled an army atStirling and took the castle, from thence they sent a supplication tothe king to redress their grievances. In the mean time, the earl ofGowrie, lingering about Dundee was apprehended and committed to prison, which discouraged the party at Stirling very much, so that they fled inthe night, and got to Berwick; the captain of the castle and threeothers were hanged; Gowrie was likewise executed on the 2d of May 1584. [42] Bennet, in his memorial, says, That while he (James) grasped atarbitrary power, to which he discovered an inclination thro' the wholeof his reign, it has been observed, and not without good reason, that hemade himself mean and contemptible to all the world abroad, thoughaffecting to swagger over his parliament and people at home, which hedid in a manner that was far from making or showing him great. [43] Mr James Melvil was confined at last to Berwick, where he ended hisdays, Jan, 1614. [44] The epigram is as follows, Cur stant clausi Anglis libri duo, regia in arca, Lumina cæca duo, pollubra sicca duo? Num sensum, cultumque Dei tenet Anglia clausum, Lumine cæca suo, sorde sepulta suo? Romano et ritu, dum regalem instruit aram Purpuream pingit religiosa lupam. [45] Spotswood doth not ascribe any thing of the form of presbyterianchurch government to Mr. Knox, because they admitted of superintendentsin the church in his time, which he thinks was Episcopacy: but says, That Mr. Andrew Melvil brought this innovation (as he is pleased to callit) from Geneva about the year 1575. Hist. P. {illegible} &c. [46] _The Protestation offered to the estates convened in Parliament atPerth, in the beginning of July_, anno 1606. The earnest desire of our hearts is to be faithful, and in case we wouldhave been silent and unfaithful at this time, when the undermined estateof Christ's kirk craveth a duty at our hands, we should have locked upour hearts with patience, and our mouths with taciturnity, rather thanto have impeached any with our admonition. But that which Christcommandeth, necessity urgeth, and duty wringeth out of us, to befaithful office bearers in the kirk of God, no man can justly blame us, providing we hold ourselves within the bounds of that Christianmoderation, which followeth God, without injury done to any man, especially these whom God hath lapped up within the skirts of his ownhonourable stiles and names, calling them, Gods upon earth. Now therefore, my lords, convened in this present parliament, under themost high and excellent majesty of our dread sovereign, to your honoursis our exhortation, that ye would endeavour with all singleness ofheart, love and zeal, to advance the building of the house of God, reserving always into the Lord's own hand that glory, which he willcommunicate neither with man nor angel, viz. To prescribe from his holymountain a lively pattern, according to which his own tabernacle shouldbe formed: Remembering always that there is no absolute and undoubtedauthority in this world, excepting the sovereign authority of Christ theking, to whom it belongeth as properly to rule the kirk according to thegood pleasure of his own will, as it belongeth to him to save his kirkby the merit of his own sufferings. All other authority is so intrenchedwithin the marches of divine commandment, that the least overpassing ofthe bounds set by God himself, bringeth men under the fearfulexpectation of temporal and eternal judgments. For this cause, my lords, let that authority of your meeting in this present parliament, be likethe ocean, which, as it is greatest of all other waters, so itcontaineth itself better within the coasts and limits appointed by God, than any rivers of fresh running water have done. Next, remember that God hath let you to be nursing fathers to the kirk, craving of your hands, that ye would maintain and advance, by yourauthority that kirk, which the Lord hath fashioned by theuncounterfeited work of his own new creation, as the prophet speaketh, _He hath made us, and not we ourselves_; but that that ye should presumeto fashion and shape a new portraiture of a kirk, and a new form ofdivine service which God in his word hath not before allowed; because, that were you to extend your authority farther than the calling ye haveof God doth permit, as namely, if ye should (as God forbid) authorizethe authority of bishops, and their pre eminence above their brethren, ye should bring into the kirk of God the ordinance of man, and thatthing which the experience of preceding ages hath testified to be theground of great idleness, palpable ignorance, insufferable pride, pitiless tyranny, and shameless ambition in the kirk of God. Andfinally, to have been the ground of that antichristian hierarchy, whichmounteth up on the steps of pre eminence of bishops, until that man ofsin came forth, as the ripe fruit of man's wisdom, whom God shallconsume with the breath of his own mouth. Let the sword of God piercethat belly which brought forth such a monster; and let the staff of Godcrush that egg which hath hatched such a cockatrice; and let not onlythat Roman antichrist be thrown down from the high bench of his usurpedauthority, but also let all the steps, whereby he mounted up to thatunlawful pre eminence, be cut down, and utterly abolished in this land. Above all things, my lords, beware to strive against God, with an openand displayed banner, by building up again the walls of Jericho, whichthe Lord hath not only cast down, but hath also laid them under ahorrible interdiction and execration; so that the building of them againmust needs stand to greater charges to the builders, than there-edifying of Jericho to Hiel the Bethelite, in the days of Achab; Forhe had nothing but the interdiction of Joshua, and the curse pronouncedby him, to stay him from building again of Jericho; but the noblemen andestates of this realm, have the reverence of the oath of God, made bythemselves, and subscribed with their own hands, in the confession offaith, called the king's majesty's published oftener than once or twice, subscribed and sworn by his most excellent majesty, and by his highness, the nobility, estates, and whole subjects of this realm, to hold themback from setting up the dominion of bishops. Because, it is of verity, that they subscribed and swore the said confession, containing not onlythe maintenance of the true doctrine, but also of the disciplineprotested within the realm of Scotland. Consider also, that this work cannot be set forward, without the greatslander of the gospel, defamation of many preachers, and evident hurtand loss of the people's souls committed to our charge. For the peopleare brought almost to the like case, as they were in Syria, Arabia andEgypt, about the 600th year of our Lord, when the people were so shakenand brangled with contrary doctrines, some affirming, and othersdenying, the opinion of Eutyches, that in end they lost all assuredpersuasion of true religion; and within short time thereafter, did castthe gates of their hearts open to the peril, to receive that vile andblasphemous doctrine of Mahomet; even so the people in this land arecast into such admiration to hear the preachers, who damned so openlythis stately pre eminence of bishops, and then, within a few yearsafter, accept the same dignity, pomp and superiority in their ownpersons, which they before had damned in others, that the people knownot what way to incline, and in the end will become so doubtful inmatters of religion and doctrine, that their hearts will be like an opentavern, patent to every guest that chooses to come in. We beseech your honours to ponder this in the balance of a godly andprudent mind, and suffer not the gospel to be slandered by the behaviourof a few preachers, of whom we are bold to affirm, that if they goforward in this defection, not only abusing and appropriating the nameof bishops to themselves, which is common to all the pastors of God'skirk; but also taking upon themselves such offices, that carry with themthe ordinary charge of governing the civil affairs of the country, neglecting their flocks, and seeking to subordinate their brethren totheir jurisdiction; if any of them, we say, be found to step forward inthis cause of defection, they are more worthy, as rotten members, to becut off from the body of Christ, than to have superiority and dominionover their brethren, within the kirk of God. This pre eminence of bishops is that Dagon, which once already fellbefore the ark of God in this land, and no band of iron shall be able tohold him up again. This is that pattern of that altar brought fromDamascus, but not shewed to Moses in the mountain, and therefore itshall fare with it as it did with that altar of Damascus, it came lastin the temple, and went first out. Likewise the institution of Christwas anterior to this pre eminence of bishops, and shall consist andstand within the house of God, when this new fashion of the altar shallgo to the door. Remember, my lords, that in times past your authority was for Christ, and not against him. Ye followed the light of God, and strived notagainst it; and, like a child in the mother's hand, ye said to Christ, _Draw us after thee_. God forbid, that ye should now leave off, and fallaway from your former reverence borne to Christ, in presuming to leadhim, whom the Father hath appointed to be leader of you. And far less totrail the holy ordinances of Christ by the cords of your authority, atthe heels of the ordinances of men. And albeit your honours have no such intention to do any thing which mayimpair the honour of Christ's kingdom; yet remember, that spiritualdarkness, flowing from a very small beginning, doth so insinuate andthrust itself into the house of God, as men can hardly discern by whatsecret means the light was dimmed, and darkness creeping in got theupper hand; and in the end, at unawares, all was involved in a mistycloud of horrible apostacy. And lest any should think this our admonition out of time, in so far asit is statute and ordained already by his majesty, with advice of hisestates in parliament, that all ministers, provided to prelacies, shouldhave vote in parliament; as likewise, the General Assembly (his majestybeing present thereat) hath found the same lawful and expedient, Wewould humbly and earnestly beseech all such, to consider, _First_, That the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the office bearers and lawsthereof, neither should, nor can suffer any derogation, addition, diminution or alteration besides the prescript of his holy word, by anyinventions or doings of men civil or ecclesiastical. And we are able, bythe grace of God, and will offer ourselves to prove, that this bishopricto be erected, is against the word of God, the ancient fathers, andcanons of the kirk, the modern most learned and godly divines, thedoctrine and constitution of the kirk of Scotland since the firstreformation of religion within the same country, the laws of the realm, ratifying the government of the kirk by the general and provincialassemblies, presbyteries and sessions; also against the well and honourof the king's most excellent majesty, the well and honour of the realmand quietness thereof; the established estate and well of the kirk inthe doctrine, discipline and patrimony thereof; the well and honour ofyour lordships, the most ancient estate of this realm, and finally, against the well of all, and every one, the good subjects thereof, insoul, body and substance. _Next_, That the act of parliament, granting vote in parliament toministers, is with a special provision, that nothing thereby bederogatory or prejudicial to the present established discipline of thekirk and jurisdiction thereof in general and synodical assemblies, presbyteries and sessions. _Thirdly_ and lastly, The General Assembly (his majesty sitting, votingand consenting therein) fearing the corruption of that office, hathcircumscribed and bounded the same with a number of cautions; all which, together with such others as shall be concluded upon by the assembly, were thought expedient to be inserted in the body of the act ofparliament, that is to be made for confirmation of their vote inparliament, as most necessary and substantial parts of the same. And thesaid assembly hath not agreed to give thereunto the name of bishops, forfear of importing the old corruption, pomp and tyranny of papal bishops, but ordained them to be called commissioners for the kirk to vote inparliament. And it is of verity, that according to these cautions, neither have these men, now called bishops, entered to that office ofcommissionary to vote in parliament, neither since their ingyring, havethey behaved themselves therein. And therefore, in the name of the LordJesus Christ, who shall hold that great court of parliament to judgeboth the quick and the dead at his glorious manifestation; and in nameof his kirk in general, so happily and well established within thisrealm, and whereof the said realm hath reaped the comfortable peace andunity, free from heresy, schism and dissention these 46 years by-past;also in name of our presbyteries, from which we have our commission; andin our own names, office bearers and pastors within the same, fordischarging of our necessary duty, and disburdening of our consciencesin particular, We Except and Protest against the said bishopric, andbishops, and the erection, or confirmation or ratification thereof atthis present parliament; most humbly craving, that this our protestationmay be admitted by your honours, and registrate among the statutes andacts of the same, in case (as God forbid) these bishoprics be erected, ratified, or confirmed therein. _This Protestation was subscribed by the ministers, whose names follow, _ MESSRS. Andrew Melvil, James Melvil, William Scott, James Ross, JohnCarmichael, John Gillespie, William Erskine, Colin Campbel, JamesMuirhead, John Mitchel, John Davidson, John Coldon, John Abernethy, James Davidson, Adam Bannantyne, John Row, William Buchanan, JohnKennedy, John Ogilvie, John Scrimgeour, John Malcolm, James Burden, Isaac Blackfoord, Isaac Strachan, James Row, William Row, Robert Merser, Edmund Myles, John French, Patrick Simpson, John Dykes, William Young, William Cooper, William Keith, Hugh Duncan, James Merser, Robert Colvil, William Hog, Robert Wallace, David Barclay, John Weemes, WilliamCranston. [47] These were, 1. Kneeling at the communion. 2. Private communion. 3. Private baptism. 4. Observation of holydays. 5. Confirmation ofchildren. [48] See them in Calderwood's history, page 708. [49] Vide Mr. Welch's dispute with Gilbert Brown the papist, in preface. [50] The first was called Dr. Welch, a doctor of medicine, who wasunhappily killed, upon an innocent mistake in the Low Countries. Another son he had most lamentably lost at sea, for when the ship inwhich he was, was sunk, he swam to a rock in the sea, but starved therefor want of necessary food and refreshment, and when sometime afterwardhis body was found upon the rock, they found him dead in a prayingposture upon his bended knees, with his hands stretched out, and thiswas all the satisfaction his friends and the world had upon hislamentable death. Another he had who was heir to his father's graces and blessings, andthis was Mr. Josias Welch minister at Temple patrick in the north ofIreland, commonly called the Cock of the conscience by the people ofthat country, because of his extraordinary awakening and rouzing gift:He was one of that blest society of ministers, which wrought thatunparallelled work in the north of Ireland, about the year 1636 but washimself a man most sadly exercised with doubts about his own salvationall his time, and would ordinarily say, That minister was much to bepitied, who was called to comfort weak saints, and had no comforthimself. He died in his youth, and left for his successor, Mr. JohnWelch minister in Irongray in Galloway, the place of his grandfather'snativity. What business this made in Scotland, in the time of the lateepiscopal persecution, for the space of twenty years, is known to allScotland. He maintained his dangerous post of preaching the gospel uponthe mountains of Scotland notwithstanding of the threatenings of thestate, the hatred of the bishops, the price set upon his head, and allthe fierce industry of his cruel enemies. It is well known that bloodyClaverhouse upon secret information from his spies, that Mr. John Welchwas to be found in some lurking place at forty miles distance, wouldmake all that long journey in one winter's night, that he might catchhim, but when he came he missed always his prey. I never heard of a manthat endured more toil, adventured upon more, or escaped to much hazard, not in the world. He used to tell his friends who counselled him to bemore cautious, and not to hazard himself so much, That he firmlybelieved dangerous undertakings would be his security, and that wheneverhe should give over that course and retire himself, his ministry shouldcome to an end; which accordingly came to pass, for when, after thebattle of Bothwel bridge, he retired to London, the Lord called him bydeath, and there he was honourably interred, not far from the king'spalace. [51] With Mr. Welch other five godly ministers was banished for the samecause, viz. John Forbes, who went to Middleburgh, to the English staplethere, Robert Dury, who went to Holland, and was minister to the Scotscongregation in Lyden, John Sharp, who became minister and professor ofdivinity at Die in the Delphinate, where he wrote Carlus Theologeous, &c. And Andrew Duncan and Alexander Strachan, who in about a year gotliberty to return into their former places. Calderwood's history, pageult. [52] Fulfilling of the scripture, part 1st, page 450. [53] This was the famous Leighton doctor of divinity in the twouniversities of St. Andrews and Leyden, who, for writing of Zion's pleaagainst prelacy, was apprehended at London by two ruffians, and broughtbefore arch bishop Laud, who sentenced him (besides a fine of 10, 000pounds) to be tied to a stake, and receive thirty-six stripes with atriple cord, and then to stand two hours in the pillory (which he did ina cold winter night), and then to have his ear cut, his face fired andhis nose slit; and the same to be repeated that day seven night, and hisother ear cut off, with the slitting of the other side of his nose andburning his other cheek; all which was done with the utmost rigour, andthen he was sent prisoner to the fleet, where he continued, till upon apetition to the parliament in 1640, he was released, and got for hisreparation a vote of 6000 pounds, which it is said was never paid, andmade warden of that prison wherein he had been so long confined, butthrough infirmity and bad treatment he did not long survive, being thenseventy two years of age. See this more at length in Stevenson'shistory, vol. 30, page 948. [54] Livingston's memorable characters, page 74. [55] By the calculation of Mr. Livingston's account he behoved to beonly 75 years of age; but Mr Calderwood makes him 77; and says he had anhonourable burial, being accompanied with four or five thousand peopleto the grave. Vide his history, page 818. [56] Mr. Blair says, that he told him, that for three years he durst notsay, my God, and that his conscience smote him for the same. --Blair'smemoirs, page 39. [57] About this time the king created one marquis, ten earls, twoviscounts and eight lords, and while he was in Scotland he dubbedfifty-four knights on different occasions. See Crawford's peerage, &c. [58] This minister is supposed to have been Mr. Rutherford, who was bysome said to be the author of that pamphlet, intitled, The last andheavenly speech, &c. Of John Viscount of Kenmuir. [59] It would appear from the date of the last of Mr. Rutherford'sletters to this noble lady, that she lived till or a little after therestoration. [60] Mr. Livingston in his memorable Characteristicks, last edition. [61] See Stevenson's history of church and state, vol. II. Page 234. [62] Bailey's letters, &c. Page 587. [63] See these articles in the history of church and state, vol. II. P. 745. And the civil wars of Great Britain, p. 20, &c. [64] At that time the assembly sat in king Henry VIII's chapel, and whenthe weather grew cooler, in Jerusalem chamber, a spacious room inWestminster abbey. The prolocutor, Dr. Twisse, had a chair set at theupper hand, a foot higher than the earth; before it stood two chairs forDr. Burgess and Mr. White assessors: before these stood a table whereMr. Byfield and Mr. Roborough, the two scribes sat; upon theprolocutor's right hand sat the Scots commissioners; on the left handthe English divines to the number of about 118, whereof about two thirdsonly attended close. They met every day of the week, except Saturday, six or seven hours at a time, and began and ended with prayer. [65] Such as the author of the appendix to Spotswood's history, andothers. [66] Mr. Henderson's monument was afterwards repaired, as it now standsintire a little to the westward of the church. On one side theinscription begins with these words, _Hanc quisquis urnam transiens, &c. _ On another side it begins, _Qui contra grassantes per fraudem et tyrannidem. _ And the English inscription on a third side-- Reader, bedew thine eyes Not for the dust here lies, It quicken shall again, And aye in joy remain: But for thyself, the church and state Whose woe this dust prognosticates. The fourth side of the urn has no inscription. [67] Mr. Bailey in his speech to the general assembly, 1647. [68] It appears that he was also chaplain to the viscount Kenmuir aboutthe year 1634. [69] Such as our catechisms, directory for worship, form ofchurch-government, and when the confession of faith was about to becompiled, they added to our Scots commissioners Dr. Gouge, D. Hoyt, Mr. Herle the prolocutor, (Dr. Twisse being then dead), Mr. Gataker, Mr. Tuckney, Mr Reynold's and Mr. Reeves, who prepared materials for thatpurpose. [70] Mr. Bailey in his letters. [71] See the preface to Stevenson's history. [72] Although patronage be a yoke upon the neck of the church, whichneither we nor our fathers were able to bear, contrary to Acts i. 13, &c. Vi. 6. Xiv. 23. 2. Cor. Viii. 19. The practice of the primitivechurch, reason and the natural rights of mankind, yet in the beginningof our reformation from popery, it was somewhat more tolerable (not tosay necessary) than now, when there were few ministers, the people butjust emerging out of gross darkness, and our noblemen and gentlemen thenbeing generally not only pious religious men, but also promoters of ourreformation (the quite contrary of which is the case at present); andyet our wise reformers, while in an advancing state, made several actsboth in church and state as barriers against this increasing evil, andnever rested until by an Act of Parliament 1649, they got it utterlyabolished. Soon after the restoration this act among others was declarednull, and patronage in its full force restored, which continued till therevolution, when its form was changed, by taking that power from patronsand lodging it in the hands of such heritors and elders as werequalified by law. But as if this had not been enough, to denude thepeople of that right purchased to them by the blood of Christ, patronagewas, in its extent, by act of parliament 1712, restored, and is nowuniversally practiced with as bad circumstances as ever. ----And yet itis to be feared after all, that there are many now-a-days, moreirritated and chagrined at this evil, because it more sensibly crossestheir own inclination, then because it is an usurpation upon the churchof Christ, else they would give a more ample testimony against the otherbranches of those incroachments made upon Christ's crown and royaldignity. These who would see more of the evil consequences of patronage, and popular elections vindicated, may consult _Rectius instruendum_;Park upon patronage; the suffrages of the people; the full vindicationof the people's right, &c. A plea for the church of Scotland againstpatronage; the candid inquiry; and an attempt to prove every species ofpatronage foreign to the nature of the church, &c. [73] And may we not tremble and be afraid of the same judgments? for howapplicable is this to out case in Scotland at present, wherein these ournational vows and covenants are not only slighted and neglected, yeaflouted at by many in this profane generation, but even some having amore seeming zeal for religion, stand not to argue and say, "Thatalthough these covenants were binding on our forefathers who made andtook them, yet they can be no way obligatory on us who were neverpersonally engaged therein. " But let such for certainty know, that asthese solemn vows have their foundation in scripture, Numb. Xxx. 7. Deut. V. 3. Josh. Xxiv. 25. Psal. Lxxvi. 11. Isa. Xix. 18. Jer l. 5. Gal. Iii. 15. The duties engaged to therein being purely theological andmoral, they must have respect unto all circumstances and periods oftime, and besides their form being _formalis ratio_, _i. E. _ formalreason, and the action solemn, the majesty of heaven being both a partyand witness therein, the obligation must be perpetual, which no mortalon earth can lawfully dispense with, and so shall bind and oblige allScotsmen under penalty of breach of God's covenant while sun and moonendure. [74] See the forementioned letter and note in a pamphlet intitled, Somepredictions or prophecies of our Scots Worthies, &c. , from page 20 &c. [75] This protestation had been given in a little before this, to ameeting of ministers in the little kirk of Edinburgh. See Calderwood'shistory, page 675. [76] See his own history, page {illegible}32. [77] Mr. Calderwood gave in a protest against the assembly 1649, forenabling the directory for election of ministers, which protest was notgiven in, so favours of patronage, as the author of the modest inquirywould insinuate, for Mr. Calderwood in his _Altare Damascenum_ hathaffirmed once and again, in the strongest terms, the people's right tochoose their own pastor. [78] This gentleman entered advocate in the year 1648, and was, by theProtector, made one of the judges of the session in the year 1657, andbecame president in the year 1681. In the year 1682, he had to retire toHolland: in 1689, he was restored to his office, and in 1690, wascreated a viscount. He wrote the institutions of the law of Scotland, and also published a system of physic greatly valued at that time, witha book intitled, a vindication of the divine attributes, in which thereis discovered great force of argument and sound knowledge. [79] It is said that the presbyterians and independents being on acertain time to dispute before Cromwell, while he was in Scotland, in orabout Glasgow, whereat Mr. Binning being present, managed the pointscontroverted, that he not only non plussed Cromwell's ministers, buteven put them to shame, which, after the dispute, made Oliver ask thename of that learned and bold young man, and being told his name was Mr. Hugh Binning, he said, He hath bound well indeed, but clapping his handon his sword, said, This will loose all again. [80] According to the date of his exhortations at Kirkliston, June 11th. 1653, and his letter to lord Warriston, when on his death-bed affixed tohis select sermons, dated Feb. 7, 1656, it should appear, if both beauthentic, that he was at least two years and a half in the ministry. [81] It appears that Mr Gray was some short time married to that worthyyoung gentlewoman, who afterward was married to Mr. George Hutchesonsometime minister of the gospel at Irvine. [82] See these overtures at large in the account of his life prefixed inhis commentary on the Revelation. [83] See his letters, part iii. Letter 27. [84] See Stevenson's history, vol. 1. Page 149. Rowe's history, page295. [85] It is reported, that when King Charles saw _lex rex_ he said, itwould scarcely ever get an answer; nor did it ever get any, except whatthe parliament in 1661 gave it, when they caused to be burnt at thecross of Edinburgh, by the hands of the hangman. [86] See his letter to Col. Gib, Ker, part II. Letter 59. [87] Betwixt this toleration and that of the duke of York there was thisdifference; in this all sects and religions were tolerated, exceptpopery and prelacy; but in that of York these two were only tolerated, and all others except those who professed true presbyterian covenantedprinciples; and as for Queen Ann's toleration, it was nothing else thana reduplication upon this to restore their beloved {illegible} prelacyagain. [88] It is commonly said, that when the summons came he spoke out of hisbed and said, Tell them I have got summons already before a superiorjudge and judicatory, and I behove to answer my last summons, and ereyour day come I will be where few kings and great folks come. When theyreturned and told he was a-dying, the parliament put to a vote, Whetheror not to let him die in the college. It carried, Put him out, only afew dissenting. My lord Burleigh said, Ye have voted that honest man outof the college, but ye cannot vote him out of heaven. Some said, Hewould never win there, hell was too good for him. Burleigh said, I wishI were as sure of heaven as he is, I would think myself happy to get agrip of his sleeve to hawl me in. See Walker's Rem. Page 171. [89] See this testimony and some of his last words published in 1711. [90] This appears to be these papers bearing the name ofrepresentations, propositions, protestations, &c. Given in by him, andMessrs. Cant and Livingston to the ministers and elders met atEdinburgh, July 24th 1652. [91] It appears that he married a second wife by whom he had only onechild alive. See his letters part III. Letter 55. [92] Part I. Letter 4, and part III. Letter 37. [93] See this discourse at large in Stevenson's history, page 674. [94] See a more full account of these transactions in Stevenson'shistory, vol. III. Page 176. [95] Some accounts bear that this was a rape committed by him. [96] See the national covenant. [97] See the coronation of Charles II. Page 38, &c. [98] See these articles at large and his answers in Wodrow's churchhistory, vol. 1. Page 43, ----52. [99] See the appendix to Wodrow's history, No. 18. [100] The historian Burnet in the introduction to his history page 30. &c. Is pleased to say, "This Argyle was a pretender to high degrees ofpiety. Warriston went to very high notions of lengthened devotions, andwhatsoever struck his fancy during these effusions he looked on it as ananswer of prayer. " But perhaps the bishop was much a stranger both tohigh degrees of piety and lengthened devotions, and also to such returnsof prayer, for these two gallant noblemen faced the bloody ax and gibbetrather than forgo their profession, with more courage, and (I may say)upon better principles or grounds of suffering than what any diocesanbishop in Scotland at least, or even the doctor himself was honoured todo. [101] Or the wrestling of the church of Scotland, page 166. [102] Wodrow in his history, vol. I. Page 56. [103] It surely was a piece of ill advised conduct (as many ofthemselves afterward acknowledged), that ever they elected or admittedany of that family of Ahab, after the Almighty had so remarkably driventhem forth of these kingdoms, unto the regal dignity, upon any termswhatsoever; particularly Charles II. After he had given such recentproofs of his dissimulation and dissaffection unto the cause and peopleof God in these nations. After which they never had a day to prosper;for by contending against malignants, and yet at the same time vowingand praying for the head of malignants they not only had malignants andsectaries to fight with, but also made a desuetude unto their formerattainments, and so came to contend with one another, until prelacyproved their utter ruin at last. It is objected that king Charles was agood natured man, and that the extermination of our excellentconstitution, was from evil counsellors. It is but too true, that evilcounsellors have many times proved the ruin of kingdoms andcommonwealths, else the wise man would not have said. _Take away thewicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established_, Prov. Xxv. 5. But take the matter as it is, he was still the head of thatconstitution and (not to speak of his other immoralities), a mostperfidious, treacherous and wicked man, and could engage to day andbreak to-morrow, and all to obtain an earthly crown. For a furtherillustration of this, see a letter shewing the defection of bothaddressers and protestors, &c; Dr. Owen's sermon before the protector inScotland; the history of the Stuarts; and Bennet's memorial of Britain'sdeliverances, &c. [104] Apologetical relation, § v. Page 83. [105] See these protestations in Wodrow's church-history, vol. I. P. 58& 59. [106] This unjust sentence was pronounced in the high church of Glasgowby Mr. John Carstairs, who prefaced Mr. Durham's posthumous works someof which are supposed to be vitiated by him especially his treatise onscandal. [107] See this paper called the humble petition in Crookshank's history, vol. I. P. 64. [108] Wodrow's history, vol. I. P. 61. [109] History of his own times, page 127. [110] Mr. Alexander Hamilton, when a student at the college ofEdinburgh, at the hazard of his life, took down Mr. Guthrie's head andburied it, after it had stood a spectacle for twenty seven years; and itis observable that the very same person afterward succeeded him atStirling, where he was minister for twelve years. [111] He was crowned on the 8th of June by Spotswood arch-bishop of St. Andrews, assisted by the bishops of Rose and Murray, Laud then bishop ofLondon had the direction of the ceremony. He preached in the chapelroyal, and insisted upon the benefit of conformity, and the reverencedue to the ceremonies of the church &c. But this discourse was far frombeing to the gust of the people. See Stevenson's history, Vol. I. Bennet's memorial, page 178. [112] Vide Bailie's Letters, Vol. I. Page 69. [113] History of the Stuarts, Vol. I. Page 140. [114] History of the Stuarts, vol. I. P. 140. [115] Memoirs of the duke of Hamilton, p. 163. [116] Rushworth's history, vol. I. Oldmixon, vol. I. P. 14{illegible}. [117] See Dr. Welwood's memoirs, p. {illegible}0. [118] See these speeches in the history of church and state, vol. III. Pages 1215-25. [119] His son James earl of Loudon suffered much after his father'sdeath, during the persecuting period; and at last was obliged to leavehis native country, and died an exile at Leyden, after having endured aseries of hardships. And there are recent instances of the truly nobleand independent spirit for liberty this worthy family have all alongretained, which, we doubt not, will be transmitted to their posterity. [120] Of his life prefixed to his letters. [121] See this and another of his letters to Lauderdale, Wodrow'shistory, Vol. I. Page 129. [122] See the first discourse in Stevenson's history page 562. ; and thelast in the assembly-journal. [123] See Mr. Livingston's memorable characteristics, page 81. [124] See further of these declarations and protests in Stevenson'shistory of church and state, page 361. [125] See a more full account of these affairs in the history of churchand state, vol. III. Page 1009. [126] See the said reasons, &c. Page 50. [127] Blair's memoirs, page 121. [128] Wodrow's history, Vol. I. Page 164. [129] Wodrow's history, Vol. I. Page 175. [130] See his history, page 203. [131] Preface to the apologetical relation. [132] Crookshank's history, Vol. I. Page 248. [133] The reader will find this speech in Naphtali, and in the appendixto Wodrow's history. [134] About the time of Middleton's parliament 1661, or 1662, Mr. Woodin company of Mr. Vetch, went into one Glen's shop in Edinburgh to seeSharp, whom he had not seen since he turned bishop. --Sharp discoverninghis head to receive the commissioner they had a full view of his face towhom Mr. Wood looked very seriously, and then with much affectionuttered these words, "O thou Judas, apostate, traitor, that has betrayedthe famous presbyterian church of Scotland to its utter ruin as far asthou canst, if I knew any thing of the mind of God, thou shall not diethe ordinary and common death of men. " And though this was spokeneighteen years before it was exactly accomplished, _anno_ 1679. SeeVetch's large life biography, prior edition, page 471. [135] Wodrow's history, vol. I. Page 208. [136] See Wodrow's and Crookshank's histories. [137] Rutherford's letters, part III. Let. 66. [138] After the rest of his brethren were cast out, people so flocked tohis sacramental occasions, that the church was so thronged, that eachcommunicant (it is said), had to shew their tokens to the keepers of thedoor before they got entrance, to prevent disorder and confusion. [139] Wodrow's history, Vol. I. Page 111. [140] In the form of a crooked boy who laughed in his face, _&c_, fulfilling of the scriptures, Vol. I. Page 357. [141] His own memoirs, page 11, and 13. [142] Fulfilling of the scriptures, Vol. I. Page 375. [143] It seems to have been about this time, that Mr. Blair married hisfirst wife Beatrix Hamilton, a very gracious woman, of the house of{illegible}. [144] See the {illegible} of Mr. {illegible} [145] See his testimony in Naphtali and Samson's riddle. [146] Mr. Crookshanks. This was about the Nov. 1662, when the councilcommenced a process against Sir James Stuart for entertaining him inthat family. See his history, vol, II, page 134. [147] Bishop Guthrie says, That the chief managers here were Mess. William Ardir, William Guthrie, and John Nevay; and that the covenanterswere of foot 2000 and horse 500 strong (but this is more than probable). See his memoirs, page 177. Bailie's letters adds Mssrs. Mowet, ThomasWylie, Gabriel Maxwel, and Alexander Blair, and says they were some 800foot and 12 horse strong, Vol. II. Page 295, --299. [148] See the fulfilling of the scriptures, part I. Page 434. Wodrow'shistory, vol. I. Page 143. [149] See the process and his answers at large in Wodrow's history, vol. 1. Page 144. [150] Wodrow's history, vol. I. Page 113. [151] See Stevenson's History, vol. III. Page 223. [152] It is generally told, that when his mother was ready to bedelivered of him, his father, being in the next room, intreated themidwife, if possible, to stop the birth a few minutes, but she answered, She could not. Afterwards, being asked the reason of it, he answered, Hewould not die an ordinary death. [153] Wodrow's history, vol. I. Page {illegible}92. [154] Mr. Wodrow thinks he was at Pentland; but in his answers beforethe committee he says otherwise. [155] Crookshank's history, vol. 1. Page 343. [156] The author of the narration of his torture, which is inserted atlarge in Naphtali. [157] Wodrow's history, vol. I. Appendix, No. 93. [158] In his history, page 415. [159] See this petition inserted in Naphtali. [160] See this testimony at large in the same book. [161] Wodrow's history, Vol. I. Page 443. [162] Mr. Crookshanks, in his history page 419, calls him Mr. JamesWelwood, which alteration proceeds probably from a mistake in P. Walker's remarkable passages of the lives of Semple, Welwood, &c. Page26. Edit. 1728. [163] Vid. Rutherford's letters, epist. 139. [164] Here observe that though this worthy gentleman mentions the rightof patronage, yet it is with this proviso and limitation, the choice orconsent of the people; otherwise says he it would wrong the majesty ofGod, take away the Christian liberty of the people, and invalidate hisown right; and how unlike is this to the species of patronage and claimof patrons at the time, when nothing but absolute power and arbitrarymeasures will satisfy them. [165] His son Alexander Gordon here narrowly escaped being taken, bymeans of one of his tenants, who knowing him as he rode thro' Hamilton, made him dismount, put on woman's cloaths, and rock the cradle. Afterthis he went over to his brother in law Mr. Hamilton, to represent thelow case of the united societies to the churches of the Netherlands; hewas by them called home, and when returning back a second time, he wasapprehended by the enemy and put to the torture, but by means of hisfriend the duke of Gordon, his life was spared. However, he was sent tothe Bass, and from thence (I suppose) to Blackness, where from 1683, hecontinued till he was liberated at the Revolution. --It is to belamented, that neither he, after this, nor his son Sir Thomas, fullyfollowed the steps of their ancestors. [166] Since the publication of the above, I received the followingaccount of the taking of Mr. King in a letter from a correspondent. Mr King having come to pay his respects to the Laird of Blair, (in Dalryparish near Kilwinning to whom formerly he had been some time chaplain)one Bryce Blair, a farmer, who had been groom there while Mr. King wasabout that house, getting notice, came and desired Mr King to pay him avisit, to which he consented. Accordingly, he went where he preached ashort word on the Saturday night following. But on the Sabbath morning, a party of the enemy (according to some, Crighton's dragoons) being inquest of him, and getting the scent, two of them in disguise came to anold man feeding cattle near Bryce Blair's house, and asked him, whetherhe knew where that godly minister Mr. King was; for they were afraid hewould be taken, as the enemy were in pursuit of him; and if they knewwhere he was, they would secure him from them. The old man having morehonesty than policy, cried out, I'll run and tell him. Whereupon theyrode full speed after him to the house. Finding a servant of the housewaiting on Mr King's and his servant's horses, they immediatelydismounted, and having driven their own horses into the standing corn, threatening him not to stir from the spot on pain of death, one of themtook his saddle, and putting it on Mr. King's horse said, Many a milehave I rode after thee, but I shall ride upon thee now. By this time the rest had surrounded the house, and Mr. King and hisservant being in bed they immediately commanded them to rise and put ontheir cloaths. While his servant was putting on his spurs, one of thesoldiers damned him, saying, was he putting a spur on a prisoner? Towhom he replied, He would put on what he pleased: For which he receivedfrom him a blow: then another gave that soldier a blow, saying, Damnyou, sir, are you striking a prisoner, while making no resistance. Inthe hurry, Mr. King's servant threw his master's wallees into a peatloft. Thus they were both carried off. They hired one David Cumming inthe same parish to be their guide to Glasgow, who willingly consented. They pressed a horse for him to ride upon; but they had not gone far, when the horse ran stark mad, and, jumping and striking all around himwith such violence as affrighted the beholders, they were obliged to lethim go; but no sooner was he returned home, than he became as calm asever. Cumming had to go on foot to Glasgow. From thence Mr. King wassent to Edinburgh. After which his servant was set at liberty. For whatafterward became of Cumming see the Appendix. [167] See a short hint of their advocates pleadings and petition inbehalf of Mr. King, Crookshank's history, vol. II. Page 27. [168] Crookshank's history, vol. I. Page 255. [169] M'Ward, in his earnest contendings, page 541. [170] The Rev. Mr. George Barclay, who was very public at this time, andhad his hand at many a good turn, and was a blessed instrument to theedification of many souls, but got a waft of that murthering east wind, in the year 1679--said, The best days that ever he had in preaching ofthe gospel was in the bounds belonging to the laird of Haugh-head, worthy Henry Hull, &c. [171] Those who dispensed the sacrament of the Lord's supper here, wereMessrs. Archibald Riddel, John Welch, Andrew Morton, Patrick Warner, George Barclay and others. [172] Probably this was Mr. Henry Erskine, the late Mr. Erskine'sgrandfather. [173] King James II. Never took the coronation oath of Scotland. [174] Another account bears, that his last sermon was preached at thewater of Renan in Galloway, and that it was a very prophetical one. Butthough he might have preached there, yet, according to the order of timeand place as above specified, it does not appear to have been the lastsermon that he preached. [175] It was said, Earshall got 500 l. And Ochiltree 10, 000 merks. However some time after, one morning about break of day, a fiery pillarof a bloody colour seemingly about two yards long, was seen hangingabove that house. The same day about two o'clock after noon the castletook fire, and was with charters, plate and all, burnt down to theground. The son said to the father while it was burning, "This is thevengeance of Cameron's blood. " That house was never built. For the newhouse, estate and all, they are gone from that race to others. [176] See Wilson's impartial relation of Bothwel-bridge, p. 67. [177] Some of these bloody enemies said, That that handful were men ofthe greatest courage that ever they set their faces to fight against, although they had been at battles abroad; and that if they had been aswell trained, horsed and armed as they were, they would surely have beenput to flight. And few of them escaped, for their shots and strokes weredeadly, of which few recovered; for though there were but nine of thecovenanters killed, yet there were twenty-eight of the enemy killed ordied of their wounds in a few days. Walker's memoirs, p. 56. [178] See his letters and answers in the cloud of witnesses. [179] See more of this laird of Blackstoun, in the appendix. [180] For a particular account of this gift, see Samson's Riddle, &c. Page 139, 144. [181] See more of Murray in the Appendix. [182] It would appear, he was retaken about the end of that year, by theacts of council; and liberate without any conditions: which was a thinguncommon at this time. Vid. Wodrow's history, Vol. {illegible}, page146. N. B. It has been thought somewhat strange, that the posterity of suchancient and religious families as this and Earlstoun should be nowextinct in their houses and estates. But this needs be no paradox; forthe condition of the covenant or promise of property and dignityis, --_if thy children will keep my covenant and testimony, theirchildren shall also sit upon thy throne for ever, and shall return untothe Lord thy God, and obey his voice; thy God will bring them unto theland which thy fathers possessed, and thou shall possess it. _ Now thecontrary practices must produce the contrary effects: and upon none moreremarkable than those who apostatize from the profession, principles andpiety of their ancestors. It is said, that Sir Thomas Gordon ofEarlstoun fell into a profligate and irreligious life. And for DonaldKer, he fell in with king William, and was killed at the battle ofSteinkirk in Flanders, 1692. And for John Crawford (alias Ker) whomarried his sister, and with her the estate of Kersland, he got a patentto be a rogue, _patrem sequitur sua proles_, from Queen Ann and herministry, by virtue of which, he feigned himself sometimes a Jacobite, and sometimes an old dissenter, or Cameronian, (as he calls them) untowhom he gives high encomiums. What correspondences he might have withsome of these who had been officers in the Angus regiment I know not;but it is evident from the minute of the general meeting that he wasnever admitted into the community, or secrets of the genuine olddissenters: for, though he attended one or more of their meetings, yethe was refused, and so could never influence them to publish any oftheir declarations. But more of this, if the Lord will, elsewhere onanother occasion. The reader will find the above mentioned patent on the frontispiece ofhis memoirs: And what satisfaction he himself had in this dirty work andwicked courses in the courts interest, as he himself calls it, and howhe was by them repaid as he deserved, in these memoirs, from page 31 to81, &c. [183] It appears that it was about this time, that he resolved to goover to Holland, but we have no certain account where or what time hestayed there; but from the sequel of the following account it could notbe long. [184] See Walker's remarkable passages of the life of Mr. Cargil, &c. Page 8. [185] The first of these was clearly verified in the case of lordRothes, and the second was verified in the remembrance of many yetalive. (1. ) Every person knoweth that Charles II. Was poisoned. (2. ) Hisbrother the duke of York died at St Germains in France. (3. ) The duke ofMonmouth was executed at London. (4. ) The duke of Lauderdale turned abelly god, and died on the chamber-box. (5. ) The duke of Rothes diedraving under the dreadful terror of that sentence, &c. (6. ) Bloody SirGeorge MacKenzie died at London, and all the passages of his bodyrunning blood. (7. ) General Dalziel died with a glass of wine at hismouth in perfect health. See Walker's remarks, page 10. [186] About this time the Gibbites were all taken and imprisoned in thetolbooth and correction house of Edinburgh, but, by the duke of York andhis faction, were soon liberated; after which the four men and two womenwent west to the Frost moss, betwixt Airth and Stirling, where theyburnt the Holy Bible, every one of them using expressions at that horridaction which are fearful to utter. [187] To these two men he said, If I be not under a delusion, (for thatwas his ordinary way of speaking of things to come) the French and otherforeigners with some unhappy men in this land, will be your stroke: itwill come at such a nick of time when one of these nations will not bein a capacity to help another. For me, I am to die shortly by the handof those murderers, and shall not see it, I know not how the Lord'speople will endure it that have to meet with it; but the foresight andforethought of it make me tremble. And then, as if it had been tohimself, he said, Short but very sharp. [188] Sometimes he ran on foot, having lost several horses inhis remarkable escapes, one of which was shot under him atLinlithgow-bridge. [189] The week before he was taken, he married two persons; and being inthe Leewood, John Weir and his wife brought him his dinner. Beingpressed to eat, he said, Let me alone, I cannot be pressed: for I tooknot that meal of meat these 30 years but I could have taken as much whenI rose up as when I sat down. Vide Walk. Relation, page 45. [190] See his examination and answers at large in Wodrow's history Vol. II. Page 184. [191] Vid Walker in his remarkable passages, &c. [192] See a more full account of this in Wilton's impartial relation ofBothwel-bridge, page 13. &c. [193] The reader will find an account of these their transactions intheir own register now published of late, under the title of FaithfulContendings displayed, &c. [194] What relates to this worthy, I have extracted from the account ofhis life wrote by himself when in prison yet in manuscript; whatconcerns his trial and martyrdom, I have collected from history andother writings. [195] {illegible} he says they saw a remarkable flash of fire theelements seeming as it were to open and then to close again. [196] In his narrative he condescends upon four different times heapprehended he heard or saw the enemy; the last of which he was incompany with another returning from a sermon. But I forbear to relatethese as I did with a late instance in the life of Mr. Cargil lest theyshould seem incredible in this sceptical age. [197] I have been more full in relating the way and manner of thisskirmish, as it is omitted, so far as I can learn, in the histories ofthe sufferings of the church of Scotland. [198] This seems to have been the skirmish at Bewly bog only mentionedin history. [199] Whether this was Mr Law after the revolution minister atEdinburgh, Mr. Hutcheson or another, I can not say. [200] Probably this was R. Garnock, who though a private man, washonoured of the Lord to be a public witness, which was most galling tothem. [201] N. B. The faithful and pious Mr. Renwick was present, and muchaffected at this execution: after which he assembled some friends, andlifted their bodies in the night, and buried them in the West Kirk. Theyalso got their heads down; but, day approaching, they could not make thesame place but were obliged to turn aside to Lauriston's Yards (to whomone Alexander Tweedie then in company with them, was gardener) wherethey in a box interred them. The said gardener, it is said, planted awhite rose-bush above them, and a red one below them a little; whichproved more fruitful than any bushes in all the garden. This place beinguncultivated for a considerable time, they lay till October 7th, 1728, that another gardener trenching the ground found them. They were liftedand by direction were laid on a table in the summer house of theproprietor; and a fair linen cloth cut out and laid upon them, where allhad access to come and see them; where they beheld a hole in each headwhich the hangman broke with his hammer when he drove them on the pikes. On the 19th, they were put in a full coffin covered with black, and bysome friends, carried unto Gray-Friars church-yard, and interred nearthe martyr's tomb (being near forty-five years since their separationfrom their bodies) they were re-buried on the same day Wednesday, andabout four o'clock afternoon the same time that at first they went totheir resting place: and attended, says one present, "with the greatestmultitude of people old and young men and women, ministers and others, that ever I saw together. " And there they ly awaiting a gloriousresurrection on the morning of the last day, when they shall be raisedup with more honour, than at their death they were treated with reproachand ignominy. [202] Some accounts bear that Naphtali was wrote by him, but Wodrow saysotherwise. [203] So says the history of the civil wars, page 186. The history ofMontrose's wars, or memoirs of his life, page 12{illegible}. ; and hisletters to the covenanters, appendix, page 49. [204] Although Montrose got off at this time, yet when he made anotherinsurrection _anno_ 1650, he was fought and routed by a few troops underthe command of the forementioned colonels Strahan, Hacket and Ker, andhe himself taken afterwards in the land of Assen's, bound and brought toEdinburgh, where he was by the parliament condemned to be hanged May21st, on a gallows thirty feet high, three hours space, his head to becut off and placed on the tolbooth, and his legs and arms to be hangedup in other public towns of the kingdom, which was executed accordingly. See the history of the civil wars, page 30. Montrose's memoirs, page{illegible}, &c. [205] Blair's memoirs, page 113. [206] See this engagement in Cromwel's life. [207] See a more full account of the battle in Wodrow's history, vol. 1. Page 250, &c. [208] Their sword or short shabble yet remains, and may now be seen inthe hands of the publisher of this collection. It was then by hisprogenitors, counted to have twenty eight gaps in its edge, which madethem afterwards observe that there were just as many years in the timeof the persecution, as there were steps or broken pieces in the edgethereof. [209] Hebrews xi. 57, 58. [210] Wilson's history of Bothwel-bridge, page 41. [211] This house and family was always a harbour and succour to our latesufferers both gentlemen, ministers and private Christians; for which, after this and their non conformity to prelacy, they were not onlyharrassed, pilaged and plundered to the number of ten or twelve timesduring that period, but also both the said James Howie the possessor, and John Howie his son, was by virtue of a proclamation, May 5th, 1689, declared rebels, their names inserted in the fugitive roll, and put upon the parish church-doors, whereby they were exposed to close hiding, in which they escaped many imminent dangers, and yet were so happy as tosurvive the revolution at last, yet never acceded to the revolutionchurch, &c. But the said James Howie, when dying, Nov. 1691, emitted alatter will or testimony, wherein he not only gave good and satisfyingevidence of his own well being, and having interest in Jesus Christ, butalso gave a most faithful testimony to Scotland's covenanted work ofreformation, and that in all the parts and periods thereof. [212] In the time of this, or another plunder shortly after this, someof the soldiers burnt the Bible in the fire in a most audacious manner. [213] This seems to have been when he made a tour through Ayr-shire toGalloway: a little after they were surprized by the enemy on a fast day, near Loudon hill, upon May 5th 1681. [214] Mr. Wodrow's history, Vol. II. [215] The reader may consult his last speech, which is at full in thecloud of witnesses. [216] Here it was commonly said, that after the enemy went off at thefirst, they met with two persons one of whom told them, They were goodseekers but ill finders; or somewhat to that purpose, which made themreturn. It has also been said, that one of their men confessed this athis death. However this be, people could not help observing that notmany years ago three of the offspring of the other person blamed losttheir lives by fire near the same place where these three gallantmartyrs were killed. Whether it had any reference to that, God knoweth, I shall not, can not determine. Only we may say, _The Lord is known bythe judgment he executeth_, Psal. Ix. 16. [217] This John Gemmel was brother to the martyr, and being lying of afever in a house in the same parish, called Derwholling, he was that dayapprehended by some of the same party, together with the goodman of thehouse Thomas Wylie, and his son William Wylie for reset. They were alltaken to Ayr, where the said Thomas Wylie died. While in Ayr, it issaid, this John Gemmel dreamed one night that he should be banished, andhis fellow-sufferer Hardhill should be hanged: which accordingly came topass. --They were taken to Edinburgh and examined, and the foresaidWilliam Wylie was required to take the oath of allegiance, but refused. They ordered him to take the test. This he refused also. They asked hisreasons. He said, He had taken more oaths already than he had well kept, and if there should come a change of government, where stood he then?Bishop Paterson's brother came, and clapping his hands on his shouldersaid, Thomas, as sure as God is in the heavens, you'll never see achange of government. But in this he proved a false prophet. However, heand John Gemmel were, with eleven more banished to Barbadoes, and soldfor slaves there, where they continued for about three years, and atlast purchased their liberty and returned home at the Revolution. Thefirst known person they saw, after their landing at Irvine, waslieutenant Nisbet, by whom they had been apprehended; and of whom seemore in the appendix. [218] According to Mr. Wodrow he was sometime also precentor at Finwick. See the History, Vol. I. Page 443. [219] Wodrow's History, Vol. I. Page 235. [220] Walker, in his eighth additional passage, &c. Says, That he was inIreland in the year 1670. ; but of this we have no farther ac-{footnotetruncated} [221] In an old copy there are these words. "In the hands of a few whoshall have neither magistrate nor minister among them, who shall be soredespised and undervalued of all, &c. " Whether this alteration proceedsfrom different informations or from partiality is hard to determine, only it is affirmed that the author of these passages was then amongstthat party who had neither magistrate nor minister at that time; Or atleast was not in full communication with any party, if it was not thoseadhering to Mr. Hepburn. [222] The foresaid old copy says, This was within two hours of hisdeath. [223] Renwick's life wrote by Mr. Shields, page 99. [224] Some have doubted of the certainty of this interview; however, there is no seeming improbability in it, nor does it make any thing tothe disparagement of either Mr. Peden, or Mr. Renwick. [225] After this (says Patrick Walker) that troop of dragoons came toquarter in Cambusnethen, two of them were quartered in the house ofJames Gray (one of his acquaintance) and being frighted in their sleep, they started up and clapped their hands, crying, Peden, Peden. These twodragoons affirmed, That out of their curiosity they opened his coffin tosee his corps, and yet they had no smell, though he had been forty daysdead. [226] John Ker of Kersland, in his memoirs, page 8 where he adds, thatwhen some people were going to join Argyle in 1685, Mr. Peden after ashort ejaculation, bid them stop, for Argyle was fallen a sacrifice thatminute. Some taking out their watches marked the time, which accordinglyanswered his being taken. [227] Amongst the branches of this numerous family, were Mr. AdamBlackadder, who was first imprisoned in Stirling at seventeen years ofage, and afterwards in Blackness, in the year 1684, for waiting on hisfather John Blackadder, who came over with Argyle 1685, and wasapprehended, but afterwards set at liberty; and that religious gentlemanColonel Blackadder sometime governor of Stirling castle since therevolution. Whither that Dr. William Blackadder mentioned in history wasthat Mr Blackadder who was at Bothwel, or if he was son to Mr JohnBlackadder and brother to the above mentioned, I cannot say at present. [228] It was one Mr. William Blackadder that was at Bothwel. [229] A historian says, that Mr. Blackadder was as free to have declaredhis disapprobation of what was done there, as he was of his not beingthere--But whether it be not a slur thrown upon the memory of thisworthy man, to insinuate that he should suffer such hardships and somany years imprisonment merely out of ill nature, when he was free tohave declared what would have satisfied them, must be left with thereader. [230] See this in his testimonials from the classes, which are insertedin his life at large, pag. 25, &c. [231] This seems to have been when he made a hasty journey thither inthe year 1684 and 1686. See his letters page 98, and 136. [232] See his letters and the answers, with the reasoning on Cathcart'saffair at large from page 84 to 97. [233] Mr. Peden on his death-bed sent for him, and after some conferenceowned he had been misinformed anent him; exhorted him to go forward, andhe would be carried honestly through; asked his forgiveness, and desiredhim to pray with him before he departed: all which Mr. Renwick did withgreat cheerfulness. See Walker's remarks of the life of Mr. Peden. [234] See his letter to Earlston, page 163. [235] Mr. Hugh Kennedy then moderator. [236] This testimony was again of late republished by some friends tothe same cause. [237] For besides these reproaches already noticed, with many others, heand his followers were charged as men of anarchical, murdering andbloody principles, which makes it the less wonder that their successorsshould be still charged with the same. [238] And it is to be remarked, that many of the Jury were professors, and eminent in the tolerated meetings; while others, even of themalignants, chose rather to run the hazard of the penalty, as the lairdof Torrence, who compeared not, and Somerville chamberlain of Douglas, who, though when he appeared, yet when he saw Mr Renwick turn about, anddirect his speech to them, he ran away, saying, He trembled to think totake away the life of such a pious like man, though they should take hiswhole estate. The list of the Assizers is as follows: James Hume of Kimmergen. John Hume of Nine wells. John Martin clerk to the manufactory. Alexander Martin sometimes clerk of ----Robert Halyburton merchant. Thomas Laurie merchant. Archibald Johnston merchant. Thomas Wylie merchant. James Hamilton vintner. William Cockburn merchant. James Hamilton jun. Stationer. Robert Currie stationer. Joseph Young merchant. John Cuningham merchant in Glasgow. Ninian Banantine of Kaims, chancellor. [239] Wodrow's history, Vol. I. Page 71, &c. [240] In this testimony among other things they say, "We do profess ourdissatisfaction that the civil powers should take upon them to prescribepublic humiliation and thanksgiving, with the causes and diets thereof, to all the ministers and members of this church, as being contrary tothe well warranted privileges and constant practice of the churchitself, and in its own nature introductory to greater encroachments, andputting into the hands of the civil powers the modelling of the publicworship of God, a thing most properly ecclesiastic, &c. " [241] This relation was attested by William Bulloch, who was hisfaithful servant near thirty years who was eye and ear witness, and wasinclined to think he was an angel. [242] It must, of necessity, here be observed, That any who areacquainted with the historical accounts of these times, will find thatMr. Hog was not so explicit upon point of public testimony, as the morefaithful part of our sufferers at that time; otherwise he was, for partsand attainments, a very remarkable and extraordinary man, as thisnarrative in part discovers. [243] Pat. Walker in his remarks says, That while he was in prison hedealt earnestly with Messrs. King and Kid (then under sentence of death)to give a healing testimony in favours of the indulged. And that he wasliberate upon the terms of the indemnity, &c. However be as it will, toderogate from nothing due to the memory of Mr. Fleming, It is wellknown, that though he was never actively indulged himself, yet he raninto some extremes in coalescence with them; which was no small grief atthat time to faithful Mr. M'Ward, as witness his earnest contendings, &c. [244] This seems to have been in the year 1685, upon a process offorfeiture and citation of appearance given him amongst others, but upona representation given in by him, his diet was deserted: which made up apart of his compliances. [245] In his own impartial relation, page 11. [246] _To the Moderator and remanent Members of the General Assembly, now convened at Edinburgh, October 1690, The humble Proposals of Mr. Alexander Shields_, &c. If our eye could suitably affect our hearts this day, Right Reverend, wemight find much matter, both of rejoicing and mourning, in the wonderfulcommencement and advancement of this work of reformation. We are calledto rejoice with thanksgiving for the mercy of God manifested andmagnified in the progress of this work hitherto; that the Lord hath beenpleased in sovereign mercy to prevent and surprize us with such areviving in our bondage, by the repression of tyranny, suppression ofpopery, and depression of prelacy. When the doctrine of this church isasserted, and the confession of faith formerly received, is read, voted, approven and established by parliament. The worship and ordinances ofChrist are administred in great purity, plenty and peace: The governmentof Christ's institution, is at length restored to what it was _anno_1592. And the discipline retrieved to such a fond of freedom, that allecclesiastic courts may without restraint, or being accountable to anyexotic usurped power in the magistrate, assert all the authority, andexercise the power, wherewith Christ hath intrusted them. Which power, if duly and diligently improved, and put in execution, may, through theblessing of God, contribute very much to the reducing of order, and theredress of many disorders in this church. And now the causes of ourdisunion and division, in times of defection, being in a great measureremoved, when erastian usurpations are abrogated, the churches intrinsicpower redintegrated, and the corruptions introduced by compliances, sofar abdicated and antiquated, that they are not, in the constitution ofthe church, and do not continue to be the scandal and snare of thetimes; we hope and expect a remedy may be found for our breaches anddivisions, that we thought incurable, and union and communion in theLord may be attained. We are no less obliged to mourn, when we observethis house of the Lord so unlike the former, wanting many things theformer had, and pestered with many things the former wanted. They thathave seen our former reformation in its integrity, before the latedeformation, can hardly refrain from weeping at the sight of the saddisproportion between this and the former. In the former, as theconstitution was calculate in the nearest conformity to the divinepattern, so the builders had always a care to pull down what was to bedemolished, before they established what was to stand; and to purge awaythe rubbish from the foundation, before they promoved thesuperstructure. Accordingly, when prelacy was reintroduced at severaltimes, the first thing they did, when they recovered their power, wasalways to exert it, in condemnation of that corruption, and of theseassemblies and meetings that promoved, abetted, favoured, or complied. And when the erastian supremacy began to encroach upon the church'sliberties, and to bring the ministry into bondage, they did not think itenough to wrestle against it, by personal witnessings; but, by the goodhand of God upon their endeavours, never ceased until it was condemnedby acts of assembly. They proceeded also with great earnestness andvigilance, to purge the church of corrupt and scandalous ministers. Butnow, after all the rubbish and filth, brought into the house of God, byinvasions and usurpations of the enemies, and defections of friends, when now opportunity and capacity is given to rebuild and beautify thehouse of the Lord, and to repair the desolations thereof, the presentbuilding is so far advanced, without pulling down and purging away therubbish, and condemning these corruptions and defections, in compliancewith them, or confessing and forsaking them, as our fathers used to do. And the prelatical clergy, after all the evil they have done, and bitterfruits they have produced, are yet kept in many places, and like tocontinue, as a seminary and nursery of a corrupt ministry. As long asthis rubbish stands, there can be little hope either of purity orstability in the superstructure. In former reformations also, the advancement used to be progressive, beginning where the former reformation stopt, and going forward, afterthey had got removed what obstructed: But now the motion is retrograde, going as far back as that in 1592, muffling many excellent steps ofreformation attained after that in 1649. In former reformations, ourworthy ancestors used to begin with renovation of the nationalcovenants, and acknowledgments of the breaches thereof, which hithertohath been neglected, to the great grief of many. It is also matter of lamentation to reflect, that in formerreformations, though adversaries troubled the builders, hiredcounsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose: Yet, beingfurnished and spirited of the Lord, for that generation work, they neverstudied to please men, but to acquit themselves, as faithful servants oftheir princely Master Jesus Christ, in witnessing against all sins andcorruptions of great and small impartially; and in acts of assembly, ordaining and recommending to all ministers, this faithfulness, inapplying their doctrine to the sins of the time, under pain of censure. But now, though there was never greater freedom and encouragement for, and necessity of faithfulness, when the adversaries of Judah are seek upto build, but on design to mar the work, and many are too much incliningto join in affinity with the people of those abominations; yet it issadly wanting, and much desiderated among many ministers, who being longaccustomed to fears, and constrained silence, have not yet recoveredtheir confidence and courage, to cry aloud against, and not to spare theiniquities of the time. Though in former reformations, this church was for order and authority, beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, and terrible as an army withbanners; Yet now alas! the crown hath fallen from our heads, wo unto usthat we have sinned. This holy and beautiful fabric hath been burnt up, with the fire of enemies fury, with the fire of our divisions, and withthe fire of the Lord's indignation, burning against us for ourdefections, whereby the Lord was provoked to forsake his house; andsince his departure there hath been nothing but disorder among hischildren and servants. The popish, prelatic and malignant party, havecome in by force and fraud, and by the cedings of those, that shouldhave stood in the gap, have broke down the carved work of our covenantedreformation, rescinding all the legal bulwarks of ecclesiasticalconstitutions, civil sanctions, and national covenants, wherewith it wasfenced. Wherein, alas! they were too much encouraged by our faintresistance, and too universal involvement in the sin of submitting to, and countenancing of the intrusions of the prelatical party. At lengthhaving set up these their ensigns for signs, in sign of completevictory, obtained over the servants and subjects of our exalted Prince, after they had invaded his kingdom and place, and made havock andslaughter of such as would not yield; they offered some tempting terms, whereupon they would suffer them to live in subjection to theseusurpations, painted indeed with pretences of favours, but really, atleast indirectly, requiring a recognizance of the usurper's power, and acessation from opposing the peaceable possession of their robberies. These and the like defections, on the one hand, together with manyextravagancies on the other, have brought the godly into manyconfusions. We did indeed demur to concur with and follow, and did think it our dutyto withdraw from these ministers who promoted courses of defection afterspecified; and to adhere to those (though but few) who were morestedfast and faithful. When the case was so stated that we thoughtcommunion could not be kept by us with them, from whom we withdrew, without sin; while the very exercise of their ministry was so fardepending upon, subordinate unto, complying with, modified andauthorized by _unlawful usurpators_, that our joining would haveinferred, at least in our conference, a submission to, symbolizing with, and approving of their offensive yieldings to these encroachments. Yetwe never thought this a schism: Therefore, That this happy and desirable union, may be holy and comfortable, in away that may procure, and secure our union and communion with the Lord:And, considering in all the periods of this church from the firstreformation, a witness hath never been wanting, against the same, orequivalent corruptions, that have offended us: And no method can be moreadapted for recovering and restoring, union, than that which was usedfor preserving it: And that having aimed hitherto, to offer and keep upour mite of a testimony against the same: if now, under the convictionsof its remaining righteousness, we shall pass from it; and so seem tocondemn what we approved before, and approve what we condemned before, it will leave an undefiable reproach, not only on ourselves, but on ourcontendings and sufferings. We earnestly desire, Right Reverend, you would be pleased to condescendto us, in some things, that we humbly conceive, are very needful, justto be sought, and easy to be granted. We know and are confident, yourzeal for truth and peace, will suggest the same means and measures, forobtaining this end, and will urge you to take notice of the same things, we desire, without our advertisement: Nor do we take upon us toprescribe the methods, terms or conditions, necessary for composingthese unhappy differences, and restoring the holy and happy union in theLord; but we think, the word and works of God this day, point at thesewhich we crave leave in the bowels of Christ, to remonstrate unto yourserious consideration: I. That to the end the causes of our divisions, the anger of the Lord asthe holy cause, and our mutual offences, as the sinful cause may beremoved, that the effect may cease, a mutual, impartial, and accuratesearch and trial may be made into our ways, to find out, and rememberfrom whence we are fallen, and discover our manifold and manifestdefections, from the right ways of the Lord; that the great wrongs andindignities done to our great Head and King by enemies encroachments onhis prerogatives, and his kingdom's liberties, and our compliancestherewith, on the one hand, and on the other, may not be past inoblivion but diligently inquired into; and what accession to them, orparticipation with them, all of us have been involved in, these thirtyyears bygone: Particularly that it be laid to heart, what indignity tothe Lord Jesus, and injury to his church, was done by the introductionof abjured, diocesan and erastian prelacy, and the several degrees ofcompliance therewith; as ministers leaving their pastoral charge, at thecommand of the magistrate, and laying aside the exercise of theirministry, giving way unto, and not testifying against the intrusions ofprelatic curates: Particularly owning and submitting to their ministry, and receiving ordinances dispensed by them, and by counsel and example, encouraging others to do the like; which we cannot but plead and protestagainst, as sinful and scandalous. 1. Because they were, and are manifest intruders, not entering in at thedoor, in the way and order of Christ, and not having, yea despising andrenouncing a call from the people, and ordination by the presbytery andhaving no other external call, authority, or right to officiate in thischurch, as its proper pastors, but the collation of bishops, andpresentation of patrons, who are none of Christ's officers, andforfeiting and foregoing any other right, that any of them formerlycould pretend to, by palpable defection to the enemies of this church. 2. Because both in principle and profession, and in the way of theirentry unto their pastoral charge, they were, and are erastians, derivingtheir power from, and subjecting it in its exercise to another head thanChrist, the magistrate's supremacy, by which only they were authorised, without Christ's warrant, or the church's consent. 3. Because they were and are schismatics, who caused divisions andoffences, contrary to the doctrine of this church, breaking her unionand order, going out themselves from the fellowship of this church, andleading people away from her vowed reformation; yea, who violentlythrust out, and persecuted her faithful pastors and children, foradhering to that reformation, which they designed to raze and ruin. 4. Because they were, and are perjured covenant breakers, avowedlydisowning our covenants, and stated in opposition to that reformation, which is therein sworn to be maintained. 5. Because they were, and are in several points erroneous, in theirdoctrine, many of them tainted with the leaven of popery, arminianism, and socinianism, and all of them hetrodox, in the point of themagistrate's power in church matters, in the matter of oaths, and incondemning the work of our reformation, and covenants; seducing therebytheir hearers, and both positively by these doctrines, and privately bywith-holding other necessary instructions and warnings, murdering theirsouls. 6. Because they were, and are, upon all these accounts, scandalous, andthe object of the church's censure: And though through the iniquity ofthe times, their deserved censure hitherto hath not been inflicted, yetthey stand upon the matter convict, by clear scripture-grounds, and bythe standing acts, and judicial decision of this church, in her supremejudicatories. 7. Because this hearing and submitting to them, was required as a badge, test, and evidence of due acknowledgment of, and hearty compliance witherastianism and prelacy, or his majesty's government ecclesiastic, Actparl. 1. Char. II. July 10th, 1663, which made it a case of confessionto withstand it. 8. Because, by our covenants, we are obliged to stand at a distance, from such courses of defection, and to extirpate them, yet, incontradiction hereunto, we were commanded by the rescinders of thecovenants, to hear the prelatic curates, as a badge of our yielding tothe rescinding of the covenants. 9. Because this course was offensive and stumbling, both in hardningthose that complied with prelacy, and weakning the hands of those thatopposed it, and inferred a condemning of their sufferings upon thishead. Especially, 10. When communion with them was so stated, that therein was not only acase of controversy among the godly, in which always abstinence is thesurest side, not only is the judgment of many a case of confession, which it is always dangerous to contradict and condemn, but undeniably acase of competition, between the true church of Scotland, her ministersand professors, owning and adhering to her holy establishments, claiminga divine right to their offices and privileges, contending for thechurch's reformation; and a schismatical party, setting up a new church, in a new order, under a new head, robbing them of their offices andprivileges, and overturning the reformation. II. We must presume to plead also, That enquiry be made into the heinousand heaven-daring affront done to the holiness of God, in the horridviolation of our holy covenants, national and solemn league; not onlyhow the popish, prelatical, and malignant party, have broken them, enacted the breaches of them by law, burnt them and endeavoured to burythem, by making it a capital crime to own their obligation, and bybringing in and substituting in their room, conscience-ensnaring anticovenants, oaths, bonds, and engagements renouncing the former, andobliging to courses contradictory thereunto: But that it may beconsidered, how many ways ministers and professors, in this time oftentation and tribulation, have been guilty of breach of these holycovenants; particularly by consenting unto, subscribing, swearing, andtaking any of the new multiplied, mischievously contrived, capriciouslyconceived, and tyrannically imposed oaths, tests, or bonds, in mattersof religion, since the overturning of the covenanted reformation andestablishment of prelacy; and by persuading people to take them, andforbearing a necessary warning of the danger of them, and leaving peoplein the dark to determine themselves, in the midst of these snares. Allwhich we plead and protest against, as sinful and scandalous: 1. Because all of them did infer, import, and imply a sinful unitiveconjunction, incorporation, association and confederacy with the peopleof these abominations, that were promoting a course of apostacy fromGod. 2. Because all of them were incapable of qualifications required insacred engagements, to be taken in truth, righteousness and judgment. 3. Because all of them, in the sense of the imposers, interpreted bytheir acts and actings, were condemnatory of, and contradictory unto thecovenants, and some part of the covenanted reformation. 4. Because, by the ancient acts of assembly, all public oaths imposed bythe malignant party, without consent of the church, are condemned, July28, 1648. Ante merid. Sess. 18. And sess. 26 those ministers areordained to be censured, who subscribe any bonds, or take any oaths notapproven by the General Assembly; or by their counsel, countenance andapprobation, make themselves accessory to the taking of such bonds andoaths by others. III. In like manner, we dare not forbear to cry and crave, That it maybe considered, what wrongs Christ hath received from the Erastian andAntichristian usurpation of the supremacy, encroaching upon theprerogative of the Lord Jesus Christ, his incommunicable Headship andKingship, as Mediator, giving to a man a magisterial, and Architectonicpower, to alter and innovate, authorize and exauctorate, allow orrestrain, and dispose of the government and governors of the church, according to his pleasure; invading the liberties of the gospel church, introducing a civil dominion upon her government, contrary to itsnature, being only a ministerial stewardship, distinct from the civilgovernment, in its nature, causes, ends, officers, and actings; andgiving to the magistrate the power of the keys, without and againstChrist's donation and authority, even the dogmatic, critic and diatacticdecisive suffrage and power in causes ecclesiastic, which Christ hathintrusted to the church representative; and denying to the church theexercise of these keys and powers, without the magistrate's warrant andindulgence. We crave also, That it may be inquired into, how far thisencroachment hath been connived at, submitted unto, complied with, homologate, strengthened and established, by receiving and accepting, without consent of the church, yea against the express dissent andtestimony of some faithful ministers, to the contrary, the indulgences_anno_ 1669, and 1679; and by the silence of others, not witnessingagainst the same, and others censuring the faithful for discovering thesinfulness thereof. ----Which we remonstrate upon these grounds, complexly considered: 1. Because, as the contrivance and end of the grant thereof was toadvance and establish the supremacy; to engage presbyterians, either toco-operate towards the settling and strengthening thereof, or tosurcease from opposing the peaceable possession of the granter'susurpation, and to extort from them, at least an indirect recognizanceof acknowledged subordination in ministerial exercises, to his usurpedpower, in a way which would be best acquiesced in; to suppress thepreaching and propagation of the gospel in persecuted meetings in fieldsand houses, so necessary at that time; and to divide, and increasedifferences and animosities among presbyterians, by insinuating uponthese called the more moderate, to commend the indulger his clemency, while other non-conformists, adhering to interdicted duties, were justlycomplaining of the effects of his severity. And as the woeful effects ofit, strengthening the supremacy, weakening the hands of those thatwitnessed against it, extinguishing zeal, and increasing many divisions, did correspond with these wretched designs; so these could not becounteracted, but very much strengthened and promoted, by the acceptanceof the indulgence, which, in its own nature, was so palpably subservientthereto, even though there had been a testimony against these designsand ends, yet when the means adapted to these ends, were complied with, it was rendered irrite, and _contra factum_. 2. Because as the supremacy received much strength and increment fromthe indulgence, so reciprocally it had its rise, spring, conveyance andsubsistence from the supremacy, from which it flowed, upon which itstood, and by which at length it was removed. And in the grant andconveyance of the indulgence, all the power of the supremacy wasarrogate, asserted and exerted, in first taking away the power of thekeys from Christ's stewards, and then restoring only one of them to somefew, with restrictions bounding, and instructions regulating them in theexercise of that. The acceptance whereof, so clogged with these complexcircumstances, without a clear and distinct testimony, in that case ofconfession, hath at least a great appearance (which should have beenabstained from) of a conniving at, submitting unto, complying with, andhomologating of that Erastian usurpation. 3. Because, as it was interpreted to be accepted in the same termswherein it was granted, without a testimony against the supremacy, sothe entry of those ministers to their churches, by this indulgence, wasprejudicial to the church's privilege: Some of them being fixed inparticular churches, whereunto they had no peculiar pastoral relationbefore, and some transplanted from one church to another, without theinterposition of any ecclesiastic presbyterial authority, without thefree and orderly call of the people; being in many respects prelimited;and in the way of patronages, at the council's pleasure and order: Andthose that were restored to their own churches, being there admitted, not by virtue of their old right and claim of an undissolved relation, but by virtue of a new holding of the indulgence. 4. Because the embracing thereof, and the continuing therein, was afaint yielding to prevailing Erastianism, and a course of defection fromformer integrity of ministerial freedom and faithfulness, in which theservants and witnesses of Jesus Christ were famous and eminent in formertimes, who for writing, preaching, and protesting against theecclesiastic supremacy in the magistrate, and all Erastian courses, didbear the cross of Christ, with much stedfastness; yea, a receding from, and foregoing of a very material part of the cause and testimony of thechurch of Scotland, which, till then, did constantly wrestle againstsuch encroachments: And in this respect scandalous, because hardening toErastian enemies, stumbling to many friends, and offensive to posterity. 5. Because it is contradictory to our covenants, to receive indulgences, contrived and conferred, on purpose, to divide (by the terror ofpersecution on the one hand, and the persuasion of this pretendedliberty, taking off the legal restraint on the other) ministers andpeople from the cause and testimony of the church of Scotland, againstthe supremacy, and from their former blessed conjunction therein, and toinduce them to make defection to that party, that were advancingErastianism. And it is expresly contradictory to the engagement toduties, _anno_ 1648, where the obligation bears, "Because many of latehave laboured to supplant the liberties of the kirk, we shall maintainand defend the kirk of Scotland, in all her liberties and privileges, against all who shall oppose or undermine the same, or encroachthereupon under any pretext whatsoever. " IV. Likewise, we plead and obtest, that a search may be made into, and areview taken of the late toleration, and addressing for it, andacceptance of it, complexly considered: The sinfulness whereof, we couldnot, and now cannot forbear to witness against. 1. Because as the design of the granter, and tendency of the grantitself, in its own nature, being the introduction of popery and slavery, could not in any probability be counteracted, but rather corroborated, by this addressing for it, and accepting of it, even though there hadbeen a testimony against the design thereof, as there was none, andcould be none consistent with the continuance thereof; so being conveyedfrom absolute power, which all were required to obey without reserve, stopping, suspending, and disabling all the penal statutes againstpapists; thereby undermining all the legal bulwarks of our religion; Theaddressing for, and accepting of it, so conveyed, without a witnessagainst this despotical encroachment, (yea, the very condition ofenjoying the benefit of it, being exclusive of such a testimony, whichmight any way tend to the alienating of the people, from such adespotical government, in all its encroachments) did indirectly, atleast, imply compliance with, if not the recognizance and acknowledgmentof that usurped power, and the arbitrary exercise and effect of it insuspending the penal statutes. 2. Because it was extended, not only to prelacy, but to popery, quakerism, and all idolatry, blasphemy, and heresy, which was highlyprovoking to the Lord Jesus, and prejudicial to the peace and purity ofhis church; contrary to the scriptures of the old and new Testament;contrary to the confession of faith and catechisms, chap. Xx. § 1. Andchap. Xxiii. § 3. Being placed also among the sins of the secondcommand, in the larger catechism; contrary to the principles of thechurch of Scotland; being condemned, warned of, and witnessed against byacts of assembly, _anno_ 1649. And by her faithful pastors preaching, writing, and protesting against such tolerations; (and sometimes evenwhen papists were excluded, as that, against which the ministers of Fifeand Perth did testify). And contrary to our covenants, wherein we arebound to preserve reformation, and uniformity in doctrine, worship, discipline and government, to extirpate popery, &c. To free our soulsfrom the guilt of other men's sins, defend our liberties; andconsequently never to comply with a toleration, eversive of all theseinterests we are sworn to maintain, and productive of these things weare sworn to endeavour the extirpation of. 3. Because it was clogged with such conditions and limitations, as didexceedingly hamper the freedom of the ministry, being offered (inproclamations) and accepted (in addresses and obedience) withrestrictions to persons who might preach, (allowing some, anddischarging others, who had as good authority as they, to exercise theirministry) to places where they should preach (only where intimation wasgiven of the name of the place, and of the preachers, to some of thelords of the council, &c. ) and to the matter what, or at least what theymight not preach, _to wit_, nothing that might have any tendency toalienate the hearts of the people from a popish and tyrannicalgovernment; and consequently nothing against the wickedness, or of themisery of tyranny; nothing against the toleration, and the open sinsproclaimed therein, and wicked ends designed thereby; nothing againstdisabling the penal statutes, or for the obligations of them, and tiesof national covenants strengthening them. 4. Because of the manifold scandal of it, we cannot but witness againstit, because so disgraceful to the Protestant religion, and prejudicialto the interest thereof. It was reproachful to our religion, sometimesestablished by law, then only tolerate, under the notion of an evil tobe suffered: How confounding and consternating was this to all thereformed churches, that sometimes admired and envied Scotland'sestablishments, now to see her so dispirited and deceived, as to acceptand address for a toleration, without a testimony, whereby instead ofall the laws and covenants securing her reformation, the only tenor andsecurity for it she had now remaining, was, the arbitrary word of anabsolute prince, whose principles obliged him to break it? What occasionof disdainful insulting, did it give to the prelatical party, thenpleading for the nation's laws, to observe presbyterians, acquiescing inthat which suspended and stopped the penal statutes? Yea, what matter ofgloriation and boasting was it to papists, to see presbyterians sleepingand succumbing, and not opposing, when, at this opened gap, they werebringing in the Trojan horse of popery and slavery? V. Moreover, with respect to some things, at present, which we accountcorruptions, and are offensive to many, we cannot forbear to remonstrateand plead, That consideration may be taken, of the sinfulness of the toouniversal defect and neglect of zeal and faithfulness, in receiving theburied national covenants, when now they seem to be laid aside, and manyministers forbear to preach plainly the obligation of them, and discoverparticularly the breaches of them, and to mention them in engagementswhich they require of parents, when they present their children inbaptism, according to the continued custom of faithful ministers, thesemany years bygone. And it is stumbling to many, that in all addresses toking and parliament, the renewing of them hath not been desired. This wethink very grievous, 1. Because in the scriptures, as we have many precepts, promises, andprecedents for renewing them, and demonstrations of their perpetual, indissoluble obligation, being in their matter and form agreeable withthe word of God; so we have many denunciations and certifications ofunavoidable threatenings of all evils, rational, personal, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, against forsaking or forgetting them. 2. Because as there is no other way to prevent the curse of thecovenants, and this threatened wrath imminent upon the land, for breachof covenants, but to acknowledge the breaches of them, and engage againto the duties of them; so these omissions cannot consist with thatfaithfulness required of ministers in such a case. 3. Because it is a plain defection from first love, and formerattainments of our fathers, who commenced all reformations withrenovation of the covenants; And in their ecclesiastic constitutions, enjoined all ministers to preach up the covenants, and witness againstall defections from them, and indifferency or lukewarmness to them;which also is a breach of covenant in itself. VI. Hence, more particularly, we cannot but signify how much we and manyothers are offended, at the too general keeping silence at, or veryambiguous speaking against, and omitting the plain, impartial, doctrinalrebuking of such crying sins and scandals of the times, as cannot becontroverted among presbyterians; such as the imposing and taking manybonds and oaths, repugnant to the covenants and work of reformation;which many complied with to shift persecution, and many others topurchase preferments unto places of trust; the accession of nobles andrulers to the wicked establishments and framing mischiefs into laws informer times; the manifold involvements of great and small, in the guiltof persecution, by delating and informing against honest sufferingpeople, riding with armed force to pursue and apprehend them; appearingunder displayed banners for the defence of tyranny, on expeditionsagainst them at Pentland, Bothwel bridge, &c. Sitting in courts, juriesand assizes, to condemn them; putting them out of houses and tenementsunder them, because they would not comply with sinful impositions: Andespecially, the defiling of the land with blood, which hath yet a cry inthe ears of the Lord God of Sabaoth: All which the servants of the Lordare obliged, by the word of God, and the constitutions of this church, to cry against, and not to spare, and to reprove and rebuke in seasonand out of season. VII. Finally, We must presume to lay open our own, and the generalcomplaints through several corners of the land, of the sad slackness andremissness of discipline: The report _fama clamosa_ whereof, at least, doth wound our ears and pierce our hearts, _viz. _ That some who had gonea great length in the above-mentioned compliances, even to the swearingthe test itself, besides other wicked oaths, and to the prosecuting ofthe godly sundry ways, are admitted to the sacrament of the Lord'ssupper, and to present their children to baptism: And that others areadmitted to the charge of elders, who had not only habitually compliedwith prelacy, and had borne the name of that office under thatgovernment, but had taken these scandalous forementioned oaths; yea, andthat of late, some are admitted to the ministry, that constantlyfollowed episcopacy, and were trained up to be curates, and were deeplyinvolved in the foresaid compliances, without due trial of their pastconversation, and requiring of their public profession of repentance, and resentment of these respective scandals; whereby the precious arenot taken from the vile, and a little of that old leaven, may quicklyleaven the whole lump, and offenders are not like thereby to be gainedto repentance, but rather hardened in, and tempted to think little ofthese destroying sins. We plead not here, that every one of the defects, or every degree ofthese offences should be, in the case of this epidemic involvement, proceeded against by disciplinary censure; nor do we urge, that allchargeable with these offences above taxed, especially such as are incontroversy, should be either personally rebuked in public, or obligedpublicly to confess their own degree of the guilt of them; though itwould give glory to God, and comfort to the church, and peace to theirown consciences, for all to confess their offences, that have been moststumbling to the godly; so far as from the word of God, and knownprinciples of this reformed church, they may be convinced. Nor do wepropose, that the condemnation of every one of these steps of defection, that are questioned, should be so far stretched _quoad momentum rei_, aseither to be stated by us, as a ground of separation formerly, or nowrequired as a necessary condition of communion; though still, weconceive the complication of them together, when they stood, was aground that necessitated our withdrawing from many in the samecircumstances. We only desire, they may be so far inquired into, that what guilt is inthem before the Lord, may be in some measure discovered, and the wrongsdone to Christ thereby, may not be passed over in an act of oblivion:But as the right honourable the estates of parliament, have found anddeclared these acts and actings of the overturners of our reformation:and the mischiefs of prelacy, supremacy and tyranny established bywicked laws, which were the foundations and fountains of all theoffensive compliances above mentioned, to be grievances against the lawsof the land; so the right reverend, the members of this venerableassembly, may find and declare, these wicked establishments andcompliances supporting them, and defections flowing therefrom, to besins against the laws of Christ; and so far as they can find iniquity inthe foresaid offences, may provide by ecclesiastic constitutions for thefuture, that the like compliances with the like contrivances of usurpingenemies, may never again be allowed, under pain of church censures, toprevent and preclude all fears of divisions, to be occasioned by thelike defections, in time coming. And as we offer and promise, so far aswe are, or may be convinced, to confess our offences, any manner of waythat church-judicatories shall appoint; so, for the satisfaction of allconcerned in the late differences, and removal of offences, given ortaken, we desire and expect, that such failings in the above specifiedparticulars, or others, be laid to heart by all sorts of ministers andpreachers, as they are convinced of, or after search, may be discoveredto them by this reverend assembly: And that these, among the sins of theland, be set down in order as causes of a public fast, upon some weekday, through all the meetings of Presbyterians within this kingdom; andthat the sins of the people be intermixed among these causes. Further, As we humbly conceive, it would prove a very proper and promisingexpedient, for promoving, preserving and propagating reformation; forsettling and keeping order and union; for preventing and precludinginnovation or corruptions; for discovering and discouraging apostates orschismatics, malignants or sectaries, and excluding them from access todo further hurt; so we hope, we shall be approven and seconded by manyin this reverend Assembly, in craving the renewing of the covenants, either both the national and solemn league, with accommodations to ourtimes, or one made up of both, with additions or explications, suitingour present case and day, with a solemn acknowledgment of the publicbreaches, and engagement to the duties of the covenants: Humbly moving, that none be forced to swear or subscribe the same, or so much asadmitted to it, except they be such, as may be judged, in charity, tohave a competent knowledge, and sense of the sins and duties thereof. In fine, Though we will not take upon us, to propose the time or the wayof purging out the episcopal clergy, yet we cannot and dare not forbear, to plead and obtest that they may not be continued, nor kept in thechurches whereinto they have intruded; nor re-admitted that are, or maybe laid aside, until they give approvable evidence of their repentance, for their sinful conformity. (1. ) Upon all these grounds, exhibitedabove, against hearing of them. (2. ) Because former experience of thehurt received by the entertainment of the episcopal clergy, _anno_ 1638, does now plead for their care to prevent it in time coming. (3. ) Becausethe people under their ministry, have hitherto been, and are perishingin ignorance and irreligion; being either starved for want of faithfuland spiritual instruction, or poisoned with false instruction; andtherefore pity to them, and zeal to propagate the gospel, should promptto all endeavours to purge them out. (4. ) Because the settlement, purgation, and plantation of the church, will be exceedingly obstructedby the continuance of them that unsettled it, corrupted it, and pesteredthe Lord's vineyard, with plants not of his planting, and whose leavenwill be always in hazard to leaven the whole lump. (5. ) Because, all ofthem are among these, whom the laws of Christ do oblige, theconstitutions of this church do ordain, and the present civil sanctionsfor establishing church government do allow the church-representative, to try and purge out; being all of them either insufficient, ornegligent, or erroneous, or scandalous, if these characters may beapplied, or interpreted, according to scripture rules, or as the churchhath extended them heretofore. We are content that none of the curates be put out, but the insufficientand ignorant, if this be one part of the trial of their knowledge, toinquire not only into their gifts but their graces; if ignorance ofconversion, regeneration, sanctification, and communion with God; bothas to the doctrine of these benefits, and as to their own experience ofthem, so far as may be discovered by human judgment, be reputedinsufficiency: We are content, none be put away but the negligent, if sobe they that do not warn the wicked of their destroying sins, that feedthemselves and not the flock, that do not strengthen the diseased, norheal the sick, &c. That omit the pressing of necessary dutiesimpartially on persons and families, and the censuring of scandalswithout respect of persons, be comprehended in that character: We aresatisfied, none be removed but the erroneous; if they be judged to besuch, who not only own points of popery, Arminianism and Socinianism, but are unsound in their explanation of the kingly office of Christ, orthe perfection of the scriptures, in the point of church-officers andgovernment, in the matter of oaths and of the magistrate's power, and domaintain Erastianism, an exploded and abjured error in this church: Andwe seek no more but that all be removed who are scandalous, and none butthey, if intruders, covenant breakers, perjured subscribers ofscandalous oaths and tests, schismatics and persecutors, be countedamong the scandalous. Some things are indeed extraordinary, which we here urge; but asextraordinary exigencies do force us, to move without a precedent; sothey furnish you a power, to make a precedent for the like casesthereafter: We confess also, it may seem precipitant to press all thesethings so hard, and so soon, in a bruckle time, before things be bettersettled; but we fear, if new delays be procured, till all things befully settled, that the observing of wind and clouds shall hinder bothsowing and reaping. But it, laying aside the plaisters, wherewith thewounds of our backslidings have been slightly covered rather than cured, you put to your hand to the healing of your breaches, in condescendingto these our humble desires, you shall win the blessing of many souls, rent and racked with these divisions; you shall disburthen the land ofmany weights and woes, whereof it is weary; you shall send to all theneighbouring churches a pattern, transmit to posterity an example, anderect to all ages a monument of self denying, zeal and wisdom; a work tobe paralleled with the glories of former times. If herein our hopesshall fail us, we shall not know whether to wish, we had died with ourbrethren, by the enemies hand, and had never seen this reviving in ourbondage; for it will be a death to us, and not a reviving, if there benot a returning together to the Lord, searching and trying, anddiscovering the iniquities of our ways. But however, we intend not toseparate from the church, but to maintain union and communion in truthand duty, with all the ministers and members of this church that do, andin so far as they do follow the institutions of Christ; and to approveourselves, God assisting, as much for peace and concord, as ever we weresuspected to be men of divisive principles; hoping it shall appear, weare seeking _where he feedeth, and where he makes his flock to rest atnoon_, and are not as such, _who turn aside by the flocks of hiscompanions, but going forth by the footsteps of the flocks, beside theshepherds tents_: Yet with this protested dissent from, and testimonyagainst all the above mentioned corruptions, defections, and offensivecourses, which obliged us to stand at a distance in times ofdeformation; that our present joining in these circumstances, when theseare removed, may not infer, or be interpreted an approving of what weformerly condemned: and be free from all partaking in these defections, by consent, connivance, compliance, or communion therein. For which wehumbly supplicate, that these our humble proposals may be recorded inthe books of assembly. ALEXANDER SHIELDS, _Esq. _ [247] See this Act V. Sess. 9. Ass. 1999. Wherein the lesser paper isinserted. [248] Pat. Walker says, That Mr. Shields much lamented his silencebefore the assembly, and of his coming so far short of his formerresolutions, and if ever he saw such an occasion, he would not be soslack. Messrs. Lining and Boyd had too much influence upon him, being inhaste for stipends and wives. Rem. Of the lives of Messrs. Semple, &c. First edit, page 78. [249] See a more full account of Mr. Shields both while in Caledonia andJamaica, in the history of Darien, lately republished, from page 42 to49. [250] This family that pursued him is long ago extinct, and their house(as Mr. Dickson very publicly foretold in the hearing of many), after ithad been an habitation for owls, the foundation stones were digged up. The inhabitants there could not but observe, that those who wereinformers, accusers and witnesses against Mr Dickson (some of themmagistrates then in the town) were brought so low, that they weresustained by the charity of the parish. So hard a thing it is to meddlewith the servants of Jesus Christ. WOD. HISTORY. [251] It was no doubt such faithful freedom that made that defamatoryscribbler say, in his Presbyterian Eloquence, that he said in a sermonat Galashields, that cess paying to Charles II. Was as bad assacrificing to devils, see page 15. [252] Mr. Dickson being one who maintained and defended the lawfulnessof defensive arms, either about this time or at the restoration beforehe was ejected, he kept the sacrament of the Lord's supper (probably atRutherglen), while the people kept guard by centries under arms thewhole time of the dispensation thereof. Which truly sets forth thedanger and hazard of these times, and the aggravations of our sins inmisimproving these mercies and privileged which they could not peaceablyenjoy. [253] If these were Mr. Dickson's sentiments then of the revolutionsettlement, so much now gloried in and boasted of by many, they must beeither ignorantly blind or under an infatuation, who see not that thingsare a great deal worse (though the same as to the constitution) than inhis day. For how many are the clogs and impositions, that are annually(I may say daily) wreathed about the neck of the church, in thesedegenerate isles of sea, Britain and Ireland. And could any thing bebelieved by an apostate generation, we should think that his wordsshould be of some weight, who was no opponent, but a member of theestablished church, yea and more, a seer in our Israel, and, we may say, one among a thousand, _for as the man is, so is his strength_, &c. [254] Calderwood's history, page 776. [255] Wilson's impartial relation of Bothwel bridge, where the readerwill find a full account of the most material transactions done there atthat time. [256] In the hands of some friends, are yet to be seen two of thesecommissions in Latin, wrote on parchment, one of which is a verybeautiful copy on copper-plate. [257] See a more full account of his negotiations in the Netherlands forthe suffering remnant, in a large letter of his now published inFaithful Contendings, page 186, ----{illegible}. [258] Memorandum of occurrences in manuscript, page 1st and 2d. [259] See the above-mentioned declarations, protestations anddeclinatures with some of his many religious letters, lately publishedin a pamphlet intitled, the Christian Conduct, &c. [260] And even some others (Walker and others) who have pretended agreat regard for the principles and memory of some of our latesufferers, such as Mess. Cameron, Cargil and Renwick. But in this theyare not aware whom they have obliged: for it is pretty notour, That thisgentleman and these worthies, particularly the last, were the very samein principle to their lives end, as their own letters and testimonies doevidence; and so in condemning him, they have not only tacitly condemnedthem, but most avowedly relinquished the substantial part of thecovenanted testimony of the church of Scotland in her purest times; andwhat can the arch-bishop of Canterbury require more, never once tomention an anti-covenanter, a nullifidian, or lukewarm presbyterian. [261] This life is substracted from his life at large in the firstedition. [262] See his life at large wrote by himself, Scots Worthies page 486. [263] The most judicious historians that I have seen upon this subject, grant that Charles 2d was poisoned by the direction of the Papists, butB. Burnet in his History, and Dr. Welwood in his memoirs say, the kinghad no suspicions he was poisoned. Burnet insinuates that his harlot theduchess of Portsmouth and her confessor were the instruments, and thatthe king died in good terms with his brother. Dr. Welwood who gives bothsides, relates this story: Some time the king, having drunk moreliberally than usual, retired to the next room in the castle of Windsor, wrapt himself in his cloak, and fell asleep on a couch. He was but alittle time returned to the company, when a servant belonging to one ofthem, lay down on the same couch, and was found stabbed dead with apoinard, nor was it ever known who did it: the matter was hushed up, andno inquiry made. Mem. Page 88. But as to the circumstances of his death, no doubt, Mr Vetch had the advantage to know as well as many others, being often at London, and acquainted with some who frequented thecourt. [264] _Viz. _ Mr. Hepburn. [265] This letter was read Aug. 17. 1643, in the Scots general assembly, as it stands in the collection of the acts thereof from 1638, to 1649. Page 205. * * * * * GLASGOW, _April 22d, 1782_ PROPOSALS For Printing by SUBSCRIPTION, In Two OCTAVO Volumes. A COMPENDIOUS VIEW Of _Natural_ and _Revealed Religion_. --In Seven Books. By JOHN BROWN, _Minister of the Gospel in Haddington_. BOOK I. Of the standard of all religion;--the law of nature in its_foundation_ and _contents_, --the _insufficiency_ of the _light ofnature_ to render a man truly virtuous and happy;--the _possibility_, _desireableness_, _necessity_, _propriety_, _reasonableness_, _credibility_, _divine authority_, _properties_ and _parts_ of thatrevelation which is contained in the scriptures of the old and newTestament. BOOK II. Of _God_, the author, or, object and end of all religion, --inhis perfections, persons, purposes and works. BOOK III. Of the bonds of religious connection between God and men, --thecovenants of works and grace in their _origin_, _parties_, _parts_ and_administration_ in time and eternity. BOOK IV. Of Christ the mediator of the covenant of grace, in his_person_, _offices_ and _states_. BOOK V. Of the _blessings_ of the covenant of grace, _effectualcalling_, justification, adoption, sanctification, spiritual comfort, eternal glory. BOOK VI. Of the dispensation of the covenant of grace by means of _law_, _gospel_ and _ordinances_ thereof. BOOK VII. Of the new covenant _society_ or church, in her_constitution_, _members_, _offices_ and _government_. * * * * * CONDITIONS. I. The book will be printed on a fair paper and new Type, in two Octavovolumes, to consist of about 300 and 30 pages each volume. II. The price to Subscribers will be One Shilling and Sixpence Sterlingeach volume, sewed, and Two Shillings neatly bound. A few copies on afine Demy paper at Two Shillings sewed, and Two Shillings and Sixpencebound, each volume. III. Those who subscribe for twelve copies, shall have one Gratis. IV. The book will be put to the press as soon as a competent number ofsubscriptions are obtained. The encouragers of this work are desired to send in their Names, withthe number of Copies they want, to the Publisher immediately as fewcopies will be printed but those subscribed for. SUBSCRIPTIONS are taken in by JOHN BRYCE, Printer, _Glasgow_; and by all others intrusted with Proposals. * * * * * _The Judgment and Justice of God_ EXEMPLIFIED. OR, A BRIEF HISTORICAL HINT OF THE WICKED LIVES and MISERABLE DEATHSof some of the most remarkableApostates and bloody Persecutorsin Scotland, from the Reformationtill after the Revolution; COLLECTED FROMHistorical Records, AuthenticatedWritings, and other well-vouchedRelations. By JOHN HOWIE. PSALM lv. 23. _But thou, O God, shalt bring them down to the pit ofdestruction. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half theirdays. _ PSALM vii. 12. _He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death, he ordained his arrows against the persecutors. _ 2 THESS. I. 6. --_It is a righteous thing with God to recompensetribulation to them that trouble you. _ _---- Immemores Dei Gentes mors inopina Aeternis tenebris premit. _ Psalm ix. 17. --BUCHAN. GLASGOW: Printed by JOHN BRYCE. MDCCLXXXII. Had I not confined myself at first to the limits of an Appendix to thelives of our Scots worthies, I might have written a volume, containingthe same hints of the most notable Apostates, Blasphemers, and wickedPersecutors, Jew and Christian, in all the different kingdoms andcountries wherein the true religion and knowledge of the true God hathbeen professed, from the earliest ages to this present century; andwhich may be yet attempted, if this meet with the approbation of thePublic, and a call and farther encouragement be given for that purpose. THE INTRODUCTION. I presume, that any person, who has diligently perused the history ofthe lives of our noble Scots worthies, will by this time be able to formsome idea in their own minds of the religious, virtuous and faithfullives, joyful and comfortable deaths of a certain number of Christ'snoble witnesses, confessors and martyrs, who through much tribulationemerged forth of all their difficulties in much faith and patience, andare now inheriting the promise in that land and celestial Jerusalemabove, _where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary be atrest_. It now follows of course, that I should present another scene unto thereader's view, _viz. _ a short index or memorial of the wicked, apostate, perfidious and flagitious lives, and miserable and lamentable deaths ofsome of the most particular persons that opposed and oppressed thechurch of Christ, and mal-treated and persecuted them. But previous tothe opening of this tragical train of examples, (of the Lord's righteousjustice and judgment on his and his church's enemies) let the followingfew particulars be observed. And, _1st_, Let none think that this is a subject foreign or remote to eitherscripture, apocrypha, or history. No; I might instance Cain, theproto-persecutor and murderer; Pharaoh, who was drowned in the Red sea;Corah and others, who were swallowed up quick and burnt before the Lord;Saul, who finished his own regicide; wicked Joram, whose bowels fellout; apostate Joash and Jehoiakim, who burnt the roll, came toignominious ends: Ahab and Zedekiah, false prophets, whom the king ofBabylon roasted in the fire; Haman, who was hanged: Antiochus Epiphanes, who was eaten of vermin, and rotted while alive; Melenaus the apostate, who was smothered to death in ashes; Herod, who killed the children ofBethlehem, and had the same fate with Antiochus; Herod Antipas, whokilled John Baptist; Herodias and Salmon the dancer came to fearfulends: Judas and Caiaphas became their own executioners; Pilate alsoended his own wretched life; Herod Agrippa was eaten up of worms: Neroand all the succeeding emperors, authors of the ten persecutions; PhilipII. Of Spain, Charles IX. Henry III. And IV. Kings of France, Dukes ofGuise, Anjou, Austria, &c. The cardinals Wolsey and Pool, bloody Maryof England, bishop Gardiner, with an immense number more both of thisand inferior ranks, too tedious here to mention, came all to deservedwretched deaths suitable to such wicked and bloody lives. --Nay, God willhave such reverence paid to what bears the name of deity and religion, that even amongst the very heathens, who had not the knowledge of thetrue God, those who blasphemed or affronted the gods, robbed theirtemples, or mal-treated and persecuted their priests, did not passwithout some public mark of divine displeasure, (of which I might give anumber of instances from history, were it needful). And should such asare favoured with an objective revelation of the true God and way ofsalvation in and by him, who destroy his heritage, persecute his people, blaspheme his name, and make a mock of religion, go unpunished? Nor, _2ndly_, Is the collecting or recording such exemplary instances withoutprecept or precedent? Moses, by the Lord's direction, commanded thecenters of those who were burnt up when offering strange fire to be madebroad plates for a covering to the altar, for a memorial to the childrenof Israel. --And, passing other instances in scripture, historians andmartyrologers, we find the reformed church of the Netherlands at thefamous synod of Embden 1571, amongst other things, enacted and orderedthe Lord St. Atergonde to write the history of the persecution by theDuke de Alva, with the visible judgments that befel the persecutors atthat time. The same thing was agitated and concluded upon by the unitedsocieties in Scotland, both before and after the Revolution, which, hadtheir resolutions been accomplished, had either anticipated thispublication, or rendered it more complete than what it can otherwise beexpected. [266] Nor, _3dly_, Can it be expected, that all our Scots apostates and persecutorsare here narrated. No; there have many of God's eminent saints and dearchildren made their exit out of this world without any note orobservation: in like manner, every wicked and notorious offender has notbeen made a Magor Missabib, a wonder unto themselves and others. We canascribe this to nothing but divine wisdom and sovereignty. But therehave been as many instances of both kinds as may serve for a monitorboth to saints and sinners, to encourage the one and deter the other, and _that others may hear and fear_. Again, there have been several ofthese wicked enemies of God even in our own land, whose deaths have beenas remarkable as those now related, which have either not been recorded, or else the records have been lost, and cannot now, after such a longtime elapsed, be retrieved[267]. And _4thly_, This may be observed, That, though numbers in this blackcatalogue have nothing different as to the taking away of the lifetemporal, such as by heading, hanging, &c. , from what has befallenGod's dear children and martyrs, --yet it is the cause of their death, their disposition and frame at that time, must only cast the scale ofbalance. Jesus as man, and the obstinate malefactor on the cross, are anillustrating proof of this: for, while the one goes off the stagetriumphing in the justice of their cause under the sensiblemanifestations of God's gracious presence, crying out, Farewel, friendsand relations, holy scriptures, duties, sun, moon, stars, --all createdenjoyments:--Welcome, death, scaffold, gibbet for precious Christ;welcome eternity, glory, angels, spirits of just men made perfect;welcome, Jesus Christ, Spirit of all grace, God the judge of all, andlife for evermore:--The other (although I do not meddle with theireternal state, as being no-ways my province or prerogative to determineupon) at least those I have here condescended upon, died either in asenseless, secure, supine stupidity, or else belching out the mostfearful oaths, and imprecations against themselves or others, or worse, if worse may be, roaring out in despair in the most dreadful horror ofan awakened conscience under the sense of God's wrath and fieryindignation ready to be poured forth upon them for their former wickedlives; which must be one of the most exquisite torments in this life, asexpressed by the poet, ----_Siculi non invenere Tyranni Tormentum majus. _---- Nay, some have had very wicked lives or actions in life, and yet throughthe Lord's goodness have obtained mercy at last, though none of thisstamp to my knowledge, as far as could be discerned, are brought intothis category[268]. And _5thly_, Let none think that I have dragged any in here, because theywere king, queen, or bishop; no, there are others here; it was becausethey were tyrants, apostates, perjured wretches, wicked persecutors andbloody deceitful men: a Charles on the throne, a Lauderdale in thestate, a M'Kinzie at the bar, a Jefferies on the bench, a Dalziel in thearmy, and a Judas Sharp in the church, amongst others inrolled in theannals of time, (and we may fear in eternity too) are terrible monumentsof this. --It is true, all this black group attained not the samealtitude of wickedness; but they all acted from the same principle, andbended toward the same point, and that was to propagate Satan's kingdom, and persecute the saints of the Most High, as far as their power, station and office would allow; (although some of them were more humanethan others) yet they must all be brought to the same standard, seeingdivine sovereignty has ordered it so. _6thly_, It is here hoped, that none of the offspring of those will beoffended at what is related of their ancestors, unless they approve oftheir deeds; seeing no man can help the evil qualities of hisforefathers. A good Jehoshaphat begat a wicked Jehoram and a wickedAhaz, and Amnon begat a good Josiah. And though the Lord has declaredthat he will visit the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, yethe has also said, The son shall not die for the iniquity of his father;if he turn from it, he shall live. --It is granted, that virtuous andreligious lives are necessary to be set before us for our example, andwhy should not the contrary vices be eschewed by viewing a portrait ofthe reverse qualities? for he who has said that the memory of the justshall be blessed, has also said, that the memory of the wicked shallrot; that is, they shall either sink into oblivion, or else in consumingaway shall become nauseous unto posterity, as says the prophet, _Theireverlasting confusion shall never be forgotten_. _Lastly_, For the matter and method of the following examples, thoughthere be severals of them touched at in the lives of the Scots worthiesas connected with the subject, yet I have brought them unto thiscomposition, that the reader may view them all at once; and for themethod I have arranged them in, each example is as near the order oftime when they died as could be guessed, and as concise as possible, being restricted to such narrow limits. As for the authority of theauthors from whom they are collected, (except a few relations as wellvouched as at present could be obtained) they are much the same withthose of the lives of the worthies, historical faith being all that canbe claimed in human and imperfect composures. And for a conclusion, let us see all scenes closing, let us, through theforegoing mirror and following prospect, view the Lord's admirablegoodness to his own dear children even when walking through the furnaceof affliction, with his just and severe indignation and resentment evenin this life upon his and their enemies. --Let us behold the one waftedover the dark river in the arms of a Redeemer (though sometimes on abloody bottom) unto the flowery banks of Emmanuel's land;--while theother is with an awful gloom of horror hurled head-long into the pit ofdestruction. Let us by faith apprehend those thousands of thousands atChrist's right hand, singing, _Allelujah, true and righteous are hisjudgments; he hath judged the great whore, and avenged the blood of hisservants_, --with a numberless throng on his left hand of thesemiscreants sentenced unto that place of torment and woe, where theyshall have an eternity to bewail their infidelity, impiety, avarice, ambition, cruelty, and stupidity in. --And, in fine, if the followinghints shall serve for no other purpose, they will stand for anincontestable evidence of the very first principle of religion, thatthere is a God to reward the righteous and punish the wicked:--_So thatmen shall say, Verily, there is a reward for the righteous; verily thereis a God that judgeth in the earth. _ _The Judgment and Justice of GOD Exemplified, &c. _ JOHN CAMERON, sometime bishop of Glasgow was a most wicked wretch: henot only committed many acts of avarice and cruelty upon the poor peopleof his diocese, but also encouraged those in place and power to do thelike: So that he became the author of almost all the mischief in thatpart of the country. --But in this he did not long escape the justjudgment of God; for in the night before (what they call) Christmas day, 1446, as he lay in his own house in Lockwood about seven miles fromGlasgow, he seemed to hear an audible voice summoning him to appearbefore Christ's tribunal to give an account of his doings. --He got upaffrighted, and called for his servant to bring a light and sit by him;he himself took a book and began to read; but the voice was heard asecond time louder, which struck all his servants with horror. Hisservant being gone, the voice called a third time more terrible thanbefore; at which the bishop was heard give a groan, and so was founddead in his bed with his tongue hanging out of his mouth; and so came toan end deserving of such a life. --_Buchanan and Spotiswood's Histories_. SIR GEORGE STEEL, a parasite and mighty flatterer of James V. ; but oneof the greatest enemies to God and his people (that then began toprofess the true religion) that was in all the court, being such abigotted papist, that, one day in a large audience, he renounced hisportion of Christ's kingdom, if the prayer of the Virgin Mary did notbring him hither. --But one day, while in presence of the king, hedropped down dead from his horse and never spoke a word. --_Knox'shistory_. JAMES HAMILTON, a natural brother to the earl of Arran was by the popishclergy's influence advanced in the reign of said James V. And was socruel and terrible against all such as were supposed to favour theprotestant religion, that even some of his own relations were broughtunder his power--being by the intercession of these poplings by the kingmade judge or lord justice for that purpose. But while he was employinghimself to crush the gospel in the very bud, his cousin James Hamiltonsheriff of Linlithgow, whom he had caused to be banished before on thataccount, returned home and accused him of treason, and in spite of allthe popish clergy could do in his behalf, he was arraigned, condemned, beheaded and quartered at Edinburgh, and his quarters placed upon thepublic places of the city. --_Buchanan and Fulfilling of the Scriptures_. THOMAS SCOT, a privy counsellor and justice clerk to the said James V. Was a notable enemy and persecutor of these professing the reformedreligion. But falling sick at Edinburgh, he fell into despair: he wasmost vexed for what he had done against Christ's witnesses, and stillcried out, _Justo Dei judicio condemnatus sum_, I am condemned by God'sjust judgment, and damned without remedy. And (if he be the same who iscalled by some, Blair) when the monks began to comfort him, he chargedthem to be gone with their factions and trumperies, saying, till now, Inever believed there was God or devil, heaven or hell. I acted only as apolitician to get preferment and money, and for that purpose I joinedthe bishops side, and prevailed with the king to cast out theiradversaries. All your masses can do me no good: the devil has me alreadyin his gripes to carry me to hell and torment me eternally. In thissituation he died the same night, he appeared to the king when lying atLinlithgow with a company of devils, and uttered these words to him, Owoe to the day that ever I knew thee or thy service; for the serving ofthee against God, against his servants and against justice, I amadjudged to endless torment. --_Knox's history_, _Appendix toSp{illegible}'s relation_. ALEX. CAMPBELL, a dominican friar, a man of wit and learning, who thoughhe agreed almost in every point with Patrick Hamilton, yet being moredesirous to save than hazard his life for the truth, was prevailed uponby his friends not only to prefer a public accusation against the saidPatrick, but even when bound at the stake in the fire, over the belly ofthe light of his own conscience, continually cried out, Convert, heretic; call on our lady: say, _salve regina_, &c. To whom the martyrsaid, depart from me, and trouble me not, thou messenger of Satan. Butwhile this friar still roared out these words with great vehemency, Hesaid again to him, "O thou vilest of men, thou art convinced that thesetenets which thou now condemnest, are certainly true, and didst confessto me that they are so. I cite thee against a certain time before thetribunal seat of Christ Jesus, &c. " In a few days after, Campbelturned quite mad, and died in Glasgow as one in despair. --_Buch. Knox'shist. And others_. JAMES V. Son to James IV. Who began to reign 1514, notwithstanding aquick genius and inclination at first to sobriety and justice, yet soonbecame corrupted with licenciousness and avarice the bane of that age;and, being wholly under the direction of the pope and his poplings inScotland he turned a most violent persecutor of the professors of thetrue religion, (which then began to dawn) in so much that PatrickHamilton, of the royal stock, behoved to suffer the flames; many otherswere oppressed and banished the nation as hereticks. Nay, such was hisfurious zeal, that he was heard say, that none of that sort need expectfavour at his hand, were it his own sons if guilty: and it appears hewould have been as good as his word, (from a paper or list of theirnames given in by the clergy found in his pocket at his death) had notdivine providence interposed: for being pushed on to an unjust war withthe English by the advice of Oliver Sinclair and others, his army wasshamefully defeated at Solway moss, where this Oliver his general fledand was taken: upon which, James fell into a delirium, still crying out, O fled Oliver: is Oliver taken? After visiting some of his mistresses, he went to Falkland, (after he had had some frightful dreams atLinlithgow) and hearing the queen was delivered of a daughter, he brokeforth unto this desperate expression, "The devil go with it, it camewith a woman, and will go with a woman, &c. " But still his continuedcry was, Is Oliver taken, &c. Till cardinal Beaton came, whoseintrigues with the queen were before known, and by whose direction itwas supposed the king received a dose, of which he soon expired in thatsituation, 1542. --_Buch. Knox_, &c. DAVID PANTHER, bishop of Galloway, was a violent enemy to the gospel. For advancing the queen regent's interest he got an abbey in France. Hewould by no means admit of a disputation with any of the reformed; butrecommended fire and sword for the only defence of the catholicreligion. "Our victory (said he) stands neither in God nor his word, butin our own wills, otherwise we will no more be found the men we arecalled, than the devil will be approved to be God, &c. " Amongst otherextravagances, he became a notable Epicurean, eating and drinkingbecoming the only pastime of his life, and in that excess, he at lastfell down and expired. --_Knox_, &c. ---- DURY, a fowl of the same nest, was, for his filthy course of life, called Abbot Stottikin. But being a furious papist, he obtained the seeof Galloway, and became such a persecutor of the reformation, that heroundly vowed, that, in despite of God, as long as they prelates lived, that word called GOSPEL should never be preached in this realm. But hisboasting lasted not long; for being suddenly seized by death, thearticles of his belief or dying words were, "Decarte, you, ha, ha. Thefour kings and all made, the devil go with: it is but a varlet fromFrance; we thought to have got a ruby, but we got nothing but acohoobie. " And so this filthy enemy of God ended his life. --_Knox_, &c. DAVID BEATON was made arch-bishop of St. Andrews, and by the pope, cardinal of Scotland. But, being a man of a strange nature and crueldisposition, he set himself to crush the professors of the reformedreligion with fire and faggot. Captain Bothwick was by his influenceaccused, but fled to England: four men by his direction were burnt onthe Castle-hill of Edinburgh 1538; as were Russel and Kennedy the yearafter. Thus he continued at this game, at the same time wallowing like ahog in a stie in all manner of filthiness, till the year 1646, that hegot that man of God George Wishart brought to the flames. --While he wasat the stake before the cardinal's castle at St. Andrews, that thecardinal might gratify his eyes with this desirable sight, the cushionswere laid for him and his company to lean upon, while looking forth atthe windows. --After the fire was kindled, the martyr said amongst otherthings, "This fire torments my body, but no ways abates my spirit, buthe who now looks down so proudly from yonder lofty palace, (pointing tothe cardinal) and feeds his eyes with my torment, shall ere long be hungout at that window as ignominiously, as he now there leans with pride. "Accordingly some gentlemen vowed to avenge Mr. Wishart's death. Thewicked monster getting previous notice, said, Tush, a fig for the fools, a button for the bragging of heretics. Is the Lord governor mine?witness his oldest son with me as a pledge. Have not I the queen at mydevotion? Is not France my friend? What danger should I fear?--But in afew days, Norman Lesly, John Lesly, and the laird of Grange entered thecastle in the morning, just as one of his harlots Mrs Ogilvie was goneout of bed from him. The noise soon alarmed the cardinal, who was but alittle before fallen asleep. He got up and hid a coffer of gold in acorner. Afterward with some difficulty they got in. John Lesly drew hissword, and in sober terms told him their errand, but could bring him tono signs of repentance or preparation for death. --Whereupon they stabbedhim; upon which he cried out, I am a priest: fy, all is gone; and so heexpired. The provost and his friends came in a fray, and demanded whatwas become of him, and would not depart; which made them hang hiscarcase over the window, according to Mr Wishart's words; and then theydeparted;--after which he lay a considerable time unburied[269]. A FRENCH OFFICER and gentleman volunteer in the queen regent's army, whom she employed to cut off the professors of the reformed religion, after several outrages by him committed in Fife upon them, entered intoa poor woman's house, with a small family of children at Whiteside, toplunder it. She offered him such provision as she had; but this wouldnot satisfy him; for notwithstanding all her tears and intreaties, thecruel wretch must have what little meal and beef she had to sustain herand her young infants. She perceiving this, upon his stooping down intoa large barrel or pipe to take what was there, first turned up hisheels, and then with what help her family could afford, kept him in, till amongst the meal he ended his wicked life. --_Knox. _ MARY of Lorrain, sister to the duke of Guise, and second wife to JamesV. After her husband's death, aspired to the regency; and being sprungfrom a family who always had shewn themselves inveterate and implacableenemies to the kingdom of Christ, she set herself with might and main, to exterminate the gospel and its professors out of Scotland. --She toldthem, in plain words, that, in despite of them and their ministers both, they should be banished out of it, albeit they preached as true as everSt. Paul did: and, for that purpose, procured to her faction in Scotlandsome thousands of French soldiers, which obliged them to lift arms intheir own defence. One time, these cruel savages having obtained a smalladvantage in a skirmish at Kinghorn, and committed many outrages ofplunder in Fife, she broke out into the following expression: "Where isnow John Knox's God? My God is stronger than his, even in Fife. " Atanother time when the reformed had pulled down some monuments ofidolatry at St. Johnston, this catholic heroine vowed, "She shoulddestroy both man, woman and child in it, and burn it with fire: andthat, if she had a fair pretext for the deed, she would not leave anindividual of the heretical tribe, either his fortune or life. " Again1560, when her Frenchmen had obtained another victory at Leith, andhaving stripped the slain, and laid their bodies upon the walls beforethe sun, at the beholding of which from the castle of Edinburgh, it issaid she leaped for joy and said, "Yonder is the fairest tapestry I eversaw! I would the whole field were covered with the same stuff. " But Godsoon put a stop to this wicked contumely; for in a few days (some saythe same day) her belly and legs began to swell of that loathsome andugly disease whereof she died in the month of June following. Before herdeath, she seemed to shew some remorse for her past conduct; but nosigns of true repentance, else she would not have received the Popishsacrament of extreme unction. The papists having now lost their head, and the church not suffering her to be buried with the superstitiousrites of popery, she was coffined, and kept four months, and then wentto France: and so she, who a little made the followers of Christ whenkilled lie unburied, could not obtain a burial in the kingdom ofScotland[270]. DAVID RIZIO or Riccio, born at Turin in Savoy, came over, and wasintroduced unto queen Mary's musicians (being of that craft) andcomplying with her humour in every thing, he was advanced to be one ofher secretaries. But being one of the pope's minions and a deadly enemyto the cause of Christ in Scotland, he laid continual schemes to ruinthe noble reformers. He laid a plot to murder the good earl of Murraywith his own hand, but it miscarried. He had a principal hand in thequeen's match with Darnly; but soon became his rival, and the queen'sparamour. He exceeded the king in apparel and furniture, and intended tohave cut off the Scots nobility, and brought in a set of foreignministers. He counterfeited the king's seal, and nothing could be donewithout him at court. He was apprized of his hazard, but nothing couldaffright him. Whereupon the king, with James Douglas, Patrick Lindsay, &c. Knowing that he was gone in privily to the queen one night, (ashis custom was) came in upon them, while he was sitting by the queen atsupper. She sought to defend him by the interposition of her body; butbringing him to an outer chamber, at first they intended to have hangedhim publicly, which would have been a most grateful spectacle to thepeople; but being in haste, James Douglas gave him a stroke with hisdagger, which was by the company succeeded, to the number of fifty-threestrokes, and so he soon expired, March 9, 1566[271]. HENRY STUART, son to the earl of Lenox, returned to Scotland 1565, andwas married to the queen; and being a bigotted papist, the reforminglords opposed his marriage, but were obliged to flee to England. Whilematters went well betwixt him and the queen, he was wholly at herdevotion, and at her instigation, cast the Psalms of David into thefire. But after Rizio's death, the earl of Bothwel becoming the queen'sbeloved paramour, she fell in disgust with the king; and he beingmisled up in popery, and seeing himself thus forsaken of the queen, anddespised by her faction of the nobility, wrote to the king of France, that the country was all out of order, because the mass and popery werenot again fully erected in Scotland. But the queen, to be rid of him, caused to be given him a dose of poison. But being in the prime ofyouth, he surmounted the disorder. Being a man wholly given to sensualpleasure, he was easily deceived: the queen decoyed him to Edinburgh, where she and Bothwel laid a plan for his life wherein Bothwel was to bethe aggressor. In prosecution of which, he with some others entered theking's lodging in the night, and while he was asleep strangled him andone of his servants, and drew him out at a little gate they had madethrough the wall of the city, and left his naked body lying, and so, like another Johoiakim, who burnt the roll, was _cast without the gatesof Jerusalem_. JOHN HAMILTON was, by his brother the regent, after the cardinal's deathmade arch-bishop of St. Andrew's. He exactly trod in the footsteps ofhis predecessors; and that not only in uncleanness, taking men's wivesfrom them for his concubines, (as the popish clergy must not be married)but was also a violent oppressor and persecutor of Christ's gospel inhis mystical members. Adam Wallace and Walter Mill were by his directioncommitted to the flames. Again, when Mr. Knox went with the lords topreach at St. Andrew's, he raised 100 spear-men to oppose him. He had ahand in most of the bloody projects, in the queen regent's management. In her daughter Mary's reign, she followed the same course. He had ahand in Henry Stuart's death, and was afterward one of the conspiratorsof the the death of the good regent the earl of Murray; but the reformedgetting the ascendent, he was obliged to flee to the castle ofDumbarton, and was there taken, when it was taken by the regent earl ofMarr, and for his former misdemeanours, was hanged up by the neck like adog at Stirling, about the year 1572. WILLIAM MAITLAND, commonly called in history, young Lethington, though aman of no small parts or erudition, yet became sadly corrupted by thecourt. He was made secretary to queen Mary, and with her became a primeagent against the reformation. He oftentimes disputed with Mr. Knox, andat last gave in a charge of treason against him on account of religion. And one time, he was so chagrined at the preachers of the gospel, namely Mr. Craig, that he gave himself to the devil, if after that dayhe should care what became of Christ's ministers, let them blow as hardas they would. He had a prime hand in the queen's marriage with Darnly, and against the lords who professed the reformed religion. After thequeen fled to England, he was the principal manager of all the popishplots and tragical disasters that for some time happened in England andScotland. But the queen's affairs growing desperate, he fled toEdinburgh castle, which was then held for the queen by the laird ofGrange. Mr. Knox sent a message to them of their danger, and what wouldbefal them. But Lethington made a mock of Mr. Knox and his advice; butthe castle being taken 1573, he was imprisoned in the steeple of Leith, where six escaped further ignominy by public punishment. It was said hepoisoned himself, and lay so long unburied that the vermin upon his bodywere creeping out at the doors of the house, in under the ground of thesteeple. --_Calderwood's history. _ JAMES HEPBURN Earl of Bothwel was a wicked vicious man from his veryinfancy. At first he inclined as seemed to the protestant side, butbecoming the queen's principal minion, he apostatized to popery, becauseit was her religion. He vigorously opposed the work of reformation, attempted to murder the good Earl of Murray, but was prevented. Afterthe slaughter of Rizio, he succeeded in his place, and became a partakerof the king's bed. After which he murdered him, and married the queen(although he had three wives living at that time). He designed to havemurdered James VI. Then a child, but was prevented by the lords who rosein defence of religion and their liberties. The queen was by them madeto abandon him, which made him flee to Shetland, where he became apirate: but being obliged to escape from thence to Denmark, where afternear ten years confinement, he became distracted and died mad. JAMES DOUGLAS Earl of Morton was a man of no small natural endowments, but a man of a covetous and lecherous disposition. While chancellor, hegot the Fulcan bishopricks erected[272], that the bishops might havethe title and honour; but the nobility got the profit or churchrevenues. After he became regent, though things came to a more settledstate, yet for his own political ends, he oppressed the people, butespecially the clergy by promises to assign them stipends in parishes. He extorted from them the rights to the thirds of the benefice, andoftimes caused one minister to serve four or five parishes, whilehimself took all the stipends but one, (so that by the end of thecentury some ministers had but 11 l. And some but the half and miserablypaid). He was the first that introduced prelacy into Scotland. Says ahistorian, "He threatened some of the ministers, misliked generalassemblies, could not endure the free and open rebuke of sin in thepulpit, maintained the bishops and pressed his own injunctions andconformity with England; and had without question stayed the work ofGod, had not God stirred up a faction of the nobility against him. " Forfirst, the king took upon him the regency: then he was accused of thelate king's murder. He had amassed great sums of money together; but itwas partly embezzled by his friends, and partly conveyed away in barrelsand hid; So that when brought to Edinburgh, he had to borrow twentyshillings for the poor. Thus having lost both his friends and his money, which might have procured him friends, he was condemned and executed atEdinburgh, June 2d, 1581. And so, for advancing the king's authority andsupremacy over the church and introducing bishops into it, he was by himand them but poorly rewarded. --_Calderwood and Fulfilling of theScriptures. _ JAMES STUART, son to the lord Ochiltree, was from a single centineladvanced to a captain in king James's minority; but, becoming stillgreater at court, he assumed unto himself the title of earl of Arran. Hebecame the king's only favourite, and was by him advanced unto the helmof affairs; and then he set himself to ruin the church of God: forfirst, he got the king's supremacy in all causes civil andecclesiastick, asserted by parliament; and then he got a set of wickedand profane bishops, like himself, again reinstated in the church. In aword, this ambitious, covetous, bloody, seditious Cataline, and scornerof religion and enemy to the commonwealth was the author of all thebroils and disorders in church and state from 1680 to 1685; and wouldhave done more (being now made chancellor and captain of the castle ofEdinburgh) had not the Lord, by his own immediate hand of providence, interposed in behalf of his church; for, first, being disgraced atcourt, while on the pinnacle of dignity, he was tumbled down unto hisfirst original: then taking a tour through Kyle, came near Douglas, andwas at last set upon by James Douglas (afterward lord Fotherald) in thevalley of Catslaks, in revenge for his accusation of his friend the earlof Morton, and thrown from his horse, and killed with a spear, and hisbody left lying exposed to be devoured of dogs upon the king's highway. --_Calderwood, Spotiswood, and Melvil's memoirs. _ MARY STUART daughter to James V. First married the dauphin of France, and after his death returned home, and took on her the regal governmentof Scotland. Tho' some historians represent her for a woman of a quickjudgment and good natural abilities, yet it is evident she was of arevengeful temper and lecherous disposition; and being misled up inpopery from her infancy, her opposition to the protestant reformedreligion seems all of a piece. It would fill a volume to recite thewickedness, mischiefs and tragical disasters, that, through herinstigation, by her command or example, were committed during her reign. For, not to mention her intrigues with Rizio and Chattelet the Frenchdancer, whom she caused at last to be hanged; the court rung with allmanner of wickedness, impiety and profanity. About 1566, she enteredinto a league with Charles IX. Of France to extirpate the reformedreligion. She and her favourites robbed the church of their patrimony tomaintain the luxury of the court: So that they could all have scarce2000l. Yearly. Nor upon all their petitions, though in a starvingcondition, could they get any redress from her. She married Darnly, thenfell in adultery with Bothwel, then they concerted his murder: and aftershe married the Regicide, lifted arms against the professors of the truereligion, by whom she was obliged to flee to England. In a word, everydreary year of her unfortunate reign was blackened with some remarkabledisaster, and by such acts of impudence and injustice, as corrupt natureand popish cruelty could suggest. After her elopement to England, thepopish faction, of which she was the head, kept the nations in continualintestine broils, till a scheme was by them laid to marry the duke ofNorfolk a papist, get rid of her son James and Queen Elizabeth, andgrasp both kingdoms into the hands; but this proving abortive, she nextendeavoured to have herself declared Second in England, whereupon QueenElizabeth signed a warrant somewhat precipitantly for her execution; andso she was beheaded in Fotheringay castle, Feb. 18. 1586, or accordingto some 1587. She died with some fortitude, but would have nothing to dowith the protestant clergy at the place of execution, saying, she woulddie in the catholick religion wherein she was bred and born, willingonly to have her confessor: at last she lifted the crucifix and kissedit. And so she ended her days, as she lived, and with her endedbare-faced popery for a time in Scotland. --_Knox_, _Melvil_, _Spotiswood_, &c. MR. PATRICK ADAMSON, first minister of Paisley, was a preacher of muchrepute in the church; but ambition and private interest had more swaywith him than the interest of Christ. And having wrought himself intothe king's favour by undermining the government and discipline of thechurch, he was declared bishop by Morton about 1578. But got thebishoprick of St. Andrews 1584, after which he not only spoke and wrotein favours of prelacy, but became a persecutor of his faithful brethren. In the height of his grandeur, he used to boast that three things couldnot fail him, his learning, the king's favour, and his riches: for thefirst, in the just judgment of God, he could not speak a word of sensebefore or after his meat. For the second, he lost the king's favour andhad his bishoprick taken from him, and was heard say, he was sure theking cared more for his dogs than for him. And for his riches, he was soreduced that he had to get charity from those ministers whom before heharrassed. Before, for his pride, contumacy and other enormities he wasexcommunicated by the church, but being now in extreme poverty andsickness, he made a recantation and confession, supplicating the churchhe might be absolved from the censure; which at last was by themgranted. Whether this repentance proceeded from constraint to get alittle outward sustenance, as was suspected, I cannot say; but in thissituation he died, in great want and extreme misery, about the year1591--_Fulfilling of the Scriptures_, &c. MR. JAMES NICHOLSON, a creature of the same make; one eminent for partsand learning in these times, and at first a great opposer of prelacy. But being still gaping for riches, honour and preferment, shifted fromone benefice to another, till he got the bishopric of Dunkeld: yea, soforward was he to establish prelacy, that he behoved to be one of thosewho assisted the king at Hampton court against eight of his brethren whowere more faithful than himself in 1606. But his honour continued notlong, for being stricken with sickness of body and seized withmelancholy of mind and horror of conscience, he could have no rest. Physicians being brought, he told them his trouble was of another kind, for which they could give him no cure; for, said he, "The digesting of abishoprick hath racked my conscience. I have against much light and overthe belly of it, opposed the truth and yielded up the liberties ofChrist to please an earthly king, &c. " And so in great horror ofconscience he made his exit, August 1609. --_Calderwood_, &c. GEORGE HUME, Earl of Dumbar, one of king James's creatures, and the onlyinstrument (I may say) used by him at that time to overturn thePresbyterian form of church-government and discipline, and introduceprelacy into Scotland: for which purpose he was by him sent ascommissioner to both the general assemblies 1608 and 1610. He broughtsome English doctors to persuade, a strong guard to intimidate thefaithful, and money to bribe those of a contrary disposition; which hedistributed to these mercenary creatures for their votes. He so farsucceeded, as to get a new set of bishops erected, and then returned toEngland, where, with the wages of iniquity, he built a sumptuous palaceat Berwick. When he intended to keep St. George's day, and solemnize hisdaughter's marriage with Lord Walden, the Lord pulled him down from theheight of all his honours by a sudden and surprizing death. _That dayhis thoughts perish_, and with the builder of Jericho, for all hisacquisitions in Scotland and England, in a short time there was not afoot breadth of land left of it to his posterity. --_Calderwood_, _Fulfilling of the Scriptures_, &c. MR. GEORGE GLADSTONE, at first, was such a zealous Presbyterian, that hevowed he should never be bishop of St. Andrews, because they were hatedand came all to untimely ends. But his motives not being good, hereturned from court 1605, with a presentation to the very samebishoprick. Again, when called up to court next year, to assist the kingagainst the faithful Scottish ministers, he was adjured by his brethrenof the ministry in the presbytery of St. Andrews, that as he should beanswerable to God, he should do nothing to the prejudice of the churchof God; he took God to witness, it should be so. But they soon found thecontrary to their sad experience; for he not only became a cruel enemyto his brethren who continued faithful, but also a lazy time-servinghireling, oftimes loitering upon his bed in the very time ofsermon. --Instance, being one time on his bed in time of the afternoonsermon, both he and the congregation were alarmed with the cry of_Murder_, his sister's son in the house having killed his cook with adagger, as he was making ready his supper. --At this rate he continuedtill 1615, that he was seized with a fearful and strange disease, (whichhistorians forbear to name) and what was worse, with obstinate andsenseless stupidity, approving of his former courses, and in thatsituation he died, May 2, 1615. --_Calderwood and others. _ MR. ALEX^R. FORBES, a bird of the same feather, was first made bishop ofCaithness, then of Aberdeen. He was not only an enemy to the faithfulservants of Christ, but even of such a poor, low disposition, and such atable friend and flattering spunger, that he was nicknamed Collie;because so impudent and shameless that he would follow the lords ofsession, advocates, &c. When they went to dinner, and cringe about, and sometimes follow them uncalled, and sit down in their houses attable. --At last he was seized with sickness at Leith, and fell undersore remorse of conscience for his past life: he sent for bishopSpotiswood, and would gladly have communicated his mind to him; but itseems he would not leave his playing at cards (albeit it was on theSabbath day), and so he in this condition died. --_Calderwood. _ MR. ANDREW FORRESTER, sometime minister at Dunfermline, when sent to theGeneral Assembly 1610, was by his brethren adjured, that, as he shouldanswer to Jesus Christ, he should consent to no alteration in thegovernment of the church: yet, having received 50 merks from Dumbar, (asmall equivalent to the cause of Christ) he voted for prelacy. Afterwhich, he was convicted of taking silver out of the poor's box withfalse keys, and then fell into a fearful distemper, insomuch that, fromsome words of the chancellor apprehending he should be hanged, he runout of the pulpit one day when going to preach, in a fit of distraction, confessing he had sold Christ at that assembly. He was also seized withsickness. Mr. Row made him a visit, and found him in a lamentablecondition. He asked, if he was persuaded that God had called him to theministry. He answered, "Nay, I ever sought the world, and so is seen onme. " He next asked, what he got at the assembly for selling theliberties of the church? He answered, 50 merks, at which his horrorrecurred, apprehending that he was instantly to be executed. Mr. Rowdesired him to pray; he said he could not. Mr. Row prayed, in time ofwhich the buttons burst off his breast, and the blood gushed terriblyboth from mouth and nose. After prayer, he asked, if he was prepared fordeath? He answered, no, woes me. Next day he made him another visit, andfound him senseless and stupid, and so left him. After which he died ingreat infamy, poverty and misery. Nor was Mr. Paton, another of the samestamp, much better. --This and more was declared anent them by Mr. Rowbefore the assembly at Glasgow, 1638. --_Stevenson_. MR. WILLIAM COOPER, sometime minister at Perth, witnessed no small zealagainst prelacy, both doctrinally and from the press, and yet throughcovetousness and court preferment, he was made bishop of Galloway: afterwhich none was more forward for the corruption of the times. --He lefthis diocese, says the historian, and took up his residence in theCannongate of Edinburgh, and committed his ministerial affairs toothers, by whom was extorted the enormous sum of 100, 000l. In his visitsonce in two years he behaved most impiously, thrust in ignorant personsto cures, and admitted his servant unto the ministry at his bed-side, desired the presbytery of Kirkudbright to dispense with one who kept awoman with him in fornication, and above all, was a fervent presser ofthe king's injunctions for keeping Christmass, &c. And sent up hisadvice 1619, for punishing those who did not comply. Some time beforehis death, he took a hypochondriack distemper, apprehending his head wasall glass, which much affrighted him. --Some brought his formerdiscourses to him to reconcile, which disquieted him more. Being at hispastime at Leith, he apprehended he saw armed men coming upon him; thecompany shewing him the contrary, he fell a-trembling, went home andtook bed; and being in great anguish and trouble of spirit, he wouldoften point with his finger to the earth, and cry, "A fallen star, afallen star. " And so he ended his life in great horror and anguish ofmind. [273] On his court-advancement Mr. Simson of Stirling made thefollowing line, _Aureus, heu! fragilem confregit malleus urnam. _ MR. PATRICK GALLOWAY was another of this fraternity; for when ministerof Perth, he was not only a strenuous opposer of prelacy in the church;but also for his faithful and free rebukes to Arran and Lenox, whocarried on the court affairs then, he was persecuted and obliged toabscond some time, about 1584. But afterwards being carried down withthe current of the times, he was transported to Edinburgh, where hebecame a mighty stickler for prelacy, especially, the five articles ofPerth; insomuch that by the year 1620, he pressed kneeling at thesacrament with much impudence and indecency; and though he would notpreach on Sabbath, yet he behoved to preach on Christmass. --At hisChristmass sacrament 1621, he commanded the communicants to kneel, andhe himself bowed with the one knee and sat with the other. Thus hecontinued to the dotage of old age, and at last died upon the stool, easing himself; and (as worthy Mr. Welch had before foretold) withoutthe least sense or signs of true repentance. ---- HAMILTON, Marquis of Hamilton, for his many good services to kingJames against the Presbyterian interest, was by him appointedcommissioner to the parliament 1621, on design to have the five articlesof Perth (_viz. _ 1. Kneeling at the communion; 2. Private communion; 3. Private baptism; 4. Observation of holy days; 5. Confirmation ofchildren) ratified: all the faithful ministers being by him discharged, the city and the parliament guarded, that no protestations might be gotoffered. Through threats and flattery he got that dismal affaireffected; but not without a notable mark of divine displeasure: for, inthat moment he arose to touch the act with the sceptre, a terrible flashof fire came in at the window, followed with three fearful claps ofthunder, upon which the heavens became dark, and hailstones and aterrible tempest ensued; which astonished every beholder, and made theday afterward be called the black Saturday; because it began in themorning with fire from earth, and ended in the evening with fire fromheaven. --And on the Monday, when the act was read at the cross ofEdinburgh, the fire and thunder again recurred. --However, the Marquishaving got the king's design partly accomplished returned to court, andnot long after, for such services, it is said, he was poisoned by theking's principal minion the Duke of Buckingham. --_Calderwood_, &c. JAMES STUART, son to Mary Stuart queen of Scotland, was in his youtheducated by the famous Buchanan, and brought up in the true reformedProtestant Presbyterian religion, then established in Scotland, whichwas by him more than once ratified when he was in his swaddling cloaths, as one well observes, Christ reigned in Scotland in his minority. Thechurch had its various turns according to the dispositions of theregents, the king's favourite flatterers and court-parasites; butwhenever he began to think of obtaining the crown of England, he beganto introduce Episcopacy into the church of Scotland to gain the Englishnation. And though he was a habitual gross swearer, and such a master ofdissimulation, that what he exalted at one time he set himself todestroy at another, he carried still a face of religion in professionwhile in Scotland. The church had many struggles, sometimes Israel, andsometimes Amalek prevailed; but as soon as he ascended the throne ofEngland, he wholly assumed an arbitrary power and absolute supremacyover the church, which before he had long grasped at. And though he hadsworn to maintain the Presbyterian form of church-government anddiscipline, &c. His desire of unlimited authority made him now relishEpiscopacy to the highest degree: the bishops were his creatures. Bybribery, falsehood and persecution he introduced prelacy into Scotland, created such bishops whom he knew would stick at nothing to serve hispurpose. Such as opposed his measures in both kingdoms, especiallyScotland, shared deep in his persecuting vengeance, some wereimprisoned, others deprived of their offices, while numbers fled toforeign countries where they might serve God with a safe conscience. Toward the end of his reign he waxed still worse:--a high commissioncourt was by him erected 1610: a set of wicked profane bishops installedabout 1618, by the help of whom and other corrupt clergy, he got thefive articles of Perth agreed to by a patched assembly that year--in1621. He got them ratified by act of parliament, and then they began tobe pressed with rigour. In England matters were but little better: adeclaration was emitted for using sports and gaming on the Lord's dayafter sermon, which profanations continue there to this day. He hadbefore wrote against the pope, threatening a malediction upon any of hisposterity that should apostatize to popery; but now he hastened towardRome; for, upon the match of his son with France, he agreed to thefollowing articles, That all laws formerly made against popery shouldnot be executed: 2. That no new laws should be made against RomanCatholics, but they should have a free toleration in England, Scotlandand Ireland. --At the same time, to the arch-bishop of Embrun heacknowledged the pope's authority, and it is said, concluded on aconvocation for that purpose at Dover or Boloign, in order to effect amore full toleration for papists. By his management in favours ofpopery, his son-in-law the Protestant king of Bohemia lost akingdom. --In Scotland, several were incarcerate and fined fornon-conformity. He had commanded Christmass communion to be kept atEdinburgh; but, by the Lord's immediate hand in the plague, he was inthat defeated. The next year being 1624, he resolved to have it keptwith great solemnity; but before that he was cut off on March 27, bywhat they call a Quartan ague, in the 59 year of his age[274], but(rather of poison as has been supposed) with such suspiciouscircumstances, says a historian, as gave occasion of inquiry into themanner of his death, in the first two parliaments of his son; all whichcame to nothing by their sudden dissolution--_Welwood's memoirs_, _Calderwood_, _Burnet_, _Bennet's memorial of Britain's deliverances_, &c. PATRICK SCOTT, a gentleman in Fife, being a violent enemy to the causeof Christ and religion, after he had wasted his patrimony, had to takehimself to several wretched shifts at court; and amongst others setforth a recantation under the name of Mr. David Calderwood then underbanishment; in which, it was thought, he was assisted by the king. Butthis project failing, he set off for Holland in quest of Mr. David, witha design, as appeared, to have dispatched him. But providentially he wasdetained at Amsterdam till he heard that Mr. Calderwood was returnedhome. This made him follow. After which he published a pamphlet full oflies, intituled, Vox vera, but as true as Lucian's Historia. But afterall his unlawful ungodly shifts, he became so poor (and at last died somiserable) that he had nothing to bury him: so that the bishop had tocontribute as much as got him laid below ground for the good service hehad done the king and bishops. --_Calderwood. _ MR. WILLIAM FORBES (perhaps a son of the forementioned Forbes) was firstmade doctor in Aberdeen 1621 and 1622. When the people of Edinburgh hadmade choice of faithful Mr. Andrew Cant for their minister, the provostsent and brought this Forbes, as one whom he and the episcopal factionknew would please the king, and in this they succeeded to their desire;for he was not only a violent presser of Perth articles, but he alsopreached up Arminianism, and essayed to reconcile the papists and thechurch of Scotland together anent justification. And when complained ofby some of the bailies and citizens of Edinburgh, all the redress theygot was to be brought before the council and by the king's order handledseverely by fining and banishment. When Charles I. Came to Edinburgh1633, he erected a new bishoprick there, to which he nominated thisForbes for bishop as one staunch to his interest. No sooner got he thispower than he began to shew his teeth by pressing conformity both byword and writing, and for that purpose sent instructions to all thepresbyteries within his jurisdiction. The people of Edinburgh were alsothreatened by the bishop's thunder; for on the first communion findingthem not so obsequious as he would have had them, he threatened that, iflife was continued, he should either make the best of them communicatekneeling or quit his gown; and who doubts of his intention to do as hehad promised? But he soon found he had reckoned without his host; forbefore he could accomplish that, God was pleased to cut him off on the12th of April following by a fearful vomiting of blood, after he hadenjoyed this new dignity about two months. Burnet says, he diedsuspected of popery. --_Burnet's history, and Stevenson's history, vol. 1. _ MR. JOHN SPOTISWOOD was first minister at Calder; but by his underminingpractice he got himself wrought into the bishoprick of Glasgow, and alord of the session, 1609. From thence he jumped into thearch-bishoprick of St. Andrews 1615, and aspired still higher till hewas made chancellor of Scotland. He was a tool every way fit for thecourt measures, as he could be either papist or prelate, provided he gotprofit and preferment. When in France with the Duke of Lenox, he went tomass, and in Scotland he had a principal hand in all the encroachmentsupon the church and cause of Christ from 1596 to 1637. And for practicea blacker character scarcely ever filled the ministerial office. Anadulterer, a simoniack, a drunkard tippling in taverns till midnight, aprofaner of the Lord's day by playing at cards and jaunting through thecountry, a falsifier of the acts of assembly, a reproacher of thenational covenant;--for which crimes he was excommunicated by thatvenerable assembly at Glasgow 1638; after which, having lost all hisplaces of profit and grandeur, he fled to England (the asylum then ofthe scandalous Scots bishops) where he died about the year 1639, inextreme poverty and misery; according to Mr. Welch's words, He should beas a stone cast out of a sling by the hand of God, and a maledictionshould be on all his posterity;--which all came to pass; his eldest sona baron came to beg his bread; his second son, president of the session, was executed in Montrose's affair; his daughter who married lord Roslin, was soon rooted out of all estate and honours. _Their fruit shalt thoudestroy from earth, and their seed from amongst the children ofmen_[275]. --_Calderwood_, _Stevenson_, &c. JOHN LOGIE student in the university of Aberdeen, was such a malignantenemy to the work of reformation and the national covenant, that whencommissioners were sent from Edinburgh there in the year 1638, in orderto reconcile them to the covenant, while Mr. Henderson was preachingin the earl Marshal's closs for that purpose, he threw clods at themwith great scorn and mockery. But in a few days, he killed one NicolFerrie a boy, because the boy's father had beat him for stealinghis pease; and tho' he escaped justice for a time, yet he was againapprehended and executed in the year 1644. Such was the consequenceof disturbing the worship of God and mocking the ambassadors of JesusChrist. --_Stevenson_, &c. CHARLES I. Succeeded his father James VI. And exactly trod in the samesteps, and with no better success. He grasped at the prerogative; and toestablish absolute power, prelacy, superstition and Arminianism seemedhis principal aim. --In England he infringed the liberties of parliament, and by his marriage the nations became pestered with papists: inScotland he pressed Perth articles, the service book, and then, byLaud's direction, the book of canons which he and the rest of thebishops had compiled for them about 1637, contrary to hiscoronation-oath taken at Edinburgh 1633. But in these he was repulsed bythe Scots covenanters 1639 and 1640. --Again, when he was confirming alloaths, promises, subscriptions and laws for establishing the reformationin the Scots parliament 1641, in the mean time, he was encouraging hisIrish cut-throats to murder betwixt two or three hundred thousandinnocent Protestants in Ireland, the letters that he had sent for thatpurpose being produced afterward. After his return to England, mattersbecame still worse betwixt him and the English parliament; so that bothparties took the field, in which by his means a sea of innocent bloodwas spilt, the Scots assisting the parliament as bound by the SolemnLeague, that he might overturn the covenanted interest in that land. Notwithstanding all his solemn engagements, oaths and confirmations ofacts of parliament, by his direction, Montrose was sent down from courtto raise an insurrection in the Highlands; by whom the bloody Irish wereinvited over, whereby in a few years many thousands of the covenantershis best subjects were killed. --But all his bloody schemes foroverturning that covenanted interest that he had so solemnly boundhimself to defend and maintain, proving abortive, he fell at last intothe hands of Cromwel and the Independent faction, who never surceased, till they brought him to the block, Jan. 30. 1649. At his death, notwithstanding his religious pretences, (being always a devotee of thechurch of England) he was so far from repentance, that he seemed tojustify the most part of his former conduct[276]--_Civil wars of Gr. Br. _, _Bailie's let. _, _Bennet, Welwood and Guthrie's memoirs_, &c. JAMES, Duke of Hamilton, though none of the most violent prosecutors ofthe malignant interest against the reformation, yet was always one whoconformed to his master Charles 1st's measures, and was by him sent downcommissioner to the assembly 1630, which he commanded to dissolve(though they did not obey) and left it. He published the king'sdeclaration against the covenants and covenanters. And though none ofthe most rigid, yet he may be justly accounted the head of the malignantfaction in Scotland, from 1638 to 1648, since he, contrary to thesolemn league and covenant, raised a large army in Scotland and went toEngland in behalf of the king. But he was shamefully defeated byCromwel, and taken prisoner to London. After some time's confinement hewas executed. --_Bailie's Letters_, _Civil Wars_, &c. JAMES GRAHAM, Earl, afterwards Marquis, of Montrose, in the year 1638, took the covenanters side, was a prime presser of the covenants, was oneof the commissioners sent to Aberdeen 1638 for that purpose, and in1639, was sent north to suppress the malignant faction of the Huntleys. The same year he was ordered north again to quell Aboyn and the Gordons, which he routed at the bridge of Dee. He commanded two regiments of thecovenanters under general Lesly for England 1640, and led the van of thearmy for England. But shifting sides 1643, he offered to raise forcesfor the king, came from court, and set up the king's standard atDumfries. From thence he went to the north and joined M'Donald with anumber of bloody Irishes, where they plundered and wasted the country ofArgyle, marched southward and gained six battles over the covenanters, _viz. _ at Trippermoor, Aberdeen, Inverlochy, Alfoord, Aldearn andKilsyth, where many, some say, thirty thousand of the Covenanters werekilled. But at last was defeated at Philiphaugh by Lesly 1645. For thisconduct he was excommunicated by the general assembly. He went abroadand there remained till the year 1650, that when the treaty was on thevery anvil with Charles II. He received another commission from him toraise a new insurrection in the north, but was defeated by colonelsStrahan, Ker, and Halkel, and afterwards taken in the laird of Ason'sground, and brought to Endluish, where he was condemned to be hanged ona gallows thirty feet high two hours, and then quartered, and his legsand arms hung up in the public places of the kingdom, May 21st, 1650. Mr. Blair and some other ministers were sent to him to use means topersuade him to repentance for his former apostate and bloody life, butby no means could they persuade this truculent tyrant and traitor to hiscountry to repent. He excused himself, and died under the censure of thechurch, obstinate and utterly impenitent. --_Montrose, Guthrie, andBlair. _ WILLIAM MONRO, a kind of gentleman in the parish of Killern, was a haterof God and every thing religious; for while Mr. Hog was minister theresometime before the restoration, a gentleman in the parish having one ofhis family dead, intended to bury in the church; but, this beingcontrary to an act of the general assembly, Mr. Hog refused it. ButMonro, being a brisk hectoring fellow, promised to make their way goodin spite of all opposition. Accordingly, when they came to the churchdoor, Mr. Hog opposed them: whereupon Monro laid hands on him to pullhim from the door; but Mr. Hog, being able both of body and mind, wrested the keys from the assailant, telling him, that if he was torepel force by force, perhaps he would find himself no gainer: withal, telling the people, that that man had grieved the Spirit of God, andthat they should either see his speedy repentance, or then a singularjudgment upon him. He went on in his wicked courses a few months, tillin one of his drunken revels, he attacked a mean man, and threw him inthe fire. The poor man in this extremity drew out the wretch's ownsword, and thrust it through his belly; on which his bowels came out, and so he expired in a miserable condition. --_Memoirs of the life of Mr. Hog. _ JOHN, Earl of Middleton, at first lifted arms with the covenanters, andhad a share of the victory of the Gordons at the bridge of Dee. Yea, hewas so zealous in that profession, that one time having sworn thecovenants, he said to some gentlemen present, that it was thepleasantest day he ever saw, and if he should ever do any thing againstthat blessed day's work, he wished that arm (holding up his right arm)might be his death. But finding presbyterian discipline too strict for awicked vitious life, he shifted sides and became major general to dukeHamilton 1648, and came upon a handful of covenanters at a communion atMachlin muir; and, contrary his promise, killed a number of them. Hebecame a great favourite of Charles II. And laid a scheme to take himfrom the convention of estates to the north to free him of any furthercovenant engagements, for which he was excommunicated by the church; andthough the sentence was taken off upon his feigned repentance, yet itwas never by him forgot, till he got the blood of the pronouncer, Mr. Guthrie. After the restoration, he was advanced to great honour, andsent down commissioner to the parliament 1661, where he got thecovenanted work of reformation wholly overturned by the infamous actrescissory, --oath of allegiance, --act establishing episcopacy andbishops in Scotland, --the act against the covenants, &c. But this wouldnot do; he must have a glut of the blood of Argyle and Mr. Guthrie: andmore, he behoved to come west, and grace that drunken meeting at Glasgowby whom several hundred of the faithful ministers were thrust out. Fromthence he arrived at Air, where he and some more drunken prelates drankthe devil's health at the Cross in the middle of the night. It wereendless almost to sum up the cruelties by his orders exercised uponthose who would not conform to prelacy for the space of two years; in somuch that he imposed no less than the enormous sum of one millionseventeen thousand and three hundred and fifty pounds in the parliament1662 of fines. So that in the south and western parts of Scotland, meneither lost their consciences or their substance. But being complainedof at court, that he had amerced large sums into his own hands, hehastened up, but was but coldly received by the king, (who had now gothis turn done by him) Lauderdale being now his rival: He lost his officeand honour, and lived sober enough, till as an honourable kind ofbanishment, he was sent off as governor to Tanguirs on the coasts ofAfrica; but he lived but a short and contemptuous life there, till thejustice and judgment of God overtook him; for, falling down a stair, hebroke the bone of his right arm; at the next tumble the broken splinterpierced his side; after which he soon became stupid, and died in greattorment. This was the end of one of those who had brought the church ofScotland on her knees by prelacy. --_Wodrow. _ ROBERT MILNE, bailie (or according to some provost) sometime ofLinlithgow, swore the covenants with uplifted hands; but soon after therestoration, to shew his loyalty, did in a most contemptuous manner burnthe said covenants, the causes of wrath, lex rex, western remonstrance, with several other acts of church and state at the Cross, and to gracethe solemnity, French and Spanish wine was distributed most liberally, wherein the King's and Queen's healths were drunken. But this vilePageantry, similar to Balthazzers quaffing in the holy vessels, did notpass long without a note of observation, for though Milne had scrapedtogether much riches, yet, in a short time, he became an insolventbankrupt, and was forced to flee to the Abbey; after which he becamedistracted, and died in great misery at Holyrood-house. --_Wodrow. _ ---- MAXWELL of Blackston rose with Caldwall, Kersland and some othersof the Renfrew gentlemen, who intended to join Col. Wallace, and thathandful who rose 1666; but being by Dalziel prevented from joining them, was obliged to disperse; and, though Blackston was a _socius criminis_, (had it been a crime, ) yet to save his estate and neck, he went first tothe arch-bishop, then to the council, and accused and informed againstthe rest: and, though he thus purchased his liberty, he had nothingafterwards to boast of; for these gentlemen mostly got honourably offthe stage; whereas after that he never had a day to do well, (as himselfwas obliged to confess) every thing in providence went cross to him, till reduced, and then he took a resolution to go to Carolina: but inthis he was disappointed also; for he died at sea in no comfortablemanner; and was turned into the fluid ocean as a victim for fishes tofeed upon. --_Wodrow. _ DAVID M'BRYAR, an heritor in Irongray parish, was chosen a commissionerof the burgh for Middleton's parliament, in which he intended to havecharged his minister Mr. Welch with treason. After which he became acruel persecutor; nor was he less remarkable in that country for awicked and villainous practice, than for his furious rage against thegodly; but in a short time he became insolvent, and for fear of captionwas obliged to skulk privately among his tenants. In the mean time, oneGordon, a north country man of the same stamp, coming forth to agent acurate's cause in that country, and travelling through Irongray parishfound Mr. M'Bryar, in the fields very dejected and melancholy like, andconcluding him to be one of the sufferers, commanded him to go with himto Dumfries. But M'Bryar, fearing nothing but his debt, refused:whereupon Gordon drew his sword, and told him he must go. He stillrefused, till in the struggle Gordon run him through the body, and so heexpired. Gordon made it no secret, that he had killed a whig (as hecalled him) but when they saw the body, they soon knew who it was, andimmediately Gordon was taken to Dumfries himself, and hanged for killingone as honest as himself. Here remark a notable judgment of God: M'Bryarwas killed under the notion of one of those he persecuted, and then onepersecutor was the instrument to cut off another. --_Wodrow_, _Fulfillingof the Scriptures_. SIR WM. BANNANTINE, another of this wicked persecuting gang, having gota party under command, took up garrison in the castle or house ofEarlston after Pentland, where he committed such cruelties upon the poorpeople in these bounds who would not comply with prelacy as are shockingto nature to relate: In the parishes of Dalry, Carsphern and Balmagie, he fined and plundered numbers. He tortured a poor woman, because healledged, she was accessory to her husband's escape, with fire matchesbetwixt her fingers, till she almost went distracted and shortly afterdied. He also tortured James Mitchel of Sandywell the same way, thoughnothing but 16 years of age, because he would not tell things he knewnothing of. Sometimes he would cause make great fires, and lay down mento roast before them, if they would not or could not give him money, orinformation concerning those who were at Pentland. But his cruel reignwas not long-lived; for the managers not being come to that altitude ofcruelty as afterward, an enquiry was made into his conduct, and he laidunder two hundred pounds of fine; and, because Lauderdale would notremit this, it is said, he attempted to assassinate him. However, he wasobliged to leave the king's dominions, and go over to the wars in thelow countries, where, at the siege of Graves, as he was walking somewhatcarelesly, being advised to take care of himself, he said, canons killnone but fey folk. At that very nick of time, a canon ball came, andsevered his heart from his body to a considerable distance according toa wicked imprecation often used by him in his ordinary discourse, thatif such a thing were not so, he wished his heart might be driven out ofhis body. --_Wodrow. _ MR. JAMES HAMILTON, brother to lord Belhaven, but of the clerical order. Before the 1638 assembly, he had received episcopal ordination; but uponthe turn of affairs then, he became a zealous covenanter; and beingsettled minister at Cambusnethen, such was his zeal, that he not onlybound his people to these covenants, but excommunicated all from thetables, who were not true to them, using Nehemiah's form, shaking thelap of his gown, saying, _So let God shake out every man_, &c. But howhe himself kept them, the sequel will declare. For his cunning, timeserving temper made him too volatile for a presbyterian; for no soonerdid prelacy again get the ascendant after the restoration, then he gothimself into the leet of bishops, and must needs up to London to beconsecrated. The bishoprick of Galloway came to his share; and then hebegan to shew his teeth against the covenanters, and procured lettersfrom the council against several of the field preachers: and having gotSir Thomas Turner south for that purpose, he oftimes hunted him outbeyond his intention unto many outrageous oppressions, though Turner wasone like himself every way qualified for such exercises. Thus hecontinued for about 12 years, till at last he was called before thesupreme tribunal to answer for his perfidy, apostacy, treachery andcruelty by a death suitable and similar unto such a life. Thecircumstances of which for want of certain information I am not able torelate at present[277]. MR. ANDREW HONYMAN, son to a baker who dedicated more than one cake tothe muses; for all his four sons were scholars. Mr. Andrew, the eldest, was first minister at Ferry-parton, then transported to St. Andrew's, and being zealously affected to presbyterian church-government, and oneof good parts, he was employed by the presbytery to draw up a testimonyfor the same about 1661. Nay, such was his zeal, that he said, if everhe spoke or acted otherwise, he was content to be reckoned a man of aprostitute conscience; and that, if he accepted a bishoprick, he wishedhe might worry on it. But on an interview with Sharp at Balmany Whins, he first got the arch-deanry of St. Andrew's, and then the bishoprick ofOrkney; and having alway run greedily after the error of Balaam, from azealous covenanter he became a fiery bigot for prelacy, and was thefirst after the restoration that wrote in defence of that constitution(against Naphtali) for that, that hand upon the wrist received thepistol shot intended for Sharp 1668. But this did not deter him from hisformer wicked practices, till about the year 1677, he met with harshertreatment (says the historian) from a more dreadful quarter, when hedied at his house in Orkney. --_Sharp's life, Wodw. _ MR. THOMAS BELL, born in Westruther in Berwickshire, was, by Mr. JohnVetch's generosity, put to school, and being minister there, he procuredalso a bursary for him; but after his laureation, falling intodrunkenness, he went over to the English side, where shifting sides, heobtained a parsonage and became curate of Longhorsly; and was a violentpersecutor of the presbyterians, especially these who had fled fromScotland, and particularly Mr. William Vetch (brother to his formerbenefactor) then at Stanton-hall; and being one time drinking with somepapists who were stimulating him one against Mr. Vetch and his meeting, he vowed he should either ruin him or he him: in which he was as good ashis word; for having brought him to many hardships he at last got himapprehended and sent off to Edinburgh, 1679. He did not long continuethis trade; for, meeting with a gentleman, he boasted, that this nightMr. Vetch would be at Edinburgh, and to-morrow hanged. But in three dayshe himself, being abroad and drinking at a certain place till teno'clock at night, must needs set home. The curate of the place urged himto stay the night being stormy and the water big, but he would not: sosetting off and losing his way, and coming to the river Pont, where, aswas supposed, he alighted to find the way by reason of the snow; andstepping over the brink of the river to the arm-pit, where the old icebare him up, and the new ice by reason of some days thaw, froze him in;so that, after two days, he was found standing in this posture with theupper part of his body dry. Some went to help him out, but few could begot to give his corpse a convoy: So that they were obliged to lay himacross a horse's back with a rope about his neck and through below thebeasts belly fastened to his heels; and so he was carried off by a deathsuitable enough to such a wicked malevolent life. --_Vetch's life atlarge_. MR. JAMES SHARP was son to William Sharp and grand son to the piper of---- so much famed for his skill in playing a spring called Coffee. However, the wind of the bag procured James a handsome education, afterwhich he obtained a regent's post in the university of St. Andrew's. Torelate every thing in the black and dismal story of his life would filla volume. I shall only point at the principal lineaments thereof. Whileregent, he furiously beat one of his colleagues honest Mr. Sinclair onthe Lord's day at the college table. He took up his lodging in a publicinn, and there got the hostler one Isabel Lindsay with child. When shecame to be delivered, he prevailed with her, upon promise of marriage, to consent to murder the infant, which he himself effected with hishandkerchief, and then buried it below the hearth stone. When the woman, after he was bishop, stood up once and again before the people, andconfronted him with this, he ordered her tongue to be pulled out withpincers, and when not obeyed, caused her to be put in the branks andafterwards banished with her husband over the water. For this and thestriking of Mr. Sinclair he pretended a great deal of repentance andexercise of conscience, and being one eloquent of tongue, he soondeceived the ministry, and was by them advanced to be minister at Crailand then to make sure, he took the covenants a second time. In Cromwel'stime, he took the tender, and became a thorough paced Cromwelian. Whenthe time of his advancement approached at the restoration, being one ofa zealous profession, his brethren sent him (as one whom they couldconfide in) over to Charles II. At Breda, that they might have thePresbyterian form of church-government continued. In the mean time, hein their name supplicated him to have episcopacy restored, because hesaw it would please the malignant faction. After the king's arrival, hewas again employed in the same errand, and, while at London underminingthat noble constitution, he made his brethren believe all the while byletters, how much he had done for their cause, till he got it whollyoverturned; and then, like another Judas, he returned, and for hisreward obtained the arch bishoprick of St. Andrew's, and according tosome 50, 000 merks a year, and counsellor and primate of Scotland. Nosooner was the wicked Haman advanced, than he began to persecute andharrass all who would not comply with his measures. He perjured himselfin Mr Mitchel's case, had an active hand in all the bloodshed onscaffolds and fields from 1660 till his death, and kept up the king'sorders of indemnity till the last ten of the Pentland men were executed. Nor was he any better in his domestick character, for sometimes hewould, when at table, whisper in his wife's ears, the devil take her, when things were not ordered to his contentment. In a word, theambition of Diotrephes, the covetousness of Demas, the treachery ofJudas, the apostacy of Julian, and the cruelty of Nero, did allconcenter in him. But to come to his death, having hunted out oneCarmichael to harrass the shire of Fife, a few Fife gentlemen went outin quest of the said Carmichael, upon the 3d of May 1679--But missinghim, they providentially met the bishop his master, which they took as akind of providential call to dispatch him there. And having stopt hiscoach, commanded him to come out and prepare for death. But this herefused. This made them pour in a number of shot upon him, after which, being about to depart, one behind heard his daughter who was in coach, say, There is life yet. This made them all return. The commander (Burly)finding him yet safe, and understanding shooting was not to do his turn, commanded him to come out, and told him the reason of their conduct, namely, his opposition to the kingdom of Christ, murdering of hispeople, particularly Mr. James Mitchel, and James Learmond. The bishopstill lingered, and cried for mercy, and offered them money. He said, _Thy money perish with thee_. He again commanded him to come out andprepare for death and eternity. At last he came out; but by no meanscould they prevail with him to pray. Upon which they all drew theirswords, and then his courage failed him. The commander struck him, whichwas redoubled by the rest, until he was killed. And so he received thejust demerit of his sorceries, villanies, murders, perfidy, perjury andapostacy. _Then Phinehas rose and executed justice_. --_Vid. His life, Wodrow_. JOHN, Earl (afterwards Duke) of Rothes, was son to that famous reformerthe Earl of Rothes. He at first set out that way. But, after theRestoration, being one of a profane wicked life, he exactly answered thetaste of king and court. So he was made president of the council, and onMiddleton's fall, commissioner, with many other places of power andtrust heaped upon him, all which titles, &c. Died with him. AfterPentland, with others, he made a tour through the west, and causedtwelve more of the Pentland men to be executed at Irvine and Air. --Heperjured himself in Mr. Mitchel's case, and was the contriver of thatbarbarous unheard-of cruelty exercised on worthy Hackston of Rathillet. Nay, such was his zeal in serving his master Charles (or ratherDiabolus) that he professed his willingness to set up popery in Scotlandat the king's command, for which, with his other flagitious wickedness, such as uncleanness, adulteries, ordinary cursing, swearing, drunkenness, &c. He was one of those excommunicated by Mr. Cargil atTorwood, Sep. 1680. Thus he continued to wallow in all manner offilthiness, till July next year, that death did arrest him, Mr. Cargilbeing then in custody, he threatened him with a violent death; to whomMr. Cargil answered, that die what death he would, he should not see it:which came to pass; for that morning (Mr. Cargil was to be executed inthe afternoon) Rothes was seized with sickness and a dreadful horror ofconscience; some of his wife's ministers were sent for, who dealtsomewhat freely with him: to whom he said, "We all thought little ofthat man's sentence, (meaning Mr. Cargil) but I find that sentencebinding on me now, and will bind me to eternity. " And so roaringout, till he made the bed shake under him, he died in thatcondition, --_Wodrow, Walker's life of Mr. Cargil_, &c. HUGH PINANEVE, factor to the lady Loudon while the earl was a refugee inHolland, was a most wicked wretch both in principle and practice, and aninveterate enemy to the sufferers, in so much, that being at a market atMauchlin some time after Mr. Cameron's death, when drinking in a roomwith one Robert Brown, before they took horse, he brake out in raileryagainst Mr. Cameron and the sufferers: Mr. Peden, overhearing him in thenext room, came to the chamber door and said, Sir, hold your peace, eretwelve o'clock, you shall know what for a man Mr. Cameron was: God shallpunish that blasphemous mouth and tongue of yours in a most remarkablemanner for a warning to all such railing Rabshakehs. Brown, knowing Mr. Peden, hastened the factor home and went to his own house, and Hugh tothe earl's house. But when casting off his boots, he was suddenly seizedwith great pains through his whole body. Brown, using to let blood, wasimmediately sent for. --But when he came, he found him lying, and hismouth gaping wide, and his tongue hanging out: he let a little blood, but to no effect; he died before midnight in this fearfulcondition. --_Peden's life_, &c. JOHN NISBET, factor to the arch-bishop of Glasgow, was a drunkard, ahater of all religion and piety, and such a professed malignant wretch, that when Mr. Cargil was brought in prisoner to Glasgow, July 1681, looking over a stair to him in way of ridicule, cried three times over, Will you give us one word more, (alluding to a word Mr. Cargilsometimes used in his pathetic way of preaching). To whom Mr. Cargilwith much regret and concern, said, --"Mock not, lest your bands be madestrong. Poor man, the day is coming ere you die, that you shall desireto have one word and shall not have it. " Shortly, he was suddenly struckby God, and his tongue three days successively swelled in his mouth, sothat he could not speak one word. Two Glasgow men made him a visit, anddesired him to commit to writing the reason of this, and if he desiredto speak; to whom he wrote, "That it was the just judgment of God, andthe saying of the minister verified on him for his mocking of him; andif he had the whole world, he would give it for the use of his tongueagain. " But that he never got, but died in great torment and seeminghorror. --_Wodrow, Walker_, &c. J---- ELLIES, was one employed by the bloody managers about Bothwelaffair, and being a lawyer, he behoved to shew his parts in pleadingagainst the servants of Jesus Christ, namely, in the trial of Messrs. Kid and King: and though he got their lives pleaded away, and hisconscience kept quiet for a little, yet shortly death did arrest him;and then his conscience awakened; and under the horror of that, he diedin a very pitiful and shocking manner. --_History of the sufferings_, &c. JOHN, Earl (afterwards Duke) of Lauderdale, at first set up for a primecovenanter, and swore them more than once; and, if I mistake not, wasthe same called lord Maitland ruling elder from Scotland to theWestminster assembly, and had a principal hand in the whole managementduring the second reformation period; but, falling in with Charles II. He soon debauched him. After the restoration, he became a furiousmalignant, and being one whose nature and qualifications did exactlycorrespond with the king's, he complied in every thing that pleased him, for which he heaped upon him titles, places of power, profit andpreferment, all which died with himself. He was made secretary of state, president of the council, and commissioner to the parliament 1669, wherehe got that hell-hatched act of supremacy passed, which has plagued thischurch and nation ever since; at the instigation of Dr. Burnet, he setthe indulgence on foot 1670; got the act against conventicles made, which occasioned so many hardships and bloodsheds in this land; nay, such was his fury, that when they would not comply, he uncovered his armto the elbow in council, and swore by Jehovah he would make the best ofthem submit. In a word, he was the prime instrument of all the crueltiesexercised for a number of years, while he obtained the king's ear. Norwas this all; for he became notorious for a wicked profligate life andconversation; a thing common with apostates:--a Sabbath-breaker, gamingon the Lord's day, a profane swearer and blasphemer, a jester onscripture and things religious, one time saying to prelate Sharp, _Sitthou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool_. Heperjured himself in Mr. Mitchel's case, promising in council he shouldbe indemnified to life and limb, and then swearing before the judiciary, that there was no such promise or act made. For these, with his othersins of adultery, counselling the king, and assisting him in all histyrannies in overturning the work of reformation, and murdering thosewho adhered to these covenants that he himself had engaged in, he wasalso one of those excommunicated at Torwood, 1680. Towards the end ofhis life, he became such a remarkable Epicurean, that it is incrediblethe flesh, or juice of flesh, it is said, he devoured in one day, eatingand drinking being now his only exercise and delight. His scheme ofmanagement had rendered him odious to the English patriots. Now hiseffeminate life made him unfit for business: so, about 1681, he wasobliged to resign his offices; after which, by old age and vast bulk ofbody, his spirits became quite sunk, till his heart was not the bignessof a walnut: and so at last upon the chamber box, (like another Arius)he evacuated soul, vital life, and excrements all at once; and so wentto his own place. --_Burnet and Wodrow's histories, and Walker'sremarks_. J---- WYLIE, though of no great note, yet for a wicked life and practicewas a tool fit enough for the dreary drudgery of persecution: in whichhe got a party of soldiers to assist him as often as he would. In thisdevilish employment, amongst other instances, he got a party ofBlackaras' troop, 1683, and came upon John Archer, while his childrenwere sick, and himself ill of the gravel; yet he must needs have themother of the children too, though she could not leave them in thatcondition. While he insisted, one of the dragoons said, The devil dingyour back in twa: have ye a coach and six for her and the children?Wylie, with cursing, answered, She shall go, if she should be trailed ina sledge; which was his common bye-word when hauling poor people toprison. However, he got Archer and five small children to Kirkaldytolbooth. But what then? In a little after, having taken a gentlemanprisoner, he went with him to a public house near Clunie in the parishof Kinglassie to see some public matters accommodated; but not agreeing, Wylie made a great splutter, and amongst other imprecations said, Thedevil take me, if I carry him not to Couper tolbooth this night. Thegentleman's man, a young hardy fellow, told him roundly, his mastershould not go there. Upon which, Wylie gave him a blow: the fellow ranto a smith's shop, and getting a goad of iron, made at Wylie. A scuffleensued, in which he broke Wylie's back in two; which obliged them to gettwo sledges and tie him across on them, and so carry him home; and in ashort time he died in great agony. _The Lord shall break the arm of thewicked_--_Wodrow_. MR. FRANCIS GORDON, a volunteer in the Earl of Airly's troop, butchiefly so from a principle of wickedness. He had committed severaloutrages upon the suffering people of God, and intended more (asappeared from several of their names in his pocket to be taken at hisdeath) had not God cut his days short; for he and another wickedcompanion left their troop at Lanerk, and came with two servants andfour horses to Kilkcagow, searching for sufferers. Gordon ramblingthrough the town, offering to abuse some women, at night coming toEast-seat, Gordon's comrade went to bed, but he would sleep none, roaring all night for women. In the morning, he left the rest, and withhis sword in his hand came to Moss-plate. Some men who had been in thefields all night, fled; upon which he pursued. In the mean time, seeingthree men, who had been at a meeting in the night, flee, he pursued andovertook them: one of them asked, why he pursued them? He said, to sendthem to hell. Another said, That shall not be; we will defend ourselves. Gordon said, Either you or I shall go to it just now: and so, with greatfury, run his sword at one of them, which missed his body, but wentthrough his coat. The said person fired at him, but missed him;whereupon he roared out, God damn his soul; another fired a pocketpistol, which took his head; and so he fell down dead. Thus hisassiduity brought him to his end, near four miles from the troop, andone from his companion. --_Walker_. THOMAS KENNOWAY, an officer of the guards and another booted apostle forthe propagation of Episcopacy, was with Dalziel at Pentland and at theapprehending of Mr. M'Kail at Braid's craigs, and the apprehending ofMr. King after Bothwel. He attacked a meeting at Bathgate, shot onedead, and took fourteen prisoners, who were afterwards banished 1681. Hecame with a party to Livingston parish, where he rifled houses, brokeopen chests, abused women with child, took an old man and his son, andoffered to hang them on the two ends of a tow. He spent the Lord's dayin drinking, saying, he would make the prisoners pay it. He was aprofane adulterer, a drinker, a fearful blasphemer, curser and swearer. He would sometimes say, Hell would be a good winter but a badsummer-quarters. One asked him, if he was never afraid of hell? He sworehe was never afraid of that, but he was sometimes afraid the rebels (sohe called the sufferers) should shoot him dead at a dykeside. In themidst of this career, he comes out of Edinburgh, Nov. 1683, with a rollof 150 persons, probably of his own up-giving to be apprehended. Healights at Livingston, where he meets one Stuart. When drinking, heshewed him his commission, and told him, he hoped in a few days to be asgood a laird as many in that country: but regretted he was now so old, and would not get it long enjoyed. They came to Swine's-abbey, wherethey continued some days drinking, laying their projects. But on the20th of November being somewhat alarmed, they run to the door of thehouse, thinking none would be so bold as attack them, but were instantlyboth shot dead on the spot. [278] And thus their wicked lives were ended, and their malevolent designs left unaccomplished. --_Wodrow_. JAMES IRVIN of Bonshaw, at first a trader in Irish horses, then ahigh-way man, but one who loved the wages of unrighteousness:--forhaving got notice of Mr. Cargil, Mr. Smith, &c. He went to thecouncil, and got a commission and a party, and surprized them atCoventorn mill. This made him cry out, "O blessed Bonshaw! and blessedday that ever I was born! that has found such a prize!" meaning the 5000merks set on Mr. Cargil's head. At Lanerk, when tying Mr. Cargil's feethard below the horse's belly, Mr. Cargil said, "Why do you tie me sohard? Your wickedness is great: you will not long escape the justjudgment of God; and if I be not mistaken, it will seize you near thisplace. " Nor was this all; having apprehended George Jackson 1683, in theLord's night, he offered to set him on a horse's bare back, and tie hishead and feet together, and offered him the king's health, which herefused. On the morrow, when setting him on the horse, he caused hold atrumpet to his ear and bade sound him to hell: at which the martyrsmiled. In the same year having apprehended twelve prisoners, he carriedthem to Hamilton, then to Lanerk, where they were augmented to thirty. They were cast at night into a dungeon without fire or candle: nextmorning, he tied them two by two on a horse's bare back, and their legstwisted below the horses bellies to the effusion of their blood, and sodrove them to Edinburgh at the gallop, not suffering so much as one ofthe poor prisoners to alight to ease nature. But being now arrived atthe very summit of his wicked cruelty, he returned to Lanerk, and at thevery place where he had bound Mr. Cargil, one of his drunken companionsand he falling at odds, while he was easing himself on a dunghill, hiscomrade coming out with a sword, ran him through the body till the bloodand dirt, with Eglon's, came out. His last words were, "God damn my souleternally, for I am gone. " _Mischief shall hunt the violent man, till hebe ruined. _--_Wodrow, Walker's remarks_. CHARLES II. Succeeded his father Charles I. He was from his infancy sucha dissembler, that he could metamorphose himself unto any professionthat was most for his carnal ends and political interest. In his exile, he confined himself to popery. When he came to treat with the Scots fora crown, he became a Protestant and a Presbyterian too. So that he tookthe covenants twice in one year at Spey and Scoon, and emitted adeclaration at Dunfermline of his own sins and his father's wickedness. Upon his being again expelled these dominions, he turned papist again, and came under obligations to promote that interest, if ever he shouldbe restored again. No sooner was he restored, than he restoredepiscopacy in England, and by the help of a set of poor time-servingwretches got the work of reformation overturned in Scotland, and thenepiscopacy, prelacy, and arbitrary power began to shake its bloody dart. The persecuting work began; Presbyterian ministers were driven fromtheir charges, and killed or banished. He got himself advanced head ofthe church, and then commanded these covenants he had more than oncesworn, to be burnt by the hand of the hangman, and then the laws againstcovenanters were written in blood and executed by dragoons. It werealmost endless to relate all the cruelties exercised upon the poorwanderers during his reign, before, at, and after Pentland, by theHighland host. --At and after Bothwel, boots, thumbkins and cutting offof ears came in fashion. Some put to death on scaffolds; some in thefields, and some made a sacrifice to the manes of Sharp; some drowned onship-board, some women hanged and drowned in the sea mark, some keptwaking for nine nights together; some had their breasts ript up, andtheir hearts plucked out, and cast into the fire, others not suffered tospeak to the people in their own vindication for the beating of drums, &c. Nor were things in England much better: two thousand ministerswere thrust out by the Bartholomew act, and laid under a train of cruelhardships, even such as were a shame to any Protestant nation. Many ofthe English patriots were murdered; Essex, Russel and Sidney came to therazor and the block. And for his practice, he was now drunken in allmanner of uncleanness and filthiness. For all the numbers of strumpetsand harlots he had, his own sister the duchess of Orleans could not beexempted. But drawing near his end, the popish faction of York hisbrother grew stronger, on suspicion that he intended to curb them. Tocut the matter short, he was seized with an apoplectic fit, or ratherhad got a dose of poison: he formerly professed to caress the church ofEngland, now in views of death father Huddleston was brought toadminister the popish sacraments of the host and extreme unction, absolution and the eucharist. The host sticking in his throat, water wasbrought instead of wine to wash it down. Afterward bishop Ken came andpronounced another absolution upon him; and here observe, that he whowas justly excommunicated by a lawful minister of the church of Scotlandfor his gross perjury, contempt of God and religion, lechery, treachery, covenant breaking, bloodshed, &c. Was now absolved, first by a popishpriest, and then a prelate of the church of England, and all without anythe least signs of repentance, else he would never in his last wordshave recommended the care of two of his harlots (one of whom being inbed beyond him, his queen being elsewhere) to the care of his brother. And so, having drunk his death in a popish potion, he died unlamented. For his character, in all respects in nature, feature and manners, heresembled the tyrant Tiberius; and for all the numerous brood ofbastards begot on other men's wives, he died a childless poltroon, having no legitimate heir to succeed him of his own body, according tothe divine malediction, _Write this man childless: for no man of hisseed shall prosper, sitting on the throne of David, and ruling any morein Judah. _ THOMAS DALZIEL of Binns, a man natively fierce and rude, but more sofrom his being brought up in the Muscovy service, where he had seenlittle else than tyranny and slavery: Nay, it is said, that he had thereso learned the arts of divilish sophistry, that he sometimes beguiledthe devil, or rather his master suffered himself to be outwitted byhim[279]. However he behoved to return and have a share of thepersecuting work; and after murdering a number of the Lord's witnessesat Pentland, he came west to Kilmarnock, where he committed many unheardof cruelties; instance, his putting a woman in the thieves hole there, in the Dean amongst toads and other venomous creatures, where hershrieks were heard at a distance, but none durst help her, and allbecause a man pursued ran through her house: and also his shooting oneFindlay at a post without the least crime or shadow of law; with themany cruelties exercised upon the country after Bothwel; for these andhis uncleanness and contempt of marriage from his youth, drunkenness, atheistical and irreligious conversation, he was another of theseexcommunicated at Torwood. After which he waited sometime on the councilat Edinburgh to assist them in the persecuting work there, till the year1685, that one William Hannah was brought before the council, and, whenpleading, he was too old to banish, Dalziel told him roughly, he was nottoo old to hang: he would hang well enough. This was among the last ofhis public maneuvres: For that same day August 22d, when at his belovedexercise, drinking wine, while the cup was at his head, he fell down(being in perfect health) and expired. --_Wodrow, Hind let loose, Naphtali_, &c. GEORGE CHARTERS, sometime a kind of factor to the duke of Queensberry, in imitation of his master was such an assiduous persecutor, "That hecould boast that he had made 26 journeys in a year in pursuit of thewhigs. " And, if the same with Bailiff Charters who was on the scaffoldwith John Nisbet of Hardhill, and though the martyr spoke most meeklythere, yet this Charters was rude to him. But that night he had a childoverlaid in the bed, and in two days fell into great horror ofconscience, crying out, Oh, for the life of John Nisbet. His friendsthought to have kept it secret, and diverted him; but he became worseand worse, still crying out, Oh, for the life of John Nisbet, until hefell into a most terrible distraction. So that he sat night and daywringing about his nose and roaring ever, John Nisbet, to the terror ofall around him[280]. --_Appendix to the Cloud of Witnesses, and LadyEarlstoun's Letter from Blackness in manuscript_. MR. ---- EVANS, a man of no great note, but abundantly qualified to makemerchandize of the people of God; for being master or commander of aship wherein 190 of Christ's prisoners were put to be banished 1685, tothe West-Indies, during their voyage of three months space, he made themendure the most excruciating hardships. They were crammed in so closenight and day, that they could have no air, and so tormented with hungerand thirst, that they were obliged to drink their own urine: Whereby 32of them died. After their arrival in Jamaica, they were imprisoned andsold for slaves. But Evans fell sick, and his body rotted awaypiece-meal while alive, so that none could come near him for stink. Thiswrought horror of conscience in him; whereupon he called for some of theprisoners, and begged forgiveness, and desired them to pray for him, which they did; so he died. Howard's case who got the price was stillless hopeful; for he fell down betwixt two ships, and perished in theThames. Nor were the ship's crew who assisted them much better; for 40of them took a pestilent fever, and turned mad and leapt over board andperished. --_Wodrow_. SIR ROBERT LAURIE of Maxwelton, was another enemy to the poor people ofGod. When Cornet Baillie had met with W. Smith in Glencairn parish, 1684, his Father being one of Sir Robert's tenants, went to beg favourfor his son. But Sir Robert presently sentenced him to present death. Bailie refused to execute it, because illegal. But the cruel monsterthreatened him to do it without delay; and being shot, Maxwelton refusedhim burial in the church-yard: The same day being the day of hisdaughter's marriage, his steward declared, that a cup of wine that daybeing put into his master's hand, turned into congealed blood. However, in a short time, he fell from his horse, and was killed dead--_Wodrow_, _Appendix to the Cloud_, &c. ---- WHITEFORD, son to Whiteford, pretended bishop of Brichen, (who wasexcommunicated by the Assembly 1638) went first to England; thence toHolland, where he killed Dorislaus, and being turned papist, to be outof Cromwel's reach, he went over to the duke of Savoy's service, and wasthere when the terrible massacre was committed upon the poor Vandois(probably about 1655) where he committed many barbarous murders uponthem with his own hands. He returned home, and it appears, he was made acaptain of the guard, and had a share in the persecuting work. However, he had a small pension given him for such service. But he sickenedbefore York's parliament sat down, 1686, and being haunted with anintolerable horror of conscience of the execrable murders he hadcommitted, called for some ministers, and told them his abhorrence ofpopery: "For (said he) I went to priests of all sorts; they alljustified me in what I had done, and gave me absolution. But now I ampersuaded by an awakened conscience. " And so he died as one in despair, roaring out against that bloody religion that had undone him. --_Burnet'shistory_, &c. PHILIP STANDFIELD, son to Sir James Standfield of New-milns, was amocker of God and all things religious. While student at the universityof St. Andrew's, he came to a meeting where Mr. John Welch was preachingin Kinkell Closs: in the time of the sermon, out of malice and mockery, he cast somewhat that hit the minister, who stopped and said, He knewnot who it was, that had put that public affront upon a servant ofChrist; but be who it would, he was persuaded that there would be morepresent at the death of him who did it, than were hearing him that day;and the multitude was not small. However, this profligate went home andcontinued his wicked courses, till the year 1688, that he murdered hisown father; for which he was taken to Edinburgh, and executed. In timeof his imprisonment, he told some, he was confident that God was nowabout to accomplish what he had been before by his servant forewarnedof. --_Wodrow_. JOHN ALLISON, sometime chamberlain to the duke of Queensberry, to pleasehis master, became a most violent persecutor of God's people. It wereneedless to condescend upon particular instances: the way and manner ofhis death plainly shews what his conduct had been, and from whatprinciple he had acted: for being seized with a terrible distemperwherein he had the foretaste of hell both in body and soul; in body hewas so inflamed, that it is said, he was put in a large pipe of water, and the water to shift successively as it warmed. But the horrors of hisawakened conscience they could by no means cool, but still he cried outin despair, that he had damned his soul for the duke his master, till hedied. --_M. S. And Appendix to the Cloud_, &c. GEORGE LORD JEFFERIES, an Englishman, was born in Wales about 1648. Hefirst studied the law, then he became serjeant of the city of London; henext stepped to the recordership of the city; from thence he becamechief justice of the city of Chester; and in 1683, was made lord chiefjustice of the king's bench. In this, as in all his other offices, hebehaved most indecently; for besides his being scandalously vitious, hewas almost every day drunk, besides a drunkenness of fury in his temperby which he brought the lord Russel, and the famous Alg. Sidney untotheir ends. He also handled Mr. Baxter and others severely. But the mosttragical story of his life fell out 1685. After Monmouth was defeatedand himself and many of his little army taken, Jefferies was sent by hismaster king James to the West as ordinary executioner to try theprisoners; and here his behaviour was beyond any thing ever heard of, Ibelieve, in a Christian nation. He was perpetually after drink or inrage, liker a fury than a judge: where no proof could be had, hecommanded the pannels to plead guilty, if they desired mercy; and then, if they confest any thing, they were immediately hung up. In a few townsin the west of England, he pronounced sentence of death on some 500 or600 persons, 292 of them received this sentence in an hours space; andof these 600 250 were executed; others had the benefit of his avarice;for pardons were by him sold from 10 pound to 14000 guineas. Hesentenced the lady Lesly for harbouring a stranger one night. Miss Gauntwas burnt. A poor man was hanged for selling three-pence worth of hayto Monmouth's horse. Some were hanged at the stanchions of windows, others had their bowels burnt and their bodies boiled in pitch, and hunground the town. Bloody Kirk put in for part of the honour. At Taunton hehanged nine without suffering them to take leave of their wives andchildren. At some places they cast off so many with a health to theKing, and a number more with a health to the Queen, drinking it at everyturn, and perceiving the shaking of their legs in the agonies of death, they said, they were dancing, and called for music, and to every onecast over a spring was played on pipes, hautboys, drums and trumpets, with a huzza and a glass of wine. Jefferies sentenced one Tutchin forchanging his name to seven years imprisonment, and whipping through allthe market towns in the shire, which was once a fortnight during thattime; which made Mr. Tutchin petition the king for death. Many othercruelties were then committed, but the foregoing swatch may suffice. Jefferies returned to London, where his master James, for his goodservices, made him lord chancellor. Being now above the reach or envy ofthe people, he set himself to assist his master in bringing in popery;but their mad hasty zeal spoiled the project, and so his master havingto flee his dominions, Jefferies, disguised in a seaman's dress in acollier, essayed to escape after and in imitation of his master, but wastaken and severely drubbed by the populace, and then brought to the lordmayor. Jefferies to be freed of the people, desired to be sent to theTower; because they were waiting with clubs upon him. The mayor seeingthis, and the chancellor in such a gloomy appearance, was so struck thathe fell into fits and soon died. Jefferies, being sent to the Tower, continued with few either to pity or supply him. At last a barrel ofoysters being sent him, he thanked God he had yet some friends left: butwhen tumbled out with or without oysters, a strong cord halter fell out, which made him change countenance on the prospect of his future distiny. A distemper with the gravel seized him, contracted through his formerintemperate wicked bloody life, and the horrors of an awakenedconscience; and at last, whether nature wrought out itself, or, if hehimself helped the fatal stroke, (as is most likely) is uncertain;1689. --_Vide his life, and the Western Martyrology or Bloody Assizes_, &c. JOHN GRAHAM of Claverhouse in Angus, a branch of the house of Montrose, another champion for the prince of the kingdom of darkness. To improvethe cruelty of his nature, he was sometime in the French service. Hereturned to Scotland 1677. The vivacity of his genius soon recommendedhim to Charles and James, who bestowed upon him the command of a troopof horse: and then he began the spoiling and killing the people of God;wherein he was alway successful, except at Drumclog. One of his exploitswas at Bewly-bog, where the writer of his memoirs says, he killed 75 andtook many prisoners. After Bothwel, had Monmouth granted it, he wouldhave killed the prisoners, burnt Glasgow, Hamilton and Strathaven, andplundered the western shires. To enumerate all the cruelties, bloodshedand oppression committed by him, while he ranged up and down the countryfor ten years space, were a talk here too tedious: in which time it issaid, he killed near 100 persons in cold blood. In Galloway, he and hisparty ravished a woman before her husband's eyes, took a young boy, tiedhis two thumbs with a cord, and hung him to the balk or roof of thehouse. Another they took and twisted a small cord about his head withtheir pistols to the scull. In 1682, he pursued and shot one W. Grahamwhen escaping from his mother's house. In 1683, he shot four men on thewater of Dee, and carried two to Dumfries, and hanged them there. In1685, he caused shoot one in Carrick, and in the same year most cruellyshot John Brown at his own door in Moor-kirk, and a little after shot A. Hyslop in Annandale. These and such services procured him a higher titleof honour: he was created Viscount Dundee, and made privy counsellor. InYork's reign, his conduct was much of a piece, running up and down thecountry, making people swear they would never lift arms against kingJames. He was alway staunch to popery, and when the convention met atEdinburgh, he went off with some horse to the north, and raised theclanships for James's interest; where he shifted from place to placetill June 13, 1689, that he came to a pitched engagement with Gen. Mackay on the braes of Gillicrankie on the water of Trumble. The battlewas very bloody, and by Mackey's third fire Claverhouse fell, of whomhistorians give little account; but it has been said for certain, thathis own waiting man taking a resolution to rid this world of thistruculent bloody monster; and knowing he had proof of lead[281], shothim with a silver button he had before taken off his own coat for thatpurpose. However he fell, and with him popery and king James's interestin Scotland. _Behold thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art abloody man_--_Claverhouse's memoirs_, _History of the Sufferers_, _Defoe's memoirs_, &c. ALEX. GORDON of Kilstuers in Galloway set out amongst the sufferingremnant, joined the united societies who followed faithful Mr. Renwick, and was for some time most zealous for that cause; for which he wasapprehended, but rescued at Enterkine-path, August 1684, when going toEdinburgh; at which some of the sufferers were not a little (if not toomuch) elated. But never being right principled, as Mr. Peden perceived, when he refused to sail the sea with him from Ireland before this. Hefirst fell in with Langlands and Barclay in favour of Argyle's attempt, 1685, and from that time he became a most violent traducer andreproacher of Mr. Renwick and the faithful party both by tongue and pento render them odious: then he fell into a kind of profligate life, (asMr. Renwick often said, that these who fell from strictness in principlewould not long retain strictness of practice) at last being atEdinburgh, he got drunk, and then must needs fight, as is usual withsuch miscreants; and, having in the squabble lost much blood, his headbecame light, so that when going up stairs, he lost his feet and fallingdown brained himself, and so expired. --_Faithful Contendings_, _WalkersRemarks_. SIR GEORGE M'KENZIE of Rosehaugh, was another notorious apostate; forafter he had made no small profession of presbyterian principles andholiness of life, he after the restoration, not only apostatized fromthat profession, but fell into a most wicked and flagitious life andconversation; which were qualifications good enough then to gain him thepost of an advocate. Sometime after Pentland, he pleaded the suffererspart; but afterwards shifted sides (being advanced to be king'sadvocate) and pleaded most strenuously against them, and even with sucha degree of fury that neither prelate nor bloody manager could evercharge him with the least thing that looked like moderation. It wereneedless to relate what hand he had in the bloody work at that time, seeing he pleaded away almost the lives of all that were executed from1677 to 1688. Nay, such was his rage at the cause of Christ and hispeople, that before they escaped his hands, he would charge them withwhat in his conscience he knew was false: and, if they would not answerquestions to his mind, he would threaten to pull out their tongues withpincers. At the same time pleaded that murderers, sorcerers, &c. Mightgo free. In one of his distracted fits, he took the Bible in his handand wickedly said, it would never be well with the land till that bookwas destroyed. These and the like procured him a place in that blacklist excommunicated at Torwood. After the persecuting work was over, hewent up to London, where he died with all the passages of his bodyrunning blood (like Charles IX. Of France author of the Paris massacre. )Physicians being brought could give no natural cause for it, but that itwas the hand of God on him for the blood he had shed in his ownland. --_Vid. _ _West's memoirs, and History of the sufferings of thechurch of Scotland_. SIR JAMES JOHNSTON of Westerraw (alias Westerhall) another of the samekidney was an egregious apostate. He was such a zealous professor, thatwhen the test was first framed, he could boast that he was an actualcovenanter, and so scorned it. But, on the first trial, he not only tookit, but furiously pressed it on others; and, having gathered the parishfor that purpose, 1683, he in one of his rages said, "The devil damn hissoul; but before to-morrow's night they should all be damned by takingit as well as he. " And for persecuting work, he exacted 11, 000l. InGalloway by oppression, digged a man's body out of the grave, plunderedthe poor widow woman's house where he died, because he was one of thesufferers, and caused Claverhouse, somewhat contrary to his mind toshoot An. Hyslop because taken on his ground. He lived till or after therevolution, that he died in great torture of body and grievous tormentand horror of conscience, insomuch that his cries were heard at a greatdistance from the house, as a warning to all apostates. --_Wodrow, Appendix to the Cloud_ &c. SIR JOHN WHITEFORD of Milton (Carluke parish) was a wicked man, and sucha persecutor, that he was said with his servants to have murderedseverals when flying from Pentland, and had a principal hand ininforming against Gavin Hamilton in Mauldslie, who was taken andexecuted with others at Edinburgh Dec. 7, 1666, and was one of the testcircuits 1683. This and other pieces of the like employment made JamesNicol a martyr say, That the world would see that house a desolation, and nettles growing in its closs:--which came to pass soon after theRevolution, when he became insolvent, his estate sequestrated, andorders obtained to apprehend him: which at last was effected although hedefended himself some time with stones from the battlement. The landschanged many masters, and for some years lay desolate; and it has beenobserved, that till of late, no man dwelt in it above the space of sevenyears. --_M. S. _ ---- DOUGLAS, laird of Stenhouse, was another of this fraternity. Heassisted Maxwelton at the murder of William Smith in Hill; and, thoughbut a man of mean estate, for this and his excessive harrassing, spoiling and fining the people of God, and because a professed papist, he was advanced to the honour of being sometime secretary to king JamesVII. (whether it was he that was advanced to be earl Milford, I knownot) but his wicked honours were short lived; his name soon becameextinct, having neither root nor branch, male nor female, for aremembrance left of him. _Their fruit shalt thou destroy from earth, andtheir seed from among the children of men_. WILLIAM, Duke of Queensbury, was a prime instrument in managing thepersecuting work in that period: he once said, they should not have timeto prepare for heaven, hell was too good a place for them to dwell in. He was, while an earl, for his zeal in suppressing the rebels (as theycalled them) made a chancellor and treasurer in 1679. --Afterwards made aDuke and appointed commissioner by James VII. To the parliament 1685, where he got an act made for taking the test, --act of regularity, --actfor taking the allegiance, --and that heaven-daring act declaring ittreason to take the covenants, --with a great number banished during theparliament. Such was his vigilance by his factors and emissaries, thatsaints blood like water was shed; and his own tenants were cruellyspoiled and harrassed; and though he fell somewhat out of king James'sfavour in the last years of his reign, yet he still retained hispersecuting spirit, even after the Revolution; for he opposed Mr. Vetch's settlement at Peebles, and for seven sessions pleaded it bothbefore the lords and the church, till he {illegible} removed, 1694--Butall this did not pass without a note of observation of divine vengeanceeven in this life; for, taking a fearful disease, it is said, that, likeanother Herod, the vermin issued in such abundance from his body, thattwo women were constantly employed in sweeping them into the fire. Thushe continued, till the fleshy parts of his substance were dissolved, andthen he expired. [282]--_M. S. History of the sufferings_, &c. JOHN MAXWEL of Milton, (commonly called Milton Maxwel) another of thepersecuting tribe, caused apprehend George M'Cartny, and was presidentof the Assize who condemned those ten of the Pentland sufferers thatsuffered at Ayr and Irvine 1666; after which he harrassed the poorpersecuted people in Galloway, particularly on the water of Orr. AfterNeilson of Corsack's execution, he came with a party upon his house andriffled it; carrying away every thing portable, he destroyed the rest, and turned out the whole family with the nurse and sucking child to theopen fields (lady Corsack being then at Edinburgh). But, with all thisill gotten gain, then and afterwards he was but ill served; for, afterthe Revolution, he was reduced to seek his betters, and amongst otherplaces came to the house of Corsack, and cringed for an alms from thesame lady Corsack before her window, which she generously gave him; butat the same time reminded him of his former wicked life, particularly, his persecuting the people of God. He went off, but with smallamendment; and some time after ended his wretched life. --_Samson'sriddle, A--d--k--n_, &c. ---- NISBET, (commonly called lieutenant Nisbet) a man of no highextraction, but born of creditable parents in the parish of Loudon;being inlisted a soldier, obtained for his good services in thepersecuting work some time after Bothwel, a lieutenant's post, which hemanaged with such fury against the poor persecuted wanderers for thecause of Christ, as made him break over all limits or bonds of religion, reason or natural affection or relation; so that he apprehended JamesNisbet, a cousin-german of his own, while attending a friend's burialwho was executed at Glasgow; where the said James was also executed; andwhile ranging up and down the country like a merciless tyger, heapprehended another of his cousins, John Nisbet of Hardhill, and withhim George Woodburn, John Fergushill and Peter Gemmel (in the parish ofFenwick); which three last he took out, and immediately without sentenceshot dead; and then carried Hardhill, after he had given him sevenwounds, to Edinburgh, where he was executed. He also apprehendedseverals in the said parish that were banished; and upon their return atthe Revolution, he was amongst the first they saw at Irvine after theylanded. At first they were minded to have justice executed upon him; buton a second thought referred him to the righteous judgment of God. Afterthe Revolution, he soon came to beg his bread (as old soldiers oftimesdo) and it was said, that coming to a certain poor woman's house in theeast country, he got quarters, and for a bed she made him (what we call)a shake-down before a mow of peats (being all her small conveniencecould afford). On which he lay down, she going out on some necessaryerrand; a little after, when she returned, she found the wall of peatsfallen upon him, which had smothered him to death; a very mean end forsuch a courageous soldier. --_Wodrow_, &c. JAMES GIBSON, (called sometime bailie Gibson of Glasgow) brother to themerchant, but one qualified to barter the bodies of Christ's sufferingmembers. He got the command of his brother's ship with those sufferersthat were banished to Carolina in the year 1684. The inhumanity heexercised upon them in their voyage is incredible: they were thrustbelow hatches, and a mutchkin of water allowed them in 24 hours: so thatsome of them died of thirst, although they had 14 hogsheads to cast outon their arrival. --These who were sick, were miserably treated; and twoendeavouring to escape, were by him beat 8 times a-day, and condemnedto perpetual slavery. Nor could they have liberty to serve God; whenthey began to worship, they were threatened by him in an awful manner. After their arrival, they were by him sold for slaves, and for the mostpart died in that country. He returned to spend their price till 1699, that he again set out captain of the Rising Sun, with that little fleetfor the settlement at Darien. --But being one of the most wicked wretchesthat then lived, and some of the rest nothing better, the judgment ofGod pursuing him and them, they fell from one mishap into another, untilput off by the Spaniards from thence, they went to Jamaica; from thenceevery one made the best of their way to their own country. CaptainGibson set off from Blue-fields July 21, 1700: but before he madeFlorida their masts were off by the boards, which made them with muchdifficulty come up to Carolina, and making Charleston bar, the veryplace where he landed Christ's prisoners, just as one of the ministerswere gone out, and some more with him, a hurricane came down Sept. 3. And staved the ship all in pieces, where Gibson and 112 persons everysoul perished in the surges of the rolling ocean. _The Lord is known bythe judgments which he executeth_. --_Wodrow, History of Darien_, &c. JAMES, Duke of York, a professed papist and another excommunicatedtyrant, used no small cruelties while in Scotland 1679, 1681 and 1684;but after his ascension to the crown 1685, he threw off the mask, andset himself might and main to advance popery, and exterminate theprotestant in-religion in these nations, and for that purpose set allhis engines at work to repeal the penal statutes against papists; butthat not speeding to his wish, he had recourse to his dispensing powerand to an almost boundless toleration; of which all had the benefit, except the poor suffering remnant in Scotland who were still harrassed, spoiled, hunted like partridges on the mountains and shot in the field. Nay, such was his rage, that he said it would never be well, till allthe west of Scotland and south of Forth were made a hunting field; andto recite the cruelties by his orders exercised in the west of Englandby shooting, heading, hanging, and banishing ever seas those concernedin Monmouth's affair, beggars all description. However matters go on; hesends Castlemain to the pope; the pope's nuntio arrives in England; theking declares himself a member of the royal society of jesuits, imprisons the seven bishops in the tower, and threatens to convertEngland to popery or die a martyr. --But the prince of Orange arrivingin England and his army forsaking him, he sets off in a yacht forFrance, but is taken for a popish priest by some fishermen and broughtback. His affairs becoming desperate, he sets off again for France; fromthence, with 1800 French, he landed next year in Ireland being joined bythe bloody Irish papists. He, like his predecessors, had no small art indissimulation. Now he told them in plain terms, he would trust or givecommissions to no protestants; they stank in his nostrils; he had toolong caressed the damned church of England; but he would now do hisbusiness without them. Accordingly a popish parliament was called, wherein 3000 protestants were forfeited, and to be hanged and quarteredwhen taken, whereof many were plundered and killed, his cut-throatsboasting they would starve the one half and hang the other. In short, they expected nothing but another general massacre. But being defeatedon the banks of the Boyn by king William, July 1, 1691. He set off toFrance never to return. Here he continued till 1700, or by some 1701, that he took a strange disease, which they were pleased to call alethargy, wherein he became quite stupid and senseless, and so died atSt. Germains in that situation, after he had lived ten years a fugitiveexile. _He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander inthe wilderness_, &c. --_History of popery under James_, _Martyrs inflames_, &c. SIR ARCHIBALD KENNEDY of Colzen, another violent persecutor in Carrickand parts adjacent; for having got the command of a troop of militia, heranged the country in quest of the sufferers, (a very puny employmentfor a gentleman) and amongst other cruelties killed one Wm. M'Kirgue atBlairquachen mill 1685, and the same year surprized a meeting for prayernear Kirkmichael, and shot Gilbert M'Adam for essaying to escape. And, though he got over the persecuting work, he obtained no reformation of acruel and wicked life for some time after the Revolution. --Theremarkable occurrence at his burial is sufficient to indicate in whatcircumstance he died; for, if we shall credit one present, as soon asthe gentlemen lifted his corpse, a terrible tempest of thunder arose, tothe terror of all present: when going to the church-yard it ceased alittle; but when near the place of interment it recurred in such afearful manner, that the flashes of fire seemed to run along the coffin, which affrighted them all: nay, from the lightness of the bier, it issaid, that some were apt to conclude the body was thereby consumed, orelse taken away by the devil from among their hands, before they gainedthe place of interment. A note of God's fiery indignation on such afiery persecutor. _Upon the wicked he shall rain fire and brimstone, andan horrible tempest. _--_Crookshanks, A--d R--n_. DUNCAN GRANT, a cripple with a tree leg who vaunted of his wickedness, was another of this hellish crew, (for so I may by this time call them). His leg did not hinder him from running, or rather riding up and downthe country oppressing and killing God's people. In Clydesdale heuplifted 1500l. Of fines. And being one of lord Airly's petty officers, he got a commission 1683, to hold courts in East Kilbride parish, uponwhich he quartered his party and harrassed them in a cruel manner. Hespoiled the house and goods of John Wilson in High-Flet, to the value of673l. Seizing crops and land and all: and, though he got the gift ofsome land there, he did not long possess it; for, after the Revolution, he was reduced to extreme poverty, and went through the country nowbegging, (instead of robbing) until the day of his death, which was avery terrible one, if we may believe what I have often heard related byseveral judicious old men of good credit and reputation. He at last cameto a kind of gentleman's house in the east country for quarters. Thegentleman, coming to the hall, and seeing him in a dejected melancholysituation, asked the reason. At last, Grant told him, That, by a formerpaction, the devil was to have, him soul and body that night. Whetherthe gentleman believed the reality of this or rather took him to becrazed, I cannot say: but it was said, he gave him such advices asoccurred to him, to break off his sins by repentance, and implore God'smercy, who was able to pardon and prevent his ruin, &c. --What answershe gave we know not; but he went to bed in the gentleman's barn. Itappears, he asked no company, else they were not convinced fully in thematter. However, he was not like to open the door next morning, whichmade them at last break it open; where they found his body dissected onthe floor, and his skin and quarters in such a position, as I shallforbear to mention, lest they should shock the humane reader'smind. --_History of the sufferings_ &c. _A--d R--n_. ALEXANDER HUME, commonly called sheriff Hume, probably because employedby the sheriff or sheriffs depute in Renfrew, as a kind of inferiorofficer, and of that kind to persecute, pursue and oppress thesufferers, in which he proved a most industrious labourer, wherein hewould run upon the least notice of any field preaching, and harrasspeople, particularly, in the parish of Eglesham, where he mostlyresided: for instance, hearing that Mr. Cameron was preaching at a placein that parish called Mungie hill, he and one R--t D--p, another ofthese vassals, set off, and, while in the tent, they laid hold on it topull it down, because he was on Eglinton's ground. Mr. Cameron toldthem, he was upon the ground of the great God of heaven, unto whom theearth and its fulness did belong, and charged them in his Master's nameto forbear; and so they were detained by the people till all was over. Sometimes he, with the foresaid D--p, would go to the outed people'shouses, and offer to throw them down or inform against them, whereby hegot sums of money or other considerations. But all this, besides a largepatrimony by his parents of some thousands of pounds, did not serve himlong; for he came to beggary, wherein he was so mean as to go to some ofthese men's houses he had before offered or laid hands on to cast down, some of whom served him liberally. We ought not to be rash in drawingconclusions on the occurrences of divine providence; but people couldnot help observing that, having a little pretty girl, who was onemoon-shine night playing with the children in the village and a mad dogcame and passed through them all, and bit her; whereof she grew mad, andit is said was to bleed to death, whereby his name and offspring of anumerous family of 17 or 18 children became extinct. At last she died inmisery and was buried. Upon his grave the school-boys cast their ashes, (the school being then in the church) till it became a kind of dunghill, and so remains to this day. This needed be no observation, were it notthat such a nauseous and infamous monument is suitable enough unto suchnauseous service and an infamous life. --_A--d R--n_. JOHN GIBB, (from the largeness of his body commonly called meikle JohnGibb) ship-master and sailor in Borrowstoness, set out amongst the mostzealous part of the sufferers; but being but badly founded in principle, about the year 1681, he associated three men and twenty-six women tohimself, and on a pretence of religious zeal to serve God, took to thedecent places towards the west of Scotland; where from their oftensinging the mournful psalms, they were called the sweet singers. Butthey had not long continued there, till they fell into fearfuldelusions, disowning all but themselves; for, laying more stress upontheir own duties of fasting and devotion than upon the obedience, satisfaction and righteousness of Christ, they soon came to deny part ofthe scripture, and to reject the psalms of David in metre; which beganfirst to be discovered at Lochgoin in Fenwick parish. But returningeastwards towards Darmead, faithful Mr. Cargil had a meeting with them, and used all means with this mad-cap and his hair-brained followers toconvict or reclaim them; but to no purpose. And when some asked his mindanent them, he said, he was afraid some of them would go great lengths, but be happily reclaimed; (which came to pass). "But for Gibb, there aremany devils in him (said he), wo be to him; his name will stink whilethe world standeth. " They were all taken to Edinburgh tolbooth, andabout the first of May gave in a paper to the council, shewing how manydays they had fasted all at once, how they had burnt the psalms, --andrenounced the confession of faith, covenants, reforming acts ofassembly, the names of days, months, &c. These extravagancies pleasedYork then in Edinburgh well, who dismissed them: after which, Gibb, thethree men and two women went west to the Frost moss betwixt Airth andStirling, where they burnt the holy bible (one night with a great lightaround them) with the most fearful expressions. Gibb and some of themwere again apprehended and taken to the Canongate tolbooth, where theytook such fits of fasting for several days, that their voices changedlike to the howlings of dogs. Gibb became so possest of a roaring devil, like another demoniack, that the sufferers could not get exercise madein the room, which made two of them by turns lie upon him that time, holding a napkin to his mouth. But George Jackson, martyr, coming there, he asked, if that was his fashion? they said, it was. He said, he wouldstay his roaring. --After threatening to no purpose, he caused them stopin worship, till he beat him severely: after which, when they began, hewould run behind the door, and with the napkin his mouth, sit howlinglike a dog. About 1684, he and one D. Jamie were banished to America, where it was said, Jamie became an atheist, and Gibb came to be muchadmired by the poor blind Indians for his familiar converse with thedevil and sacrificing to him (a thing then more common than now in theseparts). In consequence of such a wretched life, he died a dismal deathas far down as 1720. --_Wodrow, Walker's remarks_. SIR ROBERT GRIERSON of Lag, was another prime hero for the promoting ofSatan's kingdom. I think that it was sometime after Bothwel that he wasmade sheriff or sheriff depute of Dumfries. But to relate all thesining, spoiling, oppression and murders committed by this worthy ofSatan, or champion of his kingdom, were beyond my intention. I mustleave it to his elegy, and the histories of that time, and only in acursory way observe, that besides 1200l. Of fines exacted in Gallowayand Nithsdale shires, he was accessory to the murdering, under colour oftheir iniquitous laws, Margaret McLauchlan aged sixty-three years, andMargaret Wilton a young woman, whom they drowned at two stakes withinthe sea-mark, at the water of Bladnock. For his cold blood murders, hecaused hang Gordon and Mr. Cubin on a growing tree near Irongray, andleft them hanging there 1686. The same year, he apprehended Mr. Bell ofWhiteside, D. Halliday of Mayfield, and three more, and, without givingthem leave to pray, shot them dead on the spot. Whiteside, beingacquainted with him, begged but one quarter of an hour to prepare fordeath; all he got from him was, "What the devil, have ye not got timeenough to prepare since Bothwel?" and so he was shot. The same summer, Annandale having apprehended G. Short and D. Halliday, and having boundthem, after quarters granted, the monster Lag came up, and, as they layon the ground under cloud of night, caused shoot them immediately, leaving their bodies thus all blood and gore. Nay, such was theiraudacious impiety, that he with the rest of his bon companions, persecutors, would over their drunken bowls feign themselves devils, andthose whom, they supposed in hell, and then whip one another as a jeston that place of torment. When he could serve his master this way nolonger, he wallowed in all manner of atheism, drunkenness, swearing andadultery, for which he was excommunicated by the church after therevolution, and yet by the then powers was made justice of the peacesometime before 1714; a disgrace to any civilized nation, not to mentiona presbyterian profession. Thus he continued in his wicked obstinatecourses to an old age, although his name and estate are now extinct. Butdeath's pangs at last arresting him, and all other refuges failing himunder the views of his former wicked nefarious life, in imitation of hismaster Charles, he feigned himself of the popish profeshon, because apopish priest made him believe, for money, he could pardon all his sins, and even when in purgatory for them, he could bring him to heaven. Andso we must conclude he died 1733, Dec. 23d, and went down to Tophet witha lie in his right hand, and so remains in spite of all the priest couldmutter or mumble over him, as the author of his Elegy in his master'sname well expresses it: For when I heard that he was dead, A legion of my den did lead Him to my place of residence, And there he'll stay and not go hence. This Lag will know and all the rest, Who of my lodging are possest. On earth they can no more serve me; But still I'll have their companie, &c. * * * * * _To the foregoing List I shall subjoin a few more of these SatannicalHeroes of inferior note, who also persecuted the Followers of the Lambduring the suffering period. _ CORNELIUS ANDERSON, who was one of those ten sentenced to die at Air andIrvine, 1666, to save his own life became executioner to the rest (whenthe executioner poor Sutherland a native of the highlands would not doit) for which divine vengeance did pursue him; for coming down from thegibbet, the boys stoned him out of the town, and the noise of such aninfamous action running faster than his feet could carry him, made himbe hated of all honest men. This and horror of his own consciencehaunting him made him go over to Ireland, where he was little better:almost no man would give him work or lodging. At last, he built a littlehouse upon some piece of common ground, near Dublin, which in a littleafter accidently took fire, and so he and it were both burnt toashes. --_Crookshank's history_, _Walker's remarks_. ---- MURRAY who, lest Kersland should escape, went behind the bed with alight and catched him standing with his Bible, while waiting on his sicklady in 1669, in a few days after became distracted, and in his lucidintervals (while alive) would cry and roar out under that agony, Oh, that ever he was instrumental in that matter. --_Wodrow_, &c. ---- one of these cursed wretches, who carried Mr. King from Glasgow1679. After he had, with his companions on horseback, drunk to theconfusion of the covenants and destruction of the people of God, rodeoff with the rest; and meeting one of his acquaintance at theStable-green Port who asked where he was going, he said to carry King tohell; and then galloping after the rest, whistling and singing on theLord's-day: But before he had gone many pace, behold, the judgment ofDivine Omnipotency, his horse foundered on somewhat in the path, and hisloaded carabine went off and shot him, and so he tumbled from his horsedead. --_Wodrow_. DAVID CUNNING, or Cumming, being willingly hired by that bloody crew(who took Mr. King in the parish of Dalry near Kilwinning) to be theirguide to Glasgow: but the horse they provided for him going stark mad, he was obliged to go on foot (after which the horse became as calm asever. ) But after Cumming's return, it was observable, that every personon meeting him started back, as if they had seen an apparition; forwhich they could give no other reason. However he had no success in theworld, and died despicably. --_Missive in Manuscript_. WILLIAM AUCHMUTIE, another of this black gang, riding with the rest ofhis party to Couper 1679, and espying that young excellent gentleman, young Aiton of Inchdarnie riding at some distance, brake off from therest full speed after him; and, though he was his relation, he shot twoballs through his body, without ever asking him one question, and soleft him. And though he came again and asked forgiveness of him whendying which he readily granted with some advice, yet the justice andjudgment of God seemed not to be satisfied; for in two or three yearsafter, he died under the terrible agonies of an awakened conscience forthe foresaid fact, and so launched to eternity. --_Wodrow_. ANDREW DALZIEL, a cocker or fowler, but a debauchee. While Mr. Cameronwas preaching in a house in a stormy day near Cumnock, cried out, "Sir, we neither know you nor your God. " To whom Mr. Cameron said, "You andall who know not my God in mercy, shall know him in his judgments, whichshall be sudden, and surprising upon you, &c. " Accordingly in a fewdays being in perfect health, he vomited his very heart's blood in thevessel wherein he had taken his breakfast plentifully, and so expired ina most frightful manner. --_Walk. Remarks_. JOHN SPIER a wicked wretch inlisted himself under major Balfour; and, amongst other pieces of his persecuting work, he apprehended Mr. Boyd(then a student) in Glasgow. A little after being ordered to standcentinel at the Stable-green Port, he must needs to be sure, get up uponthe battlement of the Port, upon which he fell over, and broke his neckbone and so ended his wretched life. --_Wodrow_. JOHN ANDERSON, indweller in Glasgow, in the year 1684, was amongstothers prevailed upon to take that hell-hatched test upon his knee. Notlong after he took a running issue in his left hand and knee. And thoughwe are not to be too peremptory in drawing conclusions of this kind, yet we may relate what this poor man's apprehensions of the causesof this disease were. The disease still increasing, he still criedout, "This is the hand I lifted up, and this is the knee I bowed totake the test. " And in a few days after he died in great horror ofconscience. --_Wodrow_. WILLIAM MUIRHEAD vintner there, on his taking said test, rising from hisknees said to the administrator, "Now you have forced me to take thetest on my knees, and I have not bowed my knee to God in my family theseseven years. " And though a rude wicked man, yet his conscience got up, and next Sabbath he was suddenly seized with bodily illness, and in thatcondition died. --_Wodrow_. WILLIAM SPALDIE in Glasgow, a third, who there took and subscribed thetest, in a little after fell under great remorse of conscience fortaking that self contradictory test. At length he sickened. Some peoplehaving come to visit him, endeavoured to comfort him; but he utterlyrefused every thing of this nature; and when desired to consider theextensive greatness of the mercy of God in Christ, he said, "Speak notof mercy to me. I have appealed to God and attested him to judge me, andhe will do it. I have sealed and signed my condemnation with mine ownhand, &c. " And so he died in great distress. --_Wodrow_. JOHN FRAM in Loudon parish, was once a most zealous professor and infellowship with John Richmond the martyr, yet to save his life, foullyapostatized not only from the cause of Christ, but also was one of thesewho witnessed him to death. After which he became a bankrupt, and fledto Ireland; where it was said that he (who would not hang for religion)was there hanged for stealing of horses. JOHN PATERSON, another of the same society, who witnessed him also todeath, went from one thing to another, till he took the clap orFrench-pox, and died at Edinburgh miserable. JOHN LOUDON and John Connel of the same society, and who acted the samepart, were reduced to beggary afterwards. --_Cloud_ &c. PATRICK INGLES, son to Captain Ingles, with a party in May 1685, surprized ten or twelve men at a night meeting for prayer at LittleBlackwood, (Kilmarnock parish) took ten prisoners, and shot James White, cut off his head with an ax, and carried it to New-milns, where one ofthem played with it for a foot-ball. Ingles procured a warrant to shootthe rest, had they not in the mean time been relieved by the country. Whether it was Patrick himself or one of the dragoons I cannot say, butit is said, he who used the martyrs head thus, being got up unto the topof the garrison house there, a little after when easing him over thebattlement, fell backward over the wall, and broke his neck, which endeda wicked life by a miserable ignominious death. --_Crookshanks, Appendix, A--d, R--n_. WILLIAM SMITH in Moor-mailing, (Shots parish) with his brother whenreturning home from Pentland, William stepped aside to a neighbour'shouse when near home upon a certain errand; but not coming out soon, hisbrother went to see for him. But when going past the window, he had aglance of two men and a woman standing round his brother, and a spit runthrough his throat: this made him flee for his life. William was not tobe found, and as things then went, his brother durst make no inquiryafter him. Near thirty years after, sometime after the revolution, hewas found in a clift of a moss, standing as if he had been put downwanting the head. His brother came upon the first notice, and notminding the situation, grasped him in his arms: upon which he crumbledall down to dust. Which remains they gathered up and buried, upon whicha stone was erected with a motto, which is to be seen to this day. --Butlet us hear what became of these murderers. One of the men, it is said, died in great horror of conscience, and would have discovered the fact, had not his brother and sister accomplices thrust a napkin into hismouth, and so he expired. Some time after, the other brother beingabroad, was got lying dead upon the way in drink as was supposed. Lastof all, the woman hanged herself, and was buried in two or three laird'sgrounds clandestinely, but still raised by orders of the proprietors;till being wearied, the buriers threw her carcase into an old coal-pit, and so the tragical story ended. --_A--d R--n_. The Earl of Argyle, and others, made an attempt 1685, and though theirquarrel was not altogether stated according to the antient plea of theScottish covenanters; yet they came to rescue the nations from popery, slavery and bloody persecution; but being broke, and several of hisofficers and men taken, the gallant col. R----d Rumbol of Rye-house fledwestward, and would it is thought have extricated himself of the enemy, had not a number of cruel country men risen, and (after a gallantresistance) taken him, west from Lismahagow, in the head of Dalsyrf orGlassford parish. Nay, it is said, they were so cruel that, whiledefending himself against three in number, having turned his horse withhis back to a stone gavel, one of them came with a corn fork and put itbehind his ear, and turned off his head-piece; to whom he said, "O cruelcountry man! that used me thus, when my face was to mine enemy. "However, he was by them taken to Edinburgh, and from the bar to thescaffold, drawn up on a gibbet, then let down a little, and his hearttaken out by the executioner while alive, and held out on the point of abayonet, and then thrown into a fire; his body quartered, and placed onthe public places of the nation. --But let us hear what became of theseungrateful wretches, who thus used and apprehended him who had venturedhis life to deliver them from cruel bondage. Few of them died a naturaldeath. Mark Ker, one of the principal actors, and who was said to wound himafter he was taken, and who it is said got his sword, was afterwardskilled on a summer evening at his own door, (or run through by the samesword), by two young men who called themselves col. Rumbol's sons, andwho, it is said, went off without so much as a dog's moving his tongueagainst them, &c. George Mair, being abroad, when returning, wandered and fell overCraignethen craigs, got some of his limbs broke, and stuck in a thicket, and when found next day was speechless, and so died in that condition. One ---- Wilson was killed by the fall of a loft. Another in Hamilton(commonly called the long lad of the Nethertoun) got his leg broken, which no physician could cure, and so corrupted that scarce any personfor the stink could come near him, &c. ---- Weir of Birkwood fell from his horse, and was killed; and his sonnot many years ago, was killed by a fall down a stair in drink after adregy. Gavin Hamilton who got his buff coat, (out of which Rumbol's blood couldby no means be washed) lived a good while after a wicked and viciouslife, yet his name and memorial is become extinct, and the place of hishabitation is razed out, and become a plain field. --_M. S. _ * * * * * But what needs more?--Examples of this kind are numerous. God hasprovided us with his wonderful works, both in mercy and judgment, to be_had in everlasting remembrance_, --that their ends may be answered, andthat they may serve for a memorial of instruction and admonition tothose _on whom the end of the world is come_. _The Lord is by the judgments known which he himself hath wrought: The sinners hands do make the snares wherewith themselves are caught. _ _N. B. _ To the foregoing prodigies of wickedness, I intended to haveadded a number of examples of the same nature in England and elsewhereunder the auspices of popery; but the Scots Worthies having swelled sofar above expectation, to which this behoved to go as an Appendix asproposed, I was not only obliged to desist from my intended design inthis, but even to contract or abridge my former transcript of thesehistorical hints and omit several practical observations thereon, whichmight have been useful, or at least entertaining to the reader. --At thesame time the reader is to observe, That all the authors are not namedfrom whence they are collected, but only the most principal; nor arethey to expect every circumstance in any one of these quoted in everyexample; for what is omitted by one author is observed by another; whichrendered the knitting of such distant authors and variety of materialsinto such a small composition, a matter of some difficulty. _FINIS. _ FOOTNOTES [266] For this see the conclusion of the general meeting atBlackgannoch, March 7, 1688, and last conclusion of the general meetingat Crawford John, April 21, 1697, and second conclusion of the generalmeeting at Carntable, Oct. 29, 1701. But what of this was done, cannotnow be found. [267] Such as Earls-hall, the laird of Meldrum, Livingston, bloodyDouglas, major White, &c. As for lieutenant Drummond, captain Windrum, lieutenant Bruce and lieut. Turner, who went over with the rest ofDundee officers to France, they died at Tourelliers. See {illegible}stanand Perpignon hospitals, 1693 and 1694, miserable enough. [268] Passing scripture instances, such as a Manasseh amongst thethorns, a penitent thief upon the cross, --the late earl of Argyle whowas executed 1685, was a member of the bloody council many years, butthis he lamented at his death, particularly his casting vote on Mr. Cargil; and for ought we can learn, in charity we must suppose heobtained mercy: and the youngest bailie in Edinburgh, who gave thecovenants out of his hand to the hangman to be burnt, was afterwardsthought to be a good man, and ever lamented that action, and did muchservice to Christ's prisoners after. Yet the Lord would not suffer himto go unpunished in this life, for it is said he never had the use ofthat hand after; and for all his stately buildings, they were burnt toashes in 1700. [269] Buchanan mentions not his burial. Knox says, they gave him saltenough and a lead cap, and let him in the sea tower to see what thebishops would procure for him. Fox and Clark say, he lay {illegible}months unburied, and then like a carrion was thrown on a dunghill. --SirDavid Lindsay of the Mount, made the following stanza on his death: As for the Cardinal, I grant, He was the man we well could want, God will forgive it soon: But of a truth, the sooth to say, Altho' the Lown be well away, The fact was foully done. [270] Spotswood would have us believe, there was nothing remarkable inher life or about her death more than what is incident to princes; butwe must rather believe and follow Knox in this. [271] The queen was at this time pregnant with James VI. Some historianshave been inclined to think, from the intrigues this Rizio had with thequeen, that James VI. Char. I. And II. And Jam. VII. Had more of thenature, qualities, features and complexion of the Italian Fidler, thanof the ancient race of the Stuarts, kings of Scotland. [272] Mr. John Douglas once a great presbyterian, was the first bishopthat thus entered by prelacy in Scotland; after which he became slothfuland negligent in his office. But one time, coming into the pulpit at St. Andrew's he fell down in it and died. --_Naphtali. _ [273] Mr. Clark in his lives represents Mr Cooper as an eminent saint. No doubt he had his credentials from the bishops. But we must ratherfollow Mr. Calderwood and the author of the Fullfilling of theScriptures. [274] This king's reign has by historians been represented withdifferent features; some making him a just, religious and wise prince:but whatever his abilities were and whatever advantage the church got inhis minority, yet it is sure his reign was almost one continued scene ofaffliction and tribulation to Christ's faithful witnesses, and laid thefoundation of all the evils that followed. [275] The bishop of Winchester who wrote Spotiswood's life now prefixedto his history, represents him for moderation, patience and piety, asone of the greatest saints that ever lived. He says, He was alwaysbeloved of his master, and the only instrument for propagatingEpiscopacy in Scotland, to which he gave a testimony in his dying words, with much more fulsome stuff! [276] The high fliers and English historians lay the blemishes of thisreign on the covenanters, and make Charles I. The martyr. --As to hiseternal state, it is not our part to determine; God has judged him: butsure, he was the prime instrument of all the broils and bloody disastersthat took place in the end of his reign. [277] Here observe, that Mr. William Violant formerly minister at FerryParton in Fife, was indulged to Cambusnethen 1699 (whom Mr. Wodrow callsa man of singular learning, moderation and temper, --perhaps because hewrote a pretended answer to the history of the indulgence) upon a timehearing some relate Mr. Cargil's faithfulness and diligence in preachingat all hazards, &c. Mr. Violant said, what needs all this ado? we willget heaven and they will get no more. This being again related to Mr. Cargil, he answered, yes, we will get more, we will get God glorified onearth, which is more than heaven. However Mr. Violant out lived therevolution, and was sometime minister of the established church, beingone of these nominated by the general assembly 1690, to visit the southof Tay. While on his death-bed one of his brethren came to visit him, and asking how it was with him now? his answer was, "No hope, no hope. "Whether this terminated in his final destruction {illegible} otherways, we know not: but sure we may say with the Psalmist, _Thou tookestvengeance of their inventions_. [278] The author of Claverhouse's memoirs, says, That they were shot byJames Carmichael laird of little Blackburn, and fifty whigs, --Vid. Page17. [279] I could here relate several stories by tradition of his deceivingthe devil with his shadow at a race in Muscovy, his delivering a womanfrom him by the burning of a candle, --his supplanting him in a hat fullof money, &c. But I forbear. [280] We have no account of Charters' death, but it is more thanprobable he died in that condition, as few or none of that tribe we readof were ever again recovered. [281] Perhaps, some may think this anent proof of shot a paradox, and beready to object here as formerly concerning bishop Sharp and Dalziel, "How can the devil have or give a power to save life? &c. " Withoutentering upon the thing in its reality, I shall only observe; That it isneither in his power or of his nature to be a saviour of men's lives; heis called Apollyon the destroyer. 2. That even in this case, he is saidto give only inchantment against one kind of mettle, and this does notsave life; for the lead would not take Sharp and Claverhouse's life, yetsteel and silver could do it: and for Dalziel, though he died not on thefield, he did not escape the arrows of the Almighty. [282] Concerning the death of the Duke of Drumlanerig, alias Queensbury, we have the following relation:--That a young man perfectly wellacquainted with the Duke (probably one of those he had formerlybanished) being now a sailor and in foreign countries, while the shipwas upon the coast of Naples or Sicily, near one of the burning mounts, one day they espied a coach and six all in black going toward the mountwith great velocity, when it came past them they were so near that theycould perceive the dimensions and features of one that sat in it. Theyoung man said to the rest, If I could believe my own eyes, or if ever Isaw one like another, I would say, that is the duke. In an instant, theyheard an audible voice echo from the mount, Open to the duke ofDrumlanerig; upon which the coach, now near the mount, evanished. Theyoung man took pen and paper, and marked down the month, day and hour ofthe apparition; and upon his return, found it exactly answereth the dayand hour the Duke died. Perhaps some may take this representation of hisfuture state for a romance; but it is as it has been oftimes related byold men of good credit and reputation. THE SUBSCRIBERS Given in by JOHN GLEN, Merchant, Port-Glasgow. PORT GLASGOW. James Glen, taylorAlex. M'Farlane do. George M'Gee smithAndrew Mann skipperWm. Holm shoemakerJames Erskine dyerWm. Henderson bakerWm. Liddel do. James Couper skipperHumphray Davie shop keeperArchd. Brown taylorJames Ronald shoemakerWm. Wallace do. John Stiven tannerWm. Allerdie weaverJohn PatonGeorge Campbel weaverRobert Jamieson porterSamuel Fife Rope maker GREENOCK. Robert M'Farlane wrightAndrew Simson do. James Munn do. James Morison do. David Fife weaverWm. Lamont shoemakerWm. Turner junr. SmithHumphray M'Lean bakerWm. Hart do. James M'Kean copper smithJohn Armour weaverWm. Gibb sawerJames Graham carterArchd. Henderson wrightThomas Edmiston masonJames Kelly wrightGeorge Neilston do. Duncan Buchanan sawerJames Davidson weaverMalcolm White do. George Nicol do. Archd. Scott wrightDaniel Fleming do. Archd. Taylor do. Dougal Gray clerkMoses M'Cool sawerJohn Biggar do. Archd. M'Vicar do. Wm. Holm do. Peter Sinclair do. James Stuart do. Andrew Fairlie do. John Gordon do. John Adam do. John Litsler do. Wm. Paterson wrightDonald M'Intosh copper smithJames White labourerJames M'Kinzie bakerJohn Rodger junr. SmithFrancis Sproul wrightJohn FlaneJohn Garner labourer GOUROCK. John Banks minerThomas Ferguson do. William Gordon do. Wm. Watson do. KILMALCOLM. William Minzies hosierDavid Miller labourerRobert Taylor farmerAlexr. Hadridge do. James White do. John Greenlees labourerJohn Laird farmerJohn Laird do. Andrew Dick, Erskine HOUSTON. Wm. Stuart school masterRobert Barr shoemakerAlexr. Stevenson farmerRobert Orr smithPatrick Lindsay flax dresser CARDROSS. James Hamilton linen printerMatthew Bush do. John Stirling engraverFrederick Gordon do. Randolph M'Innes linen printerJohn Hall do. Wm. Yuill do. Patrick M'Farlane do. Andrew Aitken wrightWalter Lindsay labourerJohn M'Grigor coppermanWm. M'Farlane shoemakerWm. M'Aulay maltmanJohn Barton farmerJohn Barr farrierWilliam GordonJames Bain millerRobt. M'Farlane farmerJohn CaforAndrew AitkenPatrick Gray Hellbrick BONHILL. Thos. Maltman linen printerThomas Kereg do. Adam White do. John Bryce couperWm. Henderson shoemakerJames Henderson linen printerJohn Alexander vintnerMichael LindsayKatharine Beatson, DrummondRobert Brash there DUMBARTON. Bailie James ColquhounGeorge Walker shoemakerJohn Ewing do. John Mitchel do. Patrick Mitchel do. John Lindsay do. Patrick Colquhoun do. Peter Houston do. Elizabeth LinJanet DonaldKatharine HoustonJames Paterson sawerRobert Lata boatmanJohn M'Alester wrightAlexr. Williamson do. Alexander Brown do. Archibald Glen weaverJames M'Niel do. John Houston do. Wm. Lang merchantHugh Cameron do. Wm. Alexander wrightJohn Webster bakerRobert Lang farmerWm. Lang malter GLASGOW. Robert Williamson stay makerAndrew Shields taylorWilliam M'Farlane couperWilliam Reid dyerRobert Gardiner shoemakerMungo M'Intyre do. Jeremiah Rankin do. James Ker do. James Scott do. Alexander Little do. Archibald Fife weaverJames Morison currier Margaret Martin in Shots PAISLEY. John Train merchantJames M'Culloch wrightJohn Rentoul do. William Black do. James Auken do. Patrick Wotherspoon do. Robert Lintown do. James Lintown do. Archibald Martin masonHugh Anderson do. Patrick Stobs do. John Carse reed makerThomas Tudhope labourerDavid Scott masonDavid Picken wrightDuncan RobertsonRobert Findlay stone cutterJohn Brownlie masonHenry Sutherland do. John CampbelWm. Scott weaverMatthew Brown do. William Cochran do. Robert Craig do. William Stevenson do. William Robertson do. John Dunlop do. John Willison do. Robert More do. John Macham do. John Campbel do. James Renfrew do. Thomas Gemmel do. John Peden do. Peter Lithgow do. Robert Stirling do. Neil Whyte do. Alexander Stuart do. James Bryce do. Edward Taylor do. Archibald Leckie do. John Sproul do. Alexander M'Gown do. Thomas Suttily do. James Hillhouse do. John Reid do. James M'Lymont do. Alexander Thomson do. Mungo White do. Thomas King do. James Brown hosierWilliam Semple do. John Richmond smithAndrew Morison masonJohn Jack do. James Semple silk dresserJohn Dunlop weaver NIELSTON. John Balfour shoemakerJohn Rankin linen printerWilliam Maxwel do. James Duncan do. Alexander Dalgliesh do. John Dalgliesh do. James Adam cutlerJohn Strong do. John Brown bleacherJohn Niven yarn washerJohn MillerJohn CraigDavid Shephard weaverJames Lang do. William Swap do. John Young do. Thomas Robertson do. William Dunlop do. Robert Stevenson do. John Gibson do. John Thomson labourer KILBARCHAN. William Livingston gardenerThomas Laird wrightHugh Allan shoemakerJames Allison labourerWilliam Pinkston weaverRobert Thomson do. Robert Spier senior do. Andrew Giffin do. Joseph Jamieson do. John Houston senior do. John Houston junior do. James Pinkerton do. Thomas Monie do. James Buchanan do. Robert Hall do. William Park do. William Provan do. William Gavin do. John Wright do. James Barr do. William Davis do. James Houston do. BIETH. Robert Boyd weaverJames Patieson do. Robert Kilpatrick do. William Lindsay do. Robert Matthie do. John Guy do. Robert Hunter do. John Crawford do. David Kennedy do. Bryce Barr do. Andrew Smith do. Adam Barr do. Robert Gillespie do. Archibald Taylor do. John Knox do. Robert Jamieson of BogheadWilliam Knox shoemakerHugh Knox do. Robert Patrick do. Robert Fulton do. Robert Hunter taylorRobert Glen do. James Clark do. Robert Kerr merchantThomas Miller masonJohn Houston do. James Craig shoemakerJames Campbel flax dresserAllan CaldwellThomas Howie carterWilliam Pollock smithWilliam AllanDavid Caldwall masonJohn Dunlop merchantJames Pollock farmer KILBURNIE. Robert Orr farmerJames Orr weaverRobert Montgomerie shoemakerThomas Houston masonJohn Logan do. William Findlay do. John Sheddan weaverJohn Barclay do. James Allan smith DALRAY. John Boyd portionerDaniel Kerr do. Allan Spier of Kersland millJames Stirrat merchantJohn LyleAndrew HunterSamuel Hunter of PastorhillAndrew Greg wrightJohn Logan do. Allan Bogle farmerWilliam Woodside do. Robert Ferguson do. Thomas Aitken portionerThomas Milliken masonRobert Howie carterWilliam Kirkwood flax dresserAlexr. M'Pherson coal grieveWilliam Galston carterJames Miller do. John FultonJohn Plewhight dykebuilderWilliam Archibald farmerJohn Muir weaverJames Niel do. Robert Dunlop do. Robert Auld do. John Archibald do. Thomas Logan do. John Hamilton do. William Aitken do. David Auld do. Robert Stuart do. Hugh OswaldJames Kerr do. John Montgomerie do. James Laurie do. John Auld do. Robert Aitken weaverHugh Willison do. James Aitken weaverJohn Henry do. Matthew Stirrat do. KILWINNING. James Baillie junr. WeaverAlexander Petter do. John Conn do. James Dotchen do. James Gray do. Robert Barr do. William Murdoch do. Duncan Lowdon do. John StarratJohn Gath couper Irvine STEVENSTON. Thomas Kirkwood merchantHugh Gilmore do. Robert Boyd weaverJohn Dyet do. James M'Millan do. Alexander Howie wrightRobert Gardiner causayerJohn BoydMary BlackJean Cowen WEST KILBRIDE. William Biggart farmerJohn Fleck do. James Galbraith do. William Dun do. SALTCOATS. Thomas Hunter merchantJames Watson wrightThomas Lauchlan do. George StarratWilliam Stevenson merchantThomas Service wrightDaniel Vicar do. John Craig merchantElizabeth AndersonJohn M'MillanBryce M{illegible} ship masterJohn Ka{illegible} rope makerJames Raside do. Robert Ingram juniorJames Hall ropemakerJames Ske{illegible} weaverWilliam Barr do. James Robertson do. Robert Workman do. Robert Dunlop do. James Hill LARGS. Daniel Kerr merchantRobert M'Naught wrightJohn Wilson maltmanHenry Reid weaver Slackmanan, 12 copies Given in by Mr. CHRISTOPHER SCOTT, student in divinity now in Pathhead. Adam Watson smith PathheadMr. James Thomson student in philosophyDavid Mitchel weaver thereJohn Reid weaver SinklertownRobert Forrester do. PathheadJames Mitchelson do. Mr. Æneas M'Bean student in philosophyMr. David Black do. Mr. John Thomson do. James Halley weaver thereWalter Gray do. ThereMatth. Shields junior GallatownJohn Goodwin manufacturer PathheadJohn Drybrough smith thereLaurence Mitchel weaver thereJohn Lawson do. ThereGeorge Adam do. ThereJohn Drybrough nailer thereAndrew Wilson thereRobert Gou{illegible} weaver in GrangePeter Fason weaver in PathheadJames Ure junior thereJohn Mathieson weaver thereJames Forbes do. ThereGilbert Fisher in GrangeJohn Forgan weaver PathheadAlexander Beveridge do. ThereDavid Forgan do. ThereDavid Miller wright thereJames Bodger weaver thereJohn Mackin{illegible} weaver in the links of KirkaldieJames Stocks dyer PathheadDavid Halley weaver thereRobert Gibb do. ThereJames Jackson weaver PathheadWilliam Taylor do. TherePeter Killgour do. ThereAlex. Haggart flaxdresser thereJames Miller weaver thereGeorge White maltster thereRobt. Dick gardener SinklertownEben. B{illegible}rte flaxdresser PathheadRobert Coventry weaver thereAndrew Blyth do. ThereJames Smart do. ThereAndw. Waddel do. KierbraeJohn Brown do. PathheadJames Johnston do. SinklertownRobt. Brown candlemaker PathheadThomas Smart weaver thereJohn Gray do. ThereAndrew Seath farmer thereThomas Bell Ceres parishGeorge Mount thereAnd. Wallace labourer KettleRachel Watson there Given in by JOHN WHYTOCK weaver in Playfield Perth. PERTH. Peter Whytock weaverDavid Cairnie do. Hugh Cairnie do. John Watson do. John Killor do. Andrew Brown dittoJohn Wilson dittoJames Lamb dittoAlexander Ferrier dittoJames Taylor dittoDavid Smith dittoAndrew Wylie dittoJohn Carrick dittoWilliam Bettie dittoDavid Kettle dittoJohn Young dittoAlexander Wilson dittoJohn Speedie shoemakerJohn Robertson tannerAlexander Miller dittoWalter Scobbie weaverRobert Glass merchantJohn M'Grigor flaxdresser Long ForganDavid Gardiner in Muirtown Wm. Scott weaver in East ShielsCharles Stark smith thereArchd. Shaw marble cutter GlasgowRobt. Gibson weaver PettinainAlexander Nairn LibbertonJames Gourlie in StirlingJohn Harvie thereThos. Kirkwood weaver KilsythMargaret Black of Lairn in Ireland, 12 copiesJames Muirhead farmer KilsythJohn Muirhead thereMargaret Nimmo Delshanan KirkintillochAndrew Wilson servant thereJas. Dalrymple weaver WestsideJames Dickson do. MonklandGeorge Brown merchant Perth, 12 copiesHenry Buist thereDavid Gardiner therePeter Taylor in TapermallochRevd. Mr. Preston minister of the gospel at LogieamenRevd. Mr. John Young minister of the gospel at DumbarronRevd. Mr Laurence Reid minister of the gospel at Patha CondyMrs Bisset in PerthThomas Blair shoemaker thereJames Hamilton in BlantyreJohn Young innkeeper AlloaWm. Young student of divinity GlasgowJames Anderson in Strathmiglo, 12 copiesJohn Muir junior merchant in Glasgow, 2 copiesWm. Blackwood plaisterer thereWm. Wallace in BlacklowAlex. Cuningham mason thereRobert Young do. There Given in by JAMES HOOD, taylor Glasgow. William ToddAndrew AllanAndrew HoodThomas SmithWilliam M'EwenAlexander Norrel Given in by JOHN MEIN, London. Thos. Orr East Smithfield, 2 cop. Alexander Grant DeptfordAndrew Imbrie LondonWilliam Clarke ship wrightGeorge Gregory Spittle fieldsDavid ImbrieMr. Watson in great TowerhillHenry RusselHenry HuttonDaniel CookMrs. TobenRobt. Forsyth No. 100 Wapping Given in by JOHN HARDIE Old Meldrum. Revd. Mr. James Chalmers minister of the gospel in DaviotJohn Gelland Old MeldrumJohn Simson grieve TorvisWilliam Reid in New DeerWilliam Duguil in OdneyWilliam Dow in MarnochWilliam Cran merchant there John Brown bookseller in Dunse, 24 copies Given in by JAMES CRAIG shoemaker in Kilbride KILBRIDE. William Riddel weaverJames Shaw portionerThomas Russel smithJohn Craig farmerWilliam ArbuckleWm. Wallace mains of EgleshamChristopher Strang thereWilliam C{illegible}r in GlassfordRobert Hamilton smith there Given in by ALEXANDER HUTCHISON in Newton. Matthew Short baxter MoffatDavid French WamphrayWilliam Proudfoot thereMatth. Murray jun. In BentpathSim. Graham Newton WamphrayRobt. Ferguson herd in FinigalJames Lochie in WindyshielsJohn Chisholm in ShielJames Hyslop in WellroadheadJames Purvos in WatcarrickJohn Anderson in MoodleyWilliam Scott in HolmAlexander Glencross SaughtreesWilliam Proudfoot JohnstonJohn Geddes CoriehallJohn Beatie in LambhillBenj. Munel wright SaughtreesWm. Little wright Coriemill Given in by JAMES GOUDIE travelling chapman in Girvan. Thos. Woderwood quarrier in Daily parishJames Paterson weaver thereAgnew Fletcher shoem. MayboleJames Goudie merchant thereAlex. Heron farmer KirkoswaldSam. M'Lymont mercht GirvanWilliam M'Queen mason thereHugh M'Quaker do. ThereJohn Ramsay shoemaker thereThomas M'llwrath currier thereJoseph Baird weaver there Revd. Mr. James Punton minister of the associate congregation at HamiltonJames Miller flaxdresserWilliam Hart merchantJames Barr shoemakerAndrew Faulds in CarscallanWilliam Fleming servant thereRobert Strang in meikle ErnockThos. Leister weav. In HamiltonRobert Smith do. ThereAndrew Smith hosierWilliam Semple in CaltonJohn Weir weaver there Messrs. Gordon and M'Knight in Dudly Worcestershire, 12 cop. Given in by JOHN HAGGART in Errol Patrick Brown in WardheadJames Gentle in ErrolAndrew Adam thereJohn Thomson thereJohn Matthieson thereJames Davie thereJohn Mallock therePeter Pirie thereJames Rattray thereDavid Gill thereJames Kelt in Godins Given in by JOHN FORSYTH, shoemaker Stirling Robt. Rae grocer StirlingJohn Henderson maltman thereRobert Beleh thereKatharine Connel thereDuncan King workman thereAlex. Wilson shoemaker thereJames Ferguson carpet weaverJames Morison Given in by JOHN WINGATE in St. Ninians ST. NINIANS. William Miller weaverJohn Thomas do. Archibald Gilchrist do. John Harvie do. John Forrester do. William Forsyth taylorChristian Anderson servantThomas Gilchrist merchantJohn Miller do. Alexander Gilchrist do. John Wingate weaverJames Paterson do. Robert Forrester do. Robert Paul nailerJohn Sharp smithJohn Kessim brewerJohn M'Farlane shoemaker STIRLING. Walter Smith weaverJames Smart shoemakerJohn M'Learn weaverThomas Thomson do. John Fisher shoemaker BANNOCKBURN. Thomas Anderson weaverJohn Stevenson dittoArchibald Smart shoemakerJohn M'Farlane weaverAlexander M'Farlane do. William Jeffray do. George Aitken do. John M'Donald do. James Munro do. Robert Waterson do. William Sharp do. James Johnson do. John Forfar do. Andrew Liddel do. Robert Stevenson do. Thos. Anderson do. Wester LivelandsJohn Baird do. FategrinAndrew Cowan TouchgorunThos. Jeffray smith Charters hallJames Gillespie do. ThereArchd. Thomson taylor thereWillm. Chalmers do. ThereGeorge Miller smith New marketJohn M'Killop CraiggarthHenry Edmund farmer in Hole Given in by DAVID MILLER in Campsie John Benny schoolmaster near PaisleyJohn Galloway Burn footWilliam Thomson ArnbraeJanet Bulloch BlarveathJas. Gilchrist weaver CampsieMoses N{illegible}lson do. ThereRobert Somerville merchant KirkintillochRobt. Aitken tayler WatersideJohn Stirling thereAndrew Stirling thereArchibald Stirling hosier KirkintillochJohn Stuart couper thereJohn Ingli junr. Smith thereJohn Goodwin portioner thereMr William Fergus bailie of KirkintillochJohn King in BaldernockWilliam Thomson farmer in Bridge endWilliam Murdoch workman in TorrenceJohn M'Kean merchant CampsieRobert Young in DennyThos. Winning labourer Balmore Given in by WILLIAM WHITE, bookseller in Beith KILWINNING. Robert Dunlop portionerAlexander YoungAndrew Robinson farmerAlexander Robinson do. James Robinson wrightJohn RobinsonMatthew French servantJohn Miller weaverMatthew King portionerJohn Connel masonAdam Gibson farmerRobert Boyd do. Hugh Barklay smithJohn Paton weaverThomas Robinson weaverJames Spier portionerHugh Barklay servantWilliam Gishe farmerRobert Ranken dyerJames Johnston farmerJohn Armour servantWilliam Dickie servantGeorge ParkJames Allan schoolmasterDavid Clark merchantHugh Barklay taylorHugh Anderson farmerMargaret Muir servantRobert Wilson do. William PatonJames Govan millerJohn Hill flaxdresserWilliam Anderson wrightAndrew MackieWilliam Jack shoemakerJames King wrightRobert Dunlop bakerAlexander PatonJohn Bogle farmerWilliam King millerHugh Barr ARDROSON. William Service farmerJohn Crawford do. William Donald do. DALRAY. Robert BerkleyWilliam Rodger BEITH. John Sheddan portionerJohn Dow wright Given in by JOHN M'LYMONT, travelling Chapman Gilbert M'Lymont weaver in Newton StuartWilliam M'Lymont do. ThereJames M'Kean do. ThereJames M'Clure do. ThereJohn M'Clumpha do. ThereAnthony M'Gowan labourerWm. M'Kean taylor thereJohn M'Kie ferrier thereWm. Bogle gardener in MinigassPeter M'Kean mason at Ferrytown of CreeWilliam Watson at Bridgend of CreeRobert Campbel at LargsWillm. Douglas in BargonanEliz. Hyslop in KnockvillMary Broadfoot in Corbyknows Given in by MATTHEW MILLER in Mauchlin John Paterson tayl. In MauchlinJohn Miller schoolmaster thereRobert Gill thereAlexander Ray thereJames Smith mason thereAndrew Aird servant thereHugh Thomson smith TarboltonRoberr Elliot do. ThereWillm Rattray weaver thereAndrew Cowan wright SornWilm. M'Gown miller do. James Ralston in SornJames Mitchel in CraighallJohn Mitchel thereJohn Baird thereJohn Wilson thereWm. Currie wright St. QuivoxJames Kirkland mason thereJames Murdoch do. ThereJohn Armour schoolmaster Gibb's yardWilliam Weir in CraigieWilliam M'Henle in MauchlinJames Lees tanner thereWilliam Miller weaver Tarbolton FENWICK. James Brown son to Wm. Brown 2 copiesJohn Young in RidgehillJohn Garvan in BurnJohn Young in muir of Rowallen STEWARTON. James Anderson weaver, 26 copiesJohn Stevenson do. James Reside do. Andrew Smith Castlesalt do. John Blackwood do. James Jamieson do. James Muir in Robertland do. John Dunlop wrightJohn Tannihill in BogflitJames Wilson portioner in ChapletonJames Gemmel weaverArchibald Alexander do. James Alexander do. John Calderwood do. John Wylie taylorRobert Smith weaver DUNLOP. James Stevenson in OldhallAndrew Cochran in GillesJohn Hall shoemaker WEST KILBRIDE. Alexander WylieThomas Smith portioner CanaanJohn Stevenson BEITH. John King Junior in Gree DREGHORN. David Steel weaver in LambroghtenJohn Brown jun. In BowstonheadArchibald Young in Mains Alexander Wilson in town of Air 2 copies Margaret M'Gillan near Wighton 6 copies EAST KILBRIDE. James Orr Given in by JOHN M'DONALD, student of Divinity in Ceres. Patrick Orr farmer in CeresWilliam Morton do. ThereJohn Turpie merchant in CarnumJames Laing in Ceres Given in by ROBERT INGLIS, bookseller in Edinburgh Revd. Dr John Erskine, minister of the gospel in the old Gray-friar'sEdinburgh, 2 copiesHugh Watson servant in WesterhollsWilliam Inglis schoolmaster in Carstairs Given in by JAMES LANG bookseller Kilmarnock Revd. Mr John Russel minister of the gospel in KilmarnockGeorge Fairservice schoolmasterGeorge Miller shoemaker thereJames White do. ThereJames Cuningham do. ThereGavin Walker miller thereJames Freebairn plaisterer thereJohn Dickie thereWilliam Arbuckle thereGeorge Thomson barberAlexander Giffin farmer in DundonaldJohn Rowat shoemakerDavid Ferguson in CraigieMary Frances in IrvineArchibald M Ketton shoemaker in SaltcoatsMat. Alerton farmer GalstonAlexr. Longmuir portioner in DreghornRobt. Creighton in FirmerlawSamuel Muir weaver KirklandJohn Wilson in TitwoodRobert Hay quarrier SymingtonWm. Hendry farmer Muir millJames Morison do. RiccartonAlexander HolmRobt. Parker farmer BurleithJohn Bunton do. In PurochThomas Earle weaver in CapperingtirenWm. Arbuckle butcher in KilmarnockJohn Dickie shoemaker there Given in by ROBERT RAMSAY, taylor in Bathgate BATHGATE. Revd. Mr John Jamieson minister of the gospelDaniel Steel shoemakerJohn Gillan workmanDavid Newlands merchantWilliam Gray workmanJohn Rule tannerGeorge Ranken wrightMargaret MuirheadAndrew Jeffray workmanJohn Bryce masonDavid Tinnond do. Robert Ramsay taylor 10 copiesJames Marshal mason CORSTORPHIN. Thomas Hodge weaverJohn Cuthbertson workmanGavin Inglis do. William Laurie smithAlexander Mitchel workmanRobert Geddes do. William SclateRobert ThomsonPeter Newlands weaver John Gardiner shoemaker Torphichen Alexander Black stabler in Edinburgh William Gray in Currie Given in by Sir ARCHIBALD NICOL, weaver and bookseller in Glasgow. David Riddel plaisterer GlasgowWilliam Blackwood do. ThereAndw. Blackwood hosier thereAndrew Riddel weaver KilbrideAgnes Strang of Bogton thereJohn Freebairn wright RutherglenJohn Wilson do. ThereRobert Dun coalhewerAndrew Keir thereRobert Arthur linen printer Cross millJohn M'Nab do. ThereJohn Moffat do. ThereWilliam Cumming do. ThereWalter M'Gregor do. TherePeter M'Nicol do. FarnazieJohn Brown do. Cross millJoseph Buchanan do. ThereAlexander Buchanan do. ThereJohn Ewing thereIsobel Lindlay in KilbrideRobert Watson silk weaver HoleWilliam Leitch weaver thereRobert Anderson do. ThereJohn Montgomerie thereJohn M'Ewen weaver in Grahams townJames Angus dyer at FarnezieThomas Ogilvie weaver GorbalsJohn Niven do. ThereWilliam Henderson do. ThereHenry Muir CarotineThomas Galloway thereJohn Paterson smith in RutherglenPitcairns Ritchie thereJames Paterson thereJohn Brown hammerman CaltonJames Wingate do. ThereJohn M'Lea tanner thereJohn Walker CalderJohn M'Lean of north MedroxMary Martin in RewWilliam Brown thereJohn Paterson weaver BirkenshawWilliam M'Lean of south. MedroxJohn Stark taylor in LeckethillJames Legat in DrumbowieJames Towie weaver GlentoreMargaret Brown in RewWilliam Shaw portioner in wester GlentoreJames Bogle weaver SlamananDavid Auchinvole Auchinsterry, CumbernauldJoseph Thom in CalderWilliam Dickie silk weaver in MauchlinJames Ritchie weaver thereMargaret Ferrier in DalsholmWilliam Smith coalhewer KnightewoodJames Aitken horsekeeper thereRobert Watt wright Jordan hillJames Mackie in CumbernauldJoseph Williamson in Millbrae, New MonklandGavin Bailie sawer HamiltonAlexr. Pomfrey weav. MillheughJohn Burns of BraeheadJohn Hamilton weaver DalfeifJames Davidson do. ThereJames Drummond shoemakerAnn Alston thereJanet Lepper thereJohn Henderson mason HamiltonJames Weir shoemaker in BlantyreJohn Maiklem gardener CampsieJames Bollock weaver NeilstonDavid Sprour do. ThereMichael Stevenson silk weaver thereThomas Gilmour weaver thereJohn Gray do. ThereRobert Gilmour linen printer EastwoodAlexander Calderwood do. ThereJohn Bell do. ThereAndrew Faulds dyer thereJohn Gilchrist wright CarlukeJohn Husband in HurlotWalter M'Farlane coal cutter thereWilliam PatersonJames Craig weaver in GovanMatthew Gilmour do. ThereWilliam Clow do. ThereGeorge Jamie do. ThereJames Morison do. ThereJohn Struthers do. ThereWm. Robertson do. ThereJohn Robertson do. ThereJames Shields mason thereJohn Ritchie weaver thereWm. Campbel do. ThereJohn Lyle do. ThereSmellie Gellers manufactorer thereDavid Gran weaver thereJohn Russel do. ThereWm. Liddel do. ThereJohn Lyon workman CarmunnockArthur More miller thereThomas Muir coalhewer RutherglenWm. Roxburgh weaver GlasgowJohn Davie do. ThereMatthew Morison do. ThereJohn Duncan do. ThereWm. Lang do. ThereJohn Hamilton of Gurhomlock BaronyJohn Moffat farmer thereAndrew Moffat mason thereRobert Arthur at Garoch millJohn Richmood of Carlenb, Sorn. Matthew Jamieson thereJames Wilton of Crafthead thereGeorge Cameron in Hill thereAlexander Buchanan linen printer Cross millsJohn Arthur do. ThereMatthew Cameron do. ThereWm. Jarvie workman FarnezieDaniel Spier in Monsshonse SornJos. Aiton shoemaker RiccartonJohn Dick CraigieJean Wilson thereHugh Templeton thereGeorge Marr coal hewer thereRobert Lamon farmer ThornhillRobert Perier shoemaker thereWilliam Morton do. CraigieMatthew Dickie do. ThereWilliam Allen farmer thereGeorge Bowie thereThomas Wallace thereJohn Glover thereJohn Wallace miller thereJames Hunter in RiccartonJames Orr Mossside thereThomas Jamieson in TarboltonRobert Lamont farmer thereRonald Hunter cowper thereWilliam Stephen wright thereDavid Smith thereWilliam Lindsay thereWm. Auld farmer thereWm. Reid mason thereWm. Drips do. ThereJohn Gray do. ThereJohn Jamieson farmer thereHugh Reid thereJanet Tait thereWm. Wright wright thereAlexr. Paterson farmer thereDavid Miller thereDavid Wilson in CraigieJohn Armour taylor GalstonDavid Borland thereRobt. Goudie miller Garoch millGeorge Donald thereJohn Brown in BaronyAlexr. Moffat Parkhead thereWilliam Baxter do. ThereJohn Jarvie weaver BaronyJames Robertson in EastwoodArchebald Paterson thereJohn Taylor thereRobert Gilmour in MearnsJohn Faulds in NethertownJohn Morison thereJas. Thomson wright HacketheadJohn Marshall do. TherePeter Norris plumber GlasgowArthur Laing wright PaisleyJames Philip HacketheadMatthew Laurie thereElizabeth Forrester thereSarah Gemmel thereJohn Brown farmer PaisleyJohn Ralston do. ThereWilliam Adam in MosslaneZach. Waterston farmer GovanAgnes Stark thereWm. Ritchie weaver thereJas. Fleming mason & wright thereJames Dove dyer GlasgowRobert Love plasterer thereJohn Dun mason thereWm. Beggart do. CaltonGeorge Neill thereAlex. Connel wright CarmunnockAlex. Anglie weaver GlasgowJohn M'Farlane shoemaker thereAlexander Nicol do. ThereJames Dun officer LondonDavid M'Creath MayboleDavid Crooks in SelnockEuphans Hodge in GalstonJohn Carmichael thereAndrew Willock thereAlexander Mair thereJames Irvin thereJohn Richmond thereGeorge Paterson hosier thereWilliam Parker thereJames Watt thereJanet Smith thereJohn Lamie workman thereRobert Glover do. ThereJohn Goudie thereJohn Anderson farmer MauchlinWilliam Hunter do. ThereJohn Hunter do. ThereJohn Reid do. ThereJames Dickie do. ThereWm. Meikle wright & glaz. ThereMatth. Ronald silk weaver thereJames Smith mason thereHugh Wallace of Bergow thereFrances Murdoch thereJames Smith thereArchibald Campbel thereAndrew Ritchie thereGeorge Beveridge thereJames Oliphant thereElizabeth Lindsay thereWilliam Barrie thereJohn D{illegible}ak thereRobert Glover weaver thereMary Glover in CraigneJas. Stuart shoemaker GlasgowJohn Shearer smith in BaronyWm. Watchman weaver thereRobert Allan do. ThereJames Wallace do. Mid QuarterJames Allan thereJohn Wotherspoon weaver thereJohn M'Allun do. ThereDavid M'Nair weaver CaltonRobt. Buchanan wright thereDavid Donald weaver thereJames Taylor do. ThereGilbert Garth do. ThereWm. Goven do. ThereMat. Steel do. Middle QuarterWm. Dounie wright CarntineGeo. Chrichton coalhewer BaronyAlex. M'Learn smith CaltonJas. Robertson miller GarscubAndrew George do. ThereJas. Park coalhewer AnastandGeo. Crawford weaver GlasgowArchibald Bell do. ThereThomas Park wright thereThomas Malcolm do. ThereGeorge Arthur do. ThereJohn Rae weaver CaltonWm. Williamson teacher thereWm. Walker weaver thereWm. Crocket do. ThereRobert Wilson do. ThereJohn Alston do. ThereJohn Fife do. ThereJames Lawson do. ThereRobert Hutton do. ThereWilliam Gardiner do. ThereJohn Chrystie labourer thereDavid Jack weaver thereRobert Munro do. ThereJohn Garden do. ThereJames Wylie do. ThereAdam Brown taylor thereMary Arthur thereJames Leigh potter GlasgowAlex. Moriton candlemaker thereJames Granger weaver CaltonJas. Henderson do. Drygate tollJames Kay plasterer GorbalaDuncan Campbel cowper GlasgowJohn Burn shoemaker thereGavin Wotherspoon do. ThereHenry M Culloch do. ThereJohn Sheddan do. ThereJohn Pettigrew old MonklandRobt. Pettigrew wright thereChristian Murdoch GlasgowBlackney Waddel old MonklandJames Smith thereJohn Pettigrew wright thereRobt. Pettigrew sawer thereHenry Pato teacher thereWilliam Thomson thereMat. Reid coalhewer SandhillsWm. Erskine do. ThereMartin Rodger smith thereJas. Kinnibrugh tayl. ShettlestonWm. Walkinshaw miller BaronyWm. M'Leland plaisterer Glasg. John Niyison wright thereAndrew Niven GorbalsWilliam Reid nailer thereJohn Burry weaver CaltonMalcom M'Lean do. ThereJanet Zuill GlasgowWm. Hamilton in CarmunnockJohn Warnock farmer CathcartAndrew Park do. EastwoodGeorge Deans weaver NeilstonJohn Johnston do. DuckethallJames Cochran do. ThereRobert Cunningham do. ThereJohn Wilson do. ThereDoug Graham bleacher FarnezieWillm. Morison PaisleyJames Airston weaver NeilstonRobert Legat do. ThereWm. M'Ewen thereAlexr. M'Gregor NeilstonRobt. Cumming labourer PaisleyRobert Barr farmer thereJohn Peacock in Pollock placeAlexander Malcolm thereArchibald Hamilton thereJames Henderson thereThos. Cullen shoemaker CaltonJohn Shearer coalhewer HoultonJames Lyle do. ThereCharles Colquhoun do. ThereWm. Watt in KnightswoodGrizel Gibb DalsholmJohn Duncan of MilnfieldJohn Gardner weaver CaltonJohn Ross hammerman thereWilliam Glen weaver GlasgowAndrew Tury boatman CanalJames Mitchel in DalmarnockJohn Nisbet in CarntineJohn M'Pherson smith GlasgowJas. Allan shoem. Calton 12 cop. Andrew M'Gilchrist GlasgowJohn Findlay thereJohn Drummond thereHugh Henderson barber thereWm. Cochran weaver PaisleyJohn Stuart hillman thereJames Lauchlan weaver thereRobt. Miller bleacher EastwoodAlexander Leck weaverArthur Campbel in BaronyAlexr. Allan at Provan millJames Thomson in RochelayRobt. Galloway mason CarntineJohn Blair coallier thereWm. Burnside do. ThereJames Orrock weaverJames Smith do. CaltonMatthew Rea do. Robert Young in PostleJas. Morton shoemaker CaltonJohn Morison do. ThereWm. Somerville miller GlasgowWm. Henderson weaver thereJohn Falconer thereWilliam Allan thereJohn Gray WestmuirJames Ralston GlasgowWm. M'Gibbon thereAgnes Dalrymple thereJames Glen farmer WoodsideJames Dickson AuldhousebridgeJames Findlay weaver GorbalsPeter Gray coalhewer ShettlestonJames Graham GlasgowWm. Loudon gardener DalbethAgnes Dyer GlasgowMargaret Boyd thereJames Logan miller WoodsideJas. Graham shoemaker CaltonJas. Fisher do. In CallenderWm. Miller wright GlasgowJohn Buchanan do. ThereMungo Ritchie do. GarscubArchibald Sword do. ThereHugh Aitken coalhewer JordanhillRobt. Purdon hammerman BaronyRobt. Brown brewer Glasgow Given in by PETER GOLD, in Newtown of Douglas William Gold thereWm. Williamson thereHugh Gold thereJames Gold farmer thereJohn Aitken thereRobert Miller thereJohn Forrest farmer west Calder * * * * * GLASGOW, _June 4th_, 1782 PROPOSALS For Printing by SUBSCRIPTION, In One large OCTAVO Volume. An Elegant Edition of Three Hundred and Fifty-Two LETTERS, By the Eminently Pious MR. SAMUEL RUTHERFORD, Professor of Divinity at _St. Andrews_. To which is added, The Author's _Testimony_ to the covenanted work of Reformation, as itwas carried on between 1638 and 1649. --And also his _Dying Words_, containing several Advices to some ministers and near relations. Asalso, A large PREFACE and POSTSCRIPT, wrote by the Reverend Mr. M'WARD. CONDITIONS. I. The book will be printed on a fair paper and good large Type, toconsist of nearly 600 pages. II. The price to Subscribers will be Two Shillings and Sixpence Sterlingto be paid at the delivery of the book, neatly bound. III. Those who subscribe for twelve copies, shall have one Gratis. IV. The book will be put to the press as soon as a competent number ofsubscriptions are obtained. The encouragers of this work are desired to send in their Names, withthe number of Copies they want, to the Publisher, within two monthsafter the date of this proposal. SUBSCRIPTIONS are taken in by JOHN BRYCE, the Publisher, Glasgow; W. Knight, merchant, Aberdeen; J. Hardie, merchant, Old Meldrum; G. Brown, merchant, Perth; J. Brown, bookseller, Dunse; J. Newal, bookseller, Dumfries; A M'Credy, book-binder, Stranrawer; G. Caldwal, bookseller, Paisley; J. M'Casland, merchant, Greenock; J. Lang, bookseller, Kilmarnock; D. Miller, merchant, Camphe; J. M'Lymont, J. Glen, and A. Nicol, travelling chapmen; and all others intrusted with Proposals. * * * * * Transcriber's note: Where a word differs from modern spelling, but is consistent within thetext, e. G. Atchievement, the original spelling is retained. Othertypographical errors have been corrected, particularly where there isinconsistency within the text. The following list details these changes(including those described in the Errata): Preface: p vii: Duch --> Dutchp viii: ths --> thisp x: renegado --> renegadep xvi: A footnote anchor follows Oedipus, but there is no correspondingfootnote Introduction: p xxxi: opportuuity --> opportunity Lives and Characters: p 45: duplicated word "and" removedp 46: defore --> beforep 47: duplicated word "gives" removedp 49: oftner --> oftenerp 54: Thar --> Thatp 55: judgement --> judgmentp 58: forgivenness --> forgivenessp 66: ehey --> theyp 82: Thet --> Thatp 85: exhprted --> exhortedp 88: band --> handp 95: commited --> committedp 97: weerein --> whereinp 112: Aarran --> Arranp 112: handwritten text added: "doctrine, and therefore remitted him to ward in the castle of"p 115: weakned --> weakenedp 117: year --> earp 117: Hampton-cout --> Hampton-courtp 125: duplicated word "shall" removedp 133: theif --> thiefp 147: Scotish --> Scottishp 154: patnet --> patentp 166: duplicated prefix "re-" removedp 167: duplicated letter "e" in "even" across line break removedp 180: exepcted --> expectedp 181: Cuningham --> Cunningham for consistencyp 187: canot --> cannotp 190: proclamaon --> proclamationp 195: judicarories --> judicatoriesp 196: remonstrancs --> remonstrancep 196: changed univerty --> universityp 201: endevoured --> endeavouredp 208: changed petitition --> petitionp 208: changed ot --> atp 214: succeded --> succeededp 218: duplicated word "a" removedp 218: changed cootinue --> continuep 226: yon --> youp 232: unparalelled --> unparalleledp 245: "is is well known" --> "it is well known"p 249: duplicated word "the" removedp 253: clossest --> closestp 253: tolboth --> tolboothp 258: tu --> top 262: Extra text added (from Errata)p 264: baronses --> baronessp 264: promotter --> promoterp 270: Loudoun --> Loudonp 271: Loudoun --> Loudonp 271: lef --> leftp 292: 1657 --> 1651 (from Errata)p 293: duplicated letter "E" in "Edinburgh" removedp 316: conant --> covenantp 319: ocurred --> occurredp 321: conditition --> conditionp 324: contsary --> contraryp 348: he --> thep 350: wich --> withp 354: redeem --> redeemedp 358: must --> mostp 365: at --> asp 375: duplicated word "on" removedp 381: chuch --> churchp 402: sollicitations --> solicitationsp 405: in --> from (from Errata)p 426: stoped --> stoppedp 432: droping --> droppingp 435: it --> itsp 435: Edingburgh --> Edinburghp 448: Fanguirs --> Tanguirs (from Errata and for consistency)p 448: priseners --> prisonersp 449: chearfulness --> cheerfulnessp 452: Learmoril --> Learmond (from Errata)p 452: duplicated word "in" removedp 462: Lermonnt --> Lermontp 464: Penland --> Pentlandp 464: unparalelled --> unparalleledp 468: interrred --> interredp 475: rery --> veryp 479: destribute --> distributep 479: (6. ) --> (9. )p 494: thir --> theirp 499: Fulliallan --> Tullialen (from Errata)p 499: druken --> drunkenp 501: disswading --> dissuading for consistencyp 502: first --> farther (from Errata)p 504: duplicated word "time" removedp 510: duplicated word "and" removedp 514: ect --> etcp 536: disswaded --> dissuadedp 556: entring --> enteringp 560: word "He" inserted before answeredp 602: duplicated letter "a" in "about" removedp 606: wheu --> whenp 607: inventored --> inventoriedp 607: duplicated word "who" removedp 616: Warristoun --> Warriston Errata: P. 291 --> P. 292P. 505 --> P. 405 Judgment and Justice: p 9: Aaran --> Arranp 15: Added word "of" after "footsteps"p 16: errected --> erectedp 28: disolve --> dissolvep 29: Duplicated word "from" removedp 29: Duplicated word "a" removedp 30: recissory --> rescissoryp 31: Fanquirs --> Tanguirs (for consistency)p 31: Miln --> Milnep 33: assasinate --> assassinatep 33: Added word "body" after "heart from his"p 33: Added word "assembly" after "1638"p 34: outragious --> outrageousp 35: laueration --> laureationp 38: drunkeness --> drunkennessp 43: Dumfermline --> Dunfermlinep 45: Duplicated word "the" removedp 45: Duplicated word "of" removedp 46: roted --> rottedp 56: frome --> fromp 56: patridges --> partridgesp 65: steped --> stepped Proposals: p 84: RUTHERFOORD --> RUTHERFORD Footnotes: fn 15: duplicated word "that" removedfn 68: 2634 --> 1634fn 103: melignants --> malignantsfn 150: location of footnote anchor unclearfn 156: location of footnote anchor unclearfn 200: footnote truncated in originalfn 227: Stirleg --> Stirling (from Errata)fn 229: meerly --> merelyfn 246: counsellours --> counsellorsfn 246: iucurable --> incurablefn 246: hetrodox --> heterodoxfn 246: accessary --> accessoryfn 246: strengthned --> strengthenedfn 251: scribler --> scribblerfn 253: most --> mustfn 263: they --> the king (from Errata)fn 277: Cambusnethan --> Cambusnethen (for consistency) Changes to the following words (or variations on them) were made onseveral pages, primarily for consistency within the text: threatning(s) --> threatening(s), threatned --> threateneduntill --> untilcouragious --> courageousaccomodate --> accommodatesherriff --> sheriffdiocess --> dioceseacknowledgement --> acknowledgmentNaphthali --> Naphtali