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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Biographia Scoticana (Scots Worthies)</p> +<p> A Brief Historical Account of the Lives, Characters, and Memorable Transactions of the Most Eminent Scots Worthies</p> +<p>Author: John Howie</p> +<p>Release Date: March 7, 2009 [eBook #28272]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIOGRAPHIA SCOTICANA (SCOTS WORTHIES)***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3 class="pg">E-text prepared by Nigel Blower, Jordan,<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (http://www.pgdp.net)</h3> +<p> </p> +<div class="notes"> + +<h2>Transcriber's Notes</h2> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Missing quotation marks and other minor punctuation errors and +inconsistencies such as differing hyphenations of words have been +silently corrected.</p> + +<p>Missing or poorly printed letters in words have been silently supplied.</p> + +<p>Illegible text that could not be supplied from other sources is marked +{illegible}.</p> + +<p>There is an error in page numbering: the page following 336 is numbered +347.</p> + +<p>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 +<a href="#trn">end</a> of the text.</p> +</div> +<p> </p> +<div class="notes"> +<b>CONTENTS</b><br /> +<br /> +<a href="#Biographia_Scoticana"><b>Biographia Scoticana</b></a><br /> +<a href="#The_Preface">The Preface</a><br /> +<a href="#The_Introduction">The Introduction</a><br /> +<a href="#The_Lives">The Lives and Characters of the Scots Worthies</a><br /> +<a href="#Contents">Contents</a><br /> +<a href="#Errata">Errata</a><br /> +<a href="#Footnotes_Biographia">Footnotes to Biographia Scoticana</a><br /> +<br /> +<a href="#The_Judgment_and_Justice_of_God"><b>The Judgment and Justice of God Exemplified, &c.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#Footnotes_Judgment">Footnotes to The Judgment and Justice of God Exemplified</a><br /> +<a href="#The_Subscribers">The Subscribers</a><br /> +<br /> +<a href="#Transcribers_Notes"><b>Transcriber's Notes</b></a><br /> +</div> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">i</a></span></p> +<div style="padding-left:15%; padding-right:15%;"> +<h1><a name="Biographia_Scoticana" id="Biographia_Scoticana"></a><i>Biographia Scoticana:</i></h1> + +<h2>OR, A<br /><br /> +BRIEF HISTORICAL ACCOUNT<br /><br /> +OF THE<br /><br /> +LIVES, CHARACTERS, and MEMORABLE<br /> +TRANSACTIONS of the most eminent<br /><br /> +<span style="font-size:200%">SCOTS WORTHIES,</span></h2> + +<p style="font-size:larger">Noblemen, Gentlemen, Ministers, and others: From Mr. <i>Patrick Hamilton</i>, +who was born about the year of our Lord 1503, and suffered martyrdom at +<i>St. Andrews</i>, Feb. 1527, to <i>Mr. James Renwick</i>, who was executed in +the Grass-market of <i>Edinburgh</i> Feb. 17, 1688.</p> + +<p class="center smcap lowercase gesperrt">TOGETHER WITH</p> + +<p>A succinct Account of the Lives of other seven eminent Divines, and Sir +<i>Robert Hamilton</i> of Preston, who died about, or shortly after the +Revolution.</p> + +<p class="center smcap lowercase gesperrt">AS ALSO,</p> + +<p>An Appendix, containing a short historical Hint of the wicked Lives and +miserable Deaths of some of the most remarkable apostates and bloody +persecutors in Scotland from the Reformation to the Revolution.</p> + +<p>Collected from historical Records, Biographical Accounts, and other +authenticated Writings:—The whole including a Period of near Two +Hundred Years.</p> + +<h2 class="smcap gesperrt">By JOHN HOWIE.</h2> + +<hr class="mid" style="margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em;" /> +<p class="center">The <span class="smcap">Second Edition</span>, corrected and enlarged.</p> +<hr class="mid" style="margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em;" /> + +<p class="center"><i>The Righteous shall be had in everlasting Remembrance</i>, Psal. cxii. 6.</p> + +<p class="center"><i>And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her</i>, Psal. +lxxxvii. 5</p> + +<p class="center gesperrt"><br />GLASGOW:</p> + +<p class="center">Printed by JOHN BRYCE, and Sold at his Shop, opposite Gibson's-Wynd, +<i>Salt-market</i>.</p> +<hr class="mini" style="width:8em; margin-top:0em; margin-bottom:0em;" /> +<p class="center">M, DCC, LXXXI</p> +</div> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">ii</a></span></p> +<h2>Entered in Stationers-Hall, according to Act of Parliament.</h2> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">iii</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Preface" id="The_Preface"></a>THE PREFACE</h2> + +<h3>To the <span class="smcap">Impartial Reader</span>.</h3> + +<p>The design of the following work was to collect from the best +authorities, a summary account of the lives characters and contendings +of a certain number of our more <span class="smcap">renowned Scots Worthies</span>, who for their +faithful services, ardent zeal, constancy in sufferings, and other +Christian graces and virtues, deserve a most honourable memorial in the +church of Christ;—and for which their names both have and will be +savoury to all the true lovers of our Zion, while reformation-principles +are regarded in Scotland.</p> + +<p>But then perhaps at first view, some may be surprized to find one so +obscure appear in a work of this nature, especially when there are so +many fit hands for such an employment. But if the respect I have for the +memories of these worthies; the familiar acquaintance and sweet +fellowship that once subsisted betwixt some of my ancestors and some of +them; but, above all, the love and regard which I have for the same +cause which they owned and maintained, be not sufficient to apologize +for me in this; then I must crave thy patience to hear me in a few +particulars; and that both anent the reasons for this publication, and +its utility: Which I hope will plead my excuse for this undertaking.</p> + +<p>And <i>First</i>, Having for some time had a desire to see something of this +kind published, but finding nothing thereof, except a few broken +accounts interspersed throughout different publications yet in print, at +last I took up a resolution to publish a second edition of the life of +one of these worthies already published at large<a name="FNanchor_1" id="FNanchor_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a>.—Yet, upon farther +reflection, considering it would be better to collect into one volume, +the most material relations (of as many of our Scots worthies as could +be obtained) from such of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">iv</a></span> historical records, biographical +accounts, and other authenticated manuscripts, as I could have access +unto, with the substance of these lives already in print, which, being +put altogether, I thought would not only prove more useful in giving the +reader the pleasure of viewing that all at once, which before was +scattered up and down in so many corners, but also at the same time it +might be free of the inconveniences that little pamphlets often fall +under. And yet at the same time I am aware that some may expect to find +a more full account of these worthies, both as to their number and the +matters of fact in the time specified, than what is here to be met +with—But in this publication, it is not pretended to give an account of +all our Scots worthies, or their transactions: For that were a task now +altogether impracticable, and that upon several accounts. For,</p> + +<p><i>1st</i>, There have been many of different ranks and degrees of men famous +in the church of Scotland, of whom little more is mentioned in history +than their names, places of abode, and age wherein they existed, and +scarcely that. Again, there are many others, of whom the most that can +be said is only a few faint hints, which of necessity must render their +lives (if they may properly be so called) very imperfect, from what they +might and would have been, had they been collected and wrote near a +century ago, when their actions and memories were more fresh and recent; +several persons being then alive, who were well acquainted with their +lives and proceedings, whereby they might have been confirmed by many +uncontestible evidences that cannot now possibly be brought in; yea, and +more so, seeing there is a chasm in our history during the time of the +Usurper, not to mention how many of our national records were about that +time altogether lost.<a name="FNanchor_2" id="FNanchor_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p> + +<p><i>2dly</i>, There are several others, both in the reforming and suffering +periods, of whom somewhat now is recorded, and yet not sufficient to +form a narrative of, so that, excepting by short relations or marginal +notes, they cannot otherwise be supplied.—For it is with regret that +the publishers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">v</a></span> have it to declare, that, upon application unto several +places for farther information concerning some of these worthy men, they +could find little or nothing in the most part of their registers +(excepting a few things by way of oral tradition) being through course +of time either designedly, or through negligence lost.</p> + +<p><i>3dly</i>, Some few of these lives already in print being somewhat prolix, +it seemed proper to abridge them; which is done in a manner as +comprehensive as possible, so that nothing material is omitted, which it +is hoped will be thought to be no way injurious to the memory of these +worthy men.</p> + +<p><i>Secondly</i>, As to the utility of this subject, biography in general, (as +a historian has observed<a name="FNanchor_3" id="FNanchor_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a>), must be one of the most entertaining parts +of history; and how much more the lives and transactions of our <i>noble</i> +<span class="smcap lowercase">SCOTS WORTHIES</span>, wherein is contained not only a short compend of the +testimony and wrestlings of the church of Scotland for near the space of +200 years, yea from the earliest period of Christianity in Scotland (the +introduction included) but also a great variety of other things, both +instructing and entertaining, which at once must both edify and refresh +the serious and understanding reader.—For,</p> + +<p><i>1st</i>, In these lives we have a short view of the actions, +atchievements, and some of the failings of our ancestors set forth +before us, as examples for our caution and imitation; wherein by the +experience, and at the expence of former ages, by a train of prudent +reflections, we may learn important lessons for our conduct in life, +both in faith and manners, for the furnishing ourselves with the like +Christian armour of zeal, faithfulness, holiness, stedfastness, +meekness, patience, humility, and other graces.</p> + +<p><i>2dly</i>, In them we behold what the wisest of men could not think on +without astonishment, that <i>God does in very deed dwell with men upon +earth</i>, (men a little too low for heaven, and much too high for earth); +nay more, dealeth "so familiarly with them, as to make them previously +acquainted with his secret designs, both of judgment and mercy, +displaying his divine power, and the efficacy of his grace thro' their +infirmities, subduing the most hardened sinners to himself, while he as +it were reigns himself<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">vi</a></span> to their prayers, and makes them the subject of +his divine care and superintendency."</p> + +<p><i>3dly</i>, Here we have as it were a mirror exemplifying and setting forth +all the virtues and duties of a religious and a domestic life.—Here is +the example of a virtuous nobleman, an active statesman, a religious +gentleman, a faithful and painful minister in the exercise of his +office, <i>instant in season and out of season</i>, a wise and diligent +magistrate, <i>one fearing God and hating covetousness</i>, a courageous +soldier, a good christian, a loving husband, an indulgent parent, a +faithful friend in every exigence; and in a word, almost every character +worthy of our imitation. And,</p> + +<p><i>Lastly</i>, 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 are +remarkable, how remarkable then must the last words and dying +expressions of these <span class="smcap lowercase">NOBLE WITNESSES</span> and <span class="smcap lowercase">MARTYRS</span> of Christ be?" For the +nearer the dying saint is to heaven, and the more of the presence of +Christ that he has in his last moments, when death looks him in the +face<a name="FNanchor_4" id="FNanchor_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a>, the more interesting will his conversation be to survivors, and +particularly acceptable to real Christians, because all that he says is +supported by his example, which commonly has considerable influence upon +the human mind.—It is true, there is an innate and latent evil in man's +nature, that makes him more prone and obsequious to follow bad than good +examples; yet sometimes, (yea often) there is a kind of compulsive +energy arising from the good examples of such as are eminent either in +place or godliness, leading forth others to imitate them in the like +graces and virtues. We find the children of Israel followed the Lord all +the days of Joshua, and the elders that out-lived him; and Christ's +harbinger, John Baptist, gained as much by his practice and example as +by his doctrine: His apparel, his diet, his conversation, and all, did +preach forth his holiness. Nazianzen saith of him, "That he cried louder +by the holiness of his life, than by the sincerity of his doctrine."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">vii</a></span> +And were it not so, the apostle would not have exhorted the Philippians +unto this, saying, <i>Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them +which walk, so as ye have us for an ensample</i>, &c. chap. iii. 17.—And +so says the apostle James, <i>Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have +spoken in the name of the Lord, for an ensample</i>, &c. chap. v. 10. And +no question, that next to the down-pouring of the Spirit from on high, +the rapid and admirable success of the gospel, both in the primitive +times, and in the beginning of our reformations (from popery and +prelacy) in a great measure must have been owing to the simplicity, holy +and exemplary lives of the preachers and professors thereof. A learned +expositor observes, "That ministers are likely to preach most to the +purpose, when they can press their hearers to follow their example<a name="FNanchor_5" id="FNanchor_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a>." +For it is very observable that without this, the church of Christ is so +far from gaining ground, that it loses what it hath already gained in +the world; of which the church of Scotland is a most glaring document; +yea truth itself suffers by this means, and can gain no credit from +their mouths; and how despicable must that man's character be, whose +authority is lost, and his example goes for nothing. So that upon the +whole, I flatter myself that no small advantage (thro' the divine +blessing) might accrue to the public from this subject in general, and +from the lives of our Scots worthies in particular, providing these or +the like cautions following were observed: And that is, 1. We are not to +sit down or rest ourselves upon the person, principle or practice of any +man, yea the best saint we have ever read or heard of, but only to seek +these gifts and graces that most eminently shone forth in +them.—<i>Præceptis, non exemplis, standum</i>, i.e. "we must not stand by +examples but precepts:" For it is the peculiar honour and dignity of +Jesus Christ only to be imitated by all men absolutely, and for any +person or persons to idolize any man or men, in making them a pattern in +every circumstance or particular, were nothing else than to pin an +implicit faith upon other mens sleeves. The apostle to the Corinthians +(in the forecited text) gives a very good caveat against this, when he +says, <i>Be ye followers</i> (or as the Dutch annotators translate, <i>Be ye +imitators</i>) <i>of me, as I am of Christ.</i>—And, 2. Neither are we on the +other hand to dwell too much upon the faults, or failings that have +sometime been discovered in some of God's own dear children; but at the +same time to consider with ourselves, that although<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">viii</a></span> they were eminent +men of God, yet at the same time were they the sons of Adam also: For it +is possible yea many times has been the case for good men not only to +make foul falls themselves but also when striking against the errors and +enormities of others to over-reach the mark, and go beyond the bounds of +truth in some degree themselves; perfection being no inherent plant in +this life, so says the apostle, <i>They are earthen vessels, men of like +passions with you</i>, &c. 2 Cor. iv. 7. Acts xiv. 15.</p> + +<p><i>Thirdly</i>, As to the motives leading us to this publication. Can it be +supposed that there was ever an age, since reformation commenced in +Scotland, that stood in more need of useful holy and exemplary lives +being set before them; and that both in respect to the actions and +memories of these worthies, and with regard to our present +circumstances. For in respect to the memories and transactions of these +worthies, it is now a long time since bishops Spotiswood, Guthry and +Burnet (not to mention some English historians) in their writings, +clothed the actions and proceedings of those our ancestors (both in this +reforming and suffering period) in a most grotesque and frantic dress, +whereby their names and noble attainments have been loaded with +reproach, 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, and +set them in such a dishonourable light, by giving them a character that +even the above-mentioned historians, yea their most avowed enemies, of +their own day, would scarcely have subscribed<a name="FNanchor_6" id="FNanchor_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a>: to such a length is +poor degenerate Scotland arrived.—And is it not high time to follow the +wise man's advice, <i>Open thy mouth for the dumb, in the cause of all +such as are appointed to destruction?</i> Prov. xxxi. 8.</p> + +<p>Again, with regard to our present circumstances, there needs little more +to prove the necessity of this collection at present, than to shew how +many degrees we have descended from the worthy deeds or merit of our +<i>Renowned forefathers</i>, by running a parallel betwixt their contendings +and attainments, and our present national defections and backsliding, +courses, in these few particulars following.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">ix</a></span> +Our venerable reformers were not only highly instrumental in the Lord's +hand in bringing a people out of the abyss of gross Popish darkness +(under which they had for a long time continued), but also brought +themselves under most solemn and sacred vows and engagements to the Most +High, and whenever they were to set about any further piece of +reformation in their advancing state, they always set about the +renovation of these covenants.—They strenuously asserted the divine +right of presbytery, the headship of Christ, and intrinsic rights of his +church in the reign of James VI. and suffered much on that +account—lifted arms once and again in the reign of Charles I.; and +never ceased until they got an uniformity in doctrine, worship, +discipline, and church-government, brought out and established betwixt +the three kingdoms for that purpose<a name="FNanchor_7" id="FNanchor_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a>, whereby both church and state +were enabled to exert themselves in rooting out every error and heresy +whatever, until they obtained a complete settlement according to the +word of God, and our covenants established thereon; which covenants were +then by several excellent acts both civil and ecclesiastic<a name="FNanchor_8" id="FNanchor_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> made the +<span class="smcap">Magna Charta</span> of these nations, with respect to every civil and religious +privilege; none being admitted unto any office or employment in church +or state, without scriptural and covenant qualifications.—And then was +that part of the antient prophecy further fulfilled, <i>In the wilderness +shall waters break forth, and streams in the desart,—and the isles +shall wait for his law</i>. Christ then reigned gloriously in Scotland. His +church appeared <i>beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem:—For from the +outmost parts were heard songs, even glory to the righteous</i>.</p> + +<p>And although Charles II. and a set of wicked counsellors overturned the +whole fabric of that once-glorious structure of reformation, openly +divested the Son of God of his headship in and over his own church, as +far as human laws could do, burned these solemn covenants by the hands +of the hangman (the owning of which was by act of parliament<a name="FNanchor_9" id="FNanchor_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> made +high treason afterward).—Yet even then the seed of the church produced +a remnant who kept the word<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">x</a></span> of Christ's patience stood in defence of +the whole of his persecuted truths, in face of all opposition, and that +to the effusion of the last drop of their blood: "These two prime +truths, Christ's headship and our covenants, being in the mouths of all +our late martyrs, when they mounted their bloody theatres;" and in the +comfort of suffering on such clear grounds, and for such valuable +truths, they went triumphing off the stage of time to eternity.</p> + +<p>But alas! how have we their degenerate and renegade posterity followed +their example or traced their steps, yea we have rather served ourselves +heirs to them who persecuted and killed them, by our long accession to +their perjury and apostacy in a general and avowed denial of our most +solemn vows and oaths of allegiance to Jesus Christ. To mention nothing +more of the total extermination of our ancient and laudable +constitution, during the two tyrants reigns, with the many grave stones +cast thereon by the acts rescissory, <i>&c.</i> (which acts seem by no act in +particular yet to be repealed) and claim of right at the revolution, +whereby we have in a national way and capacity (whatever be the +pretences) declared ourselves to be on another footing than the footing +of the once-famous covenanted church of Scotland. How many are the +defections and encroachments annually and daily made upon our most +valuable rights and privileges! For since the revolution, the duty of +national covenanting has not only been slighted and neglected, yea +ridiculed by some, but even some leading church-men, in their +writings<a name="FNanchor_10" id="FNanchor_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a>, have had the effrontery to impugn (though in a very sly +way) the very obligation of these covenants, asserting that there is +little or no warrant for national covenanting under the new Testament +dispensation: And what awful attacks since that time have been made upon +the crown-rights of our Redeemer (notwithstanding some saint acts then +made to the contrary) as witness the civil magistrate's still retaining +his old usurped power, in calling and dissolving the supreme +judicatories of the church, yea, sometimes to an indefinite +time.—Likewise appointing diets of fasting and thanksgiving to be +observed, under fines and other civil pains annexed; imposing oaths, +acts and statutes upon church-men, under pain of ecclesiastic censure, +or other<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">xi</a></span> Erastian penalties. And instead of our covenants, an +unhallowed union is gone into with England, whereby our rights and +liberties are infringed not a little, <i>bow down thy body as the ground +that we may pass over</i>.—Lordly patronage<a name="FNanchor_11" id="FNanchor_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a>, which was cast out of the +church in her purest times, is now restored and practised to an +extremity.—A toleration bill<a name="FNanchor_12" id="FNanchor_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a> is granted, whereby all and almost +every error, heresy and delusion appears now rampant and triumphant, +prelacy is now become fashionable and epidemical, and of popery we are +in as much danger as ever<a name="FNanchor_13" id="FNanchor_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a>; Socinian and deistical tenets are only in +vogue with the wits of the age, <i>foli rationi cedo</i>, the old Porphyrian +maxim having so far gained the ascendant at present, that reason (at +least pretenders to it, who must needs hear with their eyes, and see +with their ears, and understand with their elbows till the order of +nature be inverted) threaten not a little to banish revealed religion +and its most important doctrines out of the professing world.—A +latitudinarian scheme prevails among the majority, the greater part, +with the Athenians,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">xii</a></span> spending their time only to hear and see something +new, <i>gadding about to change their ways, going in the ways of Egypt and +Assyria, to drink the waters of Shichor and the river</i>, unstable souls, +like so many light combustibles wrapt up by the eddies of a whirlwind, +tossed hither and thither till utterly dissipated.—The doctrine of +original sin<a name="FNanchor_14" id="FNanchor_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a> is by several denied, others are pulling down the very +hedges of church government, refusing all church-standards, "covenants, +creeds and confessions, whether of our own or of other churches, yea and +national churches also, as being all of them carnal, human or +antichristian inventions," contrary to many texts of scripture, +particularly 2 Tim. i. 13. <i>Hold fast the form of sound words</i>: and the +old Pelagian and Arminian errors appear again upon the stage, the merit +of the creature, free will and good works<a name="FNanchor_15" id="FNanchor_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a> being taught from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiii" id="Page_xiii">xiii</a></span> press +and pulpit almost every where, to the utter discarding of free grace, +Christ's imputed righteousness, and the power of true godliness.—All +which pernicious errors were expunged and cast over the hedge by our +reforming forefathers:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiv" id="Page_xiv">xiv</a></span> And is it not highly requisite, that their +faithful contendings, orthodox and exemplary lives, should be copied out +before us, when walking so repugnant to <i>acknowledging the God of our +fathers, and walking before him with a perfect heart</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xv" id="Page_xv">xv</a></span> +Again, if we shall run a comparison betwixt the practice of those who +are the subject-matter of this collection, and our present prevailing +temper and disposition, we will find how far they correspond with one +another. How courageous and zealous were they for the cause and honour +of Christ! How cold and lukewarm are we, of whatever sect or +denomination! How willing were they to part with all for him! And what +honour did many of them count it, to suffer for his name! How unwilling +are we to part with any thing for him, much less to suffer such +hardships for his sake! Of that we are ashamed, which they counted their +ornament; accounting that our glory which they looked on as a disgrace! +How easy was it for them to choose the greatest suffering rather than +the least sin! How hard is it for us to refuse the greatest sin before +the least suffering! How<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xvi" id="Page_xvi">xvi</a></span> active were they for the glory of God and the +good of souls, and diligent to have their own evidences clear for +heaven! But how little concern have we for the cause of Christ, his work +and interest, and how dark are the most part with respect to their +spiritual state and duty! They were sympathizing christians; but, alas! +how little fellow-feeling is to be found among us: it is rather <i>Stand +by, for I am holier than thou.</i> Oh! that their christian virtues, +constant fidelity, unfeigned love and unbiassed loyalty to Zion's King +and Lord, could awaken us from our neutrality and supine security, +wherein instead of imitating the goodness and virtuous dispositions of +these our ancestors, we have by our defections and vicious courses +invited neglect and contempt on ourselves, being (as a philosopher once +observed of passionate people) like men standing on their heads who see +all things the wrong way; giving up with the greater part of these our +most valuable rights and liberties, all which were most esteemed by our +<span class="smcap lowercase">RENOWNED PROGENITORS</span>.—<i>The treacherous dealers have dealt very +treacherously.</i></p> + +<p>And if we shall add unto all these, in our progressive and increasing +apostacy, our other heinous land-crying sins and enormities, which +prevail and increase among all ranks and denominations of men (few +mourning over the low state of our Zion, and the daily decay of the +interest of Christ and religion). Then we not only may say as the poet +once said of the men of Athens, Thebes and Oedipus, "That we live only +in fable, and nothing remains of ancient Scotland but the name;" but +also take up this bitter complaint and lamentation.</p> + +<p class="break">"Ah Scotland, Scotland! <i>How is the gold become dim, how is the most +fine gold changed!</i> Ah! Where is the God of Elijah, and where is his +glory! Where is that Scottish zeal that once flamed in the breasts of +thy nobility, barons, ministers and commoners of all sorts! Ah, where is +that true courage and heroic resolution for religion and the liberties +of 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 in +a great measure from off our assemblies; because we have deserted and +relinquished the Lord's most noble cause and testimony, by a plain, +palpable and perpetual course of backsliding."—<i>The crown is fallen +from our head, wo unto us, for we have sinned.</i></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xvii" id="Page_xvii">xvii</a></span> +For surely we may say of these our times (and with as much propriety) +what some of these worthies said of theirs, <i>Quam graviter ingemescerent +illi fortes viri qui ecclesiæ Scoticanæ pro libertate in acte +decertarunt, si nostram nunc ignaviam (ne quid gravius dicam) +conspicerent</i>, said Mr. Davidson in a letter to the general Assembly +1601, <i>i. e.</i> "How grievously would they bewail our stupenduous +slothfulness, could they but behold it, who of old thought no expence of +blood and treasure too much for the defence of the church of Scotland's +liberties."—Or to use the words of another<a name="FNanchor_16" id="FNanchor_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a> in the persecuting +period, "Were it possible that our reformers (and we may add our late +martyrs) who are entered in among the glorious choristers in the kingdom +of heaven, (singing their melodious songs on harps about the throne of +the Lamb) might have a furlough for a short time, to take a view of +their apostatizing children, what may we judge would be their +conceptions of these courses of defection, so far repugnant to the +platform laid down in that glorious work of reformation." For if +innocent Hamilton, godly and patient Wishart, apostolic Knox, eloquent +Rollock, worthy Davidson, the courageous Melvils, prophetic Welch, +majestic Bruce, great Henderson, renowned Gillespie, learned Binning, +pious Gray, laborious Durham, heavenly-minded Rutherford, the faithful +Guthries, diligent Blair, heart-melting Livingston, religious Welwood, +orthodox and practical Brown, zealous and stedfast Cameron, +honest-hearted Cargil, sympathizing M'Ward, persevering Blackadder, the +evangelical Traills, constant and pious Renwick, <i>&c.</i> "were filed off +from the assembly of the first-born, sent as commissioners to haste down +from the mount of God, to behold how quickly their offspring are gone +out of the way, piping and dancing after a golden calf: Ah! with what +vehemency would their spirits be affected, to see their laborious +structure almost razed to the foundation, by those to whom they +committed the custody of the word of their great Lord's patience; they +in the mean time sheltering themselves under the shadow of a rotten lump +of fig-tree leaf distinctions, which will not sconce against the wrath +of an angry God in the cool of the day, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>And <i>Finally</i>, What can have a more gloomy aspect in the midst of these +evils, (with many more that might be noticed) <i>when our pleasant things +are laid waste</i>, than to see<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xviii" id="Page_xviii">xviii</a></span> such a scene of strife and division +carried on, and maintained among Christ's professing witnesses in these +lands, whereby true love and sympathy is eradicated, the very vitals of +religion pulled out, and the ways of God and godliness lampooned and +ridiculed, <i>giving Jacob to the curse, and Israel to the +reproaches</i>.—And it is most lamentable, that while malignants (now as +well as formerly) from without are cutting down the carved work of the +sanctuary, Christ's professed friends and followers from within are +busied in contention and animosities among themselves, by which means +the enemy still advances and gains ground, similar to the case +(exteriorly) of that once famous and flourishing city and temple of +Jerusalem, when it was by Titus Vespasian utterly demolished<a name="FNanchor_17" id="FNanchor_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a>.—All +which seem to prelude or indicate, that the Lord is about to inflict +these long-threatened, impending but protracted judgments<a name="FNanchor_18" id="FNanchor_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a> upon such +a sinning land, church and people. And as many of these worthies have +assured us, that judgments are abiding this church and nation; so our +present condition and circumstances seem to say, that we are the +generation ripening for them apace.—How much need have we then of the +Christian armour that made them proof against Satan, his emissaries, and +every trial and tribulation they were subjected unto? <i>Wherefore take +unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in +the evil day.</i></p> + +<p>But by this time somewhat might have been said concerning the testimony +of the church of Scotland, as it was carried on and handed down by these +witnesses of Christ to posterity, in its different parts and +periods—But as this has been somewhat (I may say needlessly) +controverted in these our times, it were too large a subject (for the +narrow limits of a preface) to enter upon at present, any further than +to observe, that,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xix" id="Page_xix">xix</a></span> +(1.) The testimony of the church of Scotland is not only a free, full +and faithful testimony, (yea more extensive than the testimony of any +one particular church since Christianity commenced in the world) but +also a sure and costly testimony, confirmed and sealed with blood; "and +that of the best of our nobles, ministers, gentry, burgesses and commons +of all sorts;"—<i>who loved not their lives unto the death, but overcame +by the word of their testimony.—Bind up the testimony, seal the law.</i></p> + +<p>(2.) Altho' there is no truth whatsoever, when once controverted, but it +becomes the word of Christ's patience, and so ought to be the word of +our testimony, Rev. v. 10. xii. 11.; truth and duty being always the +same in all ages and periods of time, so that what injures one truth, in +some sense, injures and affects all; <i>For whosoever shall keep the whole +law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all</i>, Jam. ii. 10. Yet +at the same time it is pretty evident, that the church of Christ in this +world is a passing church, still circulating through ages and periods of +time, so that she seldom or never turns back under the same point, there +being scarcely a century of years elapsed without an alteration of +circumstances; yea and more, I suppose that there is no certain book +that has or can be written, that will suit the case of one particular +church at all times, and in all circumstances: This pre-eminency the +holy scriptures only can claim as a complete rule for faith and manners, +principle and practice, in all places, ages and times.</p> + +<p>(3.) These things premised, let it be observed, That the primitive +witnesses had the divinity of the Son of God, and an open confession of +him, for their testimony; our reformers from Popery had Antichrist to +struggle with, in asserting the doctrines of the gospel, and the right +way of salvation in and through Jesus Christ: again, in the reigns of +James VI. and Charles I. Christ's <span class="smcap lowercase">REGALIA</span><a name="FNanchor_19" id="FNanchor_19"></a><a href="#Footnote_19" class="fnanchor">[19]</a>, and the divine right of +presbytery became the subject-matter of their testimony. Then in the +beginning of the reign of Charles II. (until he got the whole of our +ancient and laudable constitution effaced and overturned) our <span class="smcap lowercase">WORTHIES</span> +only<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xx" id="Page_xx">xx</a></span> saw it their duty to hold and contend for what they had already +attained unto.—But then in the end of this and subsequent tyrant's +reign, they found it their duty (a duty which they had too long +neglected) to advance one step higher, by casting off their authority +altogether, and that as well on account of their manifest usurpation of +Christ's crown and dignity, as on account of their treachery, bloodshed +and tyranny. And yet as all these faithful witnesses of Christ did +harmoniously agree in promoting the kingdom and interest of the Messiah, +in all his threefold offices, they stood in defence of religion and +liberty (and that not only in opposition to the more gross errors of +Popery, but even to the more refined errors of English hierarchy) we +must take their testimony to be materially all and the same testimony, +only under different circumstances, which may be summed up thus; "The +primitive martyrs sealed the prophetic office of Christ in opposition to +Pagan idolatry.—The reforming martyrs sealed his priestly office with +their blood, in opposition to Popish idolatry.—But last of all, our +late martyrs have sealed his kingly office with their best blood, in +despite of supremacy and bold Erastianism. They indeed have cemented it +upon his royal head, so that to the world's end it shall never drop off +again."</p> + +<p>But, candid reader, to detain thee no longer upon these or the like +considerations,—I have put the following sheets into thy hands, wherein +if thou findest any thing amiss, either as to matter or method, let it +be ascribed unto any thing else, rather then want of honesty or +integrity of intention; considering, that all mankind are liable to err, +and that there is more difficulty in digesting such a great mass of +materials into such a small composition, than in writing many volumes. +Indeed there is but little probability, that a thing of this nature can +altogether escape or evade the critical eye of some carping Momus<a name="FNanchor_20" id="FNanchor_20"></a><a href="#Footnote_20" class="fnanchor">[20]</a>, +particularly such as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxi" id="Page_xxi">xxi</a></span> are either altogether ignorant of reformation +principles, or, of what the Lord hath done for covenanted Scotland; and +those who can bear with nothing but what comes from those men who are of +an uniform stature or persuasion with themselves: and yet were it +possible to anticipate anything arising here by way of objection, these +few things following might be observed.</p> + +<p>Here some may object, That many things more useful for the present +generation might have been published, than the deeds and public actings +of those men, who have stood so long condemned by the laws of the +nation, being exploded by some, and accounted such a reproach, as unfit +to be any longer on record.—In answer to this, I shall only notice, +(1.) That there have been some hundreds of volumes published of things +fabulous, fictitious and romantic, fit for little else than to amuse the +credulous reader; while this subject has been in a great measure +neglected. (2.) We find it to have been the constant practice of the +Lord's people in all ages, to hand down and keep on record what the Lord +had done by and for their forefathers in former times. We find the royal +psalmist, in name of the church, oftener than once at this work, Psal. +xliv. and lxxviii. <i>We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have +told us, what works thou didst in their days, in the times of old: We +will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to +come the praises of the Lord</i>, &c. (3.) It has been the practice of +almost all nations (yea and our own also) to publish the warlike +exploits and martial atchievements of their most illustrious heroes, who +distinguished themselves in defence of their native country, for a +little worldly honour, or a little temporary subsistence; and shall we +be behind in publishing the lives, characters, and most memorable +actions of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxii" id="Page_xxii">xxii</a></span> these <i>noble</i> <span class="smcap lowercase">CHAMPIONS</span> of Christ, who not only stood in +defence of religion and liberty, but also fought the battles of the Lord +against his and their avowed enemies, till in imitation of their +princely Master, their garments were all stained with blood, for which +their names shall be had in everlasting remembrance. (4.) As to the last +part of the objection, it must be granted, that in <i>foro homines</i>, their +actions and attainments cannot now be pled upon, but <i>in foro Dei</i>, that +which was lawful from the beginning cannot afterwards be made sinful<a name="FNanchor_21" id="FNanchor_21"></a><a href="#Footnote_21" class="fnanchor">[21]</a> +or void; and the longer they have been buried under the ashes of neglect +and apostacy, the more need have they to be raised up and revived. It is +usual 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 these +their contendings, were not only an addition to the contempt already +thrown upon the memories of these <span class="smcap lowercase">RENOWNED SIRES</span>, but also an injury +done to posterity.—"Your honourable ancestors, with the hazard of their +lives, brought Christ into our lands, and it shall be cruelty to +posterity if ye lose him to them," said one of these worthies to a Scots +nobleman<a name="FNanchor_22" id="FNanchor_22"></a><a href="#Footnote_22" class="fnanchor">[22]</a>.</p> + +<p>Again, some sceptical nullifidian or other may be ready to object +farther, "That many things related in this collection smell too much of +enthusiasm; and that several other things narrated therein, are beyond +all credit." But these we must suppose to be either quite ignorant of +what the Lord did for our forefathers in former times, or else in a +great measure destitute of the like gracious influences of the Holy +Spirit, by which they were actuated and animated. For,</p> + +<p>(1.) These worthies did and suffered much for Christ and his cause, in +their day and generation, and therefore in a peculiar and singular +manner were honoured and beloved of him; and although there are some +things here narrated, of a pretty extraordinary nature, yet as they +imply nothing contrary to reason, they do not forfeit a title to any +man's belief, since they are otherwise well attested, nay obviously +referred to a cause, whose ways and thoughts surmount the ways and +thoughts of men, as far as the heavens are above<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxiii" id="Page_xxiii">xxiii</a></span> our heads.—The sacred +history affords us store of instances and examples of a more +transcendent nature than any thing here related; the truth of which we +are at as little liberty to question, as the divinity of the book in +which they are related.</p> + +<p>(2.) As to the soul-exercise and pious devotion of these men herein +related, they are so far supported by the authority of scripture, that +there is mentioned by them (as a ground of their hope) some text or +passage thereof, carried in upon their minds, suited and adapted to +their cases and circumstances; by which faith they were enabled to lay +claim to some particular promise, <i>as a lamp unto their feet</i>, <i>a light +unto their path</i>, and this neither hypocrite nor enthusiast can do: <i>For +other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus +Christ</i>, 1 Cor. iii. 11.</p> + +<p>But then, it may be alleged by those who have a high esteem for this +subject, That nothing is here given as a commendation suitable or +adequate to the merit of these Worthies, considering their zeal, +diligence and activity in the discharge of their duty, in that office or +station which they filled. This indeed comes nearest the truth; for it +is very common for biographers to pass eulogiums of a very high strain +in 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) commonly +find stones for their own monuments;" and laudable actions always +support themselves: And a thing (as an author<a name="FNanchor_23" id="FNanchor_23"></a><a href="#Footnote_23" class="fnanchor">[23]</a> observes on the like +subject) "if right, it will defend itself; if wrong, none can defend it: +Truth needs not, falsehood deserves not a supporter."</p> + +<p>Indeed it must be regretted, that this collection is not drawn out with +more advantage to the cause of Christ, and the interest of religion in +commending the mighty acts of the Lord done for and by these worthy +servants or his, in a way suitable to the merit and dignity of such a +subject. But in this case it is the greater pity, "That those who have a +goodwill to such a piece of service cannot do it, while those who should +and can do it will not do it."—But in this I shall make no other +apology, than what our Saviour<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxiv" id="Page_xxiv">xxiv</a></span> (in another case) said to the woman, +<i>She hath done what she could.</i></p> + +<p>All that I shall observe anent the form or method used in the following +lives, is, that they are all, except one, ranged in order, according to +the time of their exit, and not according to their birth; and that in +general, the historical account of their birth, parentage, and memorable +transactions is first inserted; and with as few repetitions as possible: +Yea, sometimes to save a repetition, a fact is related of one Worthy in +the life of another, which is not in his own life. Then follows their +characteristic part, which oftimes is just one's testimony successively +of another; and last of all, their works<a name="FNanchor_24" id="FNanchor_24"></a><a href="#Footnote_24" class="fnanchor">[24]</a>.—That which is given in +their own words, mostly stands in commas.</p> + +<p>I know it is usual, when relating matters of fact, to make remarks or +reflections, yet as this oftimes brings authors under suspicion of party +zeal or partiality, they are designedly waved in the body of the +book.—Any thing of this kind is placed among other things in the +marginal notes, where the reader is at a little more freedom to chuse or +refuse as he pleases, only with this proviso, That truth be always +regarded.</p> + +<p>The last thing to be observed is, That as the credit due to this +collection depends so much upon the authors from whom it was extracted, +their names should have been inserted. However, the reader will find the +most part of them mentioned in the notes; so that if any doubt of the +veracity of any thing here related, they may have recourse to the +original authors, some of whom, though enemies to reformation +principles, nevertheless serve to illustrate the facts narrated in these +memoirs, as nothing serves more to confirmation of either truth or +historical facts, than the testimony of its opposers.</p> + +<p>But to conclude; May the Lord arise and plead his own cause in putting a +final stop to all manner of prevailing wickedness; and hasten that day +when the glorious light of the gospel may shine forth in purity, and +with such power and success as in former times, with an enlargement<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxv" id="Page_xxv">xxv</a></span> of +the Mediator's kingdom,—<i>That his large and great dominion may be +extended from the river to the ends of the earth,</i> when all these heats, +animosities and breaking divisions, that now prevail and increase among +Christ's professed friends and followers, may be healed; that being +cemented and knitted to one another, they may join heart and hand +together in the matters of the Lord, and the concerns of his glory; +<i>when Ephraim shall no more envy Judah, and Judah shall no more vex +Ephraim, but both shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines</i>, Isa. +xi. 13.; with a further accomplishment of these with other gracious +promises,—<i>And thine officers shall be peace, and thine exactors +righteousness</i>, &c.; <i>and they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall +bring again the captivity of Zion.</i>—And that when we are endeavouring +to perpetuate the memory of these worthies, or commemorate what the Lord +did for and by our forefathers, in the days of old, we may be so +auspicious as to have somewhat to declare of his goodness and wonderful +works done for us in our day and generation also.</p> + +<p>And if the following sheets shall in the least through divine grace, +under the management of an over-ruling providence (which claims the care +of directing every mean to its proper end) prove useful to the +reclaiming of neutrals from backsliding courses, to the confirming of +halters, and the encouraging of others to the like fortitude and +vigorous zeal, to contend for our most valuable privileges (whether of a +civil or a religious nature), then I shall think all my pains +recompensed, and the end gained. For that many may be found <i>standing in +the way, to see and ask for the good old paths, and walk therein, +cleaving to the law and to the testimony,</i> would be the joy, and is the +earnest desire of one, impartial reader, who remains thy friend and +well-wisher in the truth,</p> + +<p style="margin-bottom:0em; text-align:right"><span class="smcap">John Howie</span>.</p> +<p style="margin-top:0em;"><span class="smcap">Lochgoin</span>,<br /> +<i>July</i> 21, 1775.<br /> +</p> + +<p class="break"><i>N. B.</i> If any person or persons have or shall object to this or the +former edition, that in transcribing these lives (particularly those who +were formerly in print) I have curtailed them in favours of my own +particular sentiment; I must here let them know, that it is entirely +false; for I never omitted any thing to my knowledge, that I thought +would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxvi" id="Page_xxvi">xxvi</a></span> 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; in +the mean time, I cannot help thinking, that such reflections are or +would be but a very slender or ungenteel requital for my past pains and +labour.</p> + +<hr /> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Advertisement</span> to the Public, concerning this Edition.</h2> + +<p>That, after what I formerly observed on the subject in the foregoing +pages, it were needless to add any thing farther here, than to notice to +the Reader, that besides a number of small corrections, there are four +lives added, and upwards of fifty other additions or short +improvements;—only as Mr. Vetch's life and practice, especially since +the Revolution, was not so consonant to the rest as could have been +wished, it was desired by some friends to be deleted; but others +alledging that he was a sufferer, and that his life being once +providentially cast into this number, it might be accounted an injury, +if not to the book, yet to the purchasers of this edition, therefore I +have abridged it as concisely as possible, and placed it in its own +proper place, in the end; which is no more nor no less freedom used with +his memory, than what has been done with others as deserving, might I +say, as faithful as he: besides his life in full still stands entire in +the first edition, which may be either consulted or printed again at +pleasure.</p> + +<p>I am further to acquaint the reader, that I have been sometimes +solicited by acquaintance to write another volume of the wicked lives +and characters of some of the late wicked persecutors; but not finding +proper 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 short +sketch or historical account of the wicked lives and miserable deaths of +some of the most notable apostate church-men and violent persecutors, +from the Reformation to the Revolution, which it is hoped will be no +ways unapt unto the subject, and, through a divine blessing, may not +want its own proper use;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxvii" id="Page_xxvii">xxvii</a></span> for while we are made to behold the Lord's +admirable goodness and mercy, yea miracles of mercy, extended towards +his church and people, we, at the same time, have a view of his +displeasure and the severity of his judgments inflicted upon his and +their enemies, according to his own promise, <i>I will punish them that +afflict thee</i>, and even in this life; which must be an eminent +accomplishment, display and illustration of divine revelation, in +opposition to all deistical scribblers.—<i>The righteousness of the +perfect shall direct his way; but the wicked shall fall by his own +wickedness</i>, &c. But to insist no further, I remain as above,</p> + +<p style="margin-bottom:0em; text-align:right">JOHN HOWIE.</p> +<p style="margin-top:0em;"><span class="smcap">Lochgoin</span>,<br /> +<i>June</i>, 1781.<br /></p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxviii" id="Page_xxviii">xxviii</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Introduction" id="The_Introduction"></a>THE INTRODUCTION.</h2> + +<p>Christianity seems to have made its appearance in Scotland in a very +early period, being, according to some writers, propagated in this +kingdom by the Apostles themselves; some saying that Simon Zelotes, +others that Paul was some time in this part of the world; but as this +opinion is not supported by proper vouchers, it merits only the regard +due to conjecture, not the attention which an undoubted narrative calls +for.</p> + +<p>Another, and more probable account, is, that during the persecution +raised 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, and +there taught the religion of Jesus. It does not seem that Christianity +made any very rapid progress for a considerable time. The first account +of 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 were +baptized, and continued afterwards to promote the interest of +Christianity, in opposition to Pagan idolatry. But the invasion of the +Emperor Severus soon disturbed this king's measures, so that for the +space of more than seventy years after, religion was on the decline, and +the idolatry of the Druids prevailed; they were an order of Heathen +priests, who performed their rites in groves of oak trees; this was a +species of Paganism of great antiquity, being that kind of idolatry to +which the Jews were often revolting, of which mention is made in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxix" id="Page_xxix">xxix</a></span> the +lives of Ahab, Manasseh, <i>&c.</i> in the books of the kings. These Druids +likewise possessed a considerable share of civil power, being the +ordinary arbitrators in almost all controversies, and highly esteemed by +the people; this made it a very difficult task to establish a religion +so opposite to, and subversive of that institution: but the difficulties +which Christianity has in every age and country had to encounter, have +served its interest, and illustrated the power and grace of its divine +Author. These Druids were expelled by king Cratilinth, about the year +277, who took special care to obliterate every memorial of them; and +from this period we may date the true æra of Christianity in Scotland, +because from this time forward, until the persecution under the emperor +Dioclesian, in the beginning of the fourth century, there was a gradual +increase of the true knowledge of God and religion, that persecution +became so hot in the south parts of Britain, as to drive many, both +preachers and professors, into Scotland, where they were kindly +received, and had the Isle of Man (then in possession of the Scots) +given them for their residence, and a sufficient maintenance assigned +them. King Cratilinth built a church for them, which was called the +church of our <span class="smcap">Saviour</span>, in the Greek, σωτηρ, and is now by +corruption <span class="smcap">Sodor</span>, in Icolumbkil, one of the western isles. They were not +employed, like the Druidical priests, in whose place they had come, in +settling the worldly affairs of men, but gave themselves wholly to +divine services, in instructing the ignorant, comforting the weak, +administering the sacraments, and training up disciples to the same +services.</p> + +<p>Whether these Refugees were the ancient Culdees or a different set of +men, is not easily determined, nor would be very material, though it +could. The Culdees (from <i>cultores Dei</i>, worshippers of God) flourished +at this time, they were called μονα'χοι, or Monks, from the +retired religious lives which they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxx" id="Page_xxx">xxx</a></span> led; the cells into which they had +retired, were, after their deaths, mostly converted into churches, and +to this day retain their names, as Cell or Kill or church of Marnock; +Kil-Patrick, Kil-Malcolm, <i>&c.</i> The Culdees chose superintendents from +among themselves, whose office obliged them to travel the country, in +order to see that every one discharged his duty properly: but they were +utter strangers to the lordly power of the modern Prelate, having no +proper diocese, and only a temporary superintendency, with which they +were vested by their brethren, and to whom they were accountable. It was +an institution, in the spirit of it, the same with the privy censures of +ministers among Presbyterians.</p> + +<p>During the reigns of Cratilinth, and Fincormac his successor, the +Culdees were in a flourishing state: but after the death of the latter, +both the church and state of Scotland went into disorder. Maximus the +Roman Præfect, stirred up the Picts to aid him against the Scots, who +were totally defeated, their King Ewing, with most part of the nobility, +being slain. This overthrow was immediately succeeded by an edict +commanding all the Scots, without exception, to depart the kingdom +against a certain day, under pain of death. This drove them entirely +into Ireland and the western isles of Denmark and Norway, excepting a +few ecclesiastics, who wandered about from place to place. This bloody +battle was fought about the year 380, at the water of Dunne in Carrick.</p> + +<p>After an exile of 44, or according to Buchanan, 27 years which the Scots +endured, the Picts became sensible of their mistake, in assisting the +Romans against them, and accordingly strengthened the hands of the few +who remained, and invited the fugitives back into their own land. These +were joined by some foreigners, and returned with Fergus II. (then in +Denmark) upon their head, their enterprise was the more successful, that +at this time many of the Roman<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxxi" id="Page_xxxi">xxxi</a></span> forces were called home. Their king was +crowned with the usual rites in his own country, and the news of his +success drew great numbers to him, in so much that he recovered all the +country out of which the Scots had been expelled: most of the foreign +forces returned home, except the Irish, who possessed the country of +Galloway for their reward. This successful undertaking happened about +the year 404, or as others would have it, 420.</p> + +<p>The Culdees were now recalled out of all their lurking places, restored +to their livings, and had their churches repaired; at this time they +possessed the peoples esteem to a higher degree than ever: but this +tranquility was again interrupted by a more formidable enemy than +before. The Pelagian heresy had now gained considerable ground in +Britain, it is so called from Pelagius a Monk at Rome; its chief +articles are, 1. That original sin is not inherent. 2. That faith is a +thing natural. 3. That good works done by our own strength, of our own +free-will, are agreeable to the law of God, and worthy of +heaven.—Whether all, or only part of these errors then infected the +Scottish church, is uncertain; but Celestine, then bishop of Rome, +embraced this opportunity to send Palladius among them, who, joining +with the orthodox of south Britain, restored peace to that part of the +church, by suppressing the heresy. Eugenius the second, being desirous +that this church should likewise be purged of the impure leaven, invited +Palladius hither, who obtaining liberty from Celestine, and being +enjoined to introduce the hierarchy as opportunity should offer, came +into Scotland, and succeeded so effectually in his commission, as both +to confute Pelagianism and new-model the government of the church.</p> + +<p>The church of Scotland knew no officers vested with pre-eminence above +their brethren, nor had any thing to do with the Roman pontiff, until +the year<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxxii" id="Page_xxxii">xxxii</a></span> 450. Bede says, that "Palladius was sent unto the Scots who +believed in Christ, as their first bishop.<a name="FNanchor_25" id="FNanchor_25"></a><a href="#Footnote_25" class="fnanchor">[25]</a>" Boetius likewise says, +"that Palladius was the first of all who did bear holy magistracy among +the Scots, being made bishop by the Great Pope." Fordun in his +chronicle, tells us, that "before the coming of Palladius, the Scots had +for teachers of the faith, and ministers of the sacraments, Presbyters +only, or Monks, following the customs of the primitive church<a name="FNanchor_26" id="FNanchor_26"></a><a href="#Footnote_26" class="fnanchor">[26]</a>."</p> + +<p>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, until +the reign of Malcolm II. in the eleventh century. During the first 1000 +years after Christ, there were no divided dioceses, nor superiorities +over others, but they governed in the church in common with Presbyters; +so that they were no more than nominally bishops, possessing little or +nothing of that lordly dignity, which they now, and for a long time past +have enjoyed. Spotiswood (history page 29.) himself testifies, that the +Scottish bishops before the eleventh century, exercised their functions +indifferently in every place to which they came. Palladius may be said +to have rather laid the foundation of the after degeneracy of the church +of Scotland, than to have built that superstructure of corruption and +idolatry which afterwards prevailed, because she continued for near two +hundred years in a state comparatively pure and unspotted, when we cast +our eyes on the following times.</p> + +<p>About the end of the sixth and beginning of the seventh century, a +number of pious and wise men flourished in the country, among whom was +Kentigern, commonly called Mungo, some of these persons were employed by +Oswald a Northumbrian king,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxxiii" id="Page_xxxiii">xxxiii</a></span> to instruct his people; they are +represented by Bede, as eminent for their love to God and knowledge of +the holy scriptures: the light of the gospel by their means broke into +other parts of the Saxon dominions, which long maintained an opposition +to the growing usurpation of the church of Rome, which after the middle +of this century was strenuously supported by Austin's disciples.</p> + +<p>Beside these men, the church of Scotland at this time sent many other +worthy and successful missionaries into foreign parts, particularly +France, and Germany. Thus was Scotland early privileged, and thus were +her privileges improven: But soon <i>the gold became dim, and the most +fine gold was changed</i>.</p> + +<p>Popery came now by degrees to show her horrid head; the assiduity of +Austin and his disciples in England, was attended with melancholy +consequences to Scotland, by fomenting divisions, corrupting her princes +with Romish principles, and inattention to the lives of her clergy, the +Papal power soon came to be universally acknowledged. In the seventh +century a hot contest arose betwixt Austin and his disciples on the one +part, and the Scots and northern Saxons on the other, about the time of +keeping Easter, immersing three times in baptism, shaving of priests, +<i>&c.</i> which these last would not receive, nor submit to the authority +that imposed them; each refused ministerial communion with the other +party, until an arbitral decision was given by Oswy king of the +Northumbrians, at Whitby in Yorkshire, in favours of the Romanists, when +the opinions of the Scots were exploded, and the modish fooleries of +Papal Hierarchy were established. This decision, however, was far from +putting an end to the confusion which this dissention had occasioned; +the Romanists urged their rites with rigour, the others rather chose to +yield their places than conform: their discouragements daily increased, +as the clerical power was augmented, In the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxxiv" id="Page_xxxiv">xxxiv</a></span> year 886, they obtained the +act exempting them from taxes, and all civil prosecutions before +temporal judges, and ordaining that all matters concerning them should +be tried by their bishops, who were at this time vested with those +powers, which are now in the hands of commissaries, respecting +matrimonial causes, testaments, <i>&c.</i> They were likewise by the same +statute impowered to make canons, try heretics, <i>&c.</i> and all future +kings were ordained to take an oath at their coronation, for maintaining +these privileges to the church. The convention of estates which passed +this act was held at Forfar, in the reign of that too indulgent prince, +Gregory.</p> + +<p>Malcolm III. Alexander, David, <i>&c.</i> successively supported this dignity +by erecting particular bishopricks, abbeys, and monasteries; the same +superstitious zeal seized the nobility of both sexes, some giving a +third, others more, and others their whole estates, for the support of +pontifical pride and spiritual tyranny, which soon became insupportable, +and opened the eyes of the nation, so that they discovered their mistake +in raising the clerical authority to such a height. Accordingly, we find +the nobles complaining of it to Alexander III. who reigned after the +middle of the thirteenth century, but he was so far from being able to +afford them redress, that when they were excommunicated by the church on +account of this complaint, to prevent greater evils, he was obliged to +cause 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 to +raise as great commotions in Scotland, as Thomas Becket had lately made +in England.</p> + +<p>The Pope's power was now generally acknowledged over Christendom, +particularly in our nation, for which, in return, the church of Scotland +was declared free from all foreign spiritual jurisdiction, that of the +"Apostolic fee only excepted." This bull was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxxv" id="Page_xxxv">xxxv</a></span> occasioned by an attempt +of one Roger bishop of York, in the year 1159, to raise himself to the +dignity of Metropolitan of Scotland, and who found means to be Legate of +this kingdom, but lost that office upon the remonstrance of the Scottish +clergy: which likewise procured the above bull in their favours, with +many other favours of a like nature at this time conferred upon them, by +all which they were exempted from any other jurisdiction than that of +Rome, in so much that we find pope Boniface VIII. commanding Edward of +England to cease hostilities against the Scots, alledging that "the +sovereignty of Scotland belonged to the church;" which claim seems to +have been founded in the papal appointment for the unction of the Scots +kings, which was first used on king Edgar, A. D. 1098. and at that time +regarded by the people as a new mark of royalty, but which, as it was +the appointment of the Pope, was really the mark of the beast.</p> + +<p>There were now in Scotland all orders of Monks and Friars, Templars, or +Red Monks, Trinity Monks of Aberdeen, Cisternian Monks, Carmelite, Black +and Grey Friars, Carthusians, Dominicans, Franciscans, Jacobites, +Benedictines, <i>&c.</i> which shows to what a height Antichrist had raised +his head in our land, and how readily all his oppressive measures were +complied with by all ranks.</p> + +<p>But the reader must not think that during the period we have now +reviewed, there were none to oppose this torrent of superstition and +idolatry; for from the first appearance of the Romish Antichrist in this +kingdom, God wanted not witnesses for the truth, who boldly stood forth +for the defence of the blessed and pure gospel of Christ: Mention is +first made of Clemens and Samson, two famous Culdees, who in the seventh +century supported the authority of Christ as the only king and head of +his church, against the usurped power of Rome, and who rejected the +superstitious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxxvi" id="Page_xxxvi">xxxvi</a></span> rites of Antichrist, as contrary to the simplicity of +gospel institutions. The succeeding age was no less remarkable for +learned and pious men, to whom Scotland gave birth, and whole praise was +in the churches abroad; particularly Joannes Scotus, who wrote a book +upon the Eucharist, condemned by Leo IX. in the year 1030, long after +his death. In the ninth century, a convention of estates was held at +Scoon for the reformation of the clergy, their lives and conversations +being at that time a reproach to common decency and good manners; not to +say, piety and religion. The remedies provided at this convention, +discover the nature of the disease. It was ordained, that church-men +should reside upon their charge; that they should not intermeddle with +secular affairs, but instruct the people, and be good examples in their +conversations; that they should not keep hawks, hounds, nor horses for +their pleasure, <i>&c.</i> And if they failed in the observance of these +injunctions, they were to be fined for the first, and deposed for the +second transgression. These laws were made under King Constantine II. +but his successor Gregory rendered them abortive by his indulgence. The +age following this, is not remarkable for witnesses to the truth, but +historians are agreed, that there were still some of the Culdees who +lived and ministred apart from the Romanists and taught the people that +Christ was the only propitiation for sin, and that his blood could only +wash them from the guilt of it, in opposition to the indulgences and +pardons of the Pope. Mr. Alexander Shields says, that the Culdees +transmitted their testimony to the Lollards<a name="FNanchor_27" id="FNanchor_27"></a><a href="#Footnote_27" class="fnanchor">[27]</a> and Pope John XXII. in +his bull for anointing King Robert Bruce, complains that there were many +heretics in Scotland; so that we may safely affirm there never was any +very great period of time without witnesses for the truth and against +the gross corruptions of the church of Rome. Some of our kings +themselves opposed the Pope's supremacy, and prohibited his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxxvii" id="Page_xxxvii">xxxvii</a></span> Legates +from entering their dominions; the most remarkable instance of this kind +is that of Robert Bruce. After his having defeated the English at +Bannock-burn, they became suppliants to the Pope for his mediation, who +accordingly 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 of +Scotland; to this king Robert replied, "that the Pope could not be +ignorant of that business, because it had been often explained to his +predecessors, in the hearing of many cardinals then alive, who could +tell him if they pleased, what insolent answers pope Boniface received +from the English, while they were desired to desist from oppressing the +Scots: And now (said he) when it hath pleased God to give us the better +by some victories, by which we have not only recovered our own, but can +make 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 as +to let the advantage I have slip out of my hand." The Legate regarding +this answer as contemptuous, interdicted the kingdom and departed; but +K. Robert paying little regard to such proceedings, followed hard after +the Legate, and entering England, wasted all the adjacent countries with +fire and sword.</p> + +<p>In the beginning of the fifteenth century, the reformation from Popery +began to dawn in Scotland; at this time there was pope against pope, nay +sometimes three of them at once, all excommunicating one another; which +schism lasted for about thirty years, and by an over-ruling providence +contributed much to the downfal of Antichrist, and to the revival of +real religion and learning in Scotland, and many parts in Europe; for +many embracing the opportunity<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxxviii" id="Page_xxxviii">xxxviii</a></span> now afforded to them, began to speak +openly against the heresy, tyranny, and immorality of the clergy. Among +those who preached publicly against these evils were John Huss, and +Jerome of Prague in Bohemia, John Wickliff in England, and John Resby, +an Englishman and scholar of Wickliff's in Scotland, who came hither +about the year 1407, and was called in question for some doctrines which +he taught against the Pope's supremacy; he was condemned to the fire, +which he endured with great constancy. About ten years after, one Paul +Craw a Bohemian and follower of Huss, was accused of heresy before such +as were then called Doctors of theology. The articles of charge were, +that he followed Huss and Wickliff in the opinion of the sacrament of +the supper, who denied that the substance of bread and wine were changed +by virtue of any words, or that auricular confession to priests, or +praying to saints departed were lawful. He was committed to the secular +judge, who condemned him to the fire at St. Andrews, where he suffered, +being gagged when led to the stake, that he might not have the +opportunity of making his confession.——Both the above-mentioned +martyrs suffered under Henry Wardlaw bishop of St. Andrews, who founded +that university, 1412; which might have done him honour, had he not +imbrued his hands in innocent blood.</p> + +<p>These returnings of the gospel light were not confined to St. Andrews, +but Kyle, Carrick, Cunningham, and other places in the west of Scotland +were also thus favoured about the same time; for we find that Robert +Blackatter, the first arch-bishop of Glasgow, <i>anno</i> 1494, caused summon +before King James IV, and his great council at Glasgow, George Campbel +of Ceffnock, Adam Reid of Barskimming, and a great many others, mostly +persons of distinction, opprobriously called the Lollards of Kyle, from +one Lollard an eminent preacher among the antient Waldenses, for +maintaining that images ought not to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xxxix" id="Page_xxxix">xxxix</a></span> worshipped; that the relicts of +saints should not be adored, <i>&c.</i> But they answered their accusers with +such constancy and boldness, that it was judged most prudent to dismiss +them with an admonition, to content themselves with the faith of the +church, and to beware of new doctrines.</p> + +<p>Thus have we brought this summary of church-affairs in Scotland, down to +the time of Mr. Patrick Hamilton, whose life stands upon the head of +this collection: for he was the next sufferer on account of opposition +to Romish tyranny and superstition in our country.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xl" id="Page_xl">xl</a></span> +<span style="font-size:larger">The following BOOKS to be had at the Shop of JOHN BRYCE, Printer and +Bookseller, opposite Gibson's-Wynd, <i>Salt-market</i>.</span></p> + +<h3><span class="smcap">BOOKS in OCTAVO.</span></h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> RALPH ERSKINE's Works, in 10 large vols<br /> +Trail's sermons, 3 vols<br /> +Pike and Hayward's cases of conscience, with the spiritual companion<br /> +Dickenson's religious letters<br /> +Neil's 23 sermons on important subjects<br /> +Durham's exposition of the ten commands<br /> +Owen on the CXXX Psalm<br /> +Sibb's soul's conflict, together with the bruised reed and smoaking flax<br /> +Dickson's truth's victory over error<br /> +Durham's unsearchable riches of Christ, in fourteen communion sermons<br /> +Adamson's loss and recovery of elect sinners<br /> +Rawlin's sermons on justification<br /> +Durham's 72 sermons on the LIII of Isaiah<br /> +Watt's Logick<br /> +Marshal on sanctification<br /> +Erskine's scripture songs<br /> +Shield's faithful contendings<br /> +Welwood's glimpse of glory<br /> +Blackwell's sacred scheme<br /> +Ridgley's body of divinity, in Folio<br /> +</p> + +<p>The following <span class="smcap">Articles</span> to be had Stitched,</p> + +<p> +ACT, Declaration and Testimony<br /> +The Doctrine of Grace<br /> +The full state of the marrow controversy<br /> +The holy life of Mr John Janeway<br /> +The life of Mr John Livinston<br /> +Borland's history of Darien<br /> +Form of process used in kirk courts<br /> +Mr Graham's four discourses on covenanting<br /> +</p> + +<p>Where also may be had, Bibles gilt and plain, New Testaments, psalm +books, confessions of faith, Catechisms large and small, Proverbs, +Syllabing Catechisms, Brown's Catechism, Henry's catechism, Muckarsie's +catechism, Oliphant's catechism, Proof catechism, Mother's catechism, +Watt's catechism, Watt's songs for children, Paper and Pens, Letter +cases and Pocket books <i>&c. &c.</i></p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">41</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Lives" id="The_Lives"></a><span class="smcap"> +THE<br /> +LIVES and CHARACTERS<br /> +of the<br /> +<span style="font-size:140%">SCOTS WORTHIES.</span></span></h2> + +<hr /> + +<h2><a name="Mr_Patrick_Hamilton" id="Mr_Patrick_Hamilton"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Patrick Hamilton</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>He was born about the year of our Lord 1503, and he was nephew to the +earl of Arran by his father, and to the duke of Albany by his mother; he +was also related to king James. V. of Scotland. He was early educated +with a design for future high preferment, and had the abbey of <i>Ferm</i> +given him, for the purpose of prosecuting his studies; which he did with +great assiduity.</p> + +<p>In order to complete this laudable design, he resolved to travel into +Germany. The fame of the university of Wittemberg was then very great, +and drew many to it from distant places, among which our Hamilton was +one. He was the first who introduced public disputations upon faith and +works, and such theological questions, into the university of Marpurg, +in which he was assisted by Francis Lambert; by whose conversation he +profited not a little.—Here he became acquainted with these eminent +reformers, Martin Luther and Philip Melancthon, besides other learned +men of their society. By these distinguished masters he was instructed +in the knowledge of the true religion, which he had little opportunity +to become acquainted with in his own country, because the small remains +of it which were in Scotland at this time, were under the yoke of +oppression which we have already shown in the close of the +introduction.—He made an amazing proficiency in this most important +study, and became soon as zealous in the profession of the true faith, +as he had been diligent to attain the knowledge of it.—This<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">42</a></span> drew the +eyes of many upon him, and while they were waiting with impatience to +see what part he would act, he came to this resolution, to return into +his own country, and there in the face of all dangers to communicate the +light which he had received.</p> + +<p>Accordingly, being as yet a youth, and not much past twenty-three years +of age, he began, sowing the seed of God's word where-ever he came, +exposing the corruptions of the Romish church, and pointing out the +errors which had crept into the Christian religion as professed in +Scotland.—He was favourably received and followed by many, unto whom he +readily <i>showed the way of God more perfectly</i>. His reputation as a +scholar and courteous demeanour, contributed not a little to his +usefulness in this good work.</p> + +<p>The city of St. Andrews was at this time the grand rendezvous of the +Romish clergy, and may, with no impropriety, be called the metropolis of +the kingdom of darkness. James Beaton was arch-bishop, Hugh Spence dean +of divinity, John Waddel rector, James Simson official, Thomas Ramsay +canon and dean of the abbey, with the several superiors of the different +orders of monks and friars.—It could not be expected, that Mr +Hamilton's conduct would be long concealed from such a body as this. +Their resentment against him soon rose to the utmost heights of +persecuting rage; particularly the arch-bishop, who was chancellor of +the kingdom, and otherwise very powerful, became his inveterate enemy. +But being not less politic than cruel, the arch-bishop concealed his +wicked design against him, until he had drawn him into the ambush +prepared for him, which he effected by prevailing on him to attend a +conference at St. Andrews.—Being come thither, Alexander Campbel prior +of the black friars, who had been appointed to exert his faculties in +reclaiming him, had several private interviews with him, in which he +seemed to acknowledge the force of Mr. Hamilton's objections against the +prevailing conduct of the clergy and errors of the Romish church. Such +persuasions as Campbel used to bring him back to popery, had rather the +tendency to confirm him in the truth. The arch-bishop and inferior +clergy appeared to make concessions to him, allowing that many things +stood in need of reformation, which they could wish had been brought +about. Whether they were sincere in these acknowledgments, or only +intended to conceal their bloody designs, and render the innocent and +unsuspecting victim of their rage more secure, is a question to which +this answer may be returned, That had they been sincere, the +consciousness that Mr. Hamilton spoke<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">43</a></span> truth, would perhaps have warded +off the blow, for, at least some longer time, or divided their councils +and measures against him. That neither of these was the case will now +appear.—He was apprehended under night, and committed prisoner to the +castle: at the same time, the young king was, at the earnest +solicitation of the clergy, prevailed upon to undertake a pilgrimage to +St. Dothess in Ross-shire, that he might be out of the way of any +applications made to him for the life of Mr. Hamilton, which there was +reason to believe would be granted. This measure affords full proof, +that notwithstanding the friendly conferences which they kept up with +him for some time, they had resolved on his ruin from the beginning: but +such instances of Popish dissembling were not new even in Mr. Hamilton's +time.</p> + +<p>The next day after his imprisonment, he was brought before the +arch-bishop and his convention, and there charged with maintaining and +propagating sundry heretical opinions; and though articles of the utmost +importance had been debated betwixt him and them, they restricted their +charge to such trifles as <i>pilgrimage</i>, <i>purgatory</i>, <i>praying to +saints</i>, and <i>for the dead</i>; perhaps because these were the grand +pillars upon which Antichrist built his empire, being the most lucrative +doctrines ever invented by men. We must, however, take notice that +Spotswood afterwards arch-bishop of that see, assigns the following +grounds for his suffering, 1. That the corruption of sin remains in +children after their baptism. 2. That no man by the power of his +free-will can do any good. 3. That no man is without sin so long as he +liveth. 4. That every true Christian may know himself to be in a state +of 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 good +works, and that an ill man doth ill works, yet the same ill works, truly +repented of, make not an ill man. 7. That faith, hope and charity are so +linked together, that he who hath one of them hath all, and he that +lacketh 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 cannot +but sin. These articles with the following make up the whole charge, +(1.) That auricular confession is not necessary to salvation. (2.) That +actual penance cannot purchase the remission of sin. (3.) That there is +no purgatory, and that the holy patriarchs were in heaven before +Christ's passion. (4.) That the pope is Antichrist, and that every +priest hath as much power as he.——For these articles, and because he +refused to abjure them, he was condemned as an obstinate heretic, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">44</a></span> +delivered to the secular power by the arch-bishops of St. Andrews and +Glasgow, three bishops, and fourteen underlings, who all set their hands +to the sentence, which, that it might have the greater authority, was +likewise subscribed by every person of note in the university, among +whom the earl of Cassils was one, then not exceeding thirteen years of +age. The sentence follows as given by Mr. Fox, in his acts and +monuments, vol. II. p. 1108.</p> + +<p>"<i>CHRISTI nomine invocato</i>: We James, by the mercy of God, arch-bishop +of St. Andrews, primate of Scotland, with the counsel, decree and +authority of the most reverend fathers in God, and lords, abbots, +doctors of theology, professors of the holy scripture and masters of the +university, assisting us for the time, sitting in judgment, within our +metropolitan church of St. Andrews, in the cause of heretical pravity, +against Mr Patrick Hamilton, abbot or pensionary of Ferm, being summoned +to appear before us, to answer to certain articles affirmed, taught and +preached by him, and so appearing before us, and accused, the merits of +the cause being ripely weighed, discussed, and understood by faithful +inquisition made in Lent last passed: We have found the same Mr. +Hamilton, many ways infamed with heresy, disputing, holding and +maintaining divers heresies of Martin Luther and his followers, +repugnant to our faith, and which is already condemned by general +councils and most famous universities. And he being under the same +infamy, we decerning before him to be summoned and accused upon the +premises, he of evil mind, (as may be presumed) passed to other parts, +forth of the realm, suspected and noted of heresy. And being lately +returned, not being admitted, but of his own head, without licence or +privilege, hath presumed to preach wicked heresy.</p> + +<p>"We have found also, that he hath affirmed, published and taught divers +opinions of Luther, and wicked heresies after that he was summoned to +appear before us and our council: That man hath no free-will: That man +is in sin so long as he liveth: That children, incontinent after their +baptism, are sinners: All Christians that be worthy to be called +Christians, do know that they are in grace: No man is justified by +works, but by faith only: Good works make not a good man, but a good man +doth make good works: That faith, hope and charity are so knit, that he +that hath the one hath the rest, and he that wanteth the one of them +wanteth the rest, <i>&c.</i> with divers other heresies and detestable +opinions; and hath persisted so obstinate in the same,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">45</a></span> that by no +counsel nor persuasion, he may be drawn therefrom, to the way of our +right faith.</p> + +<p>"All these premises being considered, we having God and the integrity of +our faith before our eyes, and following the counsel and advice of the +professors of the holy scripture, men of law and others assisting us for +the time, do pronounce, determine and declare the said Mr. Patrick +Hamilton, for his affirming, confessing, and maintaining of the foresaid +heresies, and his pertinacity (they being condemned already by the +church, general councils, and most famous universities) to be an +heretic, and to have an evil opinion of the faith, and therefore to be +condemned and punished, like as we condemn, and define him to be +punished, by this our sentence definitive, depriving and sentencing him, +to be deprived of all dignities, honours, orders, offices, and benefices +of the church; and therefore do judge and pronounce him to be delivered +over to the secular power, to be punished, and his goods to be +confiscated.</p> + +<p>"This our sentence definitive, was given and read at our metropolitan +church of St. Andrews, the last day of the month of February, <i>anno</i> +1527. being present, the most reverend fathers in Christ and lords, +Gawand bishop of Glasgow, George bishop of Dunkelden, John bishop of +Brecham, William bishop of Dunblane, Patrick, prior of St. Andrews, +David abbot of Aberbrothock, George abbot of Dunfermline, Alexander +abbot of Cambuskeneth, Henry abbot of Lendors, John prior of +Pitterweeme, the dean and subdean of Glasgow, Mr. Hugh Spence, Thomas +Ramsay, Allan Meldrum, <i>&c.</i> In the presence of the clergy and the +people."</p> + +<p>The same day that this doom was pronounced, he was also condemned by the +secular power; and in the afternoon of that same day, (for they were +afraid of an application to the king on his behalf) he was hurried to +the stake, the fire being prepared, immediately after dinner, before the +old college.—Being come to the place of martyrdom, he put off his +clothes 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 some +good; 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 in +man's judgment, yet it is the entrance to everlasting life, which none +can inherit who deny Christ before this wicked generation." Having so +said, he commended his soul into the hands of God, with his eyes fixed +towards heaven, and being bound to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">46</a></span> the stake in the midst of some +coals, timber, and other combustibles, a train of powder was made, with +a design to kindle the fire, but did not succeed, the explosion only +scorching one of his hands and face. In this situation he remained until +more powder was brought from the castle, during which time his +comfortable and godly speeches were often interrupted, particularly by +friar Campbel calling upon him "to recant, pray to our lady and say, +<i>Salve regina</i>." Upon being repeatedly disturbed in this manner by +Campbel, Mr. Hamilton said, "Thou wicked man, thou knowest that I am not +an heretic, and that it is the truth of God, for which I now suffer; so +much didst thou confess unto me in private, and thereupon I appeal thee +to answer before the judgment-seat of Christ:" By this time the fire was +kindled, and the noble martyr yielded his soul to God, crying out, "How +long, O Lord, shall darkness overwhelm this realm? How long will thou +suffer this tyranny of men?" And then ended his speech with Stephen, +saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."</p> + +<p>Friar Campbel became soon after distracted, and died within a year after +Mr. Hamilton's martyrdom, under the most awful apprehensions of the +Lord's indignation against him.—The Popish clergy abroad congratulated +their friends in Scotland, upon their zeal for the Romish faith +discovered in the above tragedy—But it rather served the cause of +reformation than retarded it, especially when the people began to +compare deliberately the behaviour of Mr. Hamilton and friar Campbel +together, they were induced to inquire more narrowly into the truth than +before. The reader will find a very particular account of the doctrines +maintained by Mr. Hamilton in Knox's history of the reformation of +Scotland nigh the beginning.</p> + +<hr /> + +<h2><a name="Mr_George_Wishart" id="Mr_George_Wishart"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">George Wishart</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>This gentleman was a brother of the laird of Pittarro in Mearns, and was +educated at the university of Cambridge, where his diligence and +progress in useful learning, soon made him be respected. From an ardent +desire to promote the truth in his own country, he returned to it in the +summer of 1544, and began teaching a school in the town of Montrose, +which he kept for some time with great applause. He is particularly +celebrated for his uncommon eloquence, and agreeable manner of +communication. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">47</a></span> sequel of this narrative will inform the reader, +That he possessed the spirit of prophecy to an extraordinary degree, and +was at the same time humble, modest, charitable and patient, even to +admiration. 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 a +graceful personage, eloquent, courteous, ready to teach and desirous to +learn; that he ordinarily wore a French cap, a frieze gown, plain black +hose, and white bands and hand cuffs; that he frequently gave away +different parts of his apparel to the poor; in his diet he was very +moderate, eating only twice a day, and fasting every fourth day; his +lodging, bedding, and such other circumstances, were correspondent to +the things already mentioned." But as these particulars are rather +curious than instructive, we shall say no more of them.</p> + +<p>After he left Montrose, he came to Dundee, where he acquired still +greater fame, in public lectures on the epistle to the Romans; insomuch +that the Romish clergy began to think seriously on the consequences +which they saw would inevitably ensue, if he was suffered to go on, +pulling down that fabric of superstition and idolatry, which they with +so much pains had reared; they were particularly disgusted at the +reception which he met with in Dundee, and immediately set about +projecting his ruin.</p> + +<p>From the time that Mr. Patrick Hamilton suffered, until this period, +papal tyranny reigned by fire and faggot without controul. In the year +1539, cardinal David Beaton succeeded his uncle in the see of St. +Andrews, and carefully trod the path his uncle had marked out; to show +his own greatness, and to recommend himself to his superior of Rome, he +accused Sir John Borthwick of heresy, whose goods were confiscated, and +himself burnt in effigy (for being forewarned of his danger, he had +escaped out of the country). After this he suborned a priest to forge a +will of K. James V. who died about this time, declaring himself, with +the earls of Huntly, Argyle and Murray to be regents of the kingdom: The +cheat being discovered, the earl of Arran was elected governor, and the +cardinal was committed prisoner to the castle of Dalkeith; he soon found +means to escape from his confinement, and prevailed with the regent to +break all his promises to the party who had elected him into that +office, and to join with him in imbruing his hands in the blood of the +saints. Accordingly, several professors of the town of Perth were +arraigned, condemned,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">48</a></span> hanged and drowned; others were sent into +banishment, and some were strangled in private. We have departed thus +far from the course of our narrative, to shew the reader, that the +vacancies betwixt the respective lives in this collection, were as much +remarkable for persecution, as the particular instances which are set +before him in the lives themselves.</p> + +<p>It was this cardinal who, incensed at Mr. Wishart's success in Dundee, +prevailed with one Robert Mill (formerly a professor of the truth, and +who had been a sufferer on that account, but who was now a man of +considerable influence in that town,) to give Mr Wishart a charge in the +queen and governor's names, to trouble them no more with his preaching +in that place. This commission was executed by Mill one day, in public, +just as Mr Wishart had ended his sermon. Upon hearing it, he kept +silence for a little with his eyes turned towards heaven, and then +casting them on the speaker with a sorrowful countenance, he said, "God +is my witness, that I never minded your trouble, but your comfort; yea, +your trouble is more grievous unto me than it is unto yourselves; but +sure I am, to reject the word of God, and drive away his messengers, is +not the way to save you from trouble, but to bring you into it: When I +am gone, God will send you messengers, who will not be afraid either for +burning or banishment. I have, at the hazard of my life, remained among +you, preaching the word of salvation; and now, since you yourselves +refuse me, I must leave my innocence to be declared by God. If it be +long well with you, I am not led by the Spirit of truth; and if +unexpected trouble come upon you, remember this is the cause, and turn +to God by repentance, for he is merciful." These words being pronounced, +he came down from the pulpit or preaching place. The earl of Marshal and +some other noblemen who were present at the sermon, entreated him +earnestly to go to the north with them, but he excused himself, and took +journey for the west country, where he was gladly received by many.</p> + +<p>Being come to the town of Air, he began to preach the gospel with great +freedom and faithfulness. But Dunbar, the then arch-bishop of Glasgow, +being informed of the great concourse of people who crouded to his +sermons, at the instigation of cardinal Beaton, went to Air with the +resolution to apprehend him; the bishop first took possession of the +church, to prevent him from preaching in it. The news of this brought +Alexander earl of Glencairn,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">49</a></span> 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 much +hurt, and that, if they pleased, he would go to the market-cross:" which +he did, and preached with such success, that several of his hearers, +formerly enemies to the truth, were converted on that occasion. During +the time Mr. Wishart was thus employed, the bishop was haranguing some +of his underlings and parasites in the church; having no sermon to give +them, he promised to be better provided against a future occasion, and +speedily left the town.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wishart continued with the gentlemen of Kyle after the arch-bishop's +departure, and being desired to preach next Lord's day at the church of +Mauchlin, 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 him +out. Hugh Campbel of Kinzeancleugh with others of the parish were +exceedingly offended at such impiety, and would have entered the church +by force; but Mr. Wishart would not suffer it, saying, "Brethren, it is +the word of peace which I preach unto you, the blood of no man shall be +shed for it this day; Jesus Christ is as mighty in the fields as in the +church, and he himself, while he lived in the flesh, preached oftener in +the 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 a +muir on the south-west side of Mauchlin, where having placed himself +upon a ditch-dyke, he preached to a great multitude who resorted to him; +he continued speaking for more than three hours, God working wondrously +by him, insomuch that Laurence Rankin the laird of Sheld, a very profane +person, was converted by his means; the tears ran from his eyes, to the +astonishment of all present, and the whole of his after-life witnessed +that his profession was without hypocrisy. While in this country, Mr. +Wishart often preached with most remarkable success, at the church of +Galston and other places. At this time and in this part of the country, +it might be truly said, That <i>the harvest was <span class="smcap lowercase">GREAT</span>, but the labourers +were <span class="smcap lowercase">FEW</span></i>.</p> + +<p>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 left +it, and that it still continued to rage in such a manner that great +numbers were swept off every day; this affected him so much, that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">50</a></span> he +resolved to return again unto them: Accordingly he took leave of his +friends in the west, who were filled with sorrow at his departure. The +next day after his arrival at Dundee, he caused intimation to be made +that he would preach; and for that purpose chose his station upon the +head of the east-gate, the infected persons standing without, and those +that were whole within: his text was Psalm cvii. 20. <i>He sent his word +and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.</i> By this +discourse he so comforted the people, that they thought themselves happy +in having such a preacher, and intreated him to remain with them while +the plague continued; which he complied with, preaching often and taking +care that the poor should not want necessaries more than the rich; in +doing which he exposed himself to the infection, even where it was most +malignant, without reserve.</p> + +<p>During all this his sworn adversary the cardinal had his eye close upon +him, and bribed a priest called Sir John Wighton, to assassinate him; he +was to make the attempt as Mr. Wishart came down from the preaching +place, with the expectation of escaping among the crowd after the deed +was done. To effect this, he posted himself at the foot of the steps +with his gown loose, and a dagger under it in his hand. Upon Mr. +Wishart's approach, he looked sternly upon the priest, asking him, What +he intended to do? and instantly clapped his hand upon the hand of the +priest that held the dagger, and took it from him. Upon which he openly +confessing his design, a tumult immediately ensued, and the sick without +the gate rushed in, crying, To have the assassin delivered to them; then +Mr. Wishart interposed and defended him from their violence, telling +them, He had done him no harm, and that such as injured the one injured +the other likewise; so the priest escaped without any harm.</p> + +<p>The plague was now considerably abated, and he determined to pay a visit +to the town of Montrose, intending to go from thence to Edinburgh, to +meet the gentlemen of the west. While he was at Montrose, he administred +the sacrament of our Lord's supper in both kinds of the elements, and +preached with success. Here he received a letter directed to him from +his intimate friend the laird of Kinnier, acquainting him, That he had +taken a sudden sickness, and requesting him to come to him with all +diligence. Upon this, he immediately set out on his journey, attended by +some honest friends of Montrose, who out of affection would accompany +him part of the way. They<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">51</a></span> had not travelled above a quarter of a mile, +when all of a sudden he stopped, saying to the company, "I am forbidden +by God to go this journey. Will some of you be pleased to ride to yonder +place (pointing with his finger to a little hill), and see what you +find, for I apprehend there is a plot against my life:" whereupon he +returned, to the town, and they who went forward to the place, found +about sixty horsemen ready to intercept him: By this the whole plot came +to light: they found that the letter had been forged; and, upon their +telling Mr. Wishart what they had seen, he replied, "I know that I shall +end my life by the hands of that wicked man, (meaning the cardinal) but +it will not be after this manner."</p> + +<p>The time which he had appointed for meeting the west-country gentlemen +at Edinburgh, drawing near, he undertook that journey, much against the +inclination and advice of the laird of Dun; the first night after +leaving Montrose, he lodged at Innergowrie, about two miles from Dundee, +with one James Watson a faithful friend, where, being laid in bed, he +was observed to rise a little after midnight, and to go out into an +adjacent garden, that he might give vent to his sighs and groans without +being observed; but being followed by two men, William Spaldin and John +Watson, at a distance, in order that they might observe his motions, +they saw him prostrate himself upon the ground, weeping and making +supplication for near an hour, and then return to his rest. As they lay +in the same apartment with him, they took care to return before him, and +upon his coming into the room they asked him, (as if ignorant of all +that had past) where he had been? But he made no answer, and they ceased +their interrogations. In the morning they asked him again, Why he rose +in the night, and what was the cause of such sorrow? (for they told him +all 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 their +minds further, and to communicate some comfort unto them, he said, "I +will 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 battle +waxeth most hot."—Hearing these words, they burst out into tears, +saying, That was but small comfort to them. To this he replied, "God +will send you comfort after me; this realm shall be illuminated with the +light of Christ's gospel, as clearly as any realm ever was since the +days of the apostles; the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">52</a></span> house of God shall be built in it; yea, it +shall not lack (whatsoever the enemies shall devise to the contrary) the +very cope stone; neither shall this be long in doing, for there shall +not many suffer after me. The glory of God shall appear, and truth shall +once triumph in despite of the devil, but, alas, if the people become +unthankful, the plagues and punishments which shall follow will be +fearful and terrible." After this prediction, which was accomplished in +such a remarkable a manner afterwards, he proceeded on his journey, and +arrived at Leith about the 10th of December, where being disappointed of +a meeting with the west-country gentlemen, he kept himself retired for +some days, and then became very uneasy and discouraged, and being asked +the reason, he replied, "I have laboured to bring people out of +darkness, 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 that +they would gladly hear him; but the danger into which he would throw +himself 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 the +parable of the sower, Matth. xiii. After sermon, his friends advised him +to leave Leith, because the regent and cardinal were soon to be in +Edinburgh, and that his situation would be dangerous on that account; he +complied with this advice, and resided with the lairds of Brunston, +Longniddry and Ormiston, by turns; the following sabbath he preached at +Inneresk both fore and after noon, to a crowded audience, among whom was +Sir George Douglas, who after the sermon publicly said, "I know that the +governor and cardinal shall hear that I have been at this preaching, +(for they were now come to Edinburgh) say unto them, that I will avow +it, and will not only maintain the doctrine which I have heard, but also +the person of the teacher to the uttermost of my power;" which open and +candid declaration was very grateful to the whole congregation. During +the time of this sermon, Mr. Wishart perceived two grey friars standing +in the entry of the church, and whispering to every person that entered +the 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 they +still continued to trouble the people, upon which he reproved them in +the following manner: "O ye servants of Satan, and deceivers of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">53</a></span> souls +of 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 and +disclose your hypocrisy within this realm; ye shall be abominable unto +men, and your places and habitations shall be desolate."</p> + +<p>The two sabbaths following he preached at Tranent, and in all his +sermons after leaving Montrose, he more or less hinted that his ministry +was near an end. The next place he preached at was Haddington, where his +congregation was at first very throng, but the following day very few +attended him, which was thought to be owing to the influence of the earl +of Bothwel, who, at the instigation of the cardinal, had inhibited the +people from attending him, for his authority was very considerable in +that part of the country. At this time he received a letter from the +gentlemen of the west, declaring, That they could not keep the diet +appointed at Edinburgh; this, with the reflection that so few attended +his ministrations at Haddington, grieved him exceedingly. He called upon +Mr. Knox, who then attended him, and told him, That he was weary of the +world, since he perceived that men were become weary of +God.—Notwithstanding the anxiety and discouragement which he laboured +under, he went immediately to the pulpit, and sharply rebuking the +people of that town for their neglect of the gospel, he told them, "That +sore and fearful should be the plagues that should ensue; that fire and +sword should waste them; that strangers should possess their houses, and +chase them from their habitations." This prediction was soon after +verified, when the English took and possessed that town, while the +French and Scots besieged it in the year 1548. This was the last sermon +which 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 bade +his acquaintance farewel, as if it had been for ever. He went to +Ormiston, accompanied by the lairds of Brunston and Ormiston, and Sir +John Sandilands, the younger of Calder. Mr. Knox was also desirous to +have gone with him, but Mr. Wishart desired him to return, saying, "One +is enough for a sacrifice at this time."</p> + +<p>Being come to Ormiston, he entered into some spiritual conversation in +the family, particularly concerning the happy state of God's children, +appointed the 51st psalm, according to an old version then in use, to be +sung, and then recommended the company to God; he went to bed some time +sooner than ordinary; about midnight the earl of Bothwel beset<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">54</a></span> the +house, so as none could escape, and then called upon the laird, +declaring the design to him, and intreating him not to hold out, for it +would be to no purpose, because the cardinal and governor were coming +with all their train; but if he would deliver Mr. Wishart up, Bothwel +promised upon his honour that no evil should befal him. Being inveigled +with this, and consulting with Mr. Wishart who requested that the gates +should be opened, saying, "God's will be done," the laird complied. The +earl of Bothwel entered, with some gentlemen, who solemnly protested, +That Mr. Wishart should receive no harm, but that he, <i>viz.</i> Bothwel, +would either carry him to his own house, or return him again to Ormiston +in safety: Upon this promise hands were stricken, and Mr. Wishart went +along with him to Elphiston where the cardinal was, after which he was +first carried to Edinburgh, then to the earl of Bothwel's house (perhaps +upon pretence of fulfilling the engagement which Bothwel had come under +to him) after which he was re-conducted to Edinburgh, where the cardinal +had now assembled a convocation of prelates for reforming some abuses, +but without effect. Buchanan says, that he was apprehended by a party of +horse detached by the cardinal for that purpose; that at first the laird +of Ormiston refused to deliver him up, upon which the cardinal and +regent both posted thither, but could not prevail until the earl of +Bothwel was sent for, who succeeded by flattery and fair promises, not +one of which were fulfilled.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wishart remained at Edinburgh only a few days, until the +blood-thirsty cardinal prevailed with the governor to deliver up this +faithful servant of Jesus Christ unto his tyranny, and was accordingly +sent to St. Andrews; and being advised to it by the arch-bishop of +Glasgow, he would have got a civil judge appointed to try him, if David +Hamilton of Preston, a kinsman to the regent, had not remonstrated +against it, and represented the danger of attacking the servants of God, +who had no other crime laid to their charge, but that of preaching the +gospel of Jesus Christ. This speech, which Buchanan gives at large, +affected the governor in such a manner, that he absolutely refused the +cardinal's request, upon which he replied in anger, "That he had only +sent to him out of mere civility, without any need for it, for that he +with his clergy had power sufficient to bring Mr. Wishart to condign +punishment."—Thus was this servant of God left in the hands of that +proud and merciless tyrant, the religious part of the nation loudly +complaining of the governor's weakness.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">55</a></span> +Mr. Wishart being now in St. Andrews, the cardinal without delay caused +summon the bishops and superior clergy to meet at that place on the 27th +of February 1546, to deliberate upon a question about which he was +already resolved. The next day after this convocation, Mr. Wishart +received a summons in prison, by the dean of the town, to answer +to-morrow, for his heretical doctrine, before the judges. The next day, +the cardinal went to the place of judgment, in the abbey church, with a +train of armed men marching in warlike order; immediately Mr. Wishart +was sent for from the sea-tower, which was his prison, and being about +to enter the door of the church, a poor man asked alms of him, to whom +he threw his purse. When he came before the cardinal, John Wirnam the +sub-prior went up into the pulpit by appointment, and made a discourse +upon the nature of heresy from Matth. xiii. which he did with great +caution, 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 John +Lander, a most virulent enemy of religion, who acted the part of Mr. +Wishart's accuser, he pulled out a long roll of maledictory charges +against Mr. Wishart, and dealt out the Romish thunder so liberally as +terrified the ignorant by-standers, but did not in the least discompose +this meek servant of Christ; he was accused of disobedience to the +governor's authority, for teaching that man had no free-will, and for +contemning fasting, (all which he absolutely refused) and for denying +that there are seven sacraments; that auricular confession, extreme +unction, and the sacrament of the altar, so called, are sacraments; that +we should pray to saints; and for saying, That it was necessary for +every man to know and understand his baptism; that the pope hath no more +power than another man; that it is as lawful to eat flesh upon Friday as +upon Sunday; that there is no purgatory, and that it is vain to build +costly churches to the honour of God, and for condemning conjuration, +the vows of single life, the cursings of the holy church, <i>&c.</i> While +Lauder was reading these accusations, he had put himself into a most +violent sweat, frothing at the mouth and calling Mr. Wishart a runagate +traitor, and demanded an answer, which he made in a short and modest +oration: At which they cried out with one content against him in a most +tumultuous manner; by which he saw, they were resolved to proceed +against him to the utmost extremity, he therefore appealed to a more +equitable and impartial judge. Upon which Lauder (repeating the several +titles of the cardinal) asked him, "If<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">56</a></span> my lord cardinal was not an +equitable judge?" Mr. Wishart replied, "I do not refuse him, but I +desire the word of God to be my judge, the temporal estates, with some +of your lordships, because I am my lord governor's prisoner." After some +scornful language thrown out both against him and the governor, they +proceeded to read the articles against him a second time, and hear his +answers, which he made with great solidity of judgment: After which they +condemned him to be burnt as an heretic, paying no regard to his +defences, nor to the emotions of their own consciences, but thought that +by killing him they should do <i>God good service</i>. Upon this resolution, +(for their final sentence was not yet pronounced) Mr. Wishart kneeled +down and prayed in the following manner.</p> + +<p>"O immortal God, how long wilt thou suffer the rage of the ungodly, how +long shall they exercise their fury upon thy servants, who further thy +word in this world, seeing they desire to choke and destroy thy true +doctrine and verity, by which thou hast shewed thyself unto the world, +which was drowned in blindness and ignorance of thy name? O Lord, we +know surely that thy true servants must suffer for thy name's sake, both +persecution, affliction and troubles in this present life, which is but +a shadow, as thy prophets and apostles have shewed us, but yet we desire +thee, merciful Father, that thou wouldst preserve, defend and help thy +congregation, which thou hast chosen from before the foundation of the +world, and give them thy grace to hear thy word, and to be thy true +servants in this present life."</p> + +<p>After this, the common people were removed until their definitive +sentence should be pronounced, which being so similar to Mr. Hamilton's, +need not be here inserted. This being done, he was re-committed to the +castle for that night; in his way thither, two friars came to him +requesting him to make his confession to them, which he refused, but +desired them to bring Mr. Wirnam who had preached that day, to him; who +being come, after some discourse with Mr. Wishart, he asked him, If he +would receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper? Mr. Wishart answered, +"Most willingly, if I may have it administered according to Christ's +institution, under both kinds, of bread and wine." Hereupon the +sub-prior went to the bishops, and asked, If they would permit the +sacrament to be given to the prisoner? But the cardinal, in all their +names, answered, That it was not reasonable to give any spiritual +benefit to an obstinate heretic condemned by the church.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">57</a></span> +All this night Mr. Wishart spent in prayer, and next morning the captain +of 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 much +the rather, because I perceive you to be a good Christian, and a man +fearing God." All things being ready, and the family assembled to +breakfast, Mr. Wishart turning himself to the captain, said, "I beseech +you, in the name of God, and for the love ye bear to our Saviour Jesus +Christ, to be silent a little while, till I have made a short +exhortation, and blessed this bread which we are to eat, so that I may +bid you farewel." The table being covered and bread let upon it, he +spake 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 present +to mutual love and holiness of life. Then, giving thanks, he brake the +bread, distributing a part to those about him, who were disposed to +communicate, intreating them to remember that Christ died for them, and +to feed on it spiritually; then taking the cup, he bade them remember +that Christ's blood was shed for them; And having tasted it himself, he +delivered it unto them, and then concluding with thanksgiving and +prayer, he told them, "That he would neither eat nor drink more in this +life," and retired to his chamber.</p> + +<p>Soon after, by the appointment of the cardinal, two executioners came to +him, and arraying him in a black linen coat, they fastened some bags of +gun-powder about him, put a rope about his neck, a chain about his +waist, and bound his hands behind his back, and in this dress they led +him one to the stake, near the cardinal's palace; opposite to the stake +they had placed the great guns of the castle, lest any should attempt to +rescue him. The fore tower, which was immediately opposite to the fire, +was hung with tapestry, and rich cushions were laid in the windows, for +the ease of the cardinal and prelates, while they beheld the sad +spectacle. As he was going to the stake, it is said, that two beggars +asked alms of him, and that he replied, "I want my hands wherewith I +used to give you alms, but the merciful Lord vouchsafe to give you all +necessaries, both for soul and body." After this the friars came about +him, urging him to <i>pray to our Lady</i>, &c. to whom he answered, "Cease, +tempt me not, I intreat you."</p> + +<p>Having mounted a scaffold prepared on purpose, he turned towards the +people and declared that "he felt much<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">58</a></span> joy within himself in offering +up his life for the name of Christ, and told them that they ought not to +be offended with the good word of God, because of the afflictions I have +endured, or the torments which ye now see prepared for me; but I intreat +you, that you love the word of God for your salvation, and suffer +patiently and with a comfortable heart for the word's sake, which is +your everlasting comfort; but for the true gospel which was given me by +the grace of God, I suffer this day with a glad heart. Behold, and +consider my visage, ye shall not see me change my colour; I fear not +this fire, and I pray that you may not fear them that slay the body, but +have no power to slay the soul. Some have said that I taught that the +soul shall sleep till the last day, but I know surely, and my faith is +such, that my soul shall sup with my Saviour this night." Then he prayed +for his accusers, that they might be forgiven, if, through ignorance or +evil design, they had forged lies upon him. After this the executioner +asked his forgiveness, to whom he replied, "Come hither to me;" and when +he came, he kissed his cheek, and said, "Lo, here is a token that I +forgive thee, do thine office." Being raised up from his knees, he was +bound to the stake, crying with a loud voice <i>O Saviour of the world, +have mercy upon me; Father of heaven, I commend my spirit into thy holy +hands</i>: whereupon the executioner kindled the fire, and the powder that +was fastened to his body blew up. The captain of the castle perceiving +that he was still alive, drew near, and bid him be of good courage, +whereupon Mr. Wishart said, "This flame hath scorched my body, yet it +hath not daunted my spirit; but he who, from yonder place beholdeth us +with such pride, shall within a few days lie in the same as +ignominiously as he is now seen proudly to rest himself." But as he was +thus speaking, the executioner drew the cord that was about his neck so +strait that he spoke no more; and thus, like another Elijah, he took his +flight by a fiery chariot into heaven, and obtained the martyr's crown +on the 1st of March, 1546.</p> + +<p>Thus lived, and thus died this faithful witness of Jesus Christ; he was +early marked out as a sacrifice to papal tyranny, being delated to the +bishop of Brichen for an heretic, because he taught the Greek new +Testament to his scholars, while he kept school at Montrose; he was +summoned by him, to appear before him, but escaped into England, and at +the university of Cambridge completed his education, and was himself an +instructor of others; During the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">59</a></span> whole time he was in his own country, +he was hunted as a <i>partridge in the mountains</i>, until the cardinal got +him brought to the stake. Through the whole of his sufferings, his +meekness and patience were very remarkable, as was that uncommon measure +of the spirit of prophecy which he possessed; witness the circumstances +relative to Dundee, Haddington, the reformation from popery, and the +cardinal's death, all of which were foretold by him, and soon after +accomplished.</p> + +<p>The popish clergy rejoiced at his death, and extolled the cardinal's +courage, for proceeding in it against the governor's order; but the +people very justly looked upon him as both a prophet and a martyr. It +was also did, that abstracting from the grounds of his suffering, his +death 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 secular +power. 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. Accordingly +upon the 28th of May, 1546, (not three months after Mr. Wishart +suffered) they surprized the castle early in the morning, and either +secured or turned out the persons who were lodged in it; came to the +cardinal's door, who was by this time alarmed, and had secured it, but +upon their threatening to force open the door, he opened it, (relying +partly upon the sanctity of his office, and partly on his acquaintance +with some of them) crying, "I am a priest, I am a priest;" but this had +no effect upon them, for James Melvil having exhorted him in a solemn +manner to repentance, and having apprized him, that he was now to avenge +Mr. Wishart's death, he stabbed him twice or thrice; which ended his +wretched days. These persons, with some others who came in to them, held +the castle out for near two years, being assisted by England; they had +the governor's eldest son with them, for he had been put under the +cardinal's care, and was in the castle at the time they surprized it. +The castle was at last besieged by the French, and surrendered upon +having the lives of all that were in it secured.</p> + +<p>Betwixt this and the time of Mr. Walter Mill's sufferings, whose life +follows, one Adam Wallace, <i>alias</i> Fean, a simple but very zealous man, +was taken at Winton, and was brought to his trial in the Blackfriars +church in Edinburgh, where he was charged with articles of heresy, +similar to those with which others before him had been charged.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">60</a></span> He was +condemned and burnt in the castle-hill, suffering with great patience +and resolution.</p> + +<p>There were others condemned before that time, among whom were Robert +Forrester gentleman, Sir Duncan Simson priest, Friar Killore, Friar +Beveridge, 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.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Walter_Mill" id="Mr_Walter_Mill"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Walter Mill</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>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 until +he was accused by the bishop of St. Andrews of having left off saying +mass, which he had done long before this time, being condemned by the +cardinal on that account, in the year 1538; but he escaped the flames +for this time, by flying into Germany, where he married a wife, and was +more perfectly instructed in the true religion; after which he returned +home, but kept himself as retired as possible; during which time he went +about reproving vice and instructing people in the grounds of religion, +which coming at length to the ears of the ecclesiastics, in 1558, he +was, by order of the bishops, apprehended in Dysart in the shire of +Fife, by two priests, and imprisoned in the castle of St. Andrews, where +the Papists, both by threatening and flattery, laboured with him to +recant, offering him a place in the abbey of Dunfermline all the days of +his life, if he would deny what he had already taught. But continuing +constant in his opinions, he was brought to a trial before the bishops +of St. Andrews, Murray, Brechin, Caithness, <i>&c.</i> who were assembled in +the cathedral of St. Andrews. When he came to make his defence, he was +so old, feeble and lame, that it was feared none would hear him; but as +soon as he began to speak, he surprized them all, his voice made the +church to ring, and his quickness and courage amazed his very enemies.</p> + +<p>At first he kneeled and prayed for some time, after which one Sir Andrew +Oliphant a priest, called to him to arise, and answer to the articles of +charge, saying, "You keep my lord of St. Andrews too long here;" +nevertheless<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">61</a></span> 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 your +lord is, and whereas you call me <i>Sir Walter</i>, they call me <i>Walter</i>; I +have been too long one of the pope's knights: Now say what you have to +say."</p> + +<p style="font-size: 140%; margin-top: 1.5em;">Oliphant <i>began his Interrogations as follows</i>:</p> + +<p><i>Olip.</i> Thou sayest there are not seven sacraments?</p> + +<p><i>Mill.</i> Give me the Lord's Supper and Baptism, and take you all the +rest.</p> + +<p><i>Oliph.</i> What think you of a priest's marriage?</p> + +<p><i>Mill.</i> I think it a blessed bond ordained by God, and approved of by +Christ, and free to all sorts of men; but ye abhor it, and in the +meanwhile take other men's wives and daughters: Ye vow chastity, and +keep it not.</p> + +<p><i>Oliph.</i> How sayest thou that the mass is idolatry?</p> + +<p><i>Mill.</i> 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.</p> + +<p><i>Olip.</i> Thou deniest the sacrament of the altar to be the real body of +Christ in flesh and blood?</p> + +<p><i>Mill.</i> The scriptures are to be understood spiritually and not +carnally, and so your mass is wrong, for Christ was once offered on the +cross for sin, and will never be offered again, for then he put an end +to all sacrifice.</p> + +<p><i>Oliph.</i> Thou deniest the office of a bishop?</p> + +<p><i>Mill.</i> I affirm that those you call bishops do no bishop's work, but +live after sensual pleasure, taking no care of Christ's flock, nor +regarding his word.</p> + +<p><i>Oliph.</i> Thou speakest against pilgrimage, and sayest, It is a +pilgrimage to whoredom?</p> + +<p><i>Mill.</i> I say pilgrimage is not commanded in scripture, and that there +is no greater whoredom in any place, except in brothel-houses.</p> + +<p><i>Oliph.</i> You preach privately in houses, and sometimes in the field?</p> + +<p><i>Mill.</i> Yea, and on the sea also when sailing in a ship.</p> + +<p>Then said <i>Oliphant</i>, "If you will not recant, I will pronounce sentence +against you."</p> + +<p>To this he replied, "I know I must die once, and therefore as Christ +said to Judas, <i>What thou dost, do quickly</i>: you shall know that I will +not recant the truth, for I am corn and not chaff: I will neither be +blown away by the wind, nor burst with the flail, but will abide both."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">62</a></span> +Then Oliphant, as the mouth of the court, was ordered to pronounce +sentence against him, ordaining him to be delivered to the temporal +judge, and burnt as an heretic. But they could not procure one as a +temporal 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 at +the wrong done to him, that they refused to supply ropes to bind him, +and other materials for his execution, whereby his death was retarded +for one day. At last one Somerville, a domestic of the bishop, undertook +to act the part of temporal judge, and the ropes of the bishop's +pavilion were taken to serve the purpose.</p> + +<p>All things being thus prepared, he was led forth by Somerville with a +guard of armed men to his execution; being come to the place, some cried +out to him to recant, to whom he answered, "I marvel at your rage, ye +hypocrites, who do so cruelly pursue the servants of God; as for me, I +am 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, ye +hypocrites and persecutors of God's people; and such of you as now think +yourselves the best, shall not die such an honest death as I now do; I +trust in God, I shall be the last who shall suffer death, in this +fashion, for this cause in this land." Thus his constancy increased as +his end drew near. Being ordered by Oliphant to go up to the stake, he +refused, and said, "No, I will not go, except thou put me up with thy +hand, for by the law of God I am forbidden to put hands to myself, but +if thou wilt put to thy hand, and take part of my death, thou shalt see +me go up gladly." Then Oliphant putting him foreward, he went up with a +cheerful countenance, saying, <i>Introibo ad altare Dei</i>, and desired that +he might be permitted to speak to the people; he was answered by +Oliphant, "That he had spoken too much already, and the bishops were +exceedingly displeased with what he had said." But some youths took his +part, and bid him say on what he pleased; he first bowed his knees and +prayed, then arose and standing upon the coals addressed the people to +this effect, "Dear friends, the cause why I suffer this day, is not for +any crime laid to my charge, though I acknowledge myself a miserable +sinner before God, but only for the defence of the truths of Jesus +Christ<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">63</a></span> set forth in the old and new Testament; I praise God that he +hath called me among the rest of his servants, to seal up his truth with +my life; as I have received it of him, so I again willingly offer it up +for his glory, therefore, as ye would escape eternal death, be no longer +seduced with the lies of bishops, abbots, friars, monks, and the rest of +that sect of Antichrist, but depend only upon Jesus Christ and his +mercy, that so ye may be delivered from condemnation."—During this +speech, 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 was +drawn 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 the +twenty-eighth of April, <i>anno</i> 1558, being then about the eighty-second +year of his age.</p> + +<p>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 had +been burned, that the memory of his death might be preserved, but the +priests gave orders to have it taken down and carried away, denouncing a +curse on any who should lay stones there again; but that anathema was so +little regarded, that what was thrown down in the day-time was raised +again in the night, until at last the papists carried away the stones to +build houses in or about the town, which they did in the night, with all +possible secresy.</p> + +<p>The death of this martyr brought about the downfal of popery in +Scotland, for the people in general were so much inflamed, that +resolving openly to profess the truth, they bound themselves by +promises, and subscriptions of oaths, That before they would be thus +abused any longer they would take arms, and resist the papal tyranny, +which they at last did.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">64</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="James_Stuart_Earl_of_Moray" id="James_Stuart_Earl_of_Moray"></a><i>The Life of <span class="smcap">James Stuart</span>, Earl of Moray.</i></h2> + +<p>He was a natural son of K. James V. and brother by the father's side to +Mary queen of Scots; in his infancy he was put under the celebrated +George Buchanan, who instilled such principles into his mind in early +life, as by the divine blessing made him an honour to the Scottish +nation.</p> + +<p>The reader cannot expect a very minute detail of all the heroic and +patriotic deeds of this worthy nobleman, considering the station which +he filled, and his activity in the discharge of the duties belonging to +it.</p> + +<p>He was the principal agent in promoting the work of reformation from +popery. On the first dawning of it in the year 1555, he attended the +preaching of Mr. John Knox at Calder, where he often wished that his +doctrine had been more public, which was an open profession of his love +and zeal for the true religion.</p> + +<p>He went over to France with some other Scottish noblemen at the time of +his sister's marriage with the dauphine, where his companions were +supposed to have been poisoned, for they died in France: He escaped by +the interposition of a kind providence, but retained a weak and +disordered stomach all his life; this did not however unfit him for +these services which he did to religion and his country after this.</p> + +<p>In the year 1556, he and Argyle wrote to Mr. Knox at Geneva, to return +to Scotland, in order to further the reformation. Upon which, after +having been detained some time at Diep, Mr Knox returned in the year +1559, and went to St. Johnstoun, where the reforming congregation +resorted to him; which coming to the ears of the queen-regent, she sent +the earl of Argyle and Lord James (for that was the earl of Moray's +title at this time) to know the intent of so great an assembly. Mr. Knox +returned this answer, That "her enterprize would not prosper in the end, +seeing that she intended to fight against God, <i>&c.</i>" Upon receiving +this reply, she summoned them to depart from the town of St. Johnstoun; +but afterwards hearing of the daily increase of their numbers, she gave +them leave to depart peaceably, with many fair promises, that they +should meet with no further danger. On which they obeyed and left the +town, but they had no sooner done so, than she with her French guards +entered it in a most outrageous manner,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">65</a></span> telling the inhabitants, That +no faith should be kept with heretics.—This flagrant breach of promise +provoked Lord James to that degree, that he left the queen, and joined +the lords of the congregation (for so they were afterwards called). As +soon as the queen got intelligence of this, she sent a threatening +letter to him and Argyle (for they stuck together on almost all +occasions) commanding them to return, but to no purpose; for they went +to Fife, and there began to throw down and remove the monuments of +idolatry: Here they continued for some time; but being informed that the +queen intended to go to Stirling, they went off from Perth late in the +night, and entered Stirling with their associates where they immediately +demolished the monasteries, and purged the churches of idolatry. Such +was the zeal of these worthy noblemen for the interest of the reformed +religion in Scotland.</p> + +<p>From Stirling they marched for Edinburgh, purging all the superstitious +relicts of idolatry out of Linlithgow in their way.—These summary +proceedings alarmed the queen regent, insomuch that her zeal for the +Romish idolatry, gave way to her fears about her civil authority. To +make the conduct of these reformers the more odious to the unthinking +part of the nation, she gave out that they were in open rebellion +against her, and that they made a pretence of religion, but that the +real design was to set lord James on the throne (there being now no +male-heir to the crown), These insinuations she found means to transmit +to lord James himself, in a letter said to be forged in the names of +Francis and Mary the king and queen of France, wherein he was further +upbraided with ingratitude on account of the favours they pretended that +they had shown him, and threatened to lay down his arms and return to +his allegiance. To this letter, (notwithstanding there were strong +reasons to suspect it was forged) he nevertheless returned a resolute +answer, declaring that he was not conscious to himself, either in word +or deed, of any offence either against the regent or laws; but in regard +the nobility had undertaken the reformation of religion, which was +delayed, and seeing they aimed at nothing but the glory of God, he was +willing to bear the reproach which the enemies of religion would load +him with, neither was it just for him to desert that cause which had +Christ himself for its head and defender, whom, unless they would +voluntarily deny, they could not give up that enterprise in which they +were imbarked.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">66</a></span> +While these things were transacting, the lords of the congregation being +then in and about Edinburgh, there were to the number of 3000 French +landed at Leith at different times, to support the queen regent, between +whom 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 without +apprehensions of danger from the arrival of an English fleet, which was +then expected. In the mean time, they went over to Fife, spreading +devastation every where around them without resistance: Whereupon the +queen regent thus expressed herself, "Where is John Knox's God now, my +God 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 stop +their career along the coast. The French were 4000 strong, besides the +Scots who adhered to them; the army of the congregation were not above +600 men, yet they behaved with such courage and resolution, as for +twenty days successively they faced this army, and for each man they +lost in every skirmish, the French lost four. As an evidence of the +uncommon attention which these two noblemen bestowed on this business, +they never put off their cloaths during the whole time, and slept but +little.</p> + +<p>In the month of June the queen regent died, and a little after her +Francis king of France died likewise, by which Scotland was delivered +from this foreign army.—About this time lord James went over to France, +to visit his sister Mary; after settling matters in Scotland as well as +he could, he was attended by a splendid retinue, but appears to have met +with a cold reception: After several conversations with Queen Mary, she +told him, That she intended to return home. During his stay at Paris, he +met with many insults on account of his known attachment to the reformed +religion: A box containing some valuable things was stole from him; +several persons were likewise hired to assassinate him in the street: he +was apprized of his danger by an old friend of his own, but not before +he was almost involved in it, being instantly surrounded by a rabble, +calling out <i>Hugenot, hugenot</i>, and throwing stones; he made his way +through them on horseback. Soon after this he left Paris, and returned +home in May 1561, with a commission from the queen, appointing him +regent until her return, which was in August following, when, as Knox +expresses it, "Dolour and darkness came along with her," for tho' +justice and equity were yet administered,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">67</a></span> and crimes were punished, +because the administration of civil affairs was yet in the hands of lord +James, who for his management of public concerns was beloved by all, yet +upon the queen's arrival, French levity and dissipation soon corrupted +the court to a very high degree.</p> + +<p>About this time a banditti called the moss-troopers broke in upon the +borders of Scotland, committing very alarming depredations, by robbing +and murdering all that came in their way. The queen sent lord James with +a small force to oppose them, not with the intention that he might have +the opportunity of acquiring military reputation, but to expose him to +danger, that, if possible, she might get rid of him, for his popularity +made her very uneasy, and his fidelity and boldness in reproving her +faults, and withstanding her tyrannical measures, made him still more +the object of her hatred and disgust. But, contrary to the expectations +of many, God so prospered him in this expedition, that in a short time +he brought twenty-eight ring-leaders of this band to public execution, +and obliged the rest to give hostages for their better behaviour in +time-coming. Thus he returned crowned with laurels, and was immediately +created earl of Marr, and in the February following he was made earl of +Moray, with the universal approbation of all good men. Some thought this +act of the queen was intended by her to conciliate his affections, and +make him of her party. About this time he married a daughter of the earl +of Marshal, according to Knox, (Buchanan says, the earl of March); the +marriage was made publicly in the church of Edinburgh; after the +ceremony was over, the preacher (probably Mr. Knox) said to him, "Sir, +the church of God hath received comfort by you, and by your labours unto +this day; if you prove more saint therein afterward, it will be said +that your wife hath changed your nature, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>It may be observed, that hitherto the nobility appeared very much united +in their measures for promoting the interest of religion; this was soon +at an end, for the noblemen at court broke out into factions: Among whom +the earl of Bothwel, envying the prosperity of Moray, stirred up some +feuds between him and the Hamiltons, which increased to that height, +that they laid a plot for his life, which Bothwel took in hand to +execute, while he was with the queen his sister at Falkland; but the +earl of Arran detesting such an action, sent a letter privately to the +earl of Moray discovering the whole conspiracy, by which he escaped that +danger: Bothwel fled from justice into France,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">68</a></span> but his emissaries were +not less active in his absence than they had been while he headed them +in person, for another design was formed against his life, by one +Gordon, while he was with the queen at Dumbarton. But this proved +ineffectual also.</p> + +<p>Soon after, the queen received letters from the pope and her uncles the +Guises of France, requesting her to put the earl of Moray out of the +way, because, they found by experience, that their interest in Scotland +could not prosper while he was alive; upon this the faction against him +became more insolent and appeared in arms: they were at first +suppressed, but soon assembled again, to the number of eight hundred +men: This body he was obliged to fight, with little more strength, in +which he could confide, than an hundred horse; notwithstanding this +disparity, 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 not +lose a single man. He returned to Aberdeen with the prisoners, late in +the night, where he had appointed a minister of the gospel to meet him, +with whom he returned thanks to God for such a deliverance, exceeding +the expectations of all men.</p> + +<p>The earl of Bothwel was soon after this recalled by the queen from +France; upon his arrival, Moray accused him for his former treasonable +practices, and commenced a process at law against him. Bothwel knew he +could 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 so +much the more as her enmity to Moray on account of his popularity was +augmented. This led her to join more warmly in the conspiracy with +Bothwel against his life; a new plot was the result of their joint +deliberations, which was to be executed in the following manner; Moray +was to be sent for, with only a few attendants, to speak with the queen +at Perth, where Lord Darnly (then in suit to her for marriage) was; they +knew that Moray would speak his mind freely, upon which they were to +quarrel with him, in the heat of which David Rizzio was to strike the +first blow, and all the rest were to follow: But of this design also he +got previous intelligence by a friend at the court, nevertheless he +resolved to go, until advised by one Patrick Ruthven; he turned aside to +his mother's house, and there staid till this storm was over also.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">69</a></span> +The earl of Moray foreseeing what would be the consequence of the +queen's marriage with Lord Darnly<a name="FNanchor_28" id="FNanchor_28"></a><a href="#Footnote_28" class="fnanchor">[28]</a>, set himself to oppose it, but +finding little attention paid to any thing he said on that subject in +the convention of estates, he chose rather to absent himself for some +time, and accordingly retired to the border, where he staid until the +queen's marriage with Darnly was over.</p> + +<p>The remarkable tragical events which succeeded, disgusted Moray more and +more at the court; with these the public are well acquainted: The murder +of Darnly, and Mary's after-marriage with the assassin of her husband, +has occasioned too much speculation of late years, not to be known to +every one in the least acquainted with the Scottish history. Moray now +found it impossible to live at a court where his implacable enemy was so +highly honoured; Bothwel insulted him openly; whereupon he asked leave +of the queen to travel abroad, and she, being willing to get rid of him +at all events, granted his desire, upon his promise not to make any stay +in England. He went over to France, where he remained until he heard +that the queen was in custody in Lochlevin, and that Bothwel had fled to +Denmark; and then returned home. Upon his arrival he was made regent, by +the joint consent of the queen and nobles, <i>anno</i> 1567, during the young +king's minority.</p> + +<p>He entered on the exercise of his office as regent, in the spring +following, and resolved with himself to make a tour through the whole +kingdom to settle the courts of justice, to repair what was wrong, <i>&c.</i> +But his adversaries the Hamiltons, perceiving, that by the prudence and +diligence of this worthy nobleman, the interest of religion would be +revived, than which nothing could be more disagreeable to them, who were +dissipated and licentious in an extreme degree, they could not endure to +be regulated by law, and never ceased crying out against his +administration. They fixed up libels in different places, full of dark +insinuations, by which it was understood that his destruction<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">70</a></span> was +meditating<a name="FNanchor_29" id="FNanchor_29"></a><a href="#Footnote_29" class="fnanchor">[29]</a>. Some astrologers told him that he would not live beyond +such a day; by which it appeared they were not ignorant of the designs +formed against him. All this had no effect upon his resolution; his +common reply was, That "he knew well enough he must die one time or +other, and that he could not part with his life more nobly, than by +procuring the public tranquillity of his native country." He caused +summon a convention of estates to meet at Glasgow for the redress of +some grievances, which that part of the country particularly laboured +under.</p> + +<p>But while he was thus engaged, he received intelligence that the queen +had escaped from Lochlevin castle, and was come to Hamiltoun, where +those of her faction were assembling with the utmost haste, whereupon a +hot dispute arose in council, whether the regent, and his attendants +should repair to the young king at Stirling, or stay and observe the +motions of the queen and her party; but in the very time of these +deliberations, a hundred chosen men arrived in town from Lothian, and +many more from the adjacent country were approaching: This made them +resolve to stay where they were, and refresh themselves for one day, +after which they determined to march out and face the enemy. But the +queen's army, being 6500 strong, resolved to make their way by Glasgow +to lodge the queen in Dumbarton castle, and afterwards either to fight +the regent, or protract the war at pleasure.</p> + +<p>The regent being let into this design of the enemy, drew his army out +the town, to observe which way they intended to pass; he had not above +4000 men; they discovered the queen's army passing along the south-side +of the river Clyde. Moray commanded the foot to pass the bridge, and the +horse to ford the river, and marched out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">71</a></span> to a small village, called +Langside, upon the river Cart. They took possession of a rising ground +before the enemy could well discover their intention, and drew up in the +order of battle. The earls of Morton, Semple, Hume and Patrick Lindsay +on the right, and the earls of Marr, Glencairn, Monteith with the +citizens of Glasgow, were on the left, and the musqueteers were placed +in the valley below. The queen's army approaching, a very brisk but +short engagement ensued; the earl of Argyle, who was commander in chief +of the queen's troops, falling from his horse, they gave way, so that +the regent obtained a complete victory; but, by his clement conduct, +there was very little blood spilt in the pursuit. The queen, who all the +while remained with some horse at about the distance of a mile from the +place of action, seeing the rout, escaped and fled for England, and the +regent returned to Glasgow, where they returned thanks to God for their +deliverance from popery and papists, who threatened to overturn the work +of God among them. This battle was fought upon the 13th of May, 1568.</p> + +<p>After this the regent summoned a parliament to meet at Edinburgh; which +the queen's party laboured to hinder, with all their power. In the mean +time, letters were received from the queen of England, requiring them to +put off the meeting of parliament until she was made acquainted with the +whole matter, for she said, She could not bear with the affront which +her kinswoman said she had received from her subjects.—The parliament +however assembled, and after much reasoning it was resolved to send +commissioners to England to vindicate their conduct; but none consenting +to undertake this business, the regent resolved upon going himself, and +accordingly chose three gentlemen, two ministers, two lawyers, and Mr. +George Buchanan to accompany him; and with a guard of 100 horse they set +out, and arrived at York, the appointed place of conference, on the 4th +of October. After several meetings with the English commissioners to +little purpose, the queen called the regent up to London, that she might +be better satisfied by personal conversation with him, about the state +of these affairs. But the same difficulties stood in his way here as at +York; he refused to enter upon the accusation of his sister the queen of +Scots, unless Elizabeth would engage to protect the king's party, +provided the queen was found guilty.</p> + +<p>But, while matters were thus remaining in suspence at London, Mary had +stirred up a new commotion in Scotland<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">72</a></span> by means of one James Balfour, +so that the regent found himself exceedingly embarrassed, and therefore +resolved to bring the matter to a conclusion as soon as possible. After +several interviews with the queen and council, in which the regent and +his party supported the ancient rights of their country, and wiped off +the aspersions many had thrown on themselves, which Buchanan narrates at +large, book <span class="smcap lowercase">XIX</span>, A decision was given in their favours, and the regent +returned home loaded with honours by Elizabeth, and attended by the most +illustrious of the English court, escorted by a strong guard to Berwick, +and arrived at Edinburgh on the 2d of February, where he was received +with acclamations of joy, particularly by the friends of the true +religion.</p> + +<p>During his administration, many salutary laws in favour of civil and +religious liberty, were made, which rendered him more and more the +object of popish malice. At last they resolved at all events to take his +life; the many unsuccessful attempts formerly made, only served to +render them more bold and daring. Though the queen was now at a +distance, yet the found means to encourage her party, and perhaps the +hope of delivering her at length, gave strength to their resolution. One +James Hamilton of Bothwel-haugh, nephew to the arch-bishop of St. +Andrews, incited by his uncle and others, undertakes to make away with +the regent, when a convenient opportunity offered itself: He first lay +in wait for him at Glasgow, and then at Stirling, but both failed him; +after which, he thought Linlithgow the most proper place for +perpetrating that execrable deed; his uncle had a house near the +regent's, in which he concealed himself, that he might be in readiness +for the assassination. Of this design the regent got intelligence +likewise, 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 was +suspected the ambush was laid; he trusted to the fleetness of his horse +in riding swiftly by the suspected place; but the great concourse of +people who crouded together to see him, stopped up the way. Accordingly, +he was shot from a wooden balcony, the bullet entering a little below +the navel, came out at the reins, and killed the horse of George Douglas +behind him: The assassin escaped by a back-door. The regent told his +attendants that he was wounded, and returned to his lodgings; it was at +first thought the wound was not mortal, but his pain increasing, he +began to think of death. Some about him told him, That this was the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">73</a></span> +fruit of his lenity, in sparing so many notorious offenders, and among +the rest his own murderer; but he replied, "Your importunity shall not +make me repent my clemency." Having settled his private affairs, he +committed the care of the young king to the nobles there present, and +without speaking a reproachful word of any, he departed this life on the +24d of January, 1570. according to Buchanan, 1571. but according to +Spotiswood, 1569.</p> + +<p>Thus fell the earl of Moray (whom historians ordinarily call, The good +regent) after he had escaped so many dangers: He was certainly a worthy +governor. Both Buchanan and Spotswood give him the following character: +"His death was lamented by all good men, who loved him as the public +father of his country, even his enemies confessed his merit when dead; +they admired his valour in war, his ready disposition for peace, his +activity in business, in which he was commonly very successful; the +divine favour seemed to shine on all his actions; he was very merciful +to offenders, and equitable in all his decisions. When the field did not +call for his presence, he was busied in the administration of justice; +by which means the poor were not oppressed, and the terms of law-suits +were shortened.—His house was like a holy temple; after meals he caused +a chapter of the bible to be read, and asked the opinions of such +learned men as were present upon it, not out of a vain curiosity, but +from a desire to learn, and reduce to practice what it contained<a name="FNanchor_30" id="FNanchor_30"></a><a href="#Footnote_30" class="fnanchor">[30]</a>." +In a word, he was both in his public and private life, a pattern worthy +of imitation, and happy would it be for us, that our nobles were more +disposed to walk in the paths which he trode;—for, "Above all his +virtues, which were not a few, he shined in piety towards God, ordering +himself and his family in such a sort as did more resemble a church than +a court; for therein, besides the exercise of devotion, which he never +omitted, there was no wickedness to be seen, nay not an unseemly or +wanton word to be heard. A man truly good, and worthy to be ranked +amongst the best governors, that this kingdom hath enjoyed, and +therefore to this day honoured with the title of <i>The good Regent</i><a name="FNanchor_31" id="FNanchor_31"></a><a href="#Footnote_31" class="fnanchor">[31]</a>."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">74</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Mr_John_Knox" id="Mr_John_Knox"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">John Knox</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Knox was born in Gifford near Haddington in East Lothian, in the +year 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 learning +at that time), and had the degree of master of arts conferred upon him, +while very young. He excelled in philosophy and polemical divinity, and +was admitted into church orders before the usual time appointed by the +canons. Then laying aside all unnecessary branches of learning, he +betook himself to the reading of the antients, particularly Angustine's +and Jerome's works, with whom he was exceedingly pleased. He profited +considerably by the preaching of Thomas Guilliam, a black friar, of +sound judgment and doctrine; his discourses led him to study the holy +scriptures more closely, by which his spiritual knowledge was increased, +and such a zeal for the interest of religion begotten in him, as he +became the chief instrument in accomplishing the primitive reformation.</p> + +<p>He was a disciple of Mr. George Wishart (as the reader has already seen +in the account of his life), which procured him the hatred of the Popish +clergy, who could not endure that light which, discovered their +idolatrous darkness.</p> + +<p>After the death of cardinal Beaton, he retired into the castle of St. +Andrews, where he was confined for some time, but the castle being +obliged to surrender to the French, he became their prisoner, and was +sent aboard the gallies, from whence he made his escape about the year +1550, and went to England, where he preached for several years in +Berwick, Newcastle and London, with great applause; his fame at last +reached the years of king Edward VI. who offered him a bishopric, which +he rejected, as contrary to his principles.</p> + +<p>During his stay in England, he was called before the council, and +required to answer the following questions:</p> + +<p>1. Why he refused the benefice provided for him at London?</p> + +<p>2. Whether he thought that no Christian might serve in the +ecclesiastical ministration, according to the laws and rites of the +realm of England?</p> + +<p>3. If kneeling at the Lord's table was not indifferent?</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">75</a></span> +To the first he said, That his conscience witnessed to him that he might +profit more in some other place than in London. To the second, That many +things needed reformation in the ministry of England, without which no +minister did or could discharge his duty before God; for no minister in +England had authority to separate the leprous from the whole, which was +a chief part of his office, and that he refused no office which might in +the least promote God's glory and the preaching of Christ's gospel. And +to the third he replied, That Christ's action was most perfect, that it +was most safe to follow his example, and that kneeling was a human +invention. The answer which he gave to this question, occasioned a +considerable deal of altercation betwixt the council and him. There were +present the bishops of Canterbury and Ely, the lord treasurer, the earls +of Northampton, Shrewsbury, <i>&c.</i> the lord chamberlain and the +secretaries: After long reasoning with him, he was desired to take the +matter into farther consideration, and so was dismissed.</p> + +<p>After the death of king Edward, he retired to Geneva, but soon left that +place and went to Francfort, upon the solicitation of the English +congregation there; their letter to him was dated September 24th, 1554. +While he was in this city, he wrote his admonition to England, and was +soon involved in troubles, because he opposed the English liturgy, and +refused to communicate after the manner it enjoined. Messrs Isaac and +Parry, supported by the English doctors, not only got him discharged to +preach, but accused him before the magistrates of high treason against +the emperor's son Philip and the queen of England, and to prove the +charge, they had recourse to the above-mentioned admonition, in which +they alledged he had called the one little inferior to Nero, and the +other more cruel than Jezebel. But the magistrates perceiving the design +of his accusers, and fearing lest he should some way or other fall into +their hands, gave him secret information of his danger, and requested +him to leave the city, for they could not save him if he should be +demanded by the queen of England in the emperor's name; and having taken +the hint, he returned to Geneva.</p> + +<p>Here he wrote an admonition to London, Newcastle and Berwick; a letter +to Mary dowager of Scotland; an appeal to the nobility, and an +admonition to the commons of his own country; and his first blast of the +trumpet, <i>&c.</i> He intended to have blown this trumpet three times, if +queen Mary's death had not prevented him; understanding<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">76</a></span> that an answer +was to be given to his first blast, he deferred the publication of the +second, till he saw what answer was necessary for the vindication of the +first.</p> + +<p>While he was at Geneva, he contracted a close intimacy with Mr. John +Calvin, with whom he consulted on every emergency. In the end of harvest +1654, he returned home upon the solicitation of some of the Scots +nobility, and began privately to instruct such as resorted to him in the +true religion, among whom were the laird of Dun, David Forrest and +Elizabeth Adamson, spouse to James Baron burgess of Edinburgh; The +idolatry of the mass particularly occupied his attention, as he saw some +remarkable for zeal and godliness drawn aside by it; both in public and +private he exposed its impiety and danger; his labours succeeded so far, +as to draw off some and alarm many others: In a conversation upon this +subject 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 were +started by the company, that Maitland ended the conversation, saying, "I +see very well that all our shifts will serve nothing before God, seeing +they stand us in so small stead before men." From this time forward the +mass was very little respected.</p> + +<p>Mr. Knox continued a month at the laird of Dun's, preaching every day; +the principal gentlemen of that country resorted to his ministry. From +thence he went to Calder, where the earl of Argyle (then lord Lorn) and +lord James (afterwards earl of Moray) heard his doctrine, and highly +approved of it—During the winter he taught in Edinburgh, and in the +beginning of the spring went to Kyle, where he preached in different +places; The earl of Glencairn sent for him to Finlaston, where, after +sermon, he administered the Lord's supper, and then returned to Calder.</p> + +<p>The people being thus instructed, began to refuse all superstition and +idolatry, and set themselves to the utmost of their power to support the +true preaching of the gospel. This alarmed the inferior popish clergy so +much, that they came from all quarters complaining to the bishops; +whereupon Mr. Knox was summoned to appear in the black friars church of +Edinburgh on the 15th of May following: which appointment he resolved to +observe, and accordingly came to Edinburgh in company with the laird of +Dun, and several other gentlemen, but the diet did not hold, because the +bishops were afraid to proceed further against him, so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">77</a></span> that, on the +same day that he should have appeared before them, he preached to a +greater audience in Edinburgh than ever he had done before. The earl of +Marshal being desired by Lord Glencairn to hear Mr. Knox preach, +complied, and was so delighted with his doctrine, that he immediately +proposed that something should be done to draw the queen regent to hear +him likewise; he made this proposal in a letter, which was delivered +into her own hand by Glencairn. When she had read it, she gave it to +Beaton<a name="FNanchor_32" id="FNanchor_32"></a><a href="#Footnote_32" class="fnanchor">[32]</a>, arch-bishop of Glasgow, saying in ridicule, "Please you, my +lord, to read a pasquille."</p> + +<p>About this time (1555) he received a letter from the English +congregation at Geneva (who were not in communion with the congregation +of that name at Francfort), in which they beseech him, in the name of +God, 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 him +to Dieppe, but by the importunity of some gentlemen he was prevailed on +to stay some time behind them in Scotland, which he spent in going about +exhorting the several congregations in which he had preached, to be +fervent in prayer, frequent in reading the scriptures, and in mutual +conferences till God should give them greater liberty. The earl of +Argyle was solicited to press Mr. Knox's stay in this country, but he +could not succeed. Mr. Knox told them, That, if they continued earnest +in the profession of the faith, God would bless these small beginnings, +but that he must for once go and visit that little flock which the +wickedness of men had compelled him to leave; and being thus resolved, +he went immediately to Geneva. As soon as he was gone, the bishops +caused summon him to their tribunal, and for <i>non</i>-compearance they +burnt him <i>in effigy</i> on the cross of Edinburgh; from which unjust +sentence, when he heard of it, he appealed to the nobility and commons +of Scotland.</p> + +<p>Upon the receipt of a letter dated March 10, 1556, subscribed by the +earls of Glencairn, Erskine, Argyle, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">78</a></span> Moray, Mr. Knox resolved to +return again into Scotland. Committing the care of his flock at Geneva +to 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 his +adversary are now at open defiance, their banners are displayed, and the +trumpet is blown on both sides for assembling their armies: our master +calleth upon his own, and that with vehemency, that they may depart from +Babylon, yea he threateneth death and damnation to such as either in +their forehead or right-hand have the mark of the beast, and a portion +of this mark are all these dregs of papistry, which are left in your +great book of England (<i>viz.</i> crossing in baptism, kneeling at the +Lord's table, mumbling or singing of the litany, <i>&c. &c.</i>) any one jot +of which diabolical inventions will I never counsel any man to use, +<i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>He was detained in this place much longer than expectation, which +obliged the Scots nobility to renew their solicitations; which he +complied with, and arrived in Scotland on the second of May 1559, being +then 54 years old.—He preached first at Dundee and afterwards at St. +Johnstoun, with great success. About this time the queen put some +preachers to the horn, prohibiting all upon pain of rebellion to +comfort, relieve, or assist them; which enraged the multitude to that +degree, that they would be restrained, neither by the preachers nor +magistrates, from pulling down the images and other monuments of +idolatry in St. Johnstoun: which being told to the queen, it so enraged +her, that she vowed to destroy man, woman and child, in that town, and +burn it to the ground. To execute this threat, she caused her French +army to march towards the place, but being informed that multitudes from +the neighbouring country were assembling in the town for the defence of +its inhabitants, her impetuosity was checked, and she resolved to use +stratagem where force could not avail her; accordingly she sent the +earls of Argyle and Moray, to learn what was their design in such +commotions, Mr. Knox, in name of the rest, made answer, "That the +present troubles ought to move the hearts of all the true servants of +God, and lovers of their country, to consider what the end of such +tyrannical measures would be, by which the emissaries of Satan sought +the destruction of all the friends of religion in the country. Therefore +I most humbly require of you, my lords, to tell the queen, in my name, +that we, whom she, in her blind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">79</a></span> rage doth thus persecute, are the +servants of God, faithful and obedient subjects of this realm, and that +the religion which she would maintain by fire and sword, is not the true +religion of Jesus Christ, but expresly contrary to the same; a +superstitious device of men, which I offer myself to prove, against all +who, in Scotland, maintain the contrary, freedom of debate being +allowed, and the word of God being the judge. Tell her from me, that her +enterprize shall not succeed in the end, for she fights not against man +only, but against the eternal God, <i>&c.</i>" Argyle and Moray promised to +deliver this message, and Mr. Knox preached a sermon, exhorting them to +constancy, adding, "I am persuaded that this promise" (meaning the +promise she had made to do them no harm if they would leave the town +peaceably) "shall be no longer kept than the queen and her Frenchmen can +get the upper hand;" which accordingly happened when she took possession +of the town, and put a garrison of French in it. This breach of promise +disgusted the earls of Argyle and Moray to that degree, that they +forsook her and joined the congregation. Having assembled with the laird +of Dun and others, they sent for Mr. Knox, who, in his way to them +preached in Crail in Anstruther, intending to preach next day at St. +Andrews.</p> + +<p>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 preach +there, he should have a warm military reception;" They, in their turn, +forewarned Mr. Knox of his danger, and dissuaded him from going; he made +answer, "God is my witness, that I never preached Jesus Christ in +contempt of any man, neither am I concerned about going thither: tho' I +would not willingly injure the worldly interest of any creature, I +cannot, in conscience, delay preaching to-morrow, if I am not detained +by violence; as for fear of danger to my person, let no man be +solicitous about that, for my life is in the hand of him whose glory I +seek, and therefore I fear not their threats, so as to cease from doing +my duty, when of his mercy God offereth the occasion. I desire the hand +and weapon of no man to defend me, only I crave audience, which if +denied to me here, at this time, I must seek further where I may have +it." The lords were satisfied that he should fulfil his intention, which +he did, with such boldness and success (without any interruption), that +the magistrates and people of the town immediately<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">80</a></span> after sermon agreed +to remove all monuments of idolatry; which they did, with great +expedition.</p> + +<p>After this, several skirmishes ensued between the queen and lords of the +congregation. But at last, the queen sickened and died, and a general +peace, which lasted for some time, was procured, during which, the +commissioners of the Scots nobility (anno 1560), were employed in +settling minsters in different places. Mr. Knox was appointed to +Edinburgh, where he continued until the day of his death.</p> + +<p>The same year the Scots confession was compiled and agreed upon; and +that the church might be established upon a good foundation, a +commission and charge was given to Mr. Knox and five others, to draw up +a form of government and discipline of the church. When they had +finished it, they presented it to the nobility, by whom it was +afterwards ratified and approved of.</p> + +<p>But this progress which was daily making in the reformation, soon met +with a severe check by the arrival of queen Mary from France in August +1561.; with her came popery and all manner of profanity; the mass was +again publicly set up, at which the religious part of the nation were +highly offended, and none more than Mr. Knox, who ceased not to expose +the evil and danger of it on every occasion: On which account the queen +and court were much exasperated. They called him before them, and +charged him as guilty of high treason. The queen being present, produced +a letter, wrote by him, wherein it was alledged that he had convocated +her majesty's lieges against law; whereupon a long reasoning ensued +between him and secretary Lethington upon the contents of said letter; +in which Mr. Knox gave such solid and bold answers, in defence of +himself and doctrine, that at last he was acquitted by the lords of the +council, to the no small displeasure of the queen and those of the +popish party.</p> + +<p>Mr. Knox, in a conference with the queen about this time, said, "If +princes exceed their bounds, they may be resisted even by power, for +there is no greater honour and obedience to be paid to princes than God +hath commanded to be given to father and mother. If children join +together against their father stricken with a frenzy, and seeking to +slay his own children, apprehend him, take his sword or other weapons +from him, bind his hands, and put him in prison till his frenzy +overpass, do they any wrong, or will God be offended with them for +hindering their father from committing horrible murder?—Even<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">81</a></span> so, +madam, if princes will murder the children of God their subjects, their +blind zeal is but a mad frenzy. To take the sword from them, to bind +them, and to cast them into prison till they be brought to a sober mind, +is not disobedience, but just obedience, because it agreeeth with the +word of God." The queen hearing this, stood for some time as one amazed, +and changed countenance. No appearance was, at this time, of her +imprisonment<a name="FNanchor_33" id="FNanchor_33"></a><a href="#Footnote_33" class="fnanchor">[33]</a>.</p> + +<p>After the queen's marriage with Henry earl of Darnly, a proclamation was +made in 1565, signifying, That forasmuch as certain rebels who, under +the colour of religion, (meaning those who opposed the measures of the +court) intended nothing but the subversion of the commonwealth, +therefore they charged all manner of men, under pain of life, lands, and +goods, to resort and meet their majesties at Linlithgow on the 24th of +August. Upon Sabbath the 19th, the king came to the high church of +Edinburgh, where Mr. Knox preached from these words, <i>O Lord our Lord, +other lords, beside thee, have had the dominion over us</i>, &c. In his +sermon he took occasion to speak of wicked princes, who, for the sins of +a people, were sent as scourges upon them, and also said, "That God set +in that room boys and women; and that God justly punished Ahab and his +posterity, because he would not take order with the harlot Jezebel." +These things enraged the king to a very high degree. Mr. Knox was +immediately ordered before the council, who went thither attended by +some of the most respectable citizens; when called in, the secretary +signified that the king was much offended with some words in his +sermons, (as above-mentioned), and ordered him to abstain from preaching +for fifteen or twenty days; to which Mr. Knox answered, That he had +spoken nothing but according to his text, and if the church would +command him either to speak or refrain from speaking, he would obey so +far as the word of God would permit him. Nevertheless, for this and +another sermon which he preached before the lords, in which he shewed +the bad consequences that would follow upon the queen's being married to +a papist, he must be, by the queen's order, prohibited from preaching +for a considerable time.</p> + +<p>It cannot be expected, that we should enumerate all the indefatigable +labours, and pertinent speeches which, on sundry occasions, he made to +the queen, nor the opposition which he met with in promoting the work of +reformation;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">82</a></span> these will be found at large in the histories of these +times.</p> + +<p>The popish faction now found, that it would be impossible to get their +idolatry re-established, while the reformation was making such progress, +and while Mr. Knox and his associates had such credit with the +people.—They therefore set other engines to work, than these they had +hitherto used; they spared no pains to blast his reputation by malicious +calumnies, and even by making attempts upon his life; for, one night as +he was sitting at the head of a table in his own house, with his back to +the window, (as was his custom), he was fired at from the other side of +the street, on purpose to kill him; the shot entered at the window, but +he being near to the other side of the table, the assassin missed his +mark; the bullet struck the candlestick before him, and made a hole in +the foot of it: Thus was <i>he that was with him, stronger than they that +were against him</i>.</p> + +<p>Mr. Knox was an eminent wrestler with God in prayer, and like a prince +prevailed; the queen regent herself gave him this testimony, when, upon +a particular occasion, she said, She was more afraid of his prayers than +of an army of ten thousand men. He was likewise warm and pathetic in his +preaching, in which such prophetical expressions as dropt from him, had +the most remarkable accomplishment; as an instance of this, when he was +confined in the castle of St. Andrews, he foretold both the manner of +their surrender, and their deliverance from the French gallies; and when +the lords of the congregation were twice discomfited by the French army, +he assured them, in the mean time, that the Lord would prosper the work +of 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 of +God whether she would or not; which came to pass at her arraignment in +England. 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 in +the fire; the Lord shall strike both head and tail;" both king and queen +died violent deaths. He likewise said, when the castle of Edinburgh held +out for the queen against the regent, that "the castle should spue out +the captain (meaning the laird of Grange) with shame, and that he should +not come out at the gate, but over the wall, and that the tower called +Davies tower should run like a sand-glass;" which was fulfilled in a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">83</a></span> +few years after, the same captain being obliged to come over the wall on +a ladder, with a staff in his hand, and the said forework of the castle +running down like a sand brae.</p> + +<p>On the 24th of January 1570, Mr. Knox being in the pulpit, a paper was +put into his hands among others, containing the names of the sick people +to be prayed for; the paper contained these words, "Take up the man whom +you accounted another God," (this alluded to the earl of Moray who was +slain the day before). Having read it he put it in his pocket, without +shewing the least discomposure. After sermon, he lamented the loss which +both church and state had met with in the death of that worthy nobleman, +(meaning the regent) shewing, that God takes away good and wise rulers +from a people in his wrath, and, at last, said, "There is one in the +company who maketh that horrible murder, at which all good men have +occasion to be sorrowful, the subject of his mirth; I tell him, he shall +die in a strange land, where he shall not have a friend near him to hold +up his head," One Mr. Thomas Maitland being the author of that insulting +speech, and hearing what Mr. Knox said, confessed the whole to his +sister the lady Trabrown, but said, That John Knox was raving to speak +of he knew not whom; she replied with tears, That none of Mr. Knox's +threatenings fell to the ground. This gentleman afterwards went abroad, +and died in Italy, on his way to Rome, having no man to assist him.</p> + +<p>Mr. Knox's popularity was now so well established, that the malignant +party, finding it impossible to alienate the hearts of the people from +him, began now openly to work his destruction, fortifying the town and +castle with their garrisons; they vented their malice against him by +many furious threatenings. Upon which he was urged by his friends to +leave 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 the +giver and receiver. Though he was then very weak in body, he would not +refrain from preaching, and was obliged to be supported by his servant +Richard Bannantyne, in going to church; and, when in the pulpit, he +behoved to rest sometime before he could proceed to preach, but before +he ended his sermon, he became so vigorous and active, that he was like +to have broken the pulpit to pieces.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">84</a></span> +Here he continued till the end of August 1572, when the civil broils +were a little abated, upon which receiving a letter from Edinburgh, he +returned to his flock. He was now much oppressed with the infirmities of +old age, and the extraordinary fatigues he had undergone; the death of +the good regent, the earl of Moray, had made deep impressions on him, +but when he heard of the massacre of Paris<a name="FNanchor_34" id="FNanchor_34"></a><a href="#Footnote_34" class="fnanchor">[34]</a>, and the murder of the +good admiral Coligni, these melancholy news almost deprived him of his +life. Upon finding his dissolution approaching, he prevailed with the +council and kirk-session of Edinburgh, to concur with him in admitting +one Mr. James Lawson as his successor, who was at that time professor of +philosophy in the college of Aberdeen; he wrote a letter to Mr. Lawson, +intreating him to accept of this charge, adding this postscript, +<i>Accelera, mi frater, alioqui sero venies</i>, i. e. Make haste, my +brother, otherwise you will come too late, meaning, that if he came not +speedily, he would find him dead: which words had this effect on Mr. +Lawson, that he set out immediately, making all possible haste to +Edinburgh, where, after he had preached twice to the full satisfaction +of the people, the ninth of November was appointed for his admission +unto that congregation. Mr. Knox (though then still weaker) preached +upon that occasion with much power, and with the greatest comfort to the +hearers. In the close of his sermon, he called God to witness, that he +had walked in a good conscience among them, not seeking to please men, +nor serving his own nor other men's inclinations, but in all sincerity +and truth preaching the gospel of Christ. Then praising God, who had +given them one in his room, he exhorted them to stand fast in the faith +they had received, and having prayed fervently for the divine blessing +upon them, and the increase of the Spirit upon their new pastor, he gave +them his last farewel, with which the congregation were much affected.</p> + +<p>Being carried home, that same day he was confined to his bed, and, on +the thirteenth of the month, was so enfeebled<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">85</a></span> that he was obliged to +lay aside his ordinary reading of the scripture. The next day he would +rise out of bed, being asked, what he intended by getting out of bed? he +replied, 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 resurrection +of Christ, which he should have preached on in order after the death of +Christ, which he had finished the sabbath before. He had often desired +of God, that he would end his days in teaching, and meditating upon that +doctrine; which desire seems to have been granted to him. Upon monday +the 17th, the elders and deacons being come to him, he said, "The time +is approaching, for which I have long thirsted, wherein I shall be +relieved 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 the +gospel of his Son, that I have taught nothing but the true and solid +doctrines of the gospel, and that the end which I purposed in all my +doctrine, was to instruct the ignorant, to confirm the weak, to comfort +the consciences of those that were humbled under the sense of their +sins, and to denounce the threatenings of God's word against such as +were rebellious. I am not ignorant, that many have blamed me, and yet do +blame my too great rigour and severity, but God knoweth, that, in my +heart, I never hated the persons of those against whom I thundered God's +judgments; I did only hate their sins, and laboured, according to my +power, to gain them to Christ; that I did forbear none of whatsoever +condition, I did it out of the fear of my God, who placed me in this +function of the ministry, and I know will bring me to an account." Then +he exhorted them to constancy, and intreated them never to join with the +wicked, but rather to choose with David to flee to the mountains, than +to remain with such company. After this exhortation to the elders and +deacons, he charged Mr. David Lindsay and Mr. James Lawson to take heed +to feed the flock over which the Holy Ghost had made them overseers: To +Mr. Lawson in particular, he said, "Fight the good fight, do the work of +the Lord with courage and with a willing mind; and God from above bless +you and the church whereof you have the charge, against which the gates +of hell shall not prevail." Then by prayer he recommended the whole +company present to the grace of God, and afterwards desired his wife, or +Richard Bannantyne to read the 17th chapter of John, a chapter of the +Ephesians, and the 33d<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">86</a></span> chapter of Isaiah daily, after he was unable to +read himself: Sometimes he desired part of Mr. Calvin's sermons in +French to be read to him. One time when reading these sermons, they +supposed him to be sleeping, and asked him, If he heard what was read? +he replied, "I hear, I praise God, and understand far better."</p> + +<p>One day after this, Mr. David Lindsay coming to see him, he said unto +him "Well, brother, I thank God I have desired all this day to have had +you, that I might send you to that man in the castle, the laird of +Grange, whom you know I have loved dearly. Go, I pray you, and tell him +from me, in the name of God, that unless he leave that evil course +wherein he has entered, neither shall that rock (meaning the castle of +Edinburgh, 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 (meaning +young Lethington), but he shall be pulled out of that nest, and brought +down over the wall with shame, and his carcase shall be hung before the +sun, so God hath assured me." When Mr. David delivered this message, the +captain seemed to be much moved, but after a little conference with +Lethington, he returned to Mr. Lindsay, and dismissed him with a +disdainful countenance and answer. When he reported this to Mr. Knox, he +said, "Well, I have been earnest with my God anent that man, I am sorry +that it should so befal his body, yet God assureth me, there is mercy +for his soul. But for the other (meaning Lethington), I have no warrant +to say that it shall be well with him." The truth of this seemed to +appear in a short time thereafter; for it was thought that Lethington +poisoned himself to escape public punishment; he lay unburied in the +steeple of Leith until his body was quite corrupted; but Sir William +Kirkaldie of Grange was, on the third of August next, executed at the +cross of Edinburgh; he caused Mr. Lindsay to repeat Mr. Knox's words +concerning him a little before his execution, and was much comforted by +them; he said to Mr. Lindsay, (who accompanied him to the scaffold) "I +hope, when men shall think I am gone, I shall give a token of the +assurance of God's mercy to my soul, according to the speech of that man +of God." Accordingly, when he was cast over the ladder, with his face +towards the east, when all present thought he was dead, he lifted up his +hands, which were bound, and let them fall softly down again, as if +praising God for his great mercy towards him.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">87</a></span> See Spotswood's history, +page 266, 272. and Calderwood's history, page 62, 63.</p> + +<p>Another of Mr. Knox's visitors desired him to praise God for the good he +had done. He answered, "Flesh of itself is too proud, and needs nothing +to puff it up," and protested that he only laid claim to the free mercy +of God in Christ among others. To the earl of Morton (who was then about +to receive the regency, the earl of Moray being dead) he was heard to +say, "My lord, God hath given you many blessings; he hath given you high +honour, birth, great riches, many good friends, and is now to prefer you +to the government of the realm: In his name, I charge you, that you will +use these blessings better in time to come, than you have done in time +past: in all your actions seek first the glory of God, the furtherance +of his gospel, the maintenance of his church and ministry, and then be +careful 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 deprive +you of all these benefits, and your end shall be shameful and +ignominious." This threatening, Morton, to his melancholy experience, +confessed was literally accomplished. At his execution in June 1581, he +called to mind Mr. Knox's words, and acknowledged, that in what he had +said to him he had been a true prophet.</p> + +<p>Upon the Lord's day, November 23, after he had lain for some time very +quiet, he said, "If any man be present, let him come and see the work of +God;" for he thought (as was supposed) then to have expired. His servant +having been sent for Mr. Johnston writer, he burst forth into these +words, "I have been in meditation these two last nights upon the +troubled 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: I +have been fighting against Satan, who is ever ready for the assault; I +have fought against spiritual wickednesses and have prevailed; I have +been as it were in heaven, and have tasted of its joys." After sermon, +several persons came to visit him; one asked him (upon perceiving his +breathing shortened), If he had any pain? He answered, "I have no more +pain than he that is now in heaven, and am content, if it please God, to +lie here seven years." Many times, when he was lying as if asleep, he +was in meditation, and was heard to say, "Lord, grant true pastors to +thy church, that purity of doctrine may be retained. Restore peace again +to this commonwealth,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">88</a></span> with godly rulers and magistrates. O serve the +Lord in fear, and death shall not be troublesome to you. Blessed is the +death of those that have part in the death of Jesus. Come, Lord Jesus, +sweet Jesus, into thy hand I commend my spirit."</p> + +<p>That night, Dr. Preston being come to him, and was told by some of his +constant attendants that he was often very uneasy in his sleep, the +doctor asked him after he awoke, how he did, and what made him mourn so +heavily in his sleep, he answered, "In my life-time, I have been often +assaulted by Satan, and many times he hath cast my sins in my teeth, to +bring me to despair; yet God gave me strength to overcome his +temptations: and now that subtile serpent, who never ceaseth to tempt, +hath taken another course, and seeks to persuade me, that all my labours +in the ministry, and the fidelity I have showed in that service have +merited heaven and immortality. But blessed be God, that he hath brought +to my mind that scripture, <i>What hast thou that thou hast not received</i>, +and <i>not I, but the grace of God which is in me</i>, with which he hath +gone away ashamed, and shall no more return, and now I am sure my battle +is at an end, and that I shall shortly, without pain of body or trouble +of spirit, change this mortal and miserable life, for that happy and +immortal life that shall never have an end."</p> + +<p>Having, some time before, given orders for making his coffin, he rose +out 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 bed +again. Being asked by Kingincleugh, if he had any pain, he answered, "No +pain, but such as, I trust, will soon put an end to this battle, yea, I +do 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?" A +little after, "I commend my soul, spirit and body into thy hands, O +Lord." About five o'clock at night, he said to his wife, "Go, read where +I cast my first anchor;" this was the 17th chapter of John, which she +read, together with part of Calvin's sermons on the Ephesians. They then +went to prayer, after which Dr. Preston asked him, If he heard the +prayer? he answered, "Would to God that you and all men had heard it as +I have done; I praise God for that heavenly sound;" adding, "Lord Jesus, +receive my spirit." His servant, Richard Bannantyne, hearing him give a +long sigh, said, "Now, Sir, the time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">89</a></span> you have long called to God for, +doth instantly come, and, seeing all natural power fails, give us some +sign, that you live upon the comfortable promises which you have so +often shewed to us." At this speech he lifted up one of his hands, and +immediately after, without any struggle, as one falling asleep, he +departed this life about eleven o'clock at night, finishing his +Christian warfare, he entered into the joy of his Lord, to receive a +crown of righteousness prepared for him (and such as him), from before +the foundation of the world.</p> + +<p>He was buried in the church-yard of St. Giles (now that square called +the parliament closs), upon Wednesday the 26th of November. His funeral +was attended by the earl of Morton regent, other lords, and a great +multitude of people of all ranks. When he was laid in the grave, the +earl of Morton said, "There lies a man, who, in his life, never feared +the face of man: who hath been often threatened with dag and dagger, but +hath ended his days in peace and honour."</p> + +<p>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 God +placed a more godly and great spirit in a body so little and frail. I am +certain, that there can scarcely be found another, in whom more gifts of +the Holy Ghost for the comfort of the church of Scotland, did shine. No +one spared himself less, no one more diligent in the charge committed to +him, and yet no one was more the object of the hatred of wicked men, and +more vexed with the reproach of evil speakers; but this was so far from +abating, that it rather strengthened his courage and resolution in the +ways of God." Beza calls him the great apostle of the Scots. His +faithfulness in reproving sin, in a manner that shewed he was not to be +awed by the fear of man, made up the most remarkable part of his +character, and the success wherewith the Lord blessed his labours, was +very singular, and is enough to stop the mouth of every enemy against +him.</p> + +<p>His works are, an admonition to England; an application to the Scots +nobility, <i>&c.</i>; a letter to Mary the queen-regent, a history of the +reformation; a treatise on predestination, the first and second blast of +the trumpet; a sermon preached August 1565, on account of which he was +for some time prohibited from preaching. He left also sundry +manuscripts, sermons, tracts, <i>&c.</i> which have never been printed.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">90</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Mr_George_Buchanan" id="Mr_George_Buchanan"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">George Buchanan</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>George Buchanan was born in Lennoxshire (commonly called the sheriffdom +of Dumbarton), in Scotland, in a country town, situated near the river +or water of Blane<a name="FNanchor_35" id="FNanchor_35"></a><a href="#Footnote_35" class="fnanchor">[35]</a>, in the year of our Lord 1506, about the beginning +of February, of a family rather ancient than rich. His father died of +the stone, in the flower of his age, whilst his grandfather was yet +alive, by whose extravagance, the family, which was below before, was +now almost reduced to the extremity of want. Yet such was the frugal +care of his mother Agnes Herriot, that she brought up five sons and +three daughters to men's and women's estate. Of the five sons, George +was one. His uncle, James Herriot, perceiving his promising ingenuity in +their 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 his +youth). Before he had been there two years, his uncle died, and he +himself fell dangerously sick; and being in extreme want, was forced to +go home to his friends. After his return to Scotland, he spent almost a +year in taking care of his health; then he went into the army, with some +French auxiliaries, newly arrived in Scotland, to learn the military +art: But that expedition proving fruitless, and those forces being +reduced by the deep snow of a very severe winter, he relapsed into such +an illness as confined him all that season to his bed. Early in the +spring he was sent to St. Andrews, to hear the lectures of John Major, +who, though very old, read logic, or rather sophistry, in that +university. The summer after, he accompanied him into France; and there +he fell into the troubles of the Lutheran sect, which then began to +increase. He struggled with the difficulties of fortune almost two +years, and at last was admitted into the Barbaran college, where he was +grammar professor almost three years. During that time, Gilbert Kennedy, +earl of Cassils, one of the young Scottish nobles, being in that +country, was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">91</a></span> much taken with his ingenuity and acquaintance; so that he +entertained him for five years, and brought him back with him into +Scotland.</p> + +<p>Afterwards, having a mind to return to Paris to his old studies, he was +detained by the king, and made tutor to James his natural son. In the +mean time, an elegy made by him, at leisure times, came into the hands +of the Franciscans; wherein he writes, that he was solicited in a dream +by St. Francis, to enter into his order. In this poem there were one or +two passages that reflected on them very severely; which those ghostly +fathers, notwithstanding their profession of meekness and humility, took +more heinously, than men (having obtained such a vogue for piety among +the vulgar) ought to have done, upon so small an occasion of offence. +But finding no just grounds for their unbounded fury, they attacked him +upon the score of religion; which was their common way of terrifying +those they did not wish well to. Thus, whilst they indulged their +impotent malice, they made him, who was not well affected to them +before, a greater enemy to their licentiousness, and rendered him more +inclinable to the Lutheran cause. In the mean time, the king, with +Magdalen his wife, came from France, not without the resentment of the +priesthood; who were afraid that the royal lady, having been bred up +under her aunt the queen of Navarre, should attempt some innovation in +religion. But this fear soon vanished upon her death, which followed +shortly after.</p> + +<p>Next, there arose jealousies at court about some of the nobility, who +were thought to have conspired against the king; and, in that matter, +the king being persuaded the Franciscans dealt insincerely, he commanded +Buchanan, who was then at court, (though he was ignorant of the disgusts +betwixt him and that order), to write a satyr upon them. He was loath to +offend either of them, and therefore, though he made a poem, yet it was +but short, and such as might admit of a doubtful interpretation, wherein +he satisfied neither party; not the king, who would have had a sharp and +stinging invective; nor the fathers neither, who looked on it as a +capital 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 his +friends at court, that cardinal Beaton sought his life, and had offered +the king a sum<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">92</a></span> of money as a price for his head, he escaped out of +prison, and fled for England<a name="FNanchor_36" id="FNanchor_36"></a><a href="#Footnote_36" class="fnanchor">[36]</a>. But there also things were at such an +uncertainty, that the very same day, and almost with one and the same +fire, the men of both factions (protestants and papists) were burnt; +Henry VIII. in his old age, being more intent on his own security, than +the purity or reformation of religion. This uncertainty of affairs in +England, seconded by his ancient acquaintance with the French, and the +courtesy natural to them, drew him again into that kingdom.</p> + +<p>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 the +invitation of Andrew Govean, he went to Bourdeaux.——There he taught +three years in the schools, which were erected at the public cost. In +that time he composed four tragedies, which were afterwards occasionally +published. But that which he wrote first, called The Baptist, was +printed last, and next the Medea of Euripides. He wrote them in +compliance with the custom of the school, which was to have a play +written once a-year, that the acting of them might wean the French youth +from allegories, to which they had taken a false taste, and bring them +back, as much as possible, to a just imitation of the ancients. This +affair succeeding even almost beyond his hopes, he took more pains in +compiling the other two tragedies, called Jephtha and Alcestes, because +he thought they would fall under a severer scrutiny of the learned. And +yet, during this time, he was not wholly free from trouble, being +harassed with the menaces of the cardinal on the one side, and of the +Franciscans on the other: For the cardinal had wrote letters to the +arch-bishop of Bourdeaux, to apprehend him; but, providentially, those +letters fell into the hands of Buchanan's best friends. However, the +death of the king of Scots, and the plague, which then raged over all +Aquitain, dispelled that fear.</p> + +<p>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 in +the Greek and Latin<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">93</a></span> tongues, that they might read the liberal arts, and +especially the principles of the Aristotelian philosophy, in those +schools which he was then building with a great deal of care and +expence. Buchanan, being addressed to, readily contented to go for one. +For, whereas he saw that all Europe besides, was either actually in +foreign or domestic wars, or just upon the point of being so, that one +corner of the world was, in his opinion, likeliest to be free from +tumults and combustions; and besides his companions in that journey were +such, that they seemed rather his acquaintances and familiar friends, +than strangers or aliens to him: for many of them had been his intimates +for several years, and are well known to the world by their learned +works, as Micholaus Gruchius, Gulielmus Garentæus, Jacobus Tevius, and +Elias Vinetus. This was the reason that he did not only make one of +their society, but also persuaded a brother of his, called Patrick, to +do the same. And truly the matter succeeded excellently well at first, +till, in the midst of the enterprize, Andrew Govean was taken away by a +sudden death, which proved mighty prejudicial to his companions: For, +after his decease, all their enemies endeavoured first to ensnare them +by treachery, and soon after ran violently upon them as it were with +open mouth; and their agents and instruments being great enemies to the +accused, they laid hold of three of them, and haled them to prison; +whence, after a long and lothsome confinement, they were called out to +give in their answers, and, after many bitter taunts, were remanded to +prison again; and yet no accuser did appear in court against them. As +for Buchanan, they insulted most bitterly over him, as being a stranger, +and knowing also, that he had very few friends in that country, who +would either rejoice in his prosperity, sympathize with his grief, or +revenge the wrongs offered to him. The crime laid to his charge, was the +poem he wrote against the Franciscans; which he himself, before he went +from France, took care to get excused to the king of Portugal; neither +did his accusers perfectly know what it was, for he had given but one +copy of it to the king of Scots, by whose command he wrote it. They +farther objected "his eating of flesh in Lent;" though there is not a +man in all Spain but uses the same liberty. Besides, he had given some +sly side blows to the monks, which, however, nobody but a monk himself +could well except against.</p> + +<p>Moreover, they took it heinously ill, that, in a certain familiar +discourse with some young Portuguese gentlemen, upon mention made of the +Eucharist, he should affirm,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">94</a></span> that, in his judgment, Austin was more +inclinable to the party condemned by the church of Rome. Two other +witnesses (as some years after it came to his knowledge), <i>viz.</i> John +Tolpin, a Norman, and John Ferrerius of Sub alpine Liguria, had +witnessed against him, that they had heard from divers creditable +persons, "That Buchanan was not orthodox as to the Roman faith and +religion."</p> + +<p>But to return to the matter; after the inquisitors had wearied both +themselves and him for almost half a year, at last, that they might not +seem 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 more +exactly disciplined and instructed by the monks, who (to give them their +due), though very ignorant in all matters of religion, were men +otherwise neither bad in their morals, nor rude in their behaviour.</p> + +<p>This was the time he took to form the principal part of David's psalms +into Latin verse. At last he was set at liberty; and sueing for a pass, +and accommodations from the crown, to return into France, the king +desired him to stay where he was, and allotted him a little sum for +daily necessaries and pocket expences, till some better provision might +be made for his subsistence. But he, tired out with delay, as being put +off to no certain time, nor on any sure grounds of hope; and having got +the 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 were +in a hurry and combustion, under a very young king; the nobles at +variance one with another, and the minds of the commons yet in a +ferment, upon the account of their civil combustions. Whereupon he +returned 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 poem +concerning that siege; which he did, though somewhat unwillingly, +because he was loth to interfere with several of his acquaintances, and +especially with Mellinus Sangelasius, who had composed a learned and +elegant poem on that subject. From thence he was called over into Italy, +by Charles de Cosse of Brescia, who then managed matters with very good +success in the Gallic and Ligustic countries about the Po. He lived with +him and his son Timoleon, sometimes in Italy, and sometimes in France, +the space of five years, till the year 1560; the greatest part of which +time he spent in the study of the holy scriptures, that so he might be +able to make a more exact<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">95</a></span> judgment of the controversies in religion, +which employed the thoughts, and took up all the time of most of the men +of these days. It is true, these disputes were silenced a little in +Scotland, when that kingdom was freed from the tyranny of the Guises of +France; so he returned thither, and became a member of the church of +Scotland, 1560<a name="FNanchor_37" id="FNanchor_37"></a><a href="#Footnote_37" class="fnanchor">[37]</a>.</p> + +<p>Some of his writings, in former times, being, as it were, redeemed from +shipwreck, were by him collected and published: the rest, which were +scattered up and down in the hands of his friends, he committed to the +disposal of providence<a name="FNanchor_38" id="FNanchor_38"></a><a href="#Footnote_38" class="fnanchor">[38]</a>. After his return, he professed philosophy in +St. 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 of +England, at which time and place he did no small honour to his country.</p> + +<p>Sir James Melvil, in his memoirs, page 234, gives him the following +character.—"He was a Stoic philosopher, who looked not far before him; +too easy in his old age; somewhat revengeful against those who had +offended him:" But notwithstanding, "a man of notable endowments, great +learning, and an excellent Latin poet; he was much honoured in foreign +countries; pleasant in conversation, into which he happily introduced +short moral maxims, which his invention readily supplied him with upon +any emergency. He was buried at Edinburgh in the common place, though +worthy to have been laid in marble, as in his life pompous monuments he +used to contemn and despise."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">96</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Mr_Robert_Rollock" id="Mr_Robert_Rollock"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Robert Rollock</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Rollock was descended from the antient family of the Livingstons. He +was born about the year 1555. His father, David Rollock, sent him to +Stirling to be educated for the university under Thomas Buchanan, where +his genius, modesty and sweetness of temper soon procured to him the +particular friendship of his master, which subsisted ever after. From +this school, he went to the university of St Andrews, where he +prosecuted his studies for four years; at the end of which, his progress +had been so great, that he was chosen professor of philosophy, the +duties of which office he discharged with applause for other four years, +until, about the year 1583, he was invited, by the magistrates of +Edinburgh, to a profession in their university, which was, not long +before this time, founded by K. James VI. He complied with their +invitation, at the earnest desire of Mr James Lawson, who succeeded Mr +Knox. His reputation, as a teacher, soon drew a number of students to +that college, which was soon afterwards much enlarged, by being so +conveniently situated in the capital of the kingdom. At first he had the +principal weight of academical business laid upon him, but in process of +time, other professors were chosen from among the scholars which he +educated. After which, his chief employment was to exercise the office +of principal, by superintending the several classes, to observe the +proficiency of the scholars, to compose such differences as would arise +among them, and to keep every one to his duty. Thus was the principality +of that college, in his time, a useful institution, and not what it is +now, little better than a mere sine-cure.—Every morning, he called the +students 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 more +reformation upon the students, than all the laws which were made, or +discipline which was exercised besides. After the lecture was over, it +was his custom to reprove such as had been guilty of any misdemeanour +through the week. <i>How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold +changed!</i> He was likewise very attentive to such as were advanced in +their studies, and intended the ministry. His care was productive<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">97</a></span> of +much good to the church. He was as diligent in his own studies, as he +was careful to promote those of others.—Notwithstanding all this +business in the university, he preached every Lord's day in the church, +with such fervency and demonstration of the Spirit, that he became the +instrument of converting many to God. About this time he also wrote +several commentaries on different passages of scripture. His exposition +of the epistles to the Romans and Ephesians, coming into the hands of +the learned Beza, he wrote to a friend of his, telling him, That he had +an incomparable treasure, which for its judiciousness, brevity and +elegance of style had few equals.</p> + +<p>He was chosen moderator to the assembly held at Dundee, <i>anno</i> 1567, +wherein matters went not altogether in favours of Presbytery; but this +cannot 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 those +commissioned by the assembly to wait on his majesty about seating the +churches of Edinburgh, but in the mean time he sickened, and was +confined to his house. Afterwards, at the entreaty of his friends, he +went to the country for the benefit of the air; at first he seemed as if +growing better, but his distemper soon returned upon him with greater +violence than before: This confined him to his bed. He committed his +wife (for he had no children) to the care of his friends. He desired two +noblemen, who came to visit him, to go to the king, and intreat him in +his name to take care of religion and preserve it to the end, and that +he would esteem and comfort the pastors of the church; for the ministry +of Christ, though low and base in the eyes of men, yet it should at +length shine with great glory. When the ministers of Edinburgh came to +him, he spoke of the sincerity of his intentions in every thing done by +him, in discharge of the duties belonging to the office with which he +had been vested. As night drew on, his distemper increased, and together +therewith his religious fervor was likewise augmented. When the +physicians were preparing some medicines, he said, "Thou, Lord, wilt +heal me;" and then began, praying for the pardon of his sins through +Christ, and professed that he counted all things but dung for the cross +of Christ. He prayed farther, that he might have the presence of God in +his departure, saying, "Hitherto have I seen thee darkly, through the +glass of thy word: O Lord, grant that I may have the eternal enjoyment +of thy countenance, which I have so much desired and longed for;" and +then spoke of the resurrection<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">98</a></span> and eternal life, after which he blessed +and exhorted every one present according as their respective +circumstances required.</p> + +<p>The day following, when the magistrates of Edinburgh came to see him, he +exhorted them to take care of the university, and nominated a successor +to himself. He recommended his wife to them, declaring, that he had not +laid up one halfpenny of his stipend, and therefore hoped they would +provide for her; to which request they assented, and promised to see her +comfortably supplied. After this he said, "I bless God, that I have all +my senses entire, but my heart is in heaven, and, Lord Jesus, why +shouldst not thou have it? it has been my care, all my life, to dedicate +it 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 an +end to this miserable life; haste, Lord, and tarry not; Christ hath +redeemed 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 be +taken away, he said unto them, "I have gone through all the degrees of +this life, and am come to my end, why should I go back again? help me, O +Lord, that I may go thro' this last degree with thy assistance, <i>&c.</i>" +And when some told him, that the next day was the Sabbath, he said, "O +Lord, shall I begin my eternal Sabbath from thy Sabbath here." Next +morning, feeling his death approaching, he sent for Mr. Balcanquhal, +who, in prayer with him, desired the Lord, if he pleased, to spare his +life, for the good of the church, he said, "I am weary of this life; all +my desire is, that I may enjoy the celestial life, that is hid with +Christ in God," And, a little after, "Haste, Lord, and do not tarry, I +am weary both of nights and days. Come, Lord Jesus, that I may come to +thee. Break these eye-strings and give me others. I desire to be +dissolved, and to be with thee. O Lord Jesus, thrust thy hand into my +body and take my soul to thyself. O my sweet Lord, let this soul of mine +free, that it may enjoy her husband." And when one of the by-standers +said, Sir, let nothing trouble you, for now your Lord makes haste, he +said, "O welcome message, would to God, my funeral might be to-morrow." +And thus he continued in heavenly meditation and prayer, till he +resigned up his spirit to God, <i>anno</i> 1598, in the 54d year of his age.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">99</a></span> +His works are, a commentary on some select psalms, on the prophecy of +Daniel, and the gospel of John, with its harmony. He wrote also on the +epistle to the Ephesians, Colossians, Thessalonians, and Galatians; an +analysis of the epistles to the Romans and the Hebrews, with respect to +effectual calling.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_John_Craig" id="Mr_John_Craig"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">John Craig</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. John Craig, was a man of considerable learning and singular +abilities; he travelled abroad in his youth, and was frequently +delivered out of very great dangers, by the kind interposition of a +gracious 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 for +the reformation, in order to avoid being apprehended, he was obliged to +lurk in obscure places in the day-time, and travel over night; by this +means any little money he had was soon exhausted, and being in the +extremity of want, a dog brought a purse to him with some gold in it, by +which he was supported until he escaped the danger of being taken.</p> + +<p>After his return home, he was settled minister at Edinburgh, where he +continued many years, and met with many trials of his fortitude and +fidelity. In the year 1567, the earl of Bothwel, having obtained a +divorce from his lawful wife, as preparatory to his marriage with queen +Mary she sent a letter to Mr. Craig, commanding him to publish the banns +of matrimony betwixt her and Bothwel. But the next sabbath, having +declared at length that he had received such a command, he added, that +he could not in conscience obey it, the marriage being altogether +unlawful, and that he would declare to the parties if present. He was +immediately sent for by Bothwel, unto whom he declared his reasons with +great boldness, and the very next Lord's day, he told the people what he +had said before the council, and took heaven and earth to witness, that +he detested that scandalous marriage, and that he had discharged his +duty to the lords, <i>&c.</i> Upon this, he was again called before the +council, and reproved by them as having exceeded the bounds of his +calling, he boldly answered, that "the bounds of his commission was the +word of God, right reason, and good laws, against which he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">100</a></span> had said +nothing;" and by all these offered to prove the said marriage +scandalous, at which he was stopt, and set out of the council.</p> + +<p>Thus Mr. Craig continued, not only a firm friend to the reformation, but +a bold opposer of every incroachment made upon the crown and dignity of +the Lord Jesus Christ. In the year 1584, when an act of parliament was +made that all ministers, masters of colleges, <i>&c.</i> should within +forty-eight hours, compear and subscribe the act of parliament, +concerning the king's power over all estates spiritual and temporal, and +submit themselves to the bishops, <i>&c.</i> Upon which, Mr. Craig, John +Brand 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 to +God's word; at which, the earl of Arran started up on his feet, and +said, They were too pert; that he would shave their head, pair their +nails, and cut their toes, and make them an example unto all who should +disobey the king's command and his council's orders, and forthwith +charged them to appear before the king at Falkland, on the 4th of +September following.</p> + +<p>Upon their appearance at Falkland, they were again accused of +transgressing the foresaid act of parliament, and disobeying the +bishop's injunctions, when there arose some hot speeches betwixt Mr. +Craig and the bishop of St. Andrews, at which the earl of Arran spake +again most outrageously against Mr. Craig, who coolly replied, That +there 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;" and +sitting 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 down +from the high horse of thy pride, and humbled." This came to pass a few +years after, when he was thrown off his horse with a spear, by James +Douglas of Parkhead, killed, and his corpse exposed to dogs and swine, +before it was buried.</p> + +<p>Mr. Craig was forthwith discharged to preach any more in Edinburgh, and +the bishop of St. Andrews was appointed to preach in his place; but as +soon 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.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">101</a></span> +In the year 1591, when the earl of Bothwel and his accomplices, on the +27th of December, came to the king and chancellor's chamber-doors with +fire, 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 the +29th, preaching before the king upon the two brazen mountains in +Zechariah, said, "As the king had lightly regarded the many bloody +shirts presented to him by his subjects craving justice, so God, in his +providence, had made a noise of crying and fore-hammers to come to his +own doors." The king would have the people to stay after sermon, that he +might purge himself, and said "If he had thought his hired servant +(meaning Mr. Craig who was his own minister) would have dealt in that +manner 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, went +away.</p> + +<p>In the year 1595, Mr. Craig being quite worn out by his labours and the +infirmities of age, the king's commissioner presented some articles to +the general assembly, wherein, amongst other things, he craved, That, in +respect Mr. Craig is awaiting what hour God shall please to call him, +and is unable to serve any longer, and His Majesty designing to place +John Duncanson with the prince, therefore his highness desired an +ordinance to be made, granting any two ministers he shall choose; which +was accordingly done, and Mr. Craig died a short time after this.</p> + +<p>Mr. Craig will appear, from these short memoirs, to have been a man of +uncommon resolution and activity. He was employed in the most part of +the affairs of the church during the reign of queen Mary and in the +beginning of that of her son. He compiled the national covenant, and a +catechism, commonly called Craig's catechism, which was first printed by +order of the assembly, in the year 1591.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_David_Black" id="Mr_David_Black"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">David Black</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Black was for some time colleague to the worthy Mr. Andrew Melvil +minister at St. Andrews. He was remarkable for zeal and fidelity in the +discharge of his duty as a minister, applying his doctrine closely +against the corruptions of that age, prevailing either among the highest +or lowest of the people; in consequence of which,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">102</a></span> he was, in the year +1596, cited before the council for some expressions uttered in a sermon, +alledged to strike against the queen and council. But his brethren in +the ministry thinking, that, by this method of procedure with him, the +spiritual government of the house of God was intended to be subverted, +they resolved that Mr. Black should decline answering the king and +council, and, that in the mean time, the brethren should be preparing +themselves to prove from the holy scriptures, That the judgment of all +doctrine in the first instance, belonged to the pastors of the church.</p> + +<p>Accordingly Mr. Black, on the 18th of Nov 1596. gave in a declinature to +the council to this effect, That he was able to defend all that he had +said, yet, seeing his answering before them to that accusation, might be +prejudicial to the liberties of the church, and would be taken for an +acknowledgment of his majesty's jurisdiction in matters merely +spiritual, he was constrained to decline that judicatory. 1. Because the +Lord Jesus Christ had given him his word for a rule, and that therefore +he could not fall under the civil law, but in so far as, after trial, he +should be found to have passed from his instructions, which trial only +belonged to the prophets, <i>&c.</i> 2. The liberties of the church and +discipline presently exercised, were confirmed by divers acts of +parliament, approved of by the confession of faith, and the +office-bearers of the church, were now in the peaceable possession +thereof; that the question of his preaching ought first, according to +the grounds and practice foresaid, to be judged by the ecclesiastical +senate, as the competent judges thereof at the first instance. This +declinature, with a letter sent by the different presbyteries, were, in +a short time, subscribed by between three and four hundred ministers, +all assenting to and approving of it.</p> + +<p>The commissioners of the general assembly then sitting at Edinburgh, +knowing that the king was displeased at this proceeding, sent some of +their number to speak with his majesty, unto whom he answered, That if +Mr. Black would pass from his declinature he would pass from the +summons; but this they would not consent to do. Upon which, the king +caused summon Mr. Black again on the 27th of November, to the council to +be held on the 30th. This summons was given with sound of trumpet and +open proclamation at the cross of Edinburgh; and the same day, the +commissioners of the assembly were ordered to depart thence in +twenty-four hours, under pain of rebellion.</p> + +<p>Before the day of Mr. Black's second appearance before the council, he +prepared a still more explicit declinature,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">103</a></span> especially as it respected +the king's supremacy, declaring, That there are two jurisdictions in the +realm, the one spiritual and the other civil; the one respecting the +conscience and the other concerning external things; the one persuading +by the spiritual word, the other compelling by the temporal sword; the +one spiritually procuring the edification of the church, the other by +justice procuring the peace and quiet of the commonwealth, which being +grounded in the light of nature, proceeds from God as he is Creator, and +is so termed by the apostle, 1 Pet. ii. but varying according to the +constitution of men; the other above nature grounded upon the grace of +redemption, proceeding immediately from the grace of Christ, only king +and only head of his church, Eph. 1. Col. ii. Therefore in so far as he +was one of the spiritual office-bearers, and had discharged his +spiritual calling in some measure of grace and sincerity, he should not, +and could not lawfully be judged for preaching and applying the word of +God by any civil power, he being an ambassador and messenger of the Lord +Jesus, having his commission from the king of kings, and all his +commission is set down and limited in the word of God, that cannot be +extended 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 judges +thereof.</p> + +<p>A decree of council was passed against him, upon which his brethren of +the commission directed their doctrine against the council. The king +sent a message to the commissioners, signifying, That he would rest +satisfied with Mr. Black's simple declaration of the truth; but Mr. +Bruce and the rest replied, That if the affair concerned Mr. Black +alone, they should be content, but the liberty of Christ's kingdom had +received 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 not +grieved the hearts of the godly so much, and that either these things +behoved to be retracted, or they would oppose so long as they had +breath. But, after a long process, no mitigation of the council's +severity could be obtained, for Mr. Black was charged by a macer to +enter his person in ward, on the north of the Tay, there to remain on +his own expence during his majesty's pleasure; and, though he was, next +year, restored back to his place at St. Andrews, yet he was not suffered +to continue, for, about the month July that same year, the king and +council again proceeded against him, and he was removed to Angus, where +he continued until the day of his death. He had always been a severe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">104</a></span> +check on the negligent and unfaithful part of the clergy, but now they +had found means to get free of him.</p> + +<p>After his removal to Angus he continued the exercise of his ministry, +preaching daily unto such as resorted to him, with much success, and an +intimate communion with God, until a few days before his death.</p> + +<p>In his last sickness, the Christian temper of his mind was so much +improven by large measures of the Spirit, that his conversation had a +remarkable effect in humbling the hearts and comforting the souls of +those who attended him, engaging them to take the easy yoke of Christ +upon them. He found in his own soul also, such a sensible taste of +eternal joy, that he was seized with a fervent desire to depart and to +be with the Lord, longing to have the earthly house of this his +tabernacle put off, that he might be admitted into the mansions of +everlasting rest. In the midst of these earnest breathings after God, +the Lord was wonderfully pleased to condescend to the importunity of his +servant, to let him know that the time of his departure was near. Upon +which, he took a solemn farewel of his family and flock with a +discourse, as Mr. Melvil says<a name="FNanchor_39" id="FNanchor_39"></a><a href="#Footnote_39" class="fnanchor">[39]</a>, that seemed to be spoken out of +heaven, concerning the misery and grief of this life, and the +inconceivable glory which is above.</p> + +<p>The night following, after supper, having read and prayed in his family +with unusual continuance, strong crying and heavy groans, he went a +little while to bed, and the next day, having called his people to the +celebration of the Lord's supper, he went to church, and having brought +the communion-service near a close, he felt the approaches of death, and +all discovered a sudden change in his countenance, so that some ran to +support him; but pressing to be at his knees, with his hands and eyes +lifted up to heaven in the very act of devotion and adoration, as in a +transport of joy, he was taken away, with scarce any pain at all. Thus +this holy man, who had so faithfully maintained the interest of Christ +upon earth, breathed forth his soul in this extraordinary manner, that +it seemed rather like a translation than a real death. See more of him +in Calderwood's history, page 335. De Foe's memoirs, page 138. Hind let +loose, page 48, old edit.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">105</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_John_Davidson" id="Mr_John_Davidson"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">John Davidson</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>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 the +discharge of his duty. He was involved in the sufferings brought upon +several ministers on account of the raid of Ruthven<a name="FNanchor_40" id="FNanchor_40"></a><a href="#Footnote_40" class="fnanchor">[40]</a>, and the +enterprise at Stirling<a name="FNanchor_41" id="FNanchor_41"></a><a href="#Footnote_41" class="fnanchor">[41]</a> <i>anno</i> 1584, on which account he fled for +England, and remained there some considerable time.</p> + +<p>Being returned to Scotland, in the year 1596, when the ministers and +other commissioners of the general assembly were met at Edinburgh for +prayer, in order to a general and personal reconciliation (they were +about four hundred ministers, besides elders and private Christians), +Mr. Davidson was chosen to preside amongst them. He caused the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">106</a></span> 33d and +34th chapters of Ezekiel to be read, and discoursed upon them in a very +affecting manner, shewing what was the end of their meeting, in +confessing sin and resolving to forsake it, and that they should turn to +the Lord, and enter into a new league and covenant with him, that so, by +repentance, they might be the more meet to stir up others to the same +duty. In this he was so assisted by the Spirit working upon their +hearts, that, within an hour after they had conveened, they began to +look with another countenance than at first, and while he was exhorting +them to these duties, the whole meeting were in tears, every one +provoking another by his example, whereby that place might have justly +been called <i>Bochim</i>.</p> + +<p>After prayer, he treated one Luke xii. 22. wherein the same assistance +was given him. Before they dismissed, they solemnly entered into a new +league and covenant, holding up their hands, with such signs of +sincerity as moved all present. That afternoon, the assembly enacted the +renewal of the covenant by particular synods.</p> + +<p>In the general assembly held at Dundee 1598. (where the king was +present), it was proposed, Whether ministers should vote in parliament +in the name of the church. Mr Davidson intreated them not to be rash in +concluding so weighty a matter; he said, "Brethren, ye see not how +readily 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 who +should adhere to him; and required that his protest should be inserted +in the books of assembly. Here the king interposed, and said, "That +shall not be granted, see if you have voted and reasoned before:" "never +Sir," said Mr. Davidson, "but without prejudice to any protestation made +or to be made." And then presented his protestation in writing, which +was 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 and +others about, and at last put it in his pocket, (see this protest and a +letter sent by him to the assembly 1601, in Calderwood, pages 420 and +450.) This protest and letter was the occasion of farther trouble to +him. For in the month of May following, he was charged to compear before +the council on the 26th, and answer for the same, and was by the king +committed prisoner to the castle of Edinburgh; but, on account of bodily +infirmity, this place of confinement was changed to his own dwelling +house; after which he obtained liberty to exercise his office in his own +parish. When the king was going for England<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">107</a></span> <i>anno</i> 1603, as he was +passing through Preston-pans, the laird of Ormiston intreated him to +relieve Mr Davidson from his confinement to the bounds of his own +parish, but this could not be obtained.——He likewise, in some +instances, shewed that he was possessed in a considerable measure of the +spirit of prophecy.—He was, while in Preston, very anxious about the +building of a church in that parish, and had, by his own private +interest, contributed liberally to it; Lord Newbattle, having +considerable interest in that parish, likewise promised his assistance, +but afterwards receded from his engagements; upon which Mr. Davidson +told him, That these walls that were there begun should stand as a +witness against him, and that, ere long, God should root him out of that +parish, so that he should not have one bit of land in the same; which +was afterwards accomplished. At another time being moderator at the +synod of Lothian, Mr John Spotswood minister at Calder, and Mr James Law +minister at Kirkliston were brought before them for playing at the +foot-ball on the sabbath. Mr Davidson urged that they might be deposed, +but the synod, because of the fewness of the ministers present, <i>&c.</i> +agreed that they should be rebuked, which, having accordingly done, he +turned to his brethren and said, "Now let me tell you what reward you +shall 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 was +afterwards too well known, when Spotswood was made arch-bishop of St +Andrews, and Law of Glasgow. Being at dinner one time with Mr Bruce, who +was then in great favour with the king, he told him, he should soon be +in as great discredit; which was likewise accomplished. At another time, +when dining in the house of one of the magistrates of Edinburgh with Mr +Bruce, in giving thanks, he brake forth in these words, "Lord, this good +man hath respect, for thy sake, to thy servants, but he little knoweth, +that in a short time, he shall carry us both to prison;" which +afterwards came to pass, although, at the time, it grieved the baillie +exceedingly. Mr Fleming, in his fulfilling of the scriptures, relates +another remarkable instance of this kind—A gentleman nearly related to +a 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 had +no manner of provocation. Among other strokes which he gave him, he gave +him one on the back, saying, "Take that for Mr Davidson's sake." This +mal-treatment obliged the poor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">108</a></span> man, to take to his bed; he complained +most of the blow which he had received on his back. In the close of his +sermon on the sabbath following, Mr. Davidson, speaking of the +oppression of the godly, and the enmity which the wicked had to such, +and, in a particular manner, mentioned this last instance, saying, "It +was a sad time, when a profane man would thus openly adventure to vent +his rage against such as were seekers of God in the place, whilst he +could 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 the +laird's brother, ere a few days pass, God shall give him a stroke, that +all the monarchs on earth dare not challenge." Which accordingly came to +pass in the close of that very same week, for this gentleman, while +standing before his own door, was struck dead with lightening, and had +all his bones crushed to pieces.</p> + +<p>A little before his death, he happened occasionally to meet with Mr +Kerr, a young gentleman lately come from France, and dressed in the +court fashion. Mr Davidson charged him to lay aside his scarlet cloke +and gilt rapier, for, said he, "You are the man who shall succeed me in +the ministry of this place;" which surprized the youth exceedingly, but +was exactly accomplished, for he became an eminent and faithful minister +at that place.</p> + +<p>Such as would see more of Mr Davidson's faithful labours in the work of +the ministry may consult the apologetical relation, § 2. p. 30. and +Calderwood, p. 310,—373.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_William_Row" id="Mr_William_Row"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">William Row</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>He was a son of Mr. John Row minister at Perth, who gave him a very +liberal education under his own eye. He was settled minister at +Strathmiglo, in the shire of Fyfe, about the year 1600, and continued +there for several years.</p> + +<p>He was one of those ministers who refused to give public thanks for the +king's deliverance from his danger in Gowrie's conspiracy, until the +truth of that conspiracy was made to appear. This refusal brought upon +him the king's displeasure; he was summoned to appear before the king +and council at Stirling, soon after. On the day appointed for his +compearance, two noblemen were sent, the one before the other, to meet +him on the road, and, under the pretence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">109</a></span> of friendship, to inform him, +that the council had a design upon his life, that he might be prevailed +on to decline going up to the council; the first met him nigh his own +house, the second a few miles from Stirling, but Mr. Row told them, that +he would not, by disobedience to the summons, make himself justly liable +to the pains of law, and proceeded to Stirling, to the amazement of the +king and his court. When challenged for disbelieving the truth of that +conspiracy, he told them, That one reason of his hesitation was, That +one Henderson, who was said to have confessed that Gowrie hired him to +kill the king, and to have been found armed in his majesty's chamber for +that 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 my +life to rescue him, I think, I deserved not to live."</p> + +<p>The two following anecdotes will show what an uncommon degree of courage +and resolution he possessed.</p> + +<p>Being at Edinburgh, before the assembly there, at which the king wanted +to bring in some innovation, and meeting with Mr. James Melvil, who was +sent 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 getting +an opportunity to go out with his brother undiscovered, he overheard the +king say to some of his courtiers, "This is a good simple man, I have +stroked cream on his mouth, and he will procure me a good number of +voters, 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 by +all his schemes. Mr. Row replied, The king looks upon you as a fool and +a knave, and wants to use you us a coy duck to draw in others, and told +him what he had overheard. Mr. Melvil suspecting the truth of this +report, Mr. Row offered to go with him, and avouch it to the king's +face; accordingly, they went back to the palace, when Mr. Melvil seeing +Mr. Row as forward to go in as he was, believed his report and stopped +him: And next day, when the assembly proceeded to voting, Mr. Melvil +having voted against what the king proponed, his majesty would not +believe that such was his vote, till he, being asked again, did repeat +it.</p> + +<p>Again, he being to open the synod of Perth, <i>anno</i> 1607, to which King +James sent Lord Scoon captain of his guards, to force them to accept a +constant moderator, Scoon sent notice to Mr. Row, That if, in his +preaching, he uttered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">110</a></span> ought against constant moderators, he should +cause ten or twelve of his guards discharge their culverins at his nose; +and when he attended the sermon which preceded that synod, he stood up +in a menacing posture to outbrave the preacher. But Mr. Row no way +dismayed, knowing what vices Scoon was chargeable with, particularly +that he was a great belly-god, drew his picture so like the life, and +condemned what was culpable in it with so much severity, that Scoon +thought fit to sit down, and even to cover his face. After which Mr. Row +proceeded to prove that no constant moderator ought to be suffered in +the church, but knowing that Scoon understood neither Latin nor Greek, +he wisely avoided naming the constant moderator in English, but always +gave the Greek or Latin name for it. Sermon being ended, Scoon said to +some of the nobles attending him, You see I have scared the preacher +from meddling with the constant moderator, but I wonder who he spoke so +much against by the name of <i>præstes ad vitam</i>. They told him, That it +was in Greek and Latin the constant moderator; which so incensed him, +that when Mr. Row proceeded to constitute the synod in the name of our +Lord Jesus Christ, Scoon said, The devil a Jesus is here, and when Mr. +Row called over the roll to choose their moderator after the ancient +form, 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 the +other, called out the names of the members.</p> + +<p>After this, Mr. Row was put to the horn, and on the 11th of June +following, he and Mr. Henry Livingstone the moderator were summoned +before the council, to answer for their proceedings at the synod +above-mentioned. Mr. Livingston compeared, and with great difficulty +obtained the favour to be warded in his own parish; but Mr. Row being +advised not to compear unless the council would relax him from the +horning, and make him free of the Scoon-comptrollers, who had letters of +caption to apprehend him, and to commit him to Blackness. This was +refused, and a search made for him, which obliged him to abscond and +lurk among his friends for a considerable time.</p> + +<p>He was subjected to several other hardships during the remainder of his +life, but still maintained that steady faithfulness and courage in the +discharge of his duty, which is exemplified in the above instances, +until the day of his death, of which we have no certain account.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">111</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Andrew_Melvil" id="Mr_Andrew_Melvil"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Andrew Melvil</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Melvil, after finishing his classical studies, went abroad, and +taught, for some time, both at Poictiers in France, and at Geneva. He +returned to Scotland in July 1574, after having been absent from his +native country near ten years. Upon his return, the learned Beza, in a +letter to the general assembly of the church of Scotland, said, "That +the greatest token of affection the kirk of Geneva could show to +Scotland, was, that they had suffered themselves to be spoiled of Mr. +Andrew Melvil."</p> + +<p>Soon after his return, the general assembly appointed him to be the +principal of the college of Glasgow, where he continued for some years. +In the year 1576, the earl of Morton being then regent, and thinking to +bring Mr. Melvil into his party, who were endeavouring to introduce +episcopacy, he offered him the parsonage of Govan, a benefice of +twenty-four chalders of grain, yearly, beside what he enjoyed as +principal, providing he would not insist against the establishment of +bishops, but Mr. Melvil rejected his offer with scorn.</p> + +<p>He was afterwards transported to St. Andrews, where he served in the +same station he had done at Glasgow, and was likewise a minister of that +city. Here he taught the divinity class, and as a minister continued to +witness against the incroachments then making upon the rights of the +church of Christ.</p> + +<p>When the general assembly sat down at Edinburgh, <i>anno</i> 1582, Mr. Melvil +inveighed against the absolute authority, which was making its way into +the church, whereby he said, they intended to pull the crown from +Christ's head, and wrest the sceptre out of his hand, and when several +articles, of the same tenor with his speech, were presented by the +commission of the assembly, to the king and council, craving redress, +the earl of Arran cried out, "Is there any here that dare subscribe +these articles." Mr. Melvil went forward and said, "We dare, and will +render 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.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">112</a></span> +But in the beginning of February 1584, he was summoned to appear before +the secret council on the 11th of that month, to answer for some things +said by him in a sermon on a fast day from Dan. iv. At his first +compearance, he made a verbal defence, but being again called, he gave +in a declaration with a declinature, importing that he had said nothing +either in that or any other sermon tending to dishonour the king, but +had regularly prayed for the preservation and prosperity of his majesty; +that, as by acts of parliament and laws of the church, he should be +tried for his doctrine by the church, he therefore protested for, and +craved a trial by them, and particularly in the place (St Andrews) where +the offence was alledged to have been committed; that as there were +special laws in favour of St. Andrews to the above import, he +particularly claimed the privilege of them; he farther protested that +what he had said was warranted by the word of God; that he appealed to +the congregation who heard the sermon; that he craved to know his +accusers; that if the calumny was found to be false, the informers might +be punished; that the rank and character of the informer might be +considered, <i>&c. &c.</i>: After which he gave an account of the sermon in +question, alledging that his meaning had been misunderstood, and his +words perverted.</p> + +<p>When he had closed his defence, the king and the earl of Arran, who was +then chancellor, raged exceedingly against him. Mr. Melvil remained +undisquieted, and replied, that they were too bold in a constitute +Christian kirk to pass by the pastors, <i>&c.</i> and to take upon them to +judge the doctrine, and controul the messengers of a greater than any +present; "that you may see your rashness in taking upon you that which +you neither ought nor can do, (taking out a small Hebrew Bible and +laying it down before them,) there are," said he, "my instructions and +warrant,—see if any of you can controul me, that I have passed my +injunctions." The chancellor, opening the book, put it into the king's +hand, 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 the +time of this debate, frequently removed and instantly recalled, that he +might not have time to consult with his friends. They proceeded against +him, and admitted his avowed enemies to prove the accusation. Though the +whole train of evidence, which was led, proved little or nothing against +him, yet they resolved to involve him in troubles, because he had +declined their authority, as incompetent judges of doctrine, and +therefore remitted him to ward in the castle of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">113</a></span> Edinburgh, during the +king's will. Being informed, that, if he entered into ward, he would not +be released, unless it should be to bring him to the scaffold, that the +decree of the council was altered, and Blackness was appointed for his +prison, which was kept by some dependants on the earl of Arran, he +resolved to get out of the country. A macer gave him a charge, to enter +Blackness in 24 hours: and, in the mean while, some of Arran's horsemen +were attending at the west-port to convoy him thither: But, by the time +he should have entered Blackness, he had reached Berwick. Messrs. Lawson +and Balcanquhal gave him the good character he deserved, and prayed +earnestly for him in public, in Edinburgh, which both moved the people +and galled the court exceedingly.</p> + +<p>After the storm had abated, he returned to St. Andrews in 1586, when the +synod of Fife had excommunicated P. Adamson, pretended bishop of St. +Andrews, on account of some immoralities. He (Adamson) having drawn up +the 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 read +it, but the people paying no regard to it, the bishop (though both +suspended and excommunicated) would himself go to the pulpit to preach, +whereupon some gentlemen <i>&c.</i> in town conveened in the new college to +hear Mr. Melvil. But the bishop being informed that they were assembled +on 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; but +at the entreaty of the magistrates and others he retired home.</p> + +<p>This difference with the bishop brought the Melvils again before the +king and council, who (pretending that there was no other method to end +that quarrel,) ordained Mr. Andrew to be confined to the Mearns, Angus, +<i>&c.</i> under pretext that he would be useful in that country in +reclaiming papists. And, because of his sickly condition, Mr. James was +sent back to the new college; and, the university sending the dean of +faculty, and the masters, with a supplication to the king in Mr. +Andrew's behalf, he was suffered to return, but was not restored to his +place and office until the month of August following.</p> + +<p>The next winter, he laboured to give the students in divinity, under his +care, a thorough knowledge of the discipline and government of the +church, which was attended with considerable success; the specious +arguments of episcopacy evanished, and the serious part both of the +town<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">114</a></span> and university repaired to the college to hear him, and Mr. Robert +Bruce, who began preaching about this time.</p> + +<p>After this he was chosen moderator in some subsequent assemblies of the +church, in which several acts were made in favours of religion, as +maintained in that period.</p> + +<p>When the king brought home his queen from Denmark <i>anno</i> 1590, Mr. +Melvil made an excellent oration, upon the occasion in Latin, which so +pleased the king, that he publicly declared, he had therein both +honoured him and his country, and that he should never be forgot; yet +such was the instability of this prince, that, in a little after this, +because Mr. Melvil opposed himself unto his arbitrary measures, in +grasping after an absolute authority over the church<a name="FNanchor_42" id="FNanchor_42"></a><a href="#Footnote_42" class="fnanchor">[42]</a>, he conceived a +daily hatred against him ever after, as will appear from the sequel.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Melvil went, with some other ministers, to the convention of +estates at Falkland <i>anno</i> 1596, (wherein they intended to bring home +the excommunicated lords who were then in exile), and though he had a +commission from last assembly, to watch against every imminent danger +that might threaten the church, yet, whenever he appeared upon the head +of the ministers, the king asked him, Who sent for him there? To which +he resolutely answered, "Sire, I have a call to come here from Christ +and 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 ye +assured, that no counsel taken against him shall prosper, and I charge +you, 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 were +assembled with a traiterous design against Christ, his church, and their +native country. In the midst of this speech, he was commanded by the +king to withdraw.</p> + +<p>The commission of the general assembly was now sitting, and +understanding how matters were going on at the convention, they sent +some of their members, among whom Mr.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">115</a></span> Melvil was one, to expostulate +with the king. When they came, he received them in his closet. Mr. James +Melvil being first in the commission, told the king his errand, upon +which he appeared angry, and charged them with sedition, <i>&c.</i> Mr. James +being a man of cool passion and genteel behaviour, began to answer the +king with great reverence and respect; but Mr. Andrew, interrupting him, +said, "This is not a time to flatter, but to speak plainly, for our +commission is from the living God, to whom the king is subject;" and +then approaching the king, said, "Sire, we will always humbly reverence +your majesty in public, but having opportunity of being with your +majesty in private, we must discharge our duty or else be enemies to +Christ: and now, Sire, I must tell you, that there are two kingdoms, the +kingdom 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, and +they, whom Christ hath called, and commanded to watch over his church, +and govern his spiritual kingdom, have sufficient authority and power +from him so to do, which no Christian king nor prince should controul or +discharge, but assist and support, otherwise they are not faithful +subjects to Christ; and, Sire, when you was in your swaddling clothes, +Christ reigned freely in this land; in spight of all his enemies, his +officers and ministers were conveened for ruling his church, which was +ever for your welfare, <i>&c.</i> Will you now challenge Christ's servants, +your best and most faithful subjects, for conveening together, and for +the care they have of their duty to Christ and you, <i>&c.</i> the wisdom of +your council is, that you may be served with all sorts of men, that you +may come to your purpose, and because the ministers and protestants of +Scotland are strong, they must be weakened and brought low, by stirring +up a party against them, but, Sire, this is not the wisdom of God, and +his curse must light upon it, whereas, in cleaving to God, his servants +shall be your true friends, and he shall compel the rest to serve you." +There is little difficulty to conjecture how this discourse was relished +by the king; however, he kept his temper, and promised fair things to +them for the present, but it was the word of him whose standard maxim +was, <i>Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit regnare</i>, "He who knows not how to +dissemble, knows not how to reign:" In this sentiment, unworthy of the +meanest among men, he gloried, and made it his constant rule of conduct; +for in the assembly at Dundee <i>anno</i> 1598,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">116</a></span> Mr. Melvil being there, he +discharged him from the assembly, and would not suffer business to go on +till he was removed.</p> + +<p>There are other instances of the magnanimity of this faithful witness of +Christ, which are worthy of notice. In the year 1606, when he and seven +of his brethren, who stood most in the way of having prelacy advanced in +Scotland, were called up to England, under pretence of having a hearing +granted them by the king, <i>&c.</i> with respect to religion, but rather to +be kept out of the way, as the event afterwards proved, until episcopacy +should be better established in this kingdom. Soon after their arrival +they were examined by the king and council at Hampton-court on the 20th +of September, concerning the lawfulness of the late assembly at +Aberdeen. The king, in particular, asked Mr. Melvil, whether a few +clergy, meeting without moderator or clerk, could make an assembly? He +replied, there was no number limited by law; that fewness of number +could be no argument against the legality of the court, especially when +the promise was, in God's word, given to two or three conveened in the +name of Christ; that the meeting was an ordinary established by his +majesty's laws. The rest of the ministers delivered themselves to the +same purpose; after which Mr. Melvil, with his usual freedom of speech, +supported the conduct of his brethren at Aberdeen; recounted the wrongs +done them at Linlithgow, whereof he was a witness himself; he blamed the +king's advocate, Sir Thomas Hamilton, who was then present, for +favouring popery, and mal-treating the ministers, so that the accuser of +the brethren could not have done more against the saints of God than had +been done; the prelatists were encouraged, though some of them were +promoting the interest of Popery with all their might, and the faithful +servants of Christ were shut up in prison; and addressing the advocate, +personally, he added, "Still you think all this is enough, but continue +to 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 bold +and steady defence of the cause of God and truth, for they had been much +misrepresented to the English. They had scarce retired from before the +king, until they received a charge not to return to Scotland, nor come +near the king's, queen's or princes court, without special licence and +being called for. A few days after, they were again called to court, and +examined before a select<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">117</a></span> number of the Scots nobility, where, after Mr. +James Melvil's examination<a name="FNanchor_43" id="FNanchor_43"></a><a href="#Footnote_43" class="fnanchor">[43]</a>, Mr. Andrew being called, told them +plainly, "That they knew not what they were doing; they had degenerated +from the ancient nobility of Scotland, who were wont to hazard their +lives and lands for the freedom of their country, and the gospel which +they were betraying and overturning:" But night drawing on, they were +dismissed.</p> + +<p>Another instance of his resolution is, that, when called before the +council for having made a Latin epigram<a name="FNanchor_44" id="FNanchor_44"></a><a href="#Footnote_44" class="fnanchor">[44]</a>, upon seeing the king and +queen making an offering at the altar (whereon were two books, two +basons, and two candlesticks with two unlighted candles, it being a day +kept in honour of St. Michael); when he compeared, he avowed the verses, +and said, "He was much moved with indignation at such vanity and +superstition in a Christian church, under a Christian king, born and +brought up under the pure light of the gospel, and especially before +idolators, to confirm them in idolatry, and grieve the hears of true +professors," The bishop of Canterbury began to speak, but Mr. Melvil +charged him with a breach of the Lord's day, with imprisoning, silencing +and bearing down of faithful ministers, and with upholding antichristian +hierarchy and popish ceremonies; and, shaking the white sleeve of his +rochet, he called them Romish, rags, and told him, That he was an avowed +enemy 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 grieved +to the heart to see such a man have the king's ear, and sit so high in +that honourable council. He also charged bishop Barlow with having said, +after the conference at Hampton-court, That the king had said, he was in +the church of Scotland, but not of it; and wondered that he was suffered +to go unpunished, for making the king of no religion. He refuted his +sermon which had been preached before; and was at last removed, and +order<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">118</a></span> was given to Dr. Overwall dean of St. Pauls to receive him to his +house, there to remain, with injunctions not to let any have access to +him, till his majesty's pleasure was signified. Next year he was ordered +from the dean's house to the bishop of Winchester's, where, not being so +strictly guarded, he sometimes kept company with his brethren, but was +at last committed to the tower of London, where he remained for the +space of four years.</p> + +<p>While he was in the tower, a gentleman of his acquaintance got access to +him, and found him very pensive and melancholy concerning the prevailing +defections amongst many of the ministers of Scotland, and, having lately +got account of their proceedings at the general assembly held at +Glasgow, <i>anno</i> 1610, where the earl of Dunbar had an active hand in +corrupting many with money; the gentleman, desiring to know what word he +had to send to his native country, got no answer at first, but, upon a +second enquiry, he said, "I have no word to send, but am heavily +grieved, that the glorious government of the church of Scotland should +be 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 to +do, but to carry such commissions down to Scotland, whereby the poor +church is wrecked, the Lord shall be avenged on thee; thou shalt never +have that grace to set thy foot in that kingdom again." These last words +impressed the gentleman to that degree, that he desired some who +attended the court, to get some business, which was managing through +Dunbar's interest, expeded without any delay, being persuaded that the +word of that servant of Christ should not fall to the ground, which was +the case, for that earl died at Whitehall a short time after, while he +was building an elegant house at Berwick, and making grand preparations +for his daughter's marriage with Lord Walden.</p> + +<p>In 1611, after four years confinement, Mr. Melvil was, by the interest +of the duke of Bolloigne, released, on condition that he would go with +him to the university of Sedan, where he continued, enjoying that calm +repose denied him in his own country, but maintaining his usual +constancy and faithfulness in the service of Christ, which he had done +through the whole of his life.</p> + +<p>The reader will readily observe, that a high degree of fortitude and +boldness appeared in all his actions; where the honour of his Lord and +Master was concerned, the fear of man made no part of his character. He +is by Spotswood<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">119</a></span> styled the principal agent or apostle of the +presbyterians in Scotland<a name="FNanchor_45" id="FNanchor_45"></a><a href="#Footnote_45" class="fnanchor">[45]</a>. He did indeed assert the rights of +presbytery to the utmost of his power against diocesan episcopacy; he +possessed great presence of mind, and was superior to all the arts of +flattery, that were sometimes tried with him; he was once blamed, as +being too fiery in his temper, he replied, "If you see my fire go +downward, set your foot upon it, but if it goes upward, let it go to its +own place." He died at Sedan in France, in a few years after.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Patrick_Simpson" id="Mr_Patrick_Simpson"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Patrick Simpson</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Simpson, after having finished his academical course, spent some +considerable time in retirement, which he employed in reading the Greek +and Latin classics, the antient Christian fathers, and the history of +the primitive church. Being blamed by one of his friends for wasting so +much time in the study of pagan writers, he replied, That he intended to +adorn the house of God with these Egyptian jewels.</p> + +<p>He was first ordained minister at Cramond, but was afterwards +transported to Stirling, where he continued until his death. He was a +faithful contender against the lordly encroachments of prelacy. In the +year 1584, when there was an express charge given by the king to the +ministers, either to acknowledge Mr. Patrick Adamson as arch-bishop of +St. Andrews, or else to lose their benefices, Mr. Simpson opposed that +order with all his power, although Mr. Adamson was his uncle by the +mother's side; and when some of his brethren seemed willing to acquiesce +in the king's mandate, and subscribe their submission to Adamson, so far +as it was agreeable to the word of God, he rebuked them sharply, saying, +It would be no salvo to their consciences, seeing it was altogether +absurd to subscribe an agreement with any human invention, when it was +condemned by the word of God. A bishopric was offered him, and an yearly +pension besides from the king, in order to bring him into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">120</a></span> his designs, +but he positively refused all, saying, That he regarded that preferment +and profit as a bribe to enslave his conscience, which was dearer to him +than any thing whatever; he did not stop with this, but having occasion +<i>anno</i> 1593, to preach before the king, he publicly exhorted him to +beware that he drew not the wrath of God upon himself in patronizing a +manifest breach of divine laws: Immediately after sermon, the king stood +up and charged him not to intermeddle in these matters.</p> + +<p>When the assembly which was held at Aberdeen <i>anno</i> 1684, was condemned +by the state, and in a very solemn manner denounced the judgment of God +against all such as had been concerned in distressing, and imprisoning +the ministers of Linlithgow, who maintained the lawfulness and justified +the conduct of that assembly, and the protestation given in to the +parliament in 1606, which did many things to the further establishment +of prelacy. This protestation<a name="FNanchor_46" id="FNanchor_46"></a><a href="#Footnote_46" class="fnanchor">[46]</a> was wrote by him, and delivered out of +his own hands to the earl of Dunbar.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">121</a></span> +He was not more distinguished for zeal in the cause of Christ, than for +piety and an exemplary life, which had a happy effect upon the people +with whom he stood connected. He was in a very eminent degree blessed +with the spirit<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">122</a></span> and return of prayer; the following fact attested by +old Mr. Row of Carnock, shews how much of the divine countenance he had +in his duty:—His wife, Martha Baron, a woman of singular piety, fell +sick, and, under her indisposition,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">123</a></span> was strongly assaulted by the +common enemy of salvation; suggesting to her, that she should be +delivered up to him, which soon brought her into a very distracted +condition, and continued, for some time, increasing; she broke forth +into very dreadful expressions:—She was in one of these fits of +despair, one Sabbath morning, when Mr. Simpson was going to preach; he +was exceedingly troubled at her condition, and went to prayer, which +she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">124</a></span> took no notice of. After he had done, he turned to the company +present, 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's +malice against that poor woman, should have a shameful foil. Her +distraction continued for some days after. On a Tuesday morning, about +day-break, he went into his garden as private as possible, and one Helen +Gardiner, wife to one of the baillies of the town, a godly woman, who +had sate up that night with Mrs. Simpson, being concerned at the +melancholy condition he was in, climbed over the garden wall, to observe +him in this retirement, but, coming near the place where he was, she was +terrified with a noise which she heard, as of the rushing of multitudes +of people together, with a most melodious sound intermixed; she fell on +her knees and prayed that the Lord would pardon her rashness, which her +regard for his servant had caused. Afterwards, she went<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">125</a></span> forward, and +found him lying on the ground; she intreated him to tell her what had +happened unto him, and, after many promises of secrecy, and an +obligation, that she should not reveal it in his life-time, but, if she +survived him, she should be at liberty, he then said, "O! what am I! +being but dust and ashes! that holy ministring spirits should be sent +with a message to me!" And then told her, That he had had a vision of +angels, who gave him an audible answer from the Lord, respecting his +wife's condition; and then, returning to the house, he said to the +people who attended his wife, "Be of good comfort, for I am sure that +ere 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 continued +for 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 this +day a Jacob, who hast wrestled and hast prevailed, and now God hath made +good his word, which he spoke this morning to you, for I am pluckt out +of the hands of Satan, and he shall have no power over me." This +interruption made him silent for a little, but afterwards, with great +melting of heart, he proceeded in prayer, and magnified the riches of +grace towards him. From that hour she continued to utter nothing but the +language of joy and comfort, until her death, which was on the Friday +following, August 13th, 1601.</p> + +<p>Mr. Simpson lived for several years after this, fervent and faithful in +the work of the ministry. In the year 1608 when the bishops and some +commissioners of the general assembly conveened in the palace of +Falkland, the ministers assembled in the kirk of the town, and chose him +for their moderator; After which they spent some time in prayer, and +tasted some of the comfort of their former meetings. They then agreed +upon some articles for concord and peace to be given into the bishops, +<i>&c.</i>——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 mean +time, took all possible precautions to strengthen their own party, which +they effected.</p> + +<p>In 1610, the noblemen and bishops came to Stirling, after dissolving the +assembly. In preaching before them, he openly charged the bishops with +perjury and gross defection. They hesitated for some time, whether they +should delate him, or compound the matter:—But, after deliberation, +they dropt the affair altogether for the present.——There is no reason +to doubt but he would have been subjected<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">126</a></span> to the same sufferings with +many others of his brethren, had he lived, but before the cope-stone was +laid on prelacy in Scotland, he had entered into the joy of his +Lord.——For, in the month of March 1618, which was about four months +before the Perth assembly, when the five articles were agreed upon<a name="FNanchor_47" id="FNanchor_47"></a><a href="#Footnote_47" class="fnanchor">[47]</a>, +he said that this month should put an end to all his troubles, and he +accordingly died about the end of it, blessing the Lord, that he had not +been perverted by the sinful courses of these times; and said, As the +Lord had said to Elijah in the wilderness, so, in some respects he had +dealt with him all the days of his life.</p> + +<p>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 of +the church, which are nearly out of print altogether. Upon some of his +books he had written, "Remember, O my soul, and never forget the 9th of +August, what consolation the Lord gave thee, and how he performed what +he spake according to Zech. iii. 2, <i>Is not this a brand pluckt out of +the fire?</i>" &c.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Andrew_Duncan" id="Mr_Andrew_Duncan"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Andrew Duncan</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Duncan was settled minister at Crail, in the shire of Fyfe, and was +afterwards summoned before the high commission court at St. Andrews, in +the year 1619. on account of his faithfulness in opposing the five +articles of Perth. At the first time of his compearance, he declined +their authority; and at the second, he adhered to his former +declinature, upon which the high commission court passed the sentence of +deposition against him, and ordained him to enter himself in ward at +Dundee. 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 Christ +my master in rebuking vice, in simplicity and righteousness of heart. I +protest (seeing ye have done me wrong) for a remedy at God's hand, the +righteous Judge, and summon you before his dreadful judgment-seat, to be +censured and punished for such unrighteous dealings, at such a time as +his majesty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">127</a></span> shall think expedient, and, in the mean time decline this +your judgment <i>simpliciter</i> now as before, and appeal to the ordinary +assembly of the church, for reasons before produced in write. Pity +yourselves for the Lord's sake; lose not your own dear souls, I beseech +you for Esau's pottage: Remember Balaam, who was cast away by the deceit +of the wages of unrighteousness; forget not how miserable Judas was, who +lost himself for a trifle of money, that never did him good. Better be +pined to death by hunger, than for a little pittance of the earth, to +perish for ever, and never be recovered, so long as the days of heaven +shall last, and the years of eternity shall endure. Why should ye +distress your own brethren, sons and servants of the Lord Jesus; this is +not the doing of the shepherds of the flock of Christ: if ye will not +regard your souls nor consciences, look I beseech you, to your fame, why +will ye be miserable both in this life and in the life to come."</p> + +<p>When the bishop of St. Andrews had read some few lines of this +admonition, he cast it from him, the bishop of Dumblane took it up, and +reading 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 the +space of a month after, he was deposed for non-conformity.</p> + +<p>In the month of July 1621, he presented a large supplication, in name of +himself, and some of his faithful brethren, who had been excluded the +general assembly, to Sir George Hay clerk register, on which account he +was in a few days after, apprehended by the captain of the guards, and +brought before the council, who accused him for breaking ward, after he +was suspended and confined to Dundee, because he had preached the week +before at Crail. Mr. Duncan denied that he had been put to the horn; and +as for breaking ward, he said, That, for the sake of obedience, he staid +at Dundee, separated from a wife and six children for a half a year, and +the winter approaching forced him to go home. In the end, he requested +them not to imprison him on his own charges, but the sentence had been +resolved on before he compeared. He was conveyed to Dumbarton castle +next day (some say to Blackness castle); here he remained until the +month of October thereafter, when he was again brought before the +council, and by them was confined to Kilrinnie, upon his own charges; +This was a parish neighbouring to his own.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">128</a></span> +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 at +Berwick, but having several children, and his wife big with another, +they were reduced to great hardships, being obliged to part with their +servant, they had scarcely subsistence sufficient for themselves. One +night in particular, the children asking for bread, and there being none +to give them, they cried very sore; the mother was likewise much +depressed in spirit, for Mr. Duncan had resource sometimes to prayer, +and in the intervals endeavoured to cherish his wife's hope, and please +the children, and at last got them to bed, but she continued to mourn +heavily. He exhorted her to wait patiently upon God, who was now trying +them, but would undoubtedly provide for them, and added, that if the +Lord should rain down bread from heaven, they should not want. This +confidence was the more remarkable, because they had neither friend nor +acquaintance in that place to whom they could make their case known. And +yet before morning, a man brought them a sackful of provision, and went +off 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 pounds +Scots, two loaves of bread, a bag of flour, another of barley and +such-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 came +upon her, before she could make any provision for her delivery, but +providence interposed on their behalf at this time also: While she +travailed in the night-season, and the good man knew not where to apply +for a midwife, a gentlewoman came early in the morning riding to the +door, and having sent her servant back with the horse, with orders when +to return. She went in, and asked the maid of the house, How her +mistress was, and desired access to her, which she obtained; she first +ordered a good fire to be made, and ordered Mrs. Duncan to rise, and +without any other assistance than the house afforded, she delivered her, +and afterwards accommodated Mrs. Duncan and the child with abundance of +very fine linen, which she had brought along with her. She gave her +likewise a box, containing some necessary cordials and five pieces of +gold, bidding them both be of good comfort, for they should not want. +After which, she went away on the horse, which was by this time +returned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">129</a></span> for her, but would not tell her name, nor from whence she +came.</p> + +<p>Thus did God take his own servant under his immediate care and +providence, when men had wrongfully excluded him from enjoying his +worldly comforts. He continued zealous and stedfast in the such, and, to +the end of his life, his conduct was uniform with the circumstances of +this narrative.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_John_Scrimzeor" id="Mr_John_Scrimzeor"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">John Scrimzeor</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>He was settled minister at Kinghorn, in the shire of Fyfe, and went as +chaplain with King James in the year 1590, to Denmark, when he brought +home his queen. He was afterwards concerned in several important affairs +of the church, until that fatal year 1618, when the five articles of +Perth were agreed on in an assembly held at that place. He attended at +this assembly, and gave in some proposals<a name="FNanchor_48" id="FNanchor_48"></a><a href="#Footnote_48" class="fnanchor">[48]</a>, upon being (along with +others of his faithful brethren) excluded from having a vote by the +prevailing party of that assembly.</p> + +<p>In 1620, he was with some others, summoned before the high +commission-court, for not preaching upon holy days, and not administring +the communion conform to the agreement at Perth, with certification if +this was proven, that he should be deprived of exercising the functions +of a minister in all time coming. But there being none present on the +day appointed, except the bishops of St. Andrews, Glasgow and the isles, +and Mr. Walter Whiteford, they were dismissed at that time; but were +warned to compear again on the first of March. The bishops caused the +clerk to exact their consent to deprivation, in case they did not +compear against that day. Nevertheless, they all protested with one +voice, That they would never willingly renounce their ministry, and such +was the resolution and courage of Mr. Scrimzeor, that notwithstanding +all the threatening of the bishops, he celebrated the communion conform +to the antient practice of the church, a few days thereafter.</p> + +<p>On the day appointed for their next compearance, the bishops of St. +Andrews, Dunkeld, Galloway, the isles, Dumblain, Mr. Hewison commissary +of Edinburgh, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">130</a></span> Dr. Blair, being assembled in the bishop of St. +Andrews lodging in Edinburgh, Mr. John Scrimzeor was again called upon +to answer, and the bishop of St. Andrews alleged against him, that he +had promised either to conform or quit his ministry, as the act at his +last compearance on January 26th reported; he replied, "I am fore +straitned, I never saw reason to conform; and as for my ministry, it was +not mine and so I could not quit it." After long reasoning betwixt him +and 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, and +ordained within six days to enter in ward at Dundee." "It is a very +summary and peremptory sentence," said Mr. Scrimzeor, "ye might have +been advised better, and first have heard what I would have said." "You +shall be heard," said the bishop. This brought on some further +reasoning, in the course of which Mr. Scrimzeor gave a faithful +testimony against the king's supremacy over the church, and among other +things said, "I have had opportunity to reason with the king himself on +this subject, and have told him that Christ was the sovereign, and only +director of his house; and that his majesty was subject to him. I have +had occasion to tell other mens matters to the king, and could have +truly claimed this great preferment." "I tell you Mr. John," said the +bishop of St. Andrews, "that the king is pope, and shall be so now;" He +replied, "That is an evil style you give him:" And then gave in his +reasons in write, which they read at leisure. Afterwards the bishop of +St. Andrews said to him, "Take up your reasons again, if you will not +conform, I cannot help it; the king must be obeyed, the lords have given +sentence 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 the +whole synod of Fyfe, and, for any thing ye do, I will never think myself +deposed." The bishop of St. Andrews replied, "You are deprived only of +the present exercise of it."—Then he presented the following +protestation, "I protest before the Lord Jesus, that I get manifest +wrong; my reasons and allegations are not considered and answered. I +attest you to answer at his glorious appearance, for this and such +dealings, and protest that my cause should have been heard as I pled, +and still plead and challenge. I likewise appeal to the Lord Jesus, his +eternal word, to the king my dread sovereign, his law,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">131</a></span> to the +constitution of this kirk and kingdom, to the councils and assemblies of +both, and protest that I stand minister of the evangel, and only by +violence I am thrust from the same." "You must obey the sentence," said +the bishop of St. Andrews; he answered, "That Dundee was far off, and he +was 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 the +place of your confinement," said the bishop: He answered, "At a little +room of my own called Bowhill, in the parish of Auchterderran." Then +said the bishop, "Write, At Bowhill, during the king's pleasure." Thus +this worthy servant of Christ lived the rest of his days in +Auchterderran. In his old age he was grievously afflicted with the +stone. He said to a godly minister, who went to see him a little before +his death, "I have been a rude stunkard all my life, and now by this +pain the Lord is humbling me to make me as a lamb, before he take me to +himself."</p> + +<p>He was a man somewhat rude-like in his clothing, and in some of his +expressions and behaviour; and yet was a very loving tender hearted man; +of a deep natural judgment; and very learned, especially in Hebrew. He +often wished that most part of books were burnt, except the bible, and +some short notes thereon. He had a peculiar talent for comforting the +dejected. He used a very familiar but pressing manner of preaching. He +was also an eminent wrestler with God, and had more than ordinary power +and familiarity with him, as appears from the following instances.</p> + +<p>When he was minister at Kinghorn, there was a certain godly woman under +his charge, who fell sick of a very lingering disease, and was all the +while assaulted with strong temptations, leading her to think that she +was a cast-away, notwithstanding that her whole conversation had put the +reality of grace in her beyond a doubt. He often visited her while in +this deep exercise, but her trouble and terrors still remained; as her +dissolution drew on, her spiritual trouble increased. He went with two +of his elders to her, and began first, in their presence, to comfort her +and pray with her, but she still grew worse: He ordered his elders to +pray, and afterwards prayed himself, but no relief came. Then sitting +pensive for a little space, he thus broke silence, "What is this! Our +laying grounds of comfort before her will not do; prayer will not do: We +must try another remedy. Sure I am, this is a daughter of Abraham; sure +I am, she hath sent for me, and therefore, in the name of God, the +Father of our Lord Jesus,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">132</a></span> who sent him to redeem sinners; in the name +of Jesus Christ, who obeyed the Father, and came to save us; and in the +name of the Holy and blessed Spirit, our Quickner and Sanctifier—I, the +elder, command thee, a daughter of Abraham, to be loosed from these +bonds." And immediately peace and joy ensued.</p> + +<p>Mr. Scrimzeor had several friends and children taken away by death, and +his 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 very +point of death, so that he was called up to see her die; and finding her +in this condition, he went out to the fields (as he himself told) in the +night-time, in great grief and anxiety, and began to expostulate with +the Lord, with such expressions as, for all the world, he durst not +again utter. In a fit of displeasure he said, "Thou, O Lord, knowest +that I have been serving thee in the uprightness of my heart, according +to my power and measure, nor have I stood in awe to declare thy mind +even unto the greatest in the time, and thou seest that I take pleasure +in this child. O that I could obtain such a thing at thy hand, as to +spare her." And being in great agony of spirit, at last it was said to +him from the Lord, "I have heard thee at this time, but use not the like +boldness in time coming, for such particulars." When he came home the +child was recovered, and, sitting up in the bed, took some meat, and +when he looked at her arm it was perfectly whole.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_John_Welch" id="Mr_John_Welch"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">John Welch</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>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 the +day, 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 to +be a youth, he left the school, and his father's house, and went and +joined himself to the thieves on the English border, who lived by +robbing the two nations, and amongst them he stayed till he spent a suit +of clothes. Then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">133</a></span> when he was clothed only with rags, the prodigal's +misery brought him to the prodigal's resolution, so he resolved to +return to his father's house, but durst not adventure, till he should +enterpose a reconciler. In his return homeward, he took Dumfries in his +way, where he had an aunt, one Agnes Forsyth, and with her he spent some +days, earnestly intreating her to reconcile him to his father. While he +lurked in her house, his father came providentially to the house to +visit his cousin Mrs. Forsyth; and after they had talked a while, she +asked him, Whether ever he had heard any news of his son John; to her he +replied with great grief, O cruel woman, how can you name him to me? The +first 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, and +comforted him. He insisted upon his sad complaint, but asked, Whether +she knew his lost son was yet alive. She answered, Yes, he was, and she +hoped he should prove a better man than he was a boy, and with that she +called 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 and +threatened him. Yet at length, by his tears, and Mrs. Forsyth's +importunities, he was persuaded to a reconciliation. The boy entreated +his 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 content +his 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, of +great expectation, and shewed himself a sincere convert; and so he +proceeded to the ministry. His first settlement was at Selkirk, while he +was yet very young, and the country rude. While he was there, his +ministry was rather admired by some, than received by many; for he was +always attended by the prophet's shadow, the hatred of the wicked; yea, +even the ministers of that country, were more ready to pick a quarrel +with his person, than to follow his doctrine, as may appear to this day +in their synodal records, where we find he had many to censure him, and +only some to defend him; yet it was thought his ministry in that place +was not without fruit, though he stayed but short time there. Being a +young 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 day +retained both a respect to Mr. Welch and his ministry, from the +impressions Mr. Welch's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">134</a></span> behaviour made upon his apprehension, though +but a child. His custom was when he went to bed at night, to lay a Scots +plaid above his bed-clothes, and when he went to his night-prayers, to +sit up and cover himself negligently therewith, and so to continue. For +from the beginning of his ministry to his death, he reckoned the day ill +spent if he stayed not seven or eight hours in prayer; and this the boy +did not forget even to old age.</p> + +<p>An old man of the name of Ewart in Selkirk, who remembered Mr. Welch's +being in that place said, He was a type of Christ; an expression more +significant than proper, for his meaning was, That he was an example +that 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 his +whole time in spiritual exercises, that some in that place waited well +upon his ministry with great tenderness, but that he was constrained to +leave that place, because of the malice of the wicked.</p> + +<p>The special cause of his departure was, a prophane gentleman in the +country (one Scot of Headschaw, whose family is now extinct), because +Mr. Welch had either reproved him, or merely from hatred, Mr. Welch was +most unworthily abused by the unhappy man, and among the rest of the +injuries he did him, this was one:—Mr. Welch kept always two good +horses for his own use, and the wicked gentleman, when he could do no +more, either with his own hand, or by his servants, cut off the rumps of +the two innocent beasts, upon which they both died. Such base usage as +this persuaded him to listen to a call to the ministry at Kirkcudbright, +which was his next post.</p> + +<p>But when he was to leave Selkirk, he could not find a man in all the +town to transport his furniture, except only Ewart, who was at that time +a poor young man, but master of two horses, with which he transported +Mr. Welch's goods, and so left him; but as he took his leave, Mr. Welch +gave him his blessing, and a piece of gold for a token, exhorting him to +fear God, and promised he should never want, which promise, providence +made good through the whole course of the man's life, as was observed by +all his neighbours.</p> + +<p>At Kirkcudbright he stayed not long; but there he reaped a harvest of +converts, which subsisted long after his departure, and were a part of +Mr. Samuel Rutherford's flock, though not his parish, while he was +minister at Anwoth. Yet when his call to Ayr came to him, the people of +the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">135</a></span> parish of Kirkcudbright never offered to detain him, so his +transportation to Ayr was the more easy.</p> + +<p>While he was at Kirkcudbright, he met with a young man in scarlet and +silver lace (the gentleman's name was Mr. Robert Glendining) new come +home 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 to +the study of the scriptures, which at that time was not his business, +for he should be his successor in the ministry at Kirkcudbright, which +accordingly came to pass sometime thereafter.</p> + +<p>Mr. Welch was transported to Ayr in the year 1590, and there he +continued till he was banished, there he had a very hard beginning, but +a very sweet end; for when he came first to the town, the country was so +wicked and the hatred of godliness so great, that there could not one in +all the town be found, who would let him a house to dwell in, so he was +constrained to accommodate himself the best he might, in a part of a +gentleman's house for a time; the gentleman's name was John Stuart +merchant, and sometime provost of Ayr, an eminent Christian, and great +assistant of Mr. Welch.</p> + +<p>And when he had first taken up his residence in that town, the place was +so divided into factions, and filled with bloody conflicts, a man could +hardly walk the streets with safety; wherefore Mr. Welch made it his +first undertaking to remove the bloody quarrelings, but he found it a +very difficult work; yet such was his earnestness to pursue his design, +that many times he would rush betwixt two parties of men fighting, even +in the midst of blood and wounds. He used to cover his head with a +head-piece before he went to separate these bloody enemies, but would +never use a sword, that they might see he came for peace and not for +war, and so, by little and little, he made the town a peaceable +habitation.</p> + +<p>His manner was, after he had ended a skirmish amongst his neighbours, +and reconciled these bitter enemies, to cause cover a table upon the +street, and there brought the enemies together, and beginning with +prayer he persuaded them to profess themselves friends, then to eat and +drink 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 to +his heavenly doctrine, he came quickly to that respect amongst them, +that he became not only a necessary counsellor, without whose council +they would do nothing, but an example to imitate.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">136</a></span> +He gave himself wholly to ministerial exercises, he preached once every +day, 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 had +abridged Suarez's metaphysics when they came first to his hand, even +when he was well stricken in years. By all which it appears, that he has +not only been a man of great diligence, but also of a strong and robust +natural constitution, otherwise he had never endured the fatigue.</p> + +<p>Sometimes, before he went to sermon, he would send for his elders and +tell them, he was afraid to go to pulpit; because he found himself sore +deserted: and thereafter desire one or more of them to pray, and then he +would venture to pulpit. But, it was observed, this humbling exercise +used ordinarily to be followed with a flame of extraordinary assistance: +So near neighbours are many times contrary dispositions and frames. He +would many times retire to the church of Ayr, which was at some distance +from the town, and there spend the whole night in prayer; for he used to +allow his affections full expression, and prayed not only with audible, +but sometimes a loud voice.</p> + +<p>There was in Ayr before he came to it, an aged man, a minister of the +town, called Porterfield, the man was judged no bad man, for his +personal inclinations, but so easy a disposition, that he used many +times to go too great a length with his neighbours in many dangerous +practices; and amongst the rest, he used to go to the bow-butts and +archery, on the sabbath afternoon, to Mr. Welch's great dissatisfaction. +But the way he used to reclaim him was not bitter severity, but this +gentle policy; Mr. Welch together with John Stuart, and Hugh Kennedy, +his two intimate friends, used to spend the sabbath afternoon in +religious conference and prayer, and to this exercise they invited Mr. +Porterfield, which he could not refuse, by which means he was not only +diverted from his former sinful practice, but likewise brought to a more +watchful and edifying behaviour in his course of life.</p> + +<p>While Mr. Welch was at Ayr, the Lord's day was greatly profaned at a +gentleman's house about eight miles distance from Ayr, by reason of +great confluence of people playing at the foot-ball, and other pastime. +After writing several times to him to suppress the profanation of the +Lord's day at his house, (which he slighted, not loving to be called a +puritan) Mr. Welch came one day to his gate and calling him out to tell +him, that he had a message from God to shew him, that because he had +slighted the advice<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">137</a></span> given him from the Lord, and would not restrain the +profanation of the Lord's day committed in his bounds; therefore the +Lord would cast him out of his house, and none of his posterity should +enjoy it: which accordingly came to pass; for although he was in a good +external situation at this time; yet henceforth all things went against +him until he was obliged to sell his estate; and when giving the +purchaser possession thereof, he told his wife and children that he had +found Mr. Welch a true prophet<a name="FNanchor_49" id="FNanchor_49"></a><a href="#Footnote_49" class="fnanchor">[49]</a>.</p> + +<p>He married Elizabeth Knox, daughter to the famous Mr. John Knox minister +at Edinburgh, and she lived with him from his youth till his death. By +her he had three sons<a name="FNanchor_50" id="FNanchor_50"></a><a href="#Footnote_50" class="fnanchor">[50]</a>.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">138</a></span> +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 wondered +how a Christian could ly in bed all night, and not rise to pray, and +many times he rose, and many times he watched. One night he rose from +his wife, and went into the next room, where he staid so long at secret +prayer, that his wife, fearing he might catch cold, was constrained to +rise and follow him, and, as she hearkened, she heard him speak as by +interrupted sentences, Lord, wilt thou not grant me Scotland, and after +a pause, Enough, Lord, enough; and so she returned to her bed, and he +following 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 shewed +himself dissatisfied with her curiosity, but told her, He had been +wrestling with the Lord for Scotland, and found there was a sad time at +hand, but that the Lord would be gracious to a remnant. This was about +the time when bishops first overspread the land, and corrupted the +church. This is more wonderful still, An honest minister, who was a +parishioner of Mr. Welch many a day, said, "That one night as he watched +in 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 a +window toward the place where he walked, and saw clearly a strange light +surround him, and heard him speak strange words about his spiritual +joy." But though Mr. Welch had upon the account of his holiness, +abilities and success, acquired among his subdued people, a very great +respect, yet was he never in such admiration, as after the great plague +which raged in Scotland in his time.</p> + +<p>And one cause was this: The magistrates of Ayr, forasmuch as this town +alone was free, and the country about infected, thought fit to guard the +ports with centinels and watchmen; and one day two travelling merchants, +each with a pack of cloth upon a horse, came to the town desiring +entrance that they might sell their goods, producing a pass from the +magistrates of the town from whence they came, which was at that time +sound and free; yet notwithstanding all this, the centinels stopt them +till the magistrates were called, and when they came they would do<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">139</a></span> +nothing without their minister's advice; so Mr. Welch was called, and +his opinion asked: He demurred, and putting off his hat, with his eyes +towards heaven for a pretty space, though he uttered no audible words, +yet continued in a praying posture; and after a little space told the +magistrates, They would do well to discharge these travellers their +town, 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, which +kindled such an infection in that place, that the living were hardly +able 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 of +his friends as he thought were persons with whom he might maintain the +communion of the saints; and once in the year, he used always to invite +all his familiar acquaintances in the town, to a treat in his house, +where there was a banquet of holiness and sobriety.</p> + +<p>He continued the course of his ministry in Ayr, till king James's +purpose of destroying the church of Scotland, by establishing bishops +was ripe, and then it became his duty to edify the church by his +sufferings, as formerly he had done by his doctrine.</p> + +<p>The reason why king James was so violent for bishops, was neither their +divine institution, which he denied they had, nor yet the profit the +church should reap by them, for he knew well both the men and their +communications, but merely because he believed they were useful +instruments to turn a limited monarchy into absolute dominion, and +subjects into slaves; the design in the world he minded most.</p> + +<p>Always in the pursuit of his design, he followed this method; in the +first place, he resolved to destroy general assemblies, knowing well +that so long as assemblies might convene in freedom, bishops could never +get their designed authority in Scotland; and the dissolution of +assemblies he brought about in this manner.</p> + +<p>The general assembly at Holyrood-house, <i>anno</i> 1602, with the king's +consent, indict their next meeting to be kept at Aberdeen, the last +tuesday of July <i>anno</i> 1604, and before that day came, the king by his +commissioner the laird of Laureston, and Mr. Patrick Galloway moderator +of the last general assembly, in a letter directed to the several +presbyteries, prorogued the meeting till the first tuesday<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">140</a></span> of July +1605, at the same place; last of all, in June 1605, the expected meeting +to have been kept in July following, is by a new letter from the king's +commissioner, and the commissioners of the general assembly, absolutely +discharged and prohibited, but without naming any day or place, for any +other assembly; and so the series of our assemblies expired, never to +revive again in due form, till the covenant was renewed <i>anno</i> 1638. +However, many of the godly ministers of Scotland, knowing well, if once +the hedge of the government was broken, the corruption of the doctrine +would soon follow, resolved not to quit their assemblies so. And +therefore a number of them convened at Aberdeen, upon the first tuesday +of July 1605, being the last day that was distinctly appointed by +authority; and when they had met, did no more but constitute themselves +and dissolve. Amongst those was Mr. Welch, who, though he had not been +present upon that precise day, yet because he came to the place, and +approved what his brethren had done, he was accused as guilty of the +treasonable fact committed by them. So dangerous a point was the name of +a general assembly in king James's jealous judgment.</p> + +<p>Within a month after this meeting, many of these godly men were +incarcerate, some in one prison, some in another. Mr. Welch was sent +first to Edinburgh tolbooth, and then to Blackness; and so from prison +to prison, till he was banished to France, never to see Scotland again.</p> + +<p>And now the scene of his life begins to alter; but, before his +sufferings, he had this strange warning.</p> + +<p>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 his +custom was, but stayed longer than ordinary, which troubled his wife, +who, when he returned, expostulated with him very hard for his staying +so long to wrong his health; he bid her be quiet, for it should be well +with them. But he knew well, he should never preach more at Ayr; and +accordingly, before the next sabbath, he was carried prisoner to +Blackness castle. After that, he, with many others, who had met at +Aberdeen, were brought before the council of Scotland at Edinburgh, to +answer for their rebellion and contempt, in holding a general assembly, +not authorized by the king. And because they declined the secret +council, as judges competent in causes purely spiritual, such as the +nature and constitution of a general assembly is, they were first +remitted to the prison at Blackness, and other places, and thereafter, +six of the most considerable of them, were brought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">141</a></span> under night from +Blackness to Linlithgow before the criminal judges, to answer an +accusation of high treason at the instance of Sir Thomas Hamilton the +king's advocate, for declining, as he alleged, the king's lawful +authority, in refusing to admit the council judges competent in the +cause of the nature of church judicatories; and, after their accusation +and answer was read, by the verdict of a jury of very considerable +gentlemen, they were condemned as guilty of high treason, the punishment +deferred till the king's pleasure should be known; and thereafter their +punishment was made banishment, that the cruel sentence might somewhat +seem to soften their severe punishment, as the king had contrived it.</p> + +<p>While he was in Blackness, he wrote his famous letter to Lilias Graham +countess of Wigton; in which he utters, in the strongest terms, his +consolation in suffering; his desire to be dissolved, that he might be +with the Lord; the judgments he foresaw coming upon Scotland, <i>&c.</i> He +also seems most positively to shew the true cause of their sufferings, +and state of the testimony in these words:</p> + +<p>"Who am I, that he should first have called me, and then constituted me +a minister of the glad tidings of the gospel of salvation these years +already, 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 now +from henceforth is laid up for me that crown of righteousness, which the +Lord that righteous God will give, and not to me only, but to all that +love his appearance, and choose to witness this, that Jesus Christ is +the king of saints, and that his church is a most free kingdom, yea as +free as any kingdom under heaven, not only to convocate, hold, and keep +her meetings, and conventions and assemblies; but also to judge of all +her affairs, in all her meetings and conventions amongst her members and +subjects. These two points, 1. That Christ is the head of his church. 2. +That she is free in her government, from all other jurisdiction except +Christ's: These two points, I say, are the special cause of our +imprisonment; being now convict as traitors for the maintaining thereof. +We have been ever waiting with joyfulness to give the last testimony of +our blood in confirmation thereof, if it should please our God to be so +favourable as to honour us with that dignity; yea, I do affirm, that +these two points above-written, and all other things which belong to +Christ's crown, sceptre and kingdom,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">142</a></span> are not subject, nor cannot be, to +any other authority, but to his own altogether. So that I would be most +glad to be offered up as a sacrifice for so glorious a truth: It would +be to me the most glorious day, and the gladdest hour I ever saw in this +life; but I am in his hand to do with me whatsoever shall please his +Majesty.</p> + +<p>"I am also bound and sworn, by a special covenant, to maintain the +doctrine and discipline thereof, according to my vocation and power all +the 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; and +therefore, though I should perish in the cause, yet will I speak for it, +and to my power defend it, according to my vocation."</p> + +<p>He wrote about the same time to Sir William Livingston of Kilsyth: There +are some prophetical expressions in this letter that merit notice.</p> + +<p>"As for that instrument Spotswood, we are sure the the Lord will never +bless that man, but a malediction lies upon him, and shall accompany all +his doings; and it may be, Sir, your eyes shall see as great confusion +covering him, ere he go to his grave, as ever did his predecessors. Now +surely, Sir, I am far from bitterness, but here I denounce the wrath of +an everlasting God against him, which assuredly shall fall, except it be +prevented. Sir, Dagon shall not stand before the ark of the Lord, and +these names of blasphemy that he wears of arch and lord bishop, will +have a fearful end. Not one book is to be given to Haman, suppose he +were as great a courtier as ever he was; suppose the decree was given +out, and sealed with the king's ring, deliverance will come to us +elsewhere, and not by him, who has been so sore an instrument, not +against our persons, that were nothing, (for I protest to you, Sir, in +the sight of God, I forgive him all the evil he has done, or can do, to +me) but unto Christ's poor kirk, in stamping under foot so glorious a +kingdom and beauty as was once in this land; he has helped to cut +Sampson's hair, and to expose him to mocking, but the Lord will not be +mocked: He shall be cast away as a stone out of a sling, his name shall +rot, 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 when +it shall come to pass, it may be seen there was warning given him: And +therefore, Sir, seeing I have not the access myself, if it would please<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">143</a></span> +God to move you, I wish you would deliver this hand-message to him, not +as from me, but from the Lord."</p> + +<p>The man of whom he complains, and threatens so sore, was bishop +Spotswood, at that time designed arch-bishop of Glasgow; and this +prophecy was punctually accomplished, though after the space of forty +years: For, first the bishop himself died in a strange land, and, as +many say, in misery; next his son Robert Spotswood, sometime president +of the session, was beheaded by the parliament of Scotland, at the +market-cross of St. Andrews, in the winter after the battle of +Philiphaugh, to which many thousands witnessed, and as soon as ever he +came upon the scaffold, Mr. Blair, the minister of the town, told him, +That now Mr. Welch's prophecy was fulfilled upon him; to which he +replied in anger, That Mr. Welch and he were both false prophets.</p> + +<p>But before he left Scotland, some remarkable passages in his behaviour +are to be remembered. And first, when the dispute about +church-government began to warm, as he was walking upon the street of +Edinburgh, betwixt two honest citizens he told them, They had in their +town two great ministers, who were no great friends to Christ's cause +presently in controversy, but it should be seen, the world should never +hear of their repentance. The two men were Mr. Patrick Galloway and Mr. +John Hall; and accordingly it came to pass, for Mr. Patrick Galloway +died easing himself upon a stool; and Mr. John Hall, being at that time +in Leith, and his servant woman having left him alone in his house while +she went to the market, he was found dead at her return.</p> + +<p>He was sometime prisoner in Edinburgh castle before he went into exile, +where one night sitting at supper with the Lord Ochiltry, who was uncle +to Mr. Welch's wife, as his manner was, he entertained the company with +godly and edifying discourse, which was well received by all the +company, except a debauched popish young gentleman, who sometimes +laughed, and sometimes mocked and made wry faces; whereupon Mr. Welch +brake 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 they +should presently behold; upon which the profane wretch sunk down and +died beneath the table, to great astonishment of all the company.</p> + +<p>Another wonderful story they tell of him at the same time:—The Lord +Ochiltry the captain, being both son to the good Lord Ochiltry, and Mr. +Welch's uncle in law,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">144</a></span> was indeed very civil to Mr. Welch, but being for +a long time, through the multitude of affairs, kept from visiting Mr. +Welch in his chamber, as he was one day walking in the court, and +espying 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 would +earnestly intreat his lordship, being at that time to go to court, to +petition king James in his name, that he might have liberty to preach +the gospel; which my lord promised to do. Mr. Welch answered, My lord, +both because you are my kinsman, and for other reasons, I would +earnestly intreat and bidest you not to promise, except you faithfully +perform. His lordship answered. He would faithfully perform his promise; +and so went for London. But though at his first arrival, he was really +purposed to present the petition to the king, when he found the king in +such a rage against the godly ministers, that he durst not, at that +time, present it; so he thought fit to delay it, and thereafter entirely +forgot it.</p> + +<p>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 a +rage against the ministers at that time, he believed it had been +forgotten, for he had got no answer. Nay, said Mr. Welch to him, My +lord, you should not lie to God, and to me; for I know you never +delivered 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 them +to your neighbour in your own time: which accordingly came to pass, for +both his estate and honours were in his own time translated to James +Stuart, son of captain James, who was indeed a cadet, but not the lineal +heir of the family.</p> + +<p>While he was detained prisoner in Edinburgh castle, his wife used for +the most part to stay in his company, but upon a time fell into a +longing to see her family in Ayr, to which with some difficulty he +yielded; but when she was to take her journey, he strictly charged her +not to take the ordinary way to her own house, when she came to Ayr, nor +to pass by the bridge through the town, but to pass the river above the +bridge, and so get the way to his own house, and not to come into the +town, for, said he, before you come thither, you shall find the plague +broken out in Ayr, which accordingly came to pass.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">145</a></span> +The plague was at that time very terrible, and he being necessarily +separate from his people, it was to him the more grievous; but when the +people of Ayr came to him to bemoan themselves, his answer was, that +Hugh Kennedy, a godly gentleman in their town, should pray for them, and +God should hear him. This counsel they accepted, and the gentleman +conveening a number of the honest citizens, prayed earnestly for the +town, as he was a mighty wrestler with God, and accordingly after that +the plague decreased.</p> + +<p>Now the time is come when he must leave Scotland, and never to see it +again. So upon the 7th of November 1606, in the morning he with his +neighbours took ship at Leith, and though it was but two o'clock in the +morning, many were waiting on with their afflicted families, to bid them +farewel<a name="FNanchor_51" id="FNanchor_51"></a><a href="#Footnote_51" class="fnanchor">[51]</a>. After prayer, they sung the 23d psalm, and so to the great +grief of the spectators, set sail for the south of France, and landed in +the river of Bourdeaux. Within fourteen weeks after his arrival, such +was the Lord's blessing upon his diligence, he was able to preach in +French, and accordingly was speedily called to the ministry, first in +one village, then in another; one of them was Nerac, and thereafter was +settled in St. Jean d' Angely, a considerable walled town, and there he +continued the rest of the time he sojourned in France, which was about +sixteen years. When he began to preach, it was observed by some of his +hearers, that while he continued in the doctrinal part of his sermon, he +spoke very correct French, but when he came to his application, and when +his affections kindled, his fervor made him sometimes neglect the +accuracy of the French construction: But there were godly young men who +admonished him of this, which he took in very good part, so for +preventing mistakes of that kind, he desired the young gentlemen, when +they perceived him beginning to decline, to give him a sign, <i>viz.</i> that +they were to stand up; and thereafter he was more exact in his +expression through his whole sermon: So desirous was he, not only to +deliver good matter, but to recommend it in neat expression.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">146</a></span> +There were many times persons of great quality in his auditory, before +whom he was just as bold as ever he had been in a Scots village; which +moved Mr. Boyd of Trochrig once to ask him (after he had preached before +the university with Saumur with such boldness and authority as if he had +been before the meanest congregation), How he could be so confident +among strangers, and persons of such quality? To which he answered, That +he was so filled with the dread of God, he had no apprehensions from man +at all; and this answer, said Mr. Boyd, did not remove my admiration, +but rather increase it.</p> + +<p>There was in his house, amongst many others who boarded with him for +good education, a young gentleman of great quality, and suitable +expectations, and this was the heir of Lord Ochiltry, captain of the +Castle of Edinburgh. This young nobleman, after he had gained very much +upon Mr. Welch's affections, fell ill of a grievous sickness, and after +he had been long wasted with it, closed his eyes, and expired, to the +apprehension 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 more +conveniently dressed. This was to Mr. Welch a very great grief, and +therefore he stayed with the dead body full three hours, lamenting over +him with great tenderness. After twelve hours, the friends brought in a +coffin, whereinto they desired the corpse to be put, as the custom is; +but Mr. Welch desired, that for the satisfaction of his affections, they +would forbear it for a time, which they granted, and returned not till +twenty-four hours after his death were expired; then they desired, with +great importunity, that the corpse might be coffined, and speedily +buried, the weather being extremely hot; yet he persisted in his +request, earnestly begging them to excuse him once more; so they left +the corpse upon the pallet for full thirty-six hours; but even after all +that, though he was urged, not only with great earnestness, but +displeasure, they were constrained to forbear for twelve hours more. +After forty-eight hours were past, Mr. Welch still held out against +them, and then his friends perceiving that he believed the young man was +not really dead, but under some apoplectic fit, proposed to him, for his +satisfaction, that trial should be made upon his body by doctors and +chirurgeons, if possibly any spark of life might be found in him, and +with this he was content.—So the physicians are let to work, who +pinched him with pincers in the fleshy parts of his body, and twisted a +bow-string about his head with great force, but no sign of life +appearing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">147</a></span> in him, the physicians pronounced him stark dead, and then +there was no more delay to be made; yet Mr. Welch begged of them once +more, 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. Welch +fell down before the pallet, and cried to the Lord with all his might, +and sometimes looked upon the dead body, continuing in wrestling with +the Lord, till at length the dead youth opened his eyes, and cried out +to Mr. Welch, whom he distinctly knew, O Sir, I am all whole, but my +head and legs; and these were the places they had sore hurt with their +pinching.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Welch perceived this, he called upon his friends, and shewed +them the dead young man restored to life again, to their great +astonishment. And this young nobleman, though he lost the estate of +Ochiltry, lived to acquire a great estate in Ireland, and was Lord +Castle-Stuart, and a man of such excellent parts, that he was courted by +the earl of Stafford to be a councellor in Ireland; which he refused to +be, until the godly silenced Scottish ministers, who suffered under the +bishops in the north of Ireland, were restored to the exercise of their +ministry, and then he engaged, and continued to for all his life, not +only in honour and power, but in the profession and practice of +godliness, to the great comfort of the country where be lived. This +story the nobleman himself communicated to his friends in Ireland.</p> + +<p>While Mr. Welch was minister in one of these French villages, upon an +evening a certain popish friar travelling through the country, because +he could not find lodging in the whole village, addressed himself to Mr. +Welch's house for one night. The servants acquainted their master, and +he was content to receive this guest. The family had supped before he +came, and so the servants convoyed the friar to his chamber, and after +they had made his supper, they left him to his rest. There was but a +timber partition betwixt him and Mr. Welch, and after the friar had +slept his first sleep, he was surprized with the hearing of a silent, +but constant whispering noise, at which he wondered very much, and was +not a little troubled.</p> + +<p>The next morning he walked in the fields, where he chanced to meet with +a country man, who saluting him because of his habit, asked him, Where +he had lodged that night? The friar answered, He had lodged with the +hugenot minister. Then the country man asked him, what entertainment he +had? The friar answered, Very bad: for,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">148</a></span> said he, I always held, that +devils haunted these ministers houses, and I am persuaded there was one +with 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 devil +conversing together. The country man told him, he was much mistaken, and +that it was nothing else than the minister at his night prayer. O, said +the 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 with +him you may be satisfied. The friar got home to Mr. Welch's house, and +pretending indisposition, intreated another night's lodging, which was +granted him.</p> + +<p>Before dinner, Mr. Welch came from his chamber, and made his family +exercise, according to his custom. And first he sung a psalm, then read +a portion of scripture, and discoursed upon it, thereafter he prayed +with great fervor, to all which the friar was an astonished witness. +After exercise they went to dinner, where the friar was very civilly +entertained, Mr. Welch forbearing all question and dispute with him for +the time; when the evening came, Mr. Welch made exercise as he had done +in the morning, which occasioned more wonder to the friar, and after +supper they Went to bed; but the friar longed much to know what the +night whisper was, and therein he was soon satisfied, for after Mr. +Welch's first sleep, the noise began; then the friar resolved to be +certain what it was, and to that end he crept silently to Mr. Welch's +chamber-door, and there he heard not only the sound, but the words +distinctly, and communications betwixt man and God, such as he thought, +had not been in this world. The next morning, as soon as Mr. Welch was +ready, the friar went to him, and told him, that he had lived in +ignorance the whole of his life, but now he was resolved to adventure +his soul with Mr. Welch, and thereupon declared himself protestant: Mr. +Welch welcomed and encouraged him, and he continued a protestant to his +death.</p> + +<p>When Lewis XIII. king of France made war upon the protestants there, +because of their religion, the city of St. Jean d' Angely was besieged +by him with his whole army, and brought into extreme danger. Mr Welch +was minister of the town, and mightily encouraged the citizens to hold +out, assuring them, God would deliver them. In the time of the siege, a +cannon 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 made +stout<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">149</a></span> defence, till one of the king's gunners planted a great gun so +conveniently upon a rising ground, that therewith he could command the +whole wall upon which the townsmen made their greatest defence. Upon +this, they were constrained to forsake the whole wall in great terror, +and tho' they had several guns planted upon the wall, no man durst +undertake to manage them. This being told to Mr. Welch, he +notwithstanding encouraged them still to hold out, and running to the +wall, found the cannonier, who was a Burgundian, near the wall, him he +entreated to mount the wall, promising to assist him in person. The +cannonier told Mr. Welch, that they behoved to dismount the gun upon the +rising ground, else they were surely lost; Mr. Welch desired him to aim +well, and he would serve him, and God would help him; the gunner fell to +work, and Mr. Welch ran to fetch powder for a charge, but, as he was +returning, the king's gunner fired his piece, which carried the laddle +with the powder out of his hands: This did not discourage him, for +having left the laddle, he filled his hat with powder, wherewith the +gunner dismounted the king's gun at the first shot, and the citizens +returned to their post of defence.</p> + +<p>This discouraged the king so much, that he sent to the citizens to offer +them fair conditions, <i>viz.</i> That they should enjoy the liberty of their +religion, their civil privileges, and their walls should not be +demolished; the king only desired that he might enter the city in a +friendly 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. While +the king was in the city, Mr. Welch preached as usual, which offended +the French court, for while he was at sermon the king sent the duke de +Espernon to fetch him out of the pulpit into his presence. The duke went +with his guard, and when he entered the church where Mr. Welch was +preaching, Mr. Welch commanded to make way, and to place a seat that the +duke might hear the word of the Lord. The duke instead of interrupting +him, 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 not +the minister with him; and why he did not interrupt him? The duke +answered, Never man spake like this man, but he had brought him along +with him. Whereupon Mr. Welch is called, and when he had entered the +king's room, he kneeled and silently prayed for wisdom and assistance. +Thereafter the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">150</a></span> king challenged him, how he durst preach in that place, +since it was against the laws of France, that any man should preach +within the verge of his court? Mr. Welch answered, Sir, if you did +right, you would come and hear me preach, and make all France hear me +likewise. For, said he, I preach you must be saved by the death and +merits of Jesus Christ, and not your own; and I preach, that as you are +king of France, you are under the authority of no man on earth: Those +men, he said, whom you hear, subject you to the Pope of Rome, which I +will never do. The king replied, Well, well, you shall be my minister; +and, as some say, called him father, which is an honour bestowed upon +few of the greatest prelates in France: However, he was favourably +dismissed at that time, and the king also left the city in peace.</p> + +<p>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, and +they should no more escape; which accordingly came to pass, for the king +took the town, and commanded Vitry the captain of his guard to enter and +preserve his minister from all danger; then horses and waggons were +provided for Mr. Welch, to transport him and his family for Rochelle, +whither he went, and there sojourned for a time.</p> + +<p>After his flock in France was scattered, he obtained liberty to return +to England, and his friends intreated that he might have permission to +come to Scotland, because the physicians declared there was no other +method to preserve his life, but by the freedom he might have in his +native air. But to this king James would never yield, protesting he +would be unable to establish his beloved bishops in Scotland, if Mr. +Welch was permitted to return thither; so he languished at London a +considerable time; his disease was considered by some to have a tendency +to a sort of leprosy, physicians said he had been poisoned; a languor he +had together with a great weakness in his knees, caused by his continual +kneeling at prayer, by which it came to pass, that though he was able to +move his knees, and to walk, yet he was wholly insensible in them, and +the flesh became hard like a sort of horn. But when in the time of his +weakness, he was desired to remit somewhat of his excessive painfulness, +his answer was, He had his life of God, and therefore it should be spent +for him.</p> + +<p>His friends importuned king James very much, that if be might not return +to Scotland, at least he might have liberty to preach in London, which +he would not grant,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">151</a></span> till he heard all the hopes of life were past, and +then he allowed him liberty to preach, not fearing his activity.</p> + +<p>Then as soon as ever he heard he might preach, he greedily embraced this +liberty, and having access to a lecturer's pulpit, he went and preached +both long and fervently: which was his last performance: For after he +had 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 had +lived little more than fifty two years.</p> + +<p>During his sickness, he was so filled and overcome with the sensible +enjoyment 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 hold +no more."——</p> + +<p>If his diligence was great, so it may be doubted whether his sowing in +painfulness, or his harvest in success was greatest; for if either his +spiritual experiences in seeking the Lord, or his fruitfulness in +converting souls be considered, they will be found unparallelled in +Scotland; And many years after Mr. Welch's death, Mr. David Dickson, at +that time a flourishing minister at Irvine, was frequently heard to say, +when people talked to him of the success of his ministry, That the +grape-gleanings in Ayr, in Mr. Welch's time, were far above the vintage +of Irvine in his own. Mr. Welch in his preaching was spiritual and +searching, his utterance tender and moving, he did not much insist upon +scholastic purposes and made no shew of his learning. One of his +hearers, who was afterward minister at Moor-kirk in Kyle, used to say, +That no man could hear him and forbear weeping, his conveyance was so +affecting.</p> + +<p>There is a large volume of his sermons now in Scotland, only a few of +them have come to the press, nor did he ever appear in print, except in +his dispute with Abbot Brown, wherein he makes it appear, his learning +was not behind other virtues; and in another called Dr. Welch's +Armagaddon, supposed to have been printed in France, wherein he gives +his meditation upon the enemies of the church, and their destruction; +but the piece itself rarely to be found.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">152</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Robert_Boyd" id="Mr_Robert_Boyd"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Robert Boyd</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>He was first settled minister at Vertal in France, but was afterwards by +the interest of Sieur du Plessis translated to be professor of divinity +at Saumur, and some time after was invited home by king James and +settled principal of the college of Glasgow and minister of Govan, at +which place he ordinarily wrote his sermons in full, and yet when he +came to the pulpit he appeared with great life and power of affection. +While he was in France the popish controversy employed his thoughts, but +the church of Scotland engrossed almost his whole attention after his +return home, and he became a zealous friend and supporter of the more +faithful part of the ministry, against the usurpation of the bishops and +their ceremonies.</p> + +<p>But the prelatists knowing that the eminency of his place, his piety and +learning would influence many to take part with that way, they therefore +laboured with great assiduity, both by intreaties, threatenings and the +persuasions of some of his friends, in so much that he gave in a paper +to Law arch-bishop of Glasgow, in which he seemed in some sort to +acknowledge the pre-eminence of bishops, but he got no rest the next +night after this, being sore troubled for what he had done, he went back +and sought his paper again with tears, but the bishop pretended that he +had already sent it up to the king, so that he could not obtain it.</p> + +<p>Mr. Boyd, finding that from this time forward he could enjoy no peace in +this place, he demitted both, and was chosen principal of the college of +Edinburgh, and one of the ministers of that city; Dr. Cameron came into +his places at Glasgow in October 1622. Some of the other ministers of +Edinburgh, particularly one Ramsay, envied him on account of his high +reputation both as a preacher, and as a teacher (the well-affected part +of the people both in town and country crowding to his church), and gave +the king information against him as a non-conformist: the king sent a +letter December the 13th to the magistrates of the town, rebuking them +for admitting him, and commanding him to be removed: The magistrates +were not obedient to the command, and by a courtier intreated he might +be continued, but the king would not grant their request. Accordingly on +the last of January 1623, he renewed the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">153</a></span> order to remove him, and he +was in a little time after that turned out of his place and office.</p> + +<p>Some short time after this, bishop Law was again prevailed on to admit +Mr. Boyd to be minister of Paisley, for although no man was more +opposite to the Perth articles than Mr. Boyd, as he had refused +conformity to them both at Glasgow and Edinburgh, yet his learning and +prudence recommended him to the bishop's esteem. Here he remained in +security and peace until the earl of Abercorn's brother (a zealous +papist) 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, and +the court and bailies of Paisley having undertaken to repossess Mr. Boyd +again, and the gentleman professing his sorrow for what he had done, Mr. +Boyd interceeding with them for him, the council passed the matter over.</p> + +<p>But no sooner went he to take possession, than he found the church doors +secured, so that no access could be had, and though the magistrates +would have broke them open, yet the mob (urged on as was supposed by the +earl's mother) pressed so hard upon the good man, not only by +opprobrious speeches, but also threw stones at him as if he had been a +malefactor, that he was forced to fly to Glasgow, and afterwards, seeing +no prospect of a peaceable settlement at Paisley, he returned to his own +house at Trochrig in Carrick, where he (probably) continued to his +death, which was some years after.</p> + +<p>He was a man of great learning for that time, as his commentary on the +Ephesians testifies. He would sometimes say, If he had his choice of +languages wherein to deliver his sentiments it would be in Greek. He was +of an austere countenance and carriage, and yet very tender-hearted. He +had but a mean opinion of himself, but a high esteem of others in whom +he perceived any signs of grace and ingenuity. In the time of that +convincing and converting work of the Lord (commonly called Stuarton +sickness) he came from his own house in Carrick, and met with many of +the people; and having conversed with them, he heartily blessed the Lord +for the grace that was given unto them.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">154</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Robert_Bruce" id="Mr_Robert_Bruce"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Robert Bruce</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Robert Bruce was born about the year 1554. He was second son to the +laird of Airth (of whom he had the estate of Kinnaird), who being at +that 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 his +better accomplishment, sent him to France to study the civil law. After +his return home, his father injoined him to wait upon some affairs of +his that were then before the court of session, as he had got a patent +insured for his being one of these lords. But God's thoughts being not +as mens thoughts, and having other designs with him, he began then to +work mightily upon his conscience, that he could get no rest till he was +suffered to attend Mr. Andrew Melvil at St. Andrews to study divinity +under him; but to this his mother was averse, for she would not +condescend until he first gave up some lands and casualities wherein he +was infest: This he most willingly did, and shaking off all impediments +he fully resolved upon an employment more fitted to the serious turn of +his mind.</p> + +<p>He went to St. Andrews sometime before Mr. Andrew Melvil left the +country, and continued there until his return. Here he wanted not some +sharp conflicts on this head, insomuch that upon a certain time, walking +in the fields with that holy and religious man Mr. James Melvil, he said +to him, "Before I throw myself again into such torment of conscience +which I have had in resisting the call to the ministry, I would rather +choose to walk through a fire of brimstone, even tho' it were half a +mile in length." After he was accomplished for the ministry, Mr. Andrew +Melvil perceiving how the Lord wrought with him, brought him over to the +general assembly in 1587, and moved the church of Edinburgh to call him +to a charge there.</p> + +<p>And although he was moved by some brethren to accept the charge of the +ministry in place of Mr. James Lawson, yet he could not be prevailed +upon to take the charge <i>simpliciter</i> (although he was willing to bestow +his labour thereon for a time), until by the joint advice of the +ministry of the city, and this stratagem, he was as it were trapped into +it: thus, on a time, when the sacrament was to be dispensed at +Edinburgh, one of the ministers desired Mr. Bruce,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">155</a></span> who was to preach in +the afternoon, to sit by him, and after he had served two or three +tables, he went out of the church, as if he had been to return in a +little, but instead of that he sent notice to Mr. Bruce, that unless he +served the rest of the tables the work behoved to stop; Mr. Bruce not +knowing but the minister had been seized on a sudden with some kind of +sickness, and, the eyes of all the people being fixed on him, many +intreating him to supply the minister's place, he proceeded to the +administration of the remainder, and that with such assistance to +himself and emotion amongst the people, that the like had never before +been seen in that place.</p> + +<p>When he was afterward urged by the rest of his brethren to receive, in +the ordinary way, the imposition of hands, he refused it, because he +wanted not the material part of ordination, <i>viz.</i> the call of the +people and the approbation of the ministry, and besides he had already +celebrated the sacrament of the supper, which was not, by a new +ordination to be made void.——So having made trial of the work, and +found the blessing of God upon his labours, he accepted the charge, and +was from that time forth principal actor in the affairs of the church, +and a constant and strenuous maintainer of the established doctrine and +discipline thereof.</p> + +<p>While he was minister at Edinburgh he shined as a great light through +all these parts of the land, the power and efficacious energy of the +Spirit accompanying the word preached by him in a most sensible manner, +so that he was a terror to evil doers, the authority of God appearing +with him, in so much that he forced fear and respect even from the +greatest in the land. Even king James himself and his court had such +high thoughts of him, that when he went to bring home his queen <i>anno</i> +1590, at his departure, he expressly desired Mr. Bruce to acquaint +himself with the affairs of the country and the proceedings of the +council, professing that he reposed more in him than the rest of his +brethren, or even all his nobles; and indeed in this his hopes were not +disappointed, for the country was more quiet during his absence than +either before or afterward: In gratitude for which Mr. Bruce received a +congratulatory letter dated February 19th, 1590, wherein the king +acknowledgeth, "He would be obligated to him all his life for the pains +he had taken in his absence to keep his subjects in good order." Yea, it +is well known that the king had that esteem for Mr. Bruce, that, upon a +certain time before many witnesses, he gave him this testimony,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">156</a></span> That he +judged him worthy of the half of his kingdom; but he proved in this, as +in others of his fair promises, no slave to his word, for not many +year's after he obliged this good man, for his faithfulness, to depart +and leave the kingdom.</p> + +<p>Mr. Bruce being a man of public spirit and heroic mind, was always on +that account pitched upon to deal in matters of high moment, and amongst +other things, upon the 19th of November 1596, he, Messrs. Andrew Melvil +and John Davidson, were directed by the counsel of the brethren, to deal +with the queen concerning her religion, and, for want of religious +exercises and virtuous occupation amongst her maids to move her to hear +now and then the instructions of godly and discreet men; they went to +her, but were refused admittance until another time.</p> + +<p>About the same time he was sent to the king then sitting with the lords +in session, to present some articles for redress of the wrongs then done +to the church; but, in the mean time, a bustle falling out at Edinburgh +by the mob, he removed to Linlithgow. Upon the Sabbath following, Mr. +Bruce preaching upon the 51st psalm said, "The removal of your ministers +is at hand, our lives shall be bitterly fought after, but ye shall see +with your eyes, that God shall guard us, and be our buckler and defence +<i>&c.</i>" and the day following, this was in part accomplished, for the +king sent a charge from Linlithgow to Mr. Bruce and the rest of the +ministers of Edinburgh, to enter in ward at the castle there within six +hours after the proclamation, under pain of horning. The rest of the +ministers, knowing the king's anger was kindled against them, thought +proper to withdraw, but Mr. Bruce knowing his own innocency, stayed, and +gave in an apology for himself and the rest of his faithful brethren. In +April 13th 1599, the king returned to Edinburgh, and was entertained in +the house of Mr. Bruce, although he himself was not yet released.</p> + +<p>But all this was nothing more than the drops before the shower, or as +the 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 to +give praise to God in public for the kings deliverance from the +pretended conspiracy in the year 1600, until he was better ascertained +of the fact, he not only discharged him from preaching in Edinburgh, but +also obliged him to leave the kingdom. When he embarked at the queen's +ferry on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">157</a></span> 3d of November the same year, there appeared such a great +light as served him and the company to sail, although it was near +midnight. He arrived at Dieppe on the eight of November.</p> + +<p>And although, by the king's permission, he returned home the year +following, yet because he would not, (1.) Acknowledge Gowrie's +conspiracy; (2.) Purge the king in such places as he should appoint; and +(3.) Crave pardon of the king for his long distrust and disobedience, +<i>&c.</i> he could not be admitted to his place and office again, but was +commanded by the king to keep ward in his own house of Kinnaird. After +the king's departure to England, he had some respite for about a year or +more, but in the year 1605, he was summoned to compear at Edinburgh on +the 29th of February, before the commission of the general assembly, to +hear and see himself removed from his function at Edinburgh; they had +before, in his absence, decerned his place vacant, but now they +intimated the sentence, and Livingston had a commission from the king to +see it put in execution; he appealed; they prohibited him to preach; but +he obeyed not. In July thereafter, he was advertized by chancellor +Seaton, 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 him +to desist for nine or ten days; to which he consented, thinking it but +of small moment for so short a time. But he quickly knew, how deep the +smallest deviation from his Master's cause and interest might go; for +that night (as he himself afterward declared) his body was cast into a +fever, with such terror of conscience, that be promised and fully +resolved to obey their commands no more.</p> + +<p>Upon the 18th of August following, he was charged to enter in ward at +Inverness, within the space of ten days, under pain of horning, which he +obeyed upon the 17th following. And in this place he remained for the +space of four years, teaching every Wednesday and Sabbath forenoon, and +was exercised in reading public prayers every other night, in which his +labours were blessed, for this dark country was wonderfully illuminated, +and many brought to Christ by means of his ministry, and a seed sown in +these remote places, which remained for many years afterwards.</p> + +<p>When he returned from Inverness to his own house, and though his son had +obtained a licence for him, yet here he could find nothing but grief and +vexation, especially from the ministers of the presbyteries of Stirling +and Linlithgow,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">158</a></span> and all for curbing the vices some of them were subject +to.—At last he obtained liberty of the council to transport his family +to another house he had at Monkland, but, because of the bishop of +Glasgow, he was forced to retire back again to Kinnaird. Thus this good +man was tossed about, and obliged to go from place to place.</p> + +<p>In this manner he continued, until he was by the king's order summoned +before the council in September the 19th, 1621, to answer for +transgressing the law of his confinement, <i>&c.</i> When he compeared, he +pleaded the favour granted him by his majesty when in Denmark, and +withal purged himself of the accusation laid against him, and yet +notwithstanding of all these (said he), the king hath exhausted both my +estate and person, and has left me nothing but my life, and that +apparently he is seeking; I am prepared to suffer any punishment, only I +am careful not to suffer as a malefactor or evil doer.——A warrant was +delivered to him to enter in ward in the castle of Edinburgh, where he +continued till the first January; the bishops absented from the council +that day, however they were his delators. He was again brought before +the council, where the king's will was intimate to him, <i>viz.</i> That he +should return to his own house until the 21st of April, and then +transport himself again to Inverness, and remain within four miles +thereof during the king's pleasure.</p> + +<p>Here he remained, for the most part, until September 1624, when he +obtained licence again to return from his confinement to settle some of +his domestic affairs; the condition of his licence was so strait, that +he purposed with himself to return back to Inverness, but in the mean +time the king died, and so he was not urged to go back to his +confinement; and although king Charles I. did again renew this charge +against him some years after this, yet he continued mostly in his own +house, preaching and teaching wherever he had occasion.</p> + +<p>About this time the parish of Larber, having neither church nor stipend, +Mr. Bruce repaired the church and discharged all the parts of the +ministry there, and many besides the parish attended upon his ministry +at that place with great success; and it would appear, that about this +time Mr. Henderson then minister at Leuchars, (afterward the famous +Henderson) was at first converted by his ministry.</p> + +<p>At this place it was his custom after the first sermon to retire by +himself some time for private prayer, and on a time some noblemen who +had far to ride, sent the beadle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">159</a></span> to learn if there was any appearance +of his coming in;—the man returned, saying, I think he shall not come +out this day, for I overheard him say to another, "I protest, I will not +go 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 gospel +of Christ; for his very speech was with much evidence and demonstration +of the Spirit. It was easy for his hearers to perceive that he had been +in the mount with God, and that indeed he had brought that God whom had +met in private, <i>unto his mother's house, and unto the chambers of her +that conceived him</i>.</p> + +<p>Mr. Bruce was also a man who had somewhat of the spirit of discerning +future events, and did prophetically speak of several things that +afterward came to pass, yea, and divers persons distracted (says an +author<a name="FNanchor_52" id="FNanchor_52"></a><a href="#Footnote_52" class="fnanchor">[52]</a>) and those who were past recovery with the epileptical +disease, or falling sickness, were brought to Mr. Bruce, and were, after +prayer by him in their behalf, fully restored from that malady. This may +seem strange (but true), for he was such a wrestler with God, and had +more than ordinary familiarity with him.</p> + +<p>Some time before his death, being then at Edinburgh, where through +weakness he often kept his chamber, whither a meeting of godly +ministers, anent some matter of church-concernment, (hearing he was in +town), 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 very +substance of their discourse (which was a very sad representation of the +case of the church), all which time there was an extraordinary motion in +all present, and such a sensible down-pouring of the Spirit, that they +could hardly contain themselves. Mr. Weemes of Lathockar being +occasionally 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 with +his fingers upon the table.</p> + +<p>About this time he related a strange dream; how he had seen a long broad +book with black boards, flying in the air, with many black fowls like +Crows flying about it; and as it touched any of them, they fell down +dead; upon which he heard an audible voice speak to him, saying, <i>Hæc +est ira<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">160</a></span> Dei contra pastores ecclesiæ Scoticanæ</i>; upon which he fell +a-weeping and praying that he might be kept faithful, and not be one of +these who were thus struck down by a torch of his wrath, through +deserting the truth. He said, when he awakened, he found his pillow all +wet and drenched with tears.—The accomplishment of this dream, I need +not describe: all acquainted with our church-history, know, that soon +after that, prelacy was introduced into Scotland. Bishops set up, and +with them ushered in Popish and Arminian tenets, with all manner of +corruptions and profanity, which continued in Scotland a number of +years.</p> + +<p>One time, says Mr. Livingston, I went to Edinburgh to see him, in the +company of the tutor of Bonington. When we called on him at eight +o'clock in the morning, he told us, He was not for any company, and when +we urged him to tell us the cause, he answered, That when he went to bed +he had a good measure of the Lord's presence, and that he had wrestled +with him about an hour or two before we came in, and had not yet got +access; and so we left him. At another time I went to his house, but saw +him not till very late; when he came out of his closet, his face was +foul with weeping, and he told me, That, that day, he had been thinking +on what torture and hardships Dr. Leighton our country-man had been put +to at London<a name="FNanchor_53" id="FNanchor_53"></a><a href="#Footnote_53" class="fnanchor">[53]</a>; and added, If I had been faithful, I might have had +the pillory, and some of my blood shed for Christ as well as he; but he +hath got the crown from us all. I heard him once say, faith be, I would +desire no more at my first appeal from king James, but one hour's +converse with him: I know he hath a conscience; I made him once weep +bitterly at Holyrood-house. About the year——, I heard him say, I +wonder how I am kept so long here; I have lived<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">161</a></span> two years already in +violence; meaning that he was then much beyond seventy years of age<a name="FNanchor_54" id="FNanchor_54"></a><a href="#Footnote_54" class="fnanchor">[54]</a>.</p> + +<p>When the time of his death drew near (which was in the month of August +1631), through age and infirmity he was mostly confined to his chamber, +where he was frequently visited by his friends and acquaintances; and +being on a certain time asked by one of them, How matters stood betwixt +God and his soul? He made this return, "When I was young, I was +diligent, and lived by faith on the Son of God; but now I am old, and am +not able to do so much, yet he condescends to feed me with lumps of +sense." And that morning before he was removed, his sickness being +mostly a weakness through age, he came to breakfast and having as usual +eaten an egg, he said to his daughters "I think I am yet hungry, ye may +bring me another egg." But instantly thereafter, falling into deep +meditation, and after having mused a little he said, "Hold, daughter, my +Master calls me." With these words his sight failed him; and called for +his family bible, but finding his sight had failed him, he said, "Cast +up to me the eight chapter of the epistle to the Romans, and set my +fingers on these words, <i>I am persuaded that neither death nor life</i>, +&c. <i>shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in +Christ Jesus my Lord.</i> Now, said he, is my finger upon them?" and being +told it was, he said, "Now God be with you my children; I have +breakfasted with you, and shall sup with my Lord Jesus Christ this +night." And so like Abraham of old, he gave up the ghost in a good +age<a name="FNanchor_55" id="FNanchor_55"></a><a href="#Footnote_55" class="fnanchor">[55]</a>, and was gathered to his people.</p> + +<p>In this manner did this occidental star set in our horizon. There was +none, in his time, who did speak with such evidence of the power of the +Spirit; and no man had more seals of his ministry, yea many of his +hearers thought, that no man since the apostles days ever spoke with +such power. And although he was no Boanerges (as being of a slow but +grave delivery), yet he spoke with such authority and weight as became +the oracles of the living God: so that some of the most stout-hearted of +his hearers were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">162</a></span> ordinarily made to tremble, and by having this door +which had formerly been shut against Jesus Christ, as by an irresistable +power broke open and the secrets of their hearts made manifest, they +often times went away under deep convictions. He had a very majestic +countenance, in prayer he was short, especially when in public, but +every word or sentence he spoke was as a bolt shot from heaven; he spent +much of his time in private prayer. He had a very notable faculty in +searching the scriptures, and explaining the most obscure mysteries +therein, and was a man who had much inward exercise of conscience anent +his own personal case, and was oftentimes assaulted anent that grand +fundamental truth, The being of a God, insomuch that it was almost +customary to him to say when he first spoke in the pulpit, "I think it a +great matter to believe there is a God," and by this he was the more +fitted to deal with others under the like temptations.<a name="FNanchor_56" id="FNanchor_56"></a><a href="#Footnote_56" class="fnanchor">[56]</a></p> + +<p>Mr. Bruce was also an eloquent and substantial writer, as the +forementioned apology, and his excellent letters to M. Espignol, the +duke of Parma, Col. Semple, <i>&c.</i> doth copiously evidence, Argal's +sleep, <i>&c.</i> He was also deeply affected with the public cause and +interest of Jesus Christ, and much depressed in spirit when he beheld +the naughtiness and profanity of many ministers then in the church, and +the unsuitable carriage and deportment of others to so great a calling, +which made him express himself with much fear, that the ministry in +Scotland would prove the greatest persecutors it had, which so lately +came to pass.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Josias_Welch" id="Mr_Josias_Welch"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Josias Welch</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Josias Welch was a younger son to the famous Mr. John Welch sometime +minister of the gospel at Ayr, and Elizabeth Knox daughter to the great +Mr. John Knox, who was minister at Edinburgh, from whom he received a +most liberal and religious education. But what enhanced his reputation +more, was, that he was, heir to his father's graces and virtues. And +although he had received all the branches of useful learning in order<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">163</a></span> +for the ministry, yet, prelacy being then prevalent in Scotland, he was +detained for some time from that function, seeing he was not clear in +his own mind to enter into that office by the door of episcopacy. But +some time after, it so fell out, that meeting with worthy Mr. Blair, +(who was then settled a minister at Bangor in Ireland) he finding how +zealous a spirit Mr. Welch was of, exhorted and solicited him much to +hasten over there, where he would find work enough, and he hoped success +likewise, which accordingly came to pass, for upon his going thither he +was highly honoured and provided of the Lord to bring the covenant of +grace to the people at the six-mile water, (on whom Mr. Glendining +formerly minister there had wrought some legal convictions) and having +preached sometime at Oldstone, he was settled at Temple-Patrick, where +he with great vigilance and diligence exercised his office, which by the +blessing of God upon his labours, gained him many seals of his ministry.</p> + +<p>But the devil envying the success of the gospel in that quarter, stirred +up the prelatical clergy, whereupon the bishop of Down, in May 1632, +caused cite him, Messrs. Blair, Livingston and Dumbar before him, and +urged them to conform and give their subscription to that effect, but +they answered with great boldness, That there was no law nor canon in +that kingdom requiring this; yet notwithstanding they were all four +deposed by him from the office of the holy ministry.</p> + +<p>After this, Mr. Welch continued for some time preaching in his own +house, where he had a large auditory, and such was his desire to gain +souls to Christ, that he commonly stood in a door looking towards a +garden, that so he might be heard without as well as within, by means of +which, being of a weakly constitution, he contracted such a cold as +occasioned his death in a short time thereafter.</p> + +<p>He continued in this way, until May 1634, when by the intercession of +Lord Castle-Stuart with the king in their behalf, the foresaid ministers +received a grant from the bishop of six months liberty, which freedom +none more willingly embraced than Mr. Welch, but he had preached only a +few weeks in his own pulpit before he sickened, and the Sabbath +afternoon before his death, which was on the Monday following. "I heard +of his sickness," saith Mr. Livingston, "and came to him about eleven +o'clock at night, and Mr. Blair came about two hours thereafter. He had +many gracious discourses, as also some wrestling and exercise of mind. +One time cried out, Oh for hypocrisy;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">164</a></span> on which Mr. Blair said, See how +Satan is nibbling at his heels before he enter into glory. A very little +before he died, being at prayer by his bed-side, and the word victory +coming out of my mouth, he took hold of my hand and desiring me to +forbear a little, and clapping his hands, cried out, Victory, victory, +victory for ever more, then he desired me to go on, and in a little +expired—on the 23d of June 1634."</p> + +<p>Thus died the pious and faithful Mr. Josias Welch, in the flower of his +youth, leaving only one son behind him, <i>viz.</i> Mr. John Welch, who was +afterward minister at Irongray in Galloway.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="John_Gordon_Viscount_Kenmuir" id="John_Gordon_Viscount_Kenmuir"></a><i>The Life of <span class="smcap">John Gordon Viscount Kenmuir</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>John Gordon of Lochinvar (afterwards viscount Kenmuir) was born about +the year 1599. He received a reasonable measure of education, and yet, +through the circumstance of his birth, the corruption of the age, but +above all the depravity of nature, and want of restraining grace in his +younger years, he became somewhat irreligious and profane, which, when +he arrived at manhood, broke out into more gross acts of wickedness, and +yet all the while the Lord never left him altogether without a check or +witness in his conscience, yet sometimes when at ordinances, +particularly sacramental occasions, he would be filled with some sense +of sin, which being borne powerfully in upon his soul, he was scarce +able to hold out against it. But for a long time he was a stranger to +true and saving conversion. The most part of his life after he advanced +in years, he spent like the rich man in the gospel, casting down barns +and building greater ones, for at his houses of Rusco and Kenmuir he was +much employed in building, parking, planting, and seeking worldly +honours.</p> + +<p>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 some +children, two at least, one of whom it appears died about the beginning +of the year 1635, for we find Mr. Rutherford in one of his letters, +about that time, comforting this noble lady upon such a mournful +occasion.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">165</a></span> +In the year 1633, Charles I. to honour his coronation, in the place of +his birth and first parliament, dignified many of the Scots nobility and +gentry with higher titles, and places of office and honour, among whom +was Sir John Gordon, who upon the eighth of May was created Viscount +Kenmuir and Lord Gordon of Lochinvar<a name="FNanchor_57" id="FNanchor_57"></a><a href="#Footnote_57" class="fnanchor">[57]</a>.</p> + +<p>Accordingly the viscount came to the parliament which sat down at +Edinburgh June 16th 1633, and was present the first day, but stayed only +a few days thereafter, for being afraid to displease the king, from whom +he had both received some, and expected more honours, and not having the +courage to glorify God by his presence, when his cause was at stake, +deserted the parliament under pretence of indisposition of body, and +returned home to his house at Kenmuir in Galloway, and there slept +securely for about a year without check of conscience, till August 1634, +that his affairs occasioned his return to Edinburgh, where he remained +some days, not knowing that with the ending of his affairs he was to end +his life. He returned home with some alteration of bodily health, and +from that day his sickness increased until September 12th ensuing, which +was the day of his death.</p> + +<p>But the Lord had other thoughts than that this nobleman should die +without some sense of his sin, or yet go out of this world +unobserved.—And therefore it pleased him with his bodily affliction to +shake his soul with fears, making him sensible of the power of eternal +wrath, for his own good, and for an example to others in after-ages +never to wrong their own consciences, or to be wanting to the cause or +interest of God, when he gives them an opportunity to that purpose.</p> + +<p>Upon the Sabbath August 31st, being much weakened, he was visited by a +religious and learned minister who then lived in Galloway not far from +the house of Kenmuir, his lordship much rejoiced at his coming, +observing the all-ruling providence in sending him such a man (who had +been abroad from Galloway some time) sooner home than he expected. After +supper his lordship drew on a conference with the minister, shewing he +was much taken up with the fears of death, and extremity of pain. "I +never dreamed, said he, that death had such a terrible, austere and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">166</a></span> +gloomy countenance. I dare not die, howbeit I know I must die. What +shall I do, for I dare not venture in gripes with death, because I find +my sins grievous and so many that I fear my account is out of order, and +not so as becomes a dying man."</p> + +<p>The minister for some time discoursed to him anent this weakness of +nature, which was in all men, believers not excepted, which made them +afraid 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, "My +lord, I fear more the ground of your fear of death, which is (as you +say) the consciousness of your sins, for there can be no plea betwixt +you and your Lord if your sins be not taken away in Christ, and +therefore make that sure, and fear not." My lord answered, "I have been +too late in coming to God, and have deferred the time of making my +account, 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 never +got in."</p> + +<p>The minister having resumed somewhat both of his own and his father's +sins, particularly their cares for this world and worldly honours, and +thinking his lordship designed to extenuate his fault in this, he drew +several weighty propositions in way of conference about the fears of +death and his eternal all, which depended upon his being in or out of +Christ, and obtested him in these words,—"Therefore I intreat you, my +lord, 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, and +venture not into eternity without a certificate under Jesus Christ's +hand, because it is said of the hypocrite, Job xx. 11. <i>He lieth down in +the grave, and his bones are full of the sins of his youth.</i>"</p> + +<p>My lord replied, "When I begin to look upon my life, I think all is +wrong in it, and the lateness of my reckoning affrighteth me, therefore +stay with me, and shew me the marks of a child of God, for you must be +my second in this combat and wait upon me." His lady answered, "You must +have 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 of +grace, for while I be resolved my fears will still overburthen me." The +minister said, "My lord, scarcely or never doth a cast-a-way anxiously +and 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 any +reprobate in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">167</a></span> hell, but he would with all his heart have the kingdom of +heaven." The minister having explained the different desires in +reprobates, his lordship said, "You never saw any tokens of true grace +in me, and that is my great and only fear."</p> + +<p>The minister said, "I was indeed sorry to see you so fearfully carried +away with temptation, and you know, I gave you faithful warning that it +would come to this. I wish your soul was deeply humbled for sin; but to +your demand, I thought you ever had a love for the saints, even to the +poorest, who carried Christ's image, altho' they could never serve nor +profit you in any way, 1 John iii. 14. <i>By this we know we are +translated from death unto life</i>, &c." And at last with this mark after +some objections he seemed convinced. The minister asked him, "My lord, +dare you now quit your part in Christ, and subscribe an absolute +resignation of him?" My lord said, "O Sir, that is too hard, I hope he +and 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 minister +called and sent of God from an hirling?" The minister allowed it to be a +good mark, and cited John x. 4. <i>My sheep know my voice.</i></p> + +<p>At the second conference the minister urged deep humiliation. He +acknowledged 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 have +been." The minister advised him "to be jealous of himself, but not of +Jesus Christ, there being no meeting betwixt them without a sense of +sin," Isa. lxi. 2, 3. Whereupon my lord said with a deep sigh +accompanied with tears, "God send me that," and thereafter reckoned out +a certain number of his sins, which were as serpents or crocodiles +before his eyes. The minister told him, "that death and him were yet +strangers, and hoped he would tell another tale ere all the play be +ended, and you shall think death a sweet messenger to carry you to your +Father's house." He said with tears, "God make it so," and desired him +to pray.</p> + +<p>At the third conference he said, "Death bindeth me strait. O how sweet a +thing it is to seek God in health, and in time of prosperity to make our +accounts, for now I am so distempered that I cannot get my heart framed +to 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 and +death, seeing it is a temptation."——He answered, "I have taken the +play long.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">168</a></span> God hath given me thirty-five years to repent, but alas! I +have mispent it:" and with that he covered his face and wept. The +minister assured him, that although his day was far spent, yet he +behoved in the afternoon, yea when near evening, to run fast, and not to +lie in the field, and miss his lodging, upon which he, with uplifted +eyes, 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 answered +nothing; yet within an hour he prayed before him and his own lady very +devoutly, 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 thou +come out and take me in; I dare not speak; I look up to thee, and look +for one kiss of Christ's fair face. O when wilt thou come!"</p> + +<p>At the fourth conference he charged the minister to go to a secret place +and pray for him, and do it not for the fashion; I know, said he, prayer +will 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, +<i>that I am sick of love</i>." The minister desired if they should seek life +or recovery, he said, "Yea, if it be God's good pleasure, for I find my +fear of death now less, and I think God is now loosing the root of the +deep-grown tree of my soul so firmly fastened to this life." The +minister told him, If it were so, he behoved to covenant with God in +dedicating himself and all he had to God and his service, to which he +heartily consented, and after the minister had recited several +scriptures for that purpose, such as Psal. lxxviii. 36. <i>&c.</i> He took +the 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 turned +over, and cried often for one love blink, "O Son of God, for one sight +of thy face."</p> + +<p>When the minister told him his prayers were heard, he took hold of his +hand and drew him to him, and said with a sigh, Good news indeed, and +desired him and others to tell him what access they had got to God in +Christ for his soul,—They told him they had got access, at which he +rejoiced, and said, "Then will I believe and wait on, I cannot think but +my beloved is coming leaping over the hills."</p> + +<p>When friends or others came to visit him, whom he knew feared God, he +would cause them go and pray for him, and sent some of them expresly to +the wood of Kenmuir on that errand. After some cool of a fever (as was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">169</a></span> +thought), he caused one of his attendants call for the minister, to whom +he said smiling, "Rejoice now, for he is come. O! if I had a tongue to +tell the world what Jesus Christ hath done for my soul."</p> + +<p>And yet after all this, conceiving hopes of recovery, he became more +careless, remiss, and dead, for some days, and seldom called for the +minister (though, he would not suffer him to go home to his flock), +which his lady and others perceiving went to the physician, and asked +his judgment anent him.——He plainly told them, There was nothing but +death for him if his flux returned, as it did. This made the minister go +to him and give him faithful warning of his approaching danger, telling +him, his glass was shorter than he was aware of, and that Satan would be +glad to steal his soul out of the world sleeping; this being seconded by +the physician, he took the minister by the hand, thanked him for his +faithful and plain dealing, and acknowledged the folly of his deceiving +heart in looking over his affection to this life when he was so fairly +once on his journey toward heaven; then ordered them all to leave the +chamber except the minister, and causing him to shut the door, he +conferred with him anent the state of his soul.</p> + +<p>After prayer the minister told him, He feared that his former joy had +not been well grounded, neither his humiliation deep enough, and +therefore desired him to dig deeper, representing his offence both +against the first and second table of the law, <i>&c.</i> whereupon his +lordship reckoned out a number of great sins, and, amongst the rest, +freely confessed his sin in deserting the last parliament, saying, "God +knoweth I did it with fearful wrestling of conscience, my light paying +me home within, when I seemed to be glad and joyful before men, <i>&c.</i>" +The minister being struck with astonishment at this reckoning after such +fair appearance of sound marks of grace in his soul, stood up and read +the first eight verses in the 6th of the epistle to the Hebrews and +discoursed thereon, then cited Rev. xxi. <i>But the fearful and +unbeliever</i>, &c. and told him he had not one word of mercy from the Lord +to him, and so turned his back, at which he cried out with tears (that +they heard him at some distance) saying, "God armed is coming against me +to beat out my brains; I would die; I dare not die; I would live; I dare +not live; O what a burthen is the hand of an angry God! Oh! what shall I +do! Is there no hope of mercy?" In this agony he lay for some time. Some +said, The minister would kill him,—Others, He would make him despair. +But he bore with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">170</a></span> them, and went to a secret place, where he sought +words from God to speak to this patient.</p> + +<p>After this another minister came to visit him, to whom he said, "He hath +slain me," and before the minister could answer for himself said, "Not +he, but the Spirit of God in him." The minister said, Not I, but the law +hath slain you, and withal told him of the process the Lord had against +the 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. But +the former minister<a name="FNanchor_58" id="FNanchor_58"></a><a href="#Footnote_58" class="fnanchor">[58]</a> went still upon wrath, telling him, He knew he +was extremely pained both in body and mind, but what would he think of +the lake of fire and brimstone, of everlasting burning and of utter +darkness with the devil and his angels. My lord answered, "Woe is me, if +I should suffer my thoughts to dwell upon it any time, it were enough to +cause me go out of my senses, but I pray you, what shall I do?" The +minister told him he was still in the same situation, only the sentence +was 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 of +condemnation 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? He +answered, "God knoweth I durst not challenge him, howbeit he should slay +me, I will still love him; yea though the Lord should slay me, yet will +I trust in him, I will ly down at God's feet, let him trample upon me, I +will die, if I die, at Christ's feet." The minister, finding him +claiming 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, Is +it possible, my lord, that you can love and long for Christ, and he not +love and long for you? Can love and kindness stand only on your side? Is +your poor love more than infinite love, seeing he hath said Isa. xlix. +15. <i>Can a woman forget</i>, &c.? My lord, be persuaded yourself, you are +graven upon the palms of God's hands. Upon this, he, with a hearty +smile, looked about to a gentleman (one of his attendants) and said, I +am written, man, upon the palms of Christ's hands, he will not forget +me, is not this brave talking.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">171</a></span> +Afterwards the minister, finding him weaker, said, My lord, the marriage +day is drawing near; make ready; set aside all care of your estate and +the world, and give yourself to meditation and prayer and spiritual +conference. After that he was observed to be still upon that exercise, +and when none were near him, he was found praying; yea, when to +appearance sleeping, he was overheard to be engaged in that duty. After +some sleep, he called for one of his kinsmen with whom he was not +reconciled, and also for a minister who had before offended him, that +they might be friends again, which was done quickly. To the preacher he +said, "I have ground of offence against you, as a natural man, and now I +do 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 therefore +freely forgive you as I would wish you to forgive me. You are in an +eminent station, walk before God and be faithful to your calling; take +heed to your steps; walk in the right road; hold your eye right; for all +the world decline not from holiness; and take example by me." To his +cousin he said, "Serve the Lord, and follow not the footsteps of your +father-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 thousandth +part of the world know not that they have a soul: The world liveth +without any sense of God."</p> + +<p>He desired the minister to sleep in a bed made upon the ground in the +chamber by him, and urged him to take a sleep, saying, "You and I have a +far journey to go; make ready for it." Four nights before his death, he +would drink a cup of wine to the minister, who said, "Receive it, my +lord, 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 cup +was in his hand, with a smiling countenance he said "I think I have good +cause to drink with a good will to you." After some heaviness the +minister said, "My lord, I have good news to tell you.——Be not afraid +of death and judgment, because the process that your Judge had against +you is cancelled and rent in pieces, and Christ hath trampled it under +his 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 once +met, and will he not come again." The minister said, "You have gotten +the first fruit of the Spirit, the earnest thereof, and Christ will not +lose his earnest, therefore the bargain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">172</a></span> betwixt him and you holdeth." +Then he asked, What is Christ like, that I may know him? The minister +answered, He is like love, and altogether lovely, Cantic. v. <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>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?" He +answered, "God knoweth I would forget my pain, and thrust him to my +heart, yea if I had my heart in the palm of my hand I would give it to +him, and think it a gift too unworthy of him." He complained of Jesus +Christ in coming and going—"I find, said he, my soul drowned in +heaviness; when the Lord cometh he stayeth not long." The minister said, +"Wooers dwell not together, but married folk take up house and sunder +not, Jesus Christ is now wooing and therefore he feedeth his own with +hunger; which is as growing meat as the sense of his presence." He said +often, "Son of God, when wilt thou come; God is not a man that he should +chance, or as the son of man that he should repent. Them that come to +Christ he casteth not away, but raiseth them up at the last day." He was +heard to say in his sleep, "My beloved is mine, and I am his." Being +asked if he had been sleeping? he said, he had, but he remembered he had +been giving a claim to Christ <i>&c.</i> He asked, "When will my heart be +loosed and my tongue untied, that I may express the sweetness of the +love of God to my own soul;" and before the minister answered any thing, +he answered himself, "Even when the wind bloweth."</p> + +<p>At another time, being asked his judgment anent the ceremonies then used +in the church; he answered, "I think and am persuaded in my conscience +they are superstitious, idolatrous and antichristian, and come from +hell. I repute it a mercy that my eyes shall not see the desolation that +shall come upon this poor church. It is plain popery that is coming +among you. God help you, God forgive the nobility, for they are either +very cold in defending the true religion, or ready to welcome popery, +whereas they should resist; and woe be to a dead time-serving and +profane ministry."</p> + +<p>He called his lady, and a gentleman come from the east country to visit +him, and caused shut the door; then from his bed directed his speech to +the gentleman thus, "I ever found you faithful and kind to me in my +life, therefore I must now give you a charge which you shall deliver to +all noblemen you are acquainted with; go through<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">173</a></span> them and show them +from me that I have found the weight of the wrath of God for not giving +testimony for the Lord my God, when I had occasion once in my life at +the last parliament, for which fault how fierce have I found the wrath +of the Lord! My soul hath raged and roared; I have been grieved at the +remembrance of it. Tell them that they will be as I am now, encourage my +friends that stood for the Lord; tell them that failed, if they would +wish to have mercy when they are as I am, now, they must repent and +crave mercy of the Lord. For all the earth I would not do as I have +done."</p> + +<p>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 word +preached beside you. I would not have you drown yourself so much with +the concerns of this world (as I did). My grief is, that I had not the +occasion of good means as you have, and if you yourself make not a right +use of them, one day they shall be a witness against you, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>To Lord Herries his brother-in-law he said, "Mock not at my council, my +lord. In case you follow the course you are in, you shall never see the +face of Jesus Christ, you are deceived with the merchandise of the whore +that makes the world drunk out of the cup of her fornication; your soul +is built upon a sandy foundation. When you come to my state, you will +find no comfort in your religion. You know not what wrestling I have had +before I came to this state of comfort. The kingdom of heaven is not +gotten with a skip or leap, but with much, seeking and thrusting, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>To his own sister he said, "Who knows, sister, but the words of a dying +brother may prevail with a loving sister. Alas; you incline to a rotten +religion; cast away these rotten rags, they will not avail you when you +are 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 to +be led to heaven."</p> + +<p>To a gentleman, his neighbour, he said, "Your soul is in a dangerous +case, but you see it not. Leave these sinful courses. There are small +means of instruction to be had seeing the most part of the ministry are +profane and ignorant. Search God's word for the good old way, and search +and find out all your own ways."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">174</a></span> +To a gentleman his cousin he said, "You are a young man, and know not +well what you are doing. Seek God's direction for wisdom in your +affairs, and you shall prosper; and learn to know that you have need of +God to be your friend."</p> + +<p>To another cousin he said, "David, you are an aged man, and you know not +well what an account you have to make. I know you better than you +believe, for you worship God according to men's devices; you believe +lies of God; your soul is in a dreadful case; and till you know the +truth you shall never see your own way aright."</p> + +<p>To a young man his neighbour, "Because you are but young, beware of +temptation and snares; above all, be careful to keep yourself in the use +of means; resort to good company, and howbeit you be named a puritan and +mocked, care not for that, but rejoice, and be glad that they would +admit you to their society, for I must tell you, when I am at this point +in which you see me, I get no comfort to my soul from any other second +means under heaven, but from these who are nicknamed puritans; they are +the men that can give a word of comfort to a wearied soul in due season, +and that I have found by experience."</p> + +<p>To one of his natural sisters, "My dove, thou art young, and alas +ignorant of God. I know thy breeding and upbringing well enough, seek +the Spirit of regeneration. Oh! if thou knew it, and felt the power of +the Spirit as I do now. Think not all is gone because your brother is +dead. Trust in God, and beware of the follies of youth. Give yourself to +reading and praying, and be careful in hearing God's word, and take heed +whom you hear, and how you hear, and God be with you."</p> + +<p>To a minister he said, "Mr. James, it is not holiness enough to be a +minister, for you ministers have your own faults, and those more heinous +than others. I pray you, be more painful in your calling, and take good +heed of the flock of God, know that every soul that perisheth by your +negligence, shall be counted to your soul, murdered before God. Take +heed in these dangerous days how you lead the people of God, and take +heed to your ministry."</p> + +<p>To Mr. George Gillespie, then his chaplain, "You have carried yourself +discreetly to me, so that I cannot blame you. I hope you shall prove an +honest man; if I have been at any time harsh to you, forgive me. I would +I had taken better heed to many of your words, I might<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">175</a></span> have gotten good +by the means God gave me, but I made no use of them, <i>&c.</i> I am grieved +for my ingratitude against my loving Lord, and that I should have sinned +against him who came down from heaven to the earth for my cause, to die +for my sins; the sense of this love borne in upon my heart hath a +reflex, making me love my Saviour, and grip to him again."</p> + +<p>To another kinsman he said, "Learn to use your time Well. Oh alas! the +ministry 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 the +practice 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 trust +in and take the kingdom of heaven by force."</p> + +<p>To two neighbouring gentlemen he said, "It is not rising soon in the +morning, and running to the park or stone-dyke, that will bring peace to +the conscience, when it comes to this part of the play. You know how I +have been beguiled with this world, I would counsel you to seek that one +thing necessary, even the salvation of your souls, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>To a cousin, bailie of Ayr, he said, "Robert, I know you have light and +understanding, and though you need not be instructed by me, yet you need +be incited. Care not over-much for the world, but make use of good means +which you have in your country, for here is a pack of dumb dogs that +cannot bark, they tell over a clash of terror, and clatter of comfort +without any sense or life."</p> + +<p>To a cousin and another gentleman who was along with him he said, "Ye +are young men and have far to go, and it may be some of you have not far +to go, and tho' your journey be short, howsoever it is dangerous. Now +are you happy, because you have time to lay your accounts with Jesus +Christ. I intreat you to give your youth to Christ, for it is the best +and most acceptable gift you can give him. Give not your youth to the +devil and your lusts, and then reserve nothing to Jesus Christ but your +rotten bones, it is to be feared that then he will not accept you. Learn +therefore to watch and take example by me."</p> + +<p>He called Mr. Lamb, who was then bishop of Galloway, and commanding all +others to leave the room, he had a long conference with him, exhorting +him earnestly not to molest or remove the Lord's servants, or enthrall +their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">176</a></span> consciences to receive the five articles of Perth, or do any +thing against their consciences, as he would wish to have mercy from +God.——The bishop answered, "My lord, our ceremonies are, of their own +nature, but things indifferent, and we impose them for decency and order +in God's kirk. They need not stand so scrupulously on them as matter of +conscience in God's worship."——My lord replied, "I will not dispute +with 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 lay +heaviest on my soul, was withdrawing myself from the parliament, and not +giving my voice for the truth against these things which they call +indifferent, and in so doing I have denied the Lord my God." When the +bishop began to commend him for his well-led life, putting him in hopes +of health, and praised him for his civil carriage and behaviour, saying, +He was no oppressor, and without any known vice;—he answered, "No +matter, a man may be a good civil neighbour, and yet go to hell."——The +bishop answered, "My lord, I confess we have all our faults," and +thereafter he insisted so long, that my lord thought him impertinent; +this made him interrupt the bishop, saying, "What should I more, I have +got a grip of Jesus Christ, and Christ of me, <i>&c.</i>" On the morrow the +bishop came to visit him, and upon asking how he did, he answered, I +thank God, as well as a saved man hastening to heaven can.</p> + +<p>After he had given the clerk of Kirkudbright some suitable advice anent +his Christian walk and particular calling, he caused him swear in the +most solemn terms, that he should never consent to, but oppose the +election of a corrupt minister and magistrate.—And to his coachman he +said, You will go to any one who will give you the most hire, but do not +so, 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, and +promise before God so to do.—And to two young serving-men, who came to +him weeping to get his last blessing, he said, Content not yourselves +with a superficial view of religion, blessing yourselves in the morning +only for a fashion, yea though you would pray both morning and evening, +yet that will not avail you, except likewise ye make your account every +day. Oh! ye will find few to direct or counsel you; but I will tell you +what to do, first pray to the Lord fervently to enlighten the eyes of +your mind, then seek grace to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">177</a></span> rule your affections; you will find the +good of this when you come to my situation. Then he took both their +oaths to do so.</p> + +<p>He gave many powerful exhortations to several persons, and caused each +man to hold up his hand and swear in his presence that by God's grace +they should forbear their former sins and follow his counsel, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>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, to +express the goodness of God to men, and thereafter went on in his +counsel (not unlike Jacob, Gen. xlix. 18. who in the midst of a +prophetical testament, rested a little and said, <i>I have waited for thy +salvation.</i>)</p> + +<p>He gave his lady divers times openly an honourable and ample testimony +of holiness, goodness and respective kindness to him, and earnestly +craved her forgiveness wherein he had offended her, and desired her to +make the Lord her comforter, and said, He was but gone before, and it +was but fifteen or sixteen years up or down<a name="FNanchor_59" id="FNanchor_59"></a><a href="#Footnote_59" class="fnanchor">[59]</a>.</p> + +<p>He spoke to all the boys of the house, the butler, cook, <i>&c.</i> omitting +none, saying, Learn to serve and fear the Lord, and use carefully the +means of your salvation. I know what is ordinarily your religion, ye go +to kirk, and when ye hear the devil or hell named in the preaching, ye +sigh and make a noise, and it is forgot by you before you come home, and +then ye are holy enough. But I can tell you, the kingdom of heaven is +not 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 way +to salvation, God forgive you, for I have discharged myself in that +point towards you, and appointed a man to teach you, your blood be upon +yourselves. He took an oath of his servants, that they should follow his +advice, and said to them severally, If I have been tough to or offended +you, I pray you for God's sake to forgive me; and amongst others one to +whom he had been rough said, Your lordship never did me wrong, I will +never get such a master again. Yet he urged the boy to say, My lord, I +forgive you; howbeit the boy was hardly brought to utter these words. He +said to all the beholders about him, Sirs, behold, how low the Lord hath +brought me.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">178</a></span> +To a gentleman burthened in his estate he said, "Sir, I counsel you to +cast your burthen upon the Lord your God."——A religious gentleman of +his own name coming to visit him four days before his death, when he +beheld 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 a +friend to me both in soul and body.—The gentleman asked him, What +comfort he had in his love towards the saints?—He answered, I rejoice +at it.—Then he asked him, What comfort he had in bringing the minister +who 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 at +God's glory in it, the Lord hath made me find comfort to my soul in the +end; the ministers of Galloway murdered my father's soul, and if this +man had not come they had murdered mine also.</p> + +<p>Before his sister lady Herries, who was a papist, he testified his +willingness to leave the world, That papists may see, said he, that +those who die in this religion, both see and know whither they go, for +the hope of our father's house. When letters were brought him from +friends, he caused deliver them to his lady, saying, "I have nothing to +do with them. I had rather hear of news from heaven concerning my +eternal salvation." It was observed that when any came to him anent any +worldly business, before they were out of doors he was returned to his +spiritual exercises, and was exceeding short in dispatching all needful +writes. He recommended the poor's case to his friends. Upon coming out +of a fainting fit, into which his weakness had thrown him, he said with +a smiling countenance to all about him, "I would not exchange my life +with you all: I feel the smell of the place where I am going."</p> + +<p>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 read +to him 2 Cor. v. Rev. xxii. and some observations on such places as +concerned his state. After prayer, he said, "I conceive good hopes that +God looketh upon me when he granteth such liberty to pray for me. Is it +possible that Jesus Christ can lose his grip of me? neither can my soul +get itself plucked from Jesus Christ." He earnestly desired a sense of +God's presence; and the minister said, What, my lord, if that be +suspended, till you come to your own home, and be before the throne +clothed in white, and get your harp in your hand, to sing salvation to +the Lamb, and to him that sitteth on the throne, for that is heaven; and +who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">179</a></span> dare promise it to you upon earth? There is a piece of nature in +desiring a sense of God's love, it being an apple that the Lord's +children delight to play with. But, my Lord, if you would have it only +as 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 more +bitter than gall or wormwood." And being demanded, if he now feared +death, he answered, I have tasted death, now it is more welcome, the +messenger of Jesus Christ, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>The minister said, There is a process betwixt the Lord and your father's +house, but your name is taken out of it. How dear was heaven bought for +you by Jesus Christ? he frequently said, "I know there is wrath against +it, but I shall get my soul for a prey."——Oftimes he said, "It is a +sweet word God saith, <i>As I live, I delight not in the death of a +sinner.</i> I will not let go the hold I have got of Jesus Christ; <i>though +he should slay me, yet will I trust in him.</i>"</p> + +<p>In deep meditation on his change, he put this question, What will Christ +be like when he cometh? It was answered, Altogether lovely. Before he +died, he was heard praying very fervently, and said to the doctor, "I +thought to have been dissolved ere now."—The minister said, Weary not +of the Lord's yoke, Jesus Christ is posting fast to be at you, he is +within 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 say +he is coming, leaping over the mountains and skipping over the +hills.——The minister said, Some have gotten their fill of Christ in +this life, howbeit he is often under a mask to his own. Even his best +saints, Job, David, Jeremiah, <i>&c.</i> were under desertions.—My lord +said, But what are these examples to me? I am not in holiness near to +them. The minister said, It is true you cannot take so wide steps as +they did, but you are in the same way with them. A young child followeth +his father at the back, though he cannot take such wide steps as he.—My +lord, your hunger overcometh your faith, only but believe his word;—you +are longing for Christ, only believe he is faithful, and will come +quickly. To which he answered, "I think it is time—Lord Jesus, come."</p> + +<p>Then the minister said, My lord, our nature is anxious for our own +deliverance, whereas God seeketh first to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">180</a></span> 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.</p> + +<p>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 of +God, and finding himself now weak, and his speech failing more than an +hour before his death, he desired the minister to pray. After prayer, +the minister cried in his ear, "My lord, may you now sunder with +Christ?" To which he answered nothing, nor was it expected that he would +speak any more.—Yet in a little the minister asked, Have you any sense +of the Lord's love?—He answered, I have. The minister said, Do you now +enjoy?—He answered, I do enjoy. Thereafter he asked him, Will ye not +sunder with Christ?——He answered, By no means:—This was his last +word, not being able to speak any more. The minister asked if he should +pray, and he turned his eyes towards him. In the time of the last prayer +he was observed joyfully smiling and looking upward. He departed this +life about sun setting, September 12, 1634. aged 35 years. It was +observed, that he died at the same instant that the minister concluded +his prayer.</p> + +<p>Mr. Rutherford in one of his letters to the viscountess of Kenmuir a +little after the death of her husband, to comfort her, among other +things lets fall this expression, "In this late visitation that hath +befallen your ladyship, ye have seen God's love and care in such a +measure, that I thought our Lord brake the sharp point of the cross, and +made us and your ladyship see Christ take possession and infestment upon +earth, of him who is now reigning and triumphing with the hundred and +forty and four thousand who stand with the Lamb on mount Zion, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p>Some may object, what did this nobleman for the cause of Christ, or +Scotland's covenanted work of reformation, that he should be inserted +among the Scottish worthies? To this it may be answered, What did the +most eminent saint that ever was in Scotland, or any where else, until +they 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 ample +and faithful testimony for his truths and interest; and although the +Lord 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 the +deed, and why should we not inroll his name among these worthies on +earth, seeing he hath written his name among the living in Jerusalem.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">181</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Robert_Cunningham" id="Mr_Robert_Cunningham"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Robert Cunningham</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>After Mr. Robert Cunningham had received a good education, he became +chaplain to the duke of Buccleugh's regiment in Holland, and was +afterward settled minister at Holywood in Ireland, sometime before Mr. +Blair was settled at Bangor, and with whom Mr. Blair, after his +settlement in that place, contracted such an acquaintance as was +comfortable to them both.</p> + +<p>He applied himself close unto the work of the ministry, which no doubt +to him was the most desireable of all employments, being in the pulpit +in his own element, like a fish in the water, or bird in the air, always +judging that therein a Christian might enjoy much fellowship with Christ +and have an opportunity of doing him the best of services, considering +what Christ said to Peter, John xxi. 15. <i>&c.</i> <i>Lovest thou me more than +these——feed my lambs——feed my sheep.</i></p> + +<p>Here he continued to exercise his office as a faithful pastor over the +flock to whom he was appointed overseer, until the time that several of +his faithful brethren were deposed and ejected by the bishops, at which +time the bishop of Down threatening Mr. Blair with a prosecution against +him, Mr. Cunningham and some others; to whom Mr. Blair said, "Ye may do +with 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 than +any of the rest, which was a great benefit to their flocks, for when +they were deposed, he preached every week in one or other of their +kirks. So with great pains both at home and abroad he wore out his body +which before was not very strong.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Blair and Mr. Livingston were summoned before the bishop to be +deposed, they went the night before their appearance, to take their +leave of Mr. Cunningham, but the next day as they were going to the +church of Parphilips, he came up to them, whereat being surprised they +asked, Why he came thither? To which he answered, "All night I have been +troubled with that place, <i>at my first answer no man stood with me</i>, +therefore I am come to stand by you." But being the eye-sore of the +devil and the prelatical clergy in that part of the country, he could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">182</a></span> +not be suffered long to exercise his ministry, and in August 1636, he, +with other of his faithful brethren, was thrust out and deposed. He +continued mostly after this with the rest of his suffering brethren, +until after the defeat of their enterprise to New-England, that they +were obliged to leave Ireland and come over to Scotland, and not long +after he took his last sickness in Irvine, whereof he soon after died.</p> + +<p>During his sickness, besides many other gracious expressions, he said, +"I see Christ standing over death's head, saying, Deal warily with my +servant, loose thou this pin, then that pin, for his tabernacle must be +set up again."</p> + +<p>The day before his death, the members of the presbytery of Irvine made +him a visit, whom he exhorted to be faithful to Christ and his cause, +and to oppose the service-book (then pressed upon the church). "The +bishop," said he, "hath taken my ministry from me, and I may say, my +life also, for my ministry is dearer to me than my life." A little +before his departure, his wife sitting by his bed-side with his hand in +hers, he did by prayer recommend the whole church of Ireland, the parish +of Holywood, his suffering brethren in the ministry, and his children to +God, and withal added, "Lord, I recommend this gentlewoman to thee, who +is 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 company +fell a-weeping, he endeavoured to comfort them with several gracious +expressions, and with the Lord's servant of old, mentioned, Acts xiii. +36. <i>Having served his own generation by the will of God, he fell on +sleep</i>, March 27. 1637.</p> + +<p>Mr. Cunningham was a man mostly under deep exercises of mind, and +although in public preaching he was to his own sense sometimes not so +assisted as ordinarily, yet even then the matter he treated of was +edifying and refreshful, being still carried through with a full gale, +using more piercing expressions than many others. For meekness he was +Moses-like, and in patience another Job,—"to my discerning (says one of +our Scots worthies<a name="FNanchor_60" id="FNanchor_60"></a><a href="#Footnote_60" class="fnanchor">[60]</a>) he was the man, who most resembled the meekness +of Jesus Christ in all his carriage, that ever I saw, and was so far +reverenced of all, even by the wicked, that he was often troubled with +that scripture, <i>Wo to you when all men speak well of you.</i>"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">183</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_James_Mitchel_a" id="Mr_James_Mitchel_a"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">James Mitchel</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>He was son to James Mitchel of Dykes in the parish of Ardrossan, and was +born about the year 1621. His father, being factor to the earl of +Eglinton and a very religious man himself, gave his son a most liberal +and religious education.——For, being sent to the university of St. +Andrews, when very young, he profited to such a degree, that by the time +that he was eighteen years of age he was made master of arts.</p> + +<p>After this he returned home to his father's house, where he studied for +near two years and a half, the Lord in a good measure blessing his pains +and endeavours therein. Mr. Robert Bailie, then minister at Kilwinning, +shewed him no small kindness, both by the loan of his books, by his +counsel, and by superintending his studies.</p> + +<p>Thereafter he was called by the lady Houston to attend her eldest son at +the college, in which employment he continued other two years and a +half, in the which time the Lord blessed his studies there exceedingly, +and the great pains taken upon him by Mr. David Dickson (then professor +of the university of Glasgow), Mr. Bailie and others, had such a +blessing from heaven that he passed both his private and public trials +in order for the ministry to their great contentment.</p> + +<p>After he was licensed, he came west and preached in Kilwinning and +Stevenson, to the satisfaction of all who heard him, so that they +blessed God in his behalf, and were very hopeful of his great abilities.</p> + +<p>But before Martinmas 1643, he went back to Glasgow, where he both +attended his studies and his pupil. He preached some few times in +Glasgow, wherewith all those who loved Christ, and his cause and gospel +were exceeding well pleased. At this time, Mr. Dickson, Mr. Bailie, and +Mr. Robert Ramsay having great hopes of his gifts in preaching told his +father, that he had great reason to bless God for the gifts and graces +bestowed upon him above all their expectation, for besides these, the +Lord had taken him truly by the heart, and wrought graciously with his +soul. He had given himself much up to fasting and prayer, and the study +of the word of God and reading thereof was now become his delight.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">184</a></span> +But the Lord having other thoughts concerning him, in a short time all +their great expectations of him in the ministry were frustrated. For by +his extreme abstinence, drinking of water, and indefatigable pains, he +contracted that sickness, of which he died soon after. His body began to +languish, his stomach to refuse all meat, and his constitution to alter. +Mr. Dickson laid his condition much to heart (Mr. Bailie being at +London) and kept him fifteen days with him; thereafter he went to +Houston, and stayed as long there, where the lady and her daughter +shewed more love and kindness than can be expressed, and that not only +for the care he had of her son, but also for the rare gifts and graces +God had bestowed on him. His father having sent for them he returned +home.——The first night on his journey, he was with Ralston, and the +laird of Ducathall, being there occasionally, attended him all the rest +of the way homeward; for not being able to ride two miles together, he +behoved to go into a house to rest himself for an hour, such was his +weakly condition.</p> + +<p>After his arrival at home, he put on his clothes every day for fifteen +days, and after that lay bedfast for ten weeks until the day of his +death, during which time the Lord was very merciful and gracious to him, +both in an external and internal way.——For his body by degrees daily +languished till he became like a skeleton, and yet his face remained +ever pleasant, beautiful and well-coloured, even to his last.</p> + +<p>The last five or six weeks he lived, there were always three or four +waiting on him and sometimes more, yet they never had occasion to weary +of him, but were rather refreshed with every day's continuance, by the +many wise, sweet and gracious discourses which proceeded out of his +mouth.</p> + +<p>In the time of his sickness the Lord was graciously pleased to guard his +mind and heart from the malice of Satan, so that his peace and +confidence in God was not much disturbed, or if the Lord was pleased to +suffer any little assault, it soon evanished. His feeling and sense was +not frequent nor great, but his faith and confidence in God through +Jesus Christ was ever strong, which he told his father divers times was +more sure and solid than the other. He said, that the Lord before his +sickness, had made fast work with him about the matters of his soul, and +that before that, he had been under sore exercises of mind, by the sense +of his own guiltiness for a long time, before ever he had solid peace +and clear confidence, and often said, "Unworthy I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">185</a></span> and naughty I, am +freely beloved of the Lord, and the Lord knows, my soul dearly loves him +back again." And that the Lord knew his weakness to encounter with a +temptation, and so out of tender compassion thus pitied him.</p> + +<p>He was also possest of all manner of patience and submission under all +this sore trouble, and never was heard to murmur in the least, but often +thought his Master's time well worth the waiting on, and was frequently +much refreshed with the seeing and hearing of honest and gracious +neighbours, who came to visit him, so that he had little reason with +Heman to complain, Psal. lxxxviii. 8. <i>Lovers and friends hast thou put +far from me, and mine acquaintance unto darkness.</i></p> + +<p>Among other of his gracious discoveries, he declaimed much against +unprudent speaking, wishing it might be amended, especially in young +scholars and young ministers, as being but the froth and vanity of the +foolish mind. Among other things he lamented the pride of many young +preachers and students, by usurping priority of place, <i>&c.</i> which +became them not, and exclaimed frequently against himself for his own +practice, yet he said he was in the strength of God brought to mortify +the same. He frequently exhorted his parents to carry themselves to one +another as the word of God required, and above all things to fear God +and delight in his word, and often said, That he dearly loved the book +of God, and sought them to be earnest in prayer, showing that it was an +unknown thing, and a thing of another world, and that the influence of +prayer behoved to come out of heaven, therefore the Spirit of +supplication must be wrestled for, or else all prayer would be but +lifeless and natural, and said, That being once with the Lady Houston +and some country gentlemen at Bagles, the Spirit of prayer and +supplication was poured upon him, in such a powerful and lively manner, +two several days before they went to dinner that all present were much +affected, and shed tears in abundance, and yet at night he found himself +so emptied and dead that he durst not adventure to pray any at all these +two nights, but went to bed, and was much vexed and cast down, none +knowing the reason. By this he was from that time convinced that the +dispensation and influence of spiritual and lively prayer came only from +heaven, and from no natural abilities that were in man.</p> + +<p>The laird of Cunningham coming to visit him (as he did frequently), he +enumerated all the remarkable passages of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">186</a></span> God's goodness and providence +to him (especially since he contracted sickness), as in shewing infinite +mercies to his soul, tender compassion towards his body and natural +spirits, patience and submission to his will without grudging, calmness +of spirit without passion, solid and constant peace within and without, +<i>&c.</i>:—This is far beyond the Lord's manner of dealing with many of his +dear saints, <i>&c.</i> "Now Sir, think ye not but I stand greatly indebted +to the goodness and kindness of God, that deals thus graciously and +warmly with me every way;" and then he burst out in praise to God in a +sweet and lively manner.</p> + +<p>At another time, the laird being present, May 26, looking out of his bed +to 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 have +one day, and O! how much more will the glory of the Creator be, who +shall communicate that glory to all his own, but the shallow thoughts of +silly men are not able to conceive the excellency thereof, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>Again, Mr. Macqueen being present, his father inquired at him, Wherein +our communion with God stood? He said, In reconciliation and peace with +him, which is the first effect of our justification, then there was +access and love to God, patience and submission to his will, <i>&c.</i> then +the Lord's manifestation of himself to us, as Christ says, John xiv. 21. +See the 20th verse which he instanced.</p> + +<p>He said one morning to Hugh Macgaven and his father, "I am not afraid of +death, 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's +will to give you the kingdom. Then he said, What are these who are of +this little flock? Even sinners. I came not to call the righteous, but +sinners to repentance;" but what kind of sinners? Only those who are +sensible 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 are +two words here, seeking and saving; and who are these? Even those who +are lost bankrupts, who have nothing to pay. These are they whom Christ +seeks, and who are of his flock.</p> + +<p>To John Kyle another morning he said twice over, "My soul longeth for +the Lord more than they that watch for the morning." And at another +time, perceiving his father weeping, he said, "I cannot blame you to +mourn, for I know you have thought that I might (with God's blessing) +have proved a comfortable child to you, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">187</a></span> comfort yourself in this, +that ere it be long I will be at a blessed rest, and in a far better +state than I can be in this life, free from sin and every kind of +misery, and within a short time ye will follow after me. And in the mean +time encourage yourself in the Lord, and let not your mourning be like +those who have no hope. The Lord by degrees will assuage your grief, for +so he has appointed, else we would be swallowed up and come to nought, +<i>&c.</i> for I could never have been removed out of this life in a more +seasonable time than now, having both the favour of God and man (being +hopeful that my name shall not be unsavoury when I am gone) for none +knoweth what affronts, grief and calamities I might fall into, had I +lived much longer in this life.——And for crosses and trouble, how +might my life have been made bitter to me, for when I think what +opposition I might have ere I was an actual minister, by divisions of +the people, the patron and the presbytery, it could not but overwhelm +me, and then being entered, what a fighting life, with a stubborn +people, might be my lot I know not, and then what discontentment I might +have in a wife, (which is the lot of many an honest man,) is uncertain, +then cares, fears, straits of the world, reproaches of men, personal +desires and the devil and an evil world to fight with, these and many +more cannot but keep a man in a struggling state in this life. And now +lest this should seem a mere speculation, I could instance these things +in the persons of many worthy men, I pass all, and only point out one +whose gifts and graces are well known to you, <i>viz.</i> Mr. David Dickson, +who I am sure, God has made the instrument of the conversion of many +souls, and of much good to the country, and yet this gracious person has +been tossed to and fro.—And you know that the Lord made him a gracious +instrument in this late reformation, and yet he has in a great measure +been slighted by the state and the kirk also. What reason have I then to +bless God, that in mercy is timeously removing me from all trouble, and +will make me as welcome to heaven as if I had preached forty years, for +he knows it was my intention (by his grace) to have honoured him in my +ministry, and seeing he has accepted the will for the deed, what reason +have I to complain, for now I am willing and ready to be dissolved and +to be with Christ, which is best of all, wherefore dear father, comfort +yourself with this."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">188</a></span> +One time in conference concerning the sin in the godly, his father said +to him, "I am sure you are not now troubled with corruption, being so +near death. He answered, Ye are altogether deceived, for so long as my +foot remaineth on this earth, though the other were translated above the +clouds, my mind would not be free of sinful motions." Whereupon he +regretted that he could not get his mind and his affections so lifted +up, to dwell or meditate on God, his word, or that endless life, as he +could have wished, and that he could not find that spirituality by +entertaining such thoughts of God's greatness and goodness as became +him, and was often much perplexed with vain thoughts, but he was +confident that the Lord in his rich mercy would pity and pass by this +his weakness and infirmity, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>Some time before his death, he fell into several fainting fits, and +about ten or twelve days before his dissolution, he fell into one, and +was speechless near an hour, so that none present had any hopes that he +would again recover; but in the mean time, he was wrapt up in divine +contemplation. At last he began to recover, and his heart being +enlarged, he opened his mouth with such lively exhortations as affected +all 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 want +of 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 again +he said to on-lookers, "Sirs, this will be a blythe and joyful +goodnight." 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." After +which he fell quiet, and got some rest. Within two days, Mr. Bell being +come to visit him, he said, "O Sir, but I was glad the last night when +you was here, when I thought to be dissolved, that I might have met with +my Master, and have enjoyed his presence for ever, but I was much +grieved when I perceived a little reverting, and that I was likely to +live longer, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>To Mr. Gabriel Cunningham, when conferring about death and the manner of +dissolution, he said, "O! how sweet a thing it were, for a man to sleep +till death in the arms of Christ."——He had many other lively and +comfortable speeches which were not remembered, the day never passing, +in the time of his sickness, but the onwaiters were refreshed by him.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">189</a></span> +The night before his departure, he was sensible of great pain, whereupon +he said, "I see it is true, that we must enter into heaven through +trouble, but the Lord will help us through it."—Then he said, "I have +great pain, but mixed with great mercy and strong confidence." He called +to mind that saying of Mr. John Knox on his death-bed, "I do not esteem +that pain, which will be to me an end of all trouble, and the beginning +of eternal felicity."</p> + +<p>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 he +lifted up his hands, and caused all his fingers shiver and twinkle, and +in presence of many honest neighbours he yielded up his spirit and went +to his rest a little after sun-rising, upon the 11th of June, 1643, +being 23 years of age.</p> + +<p>Thus, in the bloom of youth, he ended his Christian warfare, and entered +into the heavenly inheritance, a young man, but a ripe Christian. There +were three special gifts vouchsafed to him by the Lord, a notable +invention, a great memory, with a ready expression.</p> + +<p>Among other fruits of his meditation and pains, he drew up a model of +and frame of preaching, which he intituled, The method of preaching. +Many other manuscripts he left behind him, (as evidences of his +indefatigable labour) which if yet preserved in safe custody, might be +of no small benefit to the public, as it appears that they have not +hitherto been published.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Alexander_Henderson" id="Mr_Alexander_Henderson"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Alexander Henderson</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>When Mr. Alexander Henderson had passed his degrees at the university +with great applause, he was by the bishop of St. Andrews, about the year +1620, preferred to be minister of Leuchars, in the shire of Fyfe. But +being brought in there against the consent of that parish unto such a +degree, that on the day of his ordination, the church-doors were shut so +fast by the people, that they were obliged to break in by a window.</p> + +<p>And being very prelatical in his judgment at this time, until a little +after, that upon the report of a communion to be in the neighbourhood, +where Mr. Bruce was to be an helper, he went thither secretly, and +placed himself in a dark corner of the church, where he might not be +readily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">190</a></span> seen or known. When Mr. Bruce was come to the pulpit, he did +for some time keep silence (as his usual manner was) which did astonish +Mr. Henderson, but it astonished him much more, when he heard him begin +with these words, <i>He that entereth not in by the door, but climbeth +some other way, the same is a thief and a robber</i>—which words, by the +blessing of God, and the effectual working of the Holy Spirit, took such +hold on him at that very instant, and made such impressions on his heart +afterward, as proved the very first mean of his conversion unto Christ.</p> + +<p>After this he became not only a most faithful and diligent minister of +the gospel, but also a staunch presbyterian, and had a very active hand +in 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 charge +of horning from the bishop of St. Andrews, for refusing to buy and use +the service-book, and book of canons then imposed by the king upon the +church; which occasioned him and some others to give in several +petitions and complaints to the council, both craving some mitigation +therein, and shewing the sinfulness thereof, for which and some other +considerations and overtures for relief, (mostly compiled by Mr. +Henderson) they were by order of proclamation charged, within +twenty-four hours, to leave the town of Edinburgh under the pain of +rebellion.</p> + +<p>Again in the year 1638, when the national confession or covenant was +agreed upon and sworn unto by almost all ranks in the land, the marquis +of Hamilton being sent by the king to suppress the covenanters, who +having held several conferences with him to little or no purpose, at +last, he told them that the book of canons and liturgy should be +discharged, on condition they should yield up their covenants, which +proposition did not only displease them, but also made them more +vigilant to support and vindicate that solemn deed. Whereupon Mr. +Henderson was again set to work, and in a short time savoured the public +with sufficient grounds and reasons why they could not recede from any +part of that covenant.</p> + +<p>Some time after this, the table (so called) which was erected at +Edinburgh for carrying on the reformation, being sorry that the town and +shire of Aberdeen, (excited by the persuasion of their doctors) stood +out and opposed the covenant and work of reformation, sent some earls +with Messrs. Henderson, Dickson and Cant, to deal with them once more, +and to see if they could reclaim that town and country.——But upon +their arrival there, they could have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">191</a></span> no access to preach in any church; +whereupon the three ministers resolved to preach in the earl of +Marshal's close and hall as the weather favoured them. Accordingly they +preached by turns, Mr. Dickson preached in the morning to a very +numerous multitude, at noon Mr. Cant preached, and Mr. Henderson +preached at night to no less an auditory than in the morning; and all of +them pressed and produced arguments for subscribing the covenant; which +had such effect upon the people, that, after public worship was over, +about 500 persons subscribed the covenant, at one table there, of whom +severals were people of the best quality in that place.<a name="FNanchor_61" id="FNanchor_61"></a><a href="#Footnote_61" class="fnanchor">[61]</a></p> + +<p>And here one thing was very observable, that while Mr. Henderson +preached, the crowd being very great, there were several mockers, and +among the rest, one John Logie a student threw clods at the +commissioners, but it was remarked, that within a few days after, he +killed one Nicol Torrie, a young boy, because the boy's father had beat +him 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 the +consequence of disturbing the worship of God, and mocking at the +ambassadors of Jesus Christ.</p> + +<p>In the same year, at that famous general assembly convened at Glasgow +(where many of the nobility were present) Mr. Henderson, without one +contrary vote, was chosen moderator, when he did by solemn prayer, +constitute that assembly <i>de novo</i> in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; +for "among that man's other qualifications (saith Mr. Bailey) he had a +faculty of grave, good and fervent prayer, which he exercised without +fainting unto the end of that assembly<a name="FNanchor_62" id="FNanchor_62"></a><a href="#Footnote_62" class="fnanchor">[62]</a>."</p> + +<p>It was in the 20th session of this assembly, that Mr. Henderson the +moderator, after a most pious and learned sermon (to a very great +auditory) from Psal. cx. 1. <i>The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my +right hand</i>, &c. did in a most grave and solemn manner, excommunicate +and depose the bishops, according to the form published among the +printed acts of that assembly. In the 21st session, a supplication was +given in for liberty to transport him from Leuchars to Edinburgh, but +this he was unwilling to do, having been near eighteen years minister +there.—He pled that he was now too old a plant to take root in another +soil, <i>&c.</i> yet, after much contest betwixt the two parties for some +day,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">192</a></span> Edinburgh carried it by 75 votes, very much against his own +inclination. However he submitted, on condition that when old age should +overtake him, he should be again removed to a country charge. At the +conclusion of this assembly he said, "We have now cast down the walls of +Jericho (meaning prelacy) let him that buildeth them beware of the curse +of Hiel the Bethelite, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>In the year 1639. he was one of those commissioned for the church, to +treat upon the articles of pacification<a name="FNanchor_63" id="FNanchor_63"></a><a href="#Footnote_63" class="fnanchor">[63]</a> with the king and his +commissioners at Birks near Berwick, where he behaved with great +prudence and candor. And when the general assembly, the same year, sat +down at Edinburgh, <i>August</i> 12, Mr. Henderson (having been the former +moderator) preached to them from Acts v. 33 when <i>they heard that, they +were cut to the heart</i>, &c. did towards the close of his discourse, +address John earl of Traquair, his majesty's commissioner, in these +words,—"We beseech your grace to see that Cæsar have his own, but let +him not have what is due to God, by whom kings reign. God hath exalted +your grace unto many high places, within these few years, and is still +doing so. Be thankful and labour to exalt Christ's throne.——Some are +exalted like Haman, some like Mordecai, <i>&c.</i> When the Israelites came +out of Egypt, they gave all the silver and gold they had carried thence +for the building of the tabernacle: in like manner, your grace must +employ all your parts and endowments for the building up the church of +God in this land, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>And to the members chosen, he said, "Right honourable, worshipful, and +reverend, go on in your zeal and constancy: true zeal doth not cool, but +the longer it burns, the more fervent it will grow: if it shall please +God that by your means the light of the gospel shall be continued, and +that you have the honour of being instrumental of a blessed reformation, +it shall be useful and comfortable to yourselves and your posterity. But +let your zeal be always tempered with moderation; for zeal is a good +servant but a bad master; like a ship that hath a full sail but no +rudder. We had much need of Christian prudence, for we know what +advantage some have attempted to take of us this way. For this reason +let it be seen to the world, that presbytery, the government we contend +for in the church, can consist very well with monarchy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">193</a></span> in the state; +and thereby we shall gain the favour of our king, and God shall get the +glory." 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 to +Mr. Henderson's abilities (as he himself professed) is not certain, but +the assembly opposed this as favouring too much of the constant +moderator, the first step taken of late to introduce prelacy; and no man +opposed Traquair's motion more than Mr. Henderson himself, and by that +means it was over-ruled.</p> + +<p>Mr. Henderson was one of those ministers who went with the Scots army to +England in the year 1640, every regiment having one of the most able +ministers in the bounds where they were raised as chaplain, and when the +treaty was set on foot which began at Rippon, and ended at London, he +was also one nominated as commissioner for the church, the duties of +which he discharged with great prudence and advantage, and the very next +year, he was, by the commission of the general assembly, authorized to +go with lord Loudon, Warriston and Barclay, to the king, to importune +him to call his English parliament, as the only and best expedient to +obtain an honourable and lasting peace; but his embassy had not the +desired effect.</p> + +<p>After his return, he was chosen moderator to the general assembly <i>anno</i> +1643, and when the English commissioners, <i>viz.</i> Sir William Armyn, Sir +Harry Vane the younger, Mr. Hatcher and Mr. Darly from the parliament, +and two ministers, Mr. Stephen Marshal a presbyterian, and Philip Nye an +independent, from the general assembly of divines at Edinburgh, where +the general assembly of the church of Scotland was then fitting, craving +their aid and counsel upon such an emergent occasion, he was among the +first of those nominated as commissioners to go up to the parliament and +assembly 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 the +solemn league ratified there (the rest of the commissioners staying +behind until it should be returned). Upon their arrival at London, and +having received a warrant from the parliament to sit in the next +assembly (which warrant was presented by Mr. Henderson), the assembly +sent out three of their number to introduce them; at their entry Dr. +Twisse the prolocutor welcomed them unto the assembly, and complimented +them for the hazard they had undergone on their account both by sea and +land, in such a rigorous season (it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">194</a></span> being then November); after which +they were led to a place the most convenient in the house, which they +kept ever after<a name="FNanchor_64" id="FNanchor_64"></a><a href="#Footnote_64" class="fnanchor">[64]</a>.</p> + +<p>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 general +Assembly appointed also Messrs. Robert Blair, James Guthrie, Robert +Douglas, and Andrew Cant, to wait on his majesty; here Mr. Henderson +officiated for some time as his chaplain; and although he and Mr. Blair, +of all the presbyterians were the best beloved of the king, yet they +could by no means prevail upon him to grant the first demand of his +subjects, yea, he obstinately refused, though they besought him on their +knees.</p> + +<p>In the interval of these affairs, a series of letters was continued +betwixt 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 other +of Presbytery, which were exchanged from the 10th of May to the midst of +July as each person was in readiness.</p> + +<p>But during this controversy, Mr. Henderson's constitution much worn out +with much fatigue and travel, he was obliged to break off an answer to +the king's last paper, and to return to Edinburgh, where, in a little +time after his arrival, he laid down his earthly tabernacle in exchange +for an heavenly crown, about the middle of August 1646.</p> + +<p>Some of the abettors of prelacy, sensible of his great abilities, were +earnestly desirous to bring him over to their side at his death<a name="FNanchor_65" id="FNanchor_65"></a><a href="#Footnote_65" class="fnanchor">[65]</a>, and +for that purpose palmed upon the world most groundless stories of his +changing his principles at his last hours; yea, the anonymous author of +the civil wars of Great Britain goes farther, when he says, page 200. +"Mr. Henderson had the honour to be converted by his majesty's discourse +at Newcastle, and died reconciled to the church of England." But from +these false calumnies<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">195</a></span> he hath been sufficiently vindicated a long time +ago, 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 these +aspersions cast on him by Messrs. Sage and Ruddiman.</p> + +<p>Some time after his death a monument was erected on his grave in the +Gray-friar's church-yard of Edinburgh, in form of a quadrangular urn, +inscribed on three sides; and because there was some mention thereon of +the solemn league and covenant (or rather because Mr. Henderson had done +much for and in behalf of the covenant), commissioner Middleton, some +time in the month of June or July 1662, stooped so low as to procure an +order of parliament, to raze and demolish said monument, which was all +the length their malice could go against a man who had been near sixteen +years in his grave. Hard enough, if he had died in the prelatical +persuasion, from those who pretended to be the prime promoters of the +same<a name="FNanchor_66" id="FNanchor_66"></a><a href="#Footnote_66" class="fnanchor">[66]</a>.</p> + +<p>Mr. Henderson was a man who spared no pains in carrying on the work of +reformation in that period.——For whether he was called forth to +church-judicatories, to the pulpit, or any other business, no trouble or +danger could make him decline the work. One of his colleagues and +intimate acquaintances give him no mean testimony, when he says, "May I +be permitted to conclude with my earnest wish, that that glorious soul +of worthy memory, who is now crowned with the reward of all his labours +for God and us, may be fragrant among us as long as free and pure +assemblies remain in this land, which, I hope, shall be to the coming of +our Lord. You know he spent his strength, wore out his days, and that he +did breathe out his life in the service of God, and of this church; this +binds it on us and posterity, to account him the fairest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">196</a></span> ornament after +Mr. John Knox of incomparable memory, that ever the church of Scotland +did enjoy<a name="FNanchor_67" id="FNanchor_67"></a><a href="#Footnote_67" class="fnanchor">[67]</a>."</p> + +<p>Beside the forenamed papers, with another intitled the remonstrance of +the nobility, <i>&c.</i> a tract on church government, and an instruction for +defensive arms, <i>&c.</i> the general assembly appointed him, Mr. Calderwood +and Mr. Dickson, to prepare a directory for the worship of God, which +not only had the desired effect, but at length brought about uniformity +in all our churches. There are also some few of his sermons in print, +some of which were preached before the parliament.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_George_Gillespie" id="Mr_George_Gillespie"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">George Gillespie</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. George Gillespie was son to Mr. John Gillespie, sometime minister of +the gospel at Kirkaldy. After Mr. George had been some time at the +university (where he surpassed the most part of his fellow-students) he +was licensed to preach some time before the year 1638, but could have no +entry into any parish because the bishops had then the ascendant in the +affairs of the church. This obliged him to remain for some time +chaplain<a name="FNanchor_68" id="FNanchor_68"></a><a href="#Footnote_68" class="fnanchor">[68]</a>, in the family of the earl of Cassils.——And here it was, +that he wrote that elaborate piece (though he was scarce twenty-five +years of age) intitled, a dispute against the English popish ceremonies, +<i>&c.</i> which book was, in the year 1637, discharged, by order of +proclamation, to be used, as being of too corrosive a quality to be +digested by the bishops weak stomachs.</p> + +<p>After this he was ordained minister of Weemes, by Mr. Robert Douglas, +<i>April 26, 1638</i>, being the first who was admitted by a presbytery in +that period, without an acknowledgment of the bishops.——And now Mr. +Gillespie began in a more public way to exert himself in defence of the +presbyterian interest, when at the 11th session of that venerable +assembly held at Glasgow 1638, he preached a very learned and judicious +sermon from these words, <i>The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord</i>, +&c. in which sermon, the earl of Argyle thought that he touched the +royal prerogative<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">197</a></span> too near, and did very gravely admonish the assembly +concerning the same, which they all took in good part, as appeared from +a discourse then made by the moderator for the support of that +admonition.</p> + +<p>At the general assembly held at Edinburgh 1641, Mr. Gillespie had a call +tabled from the town of Aberdeen, but the lord commissioner and himself +here pled his cause so well, that he was for sometime continued at +Weemes——Yet he got not staying there long, for the general assembly in +the following year ordered him to be transported to the city of +Edinburgh, where it appears he continued until the day of his death, +which was about six years after.</p> + +<p>Mr. George Gillespie was one of those four ministers who were sent as +commissioners from the church of Scotland to the Westminster assembly in +the year 1643, where he displayed himself to be one of great parts and +learning, debating with such perspicuity, strength of argument, and +calmness of spirit, that few could equal, yea none excel him, in that +assembly.——As for instance, One time when both the parliament and the +assembly were met together, and a long studied discourse being made in +favours of Erastianism to which none seemed ready to make an answer, and +Mr. Gillespie being urged thereunto by his brethren the Scots +commissioners, repeated the subject-matter of the whole discourse, and +refuted it, to the admiration of all present,—and that which surprised +them most was, that though it was usual for the members to take down +notes 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 of +that speech unto which he made answer, yet those who sat next him +declared, that having looked into his note-book, they found nothing of +that speech written, but here and there, "Lord, defend thine +light,——Lord, give assistance,——Lord, defend thine own cause, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>And although the practice of our church gave all our Scots commissioners +great advantages (the English divines having so great a difference) that +they had the first forming of all these pieces<a name="FNanchor_69" id="FNanchor_69"></a><a href="#Footnote_69" class="fnanchor">[69]</a> which were afterward +compiled and approved of by that assembly, yet no one was more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">198</a></span> useful +at supporting them therein than Mr. Gillespie the youngest of +them.——"None (says one of his colleagues who was there present) in all +the assembly, did reason more, nor more pertinently, than Mr. +Gillespie,—he is an excellent youth, my heart blesses God in his +behalf." Again, when Acts xvii. 28. was brought for the proof of the +power of ordination, and keen disputing arose upon it, "The very learned +and accurate Gillespie, a singular ornament to our church, than whom not +one in the assembly spoke to better purpose, nor with better acceptance +of all the hearers, shewed that the Greek word of purpose, by the +Episcopals, translated ordination, was truly choosing, importing the +people's suffrage in electing their own office-bearers." And elsewhere +says, "We get good help in our assembly debates of lord Warriston (an +occasional 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 the +assembly<a name="FNanchor_70" id="FNanchor_70"></a><a href="#Footnote_70" class="fnanchor">[70]</a>."</p> + +<p>After his return from the Westminster assembly, he was employed mostly +in the public affairs of the church, until the year 1648, when he was +chosen moderator to the general assembly, in which assembly several +famous acts were made in favour of the covenanted work of reformation, +particularly that against the unlawful engagement then made against +England by the duke of Hamilton, and those of the malignant faction. In +this assembly, he was one of these nominated to prosecute the treaty of +uniformity in religion with England, but in a short time after this, the +sickness seized him, whereof he died about the 17th of December +following.</p> + +<p>Says Mr. Rutherford to him in a letter when on his death bed; "Be not +heavy, the life of faith is now called for; doing was never reckoned on +your accounts (though Christ in and by you hath done more then by +twenty, yea, an hundred grey haired and godly pastors.) Look to that +word, Gal. ii. 20. <i>Nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth +in me</i>, &c."</p> + +<p>In his life-time he was always firmly attached to the work of +reformation, and continued so to the end of his life.—For about two +months before his decease, he sent a paper to the commission of the +general assembly, wherein he gave faithful warning against every sin and +backsliding that he then perceived to be on the growing hand both in +church and state, and last of all, he emitted the following faithful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">199</a></span> +testimony against association and compliance with the enemies of truth +and true godliness, in these words.</p> + +<p>"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 the +malignant party in these kingdoms to be the seed of the Serpent, enemies +to piety and presbyterial government (pretend what they will to the +contrary), a generation who have not set God before them. With the +malignant are to be joined the profane and scandalous, from all which, +as from heresy and error, the Lord, I trust, is about to purge his +church. I have often comforted myself (and still do) with the hopes of +the Lord's purging this polluted land. Surely the Lord hath begun and +will carry on that great work of mercy, and will purge out the rebels. I +know there will be always a mixture of hypocrites, but that cannot +excuse the conniving at gross and scandalous sinners, <i>&c.</i> I recommend +to them that fear God, seriously to consider, that the holy scriptures +do plainly hold forth, 1. That the helping of the enemies of God, +joining or mingling with wicked men is a sin highly displeasing. 2. That +this 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 great +mercies and judgments, relapse into this sin, Ezra ix. 13, 14.</p> + +<p>"Upon these and the like grounds, for my own exoneration, that so +necessary a truth want not the testimony of a dying witness of Christ, +altho' the unworthiest of many thousands, and that light may be held +forth, and warning given, I cannot be silent at this time, but speak by +my pen when I cannot by my tongue, yea now also by the pen of another +when I cannot by my own, seriously, and in the name of Jesus Christ, +exhorting and obtesting all that fear God, and make conscience of their +ways, to be very tender and circumspect, to watch and pray, that he be +not ensnared in that great and dangerous sin of compliance with +malignant or profane enemies of the truth, <i>&c.</i> which if men will do, +and trust God in his own way, they shall not only not repent it, but to +the greater joy and peace of God's people, they shall see his work go on +and prosper gloriously. In witness of the premises, I have subscribed +the same. At Kircaldy December 5th, 1648, before these witnesses, <i>&c.</i>" +And<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">200</a></span> in about two days after, he gave up the ghost, death shutting his +eyes, that he might then see God, and be for ever with him.</p> + +<p>Thus died Mr. George Gillespie, very little past the prime of life. A +pregnant divine, a man of much boldness, and great freedom of +expression, He signalized himself on every occasion where he was called +forth 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 the +public had of his merit, that the committee of estates, by an act dated +December 20th, 1648, did, "as an acknowledgment for his faithfulness in +all the public employments entrusted to him by this church, both at home +and abroad, his faithful labours and indefatigable diligence in all the +exercises of his ministerial calling, for his master's service, and his +learned writings published to the world, in which rare and profitable +employments, both for church and state, he truly spent himself, and +closed his days,—ordain, That the sum of one thousand pounds sterling +be given to his widow and children, <i>&c.</i>" And though the parliament +did, by their act dated June 8th, 1650, unanimously ratify the above +act, and recommended to their committee, to make the same effectual; +yet, the Usurper presently over-running the country, this good design +was frustrated, as his grandson the Rev. Mr. George Gillespie minister +at Strathmiglo did afterwards declare<a name="FNanchor_71" id="FNanchor_71"></a><a href="#Footnote_71" class="fnanchor">[71]</a>.</p> + +<p>Besides the English popish ceremonies already mentioned, he wrote also +Aaron's rod blossoming, <i>&c.</i> and his miscellany questions first printed +1649, all which with the forecited testimony and some other papers, shew +that he was a man of most profound parts, learning and abilities.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_John_MClelland" id="Mr_John_MClelland"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">John M'Clelland</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. John M'Clelland having gone through several branches of useful +learning, kept a school for some time at Newton in Ireland, where he +became instrumental in training up several hopeful young men for the +university. Afterwards he was tried and approven of by the honest +ministers in the county of Down, and being licensed, he preached in +their churches, until (among others)<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">201</a></span> for faithfulness, he was deposed +and excommunicated by the bishops.</p> + +<p>He was also engaged with the rest of his faithful brethren in their +intended voyage to New England in the year 1636, but that enterprise +proving abortive (by reason of a storm which forced them to return back +to Ireland), he preached for some time through the counties of Down, +Tyron and Dunnegal in private meetings, till being pursued by the +bishop's official, he was obliged to come over in disguise to Scotland, +where about the year 1638, he was admitted minister at Kirkcudbright, in +which place he continued until the day of his death.</p> + +<p>It would appear that he was married to one of Mr. Livingston's wife's +sisters, and the strictest friendship subsisted betwixt these two worthy +men, both while in Ireland, and after their return to Scotland. While he +was minister at Kirkcudbright, he discovered more than ordinary +diligence, not only in testifying against the corruptions of the time, +but also for his own singular walk and conversation, being one who was +set for the advancement of all the practical parts of religion, and that +as well in private duties as in public.——For instance, When Mr. Henry +Guthrie 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 numerous +through the land), yet some of the leading members, knowing that Mr. +Guthrie did it partly out of resentment against the laird of Leckie (who +was a great practiser and defender of these meetings), thought proper, +rather than it should come to the assembly, to yield that Mr. Guthrie +should preach up the duty of religious exercise in families, and that +Messrs. M'Clelland, Blair and Livingston should preach against +night-meetings (for they were so called then because mostly kept in the +night) and other abuses, but these brethren endeavoured by conference to +gain such as had offended by excess in this matter, but by no means +could be prevailed with to preach against them, which so offended Mr. +Guthrie, that he gave in a charge or complaint to the general assembly +1640, wherein he alledged these three ministers were the only +encouragers of these meetings, Mr. M'Clelland roundly took him up, and +craved that a committee might be appointed to try these disorders, and +to censure the offenders, whether those complained of or the +complainers, which so nettled Mr. Guthrie, the earl of Seaforth and +others of their fraternity, that nothing was heard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">202</a></span> in the assembly for +sometime for confusion and noise stirred up by them.</p> + +<p>Mr. M'Clelland was also one who was endued with the Spirit of discerning +what should afterwards come to pass, as is evident from some of his +prophetical expressions, particularly that letter which he wrote to John +Lord of Kirkcudbright dated February 20th, 1649, a little before his +death, an abstract of which may not be improper, and is as follows,</p> + +<p class="break" style="margin-left:2em;">"<i>My noble Lord</i>,</p> + +<p>"I have received yours, and do acknowledge my obligation to your +lordship is redoubled. I long much to hear what decision followed on +that debate concerning patronages<a name="FNanchor_72" id="FNanchor_72"></a><a href="#Footnote_72" class="fnanchor">[72]</a>. Upon the most exact trial they +will be found a great plague to the kirk, an obstruction to the +propagation of religion. I have reason to hope that such a wise and +well-constitute parliament will be lothe to lay<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">203</a></span> such a yoke upon the +churches, of so little advantage to any man, and so prejudicial to the +work of God as hath been many times represented. Certainly the removing +it were the stopping the way of simony, except we will apprehend that +whole presbyteries will be bribed for patronage. I can say no more but +what Christ said to the Pharisees. It was not so from the beginning, the +primitive church knew nothing of it.</p> + +<p>"But as for their pernicious disposition to a rupture among sectaries, I +can say nothing to them, only this, I conclude their judgment sleeps +not: <i>Shall they escape, shall they break the covenant, and be +delivered?</i> &c. Ezek. xvii. 16, <i>&c.</i> which I dare apply to England, I +hope, without wresting of scripture, <i>And therefore thus saith the Lord +God, as I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant +that he hath broken, even it will I recompense on his own head</i>, &c. +This covenant was made with Nebuchadnezzar, the matter was civil, but +the tie was religious, wherefore the Lord owns it as his covenant, +because God's name was invoked and interponed in it, and he calls +England to witness. England's covenant was not made with Scotland only, +but with the high and mighty God, principally for the reformation of his +house, 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 success +to that nation. Now it is manifestly despised and broken in the sight of +all nations, therefore it remains that the Lord avenge the quarrel of +his covenant<a name="FNanchor_73" id="FNanchor_73"></a><a href="#Footnote_73" class="fnanchor">[73]</a>.——England<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">204</a></span> hath had to do with the Scots, French, +Danes, Picts, Normans and Romans, but they never had such a party to +deal with as the Lord of armies, pleading for the violation of his +covenant, <i>&c.</i> Englishmen shall be made spectacles to all nations for a +broken covenant, when the living God swears, <i>As I live, even the +covenant that he hath despised, and the oath that he hath broken will I +recompense upon his own head.</i> There is no place left for doubting. +<i>Hath the Lord said it</i>, hath the Lord sworn it? <i>and will he not do +it?</i> His assertion is a ground for faith, his oath a ground of full +assurance of faith, if all England were as one man united in judgment +and 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 the +strength of Goliah, and if their navies could cover the ocean, and if +there were none to peep out or move the tongue against them, yet I dare +not 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 in +what manner, he will do it, I do profess ignorance, and leave it to his +glorious majesty, his own latitude, and will commit it him, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p style="margin-bottom:0em;">"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.</p> + +<p style="margin-top:0em; text-align:right;"><span class="smcap">John M'Clelland</span>."</p> + +<p class="break">A very little after he wrote this letter, in one of his sermons he +exprest himself much to the same purpose, thus, "The judgments of +England shall be so great, that a man shall ride fifty miles through the +best plenished parts of England, before they hear a cock crow, a dog +bark, or see a man's face." Also he further asserted, "That if he had +the best land of all England, he would make sale of it for two shillings +the acre, and think he had come to a good market<a name="FNanchor_74" id="FNanchor_74"></a><a href="#Footnote_74" class="fnanchor">[74]</a>." And although this +may not have had its full accomplishment as yet, yet there is ground to +believe that it will be fulfilled, for the Lord will not alter the word +that is gone out of his mouth.</p> + +<p>Mr. M'Clelland continued near twelve years at Kirkcudbright. About the +year 1650, he was called home to his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">205</a></span> Father's house, to the full +fruition of that which he had before seen in vision.</p> + +<p>He was a man most strict and zealous in his life, and knew not what it +was to be afraid of any man in the cause of God, being one who was most +nearly acquainted with him, and knew much of his Master's will. Surely +the Lord doth nothing but what he revealeth to his servants the +prophets.</p> + +<p>A little before his death he made the following epitaph on himself.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Come, stingless death, have o'er, lo! here's my pass,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In blood character'd, by his hand who was<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And is and shall be. Jordan cut thy stream,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Make channels dry. I bear my Father's name<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Stampt on my brow. I'm ravish'd with my crown.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I shine so bright, down with all glory, down,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That world can give. I see the peerless port,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The golden street, the blessed soul's resort,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The tree of life, floods gushing from the throne<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Call me to joys. Begone, short woes, begone,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I lived to die, but now I die to live,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I do enjoy more than I did believe.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The promise me unto possession sends,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Faith in fruition, hope, in having, ends.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_David_Calderwood" id="Mr_David_Calderwood"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">David Calderwood</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. David Calderwood, having spent some time at the grammar-school, went +to the university to study theology, in order for the ministry, where +after a short space, being found fit for that office, he was made +minister at Crelling near Jedburgh, where, for some considerable time, +he preached the word of God with great wisdom, zeal and diligence, and +as a faithful wise harvest man, brought in many sheaves into God's +granary. But it being then a time, when prelacy was upon the advance in +the church, and faithful ministers every where thrust out and +suppressed, he, among the rest, gave in his declinature in the year +1608, and thereupon took instruments in the hands of James Johnston +notary public, in presence of some of the magistrates and council of the +town, whereupon, information being sent to the king by the bishops, a +direction was sent down from him to the council, to punish<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">206</a></span> him (and +another minister who declined) exemplarily, but by the earnest dealing +of the earl of Lothian with the chancellor in favours of Mr. Calderwood, +their punishment resolved only in a confinement within their own parish, +<i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>Here he continued until June 1617, that he was summoned to appear before +the high commission court at St. Andrews, upon the 8th of July +following. Being called upon (the king being present) and his libel read +and answered, the king among other things said, "What moved you to +protest?"——"An article concluded among the lords of the articles," Mr. +David answered. "But what fault was there in it," said the king.——"It +cutteth off our general assemblies," answered Mr. Calderwood. The king, +having the protestation<a name="FNanchor_75" id="FNanchor_75"></a><a href="#Footnote_75" class="fnanchor">[75]</a> in his hand, challenged him for some words +of the last clause thereof.——He answered, "Whatsoever was the phrase +of speech, they meant no other thing but to protest, that they would +give passive obedience to his majesty, but could not give active +obedience unto any unlawful thing which should flow from that article." +"Active and passive obedience!" said the king.—"That is, we will rather +suffer than practise," said Mr. David. "I will tell thee, said the king, +what is obedience man,——What the centurion said to his servant, <i>To +this man, Go, and he goeth, and to that man, Come, and he cometh</i>, that +is obedience."——He answered, "To suffer, Sir, is also obedience, +howbeit not of the same kind, and that obedience was not absolute but +limited with exception, of a countermand from a superior power." "I am +informed, said the king, ye are a refractor, the bishop of Glasgow your +ordinary, and bishop of Caithness the moderator and your presbytery, +testify ye have kept no order, ye have repaired to neither presbytery +nor synod, and are no way conform." He answered, "I have been confined +these eight or nine years, so my conformity or non-conformity in that +point could not well be known." "Gude faith, thou art a very knave," +said the king, "see these same false puritans, they are ever playing +with equivocations."—The king asked, If he was relaxed if he would obey +or not?—He answered, "I am wronged, in that I am forced to answer such +questions, which are besides the libel, <i>&c.</i>" after which he was +removed.</p> + +<p>When called in again, it was intimated to him, that if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">207</a></span> he did not +repair to synods and presbyteries between this and October, conform in +the time, and promise obedience in all time coming, the bishop of +Glasgow was to deprive him. Then Mr. David begged leave to speak to the +bishops, which being granted, he reasoned thus, "Neither can ye suspend +or deprive me, in this court of high commission, for ye have no power in +this court, but by commission from his majesty; his majesty cannot +communicate that power to you, which he claims not to himself." At which +the king wagged his head, and said to him, "Are there not bishops and +fathers in the church, <i>&c.</i> persons clothed with power and authority to +suspend and depose."—"Not in this court," answered Mr. Calderwood. At +which word there arose a confused noise, so that he was obliged to +extend 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 is +not the sentence of the kirk, but a sentence null in itself, and +therefore I cannot obey it. At which some reviling called him proud +knave. Others were not ashamed to shake his shoulders in a most insolent +manner, till at last he was removed a second time.</p> + +<p>Being again called in, the sentence of deprivation was pronounced, and +he ordained to be committed to close ward in the tolbooth of St. +Andrews, till afterward that farther orders were taken for his +banishment, after which he was upbraided by the bishop, who said, That +he deserved to be used as Ogilvy the Jesuit who was hanged. When he +would have answered, the bishops would not allow him, and the king, in a +rage, cried, Away with him:—And lord Scoone taking him by the arm, led +him out, where they staid some time waiting for the bailiffs of the +town. In the mean time Mr Calderwood said to Scoone, "My lord, this is +not the first like turn that hath fallen into your hands."——"I must +serve the king," said Scoone. And to some ministers then standing by he +said, "Brethren, ye have Christ's cause in hand at this meeting, be not +terrified with this spectacle, prove faithful servants to your master." +Scoone took him to his house till the keys of the tolbooth were had. By +the way one demanded, "Whither with the man, my lord?"——"First to the +tolbooth, and then to the gallows," said Scoone.</p> + +<p>He was committed close prisoner, and the same afternoon a charge was +given to transport him to the jail of Edinburgh. After the charge, he +was delivered to two of the guard to be transported thither, although +severals offered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">208</a></span> 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 a +design to keep him in close ward till a ship was ready to convey him +first to London and then to Virginia, but providence had ordered +otherwise, for upon several petitions in his behalf he was liberate out +of prison, upon lord Cranston's being bail that he should depart out of +the country.</p> + +<p>After this Mr. Calderwood went with lord Cranston to the king at +Carlisle, where the said lord presented a petition to him, that Mr. +David might only be confined to his parish, but the king inveighed +against him so much, that at last he repulsed Cranston with his elbow. +He insisted again for a prorogation of time for his departure till the +last of April, because of the winter season, that he might have leisure +to get up his years stipend.—The king answered, Howbeit he begged it +were no matter, he would know himself better the next time, and for the +season of the year, if he drowned in the seas, he might thank God that +he had escaped a worse death. Yet Cranston being so importunate for the +prorogation, the king answered, I will advise with my bishops. Thus the +time was delayed until the year 1619, that he wrote a book called Perth +Assembly, which was condemned by the council in the month of December +that same year,—but as he himself says<a name="FNanchor_76" id="FNanchor_76"></a><a href="#Footnote_76" class="fnanchor">[76]</a>, Neither the book nor the +author could be found, for in the month of August preceding, he had +embarked for Holland.</p> + +<p>During his abode there, one Patrick Scot a landed gentleman near +Falkland, having wasted his patrimony, had no other means to recover his +state, but by some unlawful shift at court, and for that end in the year +1624, he set forth a recantation under the name of a banished minister, +<i>viz.</i> Mr. David Calderwood, who, because of his long sickness before, +was supposed by many to have been dead. The king (as he had alledged to +some of his friends) furnished him with the matter, and he set it down +in form. This project failing, he went over to Holland, and sought Mr. +Calderwood in several towns, particularly in Amsterdam, in the month of +November, in order to dispatch him, as afterward appeared. After he had +stayed twenty days in Amsterdam, making all the search he could, he was +informed that Mr. Calderwood had returned home privately to his native +country, which frustrated his intention.——After the death of king +James he put out a pamphlet full<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">209</a></span> of this, intitled <i>vox vera</i>, and yet +notwithstanding of all his wicked and unlawful pursuits, he died soon +after, so poor, that he had not wherewith to defray the charges of his +funeral.</p> + +<p>Mr. Calderwood, being now returned home after the death of king James, +remained as private as possible, and was mostly at Edinburgh (where he +strengthened the hands of non-conformists, being also a great opposer of +sectarianism) until after the year 1638, that he was admitted minister +at Pancaitland in East Lothian.</p> + +<p>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 1576 +and 1596, which were presented and read by Mr. Johnston the clerk at the +general assembly at Glasgow <i>anno</i> 1638, as also by recommendation of +the general assembly 1646, he was ordered to consider the order of the +visitation of kirks, and trials of presbyteries, and to make report +thereof unto the next general assembly; and likewise at the general +assembly 1648, a further recommendation was given him to draw a draught +of the form of visitation of particular congregations, against the next +assembly; and was also one of those appointed with Mr. David Dickson, to +draw up the form of the directory for the public worship of God, by the +general assembly 1643<a name="FNanchor_77" id="FNanchor_77"></a><a href="#Footnote_77" class="fnanchor">[77]</a>.</p> + +<p>After he had both spent and been spent, with the apostle, for the cause +and interest of Jesus Christ, when the English army lay at Lothian +<i>anno</i> 1651, he went to Jedburgh, where he sickened and died in a good +old age. He was another valiant champion for the truth, who, in pleading +for the crown and interest of Jesus Christ, knew not what it was to be +daunted by the face and frowns of the highest and most incensed +adversaries.</p> + +<p>Before he went to Holland, he wrote the book intitled, Perth Assembly. +While in Holland he wrote that learned book called, <i>Altare Damascenum</i> +with some other pieces in English, which contributed somewhat to keep +many straight in that declining period. After his return he wrote the +history of our church as far down as the year 1625, of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">210</a></span> which the +printed copy that we have is only a short abstract of that large written +history, which both as to the stile and the manner wherein it is +executed, is far preferable to the printed copy; and whoever compares +the two or the last with his <i>Altare Damascenum,</i> both of which are yet +in the hands of some, will readily grant the truth of this assertion; +and yet all this derogates nothing from the truth of the facts reported +in the printed copy, and therefore no offence need be taken at the +information, that there is a more full and better copy than is yet +extant. See the note on the 78th page of Mr. Livingston's life and +memorable characteristics, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Hugh_Binning" id="Mr_Hugh_Binning"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Hugh Binning</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>He was son to John Binning of Dalvennan, and Margaret M'Kell daughter of +Mr. Matthew M'Kell minister at Bothwel, and sister to Mr. Hugh M'Kell +one of the ministers of Edinburgh, His father's worldly circumstances +were so good (being possest of no inconsiderable estate in the shire of +Ayr), that he was enabled to give his son Hugh a very liberal education, +the good effects of which appeared very early upon him;—for the +greatness of his spirit and capacity of judgment, gave his parents good +grounds to conceive the pleasing hopes of his being a promising child.</p> + +<p>When he was at the grammar-school, he made so great proficiency in the +knowledge of the Latin tongue, and the Roman authors, that he +out-stripped his fellow-scholars, even such as were by some years older +than himself. When they went to their diversions he declined their +society, and choosed to employ himself either in secret duty with God, +or conference with religious people, thinking time was too precious to +be lavished away in these things. He began to have sweet familiarity +with God, and to live in near communion with him, before others began +seriously to lay to heart their lost and undone state and condition by +nature, <i>&c.</i> so that before he arrived at the 13th or 14th year of his +age, he had even attained to such experience in the way of God, that the +most judicious and exercised Christians in the place confessed they were +much edified, strengthened and comforted by him, nay that he provoked +them to diligence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">211</a></span> in the duties of religion, being abundantly sensible +that they were much out-run by such a youth.</p> + +<p>Before he was fourteen years of age, he entered upon the study of +philosophy in the university of Glasgow, wherein he made a very +considerable progress, by which means he came to be taken notice of in +the college by the professors and students, and at the same time he +advanced remarkably in religion also. The abstruse depths of philosophy, +which are the torture of a slow genius and a weak capacity, he dived +into without any pain or trouble, so that by his ready apprehension of +things, he was able to do more in one hour than others could do in many +days by hard study and close application; and yet he was ever humble, +and never exalted with self-conceit, the common foible of young men.</p> + +<p>As soon as his course of philosophy was finished, he commenced master of +arts with great applause. He began the study of divinity with a view to +serve God in the holy ministry, at which time there happened to be a +vacancy in the college of Glasgow, by the resignation of Mr. James +Dalrymple<a name="FNanchor_78" id="FNanchor_78"></a><a href="#Footnote_78" class="fnanchor">[78]</a> of Stair, who had some time been his master. And though +Mr. Binning was but lately his scholar, yet he was determined, after +much intreaty, to stand as a candidate for that post.</p> + +<p>According to the usual laudable custom, the masters of the college +emitted a program, and sent it to all the universities of the kingdom, +inviting such as had a mind for a profession of philosophy, to sift +themselves before them, and offer themselves to compete for that +preferment, giving assurance that without partiality the place should be +conferred upon him who should be found <i>dignior et doctior</i>.</p> + +<p>The ministers of the city of Glasgow, considering how much it was the +interest of the church that well-qualified persons be put into the +profession of philosophy, <i>&c.</i> and knowing that Mr. Binning was +eminently pious, and of a bright genius, as well as solid judgment, let +upon him to sift himself among the other competitors; but they had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">212</a></span> +difficulty to overcome his modesty. They at last prevailed upon him to +declare his willingness to undertake the dispute before the masters. +Among others, there were other two candidates, one of whom had the +advantage of great interest with Dr. Strang principal of the college at +that time, and the other a scholar of great abilities, yet Mr. Binning +so managed the dispute, and acquitted himself in all parts of his trial, +that to the conviction of the judges, he darkened his rivals. But the +doctor and some of the faculty who joined him, though they could not +pretend the person they inclined to prefer, had an equality, much less a +superiority in the dispute, yet they argued, <i>cæteris paribus</i>, that +this person they intended was a citizen's son, of a competency of +learning, and a person of more years, and by that means had greater +experience 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 above +all the follies and vanities of youth, and what was wanting in years was +made 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 a +dispute between the two candidates <i>ex tempore</i>, upon any subject they +should be pleased to prescribe. This being considered, soon put a period +to the division amongst them, and those who had opposed him not being +willing to engage their friend with such an able antagonist a second +time, Mr. Binning was elected.</p> + +<p>Mr. Binning was not quite 19 years of age when he commenced regent and +professor of philosophy, and, though he had not time to prepare a system +of any part of his profession, as he had instantly to begin his class, +yet such was the quickness and fertility of his invention, the +tenaciousness of his memory and the solidity of his judgment, that his +dictates to his scholars had a depth of learning and perspicuity of +expression, and was among the first in Scotland, that began to reform +philosophy from the barbarous terms and unintelligible jargon of the +school-men.</p> + +<p>He continued in this profession three years, and discharged his trust so +as to gain the general applause of the university for academical +exercises:—And this was the more remarkable, that having turned his +thoughts towards the ministry, he carried on his theological studies at +the same time, and made great improvements therein, for his memory was +so retentive, that he scarcely forgot any thing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">213</a></span> had heard or read. It +was easy and ordinary for him to inscribe any sermon, after he returned +to his chamber, at such a length, that the intelligent and judicious +reader, who had heard it preached, would not find one sentence wanting.</p> + +<p>During this period, he gave full proof of his progress and knowledge in +divinity, by a composition from 2 Cor. v. 14 <i>For the love of Christ +constraineth us</i>, &c. Which performance he sent to a gentlewoman who had +been some time at Edinburgh, for her private edification, who having +perused the same, judged it to have been a sermon of some eminent +minister in the west of Scotland, and put it into the hands of the then +provost of Edinburgh, who judged of it in the same manner. But when she +returned to Glasgow, she found her mistake by Mr. Binning's asking it at +her:——This was the first discovery he had given of his dexterity and +abilities in explaining the scripture.</p> + +<p>At the expiration of three years as a professor of philosophy, the +parish of Govan, which lies adjacent to the city of Glasgow, happened to +be vacant, and before this whoever was principal of the college of +Glasgow was also minister there; but this being attended with +inconveniencies, an alteration was made, and the presbytery having a +view to supply that vacancy with Mr. Binning, they took him upon trials, +in order to be licensed a preacher;—and preaching there to the great +satisfaction of that people, he was some time after called to be +minister of that parish, which call the presbytery approved of, and +entered 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 the +city upon the first vacancy,——having a view at the same time to bring +him back to the university, whenever the profession of divinity should +be vacant.</p> + +<p>He was, considering his age, a prodigy of learning. For before he had +arrived at the 26th year of his life, he had such a large stock of +useful knowledge, as to be <i>philologus, philosophus et theologus +eximius</i>, and might well have been an ornament to the most famous and +flourishing university in Europe. This was the more surprising, +considering his weakness and infirmity of body, as not being able to +read much at a time, or to undergo the fatigue of continual study, in so +much that his knowledge seemed rather to have been born with him, than +to have been acquired by hard and laborious study.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">214</a></span> +Though he was bookish, and much intent upon the fulfilling his ministry, +yet he turned his thoughts to marriage, and did espouse a virtuous and +excellent person Mrs. Barbara Simpson, daughter to Mr. James Simpson a +minister in Ireland. Upon the day he was to be married, he went +accompanied with his friend (and some others, among whom were several +worthy ministers) unto an adjacent country congregation, upon the day of +their weekly sermon. The minister of the parish delayed sermon till they +would come, hoping to put the work upon one of the ministers whom he +expected to be there, but all declining it, he tried next to prevail on +the bridegroom, with whom he succeeded, though the invitation was not +expected. It was no difficult task to him to preach upon a short +warning; he stepped aside a little to pre-meditate and implore his +Master's presence and assistance (for he was ever afraid to be alone in +this work), and entered the pulpit immediately, and preached upon 1 Pet. +i. 15. <i>But as he that hath called you is holy</i>, &c. At which time he +was so remarkably helped, that all acknowledged that God was with him of +a truth, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>When the unhappy differences betwixt the resolutioners and protesters +fell out, among whom Mr. Binning was of the last denomination, this +distinction proved to be of fatal consequence. He saw some of the evils +of it in his own time, and being of a catholic and healing spirit, with +a view to the cementing of differences, he wrote an excellent treatise +of Christian love, which contains very strong and pathetic passages most +apposite to this subject. He was no fomenter of factions, but studious +of the public tranquillity. He was a man of moderate principles and +temperate passions, never imposing or overbearing upon others but +willingly hearkened to advice, and always yielded to reason.</p> + +<p>The prevailing of the English sectarians under Oliver Cromwel<a name="FNanchor_79" id="FNanchor_79"></a><a href="#Footnote_79" class="fnanchor">[79]</a> to the +overthrow of the presbyterian interest in England, and the various +attempts which they made in Scotland on the constitution and discipline +of this church<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">215</a></span> was one of the greatest difficulties, which the +ministers had then to struggle with. Upon this he hath many excellent +reflections in his sermons, particularly in that sermon from Deut. +xxxii. 4, 5. See his works, page 502, 557, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>After he had laboured four years in the ministry, serving God with his +spirit in the gospel of his Son, he died in the year 1653, of a +consumption, when he was scarce come to the prime and vigour of his +life, being only in the 26th year of his age, leaving behind him a sweet +favour and an epistle of commendation upon the hearts of those who were +his hearers.</p> + +<p>He was a person of singular piety, of a humble, meek, and peaceable +temper, a judicious and lively preacher, nay so extraordinary a person, +that he was justly accounted a prodigy of human learning and knowledge +of divinity. From his childhood he knew the scriptures, and from a boy +had been much under deep and spiritual exercise, until the time (or a +little before) that he entered upon the office of the ministry, when he +came to a great calm and tranquillity of mind, being mercifully relieved +from all these doubtings, which for a long time he had been exercised +with, and though he studied in his discourses to condescend to the +capacity of the meaner sort of hearers, yet it must be owned that his +gift of preaching was not so much accommodated to a country +congregation, as it was to the judicious and learned. Mr. Binning's +method was peculiar to himself, much after the haranguing way; he was no +stranger to the rules of art, and knew well how to make his matter +subservient to the subject he handled. His diction and language was easy +and fluent, void of all affectation and bombast, and has a kind of +undesigned negligent elegance which arrests the reader's attention. +Considering the time he lived in, it might be said, that he carried the +orator's prize from his contemporaries in Scotland, and was not at that +time inferior to the best pulpit orator in England. While he lived he +was highly esteemed, having been a successful instrument of saving +himself, and them that heard him, of turning sinners unto righteousness +and of perfecting the saints. He died much lamented by all good people +who had the opportunity of knowing him. That great divine Mr. James +Durham gave him this verdict, "That there was no speaking after Mr. +Binning;" and truly he had the tongue of the learned, and knew how to +speak a word in season.</p> + +<p>Besides his works which are bound up in one quarto volume, and that +wrote upon occasion of the public resolutioners,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">216</a></span> which has been already +mentioned, some other little pieces of his have been published since. +There is also a book in quarto said to be his, intitled, An useful case +of conscience learnedly and acutely discussed and resolved, concerning +association and confederacies with idolators, heretics, malignants, +<i>&c.</i> first printed <i>anno</i> 1693, which was like to have had some +influence at that time upon king William's soldiers while in Flanders, +which made him suppress it. And raise a persecution against Mr. James +Kid for publishing the same at Utrecht in the Netherlands.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Andrew_Gray" id="Mr_Andrew_Gray"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Andrew Gray</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Andrew Gray (by the calculation of his age and the date of his entry +into the ministry) seems to have been born about the year 1634, and +being very early sent to school, where he learned so fast, that in a +short time he was sent to the university, and here, by the vivacity of +his parts and ready genius, he made such proficiency both in scholastic +learning and divinity, that before he was twenty years of age he was +found accomplished for entering into the holy office of the ministry.</p> + +<p>From his very infancy he had studied to be acquainted with the +scriptures, and, like another young Samson, the Spirit of God began very +early to move him, there being such a delightful gravity in his young +conversation, 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."</p> + +<p>This earthly vessel being thus filled with heavenly treasure, he was +quickly licensed to preach, and got a call to be minister of the outer +kirk of the high church of Glasgow, though he was scarce twenty years of +age complete (far below the age appointed by the constitution of this +church unless in cases extraordinary).</p> + +<p>No sooner was this young servant of Christ entered into his Master's +vineyard, than the people from all quarters flocked to attend his +sermons, it being their constant emulation who should be most under the +refreshing drops of his ministry, in so much that as he and his learned +colleague Mr. Durham were one time walking together, Mr. Durham, +observing the multitude thronging into that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">217</a></span> church where Mr. Gray was +to preach, and only a very few going into the church in which he was to +preach, said to him, "Brother, I perceive you are to have a throng +church to-day."—To which he answered, "Truly, brother, they are fools +to leave you and come to me."——Mr. Durham replied, "Not so dear +brother, for none can receive such honour and success in his ministry, +except it be given him from heaven, I rejoice that Christ is preached +and that his kingdom and interest is getting ground, for I am content to +be any thing or nothing that Christ may be all and all."</p> + +<p>And indeed Mr. Gray had a notable and singular gift in preaching, being +one experienced in the most mysterious points of a Christian practice +and profession; and in handling of all his subjects, free of youthful +vanity, or affectation of human literature, though he had a most +scholastic genius and more than ordinary abilities; that he did outstrip +many that entered into the Lord's vineyard before him, his experience +being every way warm and rapturous, and well adapted to affect the +hearts of his hearers, yea he had such a faculty, and was so helped to +press home God's threatenings upon the consciences of his hearers, that +his contemporary the foresaid Mr. Durham observed, That many times he +caused the very hairs of their head to stand up.</p> + +<p>Among his other excellencies in preaching (which were many) this was +none of the least, that he could so order his subject as to make it +relish every palate. He could so dress a plain discourse as to delight a +learned 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 high +mysteries, as to make them stoop to the meanest capacity. He had so +learned Christ, and being a man of a most zealous temper, the great bent +of his spirit and that which he did spend himself anent, was to make +people know their dangerous state by nature, and to persuade them to +believe and lay hold of the great salvation.</p> + +<p>All which singularities seem to have been his peculiar mercy from the +Lord, to make him a burning and shining light in the western climate, +for about the space of two years<a name="FNanchor_80" id="FNanchor_80"></a><a href="#Footnote_80" class="fnanchor">[80]</a> only, the Spirit of the Lord as it +were stirring up<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">218</a></span> a lamp unto a sudden blaze, that was not to continue +long in his church. On which a late prefacer of some of his sermons has +very pertinently observed,——"Yea, how awakening, convincing and +reproving may the example of this very young minister be to many +ministers of the gospel, who have been many years in the vineyard, but +fall far short of his labours and progress! God thinks fit now and then +to raise up a child to reprove the sloth and negligence of many +thousands of advanced years, and shews that he can perfect his own +praise out of the mouth of babes, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>His sermons are now in print, and well known in the world. His works do +praise him in the gates, and though they are free from the metaphysical +speculations of the schools, yet it must be granted that the +excellencies of the ancient fathers and school-men do all concenter in +them: For his doctrine carries light, his reproofs are weighty, and his +exhortations powerful, and though they are not in such an accurate or +grammatical style as some may expect, yet that may be easily accounted +for, if we consider, (1.) The great alteration and embellishment in the +style of the English language since his time. And (2.) There can be no +ground to doubt but they must be far inferior unto what they were when +delivered by the author, who neither corrected, nor, as appears, +intended that they should ever be published, and yet all this is +sufficiently made up otherwise, for what is wanting in symmetry of parts +or equality of style, in the pleasure of variety, like the grateful +odours of various flowers, or the pleasant harmony of different sounds, +for so is truth in its own native dress.</p> + +<p>It hath been often said that Mr. Gray many times longed for the 22d year +of his age, wherein he expected to rest from his labours by a perpetual +jubilee, to enjoy his blessed Lord and Master. However it is certain +that in his sermons we often find him longing for his majority, that he +might enter into the possession of his heavenly Father's inheritance +prepared for him before the foundations of the world were laid.</p> + +<p>He escaped death very narrowly, when going to Dundee in company with Mr. +Robert Fleming (some time minister at Cambuslang) which remarkable +sea-deliverance was matter of his thankfulness to God all his life +after.</p> + +<p>There is one thing that may be desiderated by the inquisitious, <i>i. e.</i> +what Mr. Gray's sentiments were concerning the public resolutions, +seeing he entered the ministry about the third year after these +resolutions took place.——Whatever<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">219</a></span> his contentions in public were, it +is creditably reported, that he debated in private against these +defections with his learned colleague Mr. Durham, who afterwards on his +death-bed asked, What he thought of these things?—He answered, That he +was of the same mind with what he had formerly heard—and did much +regret that he had been so sparing in public against these woeful +resolutions, speaking so pathetically of their sinfulness and the +calamities they would procure, that Mr. Durham, contrary to his former +practice, durst never after speak in defence of them.</p> + +<p>But the time now approaching that the Lord was about to accomplish the +desire of his servant, he fell sick, and was cast into a high fever for +several days. He was much tossed with sore trouble, without any +intermission, and all the time continued in a most sedate frame of mind.</p> + +<p>It is a loss that his last dying words were neither wrote nor +remembered, only we may guess what his spiritual exercises were, from +that short but excellent letter sent from him, a little before his +death, to lord Warriston, bearing date Feb. 7, 1656, wherein he shows +that he not only had a most clear discovery of the toleration then +granted by Cromwel, and the evils that would come upon these lands for +all these things, but also was most sensible of his own case and +condition, as appears from the conclusion of that letter, where he +accosts his lordship thus, "Now, not to trouble your lordship, whom I +highly reverence, and my soul was knit to you in the Lord, but that you +will bespeak my case to the great Master of requests, and lay my broken +state before him who hath pled the desperate case of many according to +the sweet word in Lam. iii. 5, 6. <i>Thou hast heard my voice, hide not +thine ear</i>, &c. This is all at this time from one in a very weak +condition, in a great fever, who, for much of seven nights, hath sleeped +little at all, with many other sad particulars and circumstances."</p> + +<p>Thus in a short time, according to his desire, it was granted to him, by +death, to pass unto the author of life, his soul taking its flight into +the arms of his blessed Saviour, whom he had served faithfully in his +day and generation (being about twenty-two years old). He shone too +conspicuous to continue long, and burned so intensely, he behoved soon +to be extinguished, but now shines in the kingdom of his Father, in a +more conspicuous refulgent manner, even as the brightness of the +firmament and the stars for ever and ever.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">220</a></span> +He was in his day a most singular and pious youth, and though he died +young, yet was old in grace, having lived long, and done much for God in +a little time, being one, both in public and private life, who possessed +in a high degree, every domestic and social virtue that could adorn the +character of a most powerful and pathetic preacher, a loving +husband<a name="FNanchor_81" id="FNanchor_81"></a><a href="#Footnote_81" class="fnanchor">[81]</a>, an affable friend, ever cheerful and agreeable in +conversation, always ready to exert himself for the relief of all who +asked or stood in need of his assistance, which uncommon talents not +only endeared him to his brethren the clergy, but also to many others +from the one extremity of the lands to the other (that heard or knew any +thing of him) who considered and highly esteemed him as one of the most +able advocates for the propagation and advancement of Christ's kingdom.</p> + +<p>His well-known sermons are printed in several small pieces. Those called +his works are bound in one volume octavo. To the eleven sermons printed +sometime ago, are lately published a large collection to the number of +fifty-one, intitled his select sermons, whereof only three, for +connection sake, and his letter to lord Warriston are inserted, which +were before published in his works. So that by this time most (if not +all) of the sermons are now in print that ever were preached by him.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_James_Durham" id="Mr_James_Durham"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">James Durham</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. James Durham was born about the year 1622, and lineally descended +from the ancient and honourable family of Grange Durham, in the parish +of Monuseith in the shire of Angus. He was the eldest son of John Durham +of Easter Powrie, Esq; now called Wedderburn after the gentleman's name +who is the present professor thereof.</p> + +<p>Having gone through all the parts of useful learning with success and +applause, he left the university before he was graduate, and for +sometime lived as a private gentleman at his own dwelling house in the +country, without any thought then of farther prosecuting his studies +especially for the ministry, and though he was always blameless<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">221</a></span> and +moral in his life, both in the university and when he left it, yet he +was much a stranger to religion in the serious exercise and power of it, +and, through prejudice of education, did not stand well affected to the +presbyterial government. He first married a daughter of the laird of +Duntervie: his wife and her mother were both very pious women.</p> + +<p>His conversion to the Lord was very remarkable. For going with his lady +to visit her mother in the parish of Abercorn, some miles west from +Edinburgh,—it happened, that at this time the sacrament was to be +administered in that parish upon Saturday,—his mother-in-law earnestly +pressed them to go with them to church and hear sermon; at first he +shewed much unwillingness, but partly by their persuasion, and partly by +his complaisant disposition, he went along with them. The minister that +preached that day was extremely affectionate and serious in his +delivery, and though the sermon was a plain familiar discourse, yet his +seriousness fixed Mr. Durham's attention very closely, and he was much +affected therewith. But the change was reserved till the morrow. When he +came home, he said to his mother-in-law, The minister hath preached very +seriously this day, I shall not need to be pressed to go to church +to-morrow. Accordingly on Sabbath morning, rising early, he went to +church, where Mr. Melvil preached from 2 Pet. ii. 7. <i>To you that +believe he is precious</i>, &c. where he so sweetly and seriously opened up +the preciousness of Christ, and the Spirit of God wrought so effectually +upon his spirit, that in hearing of this sermon, he first closed with +Christ, and then went to the Lord's table, and took the seal of God's +covenant. After this he ordinarily called Mr. Melvil father when he +spoke of him.</p> + +<p>Afterward he made serious religion his business both in secret and in +his family, and in all places and companies where he came, and did +cordially embrace the interest of Christ and his church as then +established, and gave himself much up to reading; for which reason, that +he might be free of all disturbance, <i>&c.</i> he caused build a study for +himself; in which little chamber, he gave himself to prayer, reading and +meditation, and was so close a student there, that he often forgot to +eat his bread, being sometimes so intent upon his studies, that servants +who were sent to call him down, often returned without answer, yea, his +lady frequently called on him with tears, before he would come:—Such +sweet communion he had with the Lord sometimes in that place.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">222</a></span> +He made great proficiency in his studies, and not only became an +experimental Christian, but also a very learned man. One evidence of +which he gave in a short dispute with one of the then ministers of +Dundee, while he was in that town: He met (in a house where he was +occasionally) with the parson of the parish (for so the ministers were +then called), who knew not Mr. Durham. After some discourse he fell upon +the Popish controversy with him, and so put him to silence, that he +could not answer a word but went sneakingly out of the room from Mr. +Durham to the provost, craving his assistance to apprehend Mr. Durham as +a Jesuit, assuring the provost, that if ever there was a jesuit in Rome +he was one, and that if he were suffered to remain in the town or +country, he might pervert many from the faith.——Upon which the +provost, going along with him to the house where the pretended jesuit +was, and entering the room, he immediately knew Mr. Durham, and saluted +him as laird of Easter Powrie, craving his pardon for their mistake, and +turning to the parson, asked where the person was he called the +jesuit?—Mr. Durham smiled, and the parson ashamed, asked pardon of them +both, and was rebuked by the provost, who said, Fy, fy! that any country +gentleman should be able to put our parson thus to silence.</p> + +<p>His call and coming forth to the ministry was somewhat remarkable, for +in the time when the civil wars broke forth, several gentlemen being in +arms for the cause of religion, among whom he was chosen and called to +be a captain, in which station he behaved himself like another +Cornelius, being a devout man, and one that feared God with all his +house, and prayed to God always with his company, <i>&c.</i> When the Scots +army were about to engage with the English, he judged meet to call his +company to prayer before the engagement, and as he began to pray, Mr. +David Dickson, then professor of divinity at Glasgow coming past the +army, seeing the soldiers addressing themselves to prayer, and hearing +the voice of one praying, drew near, alighted from his horse, and joined +with them; and was so much taken with Mr. Durham's prayer, that he +called for the captain, and having conversed with him a little, he +solemnly charged him, that as soon as this piece of service was over, he +should devote himself to serve God in the holy ministry, for to that he +judged the Lord called him. But though, as yet, Mr. Durham had no +clearness to hearken to Mr. Dickson's advice, yet two remarkable +providences falling out just upon the back of this solemn charge,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">223</a></span> +served very much to clear his way to comply with Mr. Dickson's +desire:—The first was, In the engagement his horse was shot under him, +and he was mercifully preserved: the second was, In the heat of the +battle, an English soldier was on the point of striking him down with +his sword, but apprehending him to be a minister by his grave carriage, +black cloth and band (as was then in fashion with gentlemen), he asked +him if he was a priest? To which Mr. Durham replied, I am one of God's +priests;—and he spared his life. Mr. Durham, upon reflecting how +wonderfully the Lord had spared him, and preserved his life, and that +his saying he was a priest had been the mean thereof, resolved +therefore, as a testimony of his grateful and thankful sense of the +Lord's goodness to him, henceforth to devote himself to the service of +God in the holy ministry, if the Lord should see meet to qualify him for +the same.</p> + +<p>Accordingly, in pursuance of this resolution, he quickly went to +Glasgow, and studied divinity under Mr. David Dickson then professor +there, and made such proficiency therein, that in a short time (being +called thereto) he humbly offered himself to trials <i>anno</i> 1646, and so +was licensed by the presbytery of Irvine to preach the gospel, and next +year, upon Mr. Dickson's recommendation, the session of Glasgow +appointed Mr. Ramsay one of their ministers, to intreat Mr. Durham so +come and preach in Glasgow. Accordingly he came and preached two sabbath +days and one week day. The session being fully satisfied with his +doctrine and the gifts bestowed on him by the Lord for serving him in +the holy ministry, did unanimously call him to the ministry of the +Black-friar church then vacant, in consequence of which he was ordained +minister there in November 1647.</p> + +<p>He applied himself to the work of the ministry with great diligence, so +that his profiting did quickly appear to all; but considering that no +man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, he +obtained leave of his people to return to his own country for a little +time to settle his worldly affairs there; yet he was not idle here, but +preached every sabbath. He first preached at Dundee, before a great +multitude, from Rom. i. 16. <i>I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ</i>, +and shewed that it was no disparagement for the greatest to be a +gospel-minister; and a second time he preached at Ferling (in his own +country) upon 2 Cor. v. 18. <i>He hath given to us the ministry of +reconciliation</i>, &c.; and a third time at Monuseith, at the desire of +the minister there, he preached from 2 Cor. v. 20.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">224</a></span> <i>We then are +ambassadors for Christ</i>, &c. In both places he indeed acted like an +ambassador for Christ, and managed the gospel-treaty of peace to good +purpose. The next sabbath he designed to have preached at Murrose, but +receiving an express to return to Glasgow in haste, his wife being +dangerously sick, he came away, leaving his affairs to the care of his +friends, and returned to Glasgow, where, in a few days, his wife, who +had been the desire of his eyes, died. His Christian submission under +this afflicting dispensation was most remarkable. After a short silence, +he said to some about him, "Now, who could persuade me that this +dispensation of God's providence was good for me, if the Lord had not +said it was so," He was afterward married to Margaret Muir relict of Mr. +Zechariah Boyd, minister of the Barony of Glasgow.</p> + +<p>In the year 1650, Mr. Dickson professor of divinity in the college of +Glasgow, being called to be professor of divinity in the university of +Edinburgh, the commissioners of the general assembly authorized for +visiting the university of Glasgow, unanimously designed and called Mr. +Durham to succeed Mr. Dickson as professor there. But before he was +admitted to that charge, the general assembly of this church, being +persuaded of his eminent piety and stedfastness, prudence and +moderation, <i>&c.</i> did, after mature deliberation, that same year, pitch +upon him, though then but about twenty-eight years of age, as among the +ablest and best accomplished ministers then in the church, to attend the +king's family as chaplain. In which station, tho' the times were most +difficult, as abounding with snares and temptations, he did so wisely +and faithfully acquit himself, that there was a conviction left upon the +consciences of all who observed him. Yea, during his stay at court, and, +whenever he went about the duty of his place, they did all carry +gravely, and did forbear all lightness and profanity, none allowing +themselves to do any thing offensive before him. So that while he served +the Lord in the holy ministry, and particularly in that post and +character 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 and +edify their souls, than to tickle their fancy, as some court-parasites +in their sermons do: One instance whereof was, that being called to +preach before the parliament, where many rulers were present, he +preached from John iii. 10. <i>Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest +not these things?</i> when he mostly insisted that it was a most +unaccountable thing for rulers and nobles in Israel, <i>&c.</i> to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">225</a></span> +ignorant of the great and necessary things of regeneration, and being +born again of the Spirit; and did most seriously press all, from the +king to the beggar, to seek and know experimentally these things. A good +pattern 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.</p> + +<p>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 of +the said Mr. James Durham, in the university of Glasgow. In consequence +of which, Mr. Durham came to Glasgow, for he is mentioned present in the +session in the beginning of April next. At the same time, Cromwel and +his army were in Glasgow, and on the Lord's day Cromwel heard Mr. Durham +preach, when he testified against his invasion to his face. Next day he +sent for Mr Durham, and told him, He always thought he had been a wiser +man, than to meddle with matters of public concern in his sermons.—To +which he answered, It was not his practice, but that he judged it both +wisdom and prudence to speak his mind on that head seeing he had the +opportunity to do it in his presence.——Cromwell dismissed him very +civilly, but desired him to forbear insisting on that subject in public; +and at the same time sundry ministers both in town and country met with +Cromwel and his officers, and represented in strong terms the injustice +of his invasion.</p> + +<p>It would appear that Mr. Durham, some time after this, had withdrawn +from Glasgow, and therefore a letter was, in August next, ordered to be +sent 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, the +common session gave an unanimous call (with which the town-council +agreed) to Mr Durham to be minister there. And some time after this he +was received minister in the inner kirk, Mr. John Carstairs his +brother-in-law being his colleague in that church.</p> + +<p>In the whole of his ministry he was a burning and shining light, and +particularly he shined in humility and self-denial. An instance of which +was, Upon a day when Mr. Andrew Gray and he were to preach, being +walking together, Mr. Durham observing multitudes thronging to Mr. +Gray's church, and only a few into his, said to Mr. Gray, "Brother, you +are like to have a throng church to-day." To which Mr. Gray answered, +"Truly, brother, they are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">226</a></span> fools to leave you and come to me."—"Not so, +dear brother, replied Mr. Durham, for a minister can receive no such +honour and success in his ministry, except it be given him from heaven. +I rejoice that Christ is preached, though my esteem in people's hearts +should decrease and be diminished; for I am content to be any thing so +that Christ be all in all."</p> + +<p>He was also a person of the utmost gravity, and scarce smiled at any +thing. Once when Mr. William Guthrie being exceeding merry, made Mr. +Durham smile with his pleasant, facetious and harmless conversation, at +which Mr. Durham was at first a little disgusted, but it being the +laudable custom of that family to pray after dinner, which Mr. Guthrie +did, upon being desired, with the greatest measure of seriousness and +fervency, to the astonishment of all present: when they arose from +prayer, Mr. Durham embraced him and said, "O William, you are a happy +man, if I had been so merry as you have been, I could not have been in +such a serious frame for prayer for the space of forty-eight hours."</p> + +<p>As Mr. Durham was devout in all parts of his ministerial work, so more +eminently at communion occasions. Then he endeavoured through grace to +rouse and work up himself to such a divineness of frame, as very much +suited the spiritual state and majesty of that ordinance. Yea, at some +of these solemn and sweet occasions, he spoke some way as a man that had +been in heaven commending Jesus Christ, making a glorious display of +free grace, <i>&c.</i> and brought the offers thereof so low that they were +made to think the rope or cord of the salvation offered, was let down to +sinners, that those of the lowest stature might catch hold of it. He +gave himself much up to meditation, and usually said little to persons +that came to propose their cases to him, but heard them patiently, and +was sure to handle their case in his sermons.</p> + +<p>His healing disposition and great moderation of spirit remarkably +appeared when this church was grievously divided betwixt the +resolutioners and protestors; and as he would never give his judgment +upon either side, so he used to say, That division was worse by far than +either of the sides. He was equally respected by both parties, for at a +meeting of the synod in Glasgow, when those of the different sides met +separately, each of them made choice of Mr. Durham for their moderator, +but he refused to join either of them, till they would both unite +together, which they accordingly did. At this meeting he gave in some +overtures<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">227</a></span> for peace, the substance of which was, that they should +eschew all public awakening or lengthening out the debate either by +preaching or spreading of papers on either side, and that they should +forbear practising, executing or pressing of acts made in the last +assembly at St. Andrews and Dundee, and also pressing or spreading +appeals, declinatures, <i>&c.</i> against the same, and that no +church-officer should be excepted at on account of these things, they +being found otherwise qualified, <i>&c.</i><a name="FNanchor_82" id="FNanchor_82"></a><a href="#Footnote_82" class="fnanchor">[82]</a></p> + +<p>So weighty was the ministerial charge upon his spirit, that if he were +to live ten years longer, he would choose to live nine years in study, +for preaching the tenth; and it was thought his close study and +thoughtfulness cast him into that decay whereof he died. In the time of +his sickness, the better part being afraid that the magistrates and some +of the ministry who were for the public resolutions, would put in one of +that stamp after his death, moved Mr. Carstairs his colleague, in a +visit 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 the +magistrates, ministers and some of the people, he named other three to +take any of them they pleased.—This alteration made Mr. Carstairs +inquire 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 any +church 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. Vetch +preached, and (though knowing nothing of this) told the people in the +afternoon it would be his last sermon to them, and the same night taking +bed, 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.—When +on his death-bed, he was under considerable darkness about his state, +and said to Mr. John Carstair's brother, "For all that I have preached +or written, there is but one scripture I can remember or dare gripe +unto; tell me if dare lay the weight of my salvation upon it, <i>Whosoever +cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.</i>"—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 the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">228</a></span> +strength of God's grace, triumphantly overcame; he cried out in a +rapture of holy joy some little time before he committed his soul to +God, "Is not the Lord good! Is he not infinitely good! See how he +smiles! I do say it, and I do proclaim it." He died on Friday the 25th +of June 1658, in the thirty-sixth year of his age.</p> + +<p>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 at +home and abroad. He was a burning and a shining light, a star of the +first magnitude, and of whom it may be said (without derogating from the +merit of any), that he attained unto the first three and had a name +among the mighty. He was also one of great integrity and authority in +the 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 his +calm and healing spirit.</p> + +<p>His colleague Mr. John Carstairs, in his funeral sermon from Isa. lvii. +1, 2. <i>The righteous man perisheth, and no one layeth it to heart,</i> &c. +gives him this character,—"Know ye not that there is a prince among +pastors fallen to-day! a faithful and wise steward, that knew well how +to give God's children their food in due season, a gentle and kind +nurse, a faithful admonisher, reprover, <i>&c.</i> a skilful counsellor in +all 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, an +interpreter of the word among a thousand, to him men gave ear, and after +his words no man spake again."</p> + +<p>His learned and pious works, (wherein all the excellencies of the +primitive and ancient fathers seem to concenter) are a commentary on the +Revelation; seventy-two sermons on the fifty-third chapter of the +prophecy of the prophet Isaiah; an exposition of the ten commandments; +an exposition of the Song of Solomon; his sermons on death; on the +unsearchable riches of Christ; his communion sermons, sermons on +godliness and self-denial; a sermon on a good conscience. There are also +a great many of his sermons in manuscript (never yet published), <i>viz.</i> +three sermons upon resisting the Holy Ghost from Acts vii 51.; eight on +quenching the Spirit; five upon giving the Spirit; thirteen upon +trusting and delighting in God; two against immoderate anxiety; eight +upon the one thing needful; with a discourse upon prayer, and several +other sermons and discourses<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">229</a></span> 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 of +lecture upon Job said to be his, but whether these, either as to style +or strain, co-here with the other works of the laborious Mr. Durham, +must be left to the impartial and unbiased reader.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Samuel_Rutherford" id="Mr_Samuel_Rutherford"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Samuel Rutherford</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Samuel Rutherford a gentleman by extraction, having spent sometime +at the grammar-school, went to the university of Edinburgh, where he was +so much admired for his pregnancy of parts, and deservedly looked upon +as one from whom some great things might be expected, that in a short +time (though then but very young) he was made professor of philosophy in +that university.</p> + +<p>Sometime after this he was called to be minister at Anwoth, in the shire +of Galloway, unto which charge he entered by means of the then viscount +of 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 time +in reading, praying, writing, catechising, visiting, and other duties +belonging to the ministerial profession and employment.</p> + +<p>Here he wrote his <i>exercitationes de gratia</i>, &c. for which he was +summoned (as early as June 1630) before the high commission court, but +the weather was so tempestuous as to obstruct the passage of the +arch-bishop of St. Andrews hither, and Mr. Colvil one of the judges +having befriended him, the diet was deserted. About the same time his +first wife died after a sore sickness of thirteen months, and he himself +being so ill of a tertian fever for thirteen weeks, that then he could +not preach on the Sabbath day, without great difficulty.</p> + +<p>Again in April 1634, he was threatened with another prosecution at the +instance of the bishop of Galloway, before the high commission court, +and neither were these threatenings all the reasons Mr. Rutherford had +to lay his account with suffering, and as the Lord would not hide from +his faithful servant Abraham the things he was about to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">230</a></span> do, neither +would he conceal from this son of Abraham what his purposes were +concerning 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 he +got a full answer of his Lord to be a graced minister, and a chosen +arrow hid in his quiver<a name="FNanchor_83" id="FNanchor_83"></a><a href="#Footnote_83" class="fnanchor">[83]</a>." Accordingly the thing he looked for came +upon him, for he was again summoned before the high commission court for +his non-conformity, his preaching against the five articles of Perth, +and the forementioned book of <i>exercitationes apologetica pro divina +gratia</i>, which book they alledged did reflect upon the church of +Scotland, but the truth was, says a late historian<a name="FNanchor_84" id="FNanchor_84"></a><a href="#Footnote_84" class="fnanchor">[84]</a>, The argument of +that book did cut the sinews of Arminianism, and galled the Episcopal +clergy to the very quick, and so bishop Sydresert could endure him no +longer. When he came before the commission court he altogether declined +them as a lawful judicatory, and would not give the chancellor (being a +clergyman) and the bishops their titles by lording of them, yet some had +the courage to befriend him, particularly, the lord Lorn (afterwards the +famous marquis of Argyle), who did as much for him as was within his +power to do; but the bishop of Galloway, threatening that if he got not +his 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 part +of his ministry within the kingdom of Scotland, under pain of rebellion, +and ordered within six months to confine himself within the city of +Aberdeen, <i>&c.</i> during the king's pleasure, which sentence he obeyed, +and forthwith went toward the place of his confinement.</p> + +<p>From Aberdeen he wrote many of his famous letters, from which it is +evident that the consolation of the Holy Spirit did greatly abound with +him in his sufferings, yea, in one of these letters, he expresses it in +the strongest terms, when he says, "I never knew before, that his love +was in such a measure. If he leave me, he leaves me in pain, and sick of +love, and yet my sickness is my life and health. I have a fire within +me, I defy all the devils in hell and all the prelates in Scotland to +cast water on it." Here he remained upwards of a year and a half, by +which time he made the doctors of Aberdeen know that the puritans (as +they called them) were clergymen as well as they. But upon notice that +the privy council had received in a declinature against the high +commission court in the year<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">231</a></span> 1638, he adventured to return back again +to his flock at Anwoth, where he again took great pains, both in public +and private, amongst that people, who from all quarters resorted to his +ministry, so that the whole country side might account themselves as his +particular flock, and it being then in the dawning of the reformation, +found no small benefit by the gospel, that part of the ancient prophecy +being farther accomplished, <i>for in the wilderness shall waters break +out, and streams in the desert</i>, Isa. xxxv. 6.</p> + +<p>He was before that venerable assembly held at Glasgow in 1638, and gave +an account of all these his former proceedings with respect to his +confinement, and the causes thereof. By them he was appointed to be +professor of divinity at St. Andrews, and colleague in the ministry with +the worthy Mr. Blair, who was translated hither about the same time. And +here God did again so second this his eminent and faithful servant, that +by his indefatigable pains both in teaching in the schools and preaching +in the congregation, St. Andrews the seat of the arch-bishop (and by +that means the nursery of all superstition, error and profaneness) soon +became forthwith a Lebanon out of which were taken cedars, for building +the house of the Lord, almost through the whole land, many of whom he +guided to heaven before himself (who received the spiritual life by his +ministry), and many others did walk in that light after him.</p> + +<p>And as he was mighty in the public parts of religion, so he was a great +practiser and encourager of the private duties thereof. Thus in the year +1640, when a charge was foisted in before the general assembly at the +instance of Mr. Henry Guthrie minister at Stirling (afterward bishop of +Dunkeld), against private society meetings (which were then abounding in +the land), on which ensued much reasoning, the one side yielding that a +paper before drawn up by Mr. Henderson should be agreed unto concerning +the order to be kept in these meetings, <i>&c.</i> but Guthrie and his +adherents opposing this, Mr. Rutherford, who was never much disposed to +speak in judicatories, threw in this syllogism, "What the scriptures do +warrant no assembly may discharge; but private meetings for religious +exercises the scriptures do warrant, Mal. v. 16. <i>Then they that feared +the Lord spake often one to another</i>, &c. James v. 16. <i>Confess your +faults one to another, and pray one for another</i>, &c. These things could +not be done in public meetings, &c." And although the earl of Seaforth +there present, and those of Guthrie's faction upbraided this good man +for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">232</a></span> this, yet it had influence upon the majority of the members, so +that all the opposite party got done, was an act anent the ordering of +family-worship.</p> + +<p>He was also one of the Scots commissioners appointed <i>anno</i> 1643, to the +Westminster assembly, and was very much beloved there for his +unparalleled faithfulness and zeal in going about his Master's business. +It was during this time that he published <i>lex rex</i>, and several other +learned pieces against the Erastians, Anabaptists, Independents, and +other sectaries that began to prevail and increase at that time, and +none ever had the courage to take up the gauntlet of defiance thrown +down by this champion<a name="FNanchor_85" id="FNanchor_85"></a><a href="#Footnote_85" class="fnanchor">[85]</a>.</p> + +<p>When the principal business of this assembly was pretty well settled, +Mr. Rutherford, on October 24, 1647, moved that it might be recorded in +the scribe's book, that the assembly had enjoyed the assistance of the +commissioners of the church of Scotland, all the time they had been +debating and perfecting these four things mentioned in the solemn +league, <i>viz.</i> Their composing a directory for worship, an uniform +confession of faith, a form of church-government and discipline, and the +public catechism, which was done in about a week after he and the rest +returned home.</p> + +<p>Upon the death of the learned Dematius <i>anno</i> 1651, the magistrates of +Utrecht in Holland, being abundantly satisfied as to the learning, +piety, and true zeal of the great Mr. Rutherford, invited him to the +divinity chair there, but he could not be persuaded. His reasons +elsewhere (when dissuading another gentleman from going abroad) seem to +be expressed in these words:—"Let me intreat you to be far from the +thoughts of leaving this land. I see it and find it, that the Lord hath +covered the whole land with a cloud in his anger, but though I have been +tempted to the like, I had rather be in Scotland beside angry Jesus +Christ (knowing he mindeth no evil to us), than in any Eden or garden on +the earth<a name="FNanchor_86" id="FNanchor_86"></a><a href="#Footnote_86" class="fnanchor">[86]</a>." From which it is evident that he chose rather to suffer +affliction in his own native country, than to leave his charge and flock +in time of danger. He continued with them till the day of his death in +the free and faithful discharge of his duty.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">233</a></span> +When the unhappy difference fell out between those called the +protesters and the public resolutioners, <i>anno</i> 1650, and 1651, he +espoused the protestors quarrel, and gave faithful warning against these +public resolutions, and likewise during the time of Cromwel's usurpation +he contended against all the prevailing sectaries that then ushered in +with the sectaries by virtue of his toleration<a name="FNanchor_87" id="FNanchor_87"></a><a href="#Footnote_87" class="fnanchor">[87]</a>. And such was his +unwearied assiduity and diligence, that he seemed to pray constantly, to +preach constantly, to catechise constantly, and to visit the sick +exhorting them from house to house, to teach as much in the schools, and +spend as much time with the students and young men in fitting them for +the 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 in +his study.</p> + +<p>But no sooner did the restoration of Charles II. take place, than the +face of affairs began to change, and after his forementioned book <i>lex +rex</i> was burnt at the cross of Edinburgh, and at the gates of the new +college of St. Andrews, where he was professor of divinity, the +parliament in 1661, were to have an indictment laid before them against +him, and such was their humanity (when every body knew he was a-dying) +that they caused summon him to appear before them at Edinburgh, to +answer to a charge of high treason<a name="FNanchor_88" id="FNanchor_88"></a><a href="#Footnote_88" class="fnanchor">[88]</a>: But he had a higher tribunal to +appear before, where his judge was his friend, and was dead before that +time came, being taken away from the evil to come.</p> + +<p>When on his death-bed, he lamented much that he was with-held from +bearing witness to the work of reformation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">234</a></span> since the year 1638, and +upon the 28th of February he gave a large and faithful testimony<a name="FNanchor_89" id="FNanchor_89"></a><a href="#Footnote_89" class="fnanchor">[89]</a> +against the sinful courses of that time, which testimony he subscribed +twelve days before his death, being full of joy and peace in believing.</p> + +<p>During the time of his last sickness, he uttered many savoury speeches +and often broke out in a kind of sacred rapture, exalting and commending +the Lord Jesus, especially when his end drew near. He often called his +blessed Master his kingly King. Some days before his death he said, "I +shall shine, I shall see him as he is, I shall see him reign and all his +fair company with him, and I shall have my large share. Mine eyes shall +see my Redeemer, these very eyes of mine, and none other for me. This +may seem a wide word, but it is no fancy or delusion.—It is true.—Let +my Lord's name be exalted, and, if he will, let my name be grinded to +pieces, that he may be all in all. If he should slay me ten thousand +times, I will trust."—He often repeated Jer. xv. 16. <i>Thy words were +found and I did eat them</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>When exhorting one to diligence, he said, "It is no easy thing to be a +Christian. For me I have got the victory, and Christ is holding out both +his arms to embrace me." At another time to some friends present he +said, "At the beginning of my sufferings I had mine own fears like other +sinful 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 in +his word, as sure as his Spirit witnesseth to my heart, he hath accepted +my sufferings. He said to me, Fear not, the outgate shall not be simply +matter of prayer, but matter of praise. I said to the Lord, If he should +slay me five thousand times five thousand I would trust in him, and I +speak 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 my +heart that his grace should be sufficient." The Thursday night before +his death, being much grieved with the state of the public, he had this +expression, "Horror hath taken hold on me." And afterwards, falling on +his own condition, he said, "I renounce all that ever he made me will +and do, as defiled and imperfect, as coming from me; I betake myself to +Christ for sanctification as well as justification:"—Repeating these +words, "<i>He is made of God to me wisdom, righteousness</i>, &c."—adding, +"I close with it, let him be so, he is my all in all."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">235</a></span> +March 17th, three gentlewomen came to see him, and after exhorting them +to 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 hath +not a match in heaven nor in earth. I have my own guilt even like other +sinful men, but he hath pardoned, loved, washed, and given me joy +unspeakable 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 hope +never to depart from that cause nor side with those that have burnt the +causes of God's wrath. They have broken their covenant oftener than once +or twice, but I believe <i>the Lord will build Zion, and repair the waste +places of Jacob</i>. Oh! to obtain mercy to wrestle with God for their +salvation. As for this presbytery, it hath stood in opposition to me +these years past. I have my record in heaven I had no particular end in +view, but was seeking the honour of God, the thriving of the gospel in +this place, and the good of the new college, that society which I have +left upon the Lord. What personal wrongs they have done me, and what +grief they have occasioned to me, I heartily forgive them, and desire +mercy to wrestle with God for mercy to them, and for the salvation of +them all."</p> + +<p>The same day Messrs. James M'Gil, John Wardlaw, William Vilant, and +Alexander Wedderburne, all members of the same presbytery with him, +coming to visit him, he made them welcome, and said, "My Lord and Master +is the chief of ten thousand, none is comparable to him in heaven or +earth. Dear brethren, do all for him, pray for Christ, preach for +Christ, feed the flock committed to your charge for Christ, do all for +Christ, beware of men-pleasing, there is too much of it amongst us. The +new college hath broke my heart, I can say nothing of it, I have left it +upon the Lord of the house, and it hath been and still is my desire that +he may dwell in this society, and that the youth may he fed with sound +knowledge."—After this he said, "Dear brethren, it may seem +presumptuous in me a particular man, to send a commission to a +presbytery;—and Mr. M'Gill replying, It was no presumption, he +continued,—Dear brethren, take a commission from me a dying man, to +them to appear for God and his cause, and adhere to the doctrine of the +covenant, and have a care of the flock committed to their charge, let +them feed the flock out of love, preach for God, visit and catechise for +God, and do all for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">236</a></span> God, beware of men-pleasing, the chief shepherd +will appear shortly, <i>&c.</i> I have been a sinful man, and have had mine +own failings, but my Lord hath pardoned and accepted my labours. I +adhere to the cause and covenant, and resolve never to depart from the +protestation<a name="FNanchor_90" id="FNanchor_90"></a><a href="#Footnote_90" class="fnanchor">[90]</a> against the controverted assemblies. I am the man I +was. I am still for keeping the government of the kirk of Scotland +intire, and would not for a thousand worlds have had the least hand in +the burning of the causes of God's wrath. Oh! for grace to wrestle with +God for their salvation."</p> + +<p>Mr. Vilant having prayed at his desire, as they took their leave he +renewed their charge to them to feed the flock out of love. The next +morning, as he recovered out of a fainting, in which they who looked on +expected his dissolution, he said, "I feel, I feel, I believe, I joy and +rejoice, 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 all +but dung, but they are Christ's creatures, and out of obedience to his +command I take them.——Mine eyes shall see my Redeemer, I know he shall +stand the last day upon the earth, and I shall be caught up in the +clouds to meet him in the air, and I shall be ever with him, and what +would you have more, there is an end."—And stretching out his hands he +said again, "There is an end."——And a little after he said, "I have +been 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 new +name. 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 Redeemer +for ever! Glory shines in Emmanuel's land." In the afternoon of that day +he said, "Oh! that all my brethren in the public may know what a Master +I 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 night +shall close the door and put my anchor within the vail, and I shall go +away in a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">237</a></span> sleep by five of the clock in the morning" (which exactly +fell 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 the +government of the church of Scotland, and to the doctrine of the +covenant, and to have a care to feed the youth with sound +knowledge.——And the doctor being the professor of the new college, he +told him, That he heartily forgave him all the wrongs he had done him. +He spake likewise to Mr. Honeyman (afterward bishop Honeyman) who came +to see him, saying, "Tell the presbytery to answer for God and his cause +and covenant, saying, The case is desperate, let them be in their +duty."——Then directing his speech to Mr. Colvil and Mr. Honeyman, he +said, "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 he +before whom I stand knows I dare advise no colleague or brother to do +what I would not cordially do myself upon all hazard, and as for the +causes of God's wrath that men have now condemned, tell Mr. James Wood +from me, that I had rather lay down my head on a scaffold, and have it +chopped off many times (were it possible), before I had passed from +them." And then to Mr. Honeyman he said, "Tell Mr. Wood, I heartily +forgive him all the wrongs he has done me, and desire him from me to +declare himself the man that he is still for the government of the +church of Scotland."</p> + +<p>Afterwards when some spoke to him of his former painfulness and +faithfulness in the ministry, he said, "I disclaim all that, the port +that I would be at, is redemption and forgiveness through his blood, +<i>thou shalt shew me the path of life, in thy sight is fulness of joy</i>, +there is nothing now betwixt me and the resurrection <i>but to-day thou +shalt be with me in paradise</i>." Mr. Blair saying, Shall I praise the +Lord for all the mercies he has done and is to do for you? He answered, +"Oh! for a well tuned harp." To his child<a name="FNanchor_91" id="FNanchor_91"></a><a href="#Footnote_91" class="fnanchor">[91]</a> he said, "I have again +left you upon the Lord, it may be, you will tell this to others, that +<i>the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places, I have got a goodly +heritage</i>. I bless the Lord that he gave me counsel."</p> + +<p>Thus by five o'clock in the morning (as he himself foretold) it was said +unto him, Come up hither, and he gave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">238</a></span> up the ghost, and the renowned +eagle took its flight unto the mountains of spices.</p> + +<p>In the foresaid manner died the famous Mr. Rutherford who may justly be +accounted among the sufferers of that time, for surely he was a martyr +both in his own design and resolution, and by the design and +determination of men. Few men ever ran so long a race without cessation, +so constantly, so unweariedly, and so unblameably. Two things (rarely to +be found in one man) were eminent in him, <i>viz.</i> a quick invention and +sound judgment, and these accompanied with a homely but clear +expression, and graceful elocution; so that such as knew him best were +in a strait whether to admire him most for his penetrating wit and +sublime genius in the schools, and peculiar exactness in disputes and +matters of controversy, or his familiar condescension in the pulpit, +where he was one of the most moving and affectionate preachers in his +time, 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 in +this horizon.</p> + +<p>In all his writings he breathes the true spirit of religion, but in his +every-way admirable letters he seems to have out-done himself, as well +as every body else, which, although jested on by the profane wits of +this age because of some homely and familiar expressions in them, it +must be owned by all who have any relish for true piety, that they +contain such sublime flights of devotion that they must at once ravish +and edify every sober, serious, and understanding reader.</p> + +<p>Among the posthumous works of the laborious Mr. Rutherford are his +letters; the trial and triumph of faith; Christ's dying and drawing of +sinners, <i>&c.</i>; and a discourse on prayer; all in octavo. A discourse on +the covenant; on liberty of conscience; a survey of spiritual +antichrist; a survey of antinomianism; antichrist stormed; and several +other controverted pieces, such as <i>lex rex</i>, the due right of +church-government; the divine right of church-government; and a +peaceable plea for presbytery; are for the most part in quarto, as also +his summary of church discipline, and a treatise on the divine influence +of the Spirit. There are also a variety of his sermons in print, some of +which were preached before both houses of parliament <i>annis</i> 1644, and +1645. He wrote also upon providence, but this being in Latin, is only in +the 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, <i>&c.</i> which I have been desired to publish.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">239</a></span> +<i>An <span class="smcap">Epitaph</span> on his Grave-stone.</i></p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">What tongue! What pen, or skill of men<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Can famous Rutherford commend!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His learning justly rais'd his fame,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">True goodness did adorn his name.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He did converse with things above,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Acquainted with Emmanuel's love.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Most orthodox he was and sound,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And many errors did confound.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For Zion's King, and Zion's cause,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And Scotland's covenanted laws,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Most constantly he did contend,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Until his time was at an end.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">At last he wan to full fruition<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of that which he had seen in vision.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p> +<i>October 9th, 1735.</i> <span style="padding-left:8em">W. W.</span><br /> +</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="the_honourable_Archibald_Campbel_Marquis_of_Argyle" id="the_honourable_Archibald_Campbel_Marquis_of_Argyle"></a><i>The Life of the honourable <span class="smcap">Archibald Campbel</span> Marquis of Argyle.</i></h2> + +<p>Archibald Campbel having, after a good classical education, applied +himself to the study of the holy scriptures, became well acquainted with +the most interesting points of religion, which he retained and +cultivated amidst his most laborious and highest employments both in +church and state ever after.</p> + +<p>From his earlier years he stood well affected to the presbyterian +interest, and being still a favourer of the puritans (the presbyterians +then so called) when Mr. Rutherford was, for his non-conformity, brought +before the high commission court <i>anno</i> 1638, he interposed to his +utmost in his behalf; concerning which Mr. Rutherford in his letters +says,<a name="FNanchor_92" id="FNanchor_92"></a><a href="#Footnote_92" class="fnanchor">[92]</a> "My Lord hath brought me a friend from the highlands of +Argyle, my lord Lorn, who hath done as much as was within the compass of +his power. God give me favour in his eyes." And elsewhere to the lady +Kenmuir, "And write thanks to your brother, my lord of Lorn, for what he +has done for me, a poor unknown stranger to him. I shall pray for him +and his house<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">240</a></span> while I live. It is his honour to open his mouth in the +streets for his wronged and oppressed Master Christ Jesus." Nor was this +all: for about the same time, he so laboured and prevailed with the +bishop of Galloway, that worthy Earlston was relaxed from the sentence +of banishment unto which he was assigned for the same noble cause.</p> + +<p>And no sooner did our reformation (commonly called the second +reformation) begin to dawn <i>anno</i> 1637, than he espoused the same cause +himself; for we find next year, that the earl of Argyle (his father +dying about that time), though a private counsellor, diligently +attending all the sessions of that famous general assembly held then at +Glasgow, in order to hear their debates and determinations concerning +diocesan episcopacy, and the five articles of Perth, wherein he declared +his full satisfaction with their decisions. And here it was that this +noble peer began to distinguish himself by a concern for the Redeemer's +glory, in which he continued, and was kept faithful therein, until he +got the crown of martyrdom at last.</p> + +<p>At this meeting, amongst many other things, his lordship proposed an +explication of the confession and covenant, in which he wished them to +proceed with great deliberation, lest (said he) they should bring any +under 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 in +the 8th session of that assembly. Mr. Henderson the moderator, at the +conclusion of this assembly, judging that, after all, the countenance +give to their meetings by this noble peer deserved a particular +acknowledgment, wished his lordship had joined with them sooner, but he +hoped God had reserved him for the best times, and would honour him here +and hereafter. Whereupon his lordship rose, and delivered an excellent +speech <i>ex tempore</i>, before the assembly, in which amongst other things +he said, "And whereas you wished I had joined you sooner; truly it was +not for want of affection for the good of religion, and my own country +which detained me, but a desire and hope that by staying with the court +I might have been able to bring a redress of grievances, and when I saw +that I could no longer stay without proving unfaithful to my God and my +country, I thought good to do as I have done, <i>&c.</i>——I remember I told +some of you that pride and avarice are two evils that have wrought much +woe to the church of Christ, and as they are grievous faults in any man, +they are especially so in church-men, <i>&c.</i>—I hope every man<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">241</a></span> here, +shall walk by the square and rule which is now set before him, observing +duty, 1. To superiors. 2. To equals; and 3. To inferiors.—Touching our +duty to superiors, there needs nothing be added to what has been wisely +said by the moderator. Next, concerning equals, there is a case much +spoken of in the church, <i>i. e.</i> the power of ruling elders, some +ministers apprehending it to be a curbing of their power; truly it may +be some elders are not so wise as there is need for.—But as unity ought +to be the endeavour of us all, let neighbouring parishes and +presbyteries meet together for settling the same, <i>&c.</i> And thirdly, for +inferiors, I hope ministers will discharge their duty to their flocks, +and that people will have a due regard to those that are set over them +to watch for their souls, and not to think, that because they want +bishops, they may live as they will, <i>&c.</i>"<a name="FNanchor_93" id="FNanchor_93"></a><a href="#Footnote_93" class="fnanchor">[93]</a></p> + +<p>After this, when the Scots covenanters were obliged to take arms in +their own defence, <i>anno</i> 1639, and having marched towards the borders +of England, under the command of general Leslie, this noble lord being +set to guard the western coast, contributed very much by his diligence +and prudence to preserve peace in these parts, and that not only in +conveening the gentlemen in these quarters, and taking security of them +for that purpose, but also raised four hundred men in the shire of +Argyle, which he took in hand to maintain at his own charges. Which +number he afterward increased to nine hundred able men, one half whereof +he set on Kintyre to wait on the marquis of Antrim's design, and the +rest on the head of Lorn to attend the motions of those of Lochaber, and +the western isles. From thence he himself went over to Arran with some +cannon, and took the castle of Brodick, belonging to Hamilton; which +surrendered without resistance.</p> + +<p>He was again, in the absence of the covenanters army, <i>anno</i> 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 the +malignant faction, and made them give bonds for their better behaviour +in time coming. Which industrious and faithful conduct in this great man +stirred up the malice of his and truth's adversaries, that they fought +on all occasions to vent their mischief against him afterward.</p> + +<p>For, at the very next sitting down of the Scots parliament, the earl of +Montrose discovered a most mischievous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">242</a></span> attempt to wound his reputation, +and to set the king at perpetual variance with his lordship; and among +other offensive speeches uttered by Montrose, one was, That when the +earl of Athol and the other eight gentlemen taken up by him last year +(for carrying arms against their country), were in his lordship's tent +at the ford of Lyons, he (<i>viz.</i>, Argyle) should have said publicly, +"That they (meaning the parliament) had consulted both lawyers and +divers others, anent the deposing of the king, and had got resolution +that it might be done in three cases, <i>viz.</i> 1. Desertion. 2. Invasion; +and 3. Vendition. And that they once thought to have done it at the last +sitting of parliament, but would do it at the next sitting thereof." +Montrose condescended on Mr. James Stuart commissary of Dunkeld, one of +the foresaid eight taken by Argyle, as his informer; and some of his +lordship's friends, having brought the said commissary to Edinburgh, he +was so fool-hardy as to subscribe the acknowledgment of the above report +to Montrose. The earl of Argyle denied the truth of this in the +strongest terms, and resolved to prosecute Mr. Stuart before the court +of justiciary where his lordship insisted for an impartial trial, which +was granted, and according to his desire four lords of the session were +added <i>hac vice</i> to the court of justiciary. Stuart was accused upon the +laws of leasing, particularly of a principal statesman, to evite the +eminent danger of which he wrote to Argyle, wherein he cleared him of +the charge as laid against him, and acknowledged that he himself forged +them, out of malice against his lordship, <i>&c.</i> But though Argyle's +innocency was thus cleared, it was thought necessary to let the trial go +on, and the fact being proven he was condemned to die. Argyle would +willingly have seen the royal clemency extended to the unfortunate +wretch; but others thought the crime tended to mar the design of the +late treaty, and judged it needful as a terror to others, to make an +example. At his execution, he discovered a great deal of remorse for +what he had done, and although this worthy nobleman was vindicated in +this, yet we find that after the restoration it was made one of the +principal handles against this noble martyr.</p> + +<p>During these transactions, the king disagreeing with his English +parliament, made another tour to Scotland, and attended the Scots +parliament there; in which parliament, (that he might more effectually +gain the Scots over to his interest) he not only granted a ratification +of all their former proceedings, both in their own defence, and with +respect<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">243</a></span> to religion, but also dignified several of the Scots nobility: +and being sensible of the many great and good services done by this +noble earl, he was placed at the head of the treasury, and the day +before the rising of the parliament all the commissions granted to, and +services and employments performed by Archibald, earl of Argyle, in the +service of his country were approved of; and an act of parliament made +thereon was read and voted, the king giving him this testimony in +public, That he dealt over honestly with him, though he was still stiff +as 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 the +clerk register, who read it publicly, whereby his majesty created +Archibald earl of Argyle, <i>&c.</i> marquis of Argyle, earl of Kintyre, lord +Lorn, <i>&c.</i> which being read, and given back to the king, his majesty +delivered the same with his own hand to the marquis, who rose and made a +very handsome speech in gratitude to his majesty, shewing that he +neither expected nor deserved such honour or preferment.</p> + +<p>During the sitting of the foresaid parliament, another incident +occurred, wherein a plot was laid to destroy this nobleman, in the +following manner: Some of the nobility, envying the power, preferment +and influence that he and the marquis of Hamilton had with the king, +laid a close design for their lives. The earl of Crawford, colonel +Cochran, and lieut. Alexander Stuart, were to have been the actors (in +which it was insinuated, that his majesty, lord Almond, <i>&c.</i> were privy +to the design), which was, that Hamilton and Argyle should be called for +in the dead of the night to speak with the king; in the way they were to +have been arrested as traitors, and delivered to earl Crawford, who was +to wait for them with a considerable body of armed men. If any +resistance was made, he was to stab them immediately, if not, carry them +prisoners to a ship of war in the road of Leith, where they were to be +confined until they should be tried for treason.—But this breaking out +before it was fully ripe, the two noblemen the night before went off to +a place of more strength, twelve miles distant, and so escaped this +danger, as a bird out of the hands of the fowler. Yet such was their +lenity and clemency, that upon a petition from them, the foresaid +persons were set at liberty.</p> + +<p>After this, the earl (now marquis) of Argyle had a most active hand in +carrying on the work of reformation, and uniformity in religion <i>anno</i> +1643. And while he was busied<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">244</a></span> among the covenanters <i>anno</i> 1644, +Montrose and some others associated themselves to raise forces for the +king, intending to draw the Scots army forth of England.—To effect +which, the earl of Antrim undertook to send over ten thousand Irish, +under the command of one Alaster M'Donald, a Scotsman, to the north of +Scotland. A considerable body was accordingly sent, who committed many +outrages in Argyle's country.—To suppress this insurrection, the +committee of estates <i>April</i> 10, gave orders to the marquis to raise +three regiments; which he accordingly did, and with them marched +northward, took several of their principal chieftains, and dispersed the +rest for some time. But Montrose being still on the field, wherein he +gained several victories during this and the following year, and in the +mean time plundered and murdered the greater part of Argyle-shire, and +other places belonging to the covenanters, without mercy, and although +he was at last defeated and totally routed by general Lesly at +Philiphaugh, yet such was the cruelty of those cut-throats, that the +foresaid M'Donald and his Irish band returned to Argyle-shire (in the +beginning of the year 1646) and burnt and plundered the dwellings of the +well-affected, in such a terrible manner, that about twelve hundred men +assembled in a body under Acknalase, who brought them down to Monteith, +to live upon the disaffected in that country, but the Athol men falling +upon them at Calender (and being but poorly armed) several of them were +killed, and the rest fled towards Stirling, where their master the noble +marquis met them, and commiserating their deplorable condition, carried +them through to Lennox, to live upon the lands of the lord Napier and +others of the disaffected, until they were better provided for. And in +the mean time went over himself to Ireland, and brought over the remains +of the Scots forces, and with those landed in Argyle-shire, upon which +M'Donald betook himself to the isles, and from thence returned back to +Ireland; whereby peace was restored in those parts.<a name="FNanchor_94" id="FNanchor_94"></a><a href="#Footnote_94" class="fnanchor">[94]</a></p> + +<p>Again <i>anno</i> 1648, when the state fell into two factions, that of the +malignants was herded by the duke of Hamilton; and the other (the +covenanters) by the marquis of Argyle, from which it is easy to +conclude, that from the year 1643, (when he had such an active hand in +calling the convention of estates, and entering into the solemn league +and covenant) to 1648, he was the principal agent amongst<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">245</a></span> the +covenanters, and never failed on all occasions to appear in defence of +the civil and religious liberties of his native country.</p> + +<p>And for what was enacted <i>anno</i> 1649, it is well known what appearances +he made, and what interest he had in the parliament, and to the utmost +of his power did employ the same for bringing home Charles II. and +possessing him of his crown and the exercise of his royal authority, and +in this he succeeded to good purpose, as long as the king followed his +counsel and advice. But afterwards taking in the malignant faction into +places of power and trust, all went to shipwreck together, which was no +small matter of grief to this worthy and religious nobleman.</p> + +<p style="margin-bottom:0em">And as the king was well received then by the marquis of Argyle, so he +pretended 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 my +consideration the faithful endeavours of the marquis of Argyle, for +restoring me to my just rights, <i>&c.</i>——I am desirous to let the world +see how sensible I am of his real respect to me, by some particular +favour to him.——And particularly I do promise that I shall make him +duke of Argyle, a knight of the garter, and one of the gentlemen of my +bed-chamber, and this to be performed when he shall think fit. I do +further promise to hearken to his counsel, whenever it shall please God +to restore me to my just rights in England, I shall see him paid the +40,000 pounds sterling which are due to him. All which I do promise to +make good upon the word of a king.</p> +<p style="margin-top:0em; text-align:right"><i>C. R.</i>"</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p>But how all these fair promises were performed will come afterwards to +be observed. For this godly nobleman taking upon him to reprove the king +for some of his immoralities<a name="FNanchor_95" id="FNanchor_95"></a><a href="#Footnote_95" class="fnanchor">[95]</a>, which faithful admonition, however +well it appeared to be taken off the marquis's hand for the present, yet +it appeared afterwards that this godly freedom was never forgot, until +it was again repaid him with the highest resentment (such was the way to +hearken to his counsel); for if debauchery and dissimulation had ever +been accounted among the liberal sciences, then this prince was +altogether a master in that faculty<a name="FNanchor_96" id="FNanchor_96"></a><a href="#Footnote_96" class="fnanchor">[96]</a>.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">246</a></span> +In the mean time January 1. 1651, the king was crowned at Scone, where +after an excellent sermon by Mr. Robert Douglas from 2 Kings ii. 17, the +king took the coronation oath, then sitting down in the chair of state +(after some other ceremonies were performed), the marquis of Argyle +taking the crown in his hands, (Mr. Douglas prayed) he set it on the +king's head; and so ascending the stage, attended by the officers of the +crown, he was installed unto the royal throne by Archibald marquis of +Argyle, saying, "Stand, <i>&c.</i> fast from henceforth the place whereof you +are the lawful and righteous heir, by a long and lineal succession of +your fathers, which is now delivered to you by the authority of God +Almighty.<a name="FNanchor_97" id="FNanchor_97"></a><a href="#Footnote_97" class="fnanchor">[97]</a>" Then the solemnity was concluded by a pertinent +exhortation, both to king and people, wherein they were certified, that +if they should conspire together against the kingdom of Jesus Christ, +both supporters and supported should fall together.</p> + +<p>But the king's forces having been before that defeated by Cromwel at +Dunbar, and being no longer able to make head against the English, he +went for England, and here by his particular allowance the marquis of +Argyle (after kissing his hand) was left at Stirling. But the king's +army being totally routed on the third of September at Worcester, and +from thence driven from all his dominions; in the mean time the English +over-run the whole country, so that the representatives of the nation +were either obliged to take the tender, or else suffer great hardships, +which tender the marquis had refused at Dunbarton, whereupon they +resolved to invade the highlands and the shire of Argyle, being inclosed +on all hands with regiments of foot and horse. Major Dean coming to the +marquis's house at Inverary where he was lying sick, presented a paper, +which he behoved to subscribe against to-morrow, or else be carried off +prisoner, which (though sore against his will) for his own and his +vassals and tenants safety he was obliged to subscribe with some +alterations, which capitulation was made a mighty handle against him +afterwards. And although he had some influence upon the usurper, and was +present at several meetings wherein he procured an equal hearing to the +protestors at London, while he was there <i>anno</i> 1657, yet he was rather +a prisoner on demand than a free agent, and so continued until the +restoration.</p> + +<p>Soon after the king's return, this noble marquis being very much +solicited to repair to court, and no doubt he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">247</a></span> himself inclined to wait +on a prince on whose head he had set the crown, and though some of his +best friends used several arguments to divert him from his purpose till +matters were better settled, yet from the testimony of a good +conscience, knowing that he was able to vindicate himself from all +aspersions, if he was but once admitted to the king's presence. He set +out for London, where he arrived on the 8th of July, and went directly +to Whitehall to salute his majesty, but whenever the king heard he was +come thither (notwithstanding his former fair promises) he ordered Sir +William Fleming to apprehend him, and carry him to the tower, where he +continued till toward the beginning of December, that he was sent down +in 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 (the +streets of Edinburgh covered) betwixt two of the town-baillies to the +castle, where he continued until his trial came on.</p> + +<p>On Feb. 13, 1661, his lordship was brought down from the castle in a +coach, with three of the magistrates of Edinburgh, attended by the +town-guard, and presented before the bar of the house, where the king's +advocate Sir John Fletcher accused him in common form of high treason, +and producing an indictment, craved that it might be read. The marquis +himself begged liberty to speak before that was done, but the house +refused his reasonable desire, and ordered it to be read, and though he +intreated them to hear a petition he had to present, yet that was too +great a favour to be granted. The indictment, which was more months in +forming than he had days allowed at first to bring his defence, +consisted of fourteen articles, the principal of which were, his +entering into the solemn league and covenant with England; and his +complying with Oliver Cromwel, <i>&c.</i>; all the rest being a heap of +slanders, and perversion of matters of fact, gathered up against this +good and great man, all which he abundantly takes off in his information +and answers<a name="FNanchor_98" id="FNanchor_98"></a><a href="#Footnote_98" class="fnanchor">[98]</a>.</p> + +<p>After his indictment was read, he had leave to speak and discoursed for +sometime to good purpose. Among other things he said with Paul in +another case, "The things laid against him cannot be proven;"—but this +he confessed, that in the way allowed by solemn oath and covenant, he +served God, his king, and his country; and though he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">248</a></span> he owned he wanted +not 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 every +article of his charge appear, that he had done nothing with a wicked +mind, but with many others had the misfortune to do many things, the +unforeseen events of which had proved bad.</p> + +<p>The parliament fixed on the 27th of February for bringing in his +defence, 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 he +appeared before the lord of the articles, who ordered him immediately to +produce his defence, whereupon he delivered a very moving speech, and +gave in a most affecting petition, remitting himself to the king's +mercy, and beseeching the parliament to intercede for him, which are too +long here to be inserted. March the 6th, he was brought before the +parliament—It was reported from the articles, that he had offered a +submission to his majesty, <i>&c.</i> but his submission was voted not +satisfactory, and he commanded on the morrow to give in his defence to +the lords of the articles. When he came before them, and told his +defence was not ready, he was appointed to give them in on Monday April +9th, otherwise they would take the whole business before them, without +any regard to what he should afterwards say, but it seems on the day +appointed, his defence was given in, which contained fifteen sheets of +small print, wherein the marquis's management was fully vindicated from +all the falsehoods and calumnies in the indictment.</p> + +<p>Upon the 16th of April he was again before the parliament, where after +the process was read, he had a very handsome and moving speech, wherein +at a considerable length<a name="FNanchor_99" id="FNanchor_99"></a><a href="#Footnote_99" class="fnanchor">[99]</a>, he removed several reproaches cast upon +him, and touched at some things not in his papers, but whatever he or +his lawyers could say, had little weight with the members of parliament. +Some of them were already resolved what to do, the house had many +messages to hasten his process to an end, but the misgiving of many of +their designed probations against this good man embarrassed them +mightily for some time, for it appears that there were upwards of thirty +different libels all formed against him, and all came to nothing when +they began to prove them, as other lies usually do; so that they were +forced to betake themselves to the innocent but necessary compliance +with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">249</a></span> the English, after every shire and burgh in Scotland had made +their submission to their conquerors.</p> + +<p>In the beginning of May witnesses were examined and depositions taken +against him, after which he was upon the 25th brought before the bar of +the house to receive his sentence from his judges, who were <i>socii +criminis</i> (or accomplices, as he told the king's advocate). The house +was very thin, all withdrawing except those who were resolved to follow +the courses of the time. He put them in mind of the practice of +Theodosius the emperor, who enacted that the sentence of death should +not be executed till thirty days after it was passed, and added, I crave +but ten that the king may be acquainted with it—but this was refused. +Then the sentence was pronounced, "That he was found guilty of high +treason, and adjudged to be executed to the death as a traitor, his head +to be severed from his body at the cross of Edinburgh, upon Monday the +27th instant, and affixed on the same place where the marquis of +Montrose's head formerly was, and his arms torn before the parliament at +the cross." Upon this he offered to speak, but the trumpet sounding he +stopped till they ended, and then said, "I had the honour to set the +crown on the king's head, and now he hastens me to a better crown than +his own." And directing himself to the commissioner and parliament, he +said, "You have the indemnity of an earthly king among your hands, and +have denied me a share in that, but you cannot hinder me from the +indemnity of the King of kings, and shortly you must be before his +tribunal. I pray he mete not out such measure to you as you have done to +me, when you are called to an account for all your actings, and this +amongst the rest."</p> + +<p>After his sentence he was ordered to the common prison, where his +excellent lady was waiting for him. Upon seeing her he said, "They have +given me till Monday to be with you, my dear, therefore let us make for +it." She embracing him wept bitterly and said, "The Lord will require +it: The Lord will require it." Which drew tears from all in the +room.——But being himself composed, he said, "Forbear, forbear. I pity +them, they know not what they are doing. They may shut me in where they +please, but they cannot shut God out from me. For my part I am as +content to be here as in the castle, and as content in the castle as in +the tower of London, and as content there as when at liberty, and I hope +to be as content on the scaffold as any of them all, <i>&c.</i>" He added,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">250</a></span> +"He remembered a scripture cited by an honest minister to him while in +the castle, which he intended to put in practice. When Ziklag was taken +and burnt, the people spake of stoning David, but he encouraged himself +in the Lord."</p> + +<p>He spent all his short time till Monday with the greatest serenity and +cheerfulness, and in the proper exercise of a dying Christian. To some +ministers, who were permitted to attend him, he said, "That shortly they +would envy him who was got before them,——and added, Remember that I +tell you, my skill fails me, if you who are ministers will not either +suffer 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 must +suffer, and if you go not at all with them you must but suffer."</p> + +<p>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, but +desired those about him as he could not but do, to observe that the Lord +had heard his prayer, and removed all fear from him, <i>&c.</i> At his own +desire his lady took her leave of him on the Sabbath night. Mr. Robert +Douglas and Mr. George Hutcheson preached to him in the tolbooth on the +Lord's day, and his dear and much valued friend Mr. David Dickson (I am +told, says Mr. Wodrow) was his bedfellow the last night he was in time.</p> + +<p>The marquis had a sweet time in the tolbooth as to his souls case, and +it still increased nearer his end, as he had sleeped calmly and +pleasantly his last night, so in the intervals of his necessary +business, he had much spiritual conservation. On Monday morning though +he was much engaged in settling his affairs in the midst of company, yet +he was so overpowered with a sensible effusion of the Holy Spirit, that +he broke out in a rapture and said, "I thought to have concealed the +Lord's goodness, but it will not do. I am now ordering my affairs, and +God is sealing my charter to a better inheritance, and just now saying +to me, <i>Son, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee.</i>"</p> + +<p>Some time before he went to the place of execution, he received an +excellent letter from a certain minister, and wrote a most moving one to +the king, and dined precisely at twelve o'clock along with his friends +with great cheerfulness, and then retired a little. Upon his opening the +door Mr. Hutcheson said, What cheer, my lord? He answered, "Good cheer, +sir, the Lord hath again confirmed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">251</a></span> and said to me from heaven, <i>Thy +sins be forgiven thee.</i>" Upon this tears of joy flowed in abundance; he +retired to the window and wept there; from that he came to the fire, and +made as if he would stir it a little to conceal his concern, but all +would not do, his tears ran down his face, and coming to Mr. Hutcheson +he said, "I think his kindness overcomes me. But God is good to me, that +he let not out too much of it here, for he knows I could not bear +it<a name="FNanchor_100" id="FNanchor_100"></a><a href="#Footnote_100" class="fnanchor">[100]</a>. Get me my cloke and let us go." But being told that the clock +was kept back till one, till the bailies should come,——He answered, +They are far in the wrong; and presently kneeled and prayed before all +present, in a most sweet and heavenly manner. As he ended, the bailies +sent 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."</p> + +<p>After having taken his leave of such in the room, who were not to go +with him to the scaffold, when going towards the door he said, "I could +die 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 a +most endearing way, took his farewel of him; Mr. Guthrie at parting +addressed the marquis thus, "My lord, God hath been with you, he is with +you, 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 cheerfully +die for your lordship." So they parted, to meet again in a better place +on the Friday following.</p> + +<p>Then the marquis accompanied with several noblemen and gentlemen mounted +in black, with his cloke and hat on, went down the street, and mounted +on the scaffold with great serenity and gravity, like one going to his +Father's house, and saluted all on it. Then Mr. Hutcheson<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">252</a></span> prayed, after +which his lordship delivered his speech, in which among other things he +said, "I come not here to justify myself, but the Lord, who is holy in +all 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 Lord +be done, that is all I desire.——I was real and cordial in my desires +to 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 them +when his majesty was in Scotland, nor had I any hand in his late +majesty's murder. I shall not speak much to these things for which I am +condemned, lest I seem to condemn others.—It is well known it is only +for compliance, which was the epidemical fault of the nation; I wish the +Lord to pardon them. I say no more——but God hath laid engagements on +Scotland. We are tied by covenants to religion and reformation, those +who were then unborn are yet engaged, and it passeth the power of all +the magistrates under heaven to absolve from the oath of God. These +times are like to be either very sinning or suffering times, and let +Christians make their choice, there is a sad dilemma in the business, +sin or suffer, and surely he that will choose the better part will +choose to suffer, others that will choose to sin will not escape +suffering. They shall suffer, but perhaps not as I do (pointing to the +maiden) but worse. Mine is but temporal, theirs shall be eternal. When I +shall be singing, they shall be howling. Beware therefore of sin, +whatever you are aware of, especially in such times.—And hence my +condition is such now, as, when I am gone, will be seen not to be as +many imagined. I wish, as the Lord hath pardoned me, so may he pardon +them, for this and other things, and what they have done to me may never +meet them in their accounts.——I have no more to say, but to beg the +Lord that when I go away, he would bless every one that stayeth behind."</p> + +<p>When he had delivered this his seasonable and pathetic speech, which +with his last words is recorded at length in Naphtali<a name="FNanchor_101" id="FNanchor_101"></a><a href="#Footnote_101" class="fnanchor">[101]</a>. Mr. Hamilton +prayed, after which he prayed most sweetly himself, then he took his +leave of all his friends on the scaffold. He first gave to the +executioner a napkin with some money in it; to his sons in law +Caithness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">253</a></span> and Ker his watch and some other things out of his pocket, he +gave to Loudon his silver penner, to Lothian a double ducat, and then +threw off his coat. When going to the maiden, Mr. Hutcheson said, My +lord, now hold your grip sickker.——He answered, "You know Mr. +Hutcheson, what I said to you in the chamber. I am not afraid to be +surprised with fear." The laird of Shelmerlie took him by the hand, when +near the maiden, and found him most composed. He kneeled down most +cheerfully, and after he had prayed a little, he gave the signal (which +was by lifting up his hand), and the instrument called the maiden struck +off his head from his body, which was fixed on the west end of the +tolbooth, as a monument of the parliaments injustice and the land's +misery. His body was by his friends put in a coffin and conveyed with a +good many attendants through Linlithgow and Falkirk to Glasgow, and from +thence to Kilpatrick, where it was put in a boat, carried to Denune, and +buried in Kilmunn church.</p> + +<p>Thus died the noble marquis of Argyle, the proto-martyr to religion +since the reformation from popery, the true portrait of whose character +cannot be (a historian<a name="FNanchor_102" id="FNanchor_102"></a><a href="#Footnote_102" class="fnanchor">[102]</a> says I dare not) drawn. His enemies +themselves will allow him to have been a person of extraordinary piety, +remarkable wisdom and prudence, great gravity and authority, and +singular usefulness. He was the head of the covenanters in Scotland, and +had been singularly active in the work of reformation there, and of any +almost that had engaged in that work he stuck closest by it, when most +of the nation quitted it very much, so that this attack upon him was a +stroke at the root of all that had been done in Scotland from 1638, to +the usurpation. But the tree of prelacy and arbitrary measures behoved +to be soaked when planting, with the blood of this excellent patriot, +staunch presbyterian, and vigorous assertor of Scotland's liberty, and +as he was the great promoter thereof during his life, and stedfast in +witnessing to it at his death, so it was to a great degree buried with +him in Scotland, for many years. In a word, he had piety for a +christian, sense for a counsellor, carriage for a martyr, and soul for a +king. If ever any was, he might be said to be a born Scotsman.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">254</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_James_Guthrie" id="Mr_James_Guthrie"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">James Guthrie</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. James Guthrie son to the laird of Guthrie (a very honourable and +ancient family) having gone through his course of classical learning at +the grammar school and college, taught philosophy in the university of +St. Andrews, where for several years he gave abundant proof that he was +an able scholar. His temper was very steady and composed; he could +reason upon the most subtle points with great solidity, and when every +one else was warm his temper was never ruffled. At any time when +indecent heats or wranglings happened to fall in when reasoning, it was +his ordinary custom to say, "Enough of this, let us go to some other +subject; we are warm, and can dispute no longer with advantage." Perhaps +he had the greatest mixture of fervent zeal and sweet calmness in his +temper, of any man in his time. But being educated in opposition to +presbyterian principles he was highly prelatical in his judgment when he +came first to St. Andrews, but by conversing with worthy Mr. Rutherford +and others, and especially through his joining the weekly society's +meetings there, for prayer and conference, he was effectually brought +off from that way, and perhaps it was this that made the writer of the +diurnal (who was no friend of his) say, "That if Mr. Guthrie had +continued fixt to his first principles, he had been a star of the first +magnitude in Scotland." Whenas he came to judge for himself, he happily +departed from his first principles, and upon examination of that way +wherein he was educated, he left it, and thereby became a star of the +first magnitude indeed. It is said, that while he was regent in the +college of St. Andrews, Mr. Sharp being then a promising young man +there, he several times wrote this verse upon him,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">If thou, Sharp, die the common death of men,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I'll burn my bill, and throw away my pen.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Having passed his trials, <i>anno</i> 1638, he was settled minister at +Lauder, where he remained for several years. <i>Anno</i> 1646, he was +appointed one of those ministers who were to attend the king, while at +Newcastle, and likewise he was one of those nominated in the commission +for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">255</a></span> public affairs of the church, during the intervals betwixt the +general assemblies. And in about three years after this, he was +translated to Stirling, where he continued until the restoration, a most +faithful watchman upon Zion's walls, who ceased not day and night to +declare the whole counsel of God to his people, <i>shewing Israel their +iniquities, and the house of Jacob their sins</i>.</p> + +<p>After he came to Stirling, he again not only evidenced a singular care +over that people he had the charge of, but also was a great assistant in +the affairs of the church, being a most zealous enemy to all error and +profanity. And when that unhappy difference fell out with the public +resolutioners, he was a most staunch protestor, opposing these +resolutions unto the utmost of his power, insomuch as after the +presbytery of Stirling had wrote a letter to the commission of the +general assembly, shewing their dislike and dissatisfaction with the +resolutioners, 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 in +conjunction with the malignant party, for which by a letter from the +chancellor they were ordered to repair to Perth on Feb. 19th, 1651, to +answer before the king<a name="FNanchor_103" id="FNanchor_103"></a><a href="#Footnote_103" class="fnanchor">[103]</a> and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">256</a></span> the committee of estates for that +letter 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 22d +they 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 thesis +which he had maintained and spoken to in a sermon,——whereof they were +incompetent judges in matters purely ecclesiastical, such as is the +examination and censuring of doctrines,—he did decline them on that +account<a name="FNanchor_104" id="FNanchor_104"></a><a href="#Footnote_104" class="fnanchor">[104]</a>.</p> + +<p>The matter being deferred for some days, till the king returned from +Aberdeen, in the mean time the two ministers were confined to Perth and +Dundee, whereupon they (Feb. 28.) presented another paper or +protestation<a name="FNanchor_105" id="FNanchor_105"></a><a href="#Footnote_105" class="fnanchor">[105]</a>, which was much the same, though in stronger terms, +and supported by many excellent arguments. After this the king and +committee thought proper to dismiss them, and to proceed no farther in +the affair at present, and yet Mr. Guthrie's declining the king's +authority in matters ecclesiastical here, was made the principal article +in his indictment some ten years after, to give way to a personal pique +Middleton had against this good man, the occasion of which is as +follows:</p> + +<p>By improving an affront the king met with <i>anno</i> 1659, some malignants +about him so prevailed to heighten his fears of the evil designs of +those about him, that by a correspondence with the papists, malignants, +and such as were disaffected to the covenants in the north, matters came +in a little to such a pass, that a considerable number of noblemen, +gentlemen, and others were to rise and form themselves into an army +under Middleton's command, and the king was to cast himself into their +arms, <i>&c.</i> Accordingly the king with a few in his retinue, as if he +were going a-hunting, left his best friends, crossed the Tay, and came +to Angus, where he was to have met with those people, but soon finding +himself disappointed, he came back to the committee of estates, where +indeed his greatest strength lay. In the meanwhile several who had been +in the plot fearing punishment, got together under Middleton's command. +General Leslie marched towards them, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">257</a></span> the king wrote to them to lay +down their arms. The committee sent an indemnity to such as should +submit, and while the dates were thus dealing with them, the commission +of the assembly were not wanting to shew their zeal against such as +ventured to disturb the public peace, and it is said that Mr. Guthrie +here proposed summary excommunication, as a censure Middleton deserved, +and as what he thought to be a suitable testimony from the church at +this juncture. This highest sentence was carried in the commission by a +plurality of votes, and Mr. Guthrie was appointed the next sabbath to +pronounce the sentence. In the mean time the committee of estates (not +without some debates) had agreed upon an indemnity to Middleton.—There +was an express sent to Stirling with an account how things stood, and a +letter desiring Mr. Guthrie to forbear the intimation of the +commission's sentence. But this letter coming to him just as he was +going to the pulpit, he did not open it till the work was over, and +though he had, it is a question if he would have delayed the +commission's sentence upon a private missive to himself. However the +sentence was inflicted, and although the commission of the church Jan. +3, 1651. (being their next meeting) did relax Middleton from that +censure, (and laid it on a better man, col. Strachan<a name="FNanchor_106" id="FNanchor_106"></a><a href="#Footnote_106" class="fnanchor">[106]</a>) yet it is +believed Middleton never forgave or forgot what Mr. Guthrie did upon +that day, as will afterward be made more fully to appear.</p> + +<p>Mr. Guthrie about this time wrote several of the papers upon the +protestors side, for which, and his faithfulness, he was one of those +three who were deposed by the pretended assembly at St. Andrews 1657. +Yea, such was the malice of these woeful resolutioners, that upon his +refusal of one of that party, and accession to the call of Mr. Rule, to +be his colleague at Stirling (upon the death of Mr. Bennet <i>anno</i> 1656) +they proceeded to stone this seer in Israel with stones, his testimony +while alive so tormented the men who dwell upon the earth.</p> + +<p>And as Mr. Guthrie did faithfully testify against the resolutioners and +the malignant party, so he did equally oppose himself to the sectaries +and to Cromwell's usurpation; and although he went up to London <i>anno</i> +1657, when the marquis of Argyle procured an equal hearing betwixt the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">258</a></span> +protestors and the resolutioners, yet he so boldly defended the king's +right in public debate with Hugh Peters, Oliver's chaplain, and from the +pulpit asserted the king's title in the face of the English officers, as +was surprizing to all gainsayers. Yet for this and other hardships that +he endured on this account, at this time, he was but sorrily rewarded, +as by and by will come to be observed.</p> + +<p>Very soon after the restoration, while Mr. Guthrie and some other of his +faithful brethren (who assembled at Edinburgh) were drawing up a paper, +<i>Aug.</i> 23d, in way of supplication to his majesty, they were all +apprehended (except one who happily escaped) and imprisoned in the +castle of Edinburgh, and from thence Mr. Guthrie was taken to Stirling +castle (the author of the apologetical relation says to Dundee), where +he continued till a little before his trial, which was upon the 20th of +February, 1661. When he came to his trial, the chancellor told him, He +was called before them to answer to the charge of high treason, (a copy +of which charge he had received some weeks before) and the lord advocate +proposed, his indictment should be read; which the house went into: The +heads of which were:</p> + +<p>(1.) His contriving, consenting to, and exhibiting before the committee +of estates, the paper called, The western remonstrance.</p> + +<p>(2.) His contriving, writing and publishing that abominable pamphlet, +called, the causes of the Lord's wrath.</p> + +<p>(3.) His contriving, writing and subscribing the paper called the humble +petition<a name="FNanchor_107" id="FNanchor_107"></a><a href="#Footnote_107" class="fnanchor">[107]</a> of the twenty-third of <i>August</i> last.</p> + +<p>(4.) His convocating of the king's lieges, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>(5.) His declaring his majesty, by his appeals and protestations +presented by him at Perth, incapable to be judge over him. And,</p> + +<p>(6.) Some treasonable expressions he was alledged to have uttered in a +meeting in 1650 or 1651.</p> + +<p>His indictment being read, he made an excellent speech before the +parliament (wherein he both defended himself, and that noble cause for +which he suffered), which being too nervous to abridge, and too prolix +to insert in this place: The reader will find it elsewhere<a name="FNanchor_108" id="FNanchor_108"></a><a href="#Footnote_108" class="fnanchor">[108]</a>.</p> + +<p>After he had delivered this speech, he was ordered to remove. He humbly +craved, that some time might be given<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">259</a></span> him to consult with his lawyers. +This was granted; and he was allowed till the 29th to give in his +defence.—It is affirmed, upon very good authority, that when he met +with his lawyers to form his defence, he very much surprized them by his +exactness in our Scots laws, and suggested several things to be added +that had escaped his advocate, which made Sir John Nisbet express +himself to this purpose, "If it had been in the reasoning part, or in +consequences from scripture and divinity, I would have wondered the less +if he had given us some help, but even in the matter of our own +profession, our statutes and acts of parliament, he pointed out several +things that had escaped us." And likewise the day before his first +appearance in parliament, it is said he sent a copy of the forementioned +speech to Sir John and the rest of his lawyers of the reasoning and law +part, and they could mend nothing therein.</p> + +<p>The advocate's considering his defence, and the giving of it in, took up +some weeks, until April the 11th, when the process against him was read +in the house, upon which he made a speech affecting and close to the +purpose; in which he concludes thus:</p> + +<p>"My Lord, in the last place, I humbly beg, that having brought so +pregnant and clear evidence from the word of God, so much divine reason +and human laws, and so much of the common practice of kirk and kingdom +in my defence; and being already cast out of my ministry, out of my +dwelling and maintenance; myself and my family put to live on the +charity of others; having now suffered eight months imprisonment, your +Lordships, would put no other burden upon me. I shall conclude with the +words of the prophet Jeremiah, <i>Behold, I am in your hands</i>, saith he, +<i>do to me what seemeth good to you: I know, for certain, that the Lord +hath commanded me to speak all these things, and that if you put me to +death, you shall bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon the +inhabitants of this city</i>."</p> + +<p>"My Lords, my conscience I cannot submit; but this old crazy body and +mortal flesh I do submit, to do with it whatever ye will, whether by +death, or banishment, or imprisonment, or any thing else; only I beseech +you to ponder well what profit there is in my blood: it is not the +extinguishing of me or many others, that will extinguish the covenant +and work of reformation since the year 1638. My blood, bondage, or +banishment will contribute more for the propagation of these things, +than my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">260</a></span> life or liberty could do, though I should live many years, +<i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>And though this speech had not that influence that might have been +expected, yet it made such impression upon some of the members that they +withdrew, declaring to one another, that they would have nothing to do +with the blood of this righteous man. But his judges were determined to +proceed, and accordingly his indictment was found relevant. Bp. +Burnet<a name="FNanchor_109" id="FNanchor_109"></a><a href="#Footnote_109" class="fnanchor">[109]</a> says, "The earl of Tweeddale was the only man that moved +against putting him to death; he said, Banishment had hitherto been the +severest censure laid upon preachers for their opinions,—yet he was +condemned to die." The day of his execution was not named till the 28th +of May, when the parliament ordered him and William Govan to be hanged +at the cross of Edinburgh, on the first of June, and Mr. Guthrie's head +to be fixed on the Nether-bow, his estate to be confiscated, and his +arms torn; and the head of the other upon the west-port of Edinburgh.</p> + +<p>And thus a sentence of death was passed upon Mr. Guthrie, for his +accession to the causes of God's wrath, his writing the petition last +year, and the protestation above-mentioned; matters done a good many +years ago, and every way agreeable and conform to the word of God, the +principles and practice of this and other churches and the laws of the +kingdom. After he received his sentence, he accosted the parliament +thus, "My lords, let never this sentence affect you more than it does +me, and let never my blood be required of the king's family."</p> + +<p>Thus it was resolved that this excellent man should fall a sacrifice to +private and personal pique, as the marquis's was said to be to a more +exalted revenge; and it is said, that the managers had no small debate +what his sentence should be, for he was dealt with by some of them to +retract what he had done and written, and join with the present +measures, and he was even offered a bishopric. The other side were in no +hazard in making the experiment, for they might be assured of his +firmness in his principles. A bishopric was a very small temptation to +him, and the commissioner improved his inflexibility to have his life +taken away, to be a terror to others, that they might have the less +opposition in establishing prelacy.</p> + +<p>Betwixt Mr. Guthrie's sentence and his execution, he was in perfect +composure and serenity of spirit, and wrote a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">261</a></span> great many excellent +letters to his friends and acquaintances. In this interval, he uttered +several prophetical expressions, which, together with the foresaid +religious letters, could they now be recovered, might be of no small use +in this apostate and backslidden age. June 1st, the day on which he was +executed, upon some reports that he was to buy his life at the expence +of retracting some of the things he had formerly said and done, he wrote +and subscribed the following declaration.</p> + +<p>"There are to declare that I do own the causes of God's wrath, the +supplication at Edinburgh August last, and the accession I had to the +remonstrances. And if any do think, or have reported that I was willing +to recede from these, they have wronged me, as never having any ground +from me to think, or to report so. This I attest under my hand at +Edinburgh, about eleven o'clock forenoon, before these witnesses."</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Mr. Arthur Forbes, Mr. John Guthrie,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Mr. Hugh Walker, Mr. James Cowie.</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>That same day he dined with his friends with great cheerfulness. After +dinner he called for a little cheese, which he had been dissuaded from +taking for some time, as not good for the gravel, which he was troubled +with, and said, I am now beyond the hazard of the gravel.——When he had +been secret for sometime, he came forth with the utmost fortitude and +composure, and was carried down under a guard from the tolbooth to the +scaffold, which was erected at the cross. Here he was so far from +shewing any fear, that he rather expressed a contempt at death, and +spake an hour upon the ladder with the composure of one delivering a +sermon. His last speech is in Naphtali, where among other things +becoming a martyr, he saith, "One thing I warn you all of, That God is +very wroth with Scotland, and threatens to depart, and remove his +candlestick. The causes of his wrath are many, and would to God it were +not one great cause, that causes of wrath are despised. Consider the +case that is recorded, Jer. xxxvi. and the consequences of it, and +tremble and fear. I cannot but also say that there is a great addition +of wrath by that deluge of profanity that overfloweth all the land, in +so 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 is +in the matters of the covenant and cause of God. Be ye astonished, O ye +heavens, at this! <i>&c.</i> 3. Horrible<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">262</a></span> ingratitude. The Lord, after ten +years oppression, hath broken the yoke of strangers, from oft our necks, +but the fruits of our delivery, is to work wickedness and to strengthen +our hands to do evil, by a most dreadful sacrificing to the creature. We +have changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the image of a +corruptible man, in whom many have placed almost all their salvation. +God is also wroth with a generation of carnal corrupt time-serving +ministers. I know and do bear testimony, that in the church of Scotland +there 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 of +Scotland, and solemn league and covenant betwixt the three kingdoms. +These sacred solemn public oaths of God, I believe can be loosed or +dispensed with by no person or party or power upon earth, but are still +binding upon these kingdoms, and will be so for ever hereafter, and are +ratified and sealed by the conversion of many thousand souls, since our +entering thereinto. I bear my testimony to the protestation against the +controverted assemblies, and the public resolutions. I take God to +record upon my soul, I would not exchange this scaffold with the palace +or mitre of the greatest prelate in Britain. Blessed be God, who hath +shewed mercy to me such a wretch, and has revealed his Son in me, and +made 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 my +ministry upon the hearts of not a few of his people, and especially in +the station wherein I was last, I mean the congregation and presbytery +of Stirling. Jesus Christ is my light and my life, my righteousness, my +strength and my salvation, and all my desire. Him! O him! I do with all +the strength of my soul commend to you. Bless him, O my soul, from +henceforth, even for ever!" He concluded with the words of old Simeon, +<i>Now let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy +salvation.</i> He gave a copy of this his last speech and testimony, +subscribed and sealed, to a friend to keep, which he was to deliver to +his son, then a child, when he came to age. When on the scaffold he +lifted the napkin off his face just before he was turned over and cried, +The covenants, the covenants shall yet be Scotland's reviving.</p> + +<p>A few weeks after he was executed, and his head placed on the +Neitherbow-port, Middleton's coach coming down that way, several drops +of blood fell from the head upon the coach, which all their art and +diligence could not wipe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">263</a></span> off, and when physicians were called, and +desired to inquire, If any natural cause could be given for this, but +they could give none. This odd incident being noised abroad, and all +means 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 this +great and good man's blood upon the shedders of it, and this poor +nation<a name="FNanchor_110" id="FNanchor_110"></a><a href="#Footnote_110" class="fnanchor">[110]</a>.</p> + +<p>Thus fell the faithful Mr. James Guthrie, who was properly the first who +suffered unto death in that period, for asserting the kingly prerogative +of Jesus Christ in opposition to Erastian supremacy. He was a man +honoured of God to be zealous and singularly faithful in carrying on the +work of reformation, and had carried himself straight under all changes +and 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 no +doubt was sensible of: When he got notice of his death, he said with +some warmth, "And what have you done with Mr. Patrick Gillespie." He was +answered, that having so many friends in the house, his life could not +be 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 far +out with it; for Mr. Guthrie was capable to have done him as much +service. For he was one accomplished with almost every qualification +natural or acquired, necessary to complete both a man and a Christian.</p> + +<p>But it is a loss we are favoured with so few of the writings of this +worthy. For beside those papers already mentioned, he wrote several +others upon the protestors side, among which was also a paper wrote +against the usurper Oliver Cromwel, for which he suffered some hardships +during the time of that usurpation. His last sermon at Stirling preached +from Matth xiv. 22. was published in 1738, intitled a cry from the dead, +<i>&c.</i>; with his ten considerations anent the decay of religion, first +published by himself in 1660; and an authentic paper wrote and +subscribed by himself upon the occasion of his being stoned by the +resolution party about 1656, for his accession to the call of Mr. Robert +Rule to be his colleague, after the death of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">264</a></span> Mr. Bennet. He also wrote +a treatise on ruling elders and deacons, about the time he entered into +the 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.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="John_Campbel_Earl_of_Loudon" id="John_Campbel_Earl_of_Loudon"></a><i>The Life of <span class="smcap">John Campbel</span> Earl of Loudon.</i></h2> + +<p>He was heir to Sir James Campbel of Lawer, and husband of Margaret +Baroness of Loudon.</p> + +<p>The first of his state-preferments was <i>anno</i> 1633. when king Charles I. +came to Scotland, in order to have his coronation performed there<a name="FNanchor_111" id="FNanchor_111"></a><a href="#Footnote_111" class="fnanchor">[111]</a>. +At which time he dignified several of the Scots nobility with higher +titles of honour; and among the rest this nobleman, who was created earl +of Loudon May 12th, 1633.</p> + +<p>It appears, that from his youth he had been well affected to the +presbyterian interest, for no sooner did that reformation (commonly +called the second reformation) begin to take air, which was about the +year 1637, than he appeared a principal promoter thereof, and that not +only in joining these petitioners, afterwards called the covenanters, +but also when the general assembly sat down at Glasgow in Nov. 1638, he +thought it his honour to attend the same in almost every session +thereof, and was of great service both by his advice in difficult cases, +and also by several excellent speeches that he delivered therein. As +witness Upon the very entry, when the difference arose between the +marquis of Hamilton the king's commissioner, and some of the rest, anent +choosing a clerk to the assembly, the marquis refusing to be assisted by +Traquair and Sir Lewis Stuart, urged several reasons for compliance with +his majesty's pleasure, <i>&c.</i> and at last renewed his protest, where +upon lord Loudon, in name of commissioners to the assembly, gave in +reasons of a pretty high strain, why the lord commissioner and his +assessors ought to have but one vote in the assembly, <i>&c.</i> Of these +reasons Traquair craved a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">265</a></span> double, and promised to answer them, but it +appears never found leisure for this employment.</p> + +<p>About this time, he told the king's commissioner roundly, "They knew no +other bonds betwixt a king and his subjects but religion and laws; and +if these were broken, mens lives were not dear to them. They would not +be so; such fears were past with them<a name="FNanchor_112" id="FNanchor_112"></a><a href="#Footnote_112" class="fnanchor">[112]</a>."</p> + +<p>The king and the bishops being galled to the heart to see that, by the +assembly, presbytery was almost restored, and prelacy well nigh +abolished, he immediately put himself at the head of an army in order to +reduce them, <i>&c.</i> The Scots, hearing of the preparation, provided as +well as they could. Both armies marched towards the border, but upon the +approach of the Scots, the English were moved with great timidity, +whereupon ensued a pacification.——Commissioners being appointed to +treat on both sides, the Scots were permitted to make known their +desires; the lord Loudon being one of the Scots commissioners, upon his +knees said, "That their demand was only to enjoy their religion and +liberties, according to the ecclesiastical and civil laws of the +kingdom." The king replied, "That if that was all that was to be +desired, the peace would soon be made." And after several particulars +were agreed upon, the king promised, "That all ecclesiastical matters +should be decided by an assembly, and civil matters by the parliament, +which assembly should be kept once a-year. That on the 6th of August +should be held a free general assembly when the king would be present, +and pass an act of oblivion, <i>&c.</i>" The articles of the pacification +were subscribed June 18th, by the commissioners of both sides, in view +of both armies at kirks near Berwick, <i>anno</i> 1639.</p> + +<p>But this treaty was short-lived and ill observed, for the king irritated +by the bishops, soon after burnt the pacification by the hands of the +hangman, 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 was +suffered to return home, and the king kept his resentment unto another +opportunity.</p> + +<p>In the mean time, the general assembly sat down at Edinburgh, August +12th. Mr. Dickson was chosen moderator, and at this assembly, after +several matters were discussed, Messrs. Henderson and Ramsay entered +upon a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">266</a></span> demonstration, that episcopacy hath its beginning from men, and +is of human institution, <i>&c.</i> But they had not proceeded far, till they +were interrupted by Traquair, the king's commissioner, who declared he +did not desire them to fall upon any scholastic dispute, but how far +those in the reformation had found episcopacy contrary to the +constitution of this church; whereupon the truly noble lord Loudon +(being present) did most solidly explain the act of the general +assembly, 1580, which condemned the office of bishops in the most +express terms, prior to the subscription of the national covenant, and +because of a difficulty raised from these words in that act, <i>viz.</i> (as +it 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, <i>&c.</i> +and having enlarged upon the office of bishops as without a warrant from +the word of God, he concludes—"As we have said, so that the connection +between the assemblies of 1574, and of 1581, is quite clear; episcopacy +is put out as wanting warrant from the word of God, and presbytery put +in, as having that divine warrant; and was accordingly sworn unto."</p> + +<p>The same day on which the assembly arose, the parliament sat down, but +falling upon matters that did not correspond with the king's design, +Traquair did all he could to stop them that they might have nothing +done, whereupon they agreed to send up the earls of Dunfermline and +Loudon to implore his majesty to allow the parliament to proceed, and to +determine what was before them, <i>&c.</i> But ere these two lords had +reached the court, orders were sent them discharging them in the king's +name, from coming within a mile of him, on supposition they had no +express warrant from the lord commissioner; and they were returned home.</p> + +<p>In the mean time the parliament by the kings orders is prorogued to the +2d of June 1640, and matters continued so till Jan. 1641, that the +committee of parliament having obtained leave to send up commissioners +to represent their grievances, did again commission the two foresaid +earls, to whom they added Sir William Douglas of Cavers, and Mr. Barclay +provost of Irvine. On their arrival they were allowed to kiss the king's +hand, and some time after were appointed to attend at the council +chamber, but understanding they were not to have a hearing of the king +himself, they craved a copy of Traquair's information to the council of +England, which was denied. At last the king<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">267</a></span> gave them audience himself +upon the third of March, when the lord Loudon, after having addressed +his majesty, shewed that his ancient and native kingdom is independent +upon any other judicatory whatever, and craved his majesty's protection +in defence of religion, liberty, and the cause of the church and +kingdom, and then speaking concerning those who have or may misrepresent +or traduce these his most loyal Scots subjects, he says, "If it please +God, for our sins to make our condition so deplorable as they may get +the shadow of your majesty's authority, (as we hope in God they will +not) to palliate their ends, then as those who are sworn to defend our +religion, 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 reign +and princes decree justice. And if, in speaking thus out of zeal to +religion, and the duty we owe to our country, and that charge which is +laid upon us, any thing hath escaped us, sith it is spoken from the +sincerity of our hearts, we fall down at your majesty's feet, craving +pardon for our freedom." Again having eloquently expatiated upon the +desires of his subjects, and the laws of the kingdom, he speaks of the +laws of God and power of the church, and says, "Next, we must +distinguish betwixt the church and the state, betwixt the ecclesiastical +and civil power; both which are materially one, yet formally they are +contradistinct in power, in jurisdiction, in laws, in bodies, in ends, +in offices and officers, and although the church and ecclesiastic +assemblies thereof be formally different and distinct from the +parliament and civil judicatories, yet there is so strict and necessary +a conjunction betwixt the ecclesiastic and civil jurisdiction, betwixt +religion and justice; as the one cannot firmly subsist and be preserved +without the other, and therefore they must stand and fall, live and die +together, <i>&c.</i>" He enlarged further upon the privileges of both church +and state, and then concluded with mentioning the sum of their desires, +which——"is that your majesty (saith he) may be graciously pleased to +command that the parliament may proceed freely to determine all these +articles given in to them, and whatsoever exceptions, objections, or +informations are made against any of the particular overtures, <i>&c.</i> we +are most willing to receive the same in write, and are content in the +same way, to return our answers and humble desires<a name="FNanchor_113" id="FNanchor_113"></a><a href="#Footnote_113" class="fnanchor">[113]</a>."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">268</a></span> +March 11, the commissioners appeared, and brought their instructions, +whereupon ensued some reasonings betwixt them and the king, in which +time arch-bishop Laud, who sat on the king's right-hand, was observed to +mock the Scots commissioners, causing the king put such questions to +them as he pleased. At last Traquair gave in several queries and +objections to them, unto which they gave most solid and sufficient +answers in every particular.</p> + +<p>But this farce being over, for it seems nothing else was here intended +by the court than to intrap the commissioners, (and particularly this +noble earl who had so strenuously asserted the laws and liberties of his +native country). In the end, all the deputies, by the king's order, were +taken into custody, and the earl of Loudon sent to the tower for a +letter alledged to be wrote by him, and sent by the Scots to the French +king, as to their sovereign, imploring his aid against their natural +king, of the following tenor:</p> + +<p>"<i>SIRE</i>,</p> + +<p>"Your majesty being the refuge and sanctuary of afflicted princes and +states, we have found it necessary to send this gentleman Mr. Colvil, to +represent unto your majesty, the candor and ingenuity as well of our +actions and proceedings, as of our inventions, which we desire to be +ingraven and written in the whole world, with a beam of the sun, as well +as to your majesty. We therefore beseech you, Sire, to give faith and +credit to him, and to all that he shall say on our part, touching us and +our affairs. Being much assured, Sire, of an assistance equal to your +wonted clemency heretofore, and so often shewed to the nation, which +will not yield the glory of any other whatsoever, to be eternally, Sire, +your majesty's most humble, most obedient and most affectionate +servants."</p> + +<p>This letter, says a historian<a name="FNanchor_114" id="FNanchor_114"></a><a href="#Footnote_114" class="fnanchor">[114]</a>, was advised to and composed by +Montrose, when the king was coming against Scotland with a potent army, +transcribed by lord Loudon, and subscribed by them two and the lords +Rothes, Marr, Montgomery and Forrester, and general Leslie; but the +translation being found faulty by lord Maitland, <i>&c.</i> it was dropped +altogether, which copy wanted both the date, which the worst of its +enemies never pretended it had, and a direction, which the Scots +confidently affirmed it never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">269</a></span> had; but falling into the king's hand (by +means of Traquair), he intended to make a handle of it, to make lord +Loudon the first sacrifice. This noble lord being examined before the +council, did very honestly acknowledge the hand-writing and subscription +to be his; but said, It was before the late pacification, when his +majesty was marching in hostility against his native country; that in +these circumstances it seemed necessary to have an intercessor to +mitigate his wrath, and they could think of none so well qualified as +the French king, being the nearest relation by affinity to their +sovereign of any other crowned head in the world; but that being but +shortly thought on before the arrival of the English on the border, was +judged too late, and therefore was never either addressed by them, or +sent to the French king.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding this evil was intended against this noble peer, and +being remanded back to prison, was very near being dispatched, and that +not only without the benefit of his peers, but without any legal trial +or conviction. Burnet fairly acknowledges<a name="FNanchor_115" id="FNanchor_115"></a><a href="#Footnote_115" class="fnanchor">[115]</a>, that the king was +advised to proceed capitally against him. But the English +historians<a name="FNanchor_116" id="FNanchor_116"></a><a href="#Footnote_116" class="fnanchor">[116]</a> go still farther, and plainly say, That the king about +three o'clock in the afternoon, sent his own letter to William Balfour +lieutenant of the tower, commanding him to see the lord Loudon's head +struck off, within the tower, before nine the next morning, (a striking +demonstration of the just and forgiving spirit for which by some king +Charles is so much extolled). Upon this command, the lieutenant of the +tower, that his lordship might prepare for death, gave him notice of it; +which awful intimation, he (knowing the justice of his cause) received +with astonishing composure and serenity of mind. The lieutenant went +himself to the marquis of Hamilton, who he thought was bound in honour +to interpose in this matter. The marquis and the lieutenant made their +way to the king, who was then in bed. The warrant was scarce named, when +the king, understanding their errand, stopped them, saying, By G—d it +shall be executed. But the marquis laying before him the odiousness of +the fact, by the violation of the safe conduct he had granted to that +nobleman, and the putting him to death without conviction, or so much as +a legal trial, with the dismal consequences that were like to attend an +action of that nature, not only in respect of Scotland,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">270</a></span> which would +certainly be lost, but likewise of his own personal safety from the +nobility. Whereupon the king called for the warrant, tore it, and +dismissed the marquis and the lieutenant somewhat abruptly.—After this, +about the 28th of June, this noble lord (upon promise of concealing from +his brethren in Scotland the hard treatment he had met with from the +king, and of contributing his endeavours to dispose them to peace) was +liberated from his confinement, and allowed to return home.</p> + +<p>But things being now ripened for a new war, the king put himself at the +head of another army, in order to suppress the Scots: On the other hand +the Scots resolved not to be behind in their preparations, and entered +England with a numerous army, mostly of veteran troops, many of whom had +served in Germany under Gustavus Adolphus<a name="FNanchor_117" id="FNanchor_117"></a><a href="#Footnote_117" class="fnanchor">[117]</a>. A party of the king's +forces disputed the passage of the Tyne, but were defeated by them at +Newburn; whereupon the Scots took Newcastle and Berwick, pushing their +way 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 the +Scots army, but also commanded a brigade of horse, with whom, in the +foresaid skirmish at Newburn, he had no small share of the victory. The +king retired to York, and finding himself environed on all hands, +appointed commissioners to treat with the Scots a second time. On the +other side, the Scots nominated the earls of Dunfermline, Rothes, and +Loudon, with some gentlemen, and Messrs. Henderson and Johnson, +advocates for the church, as their commissioners for the treaty. Both +commissioners upon Oct. 1, 1640, met at Rippon, where, after agreeing +upon some articles for a cessation of arms for three months, the treaty +was transferred to London. Unto which the Scots commissioners (upon a +patent granted from the king for their safe conduct) consented and went +thither. And because great hopes were entertained by friends in England, +from their presence and influence at London, the committee at Newcastle +appointed Mr. Robert Blair, for his dexterity in dealing with the +Independents; Mr. Robert Bailey, for his eminence in managing the +Arminian controversy; and Mr. George Gillespie for his nervous and pithy +confutation of the English ceremonies, to accompany<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">271</a></span> the three noblemen, +as their chaplains: And Messrs. Smith and Borthwick followed soon after.</p> + +<p>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 Scots +parliament. When this parliament sat down (before the king's arrival), +Traquair, Montrose, and several other incendiaries, having been cited +before them for stirring up strife between the king and his subjects, +for undoing the covenanters, of whom some appeared, and some appeared +not. In the mean while, the noble earl of Loudon said so much in favours +of some of them, discharging himself so effectually of all the orders +laid on him last year by the king, that some, forgetting the obligation +he came under to steer with an even hand, began to suspect him of +changing sides, so that he was well nigh left out of the commission to +England with the parliament's agreement to the treaty; which so much +offended his lordship, that he supplicated the parliament to be examined +by 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 his +public employments, and that he not only deserved to have an act of +approbation, but likewise to be rewarded by the estates, that their +favours and his merit might be known to posterity, <i>&c.</i> They further +considered, that the loss of such an eminent instrument could not be +easily supplied. The English dealt not so freely with any of our +commissioners, as with lord Loudon, nor did ever any of our +commissioners use so much ingenuous freedom with his majesty as he did; +and he behoved once more to return to London, with the treaty +new-revised by the parliament, subscribed by the lord president and +others.</p> + +<p>After the return of the commissioners, the king being arrived in +parliament, they began to dignify several of the Scots nobility with +offices of state, and because a lord-treasurer was a-wanting it was +moved 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 wisely +in this, thought it was more difficult to find a fit person for the +chancery than for the treaty, was obliged to make the earl of Loudon +chancellor, contrary, both to his own inclination (for he never was +ambitious of preferment)<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">272</a></span> and to the solicitation of his friends. But to +make amends for the smallness of his fees, an annual pension of 100 +pounds was added to this office.</p> + +<p>Accordingly upon the 2d of Oct. 1642, this noble lord did solemnly, in +the face of the parliament, on his bended knees, before the throne, +first swear the oath of allegiance, then that of private counsellor, and +lastly, when the great seal, (which for two years had been kept by the +marquis of Hamilton) was with the mace delivered to him out of his +majesty's hand, he did swear the oath <i>de fideli administratione +officii</i>, and was by the lion king at arms, placed in the seat under his +majesty's feet, on the right hand of the lord president of parliament; +from thence he immediately arose, and prostrating himself before the +king, said, "Preferment comes neither from the east nor from the west, +but from God alone. I acknowledge, I have this from your majesty as from +God's vicegerent upon earth, and the fountain of all earthly honour +here, and I will endeavour to answer that expectation your majesty has +of me, and to deserve the goodwill of this honourable house, in +faithfully discharging what you both (without desert of mine) have put +on me." And kissing his majesty's hand, he retired to his seat.</p> + +<p>This was a notable turn of affairs from the womb of providence; for +behold him, who last year, (for the cause of Christ and love of his +country) in all submission receiving the message or sentence of death, +is now, for his great wisdom and prudence, advanced by the same person +and authority unto the helm of the highest affairs of the kingdom; which +verifies what the wise man saith, <i>The fear of the Lord is the beginning +of wisdom, and before honour is humility</i>, Prov. xv. 33.</p> + +<p>As soon as this excellent nobleman was advanced unto this dignity and +office, he not only began to exert his power for the utility and welfare +of his own native country, but also, the next year, went up to London to +importune his majesty to call his English parliament, as the most +expedient way to bring about a firm, permanent or lasting peace betwixt +the two kingdoms. And although he was not one of those commissioners +nominated and sent up from the parliament and assembly of the church of +Scotland, <i>anno</i> 1643, yet it is evident from a letter sent from them +while at London, bearing the date of Jan. 6th, 1645, that he was amongst +them there, using his utmost endeavours for bringing about that happy +uniformity of religion, in doctrine, discipline, and church-government<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">273</a></span> +which took place, and was established in these nations at that time.</p> + +<p>And next year, before the king surrendered himself to the Scots army to +Newcastle, lord Loudon, being sent up as commissioner to the king, +(after the lord Leven at the head of 100 officers in the army had +presented a petition upon their knees, beseeching his majesty to give +them satisfaction in point of religion, and to take the covenant, <i>&c.</i>) +did, in plain terms, accost the king in this manner: "The difference +between your majesty and your parliament is grown to such an height, +that after many bloody battles, they have your majesty with all your +garrisons and strong holds in their hands, <i>&c.</i> They are in a capacity +now 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 your +majesty's last resolution. Now, Sire, if your majesty shall refuse your +assent to the propositions, you will lose all your friends in the house +and in the city, and all England will join against you, as one man; they +will depose you and set up another government; they will charge us to +deliver your majesty to them, and remove our arms out of England, and +upon your refusal, we will be obliged to settle religion and peace +without you, which will ruin your majesty and your posterity. We own, +the propositions are higher in some things than we approve of, but the +only 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 in +a time of tempest and trouble." Whether or not the king found him a true +prophet in all this, must be left to the history of these times.</p> + +<p>He was again employed in the like errand to the king, <i>anno</i> 1648, but +with no better success, as appears from two excellent speeches to the +Scots parliament at his return, concerning these proceedings<a name="FNanchor_118" id="FNanchor_118"></a><a href="#Footnote_118" class="fnanchor">[118]</a>. And +in the same year, in the month of June, he was with a handful of +covenanters at a communion at Mauchline muir, where they were set upon +by Calender and Middleton's forces, after they had given their promise +to his lordship of the contrary.</p> + +<p>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 an +army for his own rescue, yet he came to be among those who protested +against the duke<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">274</a></span> of Hamilton's unlawful engagement. To account some way +for this,—He had before received a promise of a gift of the teinds, and +a gift sometimes blindeth the eyes, and much more of a nobleman whose +estate was at that time somewhat burdened; but by converting with some +of the protesting side, and some ministers, who discovered to him his +mistake (when his foot was well nigh slipt), he was so convinced that +this was contrary to his trust, that he subscribed an admonition to more +stedfastness for the commission of the church, in the high church of +Edinburgh.</p> + +<p>But at last Charles I, being executed, and his son Charles II. called +home by the Scots, a new scene begins to appear <i>anno</i> 1650, for +malignants being then again brought into places of power and trust, it +behoved the lord chancellor (who never was a friend to malignants) to +demit. He had now for near the space of ten years presided in +parliament, and had been highly instrumental in the hand of the Lord, to +establish in this nation, both in church and state, the purest +reformation that ever was established in any particular nation, under +the new Testament dispensation; but now he was turned out, and lord +Burleigh substituted in his place.</p> + +<p>In what manner he was mostly employed during the time of Cromwel's +usurpation, there is no certain account, only it is probable, that +notwithstanding the many struggles he had in asserting the king's +interest, he mostly lived a private life, as most of the noblemen and +gentlemen of the nation did at that time.</p> + +<p>But no sooner was the king restored again unto his dominions, than these +lands did again return back unto the old vomit of popery, prelacy and +slavery; and it is inconceivable to express the grief of heart this +godly nobleman sustained, when he beheld not only the carved work of the +sanctuary cut down, by defacing that glorious structure of reformation, +which he had such an eminent hand in erecting and building up, but also +to find himself at the king's mercy, for his accession to the same. He +knew, that next to the marquis of Argyle, he was the butt of the enemies +malice, and he had frequently applied for his majesty's grace, but was +as often refused; so that the violent courses now carrying on, and the +plain invasions upon the liberties and religion of the nation made him +weary of his life; and being then at Edinburgh, he often exhorted his +excellent lady to pray fast, that he might never see the next session of +parliament, else he might follow his dear friend the marquis of Argyle; +and the Lord was pleased to grant<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">275</a></span> his request: For he died in a most +Christian manner at Edinburgh March 15th, 1662, and his corpse was +carried home and interred beside his ancestors.</p> + +<p>The most exaggerated praises that can be at present bestowed on this +renowned patriot, the worthy earl of Loudon, must be far below his +merit, who was possessed of such singular prudence, eloquence and +learning, joined with remarkable courage. Which excellent endowments he +invariably applied for the support of our ancient and admirable +constitution, which he maintained upon all hazards and occasions; +whereby he might be truly accounted the chief advocate both for the +civil and religious liberties of the people. To sum up all in a few +words: he was a most exquisite orator in the senate, a refined +politician without what some would say it is impossible to be so, and an +honour to his name, an ornament to this nation, and in every virtue in +politic, social and domestic life, a pattern worthy of imitation. And +although <span class="smcap lowercase">HIS OFFSPRING</span><a name="FNanchor_119" id="FNanchor_119"></a><a href="#Footnote_119" class="fnanchor">[119]</a> have hitherto all along retained a sense of +their civil liberties, yet it is to be lamented, that few or none of our +noblemen at this day, will follow his example.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Robert_Bailey" id="Mr_Robert_Bailey"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Robert Bailey</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Robert Bailey was born at Glasgow <i>anno</i> 1539. His father was a +citizen there, being lineally descended from Bailey of Jerviston, a +brother of the house of Carphin, and a branch of the ancient house of +Lamington, all in the county of Lanerk; and by his mother's side, he was +of the same stock with the Gibsons of Durie, who have made such a figure +in the law. He received his education at Glasgow, and, at that +university, plied his studies so hard, that, by his industry and +uncommon genius, he attained to the knowledge of twelve or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">276</a></span> thirteen of +the languages, and could write a Latin style that, in the opinion of the +learned, might well become the Augustan age.</p> + +<p>After his study of divinity, he took orders from arch-bishop Law, about +the year 1622, and was soon after presented by the earl of Eglinton to +the church of Kilwinning. When the reformation began <i>anno</i> 1637, he +wanted not his own difficulties, from his education and tenderness of +the king's authority, to see through some of the measures then taken. +Yet after reasoning, reading and prayer, (as he himself exprest it) he +came heartily into the covenanters interest about that time.</p> + +<p>Being a man of distinct and solid judgment, he was often employed in the +public business of the church. In 1638, he was chosen by his own +presbytery, to be a member of that memorable assembly held at Glasgow, +where he behaved himself with great wisdom and moderation.</p> + +<p>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 and +concluded at London.——What comfort he had in these things he describes +in these words, "As for myself, I never found my mind in a better temper +than it was all that time, from my outset until my head was again +homeward. I was one who had taken leave of the world, and resolved to +die in that service. I found the favour of God shining on me, and a +sweet, meek and humble, yet strong and vehement spirit leading me +along." The same year 1640, he was by the covenanting lords sent to +London to draw up an accusation against arch-bishop Laud, for the +innovations he had obtruded upon the church of Scotland.</p> + +<p>He was translated from Kilwinning to be professor of divinity at +Glasgow, when Mr. David Dickson was translated from thence to the +divinity chair at Edinburgh. And he was one of those commissioners sent +from the church of Scotland to the Westminster assembly <i>anno</i> 1645, +where he remained almost the whole time of that assembly. And after they +rose, as an acknowledgment of his good services, the parliament of +England made him a handsome present of silver plate, with an +inscription, 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, being +carefully preserved, and perhaps it remains there to this day.</p> + +<p>By his first wife Lillias Fleming he had one son and four daughters, by +his second wife, principal Strang's daughter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">277</a></span> he had one daughter who +was married to Walkinshaw of Barrowfield.</p> + +<p>About this time he was a great confident of the marquis of Argyle, the +earls of Cassils, Eglinton, Lauderdale, and Loudon, lord Balmerino, and +Sir Archibald Johnston lord Warriston, with others of the chief managers +among the covenanters, whereby he obtained the most exact knowledge of +the transactions of that time, which he has carefully collected in his +letters; as he expresses himself, there was not any one from whom his +correspondent could get a more full narrative under Cromwell's +usurpation. He joined with that party called resolutioners, and composed +several of the papers belonging to that side <i>anno</i> 1661. He was by +Lauderdale's interest, made principal of the college of Glasgow, upon +the removal of Mr. Patrick Gillespie, about which time it is commonly +said, he had a bishopric offered him, but that he refused it, because, +says the writer of the memorial<a name="FNanchor_120" id="FNanchor_120"></a><a href="#Footnote_120" class="fnanchor">[120]</a>, he did not choose to enter into a +dispute with those, with whom he had formerly lived in friendship. But +this was only a sly way of wounding an amiable character, for Mr. Bailey +continued firmly attached to presbyterian government, and in opposition +to prelacy to his very last; several instances could be brought to this +purpose, but a few excerpts from some of his own letters, particularly +one to Lauderdale a little before his death<a name="FNanchor_121" id="FNanchor_121"></a><a href="#Footnote_121" class="fnanchor">[121]</a>, may effectually wipe +away that reproach. "Having the occasion of this bearer, I tell you my +heart is broken with grief, and I find the burthen of the public +weighty, and hastening me to my grave. What need you do that disservice +to the king, which all of you cannot recompense, to grieve the hearts of +all your godly friends in Scotland, with pulling down all our laws at +once, which concerned our church since 1633? Was this good advice, or +will it thrive? Is it wisdom to bring back upon us the Canterburian +times, the same designs, the same practices? Will they not bring on the +same effects, whatever fools dream?" And again, in the same letter +downward, he says, "My lord, you are the nobleman in all the world I +love best, and esteem most——I think I may say I write to you what I +please. If you have gone with your heart to forsake your covenant; to +countenance the re-introduction of bishops and books,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">278</a></span> and strengthen +the king by your advice in those things, I think you a prime +transgressor, and liable among the first to answer for that great sin, +<i>&c.</i>" And when the arch-bishop came to visit him, when on his +death-bed, he would not so much as give him the appellation of lord: yea +it appears, that the introduction of prelacy was a means of bringing on +his death, as appears evident from his last public letter to his cousin +Mr. Spang, dated May 12, 1662, some weeks before his death. After some +account of the west country ministers, being called in to Edinburgh, he +says, "The guise is now, the bishops will trouble no man, but the states +will punish seditious ministers. This poor church is in the most hard +taking that ever we have seen. This is my daily grief; this hath brought +all my bodily trouble on me, and is like to do me more harm." And very +quickly after that, in the month of July, he got to his rest and +glorious reward, being aged 63 years.</p> + +<p>Mr. Robert Bailey may very justly, for his profound and universal +learning, exact and solid judgment, be accounted amongst the great men +of his time. He was an honour to his country, and his works do praise +him in the gates; among which are, his scripture-chronology, wrote in +latin; his Canterburian self-conviction; his parallel or comparison of +the liturgy with the mass-book; his dissuasive against the errors of the +times; and a large manuscript collection of historical papers and +letters, consisting of four volumes <i>folio</i>, beginning at the year 1637, +and ending at the restoration, never hitherto published. To him is, by +some, ascribed that book, intitled, <i>Historia motuum in regno Scotiæ, +annis 1634,——1640.</i>; and if he was the author of that, then also of +another anonymous paper called, a short relation of the state of the +kirk of Scotland, from the reformation of religion to the month of +October 1638. For, from the preface of the last mentioned book, it +appears, that both were wrote by the same hand. He also wrote +Laudensium, an anecdote against Arminianism; a reply to the modest +enquirer, with other tracts and some sermons on public occasion.</p> + +<p><i>N. B.</i> In the life and now published letters of principal Bailie, we +have a recent proof of human frailty.—Nay, more, that even great and +good men will be biassed in judgment, and prejudiced in mind at others +more faithful than themselves: for instance, these very noblemen and +ministers to whom he gives the highest elogiums of praise, for being the +prime instruments in God's hand for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">279</a></span> carrying on the work of reformation +betwixt 1638, and 1649,—As soon as they took the remonstrators side, he +not only represents some of them to be of such a character as I shall +forbear to mention; but even gives us a very diminutive view of their +most faithful contendings about that time; wherein the gallant +Argyle,—courageous Loudon,—the able statesman Warriston,—faithful +Guthrie,—godly Rutherford,—peaceable Livingston,—honest M'Ward, <i>&c.</i> +cannot evite their share of reflections; which no doubt add nothing to +the credit of the last ten years of his history; and all from a mistaken +view of the controversy betwixt those protestors and his own party the +resolutioners; taking all the divisions and calamities that befel +church, state and army at that time to proceed from the protestors not +concurring with them; whereas it is just the reverse; the taking in +Charles II. that atheistical wretch, and his malignant faction into the +bosom of the church, proved the Achan in the camp, that brought all +these evils upon the church, state, and army, at and since that +time.—These protestors could not submit their consciences to the +arbitrary dictates of the public resolutioners: they could not agree to +violate their almost newly sworn covenant, by approving of the admission +of these wicked malignants into public places of power and trust;—in +defence of which many of them faced the awful gibbet, banishment, +imprisonment, and other excruciating hardships;—whereas several +hundreds of the resolutioners, on the very first blast of temptation, +involved themselves in fearful apostacy and perjury; some of them became +violent persecutors of these their faithful brethren, and not a few of +them absolute monsters of iniquity.—The dreadful effects of which have +almost ruined both church and state in these lands; and perhaps this +same malignant faction will utterly do it at last, if the Lord in mercy +prevent not. For the above, see Bailie's letters, Vol. II. page +350,——448.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_David_Dickson" id="Mr_David_Dickson"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">David Dickson</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Dickson was born about the year 1583. He the only son of Mr. John +Dick or Dickson merchant in Glasgow, whose father was an old fenar and +possessor of some lands in the barony of Fintry, and parish of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">280</a></span> St. +Ninian's, called the kirk of the muir. His parents were religious, of a +considerable substance, and were many years married before they had Mr. +David, who was their only child; and as he was a Samuel asked of the +Lord, so he was early devoted to him and the ministry; yet afterwards +the vow was forgot, till providence by a rod, and sore sickness on their +son, brought their sins to remembrance, and then he was sent to resume +his studies at the university of Glasgow.</p> + +<p>Soon after he had received the degree of master of arts, he was admitted +professor of philosophy in that college, where he was very useful in +training up the youth in solid learning; and with the learned principal +Boyd of Trochridge, the worthy Mr. Blair, and other pious members of +that society, his pains were singularly blessed in reviving decayed +serious piety among the youth, in that declining and corrupted time, a +little after the imposition of prelacy upon the church. Here by a +recommendation of the general assembly not long after our reformation +from popery, the regents were only to continue eight years in their +profession; after which, such as were found qualified were licensed, and +upon a call after trial were admitted to the holy ministry; by which +constitution the church came to be filled with ministers well seen in +all the branches of useful learning. Accordingly Mr. Dickson was in +1618, ordained minister to the town of Irvine, where he laboured for +about twenty-three years.</p> + +<p>That same year the corrupt assembly at Perth agreed to the five articles +imposed upon the church by the king and the prelates. Mr. Dickson at +first had no great scruple against episcopacy, as he had not studied +those questions much, till the articles were imposed by this meeting, +and then he closely examined them; and the more he looked into them, the +more aversion he found to them; and when some time after, by a sore +sickness, he was brought within views of death and eternity, he gave +open testimony of the sinfulness of them.</p> + +<p>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 2 +Cor. v. 11. The first part, <i>knowing the terrors of the Lord, we +persuade men</i>; and when he perceived, at this juncture, a separation (at +least for a time); the Sabbath before his compearance, he chose the next +words of that text, <i>but we are made manifest unto God</i>: extraordinary +power and singular<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">281</a></span> movings of the affections accompanied that parting +sermon.</p> + +<p>Mr. Dickson appeared before the commission, where after the summons +being read, and some other reasoning among the bishops, he gave in his +declinature, upon which some of the bishops whispering in his ear (as if +they had favoured him upon the good report they had heard of him and his +ministry), said to him, Take it up, take it up.——He answered calmly, I +laid it not down for that end, to take it up again. Spotswood, arch +bishop of St. Andrews, asked if he would subscribe it. He professed +himself ready. The clerk, at the bishop's desire, began to read it, but +had scarce read three lines, till the bishop burst forth in railing +speeches, full of gall and bitterness, and turning to Mr. David, he +said, "These men will speak of humility and meekness, and talk of the +Spirit of God, <i>&c.</i> but ye are led by the spirit of the devil; there is +more pride in you, I dare say, than in all the bishops of Scotland. I +hanged a jesuit in Glasgow for the like fault." Mr. David answered, "I +am not a rebel; I stand here as the king's subject, <i>&c.</i> grant me the +benefit of the law, and of a subject, and I crave no more." But the +bishop seemed to take no notice of these words. Aberdeen asked him, +Whether he would obey the king or not? He answered, "I will obey the +king in all things in the Lord." I told you that, said Glasgow, I knew +he would seek to his limitation. Aberdeen asked again, May not the king +give his authority that we have, to as many sutors and taylors in +Edinburgh, to sit and see whether ye be doing your duty or not? Mr. +David said, My declinature answers to that. Then St. Andrews fell again +to railing, The devil, said he, will devise, he has scripture enough; +and then called him knave, swinger, a young lad, and said, He might have +been 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 his +teeth, and said Sir, you might have called me lord; when I was in +Glasgow long since, you called me so, but I cannot tell how, ye are +become a puritan now. All this time he stood silent, and once lifted up +his eyes to heaven, which St. Andrews called a proud look. So after some +more reasoning betwixt him and the bishops, St. Andrews pronounced the +sentence in these words, "We deprive you of your ministry at Irvine, and +ordain you to enter in Turref in the north in twenty days." "The will of +the Lord be done, said Mr. David,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">282</a></span> though ye cast me off, the Lord will +take 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 with +his own weak servant."</p> + +<p>Mr. Dickson continued preaching till the twenty days were expired, and +then began his journey. But the earl of Eglinton prevailed with the +bishop of Glasgow, that he might come to Eglinton, and preach there. But +the people, from all quarters, resorting to his sermons in Eglinton's +hall and court-yard, he enjoyed that liberty but two months; for the +bishop sent him another charge, and he went to the place of his +confinement.</p> + +<p>While in Turref, he was daily employed to preach, by Mr. Thomas Mitchel +minister there. But he found far greater difficulty both in studying and +preaching there, than formerly. Some time after, his friends prevailed +with the bishop of Glasgow to repone him, upon condition he would take +back his declinature, and for that purpose, wrote to Mr. Dickson to come +to Glasgow. He came as desired, and though many wise and gracious +persons urged him to yield, yet he could not be persuaded; yea, at last +it was granted to him, That if he, or any friend he pleased, would go to +the bishop's castle, and either lift the paper, or suffer his friend to +take it off the hall-table, without seeing the bishop at all, he might +return to Irvine——But he found that to be but a juggling in such a +weighty matter, in point of public testimony, and resolved to meddle no +farther in this matter, but to return to his confinement. Accordingly he +began his journey, and was scarce a mile out of town, till his soul was +filled with such joy and approbation from God, that he seldom had the +like.</p> + +<p>But some time after, by the continual intercession of the earl of +Eglinton and the town of Irvine with the bishop, the earl got a licence +to send for him, and a promise, that he should stay till the king +challenged him. Thus he returned, without any condition on his part, to +his flock, about the end of July 1623.</p> + +<p>While at Irvine, Mr. Dickson's ministry was singularly countenanced of +God, and multitudes were convinced and converted, and few who lived in +his 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 all +corners of the church, came and joined with him at the communion, which +were then times of refreshing, from the presence of the Lord. Yea, not +a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">283</a></span> few came from distant places, and settled at Irvine, that they might +be under the drop of his ministry, yet he himself observed, that the +vintage of Irvine was not equal to the gleanings of Ayr in Mr. Welch's +time; where indeed the gospel had wonderful success in conviction, +conversion and confirmation. Here he commonly had his week-days sermon +upon Monday, which was the market-day then at Irvine. Upon the Sabbath +evenings, many persons under soul-distress used to resort to his house +after sermon, when usually he spent an hour or two in answering their +cases, and directing and comforting those who were cast down.—In all +which he had an extraordinary talent; indeed he had the tongue of the +learned, and knew how to speak a word in season to the weary soul. In a +large hall, which was in his own house, there would sometimes have been +scores of serious Christians waiting for him after he came from church. +These, with the people round the town, who came into the market, made +the church as throng (if not thronger) on the Mondays, as on the Lord's +day. By these week-day sermons, the famous Stuarton sickness (as it was +called) was begun about the year 1630, and spread from house to house +for many miles in the valley, where Stuarton water runs. Satan indeed +endeavoured to bring a reproach upon such serious persons, as were at +this time under the convincing work of the Spirit, by running some, +seemingly under serious concern, to excess, both in time of sermon, and +in families. But the Lord enabled Mr. Dickson, and other ministers who +dealt with them, to act so prudent a part, that Satan's design was much +disappointed, and solid serious practical religion flourished mightily +in the west of Scotland about this time, under the hardships of prelacy.</p> + +<p>About the years 1630 and 1631, some of our Scots ministers, Messrs. +Livingston, Blair and others, were settled among the Scots in the north +of Ireland, where they were remarkably owned of the Lord in their +ministry and communions about the six-mile water, for reviving religion +and the power and practice of it. But the Irish bishops, at the +instigation of the Scots bishops, got them removed, for a season. After +they were silenced, and had come over to Scotland, about the year 1637, +Mr. Dickson employed Messrs. Blair, Livingston and Cunningham at his +communion, for which he was called before the high commission; but, the +prelates' power being on the decline, he soon got rid of that trouble.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">284</a></span> +Several other instances might be given concerning Mr. Dickson, both as +to his usefulness in answering perplexing cases of conscience, and to +students who had their eye to the ministry. While he was at Irvine, his +prudent directions, cautions and encouragements given them were +extremely useful and beneficial, as also some examples might be given of +his usefulness to his very enemies; but there is little room here to +insist on these things.</p> + +<p>It was Mr. Dickson who brought over the presbytery of Irvine to +supplicate the council in 1637, for a suspension of the service-book. At +this time four supplications, from different quarters, met at the +council-house-door, to their mutual surprize and encouragement; which +were the small beginnings of that happy turn of affairs, that next year +ensued: In which great revolution Mr. Dickson had no small share. He was +sent to Aberdeen, with Messrs Henderson and Cant, by the covenanters, to +persuade that town and country to join in renewing the covenant; this +brought him to bear a great part in the debates with the learned doctors +Forbes, Barrow, Sibbald, <i>&c.</i> at Aberdeen; which, being in print, needs +no further notice at present.</p> + +<p>And when the king was prevailed with to allow a free general assembly at +Glasgow, Nov. 1638, Mr. Dickson and Mr. Bailey, from the presbytery, +made no small figure there in all the important matters before that +grave assembly. Here Mr. Dickson signalized himself in a most seasonable +and prudent speech he had, when his majesty's commissioner threatened to +leave the assembly; as also in the 11th session Dec. 5th, he had another +most learned discourse against Arminianism<a name="FNanchor_122" id="FNanchor_122"></a><a href="#Footnote_122" class="fnanchor">[122]</a>.</p> + +<p>By this time the Lord's eminent countenancing of Mr. Dickson's ministry +at 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 almost +unanimously chosen moderator to the next general assembly at Edinburgh +in Aug. 1639, in the 10th session whereof the city of Glasgow presented +a call to him; but partly because of his own aversion, and the vigorous +appearance of the earl of Eglinton, and his loving people, and mostly +for the remarkable usefulness of his ministry in that corner, the +general assembly continued him still at Irvine.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">285</a></span> +Not long after this about 1641, he was transported to be professor in +the university of Glasgow, where he did great service to the church, by +training up young men for the holy ministry; and yet notwithstanding of +his laborious work, he preached on the forenoon of every sabbath, in the +high church there; where for some time he had the learned Mr. Patrick +Gillespie for his colleague.</p> + +<p><i>Anno</i> 1643, the church laid a very great work upon him, together with +Mr. Calderwood and Mr. Henderson to form a draught of a directory for a +public worship, as appears by an act of the general assembly. When the +pestilence was raging at Glasgow in 1647, the masters and students, upon +Mr. Dickson's motion, removed to Irvine. There it was that the learned +Mr. Durham passed his trials, and was earnestly recommended by the +professor to the presbytery and magistrates of Glasgow. A very strict +friendship subsisted between those two great lights of the church, and, +among other effects of their religious conversation, we have the sum of +saving knowledge, which hath been so often printed with our confession +of faith and catechisms. This, after several conversations upon the +subject, and manner of handling it, so that it might be useful to vulgar +capacities, was, by Messrs. Dickson and Durham, dictated to a reverend +minister about the year 1650, and though never judicially approven by +this church, yet it deserves to be much more read and practised than +what it at present is.</p> + +<p>About this time he was transported from the profession of divinity at +Glasgow, to the same work at Edinburgh. At which time he published his +<i>prelectiones in confessionem fidei</i> (now published in English), which +he dictated in latin to his scholars. There he continued his laborious +care of students in divinity, the growing hopes of a church; and either +at Glasgow or at Edinburgh, the most part of the presbyterian ministers, +at least in the west, south and east parts of Scotland, from 1640, were +under his inspection; and from the forementioned book, we may perceive +his care to educate them in the form of sound words, and to ground them +in the excellent standards of doctrine agreed to by the once famous +church of Scotland; and happy had their successors been, had they +preserved and handed down to posterity the scriptural doctrines pure and +entire, as they were delivered by our first reformers, to Mr. Dickson +and his contemporaries, and from him and them handed down without +corruption to their successors.</p> + +<p>All this time, <i>viz.</i> in 1650 and 1651, Mr. Dickson had a great share in +the printed pamphlets upon the unhappy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">286</a></span> debates betwixt the +resolutioners and the protestors, he was in his opinions for the public +resolutioners: 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.</p> + +<p>Mr. Dickson continued at Edinburgh, discharging his trust with great +diligence and faithfulness, until the melancholy turn by the restoration +of prelacy upon the return of Charles II.; when, for refusing the oath +of supremacy, he was with many other worthies, turned out; so that his +heart was broken with this heavy change on the beautiful face of that +once famed reformed church.</p> + +<p>He had married Margaret Robertson daughter to Archibald Robertson of +Stone-hall, a younger brother of the house of Ernock, in the shire of +Lanerk; by her he had three sons, John, clerk to the exchequer in +Scotland; Alexander, professor of Hebrew in the college of Edinburgh; +and Archibald, who lived with his family afterward in the parish of +Irvine.</p> + +<p>On December 1662, he fell extremely sick, at which time worthy Mr. +Livingston, now suffering for the same cause, though he had then but +forty-eight hours liberty to stay in Edinburgh, came to see him on his +death-bed. They had been intimately acquainted near forty years, and now +rejoiced as fellow-confessors together. When Mr. Livingston asked the +professor, What were his thoughts of the present affairs, and how it was +with himself? His answer was, "That he was sure Jesus Christ would not +put up with the indignities done against his work and people:" and as +for himself, said he, "I have taken all my good deeds and all my bad +deeds, and have cast them together in a heap before the Lord, and have +fled from both to Jesus Christ, and in him I have sweet peace<a name="FNanchor_123" id="FNanchor_123"></a><a href="#Footnote_123" class="fnanchor">[123]</a>."</p> + +<p>Having been very low and weak for some days, he called all his family +together, and spoke in particular to each of them, and having gone +through them all, he pronounced the words of the apostolical blessing, 1 +Cor. xiii. 13, 14, with much gravity and solemnity, and then put up his +hand, and closed his own eyes; and, without any struggle or apparent +pain, immediately expired in his son's arms, and with Jacob of old, was +gathered to his people in a good old age, being now upwards of +seventy-two years.</p> + +<p>He was a man singularly endowed with an edifying gift of preaching; and +his painful labours had been, in an eminent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">287</a></span> manner, blessed with +success. His sermons were always full of solid and substantial matter, +very scriptural, and in a very familiar style; not low, but extremely +strong and affecting, being somewhat a-kin to the style of godly Mr. +Rutherford; and it is said, That scarce any minister of that time came +so near Mr. Dickson's style or method of preaching, as the reverend Mr. +William Guthrie, minister at Finwick, who equalled, if not exceeded him.</p> + +<p>His works are, a commentary on the epistle to the Hebrews in 8vo; on +Matthew's gospel in 4to; on the psalms of David in 8vo; on the epistles, +Latin and English, in 4to; and his <i>prelectiones in confessionem fidei</i>, +or truth's victory over error, <i>&c.</i> in folio; his <i>therapeutica sacra</i>, +or cases of conscience resolved, in Latin 4to, in English 8vo; a +treatise of the promises 12mo printed at Dublin in 1630. And beside +these he wrote a great part of the answers to the demands, and duplies +to the replies of the doctors of Aberdeen in 4to; and some of the +pamphlets in defence of the public resolutioners, as has been already +observed; and some short poems on pious and serious subjects, such as, +the Christian sacrifice, true Christian love, to be sung with the common +tunes of the Psalms. There are also several other pieces of his, mostly +in manuscript, such as his <i>tyronis concionaturi</i>, supposed to be +dictated to his scholars at Glasgow; <i>summarium libri Jesaiæ</i>: his +letters on the resolutioners; his first paper on the public resolutions; +his replies to Mr. Gillespie and Mr. James Guthrie; his <i>non</i>-separation +from the well-affected in the army; as also some sermons at Irvine upon +1 Tim. i. 5. and his precepts for a daily direction of a Christian, +<i>&c.</i> by way of catechism, for his congregation at Irvine; with a +compend of his sermons upon Jeremiah and the Lamentations, and the first +nine chapters to the Romans.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Sir_Archibald_Johnston_Lord_Warriston" id="Sir_Archibald_Johnston_Lord_Warriston"></a><i>The Life of Sir <span class="smcap">Archibald Johnston</span>, Lord <span class="smcap">Warriston</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>The first of his public appearances in the favours of that glorious work +of reformation (commonly called the second reformation period) seems to +have been about the beginning of 1638. When it came first to be known +that Traquair was going up to the king, the deputies (afterward<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">288</a></span> called +the covenanters) were desirous that he would carry up an information, +which the lord Balmerino and Mr. Johnston (the only advocates as yet +trusted by the petitioners) had drawn up, and that he would present the +same, with their supplication, to his majesty. But both these were +rejected, and orders given by him to Traquair, to publish a proclamation +at Edinburgh and Stirling, against the requisitions of the covenanters. +Sixteen of the nobles, with many barons, gentlemen, burgesses, and +ministers, did, after hearing said proclamation, cause Mr. Johnston read +a protest against the same. And the same year, when the marquis of +Hamilton caused publish another declaration, in name of the king, the +covenanters, upon hearing it, gave in another protestation in the same +place by Mr. Johnston; whereupon the earl of Cassils, in name of the +nobility, Gibson of Durie, in name of the barons, Fletcher provost of +Dundee, in name of the burgesses, Mr. Kerr minister at Preston, in name +of the church, and Mr. Archibald Johnston, in name of all others, who +adhered to the covenant, took instruments in the hands of three +notaries, and, in all humility, offered a copy of the same to the herald +at the cross of Edinburgh<a name="FNanchor_124" id="FNanchor_124"></a><a href="#Footnote_124" class="fnanchor">[124]</a>.</p> + +<p>Upon the 9th of September, a declaration of the same nature being +published, the noblemen, gentlemen, burgesses, <i>&c.</i> gave another +protest, and Mr. Johnston header and advocate for the church, in name of +all who adhered to the confession of faith, and covenant lately renewed +within the kingdom, took instruments in the hands of three notaries +there present, and offered a copy thereof to the herald at the cross of +Edinburgh.</p> + +<p>In the same year, when the famous general assembly sat down at Glasgow, +in the month of November, Mr. Henderson, being chosen moderator, it was +moved, That Mr. Johnston, who had hitherto served the tables at +Edinburgh without reward, and yet with great diligence, skill and +integrity, deserved the office of clerk above all others. After much +reasoning, concerning him and some others (put on a leet for election), +the rolls being called, on a vote for a clerk, it carried unanimously +for Mr. Johnston, who then gave his oath for fidelity, diligence, and a +conscientious use of the registers; and was admitted to all the rights, +profits and privileges, which any in that office had formerly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">289</a></span> enjoyed; +and instruments taken both of his admittance and acceptance.</p> + +<p>Mr Johnston being thus installed, the moderator desired, that all who +had any acts or books of former assemblies, would put them into his +hands; whereupon Mr. Sandihills, (formerly clerk) exhibited two books, +containing some acts from 1592, to that of Aberdeen in 1618, <i>&c.</i> and +being interrogate concerning the rest, he solemnly averred, that he had +received no more from the arch-bishop, and to his knowledge, he had no +other belonging to the church.—Then a farther motion was made by the +assembly for recovering the rest, wanting, that if any had them, they +should give them up, whereupon Mr. Johnston gave an evidence how +deserving he was of the trust reposed in him, by producing on the table +five books (being now seven in all), which were sufficient to make up a +register of the church, from the beginning of the reformation; which was +very acceptable to the whole assembly.</p> + +<p>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 him +the instruction of all treaties and papers that concerned the church, +prohibiting all printers from publishing any thing of that kind, not +licensed by him.</p> + +<p>But the king and the Canterburian faction, being highly displeased with +the proceedings of this assembly, advanced with an army toward the +borders, which made the covenanters, seeing the danger they were exposed +unto, raise another army, with which, under the command of general +Leslie, they marched towards the king's army, now encamped on the south +side of Tweed, about three miles above Berwick. Upon their approach, the +English began to faint, whereupon the king and the English nobility +desired a treaty, which was easily granted by the Scots, who appointed +the earls of Rothes, Dunfermline and Loudon, the sheriff of Teviotdale, +Mr. Henderson and Mr. Archibald Johnston advocate for the church, as +their commissioners to treat with the English commissioners, to whom his +majesty 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 day +following, the articles of specification were subscribed to by both +parties, in sight of both armies at Birks near Berwick.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">290</a></span> But this treaty +was but short lived, and as ill kept; for the very next year, the king +took arms again against the Scots, who immediately armed themselves a +second time, and went for England, where they defeated a party of the +English at Newburn, and pushed their way as far as Durham. The king, +finding himself in this strait, the English supplicating him behind, and +the Scots with a potent army before him, resolved on a second treaty, +which was set on foot at Rippon, and concluded at London; and thither +Mr. Henderson and Mr. Johnston were sent again, as the commissioners for +the church; in which affairs they behaved with great prudence and +candor. When the Scots parliament sat down this year, they, by an act, +appointed a fee of 100 merks to Mr. Johnston, as advocate for the +church, and 500 merks as clerk to the general assembly; so sensible were +they of his many services done to this church and nation.</p> + +<p>Next year, 1641, the king, having fallen out with his English +parliament, came to Scotland, where he attended the Scots parliament. In +this parliament several offices of state were filled up with persons fit +for such employments. The earl of Argyle being put at the head of the +treasury, and the earl of Loudon made chancellor; among others, Mr. +Archibald Johnston stood fair for the register office; and the +generality of the well-affected thought it the just reward of his +labours; but the king, Lennox and Argyle, <i>&c.</i> being for Gibson of +Durie, he carried the prize. Yet Mr. Johnston's disappointment was +supplied by the king's conferring the order of knight-hood upon him, and +granting him a commission to be one of the lords of session, with an +annual pension of 200 pounds; and Orbiston was made justice clerk<a name="FNanchor_125" id="FNanchor_125"></a><a href="#Footnote_125" class="fnanchor">[125]</a>.</p> + +<p>During this and the next year Mr. (now Sir) Archibald Johnston had +several great employments committed to his trust. He was one of those +nominated to conserve the articles of peace betwixt the two kingdoms +until the meeting of parliament, <i>&c.</i> And then he was appointed one of +these commissioners, who were sent up to London to negotiate with the +English parliament, for sending over some relief from Scotland to +Ireland (it being then on the back of the Irish rebellion). While at +London, they waited on his majesty at Windsor, and offered their +mediation betwixt him and his two houses of parliament; but for this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">291</a></span> he +gave them little thanks, although he found his mistake afterwards.</p> + +<p>When the general assembly sat down at Edinburgh, <i>anno</i> 1643, they, upon +a motion from Sir Archibald Johnston their clerk, emitted a declaration +for joining with the English parliament for a variety of reasons, of +which these were the sum and substance. "(1.) They apprehend the war is +for religion. (2.) The protestant faith is in danger. (3.) Gratitude for +the assistance in the time of the former reformation required a suitable +return. (4.) Because the churches of Scotland and England being embarked +in one bottom, if the one be ruined, the other cannot subsist. (5.) The +prospect of an uniformity between the two kingdoms in discipline and +worship, will strengthen the protestant interest at home and abroad. +(6.) The present parliament had been friendly to the Scots, and might be +so again. (7.) Though the king had so lately established religion +amongst them, according to their desire, yet they could not confide in +his royal declaration, having so often found his actions and promises +contradictory the one to the other, <i>&c.</i>" These the estates took in +good part, and suggested other reasons of their own, as they saw proper.</p> + +<p>Toward the latter end of this assembly, upon the arrival of the +commissioners from the parliament and assembly at Westminster, the Scots +assembly, by an act of session 14, commissioned Messrs. Henderson, +Douglas, Rutherford, Bailey and Gillespie ministers, John earl of +Cassils, 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 the +declaration sent to the parliament of England, and the letter sent to +the assembly of divines, now sitting in that kingdom, and to propound, +consult, treat and conclude with that assembly, or any commissioner +deputed, or any committee or commissioner deputed by the house of +parliament, in all matters which may further the union of this island, +in one form of church-government, one confession of faith, one +catechism, one directory for the worship of God, according to the +instructions they have received from the assembly, or shall receive from +time to time hereafter, from the commissioners of the assembly deputed +for that effect."—This commission was again renewed by several acts of +the subsequent assemblies, till the year 1648.—And it appears, that +lord Warriston did not only use all diligence as a member<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">292</a></span> of the +Westminster assembly, for bringing about the uniformity of religion in +worship, discipline and government, but also, for some time, he sat as a +member of the English parliament, for concerting such methods as might +bring about a firm and lasting peace betwixt the two kingdoms afterward; +which is, and was reckoned a most noble piece of service both to church +and state in those days; yet we shall find it accounted high treason in +this worthy man afterward.</p> + +<p>Lord Warriston had, for his upright and faithful dealing, in the many +important matters committed to his charge, received many marks of favour +and dignity, both from church and state; and to crown all the rest, the +Scots parliament in 1646, made an act, appointing his commission to be +lord advocate, with the conduct of the committee of London and +Newcastle, and the general officers of the army: all which evidence, +what a noble hand he had in carrying on that blessed work of +reformation.</p> + +<p>He had now been clerk to the general assembly since the year 1638, and +when that unhappy difference fell out <i>anno</i> 1650, when the act of +classes was repeated, whereby malignants were again taken into places of +power and trust; which occasioned the rise of those called protestors +and resolutioners <i>anno</i> 1650, lord Warriston was one of those who had a +principal hand in managing affairs among those faithful +anti-resolutioners; for he wrote a most solid letter to that meeting at +St. Andrews, July 18, 1651, concerning which, the protestors, in their +reasons, proving the said meeting to be no lawful, full or free general +assembly, say, "Sir Archibald Johnston, clerk to the assembly a man +undeniably faithful, singularly acquainted with the acts and proceedings +of this kirk, and with the matters presently in controversy, and who +hath been useful above many in all the tracts of the work of +reformation, from the beginning, in all the steps thereof, both at home +and abroad; having written his mind to the meeting (not being able to +come 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 of +former assemblies, in these particulars. Albeit the letter was delivered +publicly to the moderator, in the face of the assembly, and urged to be +read 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, upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">293</a></span> +several occasions, and at several diets, press the reading of it, but it +could never be obtained, <i>&c.</i><a name="FNanchor_126" id="FNanchor_126"></a><a href="#Footnote_126" class="fnanchor">[126]</a>"</p> + +<p>And further, those papers bearing the name of representations, +propositions, protestations, <i>&c.</i> were by the said lord Warriston, +Messrs. Cant, Rutherford, Livingston, <i>&c.</i> presented to the reverend +ministers and elders met at Edinburgh, July 24, 1652, when the marquis +of 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 of +1657, Messrs. James Guthrie and Patrick Gillespie, the other three who +had been deposed by that assembly, together with lord Warriston, were +sent up to assist Mr. Simpson<a name="FNanchor_127" id="FNanchor_127"></a><a href="#Footnote_127" class="fnanchor">[127]</a>.</p> + +<p>Lord Warriston had now, for the space of five years or more, wrestled +and acted with all his power, for the king's interest, and, being a man +of great resolution, he both spoke and wrote as openly against Scotsmen +submitting to take offices under the usurper; but being sent up to +London in the foresaid year 1657, with some of the Scots nobility, upon +some important affairs, and Cromwel being fully sensible how much it +would be for his interest to gain such a man as Warriston was, over to +his side, he prevailed upon him to re-enter to the office of +clerk-register; which was much lamented by this worthy man afterwards, +as well as his sitting and presiding in some meeting at London after +Oliver's death.</p> + +<p>A late historian has observed, That, at that meeting at Edinburgh, which +sent him up to London upon business, he reasoned against it, and to the +utmost of his power opposed his being sent up, acquainting them with +what was his weak side, that, through the easiness of his temper, he +might not be able to resist his importunity, craving that he might not +be sent among snares; and yet after all he was peremptorily named<a name="FNanchor_128" id="FNanchor_128"></a><a href="#Footnote_128" class="fnanchor">[128]</a>.</p> + +<p>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 the +public service, and a good many bygone years salaries; he was, through +importunity, thus prevailed upon to side with the usurper, there being +no other door open then for his relief. And yet after this his +compliance, it was observed, he was generally<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">294</a></span> more sad and melancholy +than what he had formerly been, and it is said that his outward affairs +did not prosper so well afterward.</p> + +<p>The king being restored again to his dominions <i>anno</i> 1660, and the +noble marquis of Argyle imprisoned July 14, orders came down to seize +Sir James Stuart provost of Edinburgh, Sir Archibald Johnston of +Warriston, and Sir John Chiesly of Carswel. The first and last were +tried, but lord Warriston escaped for a time, and therefore was +summoned, by sound of trumpet, to surrender himself, and a proclamation +issued out for seizing him, promising an hundred pounds Scots to any who +should do it, and discharging all from concealing or harbouring him +under pain of treason. A most arbitrary step indeed! For here is not +only a reward offered for apprehending this worthy gentleman, but +declaring it treason for any to harbour him, and that without any cause +assigned.</p> + +<p>Upon the 10th of October following, he was, by order of the council, +declared fugitive; and next year Feb. 1st, the indictment against lord +Warriston, William Dundas, and John Hume, was read in the house, none of +them being present. Warriston was forfeited, and his forfeiture publicly +proclaimed, by the heralds, at the cross of Edinburgh. The principal +articles of his indictment were, his pleading against Newton Gordon, +when he had the king's express orders to plead for him; His assisting to +the act of the west kirk, <i>&c.</i>; His drawing out, contriving or +consenting to the paper called the western remonstrance, and the book +called the causes of the Lord's wrath; his sitting in parliament as a +peer in England, contrary to his oath, <i>&c.</i>; His accepting the office +of clerk-register from the usurper;——and being president of the +committee of safety, when Richard was laid aside, <i>&c.</i> But neither of +all these were the proper causes of this good man's sufferings, but a +personal prejudice or pique was at the bottom of all these bitter +proceedings; for the godly freedom he took in reproving vice, was what +could never be forgotten nor forgiven. The last-cited historian hints, +that the earl of Bristol was interceeding for him, and says, "I have an +account of this holy freedom in lord Warriston, used from a reverend +minister, who was his chaplain at that time, and took freedom to advise +my lord not to adventure on it; yet this excellent person, having the +glory of God and the honour of religion more in his eyes than his own +safety, went on in his designed reproof, and would not for a compliment, +quit the peace he expected in his own<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">295</a></span> conscience, be the event what it +would, by disburthening himself; he got a great many fair words, and all +was pretended to be taken well from my lord register; but, as he was +told by his well-wishers, it was never forgot<a name="FNanchor_129" id="FNanchor_129"></a><a href="#Footnote_129" class="fnanchor">[129]</a>." For, in compliance +with Cromwel, he was not alone in the matter; the greater part of the +nation being involved therein as well as he: And several of those who +had been named trustees to the usurper, were all discharged from court, +except Warriston, who was before come to Scotland, and ordered to appear +before the parliament at the sitting down thereof.</p> + +<p>This good man, after the sentence of forfeiture and death passed against +him by the first parliament, being obliged to go abroad, to escape the +fury of his enemies, even there did their crafty malice reach him; for +while at Hamburg, being visited with sore sickness, it is certain that +Dr. Bates, one of king Charles's physicians, intending to kill him +(contrary to his faith and office), prescribed poison to him instead of +physic, and then caused draw from him sixty ounces of blood, whereby +(though the Lord wonderfully preserved his life) he was brought near the +gates of death, and so far lost his memory, that he could not remember +what he had said or done a quarter of an hour before, and continued so +until the day of his martyrdom.</p> + +<p>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, he +having gone unadvisedly to France, one Alexander Murray, being +dispatched in quest of him, apprehended him at Roan, while he was +engaged in secret prayer, a duty wherein he much delighted. In Jan. +1663, he was brought over prisoner, and committed to the tower of +London, where he continued till the beginning of June, when he was sent +down to Edinburgh to be executed.</p> + +<p>His carriage during his passage was truly christian. He landed at Leith +on the 8th, and was committed to the tolbooth of Edinburgh; and from +thence he was brought before the parliament on the 8th of July. His +nephew, Bp. Burnet, says, He was so disordered both in body and mind, +that it was a reproach to any government to proceed against him<a name="FNanchor_130" id="FNanchor_130"></a><a href="#Footnote_130" class="fnanchor">[130]</a>.</p> + +<p>When at the bar of the house, he discovered such weakness of memory and +judgment, that almost every person lamented him, except Sharp and the +other bishops, who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">296</a></span> scandalously and basely triumphed over, and publicly +derided him; although it is well known, says a very noted author, that +lord Warriston was once in case, not only to "have been a member, but a +president of any judicatory in Europe, and to have spoke for the cause +and interest of Christ before kings, to the stopping of the mouths of +gainsayers<a name="FNanchor_131" id="FNanchor_131"></a><a href="#Footnote_131" class="fnanchor">[131]</a>."</p> + +<p>Here it seemed, that many of the members of parliament inclined to spare +his life; but when the question was put, Whether the time of his +execution should be just now fixed, or delayed, Lauderdale interposed, +upon calling the rolls, and delivered a most dreadful speech for his +present execution. And sentence was pronounced, That he be hanged at the +cross of Edinburgh, on the 22d of July, and his head placed on the +Nether-bow, beside that of Mr Guthrie. He received his sentence with +such meekness as filled all with admiration; for then he desired, That +the best blessings might be on church and state, and on his majesty +(whatever might befal himself), and that God would give him true and +faithful counsellors<a name="FNanchor_132" id="FNanchor_132"></a><a href="#Footnote_132" class="fnanchor">[132]</a>.</p> + +<p>During the whole time of his imprisonment, he was in a most spiritual +and tender frame, to the conviction of his very enemies; and the nearer +that his death approached, the composure of his mind became the more +conspicuous. He rested agreeably the night before his execution, and in +the morning was full of consolation, sweetly expressing his assurance of +being clothed with a long white robe, and of getting a new song of the +Lamb'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 his +Father's kingdom."</p> + +<p>After he had spent some time in secret prayer, about two o'clock he was +taken from prison, attended by several of his friends in mourning, +though he himself was full of holy cheerfulness and courage, and in a +perfect serenity of mind. When come to the scaffold, he said frequently +to the people, "Your prayers, your prayers." When he was on the scaffold +he said, "I intreat you, quiet yourselves a little, till this dying man +deliver his last speech among you;" and desired they would not be +offended at his making use of the paper to help his memory, so much +impaired by long sickness and the malice of physicians.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">297</a></span> Then he read +his 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 he +intended to have spoken at his death, was not now in his power, being +taken from him, yet hoped the Lord would preserve it to be his +testimony; being now for some time in a most melancholy concumitance, +through long and sore sickness, drawing of blood, <i>&c.</i> He, in the first +place, confesseth his sins, pleads for forgiveness, bewails his +compliance with the usurper, although, said he, he was not alone in that +offence, but had the body of the nation going before him, and the +example of all ranks to insnare him, <i>&c.</i> Then declares his adherence +to the covenanted work of reformation, earnestly desiring the prayers of +all the Lord's praying people, <i>&c.</i> and vindicates himself from having +any accession to the late king's death, and to the making of the change +of government; taking the great God of heaven to witness between him and +his accusers. And at last concluded with these words, "I do here now +submit, and commit my soul and body, wife and children, and children's +children, from generation to generation for ever, with all others his +friends and followers, all his doing and suffering witnesses, +sympathizing ones in present and subsequent generations, unto the Lord's +choice mercies, graces, favours, services, employment, enjoyments and +inheritments on earth and in heaven, in time and all eternity; all which +suits, with all others which he hath at any time, by his Spirit, moved +and assisted me to put up, according to his will, I leave before and +upon the Father's merciful bowels, the Son's mediating merits, and the +Holy Spirit's compassionate groans, both now and for ever more +Amen<a name="FNanchor_133" id="FNanchor_133"></a><a href="#Footnote_133" class="fnanchor">[133]</a>."</p> + +<p>After the reading of his speech, he prayed with great fervency and +liberty, and, being in a rapture, he began thus, "Abba, Father! Accept +this thy poor sinful servant, coming unto thee, through the merits of +Jesus Christ, <i>&c.</i>" Then taking leave of his friends, he prayed again +with great fervency, being now near the end of that sweet work, he had +so much, through the course of his time, been employed in. No ministers +were allowed to be with him, but it was, by those present, observed that +God sufficiently made up that want. He was helped up the ladder by some +of his friends in deep mourning; and, as he ascended, he said, "Your +prayers, your prayers.—Your<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">298</a></span> prayers I desire in the name of the +Lord."—Such was the esteem he had for that duty.</p> + +<p>When got to the top of the ladder, he cried out with a loud voice, "I +beseech you all who are the people of God, not to scare at suffering for +the interest of Christ, or stumble at any thing of this kind, falling +out in these days; but be encouraged to suffer for him, for I assure you +in the name of the Lord, he will bear your charges." While the rope was +putting about his neck, he repeated these words again, adding, The Lord +hath graciously comforted me. When the executioner desired his +forgiveness he said, The Lord forgive thee, poor man,—and withal gave +him some money, bidding him do his office if he was ready; and crying +out, O pray, pray! Praise, praise, praise,—he was turned over, and died +almost without any struggle, with his hands lifted up unto heaven, +whither his soul ascended, to enjoy the beatific presence of his Lord +and Saviour Jesus Christ.</p> + +<p>He was soon cut down, and his head struck off, and set up beside that of +his dear friend Mr. Guthrie; and his body carried to Gray-friars +church-yard. But his head soon after, by the interest and intercession +of lieutenant-general Drummond (who was married to one of his +daughters), was taken down and interred with his body.</p> + +<p>Thus stood and thus fell the eminently pious and truly learned lord +Warriston, whose talents as a speaker in the senate, as well as on the +bench, are too well known to be here insisted upon; and for prayer, he +was 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, and +used to say, "I dare never question my salvation, I have so often seen +God's face in the house of prayer." And, as the last cited historian +observes, "Although his memory and talents were for some time impaired, +yet like the sun at his setting, after he had been a while under a +cloud, shone most brightly and surprizingly, and so in some measure the +more sweetly; for that morning he was under a wonderful effusion of the +Spirit, as great perhaps as many have had since the primitive times."</p> + +<p>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, and +matters of fact little known at present, which might be of great use and +light to the history of that period, and wherein he records his sure<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">299</a></span> +hopes (after much wrestling in which he was mightily helped) that the +church of Scotland would he manifestedly visited and freed from the +evils she fell under after the restoration. And his numerous family, +whom he so often left upon the Lord's providence, were, for the most +part, as well provided for as could have been expected, though he had +continued with them in his own outward prosperity. <i>He that overcometh, +shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out +of the book of life: but I will confess his name before my Father and +his angels.</i></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_James_Wood" id="Mr_James_Wood"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">James Wood</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>He was, some time after the year 1651, made provost or principal of the +old college of St. Andrews, and one of the ministers there, and being +one who in judgment fell in with the resolution party, it occasioned +some difference betwixt him and Mr. Rutherford at that time professor of +divinity in the new college there, and yet he had ever a great and high +esteem for Mr. Wood, as appears from a message he sent him when on his +death-bed, wherein he said, "Tell Mr. James Wood from me, I heartily +forgive him all the wrongs he hath done, and desire him from me to +declare himself the man he is still for the government of the church of +Scotland." And truly he was not deceived in him; for Mr. Wood was true +and faithful to the presbyterian government; nothing could prevail upon +him to comply in the least degree with abjured prelacy. So far was he +from that, that the apostacy and treachery of others (<i>viz.</i> Mr. Sharp), +whom he had too much trusted, broke his upright spirit, particularly the +aggravated defection and perfidy of him whom he termed Judas, Demas and +Gehazi all in one, after he had found what part he had acted to the +church of Scotland under trust<a name="FNanchor_134" id="FNanchor_134"></a><a href="#Footnote_134" class="fnanchor">[134]</a>.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">300</a></span> +Mr. Wood continued in the exercise of the foresaid offices, until 1663, +when, by the instigation of bishop Sharp, he got a charge to appear +before the council on the twenty-third of July, to answer to several +things laid to his charge; and though Mr. Sharp was indebted to Mr. Wood +for any reputation he had, and was under as great obligations to him as +one man could be to another, for they had been more than ordinarily +familiar, yet now the primate could not bear his continuing any longer +there, and he caused cite him before the council.</p> + +<p>When he compeared he was interrogate,—How he came to be provost of the +college of St. Andrews?—When he began to answer, he was interrupted, in +a 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 some +truths he was entering upon. He told them, He was called by the faculty +of that college, at the recommendation of the usurpers, as some here, +added he (meaning bishop Sharp), very well know. Whereupon he was +removed, and a little after called in again, and his sentence intimate +unto him; which was, "That the lords of council, for the present, do +declare the said place to be vacant, and ordain and command him to +confine himself within the city of Edinburgh, and not to depart from +thence until farther orders."—When his sentence was intimate to him, he +told them, He was sorry they had condemned a person without hearing him, +whom they could not charge with the breach of any law. In September +following, bishop Sharp got the charge and privileges of that office; +which shews that he had some reason for pushing Mr. Wood from that +place.</p> + +<p>Upon the 30th of the same month, Mr. Wood presented a petition to the +council, shewing——That his father was extremely sick, that he had +several necessary affairs at St. Andrews, and desired liberty to go +there for that effect. Which petition being read, with a certificate of +his father's infirmity, the council granted licence to the petitioner to +go to St. Andrews, to visit his father, and perform his other necessary +affairs; always returning when he should be called by the council.</p> + +<p>Thus he continued, till toward the beginning of the year 1664, when he +took sickness, whereof he died; and tho' he suffered not in his body, as +several of his brethren did, yet the arch-bishop, it appears, was +resolved to ruin his name and reputation after his death, if not sooner, +in order to which the primate saw good, once or twice, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">301</a></span> give him a +visit, when on his death-bed in St. Andrews. He was now extremely low in +his body, and spoke very little to Mr. Sharp, and nothing at all about +the changes made in the state of public affairs; however the consequence +of these visits was,——The primate spread a rumour, That Mr. Wood, +being now under the views of death and eternity, professed himself very +indifferent as to church-government, and declared himself as much for +episcopacy as for presbytery: and in all companies Sharp talked, that +Mr. Wood had declared to himself, Presbyterian government to be +indifferent and alterable at the pleasure of the magistrate, and other +falsehoods; yea, he had the impudence (says the historian<a name="FNanchor_135" id="FNanchor_135"></a><a href="#Footnote_135" class="fnanchor">[135]</a>) to write +up an account of this to court, even before Mr. Wood's death.—Which +reports coming to the ears of this good man, they added grief unto his +former sorrow, and he could have no rest till he vindicated himself from +such a false calumny, by a solemn testimony, which he dictated himself, +and subscribed upon the 2d of March before two witnesses and a public +notary; which testimony, being burnt by order of the high commission in +April following, deserves a place here.</p> + +<p class="break">"I James Wood, being very shortly, by appearance, to render up my spirit +to the Lord, find myself obliged to leave a word behind me, for my +vindication before the world.——It hath been said of me, That I have, +in word at least, departed from my wonted zeal for the presbyterian +government, expressing myself concerning it, as if it were a matter not +to be accounted of, and that no man should trouble himself therefore in +matter 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 being +under sickness, have said sometimes, in conference about my soul's +state, that I was taken up about greater business, than any thing of +that kind; and what wonder I said so, being under such wrestling anent +my interest in Jesus Christ, which is a matter of far greater +concernment than any external ordinance. But for my estimation of +presbyterian government, the Lord knoweth, that since the day he +convinced my heart, which was by a strong hand, that it is the ordinance +of God, appointed by Jesus Christ, for governing and ordering his +visible church, I never had the least<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">302</a></span> change of thought concerning the +necessity of it, nor of the necessity of the use of it.—And I declare +before 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 profession +thereof, if the Lord shall see meet to put him to the trial; and for +myself, if I were to live, I would account it my glory to seal this word +of my testimony with my blood. Of this declaration I take God, angels +and 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, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p style="margin-bottom:0em;">Mr. William Tullidaff,</p> +<p style="margin-top:0em; margin-bottom:0em;">Mr. John Carstairs,</p> +<p style="margin-top:0em;">John Pitcairn, <i>writer</i>.</p> +<p>JAMES WOOD.</p> + +<p class="break">After this he uttered many heavenly expressions, to several persons who +came 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.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wood was among the brightest lights of that period. He had been +colleague to Mr. Sharp, and, after the restoration, he lamented much, +that he had been deceived by that unhappy man. He refuted the +independents and asserted presbyterial government, as is evident from +that work of his, wrote in opposition to Nicolas Lockier's little stone +hewed out of the mountain, and his other books that are in print. It is +also said, that before his death, he lamented his taking his part with +the public resolutioners very much.</p> + +<p>'I have been informed (says Wodrow) that he left some very valuable +manuscripts behind him, particularly a complete refutation of the +Arminian scheme of doctrine, ready for the press, which doubtless if +published would be of no small use in this age, when Arminianism hath so +far got the ascendant.'</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">303</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_William_Guthrie" id="Mr_William_Guthrie"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">William Guthrie</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. William Guthrie was born at Pitfrothy <i>anno</i> 1620. He was eldest son +of the laird of Pitfrothy in the shire of Angus; and by the mother's +side, descended from the ancient house of easter Ogle, of which she was +a daughter. God blessed his parents with a numerous offspring, for he +had 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 ordained +to the charge of any parish, his tender constitution and numerous +infirmities rendered him unfit, and soon brought him to the end of his +days; Mr. Alexander was a minister in the presbytery of Brichen, about +the year 1645, where he continued a pious and useful labourer in the +work of the gospel, till the introduction of prelacy, which unhappy +change affected him in the tenderest manner, and was thought to have +shortened his days; for he died <i>anno</i> 1661. And Mr. John, the youngest, +was minister at Tarbolton in the shire of Ayr, in which place he +continued till the restoration <i>anno</i> 1662, when the council met at +Glasgow, (commonly called the drunken meeting) on the first of October. +By this infamous act of Glasgow, above a third part of the ministers in +Scotland were thrust from their charges, amounting to near 400. Mr. John +Guthrie had his share of the hardships that many faithful ministers of +Jesus Christ at that time were brought under. The next year, being 1663, +the council, at the instigation of the bishop of Glasgow, summoned him +and other nine to appear before them on the 23d of July, under the pain +of rebellion; but he and other six did not appear. <i>Anno</i> 1666, he +joined with that party, who, on the 26th of November, renewed the +covenants at Lanerk; after a sermon preached by him, he tendered the +covenants, which were read; to every article of which, with their hands +lifted up to heaven, they engaged<a name="FNanchor_136" id="FNanchor_136"></a><a href="#Footnote_136" class="fnanchor">[136]</a> with great solemnity and +devotion. After their defeat at Pentland, he, no doubt, had his share of +the violence and cruelty that then reigned, till <i>anno</i> 1668, he was +removed to a better world.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">304</a></span> +Mr. William soon gave proofs of his capacity and genius, by very +considerable progress made in the Latin and Greek languages. Then he was +sent to the university of St. Andrews, where he studied philosophy under +the memorable Mr. James Guthrie his cousin, who was afterwards minister +at Stirling, "and who (says Mr. Trail) I saw die in, and for the Lord, +at Edinburgh, June 1, 1661."</p> + +<p>As the master and scholar were near relations, Mr. Guthrie was his +peculiar care, and lodged, when at the college, in the same chamber with +him, and therefore had the principles of learning infused into him with +more accuracy than his class-fellows.</p> + +<p>Having taken the degree of master of arts, he applied himself, for some +years, to the study of divinity, under the direction of Mr. Samuel +Rutherford. Mr. Trail says, "Then and there it pleased the Lord, who +separated him from his mother's womb, to call him, by his grace, by the +ministry of excellent Mr. Samuel Rutherford, and this young gentleman +became one of the first fruits of his ministry at St. Andrews. His +conversion was begun with great terror of God in his soul, and completed +with that joy and peace in believing that accompanied him through his +life. After this blessed change wrought upon him, he resolved to obey +the call of God to serve him in the ministry of his gospel, which was +given him by the Lord's calling him effectually to grace and glory. He +did for this end so dispose of his outward estate, (to which he was born +heir) as not to be intangled with the affairs of this life." He gave his +estate to the only brother of the five who was not engaged in the sacred +office, that thereby he might be perfectly disintangled from the affairs +of this life, and entirely employed in these of the eternal world.</p> + +<p>Soon after he was licensed to preach, he left St. Andrews, with high +esteem and approbation from the professors of that university, which +they gave proof of, by their ample recommendations. After this he became +tutor to lord Mauchlin, eldest son to the earl of Loudon; in which +situation he continued for some time, till he entered upon a parochial +charge.</p> + +<p>The parish of Kilmarnock, in the shire of Ayr, being large, and many of +the people, belonging to the said parish, being no less than six or +seven miles distant from their own kirk; for which and other reasons the +heritors and others procured a disjunction, and called the new parish +Fen wick or new Kilmarnock.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">305</a></span> +Mr. Guthrie was employed to preach at Galston, on a preparation-day +before the celebration of the Lord's supper; and several members of the +new-erected parish, were present at that occasion, who, being greatly +edified by his sermons, conceived such a value for him, that they +immediately resolved to make choice of him for their minister; and in +consequence thereof gave him a very harmonious call, which he complied +with. It is said, that he, along with the people, made choice of the +place of ground for building the church upon, and preached within the +walls of the house before it was completed; which bears the date of +being built <i>anno</i> 1643; and he was ordained unto the sacred office Nov. +7, 1644.</p> + +<p>He had many difficulties at first to struggle with; and many +circumstances of his ministry were extremely discouraging: and yet, +through the divine blessing, the gospel preached by him had surprising +success; and became, in an eminent manner, the wisdom and power of God +to the salvation of many perishing souls.</p> + +<p>After Mr. Guthrie came to Fenwick, many of the people were so rude and +barbarous, that they never attended upon divine worship; and knew not so +much as the face of their pastor: To such, every thing that respected +religion was disagreeable. Many refused to be visited, or catechised by +him; they would not even admit him into their houses: To such he +sometimes went in the evening, disguised in the character of a +traveller, and sought lodging; which he could not even obtain without +much intreaty; but having obtained it, he would engage in some general +amusing conversation at first, and then ask them, How they liked their +minister? When they told him, They did not go to church, he engaged them +to go and take a trial; others he hired with money to go.—When the time +of family worship came, he desired to know if they made any, and if not, +what reasons they had for so doing.</p> + +<p>There was one person, in particular, whom he would have to perform +family worship, who told him That he could not pray; and he asked, What +was the reason? He told him, That he never used to pray any, and so +could not:—He would not take that for answer, but would have the man to +make 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, He +had done enough; and prayed himself, to their great surprise. When +prayer was ended, the wife said to her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">306</a></span> husband, That surely this was a +minister (for they did not know him): After this, he engaged them to +come to the kirk on sabbath, and see what they thought of their +minister. When they came there, they discovered, to their consternation, +that it had been their minister himself who had allured them +thither.—And this condescending manner of gaining them, procured a +constant attendance on public ordinances; as was at length accompanied +by the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ unto the +praise of God.</p> + +<p>There was also another person in his parish, who had a custom of going +a-fowling on the Sabbath-day, and neglecting the church; in which +practice he had continued for a considerable time. Mr. Guthrie asked +him, What reason he had for so doing? He told him, That the sabbath-day +was 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 told +him, 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. Guthrie +asked, If he would come back the next sabbath-day, and he would give him +the same?—which he did; and from that time afterwards, never failed to +keep the church, and also freed Mr. Guthrie of his promise.—He +afterwards became a member of his session.</p> + +<p>He would frequently use innocent recreations, such as fishing, fowling, +and playing on the ice, which contributed much to preserve a vigorous +state of health.—And, while in frequent conversation with the +neighbouring gentry, as these occasions gave him opportunity, he would +bear in upon them reproofs and instructions with an inoffensive +familiarity; as Mr. Dunlop has observed of him, "But as he was animated +by a flaming zeal for the glory of his blessed Master, and a tender +compassion to the souls of men, and as it was the principal thing that +made him desire life and health, that he might employ them in +propagating the kingdom of God, and in turning transgressors from their +ways; so the very hours of recreation were dedicated to this purpose; +which was so indeared to him, that he knew how to make his diversions +subservient to the nobler ends of his ministry. He made them the +occasion of familiarizing his people to him, and introducing himself to +their affections, and in the disguise of a sportsman he gained some to a +religious life, whom he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">307</a></span> could have little influence upon in a ministers +gown, of which there happened several memorable examples."</p> + +<p>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 a +great pleasure in music, and he failed not to employ that talent for the +noblest use, the praising of his Maker and Saviour, in which part of +divine worship his soul and body acted with united and unwearied vigour.</p> + +<p>He was happily married to one Agness Campbel, daughter to David Campbel +of 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 wife +was a gentlewoman endued with all the qualities that could render her a +blessing to her husband, joined to handsome and comely features, good +sense 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 complete +friendship, and with a constant mutual satisfaction founded on the +noblest principles; one faith, one hope, one baptism, and a sovereign +love to Jesus Christ, which zealously inspired them both. By her he had +six children; two of whom only out-lived himself; both of them +daughters, who endeavoured to follow the example of their excellent +parents; one of them was married to Miller of Glenlee, a gentleman in +the shire of Ayr, and the other to Mr. Peter Warner <i>anno</i> 1681.; after +the 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 of +the church of Scotland betwixt the years 1660 and 1688, inclusive.—But +to return.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Guthrie was but young and new married, he was appointed by the +general assembly to attend the army. When he was preparing for his +departure, a violent fit of the gravel (unto which he was often subject) +reduced him to the greatest extremity of pain and danger; which made his +religious spouse understand and improve the divine chastisement; she +then saw how easily God could put an end to his life, which she was too +apprehensive about, and brought herself to a resolution never to oppose +her inclination to his entering upon any employment, whereby he might +honour his Maker, though never so much hazard should attend it.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">308</a></span> +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 ever +after retain a greater sense of the divine goodness; and after his +return to his parish, was animated to a more vigorous diligence in the +work 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 private +conversation conspiring together for these noble purposes.</p> + +<p>After this, Mr. Guthrie had occasion again to be with the army, when the +English sectaries prevailed under Oliver Cromwel. After the defeat at +Dunbar 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 the +end, he says, "But let me obtest all the serious seekers of his face, +his secret sealed ones, by the strongest consolations of the Spirit, by +the gentleness of Jesus Christ, that Plant of renown, by your last +accounts, and by your appearing before God, when the white throne shall +be up, be not deceived with these fair words: though my spirit be +astonished at the cunning distinctions, which are found out in the +matters of the covenant, that help may be had against this man; yet my +heart trembleth to entertain the least thought of joining with these +deceivers<a name="FNanchor_137" id="FNanchor_137"></a><a href="#Footnote_137" class="fnanchor">[137]</a>." Accordingly he joined the remonstrators, and was chosen +moderator at that synod at Edinburgh after the public resolutioners went +out and left them.</p> + +<p>The author of his memoirs saith, "His pleasant and facetious +conversation procured him an universal respect from the English +officers, and made them fond of his company; while at the same time his +courage and constancy did not fail him in the cause of his great Master, +and was often useful to curb the extravagancies of the sectaries, and +maintain order and regularity." One instance of which happened, at the +sacrament of the Lord's Supper, at Glasgow, celebrated by Mr. Andrew +Gray.——Several of the English officers had formed a design to put in +execution the disorderly principle of a promiscuous admission to the +Lord's table, by coming to it themselves without acquainting the +minister, or being in a due manner found worthy of that privilege.——It +being Mr. Guthrie's turn to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">309</a></span> serve at that table, he spoke to them, when +they were leaving their pews in order to make the attempt, with such +gravity, resolution and zeal, that they were quite confounded, and sat +down without making any further disturbance.</p> + +<p>About this time that set of heretics, called quakers, endeavoured to sow +their tares in Fenwick parish, when Mr. Guthrie was some weeks absent, +about his own private affairs in Angus.—But he returned before this +infection had sunk deep; recovered some who were in hazard of being +tainted by its fatal influence; and confounded the rest, that they +despaired of any further attack upon his flock.—This wild set had made +many proselytes to their demented delusions in Kilbryde, Glasgow, and +other neighbouring parishes; yea, they prospered so well in Glasford +parish, that there is yet a church-yard in that place, where they buried +their own dead, with their heads to the east, contrary to the practice +of all other christians.</p> + +<p>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 recreation +of a country life were useful to him, in maintaining a healthful +constitution; and, above all, the love his flock had to him caused him +put on an invincible obstinacy, against all designs of separation from +them; a relation, when it is animated with this principle of the +spiritual life, and founded on so noble a bottom, enters deepest into +the soul; and a minister can scarce miss to have peculiar tenderness and +warmth of divine affections to those whose father he is after the +Spirit; and hath been honoured of God, in bringing them to the kingdom +of his Son, and begetting them through the gospel; whose heavenly birth +is now the highest pleasure and brightest triumph of his life, and will +be one day his crown of glory and rejoicing. And doubtless, when Mr. +Guthrie preferred Fenwick, a poor obscure parish, to the most +considerable charges in the nation, it was a proof of his mortification +to the world, and that he was moved by views superior to temporal +interests.</p> + +<p>About the year 1656, or 1657, some unknown person somehow got a copy of +a few imperfect notes of some sermons that Mr. Guthrie had preached from +the 55th chapter of the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah, with relation to +personal covenanting; and, without the least intimation of the design +made to him, printed them in a little pamphlet of 61 pages <i>12mo</i>, under +this title, A clear, attractive, warming beam of light, from Christ, the +Sun of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">310</a></span> light, leading unto himself, <i>&c.</i>——printed at Aberdeen, +1657.——</p> + +<p>This book was indeed anonymous; but Mr. Guthrie was reputed the author +by the whole country, and was therefore obliged to take notice of it. He +was equally displeased at the vanity of the title, and the defect of the +work itself, which consisted of some broken notes of his sermons, +confusedly huddled together, by an injudicious hand.——He saw that the +only method to remedy this, was to review his own sermons; from which he +soon composed that admirable treatise, The Christian's great interest; +the only genuine work of Mr. Guthrie, which hath been blessed by God +with wonderful success, in our own country; being published very +seasonably a little before the introduction of prelacy in Scotland at +the restoration.</p> + +<p>The author of his memoirs saith, "He had a story from a reverend +minister of the church, who had the sentiments of Dr. Owen from his own +mouth, who said,——You have truly men of great spirits in Scotland; +there is, for a gentleman, Mr. Bailey of Jerviswood, a person of the +greatest 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 ever +wrote. It is my <i>vade mecum</i>, and I carry it and the Sedan new testament +still about with me. I have wrote several folios, but there is more +divinity in it than in them all.——It was translated into low dutch by +the reverend and pious Mr. Kealman, and was highly esteemed in Holland, +so that Mrs. Guthrie and one of her daughters met with uncommon civility +and kindness, when their relation to its author was known. It was also +translated into french, and high dutch; and we are informed, that it was +also translated into one of the eastern languages, at the charge of that +noble pattern of religion, learning and charity, the honourable Robert +Boyle."</p> + +<p>At the synod of Glasgow held April 1661, after long reasoning about +proper measures for the security of religion, the matter was referred to +a committee; Mr. Guthrie prescribed the draught of an address to the +parliament, wherein a faithful testimony was given to the purity of our +reformation, in worship, doctrine, discipline and government, in terms +equally remarkable for their prudence and courage. Every body approved +of it; and it was transmitted to the synod. But some, on the resolution +side, judged it not convenient, and gave an opportunity to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">311</a></span> those, who +designed to comply with prelacy, to procure a delay; and, at that time, +got it crushed: Yet it affords a proof of the zealous honesty and +firmness of Mr. Guthrie.</p> + +<p>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. James +say, "A penny for your thought, cousin."——Mr. William answered, "There +is a poor man at the door, give him the penny;" which being done, he +proceeded and said, "I'll tell you, cousin, what I am, not only thinking +upon, but I am sure of, if I be not under a delusion.——The malignants +will be your death, and this gravel will be mine; but you will have the +advantage of me, for you will die honourably before many witnesses, with +a rope about your neck; and I will die whining upon a pickle straw, and +will endure more pain before I rise from your table, than all the pain +you will have in your death."</p> + +<p>He took a resolution to wait on his worthy friend Mr. James, at his +death (his execution being on Saturday June 1.) notwithstanding the +apparent hazard, at that time, in so doing; but his session prevailed on +him (although with much difficulty) by their earnest intreaties, to lay +aside his design at that time.</p> + +<p>Through the interposition of the earl of Eglinton, and the chancellor +Glencairn, whom he had obliged before the restoration, when he was +imprisoned for his loyalty, now contributed what he could for his +preservation; by which means (of the chancellor) he, above many, had +near four years further respite with his people at Fenwick. In which +time, his church, although a large country one, was overlaid and crowded +every 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 for +the pure gospel preached, and got a meal by the word of his ministry. It +was their usual practice to come to Fenwick on Saturday, and to spend +the greatest part of the night in prayer to God, and conversation about +the great concerns of their souls, to attend the public worship on the +Sabbath, to dedicate the remainder of that holy day in religious +exercises, and then to go home on Monday the length of ten, twelve or +twenty miles without grudging in the least at the long way, want of +sleep or other refreshments; neither did they find themselves the less +prepared<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">312</a></span> for any other business through the week<a name="FNanchor_138" id="FNanchor_138"></a><a href="#Footnote_138" class="fnanchor">[138]</a>.——These years +were the most particular under the divine influences of the Holy Spirit, +accompanying the ministry and ordinances dispensed by Mr. Guthrie in all +his life, and will still be had in remembrance; a remarkable blessing +accompanied ordinances to people who came with such a disposition of +soul, great numbers were converted unto the truth, and many built up in +their most holy faith.——In a word, He was honoured to be a man in the +Lord's hand of turning many to a religious life; and who, after his +being taken from them, could never, without exultation of soul and +emotion of revived affection, think upon their spiritual father, and the +power of that victorious grace, which, in those days, triumphed so +gloriously; and for many years afterwards, were considered, above many +other parishes in the kingdom, as a civilized and religious people; he +having with a becoming boldness, fortified them in a zealous adherence +to the purity of our reformation; warned them of the defection that was +then made by the introduction of prelacy; and instructed them in the +duty of such a difficult time, so that they never made any compliance +with the prelatical schemes afterwards.</p> + +<p>The extraordinary reputation and usefulness of his ministry were admired +and followed by all the country around him, which provoked the jealous +and angry prelates against him, and was one of the causes of his being +at last attacked by them. Then the earl of Glencairn made a visit to the +arch-bishop of Glasgow at his own house, and at parting asked as a +favour in particular from him, That Mr. Guthrie might be overlooked, as +knowing him to be an excellent man.——The bishop not only refused him, +but did, with a disdainful haughty air, tell him, That shall not be +done; it cannot be, he is a ringleader and keeper up of schism in my +diocese,——and then left the chancellor very abruptly. Row, Allan, and +some other presbyterian gentlemen, who were waiting on him, observing +the chancellor discomposed when the bishop left him, presumed to ask him +what the matter was; to which the earl answered, "we have set up these +men, and they will tread us under their feet." In consequence of this +resolution of bishop Burnet, Mr. Guthrie was, by a commission from him, +suspended;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">313</a></span> and the bishop dealt with several of his creatures, the +curates, to intimate the sentence against him, and many refused, for +(saith Wodrow), "There was an awe upon their spirits, which feared them +from meddling with this great man." Be as it will, at last he prevailed +with the curate of Calder, and promised him five pounds sterling of +reward. Mr. Guthrie, being warned of this design of the bishop against +him, advised with his friends to make no resistance at his deposition +from the church and manse, since his enemy wanted only this as a handle +to persecute him criminally for his former zeal and faithfulness.</p> + +<p>Accordingly, on Wednesday July 20, he, with his congregation, kept the +day with fasting and prayer. He preached to them from Hos. xiii. 9. <i>O +Israel! thou hast destroyed thyself</i>, &c. From that scripture, with +great plainness and affection, he laid before them their own sins, and +the sins of the land and age they lived in; and indeed the place was a +<i>Bochim</i>——At the close of this day's work, he gave them intimation of +sermon 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 five +in the morning, when he preached to them from the close of his last +text, <i>But in me is thine help.</i>——And as he used on ordinary Sabbaths, +he also now had two sermons, and a short interval betwixt them, and +dismissed the people before nine in the morning. Upon this melancholy +occasion he directed them unto the great Fountain of help, when the +gospel 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 in +time of need.</p> + +<p>Upon the day appointed, the curate came to Fenwick, with a party of +twelve soldiers, on the sabbath-day; and, by commission from the +arch-bishop, discharged Mr. Guthrie to preach any more in Fenwick, +declared the church vacant and suspended him from the exercise of his +ministry.</p> + +<p>The curate left the party without, and came into the manse; and +declared, That the bishop and committee, after much lenity shewed to him +for a long time, were constrained to pass the sentence of suspension +against him, for not keeping of presbyteries and synods with the rest of +his brethren, and his unpeaceableness in the church; of which sentence +he was appointed to make public intimation unto him, for which purpose +he read his commission under the hand of the arch-bishop of Glasgow.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">314</a></span> +Mr. Guthrie answered, "I judge it not convenient to say much in answer +to what you have spoken; only, whereas you alledge there hath been much +lenity used toward me—be it known to you, that I take the Lord for +party in that, and thank him first——yea, I look upon it as a door +which God opened to me, for the preaching of this gospel, which you nor +any man else was able to shut, till it was given you of God; and as to +that sentence, passed against me, I declare before these gentlemen +(meaning the officers of the party) that I lay no weight upon it, as it +comes from you, or those that sent you—though that I do respect the +civil authority, who, by their law, laid the ground for this sentence +passed against me.——I declare I would not surcease from the exercise +of my ministry for all that sentence.——And as to the crimes I am +charged with,—I did keep presbyteries and synods with the rest of my +brethren; but I do not judge those who do now sit in these to be my +brethren, who have made defection from the truth and cause of God; nor +do I judge those to be free and lawful courts of Christ, that are now +sitting; and as to my peaceableness—I know I am bidden follow peace +with all men, but I know also I am bidden follow it with holiness; and +since I could not obtain peace without prejudice to holiness, I thought +myself obliged to let it go.——And as for your commission, Sir, to +intimate this sentence,—I here declare, I think myself called by the +Lord to the work of the ministry, and did forsake the nearest relation +in the world, and gave up myself to the service of the gospel in this +place, having received an unanimous call from this parish, and was +licenced and ordained by the presbytery; and I bless the Lord, he hath +given me some success and seals of my ministry, upon the souls and +consciences of not a few, who are gone to heaven, and of some who are +yet in the way to it.——And now, Sir, if you will take it upon you to +interrupt my work among this people, I shall wish the Lord may forgive +you the guilt of it; I cannot but leave all the bad consequences that +may fall out upon it betwixt God and your own consciences, and here I do +further declare, before these gentlemen, that I am suspended from my +ministry for adhering to the covenants and word of God, from which you +and others have apostatized."</p> + +<p>Here the curate interrupting him, said, The Lord had a work before that +covenant had a being, and that he judged them apostates that adhered to +that covenant, and he wished<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">315</a></span> that the Lord would not only forgive him +(meaning Mr. Guthrie) but if it were lawful to pray for the dead (at +which expression the soldiers laughed) that the Lord might forgive the +sin 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 is +as true, that it hath been more glorious since that covenant; and it is +a 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 whole +work of reformation from popery these hundred years bygone, by +intimating that the church had need of pardon for the same.——As for +you, gentlemen (added he, to the soldiers), I wish the Lord may pardon +your countenancing this man in his business. One of them scoffingly +replied, I wish we never do a greater fault. Well, said Mr. Guthrie, a +little sin may damn a man's soul.</p> + +<p>After all this and more had passed, Mr. Guthrie called for a glass of +ale, and, craving a blessing himself, drank to the commander of the +soldiers. After they were by him civilly entertained, they left the +house. At parting with the curate, Mr. Guthrie signified so much to him, +that he apprehended some evident mark of the Lord's displeasure was +abiding him, for what he was a-doing; and seriously warned him to +prepare for some stroke coming upon him, and that very soon.</p> + +<p>When the curate left the manse, he went to the church with the soldiers +his guard (now his hearers) and preached to them not a quarter of an +hour, and intimated to them from the pulpit the bishop's sentence +against Mr. Guthrie. Nobody came to hear him but his party, and a few +children, who created him some disturbance, till they were chased away +by the soldiers<a name="FNanchor_139" id="FNanchor_139"></a><a href="#Footnote_139" class="fnanchor">[139]</a>. Indeed his people were ready to have sacrificed +their all, and resisted even unto blood, in his defence and the gospel, +had they been permitted by him.</p> + +<p>As for the curate, (says Mr. Wodrow) I am well assured he never preached +any more after he left Fenwick; he reached Glasgow, but it is not +certain 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 none +belonging to him were left.——His reward of five pounds was dear +bought; it was the price of blood, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">316</a></span> blood of souls. Neither he, nor +his had any satisfaction in it. Such a dangerous thing it is to meddle +with Christ's servants.</p> + +<p>After this Mr. Guthrie continued in Fenwick until the year 1665. The +brother, to whom his paternal estate was made over, dying in summer, Mr. +Guthrie's presence at home was the more necessary, for ordering of his +private affairs; which made him and his wife make a journey to Angus +about the same time. He had not been long in that country until he was +seized with a complication of distempers; the gravel, with which he had +been formerly troubled; the gout; a violent heart-burning; and an ulcer +in his kidneys: All which attacked him with great fury. And being thus +tormented with violent pain, his friends were sometimes obliged to hold +down his head and up his feet; and yet he would say, The Lord hath been +kind 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.—Blessed +are the dead that die in the Lord at all times, but more especially when +a flood of errors, snares and judgments are beginning, or coming on a +nation, church or people."</p> + +<p>In the midst of all his heavy affliction he still adored the measures of +divine providence, though at the same time he longed for his +dissolution, and expressed the satisfaction and joy with which he would +make the grave his dwelling-place, when God should think fit to give him +rest there.——His compassionate Master did at last indulge the pious +breathing of his soul; for, after eight or ten days illness, he was +gathered to his fathers, in the house of his brother in-law, Mr. Lewis +Skinnier of Brechin, upon Wednesday forenoon, October 10th, 1665, (in +the 45th year of his age), and was buried in the church of Brechin, +under Pitfrothy's desk.</p> + +<p>During his sickness he was visited by the bishop of Brechin, and several +episcopal ministers and relations, who all had a high value for him, +notwithstanding he exprest his sorrow (with great freedom) for their +compliance with the corrupted establishment in ecclesiastical affairs. +He died in the full assurance of faith as to his own interest in God's +covenant, and under the pleasing hopes that God would return in glory to +the church of Scotland.</p> + +<p>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 awaken +and pacify<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">317</a></span> 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 Scotland +had ever been; which, together with the excellency of his preaching +gift, did so recommend him to the affection of his people, that they +turned the corn-field of his glebe into a little town, every one +building a house for his family on it that they might live under the +drop of his ministry."</p> + +<p>Mr. Crawford, in a MSS. never published, says, "Mr. Guthrie was a +burning and a shining light, kept in after many others, by the favour of +the old earl of Eglinton, the chancellor's father-in-law.—He converted +and confirmed many thousands of souls, and was esteemed the greatest +preacher in Scotland."</p> + +<p>And indeed, he was accounted as singular a person for confirming those +that were under soul-exercise, as almost any in his age, or any age we +have heard of.——Many have made reflections on him, because he left off +his ministry, on account of the bishop's suspension; his reasons may be +taken from what hath been already related. It is true indeed, the +authority of the Stuarts was too much the idol of jealousy to many of +our worthy Scots reformers; for we may well think (as a late author +says, tho' no great enemy unto these civil powers) that it was a wonder +the nation did not rise up as one man, to cut off those who had razed +the whole of the presbyterian constitution; but the Lord, for holy and +wise ends, saw meet to do otherwise, and cut off those in power by +another arm, after they had all been brought to the furnace together; +altho' they might well have all the while seen as Mr. Guthrie has +observed, "That the civil power laid the foundation for the other."</p> + +<p>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 well +known, that he, with many of his people in Fenwick, upon a time, went to +Stuarton, to hear a young presbyterian minister preach, and when coming +home, they said to him, that they were not pleased with that man's +preaching (he being of a slow delivery);—he said, They were all +mistaken in the man, he had a great sermon; and, if they pleased, at a +convenient place, he should let them hear a good part thereof.——And +sitting all down on the ground in a good summer night, about +sun-setting; when, he having rehearsed the sermon, they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">318</a></span> thought it a +wonderful great one, because of his good delivery, and their amazing +love to him: After which they arose, and set forward.</p> + +<p>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 and +elevation; his oratory was singular, and by it he was wholly master of +the passions of his hearers. He was an eminent chirurgion at the +jointing of a broken soul, and at the stating of a doubtful conscience; +so that afflicted persons in spirit came far and near, and received much +satisfaction and comfort by him. Those who were very rude, when he came +first to the parish, at his departure were very sorrowful, and, at the +curate's intimation of the bishop's commission, would have made +resistance, if he would have permitted them, not fearing the hazards or +hardships they might have endured on that account afterwards.</p> + +<p>Besides his valuable treatise already mentioned, there are also a few +very faithful sermons, bearing his name, said to be preached at Fenwick +from Matth. xiv. 44, <i>&c.</i> Hos. xiii. 9, <i>&c.</i> But because they are +somewhat rude in expression, differing from the stile of his treatise, +some have thought them spurious, or, at least, not as they were at first +delivered by him. And as for that treatise on ruling elders, which is +now affixed to the last edition of his treatise (called his works), it +was wrote by his cousin, Mr. James Guthrie of Stirling. There are also +some other discourses of his yet in manuscript, out of which I had the +occasion to transcribe seventeen sermons published in the year 1779. +There are yet a great variety of sermons and notes of sermons bearing +his name yet in manuscript, some of which seems to be wrote with his own +hand.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Robert_Blair" id="Mr_Robert_Blair"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Robert Blair</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Blair was born at Irvine <i>anno</i> 1593. His father was John Blair of +Windyedge, a younger brother of the ancient and honourable family of +Blair of that ilk; his mother was Beatrix Muir of the ancient family of +Rewallan. His father died when he was young, leaving his mother with six +children (of whom Robert was the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">319</a></span> youngest). She continued near fifty +years a widow, and lived till she was an hundred years old.</p> + +<p>Mr. Robert entered into the college of Glasgow, about the year 1608, +where he studied hard and made great progress; but lest he should have +been puffed up with his proficiency (as he himself observes) the Lord +was pleased to visit him with a tertian fever, for full four months, to +the great detriment of his studies.</p> + +<p>Nothing remarkable occurred till the 20th year of his age, when he gave +himself sometimes to the exercise of archery and the like recreations; +but lest his studies should have been hindered, he resolved to be busy +at them every other night, and for that purpose could find no place so +proper as a room whereinto none were permitted to go, by reason of an +apparition 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 his +fellow-students<a name="FNanchor_140" id="FNanchor_140"></a><a href="#Footnote_140" class="fnanchor">[140]</a>, whom he took to be really his companion, but when +he, 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 never +more troubled, studying the one night without fear, and the other he +slept very sweetly, believing in him, who was still his great Preserver +and Protector for ever.</p> + +<p>Having now finished his course of philosophy under the discipline of his +own brother, Mr. William Blair (who was afterwards minister at +Dumbarton). He engaged for some time to be an assistant to an aged +schoolmaster at Glasgow, who had above 300 scholars under his +instruction, 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 of +Trochrigg (then principal of the college of Glasgow), in whose hand, the +Lord, as he himself observes<a name="FNanchor_141" id="FNanchor_141"></a><a href="#Footnote_141" class="fnanchor">[141]</a>, did put the key of his heart, so that +whenever he heard him in public or private he profited much, being as it +were sent to him from God to speak the words of eternal life.</p> + +<p>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 the +opposition of arch-bishop Law, who had promised that place to +another.——But neither the principal nor regents giving place to his +motion, Mr. Blair was admitted. After his admission, his elder +colleagues, perceiving what great skill and insight he had in humanity, +urged him to read the classical authors; whereupon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">320</a></span> he began and read +Plautus, but the Lord, being displeased with that design, diverted him +from this, by meeting with Augustine's confession, wherein he inveighs +sharply against the education of youth in heathen writings.——Whereupon +he betook himself to the reading of the holy scriptures and the ancient +fathers, especially Augustine, who had another relish; and though he +perceived that our reformed divines were more sound than several of the +ancient, yet in his spare hours he resolved to peruse the ancient +monuments, wherein he made a considerable progress.</p> + +<p>In summer 1616, he entered on trials for the ministry, and it was laid +upon him to preach in the college-kirk the first Sabbath after his +licence; and some years after, being told by some of the hearers (who +were better acquainted with religion, than he was then) that in his +sermon the Lord did speak to their hearts, which not only surprized him, +but also stirred him to follow after the Lord.</p> + +<p>Upon an evening, the same year, having been engaged with some +irreligious company, when he returned to his chamber to his wonted +devotion, he was threatened to be deserted of God, had a restless night, +and to-morrow resolved on a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, and +towards the end of that day he found access to God with sweet peace, +through Jesus Christ, and turned to beware of such company; but running +into another extreme of rudeness and incivility to profane persons, he +found it was very hard for short-sighted sinners to hold the right and +the straight way.</p> + +<p>While he was regent in the college, upon a report that some sinful oath +was 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 my +faith I must live.——Mr. Blair said, "Sir, I will not swear by my +faith, as you do, but, truly, I intend to live by my faith. You may +choose your own way, but I will adventure on the Lord."——And so this +man did continue (to whom the matter of an oath was a small thing) after +he was gone, but it is to be noticed, that Mr. Forsyth was many years in +such poverty as forced him to supplicate the general assembly for some +relief, when Mr. Blair (who was chosen moderator) upon his appearing in +such a desperate case, could not shun observing that former passage of +his, and upon his address to him in private, with great tenderness, put +him in mind, that he had been truly carried through by his faith, at +which he formerly had scoffed.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">321</a></span> +Some time after he was a regent in the college, he was under deep +exercises of soul, wherein he attained unto much comfort.—Amongst other +things, that great oracle, <i>the just shall live by faith</i>, sounded +loudly in his ears, which put him on a new search of the scriptures, in +which he went on till Mr. Culverwal's treatise of faith came out; which +being the same with what is since published by the Westminster assembly, +he was thereby much satisfied and comforted.</p> + +<p>"By this study of the nature of faith, and especially of the text before +mentioned; (says he) I learned, <i>1st</i>, That nominal Christians or common +professors were much deluded in their way of believing; and that not +only do Papists err who place faith in an implicit assent to the truth +which they know not, and that it is better defined by ignorance than +knowledge, (a way of believing very suitable to Antichrist's slaves, who +are led by the nose they know not whither); but also secure Protestants, +who, abusing the description of old given of faith, say that it implies +an assured knowledge in the person who believes of the love of God in +Christ to him in particular: this assurance is no doubt attainable, and +many believers do comfortably enjoy the same, as our divines prove +unanswerably against the Popish doctors who maintain the necessity of +perpetual doubting, and miscall comfortable assurance the Protestant's +presumption. But notwithstanding that comfortable assurance doth +ordinarily accompany a high degree of faith, yet that assurance is not +to be found in all the degrees of saving faith: so that by not adverting +to that distinction many gracious souls and sound believers, who have +received Jesus Christ and rested upon him, as he is offered to them in +the 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 yet +believed the Lord's holiness, nor abhorrence of sin, nor their own +ruined state and condition, do from self-love imagine, without any +warrant of the word, that they are beloved of God, and that the foresaid +description of faith agrees well to them.</p> + +<p>"<i>2dly</i>, I perceived, that many that make a right use of faith, in order +to attain to the knowledge of their justification, make no direct use of +it in order to sanctification, and that the living of <i>the just by +faith</i>, reacheth further than I formerly conceived, and that the heart +is purified by faith. If any say, Why did I not know, that precious +faith, being a grace, is not only a part of our holiness,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">322</a></span> but does +promote 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, according +to the apostle's exhortation, <i>Having therefore these promises, let us +cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, +perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord.</i> But I had not before +learned to make use of faith as a mean and instrument to draw holiness +out of Christ, though, it may be, I had both heard and spoken that by +way of a transient notion; but then I learned to purpose that they who +receive forgiveness of sin, are sanctified through faith in Christ, as +our glorious Saviour taught the apostle, Acts xxiv. 18.—Then I saw, +that it was no wonder that my not making use of faith for +sanctification, as has been said, occasioned an obstruction in the +progress of holiness, and I perceived that making use of Christ for +sanctification without direct employing of faith to extract the same out +of him, was like one seeking water out of a deep well without a long +cord to let down the bucket, and draw it up again.—Then was I like one +that came to the storehouse, but got my provision reached unto me, as it +were, through a window: I had come to the house of mercy, but had not +found the right door; but by this discovery, I found a patent door, at +which to go in, to receive provision and furniture from Christ Jesus. +Thus the blessed Lord trained me up, step by step, suffering many +difficulties to arise, that more light from himself might flow in.</p> + +<p>"I hoped then to make better progress with less stumbling; but shortly +after I met with another difficulty; and wondering what discovery would +next clear the way, I found that the spirit of holiness whose immediate +and proper work was to sanctify, had been slighted, and thereby grieved: +for though the Holy Spirit had been teaching, and I had been speaking of +him and to him frequently, and had been seeking the outpouring thereof, +and urging others to seek the same; yet that discovery appeared unto me +a new practical lesson: and so I laboured more to cherish and not quench +the Holy Spirit, praying to be led unto all truth, according to the +scripture, by that blessed guide; and that by that heavenly Comforter, I +might be encouraged in all troubles, and sealed up thereby in strong +assurance of my interest in God.</p> + +<p>"About that time, the Lord set me to work to stir up the students under +my discipline, earnestly to study piety, and to be diligent in secret +seeking of the Lord: and my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">323</a></span> endeavours this way were graciously blessed +to severals of them."</p> + +<p>Dr. John Cameron, being brought from France, and settled principal of +the college in Mr. Boyd's place, and being wholly set on to promote the +cause of episcopacy, urged Mr. Blair to conform to Perth articles, but +he utterly refused.——And, it being a thing usual in these days, for +the regents to meet to dispute some thesis, for their better +improvement, Mr. Blair had the advantage of his opponent (who was a +French student), who maintained that election did proceed upon foreseen +faith; but the doctor stated himself in the opposition to Mr. Blair, in +a way which tended to Arminianism; and Mr. Blair being urged to a second +dispute by the doctor himself, did so drive him to the mire of +Arminianism, as did redound much to the doctor's ignominy afterward, and +although he and Mr. Blair were afterward reconciled, yet he, being so +nettled in that dispute, improved all occasions against him; and, for +that purpose, when Mr. Blair was on a visit to some of his godly friends +and acquaintances, he caused one Garner search his prelections on +Aristotle's ethics and politics, and finding some things capable of +wresting, he brought them to the doctor, who presented them to the +arch-bishop of Glasgow; which coming to Mr. Blair's ears, he was so far +from betraying his innocence, being assured the Lord would clear his +integrity, that he prepared a written apology, and desired a public +hearing before the ministers and magistrates of the city; which being +granted, he managed the points so properly, that all present professed +their entire satisfaction with him; yea, one of the ministers of the +city (who had been influenced against him formerly) said in the face of +that meeting, Would to God, king James had been present, and heard what +answers that man hath given. Such a powerful antagonist rendered his +life 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, finding +that little trust was to be put in their fair promises, and being weary +of teaching philosophy, demitted his charge, took his leave of the +doctor, wishing him well (although he was the cause of his going away) +and left the college, to the great grief of his fellow-regents and +students, and the people of Glasgow.</p> + +<p>Though he had several charges in Scotland presented him, and an +invitation to go to France, yet, the next day after his leaving Glasgow, +he had an invitation to go and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">324</a></span> be minister of Bangor in the county of +Down in Ireland, which call he, for some time, rejected, until he was +several times rebuked of the Lord, which made him bound in spirit to set +his face towards a voyage to that country; and although he met with a +contrary 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 for +joy; and whilst he came near Bangor, he had a strong impression borne in +upon him, that the dean thereof was sick; which impression he found to +be true when he came thither, for Mr. Gibson, the incumbent, being sick, +invited him to preach there (which he did for three sabbaths, to the +good liking of the people of that parish); and, though he was formerly +but a very naughty man, yet he told Mr. Blair, he was to succeed him in +that place, and exhorted him, in the name of Christ, not to leave that +good way wherein he had begun to walk, professing a great deal of sorrow +that he had been a dean; he condemned episcopacy more strongly than ever +Mr. Blair durst, and drawing his head toward his bosom, with both his +arms he blessed him; which conduct being so unlike himself, and speaking +in a strain so different from his usual, made a gentlewoman standing by +say, An angel is speaking out of the dean's bed to Mr. Blair; thinking +it could not be such a man. Within a few days he died, and Mr. Blair was +settled minister there, whose ordination was on this manner—He went to +bishop Knox, and told him his opinions, and withal said, That his sole +ordination did contradict his principles.—But the bishop, being +informed before-hand of his great parts and piety, answered him both +wittily and submissively, saying, "Whatever you account of episcopacy, +yet, I know, you account presbytery to have a divine warrant—Will ye +not 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. Blair +could not refuse; he was accordingly ordained about the year 1623.</p> + +<p>Being thus settled, his charge was very great, having above 1200 persons +come 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; on +all which occasions, he found little difficulty either as to matter or +method.</p> + +<p>He became the chief instrument of that great work which appeared shortly +thereafter at Six-mile water, and other<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">325</a></span> parts in the counties of Down +and Antrim, and that not only by his own ministry, wherein he was both +diligent and faithful, but also in the great pains he took to stir up +others unto the like duty.</p> + +<p>While he was at Bangor, there was one Constable, in that parish, who +went to Scotland with horses to sell, and at a fair sold them all to +one, who pretended he had not that money at present, but gave him a bond +till Martinmass.—The poor man, suspecting nothing, returned home; and +one night, about that time, going homeward near Bangor, his merchant +(who was supposed to be the devil) meets him; "Now, says he, you know my +bargain, how I bought you at such a place, and now am come, as I +promised, to pay the price." Bought me! said the poor man trembling, you +bought but my horses. Nay, said the devil, I will let you know I bought +yourself and farther said, He must either kill somebody, and the more +excellent the person, the better it would be for him; and particularly +charged him to kill Mr. Blair, else he would not free him. The man was +so overcome with terror, thro' the violence of the temptation, that he +determined the thing and went to Mr. Blair's house, with a dagger in his +right hand, under his cloke, and though much confounded, was moving to +get 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 laboured +to draw out the dagger but it would not come from the scabbard, though +he 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 exhorted +him to choose him for his refuge; after which, he departed<a name="FNanchor_142" id="FNanchor_142"></a><a href="#Footnote_142" class="fnanchor">[142]</a>.</p> + +<p>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, the +devil appeared to him, and challenged him for opening to Mr. Blair what +had passed betwixt them, claiming him as his, and putting the cap off +his head and the band from his neck, said, That on hallow-evening he +should 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 that +time. Mr. Blair instructed him, prayed with him, and promised to be with +him against the appointed time; but, before that time, he had much +hesitation in his own mind, whether to keep that appointment or not: +Yet, at last, he took one of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">326</a></span> elders with him, and went according to +promise, and spent the whole night in prayer, explaining the doctrine of +Christ's temptation, and praising with short intermissions, <i>&c.</i>—And +in the morning they took courage, defying Satan and all his devices: the +man seemed very penitent, and died in a little after.</p> + +<p>It was during the first year of his ministry, that he resolved not to go +through a whole book or chapter, but to make choice of some passages +which held forth important heads of religion, and to close the course +with one sermon of heaven's glory, and another of hell's torments; but +when he came to meditate on these subjects, he was held a whole day in +great perplexity, and could fix upon neither method nor matter till +night, when, after sorrowing for his disorder, the Lord, in great pity, +brought both matter and method unto his mind, which remained with him +until he got the same delivered.</p> + +<p>About this time he met with a most notable deliverance, for, staying in +a high house at the end of the town until the manse was built, being +late at his studies, the candle was done, and calling for another, as +the landlady brought it from a room under which he lay, to her +astonishment, a joist under his bed had taken fire, which, had he been +in bed as usual, the consequence, in all probability, had been dreadful +to the whole town, as well as to him, the wind being strong from that +quarter; but, by the timeous alarm given, the danger was prevented; +which made him give thanks to God for this great deliverance.</p> + +<p>When he first celebrated the Lord's supper, his heart was much lifted up +in speaking of the new covenant, which made him, under the view of a +second administration of that ordinance, resolve to go back unto that +inexhaustible fountain of consolation; and coming over to Scotland about +that time<a name="FNanchor_143" id="FNanchor_143"></a><a href="#Footnote_143" class="fnanchor">[143]</a>, he received no small assistance from Mr. Dickson, who +was then restored unto his flock at Irvine, and was studying and +preaching on the same subject.</p> + +<p>But it was not many years that he could have liberty in the exercise of +his office, for in harvest 1631, he and Mr. Livingston, were, by Ecklim +bishop of Down, suspended from their office, but, upon recourse to Dr. +Usher, who sent a letter to the bishop, their sentence was relaxed, and +they went on in their ministry, until May 1632, that they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">327</a></span> were by the +said bishop, deposed from the office of the holy ministry.</p> + +<p>After this, no redress could be had; whereupon Mr. Blair resolved on a +journey to court to represent their petitions and grievances to the +king; but, after his arrival at London, he could have no access for some +time to his majesty, and so laboured under many difficulties with little +hopes of redress, until one day, having gone to Greenwich park, where, +being wearied with waiting on the court, and while at prayer, the Lord +assured him that he would hunt the violent man to destroy him. And while +thus in earnest with the Lord for a favourite return, he adventured to +propose 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 cease +from shaking, he would take it as an assurance of the dispatch of his +business; unto which the Lord condescended; for in a little time it +became so calm, that not one of them moved; and in a short time he got a +dispatch 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.</p> + +<p>It was while in England, that he had from Ezekiel xxiv. 16. a strange +discovery of his wife's death, and the very bed whereon she was lying, +and particular acquaintances attending her; and although she was in good +health at his return home, yet, in a little, all this exactly came to +pass.</p> + +<p>And yet, after his return, the king's letter being slighted by the +depute, who was newly returned from England, he was forced to have +recourse to arch-bishop Usher; which drew tears from his eyes, that he +could not help them, and yet, by the interposition of lord Castle-Stuart +with the king, they got six months liberty; but upon the luck of this in +Nov. 1634, he was again conveened before the bishop, and the sentence of +excommunication pronounced against him, by Ecklin bishop of Down.—After +the sentence was pronounced, Mr. Blair rose up and publicly cited the +bishop to appear before the tribunal of Jesus Christ, to answer for that +wicked deed; whereupon he did appeal from the justice of God to his +mercy; but Mr. Blair replied, Your appeal is like to be rejected, +because you act against the light of your own conscience. In a few +months after he fell sick, and the physician inquiring of his sickness, +after some time's silence, he, with great difficulty, said, It is my +conscience, man—To which the doctor replied,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">328</a></span> I have no cure for +that;—and in a little after he died.</p> + +<p>After his ejection, he preached often in his own house, and in others +houses, until the beginning of the year 1635, that he began to think of +marriage again with Catherine Montgomery, daughter to Hugh Montgomery, +formerly of Busbie in Ayr-shire (then in Ireland) for which he came over +to Scotland with his own and his wife's friends.—And upon his return to +Ireland, they were married in the month of May following.</p> + +<p>But matters still continuing the same, he engaged with the rest of the +ejected ministers in their resolution in building a ship, called the +Eagle-wings, of about 115 tons, on purpose to go to New-England. But +about three or four hundred leagues from Ireland, meeting with a +terrible hurricane, they were forced back unto the same harbour from +whence they loosed, the Lord having work for them elsewhere, it was fit +their purposes should be defeated. And having continued some four months +after 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 <i>anno</i> 1631.</p> + +<p>All that summer after his arrival, he was as much employed in public and +private exercises as ever before, mostly at Irvine and the country +around, and partly at Edinburgh. But things being then in a confusion, +because the service-book was then urged upon the ministers, his old +inclination to go to France revived, and upon an invitation to be +chaplain of col. Hepburn's regiment in the French service (newly +inlisted in Scotland), with them he imbarked at Leith; but some of these +recruits, who were mostly highlanders, being desperately wicked, upon +his reproofs, threatening to stab him, he resolved to quit that voyage, +and calling to the ship-master to set him on shore, without imparting +his design, a boat was immediately ordered for his service; at which +time he met with another deliverance, for his foot sliding, he was in +danger of going to the bottom, but the Lord ordered, that he got hold of +a rope, by which he hung till he was relieved.</p> + +<p>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, a +meeting of presbytery, having preached from 2 Cor. iv. 5. he was, at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">329</a></span> +the special desire of all the people there, admitted a minister.</p> + +<p>He stayed not long here, for, having, before the general assembly held +at Glasgow 1638, fully vindicated himself, both anent his affair with +Dr. Cameron, while regent in the university, and his settlement in +Ireland, he was, for his great parts and known abilities, by them +ordered to be transported to St. Andrews; but the assembly's motives to +this did prove his determent for some time, and the burgh of Ayr, where +the Lord had begun to bless his labours, had the favour for another +year. But the assembly held at Edinburgh 1630, being offended for his +disobeying, ordered him peremptorily to transport himself thither.</p> + +<p><i>Anno</i> 1640, when the king had, by the advice of the clergy, caused burn +the articles of the former treaty with the Scots, and again prepared to +chastise them with a royal army, the Scots, resolving not always to play +after-game, raised an army, invaded England, routed about 4000 English +at Newburn, had Newcastle surrendered to them, and within two days, were +masters of Durham; which produced a new treaty, more favourable to them +than the former; and with this army was Mr. Blair, who went with lord +Lindsay's regiment; and, when that treaty was on foot, the committee of +estates and the army sent him up to assist the commissioners with his +best advice.</p> + +<p>Again after the rebellion in Ireland 1641, those who survived the storm, +supplicated the general assembly 1642, for a supply of ministers, when +severals went over, and among the first Mr. Blair. During his stay +there, he generally preached once every day, and twice on Sabbath, and +frequently in the field, the auditors being so large, and in some of +these he administered the Lord's supper.</p> + +<p>After his return, the condition of the church and state was various +during the years 1643, and 1644; and particularly in Aug. 1643, the +committee of the general assembly, whereof Mr. Blair was one, with John +earl of Rutland, and other Scots commissioners from the parliament of +England, and Messrs. Stephen Marshal and Philip Nye, ministers, agreed +to a solemn league and covenant betwixt the two kingdoms of Scotland and +England; and in the end of the same year, when the Scots assisted the +English parliament, Mr. Blair was, by the commission of the general +assembly, appointed minister to the earl of Crawford's regiment; with +whom he stayed until the king was routed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">330</a></span> at Marston-muir July 1644, +when he returned to his charge at St. Andrews.</p> + +<p>The parliament and commission of the kirk sat at Perth in July 1645. The +parliament was opened with a sermon by Mr. Blair; and, after he had, +upon the forenoon of the 27th, a day of solemn humiliation preached +again to the parliament, he rode out to the army, then encamped at +Torgondermy, and preached to Crawford's and Maitland's regiments, to the +first of whom he had been chaplain:—He told the brigade, That he was +informed that many of them were turned dissolute and profane, and +assured them, that though the Lord had covered their heads in the day of +battle (few of them being killed at Marston-muir), they should not be +able to stand before a less formidable foe, unless they repented. Though +this freedom was taken in good part from one who wished them well, yet +was too little laid to heart; and the most part of Crawford's regiment +were cut off at Kilsyth in three weeks afterwards.</p> + +<p>After the defeat at Kilsyth, severals were for treating with Montrose, +but Mr. Blair opposed it, so that nothing was concluded until the Lord +began to look upon the affliction of his people; for the committee of +estates recalled general Leslie, with 4000 foot and 1000 dragoons, from +England, to oppose whom Montrose marched southward; but was shamefully +defeated at Philiphaugh Sept. 13, many of his forces being killed and +taken prisoners, and he hardly escaped. On the 26, the parliament and +commission of the general assembly sat down at St. Andrews (the plague +being then in Edinburgh); here Mr. Blair preached before the parliament, +and also prayed before the several sessions thereof; and when several +prisoners, taken at Philiphaugh, were tried, three of them, <i>viz.</i> Sir +Robert Spotiswood, Nathaniel Gordon, and Mr. Andrew Guthrie, were to be +executed on the 17th of January thereafter, Mr. Blair visited them +often, and was at much pains with them: He prevailed so far with Gordon, +that he desired to be relaxed from the sentence of excommunication which +he was under; and accordingly Mr. Blair did the same: The other two, who +were bishops sons, died impenitent.—<i>Mali corvi malum ovum.</i></p> + +<p><i>Anno</i> 1646, the general assembly, sitting at Edinburgh ordered Mr. +Blair (who was then moderator), with Mr. Cant and Mr. Robert Douglas, to +repair to the king at Newcastle, to concur with worthy Mr. Alexander +Henderson and others, who were labouring to convince him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">331</a></span> great +bloodshed in these kingdoms, and reconcile him to presbyterian +church-government and the covenants. When these three ministers got a +hearing, the room was immediately filled with several sorts of people to +see their reception; Mr. Andrew Cant, bring eldest, began briskly to +insinuate, with his wonted zeal and plainness, that the king favoured +popery; Mr. Blair interrupted him, and modestly hinted, That it was not +a fit time nor place for that.—The king, looking on him earnestly, +said, "That honest man speaks wisely and discreetly; therefore I appoint +you three to attend me to-morrow at ten o'clock in my bed-chamber." They +attended, according to appointment, but got little satisfaction; only +Mr. Blair asked his majesty, If there were not abominations in popery, +<i>&c.</i> The king, lifting his hat, said, "I take God to witness that there +are abominations in popery, which I so much abhor, that ere I consent to +them, I would rather lose my life and crown." Yet after all this, Mr. +Blair and Mr. Henderson (for these two he favoured most) having most +earnestly desired him to satisfy the just desires of his subjects, he +obstinately refused, though they besought it on their knees with tears. +Renewed commissions for this end, were sent from Scotland, but to no +good purpose, and Mr. Blair returned home to St. Andrews.</p> + +<p>Mr. Henderson died at Edinburgh, Aug. 19, which the king no sooner +heard, than he sent for Mr. Blair to supply his place, as chaplain in +Scotland; which Mr. Blair, thro' fear of being insnared, was at first +averse unto, but having consulted with Mr. David Dickson, and reflecting +that Mr. Henderson had held his integrity fast unto the end, he applied +himself to that employment with great diligence, every day praying +before dinner and supper in the presence chamber; on the Lord's day +lecturing once and preaching twice; besides preaching some week days in +St. Nicholas's church; as also conversing much with the king, desiring +him to condescend to the just desires of his parliament, and at other +times debating concerning prelacy, liturgies and ceremonies.</p> + +<p>One day after prayer, the king asked him, If it was warrantable in +prayer to determine a controversy?—Mr. Blair, taking the hint, said, He +thought he had determined no controversy in that prayer. Yes, said the +king, you have determined the pope to be antichrist, which is a +controversy among orthodox divines. To this Mr. Blair replied, To me +this is no controversy, and I am sorry it should be accounted so by your +majesty, sure it was none to your father.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">332</a></span> This silenced the king, for +he 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 of +any divine. After a few months stay, Mr. Blair was permitted to visit +his flock and family.</p> + +<p>After the sitting of the Scots parliament, Mr. Blair made another visit +to the king at Newcastle, where he urged him with all the arguments he +was master of, to subscribe the covenants, and abolish Episcopacy in +England, and he was confident all his honest Scotsmen would espouse his +quarrel against his enemies in England, <i>&c.</i> To which the king +answered, That he was bound by his great oath to defend Episcopacy, +<i>&c.</i> in that church, and ere he wronged his conscience by violating his +coronation-oath, he would lose his crown. Mr. Blair asked the form of +that oath; he said, It was to maintain it to the utmost of his +power.—Then, said Mr. Blair, you have not only defended it to the +utmost of your power, but so long and so far, that now you have no +power, <i>&c.</i> But by nothing could he prevail upon the king, and left him +with a sorrowful heart, and returned to St. Andrews.</p> + +<p>Again in the year 1648, when Cromwel came to Edinburgh, the commission +of the kirk sent Mr. Blair and Messrs. David Dickson and James Guthrie +to deal with him, for an uniformity in England. When they came, he +entertained them with smooth speeches and solemn appeals to God as to +the sincerity of his intentions. Mr. Blair being best acquaint with him, +spoke for all the rest; and among other things, begged an answer to +these three questions: (1.) What was his opinion of monarchical +government? He answered, He was for monarchical government, <i>&c.</i> (2.) +What was his opinion anent toleration? He answered confidently, That he +was altogether against toleration. (3.) What was his opinion concerning +the government of the church? O now, said Cromwel, Mr. Blair, you +article me too severely; you must pardon me, that I give you not a +present answer to this, <i>&c.</i> This he shifted, because he had before, in +conversation with Mr. Blair, confessed he was for independency. When +they came out, Mr. Dickson said, I am glad to hear this man speak no +worse; whereunto Mr. Blair replied, If you knew him as well as I, you +would not believe one word he says, for he is an egregious dissembler +and a great liar.</p> + +<p>When the differences fell out betwixt the protestors and resolutioners, +Mr. Blair was at London, and afterward for the most part remained neuter +in that affair; for which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">333</a></span> he was subjected to some hardships; yet he +never omitted any proper place or occasion for the uniting and cementing +these differences, none now in Scotland being more earnest in this than +he and the learned and pious Mr. James Durham minister at Glasgow. These +two, meeting at St. Andrews, had the influence to draw a meeting of the +two sides to Edinburgh, where harmony was like to prevail; but the +Lord's anger, being still drawn out for the prevailing sins of that +time, all promising beginnings were blasted, and all hopes of agreement +did vanish.</p> + +<p>Thus affairs continued until the year 1660, that the kingdom, being +quite sick of distractions, restored again Charles II.; the woeful +consequences are otherwise too well known; And, on this last occasion, +Mr. Blair again began to bestir himself to procure union betwixt the two +foresaid parties, and for that end obtained a meeting; but his +endeavours were frustrated, and no reconciliation could be made, till +both sides were cast into the furnace of a sore and long persecution.</p> + +<p>For in Sept. 1661, Mr. Sharp came to St. Andrews, and the presbytery, +having had assurance of his deceitful carriage at court, and of the +probability of his being made arch-bishop of St. Andrews, sent Mr. +Blair, and another, to him, to discharge their duty, which they did so +faithfully, that Sharp was never at ease till Mr. Blair was rooted out.</p> + +<p>Mr. Blair taking occasion, in a sermon from 1 Pet. iii. 13 <i>&c.</i> to +enlarge on suffering for righteousness sake, giving his testimony to the +covenants and work of reformation, against the sinful and corrupt +courses of the times, he was called over before the council Nov. 5. when +the advocate and some noblemen were appointed to converse with Mr. +Blair, where they posed him on the following points: (1.) Whether he had +asserted presbyterial government to be <i>jure divino</i>? (2.) Whether he +had asserted, that suffering for it was suffering for +righteousness-sake? And, (3.) Whether in his prayers against Popery, he +had joined Prelacy with it? Having answered all in the affirmative, +professing his sorrow that they doubted his opinions in these points, he +was first confined to his chamber in Edinburgh; and afterward, upon +supplication, and the attestation of physicians on account of his +health, he was permitted to retire to Inveresk about the 12th of +January, 1662.</p> + +<p>Mr. Blair continued here till Oct. following, enjoying much of God's +presence amidst his outward trouble; but,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">334</a></span> being again commanded before +the council, by the way, he took a sore fit of the gravel, and was for +that time excused; and afterward, through the chancellor's favour, got +liberty to go where he pleased, except St. Andrews, Edinburgh and the +west country;—he went to Kirkaldy.</p> + +<p>While at Kirkaldy, he lectured and prayed often to some Christian +friends in his own family; and for his recreation taught his younger son +the Greek language and logic. But the arch-bishop, envying the repose +Mr. Blair and some others had in these circumstances, procured an act, +that no outed minister should reside within 20 miles of an arch-bishop's +see; and Mr. Blair removed from Kirkaldy to meikle Couston, in the +parish of Aberdour, an obscure place, in Feb. 1666, where he continued +till his death, which was shortly after.</p> + +<p>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 the +Lord's sanctuary in Scotland, took his last sickness, and entertained +most serious thoughts of his near approaching end, ever extolling his +glorious and good Master whom he had served. His sickness increasing, he +was visited by many Christian friends and acquaintances, whom he +strengthened by his many gracious and edifying words.</p> + +<p>At one time, when they told him of some severe acts of council newly +made upon arch-bishop Sharp's instigation, he prayed that the Lord would +open his eyes, and give him repentance, <i>&c.</i> And to Mrs. Rutherford, at +another time, he said, I would not exchange conditions with that man +(though he was now on his bed of languishing, and the other possest of +great riches and revenues) though all betwixt them were red gold, and +given him to the bargain. When some ministers asked him, If he had any +hopes of deliverance to the people of God, he said, He would not take +upon him to determine the times and seasons the Lord keeps in his own +hand, but that it was to him a token for good, that the Lord was casting +the prelates out of the affections of all ranks and degrees of people, +and even some who were most active in setting them up, were now +beginning to lothe them for their pride, falsehood and covetousness.</p> + +<p>To his wife and children he spake gravely and Christianly, and after he +had solemnly blessed them, he severally admonished them as he judged +expedient. His son David said, The best and worst of men have their +thoughts and after thoughts; now, Sir, God having given you time for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">335</a></span> +after-thoughts on your way, we would hear what they are now.—He +answered, I have again and again thought upon my former ways, and +communed with mine heart; and as for my public actings and carriage, in +reference to the Lord's work, if I were to begin again, I would just do +as I have done. He often repeated the 16th and 23d psalm, and once the +71st psalm, which he used to call his own psalm. About two days before +his death, his speech began to fail, and he could not be well heard or +understood; however some things were not lost; for, speaking of some +eminent saints then alive, he prayed earnestly that the Lord would bless +them; and, as an evidence of his love to them, he desired Mr. George +Hutcheson (then present) to carry his Christian remembrance to them. +When Mr Hutcheson went from his bed-side, he said to his wife and others +who waited on him, That he rejoiced in suffering as a persecuted +minister. Is it not persecution, added he, to thrust me from the work of +the ministry, which was my delight, and hinder me from doing good to my +people and flock, which was my joy and crown of rejoicing, and to chase +me from place to place, till I am wasted with heaviness and sorrow for +the injuries done to the Lord's prerogative, interest and cause. What he +afterwards said was either forgot or not understood, till at length, +about four o'clock in the morning, he was gathered to his fathers, by a +blessed and happy death (the certain result of a holy life).</p> + +<p>His body lies near the kirk-wall, in the burial place at Aberdour, and +upon the church-wall above his grave, was erected a little monument, +with this inscription,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><i>Hic reconditæ iacent mortuæ</i><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><i>Exuviæ D. Roberti Blair, S. S.</i><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><i>Evangelii apud Andreapolin</i><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><i>Prædicatoris fidelissimi. Obiit</i><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><i>Augusti 27, 1666. Ætatis suæ 72.</i><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Mr. Blair was a man of a fine constitution, both of body and mind, of a +majestic but amiable countenance and carriage, thoroughly learned, and +of a most public spirit for God. He was of unremitting diligence and +labour, in all the private as well as public duties of his station. He +did highly endear himself to the affection of his own people, and to the +whole country wherein he lived, and their attachment to him was not a +little strengthened by his conduct in the judicatories of the church, +which indeed constituted the distinguishing part of his character.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">336</a></span> +When the general assembly resolved upon a new explication of the holy +bible, and among others of the godly and learned in the ministry, Mr. +Blair had the book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes assigned to him for his +part, but he neglected that task, till he was rendered useless for other +purposes, and then set about and finished his commentary on the Proverbs +in 1666. He composed also some small poetical pieces, as a poem in +commendation of Jesus Christ, for the confutation of Popish errors; with +some short epigrams on different subjects.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Hugh_MKail" id="Mr_Hugh_MKail"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Hugh M'Kail</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. M'Kail was born about the year 1640, and was educated at the +university of Edinburgh, under the inspection of his uncle Mr. Hugh +M'Kail (in whose family he resided). In the winter 1661, he offered +himself to trials for the ministry, before the presbytery of Edinburgh, +(being then about 20 years old) and being by them licensed he preached +several times with great applause. He preached his last public sermon +from Cant. i. 7. in the great church of Edinburgh, upon the Sabbath +immediately preceding the 8th of Sept. 1662, the day fixed, by the then +parliament, for the removal of the ministers of Edinburgh.</p> + +<p>In this sermon, taking occasion to speak of the great and many +persecutions to which the church of God has been and is obnoxious, +amplifying the point from the persons and powers that have been +instrumental therein, he said, That the church and people of God had +been persecuted both by a Pharaoh on the throne, a Haman in the state, +and a Judas in the church, <i>&c.</i>; which case, to the conviction of his +adversaries, seemed so similar to the state and condition of the then +rulers of church and state, that though he made no particular +application, yet was he reputed guilty; whereupon, a few days after, a +party of horse was sent to the place of his residence near Edinburgh, to +apprehend him; but, upon little more than a moment's advertisement, he +escaped out of bed into another chamber, where he was preserved from the +search. 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 his +death in several other places.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">347</a></span> +While he lived at his father's house, troubles arose in the west; and +the news thereof having alarmed him, with the rest of that country, upon +the 18th of November, for such motives and considerations as he himself +afterwards more fully declares, he joined himself to those who rose in +these parts, for the assisting of that poor afflicted party.—Being of a +tender constitution, by the toil, fatigue, and continual marching in +tempestuous weather, he was so disabled and weakened, that he could no +longer endure; and upon the 27th of the said month, he was obliged to +leave 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 were +sent out to view the fields<a name="FNanchor_144" id="FNanchor_144"></a><a href="#Footnote_144" class="fnanchor">[144]</a>.—And here it is observable, that his +former escape was no more miraculous than his present taking was fatal; +for the least caution might have prevented him this inconveniency; but +God who gave him the full experience of his turning all things to the +good of them that love him, did thus, by his simplicity, prepare the way +for his own glory, and his servant's joy and victory.</p> + +<p>He was brought to Edinburgh, first to the town-council house, and there +searched for letters; but none being found, he was committed prisoner to +the tolbooth. Upon wednesday the 28, he was, by order of the secret +council, brought before the earl of Dumfries, lord Sinclair, Sir Robert +Murray 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 own +accuser, did decline the question. After some reasoning, he was desired +to subscribe his name, but refused; which, when reported to the council, +gave great offence, and brought him under some suspicion of a +dissembler. On the 29, he was again called before them, where, for +allaying the council's prejudice, he gave in a declaration under his own +hand, testifying that he had been with the west land forces, <i>&c.</i> +Though it was certainly known, that he had both formed and subscribed +this acknowledgment the night before, yet they still persisted in their +jealousy, suspecting him to have been privy to all the designs of that +party, and dealt with him, with the greater importunity, to declare an +account of the whole business, and upon Dec. 3, the boots (a most +terrible instrument of torture) were laid on the council-house<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">348</a></span> table +before him, and he was certified, that if he would not confess, he +should be tortured to-morrow; accordingly he was called before them, and +being urged to confess, he solemnly declared, that he knew no more than +what he had already confessed; whereupon they ordered the executioner to +put his leg to the boot, and to proceed to the torture, to the number of +ten or eleven strokes, with considerable intervals; yet all did not move +him to express any impatience or bitterness.</p> + +<p>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 on +the Friday following. Many thought, that his small accession to the +rising, and what he had suffered by torture, should have procured him +some favour, but it was otherwise determined; nor was his former sermon +forgot, and the words <i>Achab on the throne</i>. On Monday the 10, he and +other seven received their indictment of treason, and were summoned to +appear before the justices on Wednesday Dec. 12; but his torture and +close imprisonment (for so it was ordered) had cast him into a fever, +whereby he was utterly unable to make his appearance; therefore, upon +Tuesday the 11, he gave in to the lords of the council a supplication, +declaring his weak and sickly condition, craving that they may surcease +any legal procedure against him, in such a weak and extreme condition, +and that they would discharge him of the foresaid appearance. Hereupon +the council ordered two physicians and two chirurgeons to visit him, and +to return their attestations, upon soul and conscience, betwixt and +to-morrow at ten o'clock, to the justices.</p> + +<p>Upon Dec. 8, his brother went from Edinburgh to Glasgow, with a letter +from the lady-marquis of Douglas, and another from the duchess of +Hamilton to the lord commissioner in his favour, but both proved +ineffectual; his cousin Mr. Matthew M'Kail carried another letter from +the lady-marquis of Douglas, to the arch-bishop of St. Andrews, for the +same purpose, but with no better success.</p> + +<p>On Dec. 18, he, being indifferently recovered, was with other three +brought before the justices, where the general indictment was read, +founded both on old and late acts of parliament, made against rising in +arms, entering into leagues and covenants, and renewing the solemn +league and covenant without and against the king's authority, <i>&c.</i> Mr. +Hugh was particularly charged with joining the rebels at Ayr, Ochiltry, +Lanerk and other places, on horseback, <i>&c.</i>; whereupon, being permitted +to answer, he spoke in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">349</a></span> his own defence, both concerning the charge laid +against him, and likewise of the ties and obligations that were upon +this land to God; commending the institution, dignity, and blessing of +presbyterial government; he said, The last words of the national +covenant had always a great weight upon his spirit. Here he was +interrupted by the king's advocate, who bade him forbear that discourse, +and answer the question for the crime of rebellion.—Unto which he +answered, The thing that moved him to declare as he had done, was that +weighty and important saying of our Lord Jesus, <i>Whosoever shall confess +me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels +of God</i>, &c. After this confession, and the depositions of those +examined anent him were read, with his replies to the same, the assize +was inclosed; after which they gave their verdict <i>una voce</i>, and by the +mouth of Sir William Murray their chancellor, reported him guilty, <i>&c.</i> +The verdict being reported, doom was pronounced, declaring and adjudging +him, and the rest, to be taken, on Saturday Dec. 20. to the market cross +of Edinburgh, there to be hanged on a gibbet till dead, and his goods +and lands to be escheated and forfeited for his Highness use. At the +hearing of this sentence, he cheerfully said, <i>The Lord giveth, and the +Lord taketh away: blessed be the name of the Lord</i>. He was then carried +back to the tolbooth through the guards, the people making lamentation +for him by the way. After he came to his chamber, he immediately +addressed himself to God in prayer, with great enlargement of heart, in +behalf of himself, and those who were condemned with him. Afterwards, to +a friend he said, "O how good news! to be within four days journey to +enjoy the sight of Jesus Christ;" and protested "he was not so cumbered +how to die, as he had sometimes been to preach a sermon." To some women +lamenting for him, he said, "That his condition, though he was but +young, and in the budding of his hopes and labours in the ministry, was +not 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."</p> + +<p>This afternoon he supplicated the council for liberty to his father to +come to him; which being granted, his father came next night, to whom he +discoursed a little concerning obedience to parents from the fifth +commandment, and then, after prayer, his father said to him, "Hugh, I +called thee a goodly olive tree, of fair fruit, and now a storm hath +destroyed the tree and his fruit."——He answered,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">350</a></span> That his too good +thought of him afflicted him. His father said, "He was persuaded God was +visiting not his own sins, but his parents sins, so that he might say, +Our fathers have sinned, and we have borne their iniquity."—He further +said, "I have sinned, thou poor sheep, what hast thou done." Mr. Hugh +answered, with many groans, "That, through coming short of the fifth +commandment, he had come short of the promise, That his days should be +prolonged in the land of the living, and that God's controversy with him +was for over-valuing his children, especially himself."</p> + +<p>Upon the 20 of December, through the importunity of friends, more than +his own inclination, he gave in a petition to the council, craving their +clemency after having declared his own innocence; but it proved +altogether ineffectual. During his abode in prison, the Lord was very +graciously present with him, both to sustain him against the fears of +death, and by expelling the overcloudings of terror, that some times the +best of men, through the frailty of flesh and blood, are subject unto. +He was also wonderfully assisted in prayer and praise, to the admiration +of all the hearers, especially on Thursday's night, when, being set at +supper with his fellow-prisoners, his father and one or two more, he +requested his fellow-prisoners, saying merrily, eat to the full, and +cherish your bodies, that we may be a fat Christmass-pye to the +prelates. After supper in thanksgiving, he broke forth into several +expressions, both concerning himself and the church of God, and at last +used that exclamation in the last of Daniel, <i>What, Lord, shall be the +end of these wonders!</i></p> + +<p>The last night of his life he propounded and answered several questions +for the strengthening of his fellow prisoners: How should he go from the +tolbooth thro' a multitude of gazing people, and guards of soldiers to a +scaffold and gibbet, and overcome the impressions of all this? He +answered, By conceiving a deeper impression of a multitude of angels, +who are on-lookers; according to that, <i>We are a gazing-flock to the +world, angels and men</i>, for the angels, rejoicing at our good +confession, are present to convoy and carry our souls, as the soul of +Lazarus, to Abraham's bosom, not to receive them, for that is Jesus +Christ's work alone, who will welcome them to heaven himself, with the +songs of angels and blessed spirits; but the angels are ministring +spirits, always ready to serve and strengthen all dying believers, <i>&c.</i> +What is the way for us to conceive of heaven, who are hastening to it, +seeing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">351</a></span> the word faith, <i>Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard</i>, &c.? To this +he 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 by +the representation of a glorious city, there discoursed, <i>&c.</i> (2.) By +holding forth the love of the saints to Jesus Christ, and teaching us to +love 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 to +Jesus Christ, can rightly apprehend the joys of heaven.</p> + +<p>The last words he spoke at supper were in the commendation of love above +knowledge, "O but notions of knowledge without love are of small worth, +evanishing in nothing, and very dangerous." After supper, his father +having given thanks, he read the 16th psalm, and then said, "If there +were any thing in the world sadly and unwillingly to be left, it were +the reading of the scriptures. I said, I shall not see the Lord in the +land of the living; but this needs not make us sad, for where we go, the +Lamb is the book of scripture and the light of that city, and there is +life, even the river of the water of life, and living springs, <i>&c.</i>" +Supper being ended, he called for a pen, saying, It was to write his +testament; wherein he ordered some few books he had, to be re-delivered +to several persons. He went to bed about eleven o'clock, and slept till +five in the morning; then he arose, and called for his comrade John +Wodrow, saying pleasantly, "Up, John, for you are too long in bed; you +and I look not like men going to be hanged this day, seeing we lie so +long." Then he spake to him in the words of Isaiah xlii. 24. and after +some short discourse, John said to him, You and I will be chambered +shortly beside Mr. Robertson.—He answered, "John, I fear you bar me +out, because you was more free before the council than I was; but I +shall be as free as any of you upon the scaffold. He said, He had got a +clear ray of the majesty of the Lord after his awakening, but it was a +little over-clouded thereafter." He prayed with great fervency, pleading +his covenant-relation with him, and that they might be enabled that day +to witness a good confession before many witnesses. Then his father +coming 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 more +edifying to God's people, than if he were to continue in the ministry +twenty years. Then he desired his father to leave him, and go to his +chamber, and pray earnestly to the Lord to be with him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">352</a></span> on the scaffold; +for how to carry there is my care, even that I may be strengthened to +endure to the end.</p> + +<p>About two o'clock afternoon he was brought to the scaffold (with other +five who suffered with him), where, to the conviction of all that +formerly knew him, he had a fairer and more stayed countenance than ever +they had before observed. Being come to the foot of the ladder, he +directed his speech to the multitude northward, saying, "That as his +years 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 had +before written and subscribed<a name="FNanchor_145" id="FNanchor_145"></a><a href="#Footnote_145" class="fnanchor">[145]</a>.</p> + +<p>Having done speaking, he sung a part of the 31st psalm, and then prayed +with such power and fervency, as caused many to weep bitterly. Then he +gave his hat and cloke from him, and when he took hold of the ladder to +go up, he said, with an audible voice, "I care no more to go up this +ladder and over it, than if I were going home to my father's house." +Hearing a noise among the people, he called down to his +fellow-sufferers, saying, Friends and fellow-sufferers, be not afraid; +every step of this ladder is a degree nearer heaven: and then, having +seated himself thereon, he said, "I do partly believe that the noble +counsellors and rulers of this land would have used some mitigation of +this punishment, had they not been instigated by the prelates, so that +our blood lies principally at the prelates door; but this is my comfort +now, that I know that my Redeemer liveth, <i>&c.</i> And now I do willingly +lay down my life for the truth and cause of God, the covenants and work +of reformation, which were once counted the glory of this nation; and it +is for endeavouring to defend this, and to extirpate that bitter root of +prelacy, that I embrace this rope," (the executioner then putting the +rope about his neck). Then hearing the people weep, he said, "Your work +is 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 to +the prayers, and kindness of many since my imprisonment and sentence, so +I 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 the +ground of my encouragement in this work is, I shall read to you in the +last chapter of the bible;" which having read, he said, "Here you see +the glory that is to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">353</a></span> revealed on me, a pure river of water of life, +<i>&c.</i> and here you see my access to my glory and reward, <i>Let him that +is athirst come</i>, &c. And here you see my welcome, <i>the Spirit and the +bride say, Come</i>. Then he said, I have one word more to say to my +friends (looking down to the scaffold), Where are ye? Ye need neither +lament nor be ashamed of me in this condition, for I may make use of +that expression of Christ, <i>I go to our Father and my Father, to your +God and my God</i>, to your King and my King, to the blessed apostles and +martyrs, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to +an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly of the +first-born, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made +perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant; and I bid you +all 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 prayed +a little, and put it up with his hand, and said, he had a word more to +say concerning what comfort he had in his death, "I hope you perceive no +alteration or discouragement in my countenance and carriage, and as it +may be your wonder, so I profess it is a wonder to myself; and I will +tell you the reason of it; beside the justice of my cause, this is my +comfort, what was said of Lazarus when he died, <i>That the angels did +carry his soul to Abraham's bosom</i>, so that as there is a great +solemnity here, of a confluence of people, a scaffold, a gallows, a +people looking out at windows; so there is a greater and more solemn +preparation of angels to carry my soul to Christ's bosom; again this is +my comfort, that it is to come to Christ's hand, and he will present it +blameless and faultless to the Father, and then shall I be ever with the +Lord. And now I leave off to speak any more to creatures, and begin my +intercourse with God, which shall never be broken off:—Farewel father +and mother, friends and relations; farewel the world and all delights; +farewel meat and drink; farewel sun, moon and stars; welcome God and +Father; welcome sweet Jesus Christ, the Mediator of the new covenant; +welcome blessed Spirit of grace, and God of all consolation; welcome +glory; welcome eternal life; and welcome death."</p> + +<p>Then he desired the executioner not to turn him over until he himself +should put over his shoulders, which, after praying a little in private +he did, saying, "O Lord,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">354</a></span> into thy hands I commit my spirit, for thou +hast redeemed my soul, O Lord God of truth." And thus in the 26th year +of his age he died, as he lived, in the Lord.</p> + +<p>His death was so much lamented by the on-lookers and spectators, that +there was scarce a dry cheek seen in all the streets and windows about +the cross of Edinburgh, at the time of his execution. A late historian +gives him this character, that "he was a youth of 26 years of age, +universally beloved, singularly pious, of very considerable learning; he +had seen the world, and travelled<a name="FNanchor_146" id="FNanchor_146"></a><a href="#Footnote_146" class="fnanchor">[146]</a> some years abroad, and was a very +comely and graceful person. I am told, saith he, that he used to fast +one day every week, and had frequently, before this, signified to his +friends his impression of such a death as he now underwent. His share in +the rising was known to be but small; and when he spoke of his comfort +and joy in his death, heavy were the groans of those present."</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_John_Nevay" id="Mr_John_Nevay"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">John Nevay</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. John Nevay was licensed and ordained a minister (in the time of +Scotland's purest reformation) and settled at Newmills in the parish of +Loudon; and was, besides his soundness in the faith, shining piety in +conversation, and great diligence in attending all the parts of his +ministerial function, particularly church-judicatories, one who was also +very zealous in contending against several steps of defection, which +were contrary to the work of reformation carried on in that period. +Thus,</p> + +<p>When the earl of Callender and major-general Middleton were cruelly +harassing the covenanters, and well affected people in the west of +Scotland, because they would not join in the duke of Hamilton's unlawful +engagement in war against England, (which was a manifest breach of the +solemn league and covenant), Mr. Nevay was one of those ministers and +other well-affected people, who were assembled at the celebration of our +Lord's supper at Machlin-muir, in the month of June 1648, where +opposition<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">355</a></span> (in their own defence) was made to the said Calender and +Middleton's forces, who attacked them there upon the last day of that +solemnity.<a name="FNanchor_147" id="FNanchor_147"></a><a href="#Footnote_147" class="fnanchor">[147]</a></p> + +<p>Again, when that pretended assembly held at Edinburgh and St. Andrews +<i>anno</i> 1651, did approve and ratify the public resolutions, in bringing +in 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 of +covenant-breaking and land-defiling sin.</p> + +<p>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 the +whole of our covenanted work of reformation (which for some time had +flourished) now began to be defaced and overturned; and therefore it +behoved the chief promoters thereof to be, in the first place, attacked; +and Mr. Nevay, being the earl of Loudon's chaplain and very much valued +by him, must be included among the rest; and was, upon the 18th of +November 1662, by order of the council, cited, with some others, to +repair 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 upon +refusal of the oath of allegiance, he was banished, and enacted himself +in a bond as follows:</p> + +<p>"I <span class="smcap">John Nevay</span>, minister of the gospel at Newmills, bind and oblige +myself to remove forth of the king's dominions, and not to return under +pain of death; and that I shall remove before the first of February; and +that I shall not remain within the diocese of Glasgow and Edinburgh in +the mean time. Subscribed at Edinburgh, Dec. 23.</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">JOHN NEVAY."</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>And taking leave of his old parishioners (no doubt with a sorrowful +heart), he prepared for his journey, and went over to Holland, among the +rest of our banished ministers, where, for some years, he preached to +such as would come and hear him; and yet all the while he retained the +affection<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">356</a></span> of a most dear and loving pastor to his old parishioners of +Loudon, both by sending them many sermons and several affectionate +letters, wherein he not only exhorted them to stedfastness in the midst +of manifold temptations, but also shewed a longing desire to return to +his own native land and parishioners again; as is evident from that +excellent letter, wrote some time before his death, dated at Rotterdam +Oct. 22. 1669, in which letter, among many other things, he has these +expressions: "I can do no more but pray for you; and if I could do that +well, I had done almost all that is required. I am not worthy of the +esteem you have of me; I have not whereof to glory, but much whereof I +am ashamed, and which may make me go mourning to my grave; but if you +stand fast, I live; you are all my crown and joy in this earth (next to +the joy of Jerusalem and her king), and I hope to have some of you my +joy and crown in our Father's kingdom, besides those that are gone +before us, and entered into the joy of the Lord. I have not been +altogether 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 as +king, and did give you many times some more ease than others, and you +wanted not your share in the most honourable testimony that ever was +given to the truth and kingdom of Christ in that land, since the days of +Mr. Patrick Hamilton, Mr. George Wishart, and Mr. Walter Mill martyrs, +<i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>That Mr. John Nevay was no mean divine in his day, either in parts or +learning, is fully evident, both from an act of the general assembly +<i>anno</i> 1647, wherein he was one of these four ministers who were +appointed to revise and correct Rouse's paraphrase of David's psalms in +metre, lately sent from England (of which he had the last thirty for his +share); and also that elegant and handsome paraphrase of his upon the +song of Solomon in Latin verse, both of which shew him to have been of a +profound judgment and rare abilities.</p> + +<p>There are 52 sermons (or rather notes of sermons) of his published, upon +the nature, properties, blessings, <i>&c.</i> of the covenant of grace, in +8vo; 39 sermons on Christ's temptations in manuscript, (being all sent +from Holland for the benefit of his old parishioners of Newmills), and +might also have been published, if those upon the covenant had met with +that reception they deserved.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">357</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_John_Livingston" id="Mr_John_Livingston"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">John Livingston</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Livingston was born <i>anno</i> 1603. He was son to Mr. William +Livingston, minister first at Monybroch or Kilsyth, and afterwards +transported 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 Latin +school at Stirling, under Mr. Wallace a godly and learned man. He stayed +here till summer 1617, when he returned home. In October following he +was sent to the college of Glasgow, where he stayed four years, until he +passed master of arts in 1621.</p> + +<p>After this he stayed with his father until he began to preach, during +which time he began to observe the Lord's great goodness that he was +born of such parents, who taught him the principles of religion so soon +as he was capable to understand any thing.—He says, in his own +historical account of his life, That he does not remember the time or +means particularly whereby the Lord at first wrought upon his heart, +only when he was but very young, he would sometimes pray with some +feeling, and read the word with some delight; but thereafter did often +intermit such exercise, and then would have some challenges, and begin +and intermit again, <i>&c.</i> He says, He had no inclination to the +ministry, till a year or more after he had passed his course in the +college, upon which he bent his desires to the knowledge and practice of +medicine, and to go to France for that end: but when proposed to his +Father, he refused to comply. About this time his father, having +purchased some land in the parish of Monybroch, took the rights in his +son's name, proposing that he should marry and live there; but this he +refused, thinking it would divert him from his studies, and, in the +midst of these straits, he resolved to set apart a day by himself before +God, for more special direction; which he did near Cleghorn wood, where, +after much confusion anent the state of his soul, at last he thought it +was made out to him, that he behoved to preach Jesus Christ, which if he +did not, he should have no assurance of salvation: upon which, laying +aside all thoughts of other things, he betook himself to the study of +divinity. He continued a year and a half in his father's house, where he +studied and sometimes preached; during which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">358</a></span> time he wrote all his +sermons before he preached them, until one day, being to preach after +the communion of Quodgen, and having in readiness a sermon which he had +preached at another place one day before, but perceiving severals there +who had heard him preach that sermon formerly, he resolved to choose a +new 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 these +points, and more motion in his own heart than ever he had found before, +which made him afterwards never write any more sermons, excepting only +some notes for the help of his memory.</p> + +<p>About April 1626, he was sent for by lord Kenmuir to Galloway, in +reference to a call to the parish of Anwoth, but some hindrance coming +in the way, this design was laid aside. In the harvest following, he +hearkened to another call to Torphichen, but this proved also +unsuccessful.</p> + +<p>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, according +as he got invitations to preach, and especially at communions in Lanerk, +Irvine, Newmills, Kinniel, <i>&c.</i> He was also sometimes invited to preach +at the Shots; in that place, he says, he used to find more liberty in +preaching than elsewhere; yea, the only day in all his life wherein he +found most of the presence of God in preaching, he observes, was on a +monday after a communion at the kirk of Shots, June 21, 1630. The night +before he had been with some Christians, who spent the night in prayer +and conference; on the morning there came such a misgiving of spirit +upon him, in considering his own unworthiness and weakness, and the +expectation of the people, that he was consulting to have stolen away +somewhere, and declined that day's work; but thinking he could not so +distrust God, he went to sermon, where he got remarkable assistance in +speaking about one hour and a half from Ezekiel xxxvi. 25, 26. <i>Then +will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean, from all +your filthiness</i>, &c. Here he was led out in such a melting strain, +that, by the down-pouring of the Spirit from on high, a most discernible +change was wrought upon about 500 of the hearers, who could either date +their conversion or some remarkable confirmation from that day +forward<a name="FNanchor_148" id="FNanchor_148"></a><a href="#Footnote_148" class="fnanchor">[148]</a>.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">359</a></span> Some little of that stamp, he says, remained on him the +Thursday after, when he preached at Kilmarnock; but on the Monday +following, preaching at Irvine, he was so deserted, that what he had +meditated upon, wrote, and kept fully in memory, he could not get +pronounced; which so discouraged him, that he was resolved not to preach +for some time, at least in Irvine, but Mr. Dickson would not suffer him +to go from thence, till he preached next sabbath, which he did with some +freedom.</p> + +<p>This summer, being in Irvine, he got letters from viscount Clanniboy to +come to Ireland, in reference to a call to Killinchie; and, seeing no +appearance of entering into the ministry in Scotland, he went thither, +and got an unanimous call from that parish. Here he laboured with the +utmost assiduity among that people, who were both rude and profane +before that, and they became the most experienced Christians in that +country. But he was not above a year here until the bishop of Down +suspended him and Mr. Blair for non-conformity. They remained deposed +until May 1632. when, by the intercession of lord Castle-Stuart, a +warrant was granted them from the king to be restored.</p> + +<p>After this he was married to the eldest daughter of Bartholomew Fleming +merchant in Edinburgh, who was then in Ireland. In Nov. 1635, he was +again deposed by the bishop of Down, and a little after, by his orders, +excommunicated by one Mr. Melvil minister of Down. This winter, finding +no appearance of liberty either to ministers or professors from the +bondage of the prelates, he, with others of the deposed ministers, took +a resolution to go to New-England; upon which they built a ship for that +purpose, and when all things were ready, they, about the 9th of Sept. +loosed from Lochfergus; but a violent storm arising, they were driven +near the bank of Newfoundland, and were all in danger of being drowned, +and, after prayer and consultation, they were obliged to return back to +Lochfergus. After this he stayed in Ireland, until he heard that he and +Mr. Blair were to be apprehended; and then they went out of the way, and +came over to Scotland. When he came to Irvine, Mr. Dickson caused him +preach, for which he was called in question afterwards. Leaving Irvine, +he passed by Loudon and Lanerk to Edinburgh, where he continued some +time.</p> + +<p>About the beginning of March 1638, when the body of the land was about +to renew the national covenant, he was sent post to London with several +copies of the covenant,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">360</a></span> and letters to friends at court of both +nations; when he came there, Mr. Borthwick delivered the letters for +him; but he had been there but few days until he had word sent him from +the marquis of Hamilton, that he had overheard the king say, He was +come, 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 came +home by St. Albans and the western way, and was present at Lanerk and +other places, when the covenant was read and sworn unto; and, excepting +at the kirk of Shots already noticed, he, as himself says, never saw +such motions from the Spirit of God, all the people so generally and +willingly concurring; yea, thousands of persons all at once lifting up +their hands, and the tears falling from their eyes; so that, through the +whole land, the people (a few papists and others who adhered to the +prelates excepted) universally entered into the covenant of God, for the +reformation of religion against prelates and their ceremonies.</p> + +<p>After this <i>anno</i> 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 heard +both parties, advised him to Stranrawer; and he was received there by +the presbytery upon the 5th of July 1638. Here he remained, in the +faithful discharge of the ministry, until harvest 1648, that he was, by +the sentence of the general assembly, transported to Ancrum in +Teviotdale. When he came to Ancrum, he found the people very tractable, +but very ignorant, and some of them very loose in their carriage; and it +was a long time before any competent number of them were brought to such +a condition, that he could adventure to celebrate the Lord's supper; but +by his diligence, through the grace of God, some of them began to lay +religion to heart.</p> + +<p><i>Anno</i> 1649, the parliament and church of Scotland had sent some +commissioners to treat with the king at the Hague, in order to his +admission; but they returned without satisfaction. Yet the parliament in +summer 1650, sent other commissioners to prosecute the foresaid treaty +at Breda; and the commission of the kirk chose Mr. Livingston and Mr. +Wood, and after that added Mr. Hutcheson to them, with the lords Cassils +and Brody as ruling elders, that in name of the church they should +present and prosecute their desires. Mr. Livingston was very unwilling +to go, and that for several reasons, the chief of which was, he still +suspected the king to be not right at heart in respect<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">361</a></span> of the true +presbyterian religion, and notwithstanding, he saw that many in the +kingdom were ready to receive the king home upon any terms; but he was +prevailed on by Messrs. Dickson, James Guthrie, and Patrick Gillespie, +to go. After much conference and reasoning with the king at Breda, they +were not like to come to any conclusion; here he observed, that the king +still continued the use of the service-book and his chaplains, and was +many a night balling and dancing till near day. This, with many other +things, made him conclude there would be no blessing on that treaty; the +treaty, to his unspeakable grief, was at last concluded, and some time +after the king set sail for Scotland; but Mr. Livingston refused to go +aboard with them; so that when Brody and Mr. Hutcheson saw that they +could not prevail with him to come aboard, they desired him before +parting to come into the ship, to speak of some matters in hand, which +he did, and in the mean while, the boat that should have waited his +return, made straight for shore without him. After this the king agreed +with the commissioners to swear and subscribe the covenant, and it was +laid upon him to preach the next sabbath, and tender the covenants +national and solemn league, and take his oath thereon; but he, judging +that such a rash and precipitate swearing of the covenants would not be +for the honour of the cause they were embarked in, did all he could to +deter the king and commissioners from doing it until he came to +Scotland; but when nothing would dissuade the king from his resolution, +it was done; for the king performed every thing that could have been +required of him; upon which Mr. Livingston observed, that it seems to +have 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 be +admitted to his government; and yet without any evidence of a real +change upon his heart, and without forsaking former principles, counsels +and company.</p> + +<p>After they landed in Scotland, before he took his leave of the king at +Dundee, he used some freedom with him. After speaking somewhat to him +anent his carriage, he advised him, that as he saw the English army +approaching in a most victorious manner, he would divert the stroke by a +declaration, or some such way, wherein he needed not weaken his right to +the crown of England, and not prosecute his title at present by fire and +sword, until the storm blew over, and then perhaps they would be in a +better case to be governed, <i>&c.</i> But he did not relish this motion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">362</a></span> +well, saying he would not wish to sell his father's blood; which made +Mr. Livingston conclude, that either he was not called to meddle in +state matters, or else he should have little success. Another instance +of this he gives us, <i>anno</i> 1654, when he and Mr. Patrick Gillespie and +Mr. Minzies were called up by the protector to London, where he proposed +to him, that he would take off the heavy fines, that were laid on +severals in Scotland, which they were unable to pay; he seemed to like +the motion, but when he proposed the overture to the council, they went +not into the purpose.</p> + +<p>While at London, preaching before the protector, he mentioned the king +in prayer, whereat some were greatly incensed; but Cromwel knowing Mr. +Livingston's influence in Scotland, said, "Let him alone; he is a good +man; and what are we poor men in comparison of the kings of England?"</p> + +<p>The general assembly appointed some ministers, and him among the rest, +to wait upon the army and the committee of estates that resided with +them; but the fear and apprehension of what ensued, kept him back from +going, and he went home until he got the sad news of the defeat at +Dumbar. After which Cromwel wrote to him from Edinburgh to come and +speak to him; but he excused himself. That winter the unhappy difference +fell out anent the public resolutions; his light carried him to join the +protestors against the resolutioners; and the assembly that followed +thereafter, he was present at their first meeting in the west at +Kilmarnock, and several other meetings of the protesting brethren +afterwards; but not being satisfied with keeping these meetings so +often, and continuing them so long, which he imagined made the breach +wider, he declined them for some time.</p> + +<p>After this, he spent the rest of his time in the exercise of the +ministry, both at Ancrum and other places, until summer 1660, that news +was brought him that the king was called home, and then he clearly +foresaw that the overturning of the whole work of reformation would +ensue, and a trial to all who would adhere to the same. But <i>anno</i> 1662, +when the parliament and council had, by proclamation, ordered all +ministers, who had come in since 1649, and had not kept the holy day of +the 29th of May, either to acknowledge the prelates or remove, he then +more clearly foresaw a storm approaching. At the last communion which he +had at Ancrum, in the month of October, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">363</a></span> says, That after sermon on +Monday, it pleased the Lord to open his mouth, in a reasonably large +discourse anent the grounds and encouragements to suffer for the present +controversy of the kingdom of Christ, in the appointing the government +of his house; then he took his leave of that place, although he knew +nothing of what was shortly to follow after.</p> + +<p>After he had, with Elijah, eaten before a great journey, having +communicated before he entered upon suffering, he heard in a little +time, of the council's procedure against him and about twelve or sixteen +others who were to be brought before them; he went presently to +Edinburgh (before the summons could reach him) and lurked there some +time, until he got certain information of the council's design, whether +they were for their life, like as was done with Mr. Guthrie, or only for +banishment, as was done with Mr. Mac Ward and Mr. Simpson; but, finding +that they intended only the last, he accordingly resolved to appear with +his brethren. He appeared Dec. 11, and was examined<a name="FNanchor_149" id="FNanchor_149"></a><a href="#Footnote_149" class="fnanchor">[149]</a> before the +council; the sum of which came to this, That they required him to +subscribe or take the oath of allegiance, which he, upon several solid +grounds and reasons, refused; and sentence was pronounced, that in +forty-eight hours he should depart Edinburgh, and go to the north side +of Tay, and within two months depart out of all the king's dominions. +Accordingly he went from Edinburgh to Leith, and thereafter, upon a +petition in regard of his infirmity, he obtained liberty to stay there +until he should remove. He petitioned also for a few days to go home to +see his wife and children, but was refused; as also for an extract of +his sentence, but could not obtain it. <i>Anno</i> 1663, he went aboard, +accompanied by several friends to the ship; they set sail, and in eight +days came to Rotterdam, where he found the rest of the banished +ministers there before him. Here he got frequent occasion of preaching +to 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 left +in Scotland.</p> + +<p>Here, upon a retrograde view of his life, he (in the foresaid historical +account) observes, that the Lord had given him a body not very strong, +and yet not weak; for he could hardly remember himself wearied in +reading and studying, although he had continued some seven or eight<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">364</a></span> +hours without rising, and also that there was but two recreations that +he 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 always +short-sighted, and could not discern any person or thing afar off, but +hitherto he had found no occasion for spectacles, and could read small +print as long and with as little light almost as any other. And, as to +his 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 himself +concerning covetousness, yet he could say, that he had been less +troubled with covetousness and cares than many other evils, and rather +inclined to solitariness than company, and was much troubled with +wandering of mind and idle thoughts; and for outward things, he was +never rich (and although when in Killinchie he had not above four pounds +sterling of stipends a-year) yet he was never in want.</p> + +<p>He further observes, that he could not remember any particular time of +conversion, 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, in +company with some people of Stuarton, who were under rare and sad +exercise of mind; he lay down under some heaviness, that he never had +such experience of; but, in the midst of his sleep, there came such a +terror of the wrath of God upon him, that if it had but increased a +little higher, or continued but a few minutes longer, he had been in a +most dreadful condition, but it was instantly removed, and he thought it +was said within his heart, See what a fool thou art to desire the thing +thou couldst not endure.—In his preaching he was sometimes much +deserted and cast down, and again at other times tolerably assisted. He +himself declares, That he never preached a sermon, excepting two, that +he would be earnest to see again in print; the first was at the kirk of +Shots (as was already noticed), and the other at a communion Monday at +Holywood in Ireland<a name="FNanchor_150" id="FNanchor_150"></a><a href="#Footnote_150" class="fnanchor">[150]</a>; and both these times he had spent the night +before in conference and prayer with some Christians, without any more +than ordinary preparation.——For otherwise, says he, his gift was +rather suited to common people than to learned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">365</a></span> judicious auditors. He +had a tolerable insight in the Hebrew, Chaldee, and somewhat of the +Syriac languages; Arabic he did essay, but he soon dropped it.</p> + +<p>He had as much of the French, Italian, Dutch and Spanish as enabled him +to make use of their books and bibles. It was thrice laid upon him by +the general assembly to write the history of the church of Scotland +since the reformation 1638: but this, for certain reasons, he had +altogether omitted.</p> + +<p>The greater part of his time in Holland he spent in reducing the +original text unto a Latin translation of the bible; and for that +purpose compared Pagnin's with the original text, and with the later +translations, such as Munster, the Tigurine, Junius, Diodati, the +English, but especially the Dutch, which he thought was the most +accurate translation.</p> + +<p>Whether by constant sitting at these studies, or for some other reasons, +the infirmities of old age creeping on, he could not determine, but +since the year 1664, there was such a continual pain contracted in his +bladder, that he could not walk abroad, and a shaking of his hands, that +he could scarcely write any; otherwise, he blessed the Lord that +hitherto he had found no great defection either of body or mind.</p> + +<p>Thus he continued at Rotterdam until Aug. 9th, 1672, when he died. Some +of his last words were, "Carry my commendation to Jesus Christ, till I +come there myself;" after a pause he added, "I die in the faith, that +the 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 that +independency, tho' there be good men and well-meaning professors of that +way, will be found more to the prejudice of the work of God than many +are aware of, for they evanish into vain opinions. I have had my own +faults 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, but +I forgive and desire to be forgiven." After a pause, for he was not able +to speak much at a time, he said, "I would not have people to forecast +the worst, but there is a dark cloud above the reformed churches which +prognosticates a storm coming." His wife, fearing what shortly followed, +desired him to take leave of his friends; "I dare not (replied he, with +an affectionate tenderness), but it is like our parting will only be for +a short-time." And then he slept in the Lord.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">366</a></span> +Although it is usual with the most of men when writing their own account +(through modesty) to conceal their own parts, qualifications and other +abilities, yet here these things cannot be hid; for it is pretty +evident, that since our reformation commenced in Scotland, there has +been none whose labours in the gospel have been more remarkably blessed +with the down-pouring of the spirit in conversion-work, than great Mr. +Livingston's were; yea, it is a question, if any one, since the +primitive times, can produce so many convincing and confirming seals of +their ministry; as witness the kirk of Shots, and Holywood in Ireland, +at which two places, it is said that about 1500 souls were either +confirmed or converted and brought to Christ.</p> + +<p>His works, besides his letter from Leith 1663, to his parishioners at +Ancrum, are, his memorable characteristics of divine providence, <i>&c.</i> +and a manuscript of his own life, of which this is an abbreviate. He +also (while in his Patmos of Holland) wrote a new Latin translation of +the 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.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_John_Semple" id="Mr_John_Semple"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">John Semple</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. John Semple was, for his exemplary walk and singular piety, had in +such esteem and veneration, that all ranks of people stood in awe of +him, and particularly the clergy, he being a great check upon the lazy +and corrupt part of them, who oftentimes were much afraid of him.——One +time, coming from Carsphairn to Sanquhar, being twelve miles of a rough +way, on a Monday morning, after the sacrament, the ministers, being +still in bed, got up in all haste, to prevent his reproof; but he, +perceiving them putting on their cloaths, said, "What will become of the +sheep, when the shepherds sleep so long; in my way hither, I saw some +shepherds on the hills looking after their flocks."—Which, considering +his age, and early journey so many miles, after he had preached the day +before at home, had much influence on them, and made them somewhat +ashamed.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">367</a></span> +He was one who very carefully attended church-judicatories, from which +he was seldom absent, and that from a principle of conscience; so that +almost no impediment could hinder him in his purposes; for one time +going to the presbytery of Kirkudbright, twenty miles distant from +Carsphairn, when about to ford the water of Dee, he was told by some +that it was impassable, yet he persisted, saying, "I must go through, if +the Lord will; I am going about his work."——He entered in, and the +strength of the current carried him and his horse beneath the ford; he +fell from the horse, and stood upright in the water, and taking off his +hat, prayed a word; after which he and the horse got safely out, to the +admiration of all the spectators there present.</p> + +<p>He was also a man much given to secret prayer, and ordinarily prayed in +the kirk before sacramental occasions, and oftentimes set apart Friday +in wrestling with the Lord for his gracious presence on communion +sabbaths; and was often favoured with merciful returns, to the great +comfort of both ministers and people; and would appoint a week day +thereafter for thanksgiving to God.</p> + +<p>As he was one faithful and laborious in his Master's service, so he was +also most courageous and bold, having no respect of persons, but did +sharply reprove all sorts of wickedness in the highest as well as in the +lowest, and yet he was so convincingly a man of God, that the most +wicked (to whom he was a terror) had a kindness for him, and sometimes +spoke 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 his +wickedness) being present, said, he was sure if he was a varlet he was +one of God's varlets, <i>&c.</i> At another time, when a certain gentleman, +from whose house he was going home, sent one of the rudest of his +servants, well furnished, with a horse, broad sword and loaded pistols, +to attack him in a desert place in the night time; and the servant was +ordered to do all that he could to fright him.—Accordingly he surprized +him with holding a pistol to his breast, bidding him render up his purse +under pain of being shot; but, Mr. Semple, with much presence of mind +(although he knew nothing of the pre-conceit), answered, It seems you +are a wicked man, who will either take my life or my purse, if God gives +you leave; as for my purse, it will not do you much service, though you +had it; and for my life, I am willing to lay it down when and where God +pleaseth; however<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">368</a></span> if you will lay bye your weapons I will wrestle a +fall 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 many +threats (though all in vain), the servant discovered the whole plot, and +asked 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 you +might, I was sure to get the sooner to heaven; and then they parted.</p> + +<p>Mr. Semple was a man who knew much of his Master's mind, as evidently +appears by his discovering of several future events:—for on a time when +news came, that Cromwel and those with him were upon the trial of +Charles I. some persons asked him, What he thought would become of the +king? 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 of +a truth came to pass. At another time, passing by the house of Kenmuir, +as the masons were making some additions thereunto, he said, Lads, ye +are busy, enlarging and repairing the house, but it will be burnt like a +crow's nest in a misty morning, which accordingly came to pass, for it +was burnt in a dark misty morning by the English.</p> + +<p>Upon a certain time, when a neighbouring minister was distributing +tokens before the sacrament, and when reaching a token to a certain +woman, Mr. Semple (standing by) said, Hold your hand, she hath gotten +too many tokens already; she is a witch;——which, though none suspected +her then, she herself confessed to be true, and was deservedly put to +death for the same. At another time, a minister in the shire of +Galloway, sending one of his elders to Mr. Semple, with a letter, +earnestly desiring his help at the sacrament, which was to be in three +weeks after; he read the letter, and went to his closet, and coming +back, he said to the elder, I am sorry you have come so far on a +needless errand; go home and tell your minister, he hath had all the +communions that ever he will have; for he is guilty of fornication, and +God 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 a +rough wicked man, for which God would shake him over hell before he +died; and yet God would give him his soul for a prey: which had its +accomplishment at last, to the no small comfort and satisfaction of all +his near and dear relations.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">369</a></span> +When some Scots regiments, in the year 1648, in their march through +Carsphairn for Preston in England to the duke's engagement (as it was +commonly called) and hearing that the sacrament was to be dispensed +there next Lord's day, some of the soldiers put up their horses in the +kirk, and went to the manse, and destroyed the communion elements in a +most profane manner, Mr. Semple being then from home. The next day he +complained to the commanding officer, in such a pathetical manner +representing the horrible vileness of such an action, that the officer +not only regretted the action, but also gave money for furnishing them +again:—he moreover told them, He was sorry for the errand they were +going upon, for it would not prosper, and the profanity of that army +would ruin them. About or after this, he went up to a hill and prayed; +and being interrogated by some acquaintances, What answer he got? He +replied, That he had fought with neither small nor great, but with the +duke himself, whom he never left until he was beheaded:—which was too +sadly verified<a name="FNanchor_151" id="FNanchor_151"></a><a href="#Footnote_151" class="fnanchor">[151]</a>.</p> + +<p>His painful endeavours were blest with no small success, especially at +sacramental occasions, and this the devil envied very much; and +particularly one time, among many, which he designed to administer the +Lord's supper, before which he assured the people of a great communion, +by a gracious and remarkable down-pouring of the Spirit, but that the +devil would be envious about this good work, and that he was afraid he +would be permitted to raise a storm or speat of rain, designing to drown +some of them: but, said he, it shall not be in his power to drown any of +you, 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 entering +the water a little above them, at which they were amazed, as the water +was very large. He lost his feet (as they apprehended) and came down on +his back, waving his hand; the people ran and got ropes, and threw them +in to him; and there were ten or twelve men upon the ropes, yet they +were in danger of being all drawn into the water and drowned—Mr. Semple +looking on, cried, Quit the rope, and let him go; I see who it is; it is +the devil, he will burn but not drown, and by drowning of you would have +God dishonoured, because he hath got some glory to his free grace in +being King to many of your souls at this time, and the wicked world to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">370</a></span> +reproach the work of God, <i>&c.</i> All search was made in that country to +find if any man was lost, but none was heard of, which made them +conclude it to be the devil.</p> + +<p>Mr. Semple, being one of the faithful protestors, in the year 1657, was +apprehended with the famous Mr. James Guthrie at Edinburgh in Aug. 1660, +and after ten months imprisonment in the castle, was brought before the +bloody council, who threatened him severely with death and banishment; +but he answered with boldness, My God will not let you either kill or +banish me, but I will go home and die in peace, and my dust will lie +among the bodies of my people; accordingly he was dismissed, and went +home, and entered his pulpit, saying, I parted with thee too easy but I +shall hing by the wicks of thee now. It was some time after the +restoration, that, while under his hidings, being one night in bed with +another minister, the backside of the bed falling down to the ground, +the enemy came and carried away the other minister, but got not +him:—which was a most remarkable deliverance.</p> + +<p>Lastly, He was so concerned for the salvation of his people, that when +on his death-bed, he sent for them, and preached to them with such +fervency, shewing them their miserable state by nature, and their need +of a Saviour, expressing his sorrow to leave many of them as graceless +as he got them, with so much vehemency as made many of them weep +bitterly.</p> + +<p>He died at Carsphairn (about the year 1677, being upwards of seventy +years of age) in much assurance of heaven, often longing to be there, +rejoicing in the God of his salvation; and that under great impressions +of dreadful judgments to come on these covenanted sinning lands; and +when scarce able to speak, he cried three times over, A popish sword for +thee, O Scotland, England, and Ireland! <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">371</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_James_Mitchel_b" id="Mr_James_Mitchel_b"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">James Mitchel</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. James Mitchel<a name="FNanchor_152" id="FNanchor_152"></a><a href="#Footnote_152" class="fnanchor">[152]</a> was educated at the university of Edinburgh, and +was, with some other of his fellow-students, made master of arts <i>anno</i> +1656. Mr. Robert Leighton (afterwards bishop Leighton), being then +principal of that college, before the degree was conferred upon them, +tendered to them the national and solemn league and covenant; which +covenants, upon mature deliberation, he took, finding nothing in them +but a short compend of the moral law, binding to our duty towards God +and towards man in their several stations, and taking the king's +interest to be therein included, when others were taking the tender to +Oliver Cromwel, he subscribed the oath of allegiance to the king; but +how he was repaid for this, after the restoration, the following account +will more fully discover.</p> + +<p>Mr. Mitchel, having received a licence to preach the gospel, very soon +after 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 <i>anno</i> 1661, recommending him to some +ministers in Galloway as a good youth, that had not much to subsist +upon, and as fit for a school, or teaching gentlemen's children<a name="FNanchor_153" id="FNanchor_153"></a><a href="#Footnote_153" class="fnanchor">[153]</a>. +There being no door of access then to the ministry for him, or any such, +when prelacy was on such an advance in Scotland.</p> + +<p>But whether he employed himself in this manner, or if he preached on +some occasions, where he could have the best opportunity, we have no +certain account; only we find he joined with that faithful handful who +rose in 1666, but was not at the engagement at Pentland<a name="FNanchor_154" id="FNanchor_154"></a><a href="#Footnote_154" class="fnanchor">[154]</a>, being sent +in by captain Arnot to Edinburgh the day before, upon some necessary +business, on such an emergent occasion.—However,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">372</a></span> he was excepted from +the indemnity in the several lists for that purpose.</p> + +<p>After Pentland affair, in the space of six weeks, Mr. Mitchel went +abroad, in the trading way, to Flanders, and was for some time upon the +borders of Germany, after which he, in the space of three quarters of a +year, returned home (with some Dutchmen of Amsterdam), having a cargo of +different sorts of goods, which took some time up before he got them all +sold off.</p> + +<p>Mr. Mitchel, being now excluded from all mercy or favour from the +government, and having not yet laid down arms, and taking the +arch-bishop of St. Andrews to be the main instigator of all the +oppression and bloodshed of his faithful brethren, took up a resolution +<i>anno</i> 1668, to dispatch him, and for that purpose, upon the 11th of +July, 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 was +Honeyman bishop of Orkney.——When the arch-bishop had entered, and +taken his seat in the coach, Mr. Mitchel stepped straight to the north +side of the coach, and discharged a pistol (loaded with three balls) in +at the door thereof; that moment Honeyman set his foot in the boot of +the coach, and reaching up his hand to step in, received the shot +designed for Sharp in the wrist of his hand, and the primate escaped. +Upon this, Mr. Mitchel crossed the street with much composure, till he +came to Niddry's wynd-head, where a man offered to stop him, to whom he +presented 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, and +came straight to the street, as being the place where, indeed, he would +be least suspected. The cry arose, that a man was killed; upon which +some replied, It was only a bishop, and all was very soon calmed. Upon +Monday the 13, the council issued out a proclamation offering a reward +of five thousand merks to any that would discover the actor, and pardon +to accessories; but nothing more at that time ensued.</p> + +<p>The managers, and those of the prelatical persuasion, made a mighty +noise and handle of this against the presbyterians, whereas this deed +was his only, without the knowledge or pre-concert of any, as he himself +in a letter declares; yea, with a design to bespatter the Presbyterian +church of Scotland, a most scurrilous pamphlet was published at London, +not only reflecting on our excellent reformers from popery, publishing +arrant lies anent Mr. Alexander<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">373</a></span> Henderson, abusing Mr. David Dickson, +and breaking jests upon the remonstrators and presbyterians (as they +called them), but also, in a most malicious and groundless kind of +rhapsody, slandering Mr. Mitchel.</p> + +<p>After this Mr. Mitchel shifted the best way he could, until the +beginning of the year 1674.; he was discovered by Sir William Sharp, the +bishop's brother, and ere ever Mr. Mitchel was aware, he caused a +certain 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 was +examined by the lord chancellor, lord register and lord Halton; he +denied the assassination of the arch-bishop, but being taken apart by +the chancellor, he confessed (that it was he who shot the bishop of +Orkney while aiming at the arch-bishop), upon assurance of his life, +given by the chancellor in these words, "Upon my great oath and +reputation, if I be chancellor, I shall save your life." On the 12th he +was examined before the council, and said nothing but what he had said +before the committee. He was remitted to the justice-court to receive +his indictment and sentence, which was, To have his right hand struck +off at the cross of Edinburgh, and his goods forfeited; which last part +was not to be executed, till his majesty had got notice; because, says +lord Halton, in a letter to earl Kincardine, assurance of life was given +him upon his confession.</p> + +<p>However, he was, on the second of March, brought before the lords +judiciary, and indicted for being concerned at Pentland, and for the +attempt on the arch-bishop of St Andrews; but he pleaded not guilty, and +insisted that the things alledged against him should be proved: The +lords postponed the affair till the 25th; meanwhile, the council made an +act March 12, specifying that Mr. James Mitchel confessed his firing the +pistol at the arch-bishop of St. Andrews, upon assurance given him of +life by one of the committee, who had a warrant from the lord +commissioner and secret council to give the same, and therefore did +freely confess, <i>&c.</i> In the said act it was declared, That, on account +of his refusing to adhere to his confession, the promises made to him +were void, and that the lords of justiciary and jury ought to proceed +against him, without any regard to these. About the 25, he was brought +before the justiciary; but as there was no proof against him, they with +consent of the advocate protracted the affair, and he was again remanded +to prison.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">374</a></span> +Thus he continued until Jan. 6th, 1676, that he was ordered to be +examined before the council by torture, concerning his being in the +rebellion (as they formed it) in the year 1666. Accordingly he was +brought before them upon the 18th, about six o'clock at +night;—Linlithgow, being preses, told him, He was brought before them +to 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, +<i>&c.</i> to which indictment I answered at three several diets, and at the +last 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 ought +to have been set at liberty; yet notwithstanding, I was, contrary to +law, equity and justice, returned to prison; And upon what account I am +this night before you, I am ignorant." The preses told him, He was only +called to see if he would own his former confession.—He replied, "He +knew no crime he was guilty of, and therefore made no such confession as +he alledged." Upon this, the treasurer depute said, The pannel was one +of the most arrogant liars and rogues he had known.—Mr. Mitchel +replied, "My lord, if there were fewer of these persons, you have been +speaking of, in the nation, I should not be standing this night at the +bar; but my lord advocate knoweth, that what is alledged against me is +not my confession." The preses said, Sir, we will cause a sharper thing +make you confess.—He answered, "My lord, I hope you are Christians and +not pagans." Then he was returned to prison.</p> + +<p>On the 22d, he was again called before them, to see if he would own his +former confession, and a paper produced, alledged to be subscribed by +him; but he would not acknowledge the same. The preses said, You see +what is upon the table (meaning the boots), I will see if that will make +you 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; you +may compel me to speak amiss of your lordships; to call myself a thief, +a murderer, <i>&c.</i> and then pannel me on it: But if you shall here put me +to it, I protest before God and your lordships, that nothing extorted +from me by torture, shall be made use of against me in judgment, nor +have any force in law against me, or any other person<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">375</a></span>. But to be plain +with you, my lords, I am so much of a Christian, that whatever your +lordships shall legally prove against me, if it be truth, I shall not +deny 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's +logic, and sophisticated like him: ask him whether that be his +subscription. Mr. Mitchel replied, I acknowledge no such thing; and he +was sent back to prison.</p> + +<p>Upon the 24th, they assembled in their robes in the inner parliament +house, and the boots and executioner were presented. Mr. Mitchel was +again interrogated, as above, but still persisting, he was ordered to +the torture. And he, knowing that, after the manner of the Spanish +inquisition, 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 two +full 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 been +capable thereof; and it is well known, that some in a shorter time have +been tempted to make away with themselves; but respect and obedience to +the express law and command of God hath made me to undergo all these +hardships, and I hope this torture with patience also, <i>viz.</i> that for +the preservation of my own life and the life of others, as far as lies +in my power; and to keep innocent blood off your lordships persons and +families, which, by shedding of mine, you would doubtless bring upon +yourselves and posterity, and wrath from the Lord to the consuming +thereof, till there should be no escaping; and now again I protest, +<i>&c.</i> as above: When you please, call for the man appointed for the +work." The executioner being called, he was tied in a two armed chair, +and the boot brought; the executioner asked which of the legs he should +take; the lords bade him take any of them; the executioner laying the +left in the boot, Mr. Mitchel, lifting it out again, said, "Since the +judges have not determined, take the best of the two, for I freely +bestow it in the cause;" and so laid his right leg into the engine. +After which the advocate asked leave to speak but one word, but +notwithstanding, insisted at a great length; to which Mr. Mitchel +answered, "The advocate's word or two hath multiplied to so many, that +my memory cannot serve, in the condition wherein I am (the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">376</a></span> torture +being begun) to resume them in particular; but I shall essay to answer +the scope of his discourse; whereas he hath been speaking of the +sovereignty of the magistrate, I shall go somewhat further than he hath +done, and own that the magistrate whom God hath appointed, is God's +depute; both the throne and the judgment are the Lord's, when he judgeth +for God and according to his law; and a part of his office is to deliver +the poor oppressed out of the hand of the oppressor, and shed no +innocent blood, Jerem. xxii. 3, <i>&c.</i> And whereas the advocate hath been +hinting at the sinfulness of lying on any account; it is answered, that +not 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 of +innocent blood; witness the case of Doeg, Psalm lii. compared with 2 +Sam. xxii. 9. But what my lord advocate hath forged against me is false, +so that I am standing upon my former ground, <i>viz.</i> the preservation of +my own life, and the life of others, as far as lies in my power, the +which I am expressly commanded by the Lord of hosts."</p> + +<p>Then the clerk's servant, being called, interrogated him in the torture, +in upwards of thirty questions, which were all in write, of which the +following are of the most importance.</p> + +<p>Are you that Mr. James Mitchel who was excepted out of the king's grace +and favour?</p> + +<p><i>A.</i> I never committed any crime deserving to be excluded.</p> + +<p><i>Q.</i> Were you at Pentland?</p> + +<p><i>A.</i> No.</p> + +<p><i>Q.</i> Were you at Ayr, and did you join with the rebels there?</p> + +<p><i>A.</i> I never joined with any such.</p> + +<p><i>Q.</i> Where was you at the time of Pentland?</p> + +<p><i>A.</i> In Edinburgh.</p> + +<p><i>Q.</i> When did you know of their rising in arms?</p> + +<p><i>A.</i> When the rest of the city knew of it.</p> + +<p><i>Q.</i> Where did you meet with James Wallace?</p> + +<p><i>A.</i> I knew him not at that time.</p> + +<p><i>Q.</i> Did you go out of town with captain Arnot?</p> + +<p><i>A.</i> No.</p> + +<p>The other questions were anent his going abroad, <i>&c.</i> He perceived that +they intended to catch him in a contradiction, or to find any who would +witness against him.—At the beginning of the torture he said, "My +lords, not knowing that I shall escape this torture with my life,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">377</a></span> +therefore, I beseech you to remember what Solomon saith, <i>He who sheweth +no mercy, shall have judgment without mercy</i>, &c.—And now, my lords, I +do freely, from my heart, forgive you, who are sitting judges upon the +bench, and the men who are appointed to be about this horrible piece of +work, 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, as +I beg God may be pleased for Christ's sake to blot out my sins and +iniquities, and never to lay them to my charge here nor hereafter."</p> + +<p>All this being over, the executioner took down his leg from a chest +whereon it was lying all the time in the boot, and set both on the +ground; and thrusting in the shelves to drive the wedges, began his +strokes; at every one of which, enquiring if he had any more to say, or +would say any more; Mr. Mitchel answered no; and they continued to nine +strokes upon the head of the wedges; at length he fainted, through the +extremity of pain at which the executioner cried, Alas! my lords, he is +gone! 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.</p> + +<p>It is indeed true that Mr. Mitchel made a confession, upon the promise +of his life; but the managers, having revoked their promise, because he +would not adhere to his confession before the justiciary, (being advised +by some friends not to trust too much to that promise) and be his own +accuser. "The reader must determine (says a very impartial +historian<a name="FNanchor_155" id="FNanchor_155"></a><a href="#Footnote_155" class="fnanchor">[155]</a>) how far he was to blame now, in not owning his +confession judicially, as they had judicially revoked the condition upon +which the confession was made, and to put a man to torture for finding +out things, for which they had not the least proof, seems to be +unprecedented and cruel, and to bring him to a farther trial appears to +be unjust." For as another author has well observed, "That when a +confession or promise is made upon a condition, and that condition is +judicially rescinded, the obligation of the promise or confession is +taken away, and both parties are <i>statu quo</i>, Josh. ii. 14, <i>&c.</i> That, +in many cases it is lawful to conceal and obscure a necessary duty, and +divert enemies from a pursuit of it for a time. 1 Sam. xvi. 1, 2. xx. 5, +6. Jer. xxxviii. 24, <i>&c.</i> That when an open enemy perverts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_378" id="Page_378">378</a></span> and +overturns the very nature and matter of a discourse or confession, by +leaving out the most material truths, and putting in untruths and +circumstances in their room, it no longer is the former discourse or +confession, <i>&c.</i> That when a person is brought before a limited +judicatory, <i>&c.</i> before whom nothing was ever confessed or proven, the +person may justly stand to his defence, and put his enemies to bring in +proof against him, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>After this Mr. Mitchel continued in prison till the beginning of next +year, when he and Mr. Frazer of Brae were with a party of twelve horse +and thirty foot, sent to the Bass, where he remained till about the 6th +of Dec. when he was again brought to Edinburgh, in order for his trial +and execution; which came on upon the 7th of Jan. 1678. On the third of +the month Sir George Lockhart and Mr. John Ellis were appointed to plead +for the pannel; but Sharp would have his life, and Lauderdale gave way +to it. Sir Archibald Primrose, lately turned out of the register's +place, took a copy of the council's act anent Mr. Mitchel, and sent it +to this council; and a day or two before the trial, went to Lauderdale, +who, together with lord Rothes, lord Halton and Sharp, was summoned: The +prisoner's witness, Primrose, told Lauderdale, That he thought a promise +of life had been given——The latter denied it——The former wished that +that act of the council might be looked into——Lauderdale said, He +would not give himself the trouble to look over the book of council.</p> + +<p>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<a name="FNanchor_156" id="FNanchor_156"></a><a href="#Footnote_156" class="fnanchor">[156]</a> argued in behalf of the prisoner with great +learning, to the admiration of the audience, That no extra-judicial +confession could be allowed in court, and that his confession was +extorted from him by hopes and promises of life. The debates were so +tedious that the court adjourned to the 9th of January; the replies and +duplies are too tedious to be inserted here: The reader will find them +at large elsewhere.<a name="FNanchor_157" id="FNanchor_157"></a><a href="#Footnote_157" class="fnanchor">[157]</a></p> + +<p>The witnesses being examined, lord Rothes (being shewn Mr. Mitchel's +confession) swore that he was present, and saw him subscribe that paper, +and heard him make that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">379</a></span> confession, but that he did not at all give any +assurance to the prisoner for his life; nor did he remember that there +was any warrant given by the council to his lordship for that effect, +<i>&c.</i> Halton and Lauderdale swore much to the same purpose; but the +arch-bishop swore, that he knew him, at the very first sight at the bar, +to be the person who shot at him, <i>&c.</i> But that he either gave him +assurance or a warrant to any to give it, was a false and malicious +calumny. That his grace gave no promise to Nichol Somerville, other than +that it was his interest to make a free confession. This Nichol +Somerville, Mr. Mitchel's brother-in-law, offered, in court, to depone, +That the arch-bishop promised to him to secure his life, if he would +prevail with him to confess. The arch-bishop denied this, and called it +a villainous lie. Several other depositions were taken; such as Sir +William Paterson, Mr. John Vanse, and the bishop of Galloway, who all +swore in Sharp's favour, it being dangerous for them, at this juncture, +to do otherwise.</p> + +<p>After the witnesses were examined, the advocate declared he had closed +the probation; whereupon Mr Mitchel produced a copy of an act of council +March 12th, 1674, praying that the register might be produced, or the +clerk obliged to give extracts; but this they refused to +do.——"Lockhart (says Burnet<a name="FNanchor_158" id="FNanchor_158"></a><a href="#Footnote_158" class="fnanchor">[158]</a>) pleaded for this, but Lauderdale, +who was only a witness, and had no right to speak, refused, and so it +was neglected."</p> + +<p>The assize was inclosed, and ordered to return their verdict to-morrow +afternoon, which being done, the sentence was pronounced, "That the said +Mr. James Mitchel should be taken to the grass-market of Edinburgh, upon +Friday the 18th of Jan. instant, betwixt two and four o'clock, in the +afternoon, and there to be hanged on a gibbet till he be dead, and all +his moveables, goods and gear escheat, and in-brought to his majesty's +use, <i>&c.</i>" No sooner did the court break up, than the lords, being +upstairs found the act recorded, and signed by lord Rothes the president +of the council. 'This action' says the last-cited historian, 'and all +concerned in it, were looked on by all the people with horror, and it +was such a complication of treachery, perjury and cruelty, as the like +had not perhaps been known.'</p> + +<p>Two days after the sentence, orders came from court, for placing Mr. +Mitchel's head and hands on some public<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_380" id="Page_380">380</a></span> place of the city; but the +sentence being passed, no alteration could be made; and if Sharp had any +hand in this, he missed his end and design. About the same time, his +wife petitioned the council, that her husband might be reprieved for +some time, that she might be in case to see and take her last farewel of +him, especially as it was not above twelve days since she was delivered +of a child, and presently affected with a fever; but no regard was paid +to this: The sentence must be executed<a name="FNanchor_159" id="FNanchor_159"></a><a href="#Footnote_159" class="fnanchor">[159]</a>.</p> + +<p style="margin-bottom:0em;">While he was in prison, he emitted a most faithful and large +testimony<a name="FNanchor_160" id="FNanchor_160"></a><a href="#Footnote_160" class="fnanchor">[160]</a>. In the first place, testifying against all profanity. +Then he gives the cause of his suffering, in the words of Elijah, 1 +Kings xix. 14. <i>I have been very zealous for the Lord of hosts</i>, &c. He +adheres to the covenanted work of reformation and the covenant; approves +of <i>lex rex</i>, the causes of God's wrath, apologetical relation, +Naphtali, <i>jus populi</i>, &c. Afterwards he speaks of magistracy in these +words, "I believe magistracy to be an ordinance and appointment of God, +as well under the new Testament as it was under the old; and that +whosoever resisteth the lawful magistrate in the exercise of his lawful +power, resisteth the ordinance and appointment of God, Rom. xiii. 1. +<i>&c.</i> 1 Pet. ii. 13. Deut. xvii. 15, <i>&c.</i> The lawful magistrate must he +a man qualified according to God's appointment, and not according to the +people's lust and pleasure, lest in the end he should prove to them a +prince of Sodom and governor of Gomorrah, whom God, in his +righteousness, should appoint for their judgment, and establish for +their correction, <i>&c.</i>" Then he comes to be most explicit in testifying +against the givers and receivers of the indulgence, as an incroachment +on Christ's crown and prerogative royal, <i>&c.</i>; protests before God, +angels and men, against all acts made anywise derogative to the work of +God and reformation; likewise protests against all banishments, +imprisoning, finings and confinements that the people of God had been +put to these years by-past; describing the woful state and condition of +malignants, and all the enemies of Jesus Christ. And in the last place +speaks very fervently anent his own sufferings, state and condition, +which he begins to express in these words, "Now if the Lord, in his wise +and over-ruling providence, bring me to the close of my pilgrimage, to +the full enjoyment of my long-looked for and desired<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_381" id="Page_381">381</a></span> happiness, let him +take his own way and time in bringing me to it. And in the mean time, O +thou my soul I sing thou this song, Spring thou up, O well of thy +happiness and salvation, of thy eternal hope and consolation; and whilst +thou art burdened with this clogg of clay and tabernacle, dig thou deep +in it by faith, hope and charity, and with all the instruments that God +hath given thee; dig in it by precepts and promises; dig carefully, and +dig continually; ay and until thou come to the source and head of the +Fountain himself, from whence the water of life floweth: Dig until thou +come to the assembly of the first-born, where this song is most suitably +sung, to the praise and glory of the rich grace and mercy of the +Fountain of life, <i>&c.</i>" And a little farther, when speaking of his +mortification to the world, and other sweet experiences, he says, "And +although, O Lord, thou shouldst send me in the back track and tenor of +my life, to seek my soul's comfort and encouragement from them, yet I +have no cause to complain of hard dealing from thy hand, seeing it is +thy ordinary way with some of thy people, Psalm xlii. 6. <i>O God, my soul +is cast down in me, from the land of Jordan and the hill Hermon</i>, &c. +Yea, though last, he brought me to the banquetting house, and made love +his banner over me, among the cold highland hills beside Kippen Nov. +1673. He remembered his former loving kindness towards me; but withal he +spoke in mine ear, that there was a tempestuous storm to meet me in the +face, which I behoved to go through, in the strength of that provision, +1 Kings xix. 7." Then, after the reciting of several scriptures, as +comforting to him in his sufferings, he comes at last to conclude with +these words, "And seeing I have not preferred nor sought after mine own +things, but thy honour and glory, the good liberty and safety of thy +church and people; although it be now misconstructed by many, yet I hope +that thou, Lord, wilt make thy light to break forth as the morning, and +my righteousness as the noon-day and that shame and darkness shall cover +all who are enemies to my righteous cause: For thou, O Lord, art the +shield of my head, and sword of my excellency; and mine enemies shall be +found liars, and shall be subdued. Amen, yea and Amen.</p> + +<p style="margin-top:0em; text-align:right"> +<i>Sic subscribitur</i>, <span class="smcap">James Mitchel</span>." +</p> + +<p class="break">Accordingly, upon the 18th of Jan. he was taken to the grass-market of +Edinburgh, and the sentence put in execution.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_382" id="Page_382">382</a></span> In the morning he +delivered 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 to +the people, he threw it over the scaffold, the substance of which was as +follows.</p> + +<p class="break">"<i>Christian people</i>,</p> + +<p style="margin-bottom:0em;">"It being rumoured abroad, immediately after I received my sentence, +that I would not have liberty to speak in this place, I have not +troubled myself to prepare any formal discourse, on account of the +pretended crime for which I am accused and sentenced; neither did I +think it very necessary, the same of the process having gone so much +abroad, what by a former indictment given me near four years ago, the +diet of which was suffered to desert, in respect the late advocate could +not find a just way to reach me with the extra-judicial confession they +opponed to me; all knew he was zealous in it, yet my charity to him is +such, that he would not suffer that unwarrantable zeal so far to blind +him, as to overstretch the laws of the land beyond their due limits, in +prejudice of the life of a native subject; next by an extreme inquiry of +torture, and then by exiling me to the bass; and then, after all by +giving me a new indictment at the instance of the new advocate, who, +before, was one of mine, when I received the first indictment; to which +new indictment and debate in the process, I refer you; and particularly +to these two defences of an extra-judicial confession, and the promise +of life given to me by the chancellor, upon his own and the public faith +of the kingdom; upon the verity thereof I am content to die, and ready +to lay down my life, and hope your charity to me a dying man will be +such as not to mistrust me therein; especially since it is notoriously +adminiculate by an act of secret council, and yet denied upon oath by +the principal officers of state present in council at the making of said +act, and whom the act bears to have been present: the duke of +Lauderdale, being then his majesty's commissioner, was likewise +present;——and which act of council was, by the lords of justiciary, +most unjustly repelled, <i>&c.</i> Thus much for a short account of the +affair for which I am unjustly brought to this place; but I acknowledge +my private and particular sins have been such as have deserved a worse +death to me; but I hope in the merits of Jesus Christ to be freed from +the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_383" id="Page_383">383</a></span> eternal punishment due to me for sin. I am confident that God doth +not plead with me in this place, for my private and particular sins, but +I am brought here that the work of God may be made manifest, and for the +trial of faith, John ix. 3, 1 Pet. i. 7. That I might be a witness for +his despised truths and interest in this land, where I am called to seal +the same with my blood; and I wish heartily that this my poor life may +put an end to the persecution of the true members of Christ in this +place, so much actuated by these perfidious prelates, in opposition to +whom, and testimony to the cause of Christ, I at this time lay down my +life, and bless God that he hath thought me so much worthy as to do the +same, 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 and +manifested elsewhere. Farewell all earthly enjoyments, and welcome +Father, Son and Holy Ghost, into whose hands I commit my spirit.</p> + +<p style="margin-top:0em; text-align:right">JAMES MITCHEL."</p> + +<p class="break">Here we have heard the end of the zealous and faithful Mr. James +Mitchel, who, beyond all doubt, was a most pious man, notwithstanding +all the foul aspersions that have been, or will be cast upon him (not +only by malignant prelates, but even by the high fliers, or more +corrupted part of the presbyterian persuasion) namely, on account of his +firing at bishop Sharp; which, they think, is enough to explode, affront +or bespatter all the faithful contendings of the true reformed and +covenanted church of Scotland. But in this Mr. Mitchel stands in need of +little or no vindication; for by this time the reader may perceive, that +he looked upon himself as in a state of war, and that, as Sharp was +doubtless one of the chief instigators of the tyranny, bloodshed and +oppression in that dismal period, he therefore, no doubt, thought he had +a right to take every opportunity of cutting him off, especially as all +the ways of common justice were blocked up; yet all this opens no door +for every private person, at their own hand, to execute justice on an +open offender, where there is access to a lawful magistrate appointed +for that end. Yea what he himself saith anent this affair, in a letter +dated Feb. 1674. may be sufficient to stop the mouths of all that have +or may oppose the same, a few words of which may be subjoined to this +narrative; where, after he has resumed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_384" id="Page_384">384</a></span> what passed betwixt him and the +chancellor, he says, that as to his design against Sharp, "He looked up +him to be the main instigator of all the oppression and bloodshed of his +brethren, that followed thereupon, and of the continual pursuing of his +life; and he being a soldier, not having laid down arms, but being still +upon his own defence, and having no other end or quarrel at any man but +what (according to his apprehension of him) may be understood by the +many thousands of the faithful, besides the prosecution of the ends of +the same covenant, which was and is in that point, the overthrow of +prelates and prelacy, and he being a declared enemy to him on that +account, and he to him in like manner; and as he was always to take his +advantage, as it appeared, so he took of him any opportunity that +offered——For," says he, "I, by his instigation, being excluded from +all grace and favour, thought it my duty to pursue him at all occasions, +<i>&c.</i>" And a little farther he instances in Deut. xiii. 19. where the +seducer or inticer to a false worship is to be put to death, and that by +the hand of the witness, whereof he was one; takes notice of Phinehas, +Elijah, <i>&c.</i>; and then observes, that the bishops would say, what they +did was by law and authority, but what he did was contrary to both; but +he answers, The king himself and all the estates of the land, <i>&c.</i> both +were and are obliged by the oath of God upon them, to extirpate the +perjured prelates and prelacy, and, in doing thereof, to have defended +one another with their lives and fortunes, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_John_Welwood" id="Mr_John_Welwood"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">John Welwood</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. John Welwood, born about the year 1649, was son to Mr. James +Welwood, sometime minister at Tindergirth (and brother to Mr. Andrew +Welwood and James Welwood doctor of medicine at London). After he had +gone through the ordinary courses of learning he entered on the +ministry, and afterwards preached in many places, but we do not hear +that he was ever settled minister in any parish, it being then a time +when all who intended any honesty or faithfulness in testifying against +the sins and defections of the times, were thrust out of the church and +prosecuted with the greatest extremity. It is said, that he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_385" id="Page_385">385</a></span> preached +some five or six sermons in the parish where his father was minister, +which were blessed with more discernible effects of good amongst that +people than all the diligent painfulness his father had exercised in the +time he was minister of that parish.</p> + +<p>And besides his singular piety and faithfulness in preaching, he was a +most fervent presser to all the duties of the christian life, +particularly to the setting up and keeping of fellowship and society +meetings, for prayer and christian conference, which he often frequented +himself. One time, among several others, at the new house in Livingston +parish, after the night was far spent, he said, Let one pray, and be +short that we may win to our apartments before it be light; it was the +turn of one who exceeded many in gifts.——But before he ended it was +day-light within the house. After prayer he said, James, James, your +gifts have the start of your graces: And to the rest he said, Be +advised, 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.</p> + +<p><i>Anno</i> 1677, there was an Erastian meeting of the actually indulged and +non-indulged, procured by the indulged and their favourites, in order to +get unity made and kept up (but rather in reality a conspiracy without +any truth, unity or veracity among these backsliders and false +prophets).—Mr. Welwood, worthy Mr. Cameron, and another minister were +called before this meeting, in order to have them deposed, and their +licence taken from them, for their faithfulness in preaching up +separation from the actually indulged. But they declined their +authority, as being no lawful judicatory of Jesus Christ, whilst thus +made 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 advice +anent them. To whom he said, His name is Welwood, but if ye take that +unhappy course to depose them, he will perhaps turn out their Torwood at +last.</p> + +<p>Mr. Welwood was a man of a lean and tender body. He always slept, ate +and drank but little, as being one still under a deep exercise, the +state and case of his soul laying a great concern upon his spirit, about +the defections and tyranny of that day, especially concerning the +indulged, and so many pleading in their favour. But, being of a sickly +constitution before, he turned more melancholy and tender. Much<a name="FNanchor_161" id="FNanchor_161"></a><a href="#Footnote_161" class="fnanchor">[161]</a> +about this time, he was informed against to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_386" id="Page_386">386</a></span> 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 turned +out and apprehended; but there is nothing further can be learned anent +this order.</p> + +<p>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 another +laird's ground. But when Mr. Welwood saw it, he said, in a short time +that laird shall not have one furr of land. Some quarrelled him for +saying so (this laird being then a great professor). He said, Let alone +a little and he will turn out in his own colours. Shortly after this, he +fell out in adultery, and became most miserable and contemptible, being, +as was said, one of York's four pound papists.</p> + +<p>In the beginning of the year 1679, he said to William Nicolson a +Fife-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 may +yet live to see the bishops down, and yet the church not delivered, but +ere all be done we will get a few faithful ministers in Scotland to +hear; but keep still amongst the faithful poor mourning remnant that is +for God, for there is a cloud coming on the church of Scotland, the like +of which was never heard; for the most part will turn to +defection.——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 mouth +before them.</p> + +<p>Among his last public days of preaching, he preached at Boulterhall in +Fife, upon that text, <i>Not many noble</i>, &c. Here he wished that all the +Lord's people, whom he had placed in stations of distinction, there and +everywhere would express their thankfulness that the words <i>not many</i> +were not <i>not any</i>, and that the whole of them were not excluded. In the +end of that sermon he said, (pointing to St. Andrews) "If that unhappy +prelate Sharp die the death of all men, God never spoke by me." The +bishop had a servant, who, upon liberty from his master on Saturday's +night, went to visit his brother, who was a servant to a gentleman near +Boulterhall (the bishop ordering him to be home on Sabbath night). He +went with the laird, and his brother that day. Mr. Welwood noticed him +with the bishop's livery on, and when sermon was ended, he desired him +to 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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_387" id="Page_387">387</a></span> and wicked life are near an end, and his +death shall be both sudden, surprising, and bloody; and as he hath +thirsted after and shed the blood of the saints, he shall not go to his +grave in peace, <i>&c.</i>" The youth went home, and at supper the bishop +asked 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 made +sport of it. But his wife said, I advise you to take more notice of +that, for I hear that these men's words are not vain words.</p> + +<p>Shortly after this he went to Perth, and there lodged in the house of +one John Barclay. His bodily weakness increasing, he was laid aside from +serving his Master in public; and lingered under a consumptive distemper +until the beginning of April 1679, when he died. During the time of his +sickness, while he was able to speak, he laid himself out to do good to +souls. None but such as were looked upon to be friends to the persecuted +cause knew that he was in town; and his practice was, to call them in, +one family after another, at different times; and discourse to them +about their spiritual state. His conversation was both convincing, +edifying and confirming. Many came to visit him, and among the rest one +Aiton, younger of Inchdarny in Fife, (a pious youth about eighteen years +of age) and giving Mr. Welwood an account of the great tyranny and +wickedness of prelate Sharp, Mr. Welwood said, "You will shortly be quit +of him, and he will get a sudden and sharp off-going, and ye will be the +first that will take the good news of his death to heaven." Which +literally came to pass the May following.</p> + +<p>About the same time he said to another who came to visit him, "that many +of the Lord's people should be in arms that summer for the defence of +the gospel; but he was fully persuaded that they would work no +deliverance; and that, after the fall of that party, the public standard +of the gospel should fall for some time, so that there would not be a +true faithful minister in Scotland, excepting two, unto whom they could +resort, to hear or converse with, anent the state of the church; and +they would also seal the testimony with their blood; and that after this +there should be a dreadful defection and apostacy; but God would pour +out his wrath upon the enemies of his church and people, wherein many of +the Lord's people, who had made defection from his way should fall among +the rest in this common calamity; but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_388" id="Page_388">388</a></span> this stroke, he thought, would +not be long, and upon the back thereof there would be the most glorious +deliverance and reformation that ever was in Britain, wherein the church +should never be troubled any more with prelacy."</p> + +<p>When drawing near his end, in conversation with some friends, he used +frequently to communicate his own exercise and experience, with the +assurance he had obtained of his interest in Christ, he said, "I have no +more 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 weeks +without sensible comforting presence, yet I have not the least doubt of +my interest in Christ. I have oftentimes endeavoured to pick a hole in +my interest, but cannot get it done." That morning ere he died, when he +observed the light of the day, he said, "Now eternal light, and no more +night and darkness to me."—And that night he exchanged a weakly body, a +wicked world, and a weary life, for an immortal crown of glory, in that +heavenly inheritance which is prepared and reserved for such as him.</p> + +<p>The night after his exit his corpse was removed from John Barclay's +house into a private room, belonging to one Janet Hutton (till his +friends might consult about his funeral) that so he might not be put to +trouble for concealing him. It was quickly spread abroad that an +intercommuned preacher was dead in town, upon which the magistrates +ordered a messenger to go and arrest the corpse. They lay there that +night, and the next day a considerable number of his friends in Fife, in +good order, came to town in order to his burial, but the magistrates +would not suffer him to be interred at Perth, but ordered the town +militia to be raised, and imprisoned John Bryce, box-master or treasurer +to the guildry, for returning to give out the militia's arms. However +the magistrates gave his friends leave to carry his corpse out of town, +and bury them without their precincts, where they pleased. But any of +the town's people, who were observed to accompany the funeral were +imprisoned. After they were gone out of town, his friends sent two men +before them to Drone, four miles from Perth, to prepare a grave in that +church-yard. The men went to Mr. Pitcairn, the minister there (one of +the old resolutioners), and desired the keys of the church-yard that +they might dig a grave for the corpse of Mr. Welwood, but he refused to +give them. They went over the church-yard-dyke<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_389" id="Page_389">389</a></span> and digged a grave, and +there the corpse was interred.</p> + +<p>There appears to be only one of his sermons in print (said to be +preached in Bogles-hole in Clydesdale), upon 1 Peter iv. 18. <i>And if the +righteous scarcely be saved</i>, &c.—</p> + +<p>There are also some of his religious letters, written to his godly +friends and acquaintances, yet extant in manuscript. But we are not to +expect to meet with any thing considerable of the writings of Mr. John +Welwood<a name="FNanchor_162" id="FNanchor_162"></a><a href="#Footnote_162" class="fnanchor">[162]</a>, or the succeeding worthies; and no wonder, seeing that in +such a broken state of the church, they were still upon their watch, +haunted and hurried from place to place, without the least time or +conveniency for writing; yea, and oftentimes what little fragments they +had collected, fell into the hand of false friends and enemies, and were +by them either destroyed or lost.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="William_Gordon_of_Earlstoun" id="William_Gordon_of_Earlstoun"></a><i>The Life of <span class="smcap">William Gordon</span> of Earlstoun.</i></h2> + +<p>William Gordon of Earlstoun was born about the year——. He was son to +that famous reformer Alexander Gordon of Earlstoun, and was lineally +descended of that famous Alexander Gordon who entertained the followers +of John Wickliffe, and who had a new testament of the vulgar tongue +which they used to read in their meetings at the wood near Airds beside +Earlstoun. William Gordon, having thus the advantage of a very religious +education, began very early to follow Christ. As early as the year 1637, +Mr. Rutherford in a letter admonishes him thus: "Sir, lay the foundation +thus and ye shall not soon shrink nor be shaken: make tight work at the +bottom, and your ship shall ride against all storms; if withal your +anchor be fastened on good ground, I mean, within the vail, <i>&c.</i><a name="FNanchor_163" id="FNanchor_163"></a><a href="#Footnote_163" class="fnanchor">[163]</a>" +And indeed by the blessing of God, he began very early to distinguish +himself for piety and religion with a firm attachment to the +presbyterian interest and a covenanted work of reformation; in which he +continued stedfast and unmoveable until he lost his life in the +honourable cause.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_390" id="Page_390">390</a></span> +What hand he had in the public affairs during Cromwel's usurpation, I +cannot so well say: we must suppose him upon the remonstrators' side. +But the first public testimony he gave after the restoration of Charles +II. recorded in history, was, about the year 1663, when some +commissioners were appointed by the council to go south and inquire +anent some opposition that was then made by the people to the settlement +of 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 episcopal +incumbent in the parish of Dalry in Galloway (where, by the once +established laws, he had some right in presenting) or, if he refused to +concur with the bishop, which they had all reason imaginable to suspect +he would, to bring him to further trouble. Accordingly they wrote him a +letter in the following tenor:—"Finding the church of Dalry to be one +of those that the bishop hath presented, an actual minister Mr. George +Henry fit and qualified for the charge, and that the gentleman is to +come to your parish this Sabbath next to preach to that people, and that +you are a person of special interest there,—we do require you to cause +his edict to be served, and the congregation to conveen and countenance +him so as to be encouraged to prosecute his ministry in that +place."—Your loving friends and servants,</p> + +<p style="text-align:right"> +LINLITHGOW, GALLOWAY,<br /> +ANNANDALE, DRUMLANERK. +</p> + +<p>To this letter Earlstoun give them a very respectful return, shewing, +upon solid reasons, why he could not comply with this their unjust +demand, as the following excerpt from that letter evidences:—"I ever +judged it safest to obey God, and stand at a distance from whatsoever +doth not tend to God's glory and the edification of the souls of his +scattered people, of which that congregation is a part. And besides, my +Lords, it is known to many, that I pretend to lay claim to the light of +patronage of that parish, and have already determined therein with the +consent of the people to a truly worthy and qualified person, that he +may be admitted to exercise his gifts amongst that people; and for me to +countenance the bearer of your Lordship's letter, were to procure me +most impiously and dishonourably to wrong the majesty of God and +violently to take away the Christian liberty of his afflicted people and +enervate my own right, <i>&c.</i>"<a name="FNanchor_164" id="FNanchor_164"></a><a href="#Footnote_164" class="fnanchor">[164]</a></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_391" id="Page_391">391</a></span> +This was, without question, what the managers wanted, and so his trouble +began: for, on the 30th of July following, "the lords of council order +letters to be directed, to charge William Gordon of Earlstoun to compear +before them—to answer for his seditious and factious carriage:" that +was, his refusing to comply with prelacy, and hear the curates, and for +his favouring and hearing the outed ministers. And further, Nov. 24th, +same year, "The council being informed, that the laird of Earlstoun kept +conventicles and private meetings in his house,—do order letters to be +directed against him to compear before this council to answer for his +contempt, under the pain of rebellion." But all this no-ways dashed the +courage of this confessor of Christ in adhering to his persecuted and +despised gospel; which made these malignant enemies yet pass a more +severe and rigorous act against him; in which it was exhibited that he +had been at several conventicles (as they were pleased to call the +preachings of the gospel) where Mr. Gabriel Semple, a deposed minister, +did preach in the Corsack wood and wood of Airds; and heard texts of +scripture explained both in his mother's and in his own house by outed +ministers; "—and being required to enact himself to abstain from all +such meetings in time coming, and to live peaceably and orderly, conform +to law," he refused to do the same: They did, therefore, order the said +William Gordon of Earlstoun to be banished, and to depart forth of the +kingdom within a month, and not to return under pain of death, and that +he live peaceably during that time, under, the penalty of 10,000 l. or +otherwise, to enter his person in prison.</p> + +<p>Here it would appear, that he did not obey this sentence. And although +we have little or no particular account of his sufferings, yet we are +assured he endured a series of hardships.—In the year 1667, he was +turned out of his house and all; and the said house made a garrison for +Bannantine that wicked wretch and his party; after which, almost every +year 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 of +rest, and obtained his glorious reward in the following manner<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_392" id="Page_392">392</a></span>—</p> + +<p>Having some affairs to settle (perhaps on a view never to return) he +could not join that suffering handful who were then in arms near +Bothwel: he sent his son who was in the action. He himself hastening +forward as soon as possible to their assistance, and not knowing of +their disaster, was met near the place by a party of English dragoons +who were in quest of the sufferers, and, like another valiant champion +of Christ, he refused to surrender or comply with their demand, and so +they killed him straight out upon the spot<a name="FNanchor_165" id="FNanchor_165"></a><a href="#Footnote_165" class="fnanchor">[165]</a>; his son being out of +the way, and his friends not obtaining that his body should be urned +amongst the bones of his ancestors; he was interred in the church-yard +of Glassford: and though a pillar or monument was erected over his +grave, yet no inscription was got inscribed because of the severity of +these times.</p> + +<p>Thus fell a renowned Gordon, one whose character at present I am in no +capacity to describe: only, I may venture to say, that he was a +gentleman of good parts and endowments; a man devoted unto religion and +godliness; and a prime supporter of the Presbyterian interest in that +part of the country wherein he lived.—The Gordons have all along made +no small figure in our Scottish history;—but here was a patriot, a good +Christian, a confessor and (I may add) a martyr of Jesus Christ.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Messrs_John_Kid_and_John_King" id="Messrs_John_Kid_and_John_King"></a><i>The Lives of Messrs. <span class="smcap">John Kid</span> and <span class="smcap">John King</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Messrs. John Kid and John King suffered many hardships during the +persecuting period, namely, from the year 1670, to the time of their +martyrdom 1679.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_393" id="Page_393">393</a></span> Mr. King was sometime chaplain to lord Cardross; and it +appears, he was apprehended and imprisoned in the year 1674. but got out +on a bond and surety for 5000 merks, to appear when called. Next year he +was again, by a party of the persecutors, apprehended in the said lord +Cardross's, but was immediately rescued from their hands by some country +people, who had profited much by his ministry. After this, he was taken +a third time by bloody Claverhouse near Hamilton, with about 17 others, +and brought to Evandale, where they were all rescued by their suffering +brethren at Drumclog. After which he and Mr. Kid were of great service, +and preached often among the honest party of our sufferers, till their +defeat at Bothwel, where Mr. Kid, among other prisoners, was taken and +brought to Edinburgh. It would appear that Mr. King was apprehended also +at the same time in or west from Glasgow<a name="FNanchor_166" id="FNanchor_166"></a><a href="#Footnote_166" class="fnanchor">[166]</a>. For a party of English +dragoons being there, and one of them on horseback called for some ale, +and drank<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_394" id="Page_394">394</a></span> to the confusion of the covenants. Another of his comrades +asking him at the stable-green port, where he was going, he answered, To +carry King to hell. But this poor wretch had not gone far whistling and +singing, till his carbine accidentally went off, and killed him on the +spot. <i>God shall shoot at them with an arrow, suddenly shall they be +wounded</i>, Psal. lxiv. 7.</p> + +<p>Mr. King was taken to Edinburgh, where both he and Mr. Kid were before +the council, July 9th. Mr. King confessed, when examined, That he was +with those who rose at that time, <i>&c.</i> Mr. Kid confessed, he had +preached in the fields, but never where there were men in arms, except +in two places. They signed their confession, which was afterwards +produced in evidence against them before the justiciary. On the 12th Mr. +Kid was again examined before the council, and put to the torture. It +seems he was more than once in the boots, where he behaved with much +meekness and patience. Mr. King was examined on the 16th before the +justiciary, and Mr. Kid on the day following. On the 22d, they received +their indictments. Their trial came on upon the 28th. They were again +before the justiciary, where, upon their former petition on the 24th, +advocates were allowed to plead for them<a name="FNanchor_167" id="FNanchor_167"></a><a href="#Footnote_167" class="fnanchor">[167]</a>, but no exculpation was +allowed them. When their indictments were read, the advocate produced +their confessions before the council, as proof against them; and +accordingly they were brought in guilty and condemned to be hanged at +the market cross of Edinburgh on Thursday the 14th of Aug. and their +heads and right arms to be cut off, and disposed of at the council's +pleasure.</p> + +<p>Accordingly, the same day the king's act of indemnity was published in +the forenoon, and, to grace the solemnity, the two noble martyrs (who +were denied a share therein) were in the afternoon brought forth to +their execution. It was related by one there present, that, as they +approached<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_395" id="Page_395">395</a></span> the place, walking together hand in hand, Mr. Kid, looking +about to Mr. King with a cheerful countenance, said, "I have often heard +and read of a kid sacrificed, but I seldom or never heard of a king made +a sacrifice." Upon the scaffold they appeared with a great deal of +courage and serenity of mind, (as was usual with the martyrs in these +times), and died in much peace and joy; even a joy that none of their +persecutors could intermeddle with. Their heads were cut off on another +scaffold prepared for the purpose.</p> + +<p>Thus ended these two worthy ministers and martyrs of Jesus Christ, after +they had owned their allegiance to Zion's king and Lord, and given a +faithful testimony against popery, prelacy, Erastianism, <i>&c.</i> and for +the covenanted work of reformation in its different parts and periods. +The reader will find their dying testimonies in Naphtali and the western +martyrology, page 146. <i>&c.</i> A few of their sermons I had occasion +lately to publish.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_John_Brown" id="Mr_John_Brown"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">John Brown</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Brown was ordained minister at Wamphray in Annandale. There is no +certain account how long he was minister there, only it was some time +before the restoration of Charles II. as appears from his great +faithfulness in opposing prelacy, which was then about to be intruded +upon the church; insomuch that, for his fortitude and freedom with some +of his neighbouring ministers for their compliance with the prelates, +contrary to the promise they had given him, he was turned out of that +place.</p> + +<p>Upon the 6th of Nov. 1662, he was brought before the council. Whether by +letters to converse with the managers, or by a citation, it is not +certain. But the same day, the council's act against him runs thus:</p> + +<p>"Mr. John Brown of Wamphray, being conveened before the council, for +abusing and reproaching some ministers for keeping the diocesan synod +with the arch-bishop of Glasgow, calling them perjured knaves and +villains, did acknowledge that he called them false knaves for so doing, +because they had promised the contrary to him. The council ordain him to +be secured close prisoner in the tolbooth till further orders."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_396" id="Page_396">396</a></span> +He remained in prison till Dec. 11, when, after Mr. Livingston and +others had received their sentence, the council came to this conclusion +anent him, "Upon a petition presented by Mr. John Brown minister of +Wamphray now prisoner in Edinburgh, shewing, that he had been kept close +prisoner these five weeks by-past, and seeing that, by want of free air +and other necessaries for maintaining his crazy body, he is in hazard to +lose his life, therefore, humbly desiring warrant to be put at liberty, +upon caution to enter his person when he should be commanded, as the +petition bears; which being at length he heard and considered, the lords +of council ordain the king's supplicant to be put at liberty, forth of +the tolbooth, his first obliging himself to remove and depart off the +king's dominions, and not to return, without licence from his majesty +and council, under pain of death."</p> + +<p>Great were the hardships he underwent in prison, for (says a historian) +he was denied even the necessaries of life; and though, because of the +ill 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 bond +obliging himself to a voluntary banishment, and that without any just +cause.<a name="FNanchor_168" id="FNanchor_168"></a><a href="#Footnote_168" class="fnanchor">[168]</a></p> + +<p>But, upon the 23d of the same month, on presenting a petition to the +council to prorogue the time of his removal from the kingdom, in regard +he was not able to provide himself with necessaries, and the weather so +unseasonable that he could not have the opportunity of a ship, <i>&c.</i> as +the petition bears; which being read and considered, "They grant him two +months longer after the 11th of Dec. by-past; in the mean time he being +peaceable, acting nothing in prejudice of the present government, +<i>&c.</i>"—And next year he went over to Holland (then the asylum of the +banished) where he lived many years, but never, that we heard of, saw +his own native country any more.</p> + +<p>How he employed himself mostly in Holland we are at a loss to say; his +many elaborate pieces, both practical, argumentative and historical, +witness that he was not idle; which were either mostly wrote there, or +published from thence; and particularly those concerning the +indulgences-paying, <i>&c.</i> sent for the support and strengthening of his +persecuted 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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_397" id="Page_397">397</a></span> furnace of affliction) under a scene of sore +oppression and bloody tyranny. But hither did the malice of their +enemies yet pursue them. For the king, by the infliction of prelate +Sharp, <i>anno</i> 1676, wrote to the states-general to remove them from +their province. And although the states neither did nor could reasonably +grant this demand, seeing they had got the full stress of laws in +Scotland many years before, yet it appears that they were obliged to +wander further from the land of their nativity.</p> + +<p>Some time before his death, he was admitted minister of the Scots +congregation at Rotterdam; where he, with great prudence and diligence, +exercised that function; it being always his study and care to gain many +souls to Christ. For as he was faithful in declaring the whole counsel +of God to his people, in warning them against the evils of the time, so +he was likewise a great textuary, close in handling any truth he +discoursed 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 plain +understood them. His fellow-soldier and companion<a name="FNanchor_169" id="FNanchor_169"></a><a href="#Footnote_169" class="fnanchor">[169]</a> in tribulation +gives him this testimony, "That the whole of his sermons, without the +intermixture of any other matter, had a specialty of pure gospel +tincture, breathing nothing but faith in Christ, and communion with him, +<i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>The ordination of faithful Mr. Richard Cameron seems to have been the +last of his public employments; and his last but excellent discourse +(before his exile from this world, which appears to have been about the +end of the year 1679) was from Jer. ii. 35. <i>Behold I will plead with +thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned</i>, &c. And having finished +his course with joy, he died in the Lord. <i>Blessed are the dead which +die in the Lord, that they may rest from their labours, and their works +do follow them</i>.</p> + +<p>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, a +choice and pathetical preacher; in controversy he was acute, masculine +and strong, in history plain and comprehensive, in divinity substantial +and divine; the first he discovers in his work printed in Latin against +the Sodinians, and his treatise <i>de causa Dei contra anti-sabbatanios</i>, +which the learned world know better than can be here described. There is +also a large manuscript<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_398" id="Page_398">398</a></span> history intitled, <i>Apologia pro ecclesia</i>, &c. +<i>anno Domini</i> 1660, consisting of 1600 pages in 4to, which he gave in to +Charles Gordon, sometime minister at Dalmony, to be by him presented to +the first free general assembly of the church of Scotland, and was by +him exhibited to the general assembly <i>anno</i> 1692; of this history the +apologetical relation seems to be an abridgment. His letters and other +papers, particularly the history of the indulgence, written and sent +home to his native country, manifest his great and fervent zeal for the +cause of Christ. And his other practical pieces, such as that on +justification, on the Romans, Quakerism the way to Paganism; the hope of +glory; and Christ the way, the truth and the life; the first and second +part of his life of faith, and Enoch's testament opened up, <i>&c.</i>; all +which evidence his solid piety, and real acquaintance with God and +godliness.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Henry_Hall_of_Haugh-head" id="Henry_Hall_of_Haugh-head"></a><i>The Life of <span class="smcap">Henry Hall</span> of Haugh-head.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Hall of Haugh-head (in the parish of Eckford in Teviotdale), having +had 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 most +zealous opposer of the public resolutions (that took place <i>anno</i> 1651) +insomuch, that when the minister of that parish complied with that +course, 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 other +malignants, for his non-conformity, he was obliged to depart his native +country, and go over to the border of England <i>anno</i> 1665, where he was +very much renowned for his singular zeal in propagating the gospel, by +instructing the ignorant, and procuring ministers to preach now and then +among that people, who before his coming were very rude and barbarous, +but now many of them became famous for piety. <i>Anno</i> 1666, he was taken +prisoner on his way coming to Pentland, to the assistance of his +covenanted brethren, and imprisoned with some others in Cesford castle. +But, by divine providence, he soon escaped thence, through the favour of +his friend the earl of Roxburgh, (who was a blood-relation of his), unto +whom the castle then pertained. He retired again to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_399" id="Page_399">399</a></span> Northumberland, +where, from this time until the year 1679, he lived, being very much +beloved, of all that knew him, for his care and concern in propagating +the gospel of Christ in that country, insomuch that his blameless and +shining conversation drew love, reverence and esteem even from his very +enemies. About the year 1678, the heat of the persecution in Scotland +obliged many to wander about in Northumberland, as one colonel Struthers +was violently pursuing all Scotsmen in those places. Haugh-head was in +that scuffle near Crookham, a village upon the English border, where one +of his nearest intimates, that gallant and religious gentleman Thomas +Ker of Hayhop, fell. Upon which he was obliged to return again to +Scotland, where he wandered up and down in the hottest time of the +persecution, mostly with Mr. Donald Cargil and Mr. Richard Cameron. +During which time, beside his many other Christian virtues, he +signalized himself by a real zeal, in defence of the persecuted gospel +in the fields. He was one of these four elders of the church of +Scotland, who at the council of war at Shawhead-muir June 18. 1769, were +chosen, with Messrs Cargil, Douglas, King and Barclay, to draw up the +causes of the Lord's wrath against the land, which were to be the causes +of a fast on the day following. He had, indeed, an active hand in the +most part of the transactions among the covenanters at that time; as +being one of the commanding officers in that army, from the skirmish at +Drumclog, to their defeat at Bothwel-bridge.</p> + +<p>After this, being forfeited, and diligently searched for and pursued +after, to eschew the violent hands of these his indefatigable +persecutors, he was forced to go over to Holland (the only refuge then +of our Scots sufferers). But he had not stayed there long, until his +zeal for the persecuted interest of Christ, and his tender sympathy for +the afflicted remnant of his covenanted brethren, who were then +wandering in Scotland, through the desolate caves and dens of the earth, +drew him home again; choosing rather to undergo the utmost efforts of +persecuting fury, than to live at ease in the time of Joseph's +affliction, making Moses's generous choice, rather to suffer affliction +with the people of God, than to enjoy what momentary pleasures the ease +of the world could afford. Nor was he very much concerned with the +riches of this world; for he stood not to give his ground<a name="FNanchor_170" id="FNanchor_170"></a><a href="#Footnote_170" class="fnanchor">[170]</a> to hold +field preachings on, when few or none<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_400" id="Page_400">400</a></span> else would do it; for he was +still a true lover of the free and faithful preached gospel, and was +always against the indulgence.</p> + +<p>About a quarter of a year after his return from Holland, he was mostly +with Mr. Cargil, lurking as privily as they could about Borrowstoness +and other places on this and the other side the frith of Forth. At last +they were taken notice of by these two bloody hounds, the curates of +Borrowstoness and Carridden, who soon smelled out Mr. Cargil and his +companion, and presently sent information to Middleton, governor of +Blackness castle (who was a papist). After consultation, he immediately +took the scent after them, ordering his soldiers to follow him at a +distance, by twos and threes together, at convenient intervals, to avoid +suspicion, while he and his man rode up after them at some distance, +till they came to Queensferry; where perceiving the house where they +alighted, he sent his servant off in haste for his men, putting up his +horse 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 had +taken a glass, and were in some friendly conference, the governor, +wearying that his men came not up, threw off the mask, and laid hands on +them, saying, they were his prisoners, and commanded the people of the +house, in the king's name to assist. But they all refused, except one +Thomas George a waiter; by whose assistance he got the gate shut. In the +mean while Haugh-head, being a bold and brisk man, struggled hard with +the governor, until Cargil got off; and after the scuffle, as he was +going off himself, having got clear of the governor, Thomas George +struck 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 were +assembled at the gate to the rescue of the prisoners, convoyed him out +of town. He walked some time on foot, but unable to speak much, save +only some little reflection upon a woman who interposed, hindering him +to kill the governor, that so he might have made his escape more +timeously. At last he fainted, and was carried to a country house near +Echlin; and although chirurgeons were speedily brought, yet he never +recovered the use of his speech any more. Dalziel, living near-by, was +soon advertised, and came quickly with a party<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_401" id="Page_401">401</a></span> of the guards, and +seized him; and although every one saw the gentleman just a-dying, yet +such was his inhumanity, that he must carry him to Edinburgh. But he +died, on their hands, on the way thither; and made an end of this his +earthly pilgrimage to receive his heavenly crown. His corpse was carried +to the Cannongate tolbooth, where they lay three days without burial; +and then his friends conveened for that end, to do their last office to +him; yet that could not be granted. At last they caused bury him +clandestinely in the night; for such was the fury of these limbs of +antichrist, that after they had slain the witnesses, they would not +suffer them to be decently interred in the earth; which is another +lasting evidence of the cruelty of those times.</p> + +<p>Thus the worthy gentleman, after he had in an eminent manner, served his +day and generation, fell a victim to prelatic fury. Upon him was found, +when he was taken, a rude draught of an unsubscribed paper, afterwards +called the Queensferry paper; which the reader will find, inserted at +large, in Wodrow's history, vol. II. Appendix, No. 46; the substance of +which is contained in Crookshank's history, and in the appendix to the +cloud of witnesses.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Richard_Cameron" id="Mr_Richard_Cameron"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Richard Cameron</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Richard Cameron was born in Falkland, in shire of Fyfe (his father +being a merchant there). He was of the episcopal persuasion at first; +for, after he had passed his course of learning, he was some time +schoolmaster and precentor to the curate of Falkland. He sometimes +attended the sermons of the indulged, as he had opportunity; but at last +it pleased the Lord to incline him to go out to hear the persecuted +gospel in the fields; which when the curates understood, they set upon +him, partly by flattery and partly by threats, and at last by more +direct persecution to make him forbear attending these meetings. But +such was the wonderful working of the Lord by his powerful Spirit upon +him, that having got a lively discovery of the sin and hazard of +prelacy, he deserted the curates altogether, and no sooner was he +enlightened anent the evil of prelacy, but he began<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_402" id="Page_402">402</a></span> more narrowly to +search into the state of things, that he might know what was his proper +and necessary duty. The Lord was pleased to discover to him the +sinfulness of the indulgence, as flowing from the ecclesiastical +supremacy usurped by the king; and, being zealously affected for the +honour of Christ, wronged by that Erastian acknowledgment of the +magistrate's usurped power over the church, he longed for an opportunity +to give a testimony against it. This made him leave Falkland, and go to +Sir Walter Scot of Harden, who attended the indulged meetings. Here he +took the opportunity (notwithstanding of many strong temptations to the +contrary) to witness in his station, against the indulgence. +Particularly on Sabbath when called to attend the lady to church, he +returned from the entry, refusing to go that day; and spent it in his +chamber, where he met with much of the Lord's presence (as he himself +afterwards testified) and got very evident discoveries of the nature of +these temptations and suggestions of Satan, which were like to prevail +with him before; and upon Monday, giving a reason unto the said Sir +William and his lady why he went not to church with them, he took +occasion 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 to +the south, where he met with the reverend Mr. John Welch. He stayed some +time in his company, who, finding him a man every way qualified for the +ministry, pressed him to accept a licence to preach; which he for +sometime refused, chiefly upon the account that having such clear +discoveries of the sinfulness of the indulgence, he could not but +testify against it explicitly, so soon as he should have opportunity to +preach the gospel in public, <i>&c.</i>——But the force of his objections +being answered by Mr. Welch's serious solicitations, he was prevailed on +to accept of a licence from the outed ministers, who were then preaching +in the fields, and had not then complied with the indulgence. +Accordingly he was licenced by Mr. Welch and Mr. Semple at Haugh-head in +Teviotdale, at the house of Henry Hall. Here he told them, He would be a +bone of contention among them; for if he preached against a national sin +among them it should be against the indulgences, and for separation from +the indulged.</p> + +<p>After he was licenced, they sent him at first to preach in Annandale. He +said, How could he go there.——He knew not what sort of people they +were. But Mr. Welch<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_403" id="Page_403">403</a></span> said, Go your way, Richie, and set the fire of hell +to their tail. He went, and, the first day, he preached upon that text, +<i>How shall I put thee among the children</i>, &c. In the application he +said, Put you amongst the children! the offspring of robbers and +thieves. Many have heard of Annandale thieves. Some of them got a +merciful cast that day, and told it afterwards, That it was the first +field-meeting that ever they attended; and that they went out of +curiosity, to see how a minister could preach in a tent, and people sit +on the ground. After this, he preached several times with Mr. Welch, Mr. +Semple and others, until 1679, that he and Mr. Welwood were called +before that Erastian meeting at Edinburgh, in order to be deposed for +their freedom and faithfulness in preaching against the sinful +compliance of that time.</p> + +<p>After this he preached at Maybole, where many thousands of people were +assembled together, it being the first time that the<a name="FNanchor_171" id="FNanchor_171"></a><a href="#Footnote_171" class="fnanchor">[171]</a>sacrament of +the Lord's supper was then dispensed in the open fields. At this time he +used yet more freedom in testifying against the sinfulness of the +indulgences, for which he was also called before another meeting of the +indulged at Dinugh in Galloway; and a little after that, he was again +called before a presbytery of them, at Sundewal in Dunscore in +Nithsdale: And this was the third time they had designed to take his +licence from him. Here it was where Robert Gray a Northumberland man +(who suffered afterwards in the Grass-market in 1682.), Robert Neilson +and others protested against them for such a conduct. At this meeting +they prevailed with him to give his promise, That for some short time he +should forbear such an explicit way of preaching against the indulgence, +and separation from them who were indulged:——Which promise lay heavy +on him afterwards, as will appear in its own proper place.</p> + +<p>After the giving of this promise, finding himself by virtue thereof +bound up from declaring the whole counsel of God, he turned a little +melancholy; and, to get the definite time of that unhappy promise +exhausted, in the end of the year 1678, he went over to Holland (not +knowing what work the Lord had for him there,); where he conversed with +Mr. M'Ward and others of our banished worthies. In his private +conversation and exercise in families, but especially in his public +sermon in the Scots kirk of Rotterdam,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_404" id="Page_404">404</a></span> he was most refreshing unto many +souls, where he was most close upon conversion work from that text, +<i>Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden</i>, &c.; and most +satisfying and agreeable to Mr. M'Ward, Mr. Brown and others, who were +sadly misinformed by the indulged, and those of their persuasion, that +he could preach nothing but babble against the indulgence, cess-paying, +<i>&c.</i> But here he touched upon none of these things, except in prayer, +when lamenting over the deplorable case of Scotland by defection and +tyranny.</p> + +<p>About this time Mr. M'Ward said to him, "Richard, the public standard is +now fallen in Scotland, and, if, I know any thing of the mind of the +Lord, you are called to undergo your trials before us; and go home, and +lift the fallen standard, and display it publicly before the world; but +before ye put your hand to it, ye shall go to as many of the +field-ministers (for so they were yet called) as ye can find, and give +them your hearty invitation to go with you; and if they will not go, go +alone, and the Lord will go with you."</p> + +<p>Accordingly he was ordained by Mr. M'Ward, Mr. Brown and Roleman, a +famous Dutch divine. When their hands were lift up from his head, Mr. +M'Ward continued his on his head, and cried out, "Behold, all ye +beholders, here is the head of a faithful minister and servant of Jesus +Christ, who shall lose the same for his Master's interest, and shall be +set up before sun and moon, in the view of the world."</p> + +<p>In the beginning of the year 1680, he returned home to Scotland, where +he spent some time in going from minister to minister, of those who +formerly kept up the public standard of the gospel in the fields; but +all in vain, for the persecution being then so hot after Bothwel, +against all such who had not accepted the indulgence and indemnity, none +of them would adventure upon that hazard, except Mr. Donald Cargil and +Mr. Thomas Douglas who came together, and kept a public fast-day in +Darmeid-muir, betwixt Clydesdale and Lothian; one of the chief causes of +which was the reception of the duke of York (that sworn vassal of +antichrist) unto Scotland, after he had been excluded from England and +several other places. After several meetings among themselves, for +forming a declaration and testimony, which they were about to publish to +the world, at last they agreed upon one, which they published at the +market-cross of Sanquhar, June 22d, 1680. from which place it is +commonly called the Sanquhar declaration.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_405" id="Page_405">405</a></span> After this they were obliged, +for some time, to separate one from another, and go to different corners +of the land: And that not only upon the account of the urgent call and +necessity of the people, who were then in a most starving condition, +with respect to the free and faithful preached gospel, but also on +account of the indefatigable scrutiny of the enemy, who, for their +better encouragement, had, by proclamation, 5000 merks offered for +apprehending Mr. Cameron, 3000 for Mr. Cargil and Mr. Douglas, and 100 +for each of the rest, who were concerned in the publication of the +foresaid declaration.</p> + +<p>After parting, Mr. Cameron went to Swine-know in New-Monkland, where he +had a most confirming and comforting day upon that soul-refreshing text, +Isa. xxxi. 2. <i>And a man shall be a hiding-place from the wind, and a +covert from the tempest</i>, &c. In his preface that day, he said, He was +fully assured that the Lord, in mercy unto this church and nation, would +sweep the throne of Britain of that unhappy race of the name of Stuart, +for their treachery, tyranny and lechery, but especially their usurping +the royal prerogatives of Christ, and this he was as sure of as his +hands were upon that cloth, yea and more sure, for he had that by sense, +but the other by faith.</p> + +<p>Mr. H. E.<a name="FNanchor_172" id="FNanchor_172"></a><a href="#Footnote_172" class="fnanchor">[172]</a> who suffered much by imprisonment and otherways in this +period, and though otherways a worthy good man, yet was so misled that +having one time premeditated a sermon, wherein he intended to speak +somewhat against Mr. Cameron and Mr. Cargil, (so far was he from taking +part with them): But on the Saturday's night he heard an audible voice +which said twice unto him, <i>audi</i>, he answered, <i>audio</i>, I hear: the +voice spoke again, and said, "Beware of calling Cameron's words, vain." +This stopt him from his intended purpose. This he told himself +afterwards unto an old reverend minister, who afterwards related the +matter as above said.</p> + +<p>When he came to preach in and about Cumnock, he was much opposed by the +lairds of Logan and Horseclugh, who represented him as a Jesuit, and a +vile naughty person. But yet some of the Lord's people, who had retained +their former faithfulness, gave him a call to preach in that parish. +When he began, he exhorted the people to mind that they were in the +sight and presence of a holy God, and that all of them were hastening to +an endless<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_406" id="Page_406">406</a></span> estate of either well or woe. One Andrew Dalziel, a +debauchee (a cocker or fowler), who was in the house, it being a stormy +day, 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 in +a few days upon you; and I, as a sent servant of Jesus Christ, whose +commission I bear, and whose badge I wear upon my breast, give you +warning, and leave you to the justice of God." Accordingly, in a few +days after, the said Andrew, being in perfect health, took his breakfast +plentifully, and before he rose fell a-vomiting, and vomited his heart's +blood in the very vessel out of which he had taken his breakfast; and +died in a most frightful manner. This admonishing passage, together with +the power and presence of the Lord going along with the gospel dispensed +by him, during the little time he was there, made the foresaid two +lairds desire a conference with him, which he readily assented to. After +which they were obliged to acknowledge, that they had been in the wrong +to him, and desired his forgiveness. He said, From his heart he forgave +them what wrongs they had done to him, but for what wrongs they had done +to the interest of Christ, it was not his part, but he was persuaded +that they would be remarkably punished for it. And to the laird of Logan +he said, That he should be written childless; and Horseclugh, That he +should suffer by burning. Both of which came afterwards to pass.</p> + +<p>Upon the fourth of July following (being 18 days before his death), he +preached 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-hours +to the enemy, some day or other shortly; and then my work and my time +will 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 a +crowned king of the name of Stuart in Scotland<a name="FNanchor_173" id="FNanchor_173"></a><a href="#Footnote_173" class="fnanchor">[173]</a>. <i>2dly</i>, There shall +not be an old covenanter's head above ground that swore these covenants +with uplifted hands, ere ye get a right reformation set up in Scotland. +<i>3dly</i>, 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 ye +get a right reformation, and several other shires shall be little +better. And <i>4thly</i>, The rod that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_407" id="Page_407">407</a></span> Lord will make instrumental in +this, will be the French and other foreigners, together with a party in +this 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 comes +to raise up his own work in Scotland, he will not want men enough to +work for him, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>In the week following, he preached in the parish of Carluke, upon these +words Isa. xl. 24. <i>Shall the prey be taken from the mighty?</i> &c. And +the Sabbath following, at Hind-Bottom near Crawford-John, he preached on +these words, <i>You will not come to me that you may have life.</i> In the +time of which sermon he fell a-weeping, and the greater part of the +multitude also, so that few dry cheeks were to be seen among them. After +this, unto the death of his death, he mostly kept his chamber door shut +until night; for the mistress of the house where he stayed, having been +several times at the door, got no access. At last she forced it up, and +found him very melancholy. She earnestly desired to know how it was with +him. He said, That weary promise I gave to these ministers has lain +heavy upon me, and for which my carcase shall dung the wilderness, and +that ere it be long. Being now near his end, he had such a large earnest +of the Spirit, which made him have such a longing desire for full +possession of the heavenly inheritance, that he seldom prayed in a +family, asked a blessing or gave thanks, but he requested patience to +wait until the Lord's appointed time came.</p> + +<p>His last-sabbath<a name="FNanchor_174" id="FNanchor_174"></a><a href="#Footnote_174" class="fnanchor">[174]</a> he preached (with Mr. Cargil in Clydesdale) on +Psal. xlvi. 10. <i>Be still and know that I am God</i>, &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 blood +should be their sign, and <i>no quarter</i> their word; and earnestly wished +that it might begin in Scotland. At their parting, they concluded to +meet the second Sabbath after this at Craigmead.—But he was killed on +the Thursday thereafter. And the Sabbath following, Mr. Cargil preached +in the parish of the Shots upon that text, <i>Know ye not that there is a +great man and prince fallen this day in Israel?</i></p> + +<p>The last night of his life, he was in the house of William Mitchel in +Meadow-head, at the water of Ayr, where about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_408" id="Page_408">408</a></span> 23 horse and 40 foot had +continued with him that week. That morning a woman gave him water to +wash 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 their +last washing, I have need to make them clean, for there are many to see +them. At this the woman's mother wept. He said, Weep not for me, but for +yourself and yours, and for the sins of a sinful land, for ye have many +melancholy, sorrowful and weary days before you.</p> + +<p>The people who remained with him were in some hesitation, whether they +should abide together for their own defence, or disperse and shift for +themselves. But that day, being the 22d of July, they were surprised by +Bruce of Earls-hall; who, having got command of Airely's troop and +Strahan's dragoons (upon notice given him by Sir John Cochran of +Ochiltree<a name="FNanchor_175" id="FNanchor_175"></a><a href="#Footnote_175" class="fnanchor">[175]</a>) came furiously upon them about four o'clock in the +afternoon, when lying on the east end of Airs-moss. When they saw the +enemy approaching, and no possibility of escaping, they all gathered +round about him, while he prayed a short word; wherein he repeated this +expression thrice over, Lord, spare the green and take the ripe. When +ended, he said to his brother with great intrepidity, Come, let us fight +it out to the last; for this is the day that I have longed for, and the +day that I have prayed for, to die fighting against our Lord's avowed +enemies: this is the day that we will get the crown.—And to the rest he +said, Be encouraged all of you to fight it out valiantly, for all of you +that shall fall this day, I see heaven's gates open to receive you.</p> + +<p>But the enemy approaching, they immediately drew up eight horse with him +on the right, the rest, with valiant Hackston, on the left, and the foot +in the middle; where they all behaved with much bravery until +overpowered by a superior number. At last Hackston was taken prisoner +(as will afterwards be more fully narrated) and Mr. Cameron was killed +on the spot, and his head and hands cut off by one Murray, and taken to +Edinburgh. His father being in prison for the same cause, they carried +them to him (to add<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_409" id="Page_409">409</a></span> 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, and +said, "I know, I know them; they are my son's, my own dear son's; it is +the 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.</p> + +<p>Thus this valiant soldier and minister of Jesus Christ came to his end, +after he had been not only highly instrumental in turning many souls +unto God, but also in lifting up a faithful standard for his royal Lord +and Master, against all his enemies, and the defections and sinful +compliances of that time. One of his and Christ's declared enemies, when +he took out his head at Edinburgh, gave him this testimony, saying, +"There the head and hands of a man who lived praying and preaching, and +died praying and fighting." And wherever the faithful contendings of the +once famous covenanted church of Scotland are honourably made mention +of, this, to his honour, shall be recorded of him.</p> + +<p>When he was slain, there was found upon him a short paper, or bond of +mutual defence, which the reader will find inserted in Wodrow's history, +and in the appendix to the cloud of witnesses. There are also some few +of his letters now published with Mr. Renwick's collection of letters, +but the only sermon of his that appeared in print formerly, is that +preached at Carluke, intitled, Good news to Scotland, published <i>anno</i> +1733. He wrote also in defence of the Sanquhar declaration, but we can +give no account of it ever being published. Some more of his sermons +were lately published.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><i>An <span class="smcap">Acrostic</span> on his Name.</i><br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><b>M</b>ost noble Cameron of renown,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>A</b> fame of thee shall ne'er go down;<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>S</b>ince truth with zeal thou didst pursue,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>T</b>o Zion's king loyal and true.<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>E</b>v'n when the dragon spil'd his flood,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>R</b>esist thou didst unto the blood:<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><b>R</b>an swiftly in thy Christian race,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>I</b>n faith and patience to that place<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>C</b>hrist did prepare to such as thee,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>H</b>e knew would not his standard flee.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_410" id="Page_410">410</a></span><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>A</b> pattern of valour and zeal,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>R</b>ather to suffer than to fail;<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>D</b>idst shew thyself with might and main,<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><b>C</b>ounting that dross others thought gain;<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>A</b> faithful witness 'gainst all those,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>M</b>en of all sorts did truth oppose;<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>E</b>ven thou with Moses didst esteem<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>R</b>eproaches for the God of heaven:<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>O</b>n him alone thou didst rely,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>N</b>ot sparing for his cause to die.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="David_Hackston_of_Rathillet" id="David_Hackston_of_Rathillet"></a><i>The Life of <span class="smcap">David Hackston</span> of Rathillet.</i></h2> + +<p>David Hackston of Rathillet, in the shire of Fife, is said in his +younger years to have been without the least sense of any thing +religious, until it pleased the Lord, in his infinite goodness, to +incline 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 of +the principles of religion in that period, he at last embarked himself +in that noble cause (for which he afterward suffered), with a full +resolution to stand and fall with the despised persecuted people, cause +and interest of Jesus Christ.</p> + +<p>There is no account of any public appearance that this worthy gentleman +made, 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, by +means of the arch-bishop, had got commission to harrass and persecute +all he could find (in the shire of Fife) for non-conformity; but not +finding him, when they were ready to drop the search, they +providentially met with their arch-enemy himself. Whenever they descried +his coach, one of them said, It seems that the Lord hath delivered him +into our hand; and proposed that they should choose one for their +leader, whose orders the rest were to obey. Upon which they chose David +Hackston for their commander; but he absolutely refused, upon account of +a difference subsisting betwixt Sharp and him in a civil process, +wherein he judged himself to have been wronged by the primate; which +deed he thought would give the world ground to think, it was rather out +of personal pique and revenge,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_411" id="Page_411">411</a></span> which he professed he was free of. They +then chose another, and came up with the coach; and having got the +bishop out, and given him some wounds, he fell on the ground. They +ordered him to pray, but, instead of that, seeing Rathillet at some +distance, (having never alighted from his horse), he crept towards him +on 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 on +you. At last he was killed; after which every one judged of the action +as their inclinations moved them. However, the deed was wholly charged +upon him (and his brother-in-law, Balfour of Kinloch) although he had no +active hand in this action.</p> + +<p>About the latter end of the same month of May, that he might not be +found wanting to the Lord's cause, interest and people, upon any +emergent or occasion, he, with some friends from Fife, joined that +suffering handful of the covenanters at Evandale, where, after he and +Mr. Hamilton, <i>&c.</i> had drawn up that declaration (afterward called the +Rutherglen declaration), he and Mr. Douglas went to the market cross of +Rutherglen, and upon the anniversary day the 29 of May, where they +extinguished the bonefire, and published the said testimony. They +returned back to Evandale, where they were attacked by Claverhouse, upon +the first of June near Drumclog. Here Mr. Hackston was appointed one of +the commanding officers (under Mr. Hamilton who commanded in chief), +where he behaved with much valour and gallantry during that +skirmish.—After which he was a very useful instrument among that +faithful remnant (as witness his repeated protests against the corrupt +and Erastian party), and had an active hand in the most part of the +public 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 battle +at Bothwel-bridge<a name="FNanchor_176" id="FNanchor_176"></a><a href="#Footnote_176" class="fnanchor">[176]</a>.</p> + +<p>But, this worthy and religious gentleman, being now declared a rebel to +the king (though no rebel to Zion's king), and a proclamation issued +out, wherein was a reward offered of 10,000 merks to any who could +inform of or apprehend him, or any of those concerned in the death of +the arch-bishop of St. Andrews. Upon this and the proclamation after +Bothwel, he was obliged to retire out of the way for about a year's +space. In which time he did not neglect to attend the gospel in the +fields, where-ever<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_412" id="Page_412">412</a></span> he could have it faithfully dispensed. But this +pious gentleman, having run fast and done much in a little time, it +could not be expected he should continue long, and upon the 22d of July +1680, having been with that little party a few days, who attended Mr. +Richard Cameron at Airs-moss, they were surprized by Bruce of +Earls-hall, Airly's troop and Strahan's dragoons.</p> + +<p>Here, being commander in chief of that little band, and seeing the enemy +approaching fast, he rode off to seek some strength of ground for their +better advantage, and the rest followed; but seeing they could go no +further, they turned back, and drew up quickly. Eight horse on the +right, and fifteen on the left; and the foot who were but ill armed in +the middle. He then asked, If they were all willing to fight? They all +answered, They were. Both armies advanced, and a strong party of the +enemies horse coming hard upon them, their horse fired, killed and +wounded severals of them, both horse and foot; after which they advanced +to 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 being +assaulted by severals with whom he fought a long time, they following +him and he them by turns, until he stuck in a bog, and the foremost of +them, one Ramsay, one of his acquaintance, who followed him in, and they +being on foot, fought with small swords, without much advantage on +either side. But at length closing, he was struck down by three on +horseback behind him; and falling after he had received three sore +wounds 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 gave +them all a testimony<a name="FNanchor_177" id="FNanchor_177"></a><a href="#Footnote_177" class="fnanchor">[177]</a> of brave resolute men. After this he was +brought to Douglas, and from thence to Lanerk, where Dalziel threatened +to roast him for not satisfying him with answers. After which he and +other three prisoners were taken to Edinburgh, where, by order of the +council, they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_413" id="Page_413">413</a></span> were received by the magistrates at the water-gate, and +he set on a horse's bare back, with his face backward, and the other +three 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, where +he was taken down, and the rest loosed by the hand of the hangman.</p> + +<p>He was immediately brought before the council, where his indictment was +read by the chancellor, and he examined, which examination and answers +thereunto being elsewhere<a name="FNanchor_178" id="FNanchor_178"></a><a href="#Footnote_178" class="fnanchor">[178]</a> inserted at large, it may suffice here to +observe, that being asked, if he thought the bishop's death murder? he +told them, That he was not obliged to answer such questions; yet he +would not call it so, but rather say, it was not murder. Being further +asked, If he owned the king's authority, he replied, "That though he was +not obliged to answer, yet as he was permitted to speak, he would say +something to that; and <i>1st</i>, That there could be no lawful authority +but what was of God, and that no authority stated in a direct opposition +to God could be of God, and that he knew of no authority nor justiciary +this 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 were +kything it, in that they were letting murderers, sorcerers, and such +others at liberty from justice, and employing them in their service, and +made it their whole work to oppress, kill and destroy the Lord's +people." Bishop Paterson asked, "If ever Pilate and that judicature, who +were 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 sacrilegious +covenant." Mr. Hackston said, "That God would own that covenant, when +none of them were to oppose it, <i>&c.</i>" Notwithstanding these bold, free, +and open answers, they threatened him with torture, but this he no-wise +regarded.</p> + +<p>Upon the 26th, he was again brought before the council, where he +answered much to the same purpose as before. The chancellor said, He was +a vicious man. He answered, That while he was so, he had been acceptable +to him, but now when otherwise it was not so. He asked him, If he would +yet own that cause with his blood, if at liberty?—He answered, That +both their fathers had owned it with the hazard of their blood before +him. Then he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_414" id="Page_414">414</a></span> was called by all a murderer.—He answered, God should +decide it betwixt them, to whom he referred it, who were most murderers +in 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 to +the best of the kingdom, which he thought little of, and as for his +parts, they were very small; yet he trusted so much to the goodness of +that cause for which he was a prisoner, that if they would give God that +justice, as to let his cause be disputed, he doubted not to plead it +against all that speak against it.</p> + +<p>Upon the 27, he was taken before the justiciary, where he declined the +king's authority as an usurper of the prerogative of the Son of God, +whereby he had involved the land in idolatry, perjury and other +wickedness; and declined them as exercising under him the supreme power +over the church, usurped from Jesus Christ, <i>&c.</i> and therefore durst +not, with his own consent, sustain them as competent judges; but +declined them as open and stated enemies to the living God, and +competitors for his throne and power, belonging to him only.</p> + +<p>On the 29, he was brought to his trial, where the council, in a most +unprecedented manner, appointed the manner of his execution; for they +well knew his judges would find him guilty. And upon Friday the 30th, +being brought again before them, they asked, If he had any more to +say.——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 and +receive his sentence, which he did, but told them, They were all +murderers; for all the power they had was derived from tyranny; and that +these years bygone they had not only tyrannized over the church of God, +but also grinded the faces of the poor, so that oppression, perjury and +bloodshed were to be found in their skirts.</p> + +<p>Upon this, he was carried from the bar on a hurdle drawn backwards, unto +the place of execution at the cross of Edinburgh. None were suffered to +be with him but two bailies, the executioner and his servants. He was +permitted to pray to God Almighty but not to speak to the people. Being +come upon the scaffold, his right hand was struck off, and a little +after his left; which he endured with great firmness and constancy. The +hangman being long in cutting off the right hand, he desired him to +strike in the joint of the left, which being done, he was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_415" id="Page_415">415</a></span> drawn up to +the top of the gallows with a pully, and suffered to fall down a +considerable way upon the lower scaffold three times with his whole +weight, 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 then +stuck 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 fire +prepared for that purpose, and having quartered his body, his head was +fixed on the Nether-bow; one of his quarters, with his hands at St. +Andrews; another at Glasgow; a third at Leith; and the fourth at +Bruntisland.——Thus fell this champion for the cause of Christ, a +sacrifice unto prelatic fury, to gratify the lust and ambition of wicked +and bloody men. Whether his courage, constancy or faithfulness had the +pre-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 too +little.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Robert_Ker_of_Kersland_Esq" id="Robert_Ker_of_Kersland_Esq"></a><i>The Life of <span class="smcap">Robert Ker</span> of Kersland, Esq.</i></h2> + +<p>Robert Ker of Kersland being born and educated in a very religious +family, began early to discover more than an ordinary zeal for religion. +But the first public appearance that we find he made for the cause, and +interest of religion, was in the year 1666, about Nov. 26, when he, +Caldwell and some others of the Renfrew gentlemen, gathered themselves +together, and marched eastward to join Col. Wallace and that little +handful who renewed the covenant at Lanerk. But, having heard that +General Dalziel was, by that time got betwixt them and their friends, +they were obliged to dismiss. But this could not escape the knowledge of +the managers: for the laird of Blackstoun one of their own number, upon +a promise of pardon, informed against the rest, and so redeemed his own +neck by accusing his neighbour.—But of this he had nothing to boast of +afterwards<a name="FNanchor_179" id="FNanchor_179"></a><a href="#Footnote_179" class="fnanchor">[179]</a>.</p> + +<p>Kersland was after this, obliged to retire out of the way; and the next +year he was forfeited in his life and fortune, and his estate given to +Lieut. General Drummond of Cromlie,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_416" id="Page_416">416</a></span> and his lands in Beith to William +Blair of that ilk, which estate they unjustly held until the +Revolution<a name="FNanchor_180" id="FNanchor_180"></a><a href="#Footnote_180" class="fnanchor">[180]</a>.</p> + +<p>After this, to elude the storm, he thought fit to retire and go over to +Holland; and there chose to live with his family at Utrecht;—where he +had the advantage of hearing the gospel and other excellent +conversation. In that place he continued near three years. But his +friends thinking it necessary, that he should come home to settle some +of his affairs, if possible, his lady returned home in the end of 1669, +and himself soon followed: but to his unspeakable grief, he found, when +he came to Edinburgh, that she was in a fever: She lodged in a woman's +house who was a favourer of the sufferers. And though he lodged in a +more private place, and only used to come in the evenings to visit his +sick lady; yet one Cannon of Mardrogate, who had not yet altogether cast +off the mask, at least his treachery and apostacy was not then +discovered, got notice of it—He soon gave information to the +Chancellor, and orders were procured from Lauderdale then in town, to +search that house on pretence that Mr. John Welch was keeping +conventicles in the Lady Kersland's chamber. But the design was for +Kersland himself, as the sequel will declare. Accordingly, a party came, +and finding no conventicle, were just going to retire. But one +Murray<a name="FNanchor_181" id="FNanchor_181"></a><a href="#Footnote_181" class="fnanchor">[181]</a> having particular notice from Mardrogate, that when any +company came to the room, Kersland in the evening used to retire behind +a bed; and having a torch in his hand, provided for that end, said, he +behoved to search the room: and so went straight behind the bed and +brought him out, charging him to render his arms. Kersland told him he +had none but the Bible, which he had then in his hand; and that was +enough to condemn him in these times.—At parting with his lady, she +shewed much calmness and composure, exhorting him to do nothing that +might wound his conscience out of regard to her or her children, and +repeated that text of scripture, <i>No man having put his hand to the +plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.</i></p> + +<p>He was forthwith taken to the guard, and then to the Abbey; where a +committee of the council, that same night, was gathered for his +examination. When he was brought before them, they asked him concerning +the lawfulness of the appearance at Pentland; which he, in plain terms, +owned to be lawful, and what he thought duty.—Upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_417" id="Page_417">417</a></span> which he was +immediately imprisoned. When going away, the Chancellor upbraided him +with what passed betwixt him and his lady, which he suffered with much +patience.</p> + +<p>He was near three months prisoner in Edinburgh; and from thence sent to +Dumbarton castle, where he continued near a year and a half. Then he was +ordered for Aberdeen, where he was kept close prisoner without fire for +three months space in the cold winter season.—From Aberdeen he was +brought south to Stirling castle, where he continued some years; and +then was, a second time, returned to Dumbarton, where he continued till +October 1677. Then the council confined him to Irvine, and allowed him +some time to transport himself and his family, then at Glasgow, into +that place.</p> + +<p>Coming to his family at Glasgow, he was visited by many friends and +acquaintance: and the same night, convoying the Lady Caldwall and her +daughter, he was taken by some of the guards, and kept in the guard +house till next day; when the commanding officer would have dismissed +him, but first he behoved to know the arch-bishop's pleasure, who +immediately ordered him a close prisoner in the tolbooth. The +arch-bishop took horse immediately for Edinburgh: Lady Kersland followed +after, if possible, to prevent misinformation.—In the mean time, a fire +breaking out in Glasgow, the tolbooth being in hazard, and the +magistrates refusing to let out the prisoners, the well affected people +of the town got long ladders and set the prisoners free, and Kersland +amongst the rest, after he had been eight years prisoner. After the +hurry was over, he inclined to have surrendered himself again prisoner; +but hearing from his lady of the arch-bishop's design against him, he +retired and absconded all that winter.<a name="FNanchor_182" id="FNanchor_182"></a><a href="#Footnote_182" class="fnanchor">[182]</a> In<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_418" id="Page_418">418</a></span> the spring and summer +following, he kept company with the persecuted ministers, and heard the +gospel preached in the fields, and was at communions, particularly that +at Maybole. About the beginning of harvest, 1678, he returned again to +his old retiring place Utrecht, where he continued until the day of his +death.</p> + +<p>When near his departure, his dear acquaintance Sir Robert Hamilton being +with him, and signifying to him that he might be spared as another Caleb +to see the good land when the storm was over; to whom, amongst his last +words, he said, "What is man before the Lord? yea, what is a nation? as +the drop of a bucket, or the small dust in the balance: yea, less than +nothing and vanity. But this much I can say in humility, that, through +free 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 the +Lord 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.</p> + +<p>It were superfluous to insist here upon the character of the thrice +renowned Ker. It is evident to all, he was a man of a great mind, far +above a servile and mercenary disposition.—He was, for a number of +years, hurried from place to place, and guarded from prison to prison. +He endured all this with undaunted courage.—He lost a good estate then +for the cause of Christ: and, though he got not the martyrs crown, yet +he beyond all doubt obtained the sufferers reward.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_419" id="Page_419">419</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Donald_Cargil" id="Mr_Donald_Cargil"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Donald Cargil</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Cargil seems to have been born sometime about the year 1610. He was +eldest son to a most respected family in the parish of Rattray. After he +had been sometime in the schools of Aberdeen, he went to St. Andrews, +where having perfected his course of philosophy, his Father prest upon +him much to study divinity, in order for the ministry; but he, through +tenderness of spirit, constantly refused, telling his father, That the +work of the ministry was too great a burden for his weak shoulders;—and +requested to command to any other employment he pleased. But his father +still continuing to urge him, he resolved to set apart a day of private +fasting to seek the Lord's mind therein. And after much wrestling with +the Lord by prayer, the third chapter of Ezekiel, and chiefly these +words in the first verse (<i>Son of man, eat this roll, and go speak unto +the house of Israel</i>), made a strong impression upon his mind, to that +he durst no longer refuse his father's desire, but dedicated himself +wholly unto that office.</p> + +<p>After this, he got a call to the Barony church of Glasgow. It was so +ordered by divine providence that the very first text the presbytery +ordered him to preach upon, was these words in the third of Ezekiel +(already mentioned) by which he was more confirmed that he had God's +call to that parish. This parish had been long vacant, by reason that +two ministers of the resolution party, <i>viz.</i> Messrs Young and Blair, +had still opposed the settlement of such godly men as had been called by +the people. But in reference to Mr. Cargil's call, they were, in God's +providence, much bound up from their wonted opposition. Here Mr. Cargil +perceiving the lightness and unconcerned behaviour of the people under +the word, was much discouraged thereat, so that he resolved to return +home and not accept the call; which when he was urged by some godly +ministers not to do, and his reasons asked, he answered, They are a +rebellious people. The ministers solicited him to stay, but in vain. But +when the horse was drawn, and he just going to begin his journey, being +in the house of Mr. Durham, when he had saluted several of his christian +friends that came to see him take horse, as he was taking farewel of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_420" id="Page_420">420</a></span> +certain godly woman, she said to him, "Sir, you have promised to preach +on 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 go +with 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 remained +and was settled in that parish, where he continued to exercise his +ministry with great success, to the unspeakable satisfaction both of his +own parish, and all the godly that heard and knew him, until that by the +unhappy restoration of Charles II. prelacy was again restored.</p> + +<p>Upon the 26th of May following, the day consecrated in commemoration of +the said restoration, he had occasion to preach in his own church (it +being his ordinary week-day's preaching) when he saw an unusual throng +of people come to hear him, thinking he had preached in compliance with +that solemnity. Upon entering the pulpit, he said, "We are not come here +to keep this day upon the account for which others keep it. We thought +once to have blessed the day, wherein the king came home again, but now +we think we shall have reason to curse it, and if any of you be come +here in order to the solemnizing of this day we desire you to remove." +And enlarging upon these words in the 9th of Hosea, <i>Rejoice not, O +Israel</i>, &c. he said, This is the first step of our going a-whoring from +God; and whoever of the Lord's people this day are rejoicing, their joy +will be like the crackling of thorns under a pot, it will soon be turned +to mourning; he (meaning the king) will be the wofullest sight that ever +the poor church of Scotland saw; wo, wo, wo unto him, his name shall +stink while the world stands, for treachery, tyranny and lechery.</p> + +<p>This did extremely enrage the malignant party against him, so that being +hotly pursued, he was obliged to abscond, remaining sometime in private +houses, and sometime lying all night without, among broom near the city, +yet never omitting any proper occasion of private preaching, catechizing +and visiting of families and other ministerial duties. But at length +when the churches were all vacated of presbyterians by an act of council +<i>anno</i> 1662. Middleton sent a band of soldiers to apprehend him, who, +coming to the church, found him not, he having providentially just +stepped 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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_421" id="Page_421">421</a></span> while the council passed an act of confinement, banishing +him unto the north side of the Tay, under penalty of being imprisoned +and prosecuted as a seditious person: But this sentence he no way +regarded.</p> + +<p>During this time, partly by grief for the ruin of God's work in the +land, and partly by the toils and inconveniences of his labours and +accommodation, his voice became so broken, that he could not be heard by +many together, which was a sore exercise to him, and discouragement to +preach in the fields; but one day, Mr. Blackater coming to preach near +Glasgow, he essayed to preach with him, and standing on a chair (as his +custom was) he lectured on Isa. xliv. 3. <i>I will pour water on him that +is thirsty</i>, &c. The people were much discouraged (knowing his voice to +be sore broken) lest they should not have heard by reason of the great +confluence. But it pleased the Lord to loose his tongue, and restore his +voice 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 door +of utterance given him, that Mr. Blackater, succeeding him, said to the +people, "Ye, that have such preaching, have no need to invite strangers +to preach to you; make good use of your mercy." After this he continued +to preach without the city, a great multitude attending and profiting by +his ministry, being wonderfully preserved in the midst of danger, the +enemy several times sending out to watch him, and catch something from +his mouth whereof they might accuse him, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>In the month of October 1665, they made a public search for him in the +city. But he, being informed, took horse, and rode out of town, and at a +narrow pass of the way he met a good number of musketteers. As he passed +them, 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 hearing +this, he put spurs to his horse, and so escaped.</p> + +<p>For about three years he usually resided in the house of one Margaret +Craig, a very godly woman, where he lectured morning and evening to such +as came to hear him. And though they searched strictly for him here, yet +providence so ordered it, that he was either casually or purposely +absent; for the Lord was often so gracious to him, that he left him not +without some notice of approaching hazard. Thus, one sabbath, as he was +going to Woodside to preach, as he was about to mount the horse, having<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_422" id="Page_422">422</a></span> +one foot in the stirrup, he turned about to his man, and said, I must +not go yonder to-day.—And in a little, a party of the enemy came there +in quest of him, but missing the mark they aimed at, they fell upon the +people, by apprehending and imprisoning severals of them.</p> + +<p>Another of his remarkable escapes was at a search made for him in the +city, where they came to his chamber and found him not, being +providentially in another house that night. But what is most remarkable, +being one day preaching privately in the house of one Mr. Calender, they +came 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 they +searched the very cieling of the house, until one of them fell through +the lower loft. Had they removed but one of the books, they would +certainly 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 maid +cried 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.</p> + +<p>Thus he continued until the 23d of November 1668. that the council, upon +information of a breach of his confinement, cited him to appear before +them on the 11th of January thereafter. But when he was apprehended and +compeared before the council, and strictly examined (wherein he was most +singularly strengthened to bear a faithful testimony to his Master's +honour and his persecuted cause and truths), yet by the interposition of +some persons of quality, his own friends, and his wife's relations, he +was dismissed and presently returned to Glasgow, and there performed all +the ministerial duties, as when in his own church, notwithstanding the +diligence of persecutors in searching for him again.</p> + +<p>Some time before Bothwel, notwithstanding all the searches that were +made for him by the enemy, which were both strict and frequent, he +preached publicly for eighteen Sabbath-days to multitudes, consisting of +several thousands, within a little more than a quarter of a mile of the +city of Glasgow; yea, so near it, that the psalms when singing were +heard through several parts of it; and yet all this time uninterrupted.</p> + +<p>At Bothwel being taken by the enemy, and struck down to the ground with +a sword, seeing nothing but present death for him, having received +several dangerous wounds in the head, one of the soldiers asked his +name; he told him it was Donald Cargil, another asked him, if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_423" id="Page_423">423</a></span> he was a +minister? He answered, he was: whereupon they let him go. When his +wounds were examined, he feared to ask if they were mortal, desiring, in +submission to God, to live, judging that the Lord had yet further work +for him to accomplish.</p> + +<p>Some time after the fight at Bothwel, he was pursued from his own +chamber out of town, and forced to go through several thorn hedges. But +he was no sooner out, than he saw a troop of dragoons just opposite to +him, back he could not go, soldiers being posted every where to catch +him; 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 the +other side, who called to him, but he made them no answer. And going +about a mile up the water he escaped, and preached at Langside next +Sabbath without interruption. At another time, being in a house beset +with soldiers, he went through the midst of them, they thinking it was +the goodman of the house, and escaped.</p> + +<p>After Bothwel,<a name="FNanchor_183" id="FNanchor_183"></a><a href="#Footnote_183" class="fnanchor">[183]</a> he fell into a deep exercise anent his call to the +ministry, but, by the grace and goodness of God, he soon emerged out of +that, and also got much light anent the duty of the day, being a +faithful contender against the enemy's usurped power, and against the +sinful compliance of ministers, in accepting the indulgence, with +indemnities, oaths, bonds, and all other corruptions.</p> + +<p>There was a certain woman in Rutherglen, about two miles from Glasgow, +who, by the instigation of some, both ministers and professors, was +persuaded to advise her husband to go but once to hear the curate, to +prevent 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 them +dropt down dead at her feet, and Satan, as she conceived, appeared unto +her; which cast her under sad and sore exercises and desertion: so that +she was brought to question her interest in Christ, and all that had +formerly passed betwixt God and her soul, and was often tempted to +destroy herself, and sundry times attempted it. Being before known to be +an eminent Christian, she was visited by many Christians; but without +success: still crying out, she was undone; she had denied Christ, and he +had denied<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_424" id="Page_424">424</a></span> her. After a long time's continuance of this exercise, she +cried for Mr. Cargil; who came to her, but found her distemper so +strong, that for several visits he was obliged to leave her as he found +her, to his no small grief. However, after setting some days apart on +her behalf, he at last came again to her; but finding her no better, +still rejecting all comfort, still crying out, That she had no interest +in the mercy of God, or merits of Christ, but had sinned the +unpardonable sin; he, looking in her face for a considerable time, took +out his Bible, and naming her, said, "I have this day a commission from +my 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 this +Bible, that you are willing to quit all right, interest in, or pretence +unto him:" and then he offered her pen and ink for that purpose. She was +silent for some time; but at last cried out, "O! <i>salvation is come unto +this house.</i> I take him; I take him on his own terms, as he is offered +unto me by his faithful ambassador." From that time her bonds were +loosed.</p> + +<p>One time, Mr. Cargil, Mr. Walter Smith, and some other Christian friends +being met in a friend's house in Edinburgh, one of the company, having +got notice, told him of the general bonding of the west country +gentlemen for suppressing the field meetings, and for putting all out of +their grounds who frequented them. After sitting silent for some time, +he answered, with several heavy sighs and groans, The enemy have been +long filling up their cup; and ministers and professors must have time +to fill up theirs also; and it shall not be full till enemies and they +be clasped in one another's arms; and then, as the Lord lives, he will +bring the wheel of his wrath and justice over them altogether.</p> + +<p>Some time after the beginning of the year 1680, he retired toward the +frith 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 the +house of one Robert Puntens, in Carlowrie, where a surgeon dressed his +wounds, and Mrs. Puntens gave him some warm milk, and he lay in their +barn all night. From thence he went to the south, and next Sabbath +preached at Cairn-hill, somewhere adjacent to Loudon, in his blood and +wounds (for no danger could stop him from going about doing good). His +text was in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_425" id="Page_425">425</a></span> Heb. xi. 32. <i>And shall I more say, for time would fail me +to tell of Gideon</i>, &c. At night some persons said to him, We think, +Sir, preaching and praying go best with you when your danger and +distress are greatest. He said, It had been so, and he hoped it would be +so, that the more that enemies and others did thrust at him that he +might fall, the more sensibly the Lord had helped him; and then (as it +had been to himself) he repeated these words, <i>The Lord is my strength +and song, and has become my salvation</i>, in the 118th psalm, which was +the psalm he sung upon the scaffold.</p> + +<p>After this, he and Mr. Richard Cameron met and preached together in +Darmeid-muir, and other places, until that Mr. Cameron was slain at +Airs-moss, and then he went north, where, in the month of September +following, he had a most numerous meeting at the Torwood near Stirling, +where he pronounced the sentence of excommunication against some of the +most violent persecutors of that day, as formally as the present state +of things could then permit. Some time before this, it is said, he was +very remote and spoke very little in company; only to some he said, He +had 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 in +Europe also. It is said<a name="FNanchor_184" id="FNanchor_184"></a><a href="#Footnote_184" class="fnanchor">[184]</a>, that nobody knew what he was to do that +morning, except Mr. Walt Smith, to whom he imparted the thoughts of his +heart. When he began, some friends feared he would be shot. His +landlord, in whose house he had been that night, cast his coat and ran +for it. In the forenoon he lectured on Ezek. xxi. 25, <i>&c.</i> and preached +on 1 Cor. v. 13. and then discoursed some time on the nature of +excommunication, and then proceeded to the sentence; after which, in the +afternoon, he preached from Lam. iii. 31, 32. <i>For the Lord will not +cast off for ever.</i></p> + +<p>The next Lord's day he preached at Fallow-hill in the parish of +Livingston. In the preface he said, "I know I am and will be condemned +by 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 done +on earth is ratified in heaven; for, if ever I knew the mind of God, and +was 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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_426" id="Page_426">426</a></span> binding upon them, +ere they go off the stage, and be obliged to confess it, <i>&c.</i> (2.) If +these men die the ordinary death of men, then God hath not spoken by +me<a name="FNanchor_185" id="FNanchor_185"></a><a href="#Footnote_185" class="fnanchor">[185]</a>."</p> + +<p>About the 22d of October following, a long and severe proclamation was +issued out against him and his followers, wherein a reward of 5000 merks +was offered for apprehending him, <i>&c.</i>—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 to +Edinburgh with the letters, and, after a most diligent search, found him +in the west bow. Mr. Cargil being willing to answer the call, Henderson +proposed to go before, and have a boat ready at the Ferry against they +came; and, that he might know them, he desired to see Mr. Cargil's +cloath, (Mr. Skeen and Mr. Boig being in the same room). In the mean +time he had Middleton's soldiers lying at the Mutton-hole, about three +miles from Edinburgh, <i>&c.</i> Mr. Skeen, Archibald Stuart, Mrs. Muir and +Marion Hervey took the way before on foot, Mr. Cargil and Mr. Boig being +to follow on horseback. Whenever they came to the place, the soldiers +spied them; but Mrs. Muir escaped, and went and stopped Mr. Cargil and +Mr. Boig, who fled back to Edinburgh.</p> + +<p>After this remarkable escape, Mr. Cargil, seeing nothing but the violent +flames of treachery and tyranny against him above all others, retired +for about three months to England, where the Lord blessed his labours, +to the conviction and edification of many. In the time of his absence +that delusion of the Gibbites arose, from one John Gib sailor in +Borrowstoness, who, with other three men and twenty-six women, vented +and maintained the most strange delusions. Some time after, Mr. Cargil +returned from England,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_427" id="Page_427">427</a></span> and was at no small pains to reclaim them, but +with little success. After his last conference with them<a name="FNanchor_186" id="FNanchor_186"></a><a href="#Footnote_186" class="fnanchor">[186]</a> (at +Darngavel in Cambusnethen parish) he come next sabbath, and preached at +the Underbank wood, below Lanerk, and from thence to Loudon-hill, where +he preached upon a fast day, being the 5th of May. Here he intended only +to have preached once, and to have baptized some children. His text was, +<i>No man that hath followed me in the regeneration</i>, &c. When sermon was +over, and the children baptized, more children came up; whereupon +friends pressed him to preach in the afternoon; which he did from these +words, <i>Weep not for me</i>, &c. In the mean while, the enemy at Glasgow, +getting notice of this meeting, seized all the horses in and about the +town, that they could come by, and mounted in quest of him; yea, such +was their haste and fury, that one of the soldiers, who happened to be +behind 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's +approach. They (having no centinels that day, which was not their +ordinary) 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 confusion +Mr. Cargil was running straight on the enemy, but Gavin Wotherspoon and +others baled him to the moss, unto which the people fled. The dragoons +fired hard upon them, but there were none either killed or taken that +day.</p> + +<p>About this time, some spoke to Mr. Cargil of his preaching and praying +short. They said, "O Sir, it is long betwixt meals, and we are in a +starving 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 in +good earnest to pray, I never durst preach and pray with my gifts; and +when my heart is not affected, and comes not up with my mouth, I always +thought it time to quit it. What comes not from the heart, I have little +hope it will go to the hearts of others." Then he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_428" id="Page_428">428</a></span> repeated these words +in the 51st psalm, <i>Then will I teach transgressors thy way</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>From Loudon hill he took a tour through Ayr-shire to Carrick and +Galloway, preaching, baptizing, and marrying some people; but stayed not +long until he returned to Clydesdale. He designed, after his return, to +have preached one day at Tinto-hill, but the lady of St. John's kirk +gave it out to be at Home-common. He, being in the house of John Liddel +near Tinto, went out to spend the Sabbath morning by himself, and seeing +the people all passing by, he inquired the reason, which being told, he +rose and followed them five miles. The morning being warm (about the +first of June) and the heights steep, he was very much fatigued before +he got to the place, where a man gave him a drink of water out of his +bonnet, and another between sermons; this being the best entertainment +he got that day, for he had tasted nothing in the morning. Here he +lectured on the 6th of Isaiah, and preached on these words, <i>Be not +high-minded, but fear</i>, &c. From thence he went to Fife, and baptized +many children, and preached one day at Daven-common, and then returned +to the Benry-ridge in Cambusnethen, where he received a call from the +hands of two men, to come back to Galloway, but got it not +answered<a name="FNanchor_187" id="FNanchor_187"></a><a href="#Footnote_187" class="fnanchor">[187]</a>.</p> + +<p>Mr. Cargil, in that short time, had ran very fast towards his end<a name="FNanchor_188" id="FNanchor_188"></a><a href="#Footnote_188" class="fnanchor">[188]</a>, +which now hastens apace. Having left the Benry-ridge, he preached one +day at Auchingilloch<a name="FNanchor_189" id="FNanchor_189"></a><a href="#Footnote_189" class="fnanchor">[189]</a>, and then came to preach his last sermon on +Dunsyre-common, (betwixt Clydesdale and Lothian) upon that text, Isa. +xxvi. 20. <i>Come, my people, and enter into your chambers</i>, &c.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_429" id="Page_429">429</a></span> +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, to +the house of one Andrew Fisher. In the mean time, James Irvin of +Bonshaw, having got a general commission, marched with a party of +dragoons from Kilbride, and next morning, by sun-rising, came to St. +John's kirk, and having searched it, he searched also the house of one +Thomson, and then came to Covington mill, and there apprehended him, Mr. +Smith and Mr. Boig. Bonshaw, when he found them, cried out, O blessed +Bonshaw! and blessed day that ever I was born! that has found such a +prize! a prize of 5000 marks for apprehending of him this morning! They +marched hard to Lanerk, and put them in jail, until they got some +refreshment, and then brought them out in haste, got horses and set the +prisoners on their bare backs. Bonshaw tied Mr. Cargil's feet below the +horse's belly (with his own hand) very hard, at which this good man +looked down to him, and said, "Why do you tie me so hard? your +wickedness 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." Which +accordingly 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." +<i>Mischief shall hunt the violent man.</i></p> + +<p>They came to Glasgow in haste, fearing a rescue of the prisoners, and +while waiting at the tolbooth till the magistrates came to receive them, +one John Nisbet, the arch-bishop's rector, said to Mr. Cargil in +ridicule, three times over, Will you give us one word more, (alluding to +an expression he used sometime when preaching) to whom Mr. Cargil said +with regret, "<i>Mock not, lest your hands be made strong.</i> The day is +coming, when you will not have one word to say though you would." This +also came quickly to pass, for, not many days after, he fell suddenly +ill, and for three days his tongue swelled, and though he was most +earnest to speak, yet he could not command one word, and died in great +torment and seeming terror.</p> + +<p>From Glasgow they were taken to Edinburgh; and July 15th, were brought +before the council. Chancellor Rothes (being one of those whom he +excommunicated at Torwood) raged against him, threatening him with +torture and a violent death. To whom he said. "My lord Rothes forbear to +threaten me, for die what death I will, your eyes shall not see +it."—Which accordingly came to pass,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_430" id="Page_430">430</a></span> for he died the morning of that +day, in the afternoon of which Mr. Cargil was executed.</p> + +<p>When before the council, he was asked, If he owned the king's authority, +<i>&c.</i>? He answered, As the magistrates authority is now established by +the act of parliament and explanatory act, that he denied the same. +Being also examined anent the excommunication at Torwood, he declined to +answer, as being an ecclesiastical matter, and they a civil judicatory. +He owned the lawfulness of defensive arms in cases of necessity, and +denied that those who rose at Bothwel, <i>&c.</i> were rebels; and being +interrogate anent the Sanquhar declaration, he declined to give his +judgment until he had more time to peruse the contents thereof. He +further declared, he could not give his sense of the killing of the +bishop; but that the scriptures say, Upon the Lord's giving a call to a +private man to kill, he might do it lawfully; and gave the instances of +Jael and Phinehas. These were the most material points on which he was +examined<a name="FNanchor_190" id="FNanchor_190"></a><a href="#Footnote_190" class="fnanchor">[190]</a>.</p> + +<p>While he was in prison a gentlewoman (who came to visit him) told him +weeping, "That these heaven-daring enemies were contriving a most +violent death for him; some, a barrel with many pikes to roll him in; +others, an iron chair red-hot to roast him in, <i>&c.</i>" But he said, "Let +you, nor none of the Lord's people be troubled for these things, for all +that they will get liberty to do to me will be to knit me up, cut me +down, and chop off my old head, and then fare them well; they have done +with me and I with them for ever."</p> + +<p>He was again before the council on the 19th, but refused to answer their +questions, except anent the excommunication, wherein he exprest himself +much 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 earl +of Argyle, rejected, who doomed him to the gallows, there to die like a +traitor.</p> + +<p>Upon the 26th, he was brought before the justiciary, and indicted in +common form. His confession being produced in evidence against him, he +was brought in guilty of high treason, and condemned, with the rest, to +be hanged at the cross of Edinburgh, and his head placed on the +Nether-bow. When they came to these words, in his indictment, viz. +<i>having cast off all fear of God</i>, &c. he caused the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_431" id="Page_431">431</a></span> clerk to stop, and +(pointing to the advocate Sir George MacKenzie) said, "The man that hath +caused that paper to be drawn up, hath done it contrary to the light of +his own conscience, for he knoweth that I have been a fearer of God from +mine 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 was +destroyed, <i>&c.</i> I say, he is the man that hath cast off all fear of +God." The advocate stormed at this, but could not deny the truth +thereof.</p> + +<p>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 a +joyful sound to me, and all that will be found having on Christ's +righteousness."</p> + +<p>Being come to the scaffold, he stood with his back to the ladder, and +desired the attention of the numerous spectators, and after singing from +the 16th verse of the 118th psalm, he began to speak to three sorts of +people, but being interrupted by the drums, he said, with a smiling +countenance, Ye see we have not liberty to speak, or speak what we +would, but God knoweth our hearts. As he proceeded, he was again +interrupted. Then after a little pause or silence he begin to exhort the +people; and to shew his own comfort in laying down his life, in the +assurance of a blessed eternity, expressing himself in these words, +"Now, I am as sure of my interest in Christ and peace with God, as all +within this Bible and the Spirit of God can make me; and I am fully +persuaded that this is the very way for which I suffer, and that he will +return gloriously to Scotland; but it will be terrifying to many. +Therefore I intreat you, be not discouraged at the way of Christ, and +the 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 now +this 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 long +they shall be enraged one against another, to their own confusion;" here +the drums did beat a third time. Then setting his foot on the ladder, he +said, "The Lord knows I go on this ladder with less fear and +perturbation of mind, than ever I entered the pulpit to preach."—When +up, he sat down and said, "Now I am near the getting of the crown, which +shall be sure, for which I bless the Lord, and desire all of you to +bless him, that he hath brought me here, and made me triumph over +devils, men and sin; They shall wound me no more. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_432" id="Page_432">432</a></span> forgive all men the +wrongs 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 within +himself, he lifted up the napkin and said, "Farewel all relations and +friends in Christ; farewel acquaintances and earthly enjoyments; farewel +reading and preaching, praying and believing, wanderings, reproach and +sufferings. Welcome Father, Son and Holy Ghost; into thy hands I commit +my spirit." Then he prayed a little, and the executioner turned him over +as he was praying; and so he finished his course, and the ministry that +he had received of the Lord.</p> + +<p>Take his character from Sir Robert Hamilton of Preston, who was his +contemporary.—He was affectionate, affable and tender-hearted to all +such as he thought had any thing of the image of God in them; sober and +temperate in his diet, saying commonly, It was well won that was won off +the flesh; generous, liberal and most charitable to the poor; a great +hater of covetousness; a frequent visiter of the sick; much alone; +loving to be retired; but when about his Master's public work, laying +hold of every opportunity to edify; in conversation still dropping what +might minister grace to the hearers; his countenance was edifying to +beholders; often sighing with deep groans; preaching in season, and out +of 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 whole +nights together; wherein it was observed that, both in secret and in +families, he always sat straight up upon his knees with his hands lifted +up, and in this posture (as some took notice) he died with the rope +about his neck.</p> + +<p>Beside his last speech and testimony, and several other religious +letters, with the lecture, sermon and sentence of excommunication at +Torwood, which were all published, there are also several other sermons +and notes of sermons interspersed, among some people's hands in print +and manuscript, some of which were lately published. Yet if we may +believe one<a name="FNanchor_191" id="FNanchor_191"></a><a href="#Footnote_191" class="fnanchor">[191]</a> who heard severals of them preached, they are nothing +to what they were when delivered; and however pathetical, yet doubtless +far inferior to what they would have been, had they been corrected and +published by the worthy author himself.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_433" id="Page_433">433</a></span></p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><i>Follows an <span class="smcap">Acrostick</span> on his Name.</i><br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><b>M</b>ost sweet and savoury is thy fame,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>A</b>nd more renowned is thy name,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>S</b>urely than any can record,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>T</b>hou highly favoured of the Lord.<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>E</b>xalted thou on earth didst live;<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>R</b>ich grace to thee the Lord did give.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><b>D</b>uring the time thou dwelt below,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>O</b>n in a course to heaven didst go.<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>N</b>ot casten down with doubts and fears,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>A</b>ssured of heaven near thirty years.<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>L</b>abour thou didst in Christ's vineyard;<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>D</b>iligent wast, no time thou spar'd.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><b>C</b>hrist's standard thou didst bear alone,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>A</b>fter others from it were gone.<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>R</b>ight zeal for truth was found in thee,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>G</b>reat sinners censur'dst faithfully.<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>I</b>n holding truth didst constant prove,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>L</b>aidst down thy life out of true love.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<i>June 21st, 1741.</i> <span style="padding-left:8em;">W. W.</span> +</div></div> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Walter_Smith" id="Mr_Walter_Smith"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Walter Smith</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Walter Smith was son to Walter Smith in the parish of St. Ninian's, near +Airth in Stirling-shire. He was an eminent Christian and good scholar. +He went over to Holland, where he studied sometime under the famous +Leusden, who had a great esteem and value for him, as being one both of +high attainments and great experience in the serious exercise and solid +practice of christianity.</p> + +<p>In the year 1679, we find that he made no mean figure among that little +handful of the Lord's suffering remnant, who rose in their own defence +at 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 honour +not only to witness and protest against the sinful compliance of that +corrupt Erastian party, that then foisted themselves in amongst them, +but was also one of those three who were then appointed to draw up the +causes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_434" id="Page_434">434</a></span> of the Lord's wrath against the land, and the Hamilton +declaration was to be one of the last causes thereof, with a new +declaration which they intended to have published at that time; and +although both of these were undertaken, yet the Lord did not honour them +to publish the same, as some of them with great regret, unto their dying +day, did acknowledge.<a name="FNanchor_192" id="FNanchor_192"></a><a href="#Footnote_192" class="fnanchor">[192]</a></p> + +<p>After the overthrow and dissipation of the covenanters at Bothwel +(wherein the Erastian party among them had no little hand), it appears +that Mr. Smith went over, for some time to Holland, but did not stay +long; 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 and +advice in difficult cases, and praying in families (when he was fatigued +with sore travel, being an old man, and going then often on foot), and +many times in public preaching days precenting for him.</p> + +<p>He had a longing desire to preach Christ, and him crucified unto the +world, and the word of salvation thro' his name. Mr. Cargil had the same +desire, and for that end, it is said, had written to two ministers to +meet him at Cummerhead in Lismehago in Clydesdale, but ere that day +came, that door was closed (for they were in the enemies hands). However +Mr. Smith followed the example of our blessed Lord and Saviour, in going +about doing good, in many places and to many persons, in spiritual, +edifying conversation, and was a singular example of true piety and +zeal, which had more influence upon many than most part of the ministers +of that day.</p> + +<p>A little before his death he drew up twenty-two rules for fellowship or +society meetings, which at that time greatly increased, from the river +Tay to Newcastle, in which he was very instrumental, which afterwards +settled unto a general and quarterly correspondence four times yearly, +that so they might speak one with another, when they wanted the public +preaching of the gospel; and to appoint general fasting days through the +whole community, wherein their own sins, and the prevailing sins and +defections of the times, were the principal causes thereof; and that +each society was to meet and spend some time of the Lord's day together, +when deprived of the public ordinances<a name="FNanchor_193" id="FNanchor_193"></a><a href="#Footnote_193" class="fnanchor">[193]</a>. Mr. Cargil said,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_435" id="Page_435">435</a></span> That +these society-meetings would increase more and more for a time; but when +the judgment came upon these sinful lands, there would be few standing +society-meetings, when there would be most need, few mourners, prayers, +pleaders, <i>&c.</i> what through carnality, security, darkness, deadness and +divisions.</p> + +<p>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 on +Dunsyre common, betwixt Clydesdale and Lothian, he was next morning, by +wicked Bonshaw (who had formerly traded in fine horses betwixt the two +kingdoms), apprehended at Covington-mill. He was, with the rest of the +prisoners, carried from Lanerk to Glasgow, and from thence taken to +Edinburgh, where, upon the 15th of July, he was brought before the +council, and there examined if he owned the king and his authority as +lawful? He answered, "He cannot acknowledge the present authority the +king is now invested with, and the exercise thereof, being now clothed +with a supremacy over the church." Being interrogate, If the king's +falling from the covenant looses him from his obedience, and if the king +thereby loses his authority? He answered, "He thinks he is obliged to +perform all the duties of the covenant, conform to the word of God, and +the king is only to be obeyed in terms of the covenant." Being further +interrogate anent the Torwood excommunication, he declared, He thought +their reasons were just.</p> + +<p>On the 19th he was again brought before them and interrogate, If he +owned the Sanquhar declaration? It was then read to him, and he owned +the same in all its articles, except that he looked not upon these +persons as the formal representatives of the presbyterian church, as +they called themselves. And as to that expression, The king should have +been denuded many years ago, he did not like the word <i>denuded</i>, but +said, What the king has done justifies the peoples revolting against +him. As to these words, where the king is called an usurper and a +tyrant, he said, Certainly the king is an usurper, and wished he was not +a tyrant.</p> + +<p>Upon the 20. he was with the rest, brought before the justiciary, where, +being indicted in common form, their confessions were produced as +evidences against them, and they all brought in guilty of high treason, +and condemned to be hanged at the cross of Edinburgh upon the 27. and +their heads to be severed from their bodies, and those of Messrs. +Cargil, Smith and Boig to be placed on the Nether-bow,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_436" id="Page_436">436</a></span> and the heads of +the others on the West-port, all which was done accordingly.</p> + +<p>After Mr. Cargil was executed, Mr. Smith was brought upon the scaffold, +where he adhered to the very same cause with Mr. Cargil, and declared +the same usurpation of Christ's crown and dignity, and died with great +assurance of his interest in Christ, declaring his abhorrence of popery, +prelacy, erastianism and all other steps of defection. He went up the +ladder with all signs of cheerfulness, and when the executioner was to +untie his cravat, he would not suffer him, but untied it himself, and +calling to his brother, he threw it down, saying, This is the last token +you shall get from me. After the napkin was drawn over his face, he +uncovered 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 would +set time apart, and sing a song of praise to the Lord, for what he has +done for my soul, and my soul saith, To him be praise. Then the napkin +being let down, he was turned over praying, and died in the Lord, with +his face bending upon Mr. Cargil's breast. These two cleaved to one +another, in love and unity, in their life; and between them in their +death, there was no disparity. <i>Saul and Jonathan were lovely and +pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>The now glorified Mr. Walter Smith was a man no less learned than pious, +faithful and religious. His old master, the professor of divinity at +Utrecht in Holland (when he heard of his public violent bloody death of +martyrdom), 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 some +letters, and the forementioned twenty-two rules for fellowship meetings, +he wrote also twenty-two steps of national defection; all which are now +published; and if these, with his last testimony, be rightly considered, +it will appear that his writings were inferior to few of the contendings +of that time.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_437" id="Page_437">437</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Robert_Garnock" id="Mr_Robert_Garnock"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Robert Garnock</span>.</i><a name="FNanchor_194" id="FNanchor_194"></a><a href="#Footnote_194" class="fnanchor">[194]</a></h2> + +<p>Robert Garnock was born in Stirling, <i>anno</i> ——, and baptized by +faithful Mr. James Guthrie. In his younger years, his parents took much +pains to train him up in the way of duty: but soon after the +restoration, the faithful presbyterian ministers being turned out, +curates were put in their place, and with them came ignorance, profanity +and persecution.—Some time after this, Mr. Law preached at his own +house in Monteith, and one Mr. Hutchison sometimes at Kippen. Being one +Saturday's evening gone out to his grandmother's house in the country, +and having an uncle who frequented these meetings, he went along with +him unto a place called Shield-brae.—And next Sabbath he went with him +through 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 considerable +time to go out in the end of the week for an opportunity of hearing the +gospel, and to return in the beginning of next week to Stirling, but did +not let his parents know anything of the matter.</p> + +<p>But one time, hearing a proclamation read at the cross exhibiting, that +all who did not hear or receive privileges from the curates were to be +severely punished; which much troubled his mind, making him hesitate +whether 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 Lord +inclined my heart to go and put that word to me, go for once, go for +all, if they take thee, for that which is to come. So I went there, and +the Lord did me good: for I got at that sermon that which, although they +had rent me into a thousand pieces, I would not have said what I had +said before. So the Lord made me follow the gospel for a long time; and +tho' I knew little then what I meant, yet he put it in my heart still to +keep by the honest side, and not to comply or join with enemies of one +kind or another,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_438" id="Page_438">438</a></span> yea not to watch, ward or strengthen their hands any +manner of way. When I was asked, why I would not keep watch (or stand +centry) on the town; it was a commanded duty; I told them, I would not +lift arms against the work of God. If ever I carried arms, it should be +for the defence of the gospel."</p> + +<p>Now, he became a persecuted man, and was obliged to leave the town. His +father being a black-smith, he had learned the same trade, and so he +went some time to Glasgow, and followed his occupation. From Glasgow he +returned home; and from thence went again to Borrowstouness, where he +had great debate, as himself expresses it,—"about that woeful +indulgence: I did not know the dreadful hazard of hearing them, until I +saw they preached at the hazard of men's lives.—This made me examine +the matter, until I found out that they were directly wrong and contrary +to scripture, had changed their head, had quitted Jesus Christ as their +head, and had taken their commission from men, owning that perjured +adulterous wretch as head of the church, receiving then commission to +preach in such and such places from him and those bloody thieves under +him."</p> + +<p>From Borrowstouness he returned back to Falkirk; and thence home to +Stirling, where he remained for some time under a series of +difficulties: for, after he got off when taken with others at the +Shield-brae,—while he was making bold to visit Mr. Skeen, he was taken +in the castle, and kept all night, and used very barbarously by the +soldiers, and at eight o'clock next morning taken before the provost, +who not being then at leisure, he was imprisoned till afternoon. But by +the intercession of one Colin M'Kinzie (to whom his father was smith) he +was got out, and without so much as paying the jailor's fee. "I had much +of the Lord's kindness at that time, (says he) although I did not know +then what it meant, and so I was thrust forth unto my wandering again."</p> + +<p>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 some +time, and yet he remarks, he had some sweet times in this condition; +particularly one night, when he was down in the Carfe with one Barton +Hendry;<a name="FNanchor_195" id="FNanchor_195"></a><a href="#Footnote_195" class="fnanchor">[195]</a> after which heavy trials ensued unto him from professors; +because he testified against every kind of their compliance with the +current of the times. Upon this account, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_439" id="Page_439">439</a></span> society meeting he was in +and he could not agree. This made him leave them, and go to one in the +country; which, he says, "were more sound in judgment, and of an +undaunted courage and zeal for God and his cause; for the life of +religion was in that society."</p> + +<p>At this time, he fell into such a degree of temptation by the devices of +the enemy of man's salvation, that he was made to supplicate the Lord +several times that he might not be permitted to a affright him in some +visible shape, which he then apprehended he was attempting to do. But +from these dreadful oppressions he was at last, through the goodness of +God, happily delivered.<a name="FNanchor_196" id="FNanchor_196"></a><a href="#Footnote_196" class="fnanchor">[196]</a> Although, as yet, he knew but little of +experimental religion. And, says he, "The world thought I had religion: +but to know the hidden things of godliness was yet a mystery to me. I +did not know any thing as yet of the new birth, or what it was +spiritually to take the kingdom of heaven by violence, <i>&c.</i>" Which +serves to shew, that one may do and suffer many things for Christ and +religion, and yet at the same time be a stranger to the life and power +thereof.</p> + +<p>But anon he falls into another difficulty; for a proclamation being +issued, that all betwixt thirteen and sixty was to pay Poll-money; word +was sent his father, that if he would pay it, he should have his +liberty; which was no small temptation. But this he absolutely refused, +and also told his father plainly (when urged by him to do it) that, if +one plack (or four pennies) would do it, he would not give it. His +father 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 for +the result of the matter, hear his own words: "And O! but the Lord was +kind to me then; and his love was better than life. I was tossed in my +wanderings and banishment with many ups and downs, till I came to +Edinburgh, 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 me +with such a lot as that was: for the 20, 21 and 22 of April [1677] were +the three most wonderful days with the Lord's presence that ever I saw +on earth. O! but his power was wonderfully seen, and great to all the +assembly, especially to me. Of the three wonderful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_440" id="Page_440">440</a></span> days of the Lord's +presence at East-Nisbet in the Merse. That was the greatest communion, I +suppose, these twenty years. I got there what I will never forget while +I live. Glory to his sweet name that ever there was such a day in +Scotland. 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 that +day sitting at the head of his table, and his spikenard <i>sending forth a +pleasant smell</i>. Both good and bad were made to cry out, and some to +say, with the disciples, <i>It is good for us to be here</i>. They would have +been content to have staid there. And I thought it was a begun heaven to +be in that place."</p> + +<p>After this, he returned home to Stirling, and got liberty to follow his +employment for some time.—But, lo! another difficulty occurred; for +while the Highland host was commanded west, [in the beginning of 1678] +all Stirling being commanded to be in arms, which all excepting a very +few, obeyed; he refused, and went out of town with these few, and kept a +meeting. When he returned, his father told him, he was past for the +first time, but it behoved him to mount guard to-morrow.—He refused: +his father was angry, and urged him with the practices of others. He +told his father, he would hang his faith upon no man's belt, <i>&c.</i> On +the morrow, when the drums beat to mount the guard, being the day of his +social 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 not +principle of conscience he hesitated upon, but that he might have +liberty to strole through the country: because he attended these +meetings; which was no easy matter to bear. Orders were given to +apprehend him; but at that time he escaped their hand, and wandered from +one place to another, until the beginning of August 1678, that he came +to Carrick communion at Maybole: and what his exercise was there, +himself thus expresses: "I was wonderfully trysted there; but not so as +at the other. I went to the first table, and then went and heard worthy +Messrs. Kid and Cameron preach at a little distance from the meeting, +who never left the fields till they sealed and crowned it with their +blood. 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 the +borders of Kilmarnock parish, where a division arose about the +indulgence, which to this day is never yet done away. After my return +home, I was made to enter into covenant with him upon his own terms +against the indulgence and all other compliances:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_441" id="Page_441">441</a></span> and, because through +the Lord's strength I resolved to keep my bargain, and not to join with +them, it was said, I had got new light; and I was much reproached, yet I +got much of the Lord's kindness when attending the preached gospel in +the field, to which I would sometimes go twenty miles."</p> + +<p>And having thus wandered to and fro for some time, he went to Edinburgh +to see the prisoners, and then returned home to Stirling in the end of +the week. Late on Saturday night, he heard of a field preaching, and +seeing the soldiers and troopers marching out of the town to attack the +people 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 the +minister, seeing this, took a hill above Fintry beside the craigs of +Ball-glass. So the enemy came forward. This little handful drew up in +the best posture the time and circumstances would allow; and sung a +psalm, at which the soldiers were so affrighted, that they told +afterward, that the very matches had almost fallen out of their hands. +At last a trooper coming up, commanded them to dismiss: but they +refused. This was repeated several times, till the captain of the foot +came forward, and gave them the same charge; which they also refused. +Upon this, he commanded a party of his men to advance and fire upon +them: which they did once or twice: which was by this little company +returned with much courage and agility, until the whole party and the +commanding officer (consisting of 48 men and 16 horsemen) fired upon +this little handful, which he thinks amounted to not above 18 that had +arms, 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's +periwig off, at which the foot fled; but the horsemen, taking the +advantage of the rising ground, surrounded this small party. They then +fired on a young man, but missed him. However, they took him and some +others prisoners. The rest fled off. Robert Garnock was hindermost, +being the last on the place of action, and says, he intended not to have +been taken, but rather killed. At last one of the enemy came after him, +on which he resolved either to kill or be killed before he +surrendered,—catching a pistol from one for that purpose. But another +coming in for assistance, the trooper fled off, and so they escaped unto +the other side of a precipice, where they staid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_442" id="Page_442">442</a></span> until the enemy were +gone, who marched directly with their prisoners to Stirling<a name="FNanchor_197" id="FNanchor_197"></a><a href="#Footnote_197" class="fnanchor">[197]</a>.</p> + +<p>After the fray was over, Robert staid till evening, and spoke with some +friends and the minister, who dissuaded him all they could from going +into Stirling. But being now approaching toward the eve of his +pilgrimage state, with Paul, in another case, when going up to +Jerusalem, he could not be prevailed upon; and so went to town: and +entering the town about One in the morning, he got into a house at the +foot of the castle-hill, and there got his arms left with much +difficulty: but, as he was near the head of the castle-hill, he was by +two soldiers (who were lying in wait for those who had been at that +meeting) apprehended and brought to the guard; and then brought before +lord Linlithgow's son: who asked him, if he was at that preaching? he +told 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 will +tell no more: prove the rest. Linlithgow said, he would make him do +it.—But he answered, he should not. Then he asked his name, trade, and +his father's name, and where they dwelt? all which he answered. Then he +bade keep him fast. At night he was much abused by the soldiers; some of +them who had been wounded in the skirmish, threatening him with torture, +gagging in the mouth, <i>&c.</i> all which he bore with much patience. In the +morning a serjeant came to examine him; but he refused him as a judge to +answer to. At last the commanding officer came and examined him, if he +was 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 thought +to surplant him by asking, who of Stirling folk was there? he answered, +That they were both his neighbours and his; and though he had been +there, he might account him very impudent to tell: for though he thought +it his duty to ask, yet it was not his to tell or answer: and he thought +he should rather commend him for so doing. After several other things +anent that affair, he was commanded to close prison; and none, not so +much as his father, allowed to speak to him; but he did not want company +at that time; for, says he, "O but I had a sweet time of it: the Lord's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_443" id="Page_443">443</a></span> +countenance was better unto me than all the company in the world."</p> + +<p>The forementioned skirmish had fallen out May 8th, 1679, and upon the +19th of the same month, he was put into the common prison amongst +malefactors; where he got some more liberty, having some others of the +sufferers with him. However, they were very much disturbed by a +notorious murderer, who, being drunk one time, thought to have killed +him 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 almost +killed. This made him and other five to lie sometimes upon the stairs; +for they could have no other place; though they desired the thieves +hole, they could not obtain it. And thus they passed the time with much +pain and trouble, until June 16th, that the Fife men were broke at +Bewly<a name="FNanchor_198" id="FNanchor_198"></a><a href="#Footnote_198" class="fnanchor">[198]</a>, and numbers taken which were brought in prisoners on the +11th; whereby they were very much thronged. Here he continued till the +break at Bothwel on the 22d, after which there was no small confusion by +tendering and pressing of a bond of conformity against offensive arms, +wherein he got his share during that time.</p> + +<p>Upon the 13th of July, he was brought forth and in company with about +100 more prisoners under a strong guard of red coats taken from Stirling +to Edinburgh, and put into Gray-friar's church-yard, amongst the Bothwel +prisoners: there he was more vexed both by the enemy and his +fellow-sufferers than ever. A specimen of which I shall give in his own +words: "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 were +some of them supplicated for any bond. This made some of us conclude it +was our duty to testify against it; which piece of employment was put +upon me, against which some of the prisoners obtested.—So I was +rendered 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. The +men complained of us to the commanders, who sent for me and examined me +on the bond and other things: they said, I should be gagged, and every +day I was vexed with them; until almost the whole prisoners petitioned +for it—And there was as good as seventy ministers sent unto the ward to +take it, and they said, it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_444" id="Page_444">444</a></span> was not a head to suffer upon: when they had +done, they sent in two gentlewomen with the commission; and they set +upon 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 crew +came 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 put +to it: I would often have been at the doing of something; but the Lord +would not suffer me. So, in his strength, I fought on against my own +heart and them all, and overcame. But O! the cross was sweet unto me and +easy. There needs none fear to venture on suffering in his way and +strength. O happy day, that ever I was trysted with such a thing. My +bargaining with lovely Jesus was sweet unto me. It is true, affliction, +for the present, seems not joyous but grievous; but afterwards <i>it +yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness to those who are +exercised thereby</i>. I never knew the treachery of ministers, and their +dreadful hypocrisy and double dealing in the matters of God before that +time, and I could never love them after that; for they made many a one +to rack their conscience in taking that bond. I was brought out of the +yard, 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 way +of jeer, said, I had a face to glorify God in the Salt market. So I bade +farewel to all my neighbours who were sorry; and White bade me take +goodnight 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 was +brought before their council-court. They asked, if I would take the +bond? I said, No.—Some of them said, May be he does not know it; but +Halton 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 never +was in rebellion, nor intended to be so. They said, they would make +another bond for me. I answered they needed not trouble themselves; for +I was not designed to subscribe any bond at this time.</p> + +<p>"<i>Quest.</i> Will ye rise in rebellion against the king?</p> + +<p>"<i>Answ.</i> I was not rising in rebellion against the king.</p> + +<p>"<i>Q.</i> Will ye take the bond never to rise against the king and his +authority?</p> + +<p>"<i>A.</i> What is the thing ye call authority? They said, If they, the +soldiers or any other subject, should kill<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_445" id="Page_445">445</a></span> me, I was bound not to +resist. I answered, That I will never do.</p> + +<p>"<i>Q.</i> Is the bishop's death murder?</p> + +<p>"<i>A.</i> I am a prisoner; and so no judge.</p> + +<p>"<i>Q.</i> Is Bothwel-bridge rebellion?</p> + +<p>"<i>A.</i> I am not bound to give my judgment in that.</p> + +<p>"Then one of them said, I told you what the rebel rascal would say: you +will 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 prove +it if they were able. They said, they would hang me for rebellion. I +said, you cannot: for if you walk according to your own laws, I should +have my liberty. They said, Should we give a rebellious knave, like you, +your liberty? you should be hanged immediately. I answered, That lies +not yet in your power: so they caused quickly to take me away, and put +me in the iron-house tolbooth. Much more passed that I must not spend +time to notice.</p> + +<p>"So they brought me to the iron-house to fifteen of my dear companions +in tribulation; and there we were a sweet company, being all of one +judgment. There serving the Lord, day and night, in singleness of heart, +his blessing was seen amongst us; for his love was better than life. We +were all with one accord trysted sweetly together: and O it was sweet to +be in this company, and pleasant to those who came in to see us, until +the indictments came in amongst us. There were ten got their +indictments. Six came off, and four got their sentence to die at Magus +muir. There were fifteen brought out of the yard, and some of them got +their liberty offered, if they would witness against me. But they +refused, so they got all their indictments, but complied all, save one, +who was sentenced to die with the other four at Magus muir."</p> + +<p>In this situation he continued till Nov. 13, that he was, by the +intercession of some friends, brought to the west galleries on the other +side of the tolbooth, where he continued sometime, till called again +before some of the council; after which he was again committed to close +prison for a time, till one night being called forth by one of the +keepers, one Mr. John Blair, being present, accosted him thus, Wherefore +do 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 covenants +and the xiii. of the Romans bind you to it. I answered, No; they just +bound<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_446" id="Page_446">446</a></span> me to the contrary. What if popery should come to the land, +should we bind ourselves never to defend the true religion? He said, we +were 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 dear +bond unto them:—as for my part, I would rather go to the Grass-market, +and seal it with my blood, <i>&c.</i> After he came down, the goodman of the +tolbooth abused him in a very indiscreet manner, saying, that, if there +were 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 to +close prison, where he was again as much vexed with a company of bonders +as ever: for they were not only become lax in principle but in duty +also, for he roundly told them, "You are far from what you were in the +iron-house before you took the bond: then you would have been up at duty +by two or three in the morning; now you lie in bed till eight or nine in +the day.—They said, it was true enough; but said no more."</p> + +<p>After these got their liberty, he was accompanied with some other +prisoners, some of whom were kept in for debt. And then, he says, he +would have been up by four in the morning, and made exercise amongst +them 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 +<i>eat meat out of the eater, and sweet out of the strong</i>. But some +gentlemen, prisoners for religion where he was before, prevailed with +the goodman of the tolbooth to have him back to them about the beginning +of 1680. But here the old temptation to compliance and tampering with +the enemy was afresh renewed; for the ministers coming in to visit +these, when they could do no more, they brought ministers to the rooms +to preach, and would make him hear them; which he positively refused. At +last, they brought a minister, one of his acquaintance; him that should +have preached that day he was taken<a name="FNanchor_199" id="FNanchor_199"></a><a href="#Footnote_199" class="fnanchor">[199]</a>. But hearing he had made some +compliance with the enemy, he would not go to the next room to hear him +make exercise, till he knew the certainty of the matter. After which, he +came to another room, where they had some conference. A short hint of it +I shall here subjoin as follows: "He asked after my welfare; and if I +was going out of the prison? I told him, I blessed the Lord for it, I +was well, and was not going out yet." After some conversation anent +field-preachings,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_447" id="Page_447">447</a></span> 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, and +would gladly be in the right way, not to wrong myself.—He said, wherein +are they unfaithful? I said, in changing their head, quiting the Lord's +way, and taking on with covenant breakers, murderers of his people, +<i>&c.</i> He said, how would I prove that? I said, their own practice proves +it. 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 are +doing.—Answer, I do not cast them off: they cast off themselves by +quiting the holding of their ministry of Christ. <i>Quest.</i> How prove you +that? <i>Answ.</i> The 10th of John proves it; for they come not in by the +door.—You may put me wrong; but I think that in Gal. i. 6. <i>I marvel +that ye are so soon removed from him that called you</i>, &c. you may read +that at your leisure, how Paul had not his gospel from men, nor by the +will of men. He said, lay by these: but what is the reason you will not +hear others? I said, I desire to hear none of these gaping for the +indulgence, and not faithful in preaching against it."</p> + +<p>After some conference anent Messrs. Cameron and Cargil, in which he said +Mr. Cameron was no minister; and Mr. Cargil was once one, and had +quitted 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 not +think I am angry that you come not to hear me; for I desire not you, nor +any of your faction to come and hear me; for I cannot preach to all your +humours. I said, it was all the worse for that. He said, none of these +faults would cast off a minister. They were but failings, not +principles. I said I could not debate, but I should let any Christian +judge, if it was no principle for a minister to hold Christ head of the +church. I told him, there was once a day I would have ventured my life +at his back for the defence of Christ's gospel; but not now; and I was +more willing to lay down my life now for his sweet and dear truths than +ever I was. He said, the Lord pity and help me. I said, I had much need +of it. And so he went away, and rendered me odious. This, amongst other +things, made me go to God and to engage in covenant with his Son never +to hear any of those who betrayed his cause, till I saw evidences of +their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_448" id="Page_448">448</a></span> repentance. And I would have been willing to have quitted all for +that chiefest among ten thousands."</p> + +<p>Thus he continued, till, he says, he got bad counsel from some of his +friends to supplicate for his liberty; and they prevailed so far as to +draw up a supplication and brought him to subscribe. But when they had +got 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 bless +his holy name. But this lets me see, there is no standing in me. Had it +not been his free love, I had gone the blackest way ever one did, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>The night before gallant Hackston was executed, being down stairs, and +hearing 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 he +could scarcely believe: But the keepers hearing came up to persuade him +to the contrary, and to put Robert in the irons. However they got eight +gray coats who watched Mr. Hackston all night, persuading him to the +contrary. So that he did not know till at the place of execution.</p> + +<p>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 was +killed, who having liberty to come into the lady Gilkerclugh then in +prison, was conveyed out in a gentleman's habit, of which he and another +got the blame, though entirely innocent; for which they were laid in +irons: the other got his liberty, but Robert continued his alone +sometime, till they intended to send him off with some soldiers to +Tanguirs. But the Lord having other ways determined, they could not get +as many of the council conveened, as to get an order made out: and so he +was continued in prison, during which time he endured sore conflict with +those his fellow prisoners, who still complied and got off, and others +came in their place who set upon him afresh: So that he and any one who +was of his own judgment, could scarcely get liberty to worship God in +the room without disturbance, calling him a devil, <i>&c.</i> And those who +were faithful and a comfort to him, were still taken from him and +executed, while he was retained (his time not being yet come) in prison +where he was sometime with one John Scarlet, who, he says, was one of +the basest of creatures.</p> + +<p>To relate all the trials and difficulties he underwent, during the time +of his imprisonment near the space of two years and a half, with his +various exercises, with the remarkable goodness of God towards him all +that time, will be more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_449" id="Page_449">449</a></span> than can conveniently be accomplished at +present. I shall only notice one or two very strange occurrences of +divine providence towards him; which he observes, with a few of his own +expressions concerning himself and exercise, and his condition toward +the end of his narrative and life also, which follows in his own words.</p> + +<p>"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 been +his sweet love to me, I might have been a sufferer for the worst of +crimes: for there is in me what is in the worst of creatures: a +remarkable 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 it +to put it on: the woman not being at leisure, there was a gun standing +besides me: and I oftimes having guns amongst my hands to dress, took it +up, and (not adverting that it was loaded) thinking her not good, tried +to fire her; whereupon she went off, and the ball went up through a loft +above, and had almost killed a woman and a child; and had not providence +directed that shot, I had suffered as a murderer: And am I not obliged +to follow and suffer for the <i>chiefest among ten thousands</i>, that has so +honoured me a poor wretch? for many other things have escaped me; but I +may not stay to mention what the Lord has done for me both at field +preachings and other places.</p> + +<p>"I have had a continued warfare, and my predominants grew mightily on my +hand, which made my life sometimes heavy; but, amongst the many sweet +nights and days I have had, was that 23d in the evening and 24th in the +morning of August, 1681. The Lord was kind to me; that was the beginning +of mornings indeed, whereon I got some of the Lord's love, and whereon I +got an open door, and got a little within the court, and there was +allowed to give in what I had to say either as to my own souls case or +the case of the church which is low at this day. I have indeed had some +sweet days since, but I have misguided them, and could not keep in with +him; for my corruptions are so mighty, that sometimes I have been made +to cry out, Woes me that ever I was born a man of strife and contention +to many. <i>O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from me from +the body of this death?</i> But the Lord maketh up all again with his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_450" id="Page_450">450</a></span> +love; so that I have many ups and downs in my case.—I have forgotten +some things particularly worthy remark: Such as, one night I was set +upon by a French captain when out of town; but the Lord remarkably +delivered me and brought me back again. So the Lord has let me see, I +might have been staged for worse actions. So that I have no ground but +to be for God while I live, and bless his name that ever honoured me +with this dignity of suffering for his name and honourable cause.</p> + +<p>"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 the +Lord and his righteous cause, made me give in my protestation against +the parliament, which this present year 1681 has made laws for the +strengthening of popery: and I could do no less; for the glory of God +was dearer to me than my life.</p> + +<p>"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 them +to shun all that is evil in my life, as they wish to shun hell; and if +there be any thing in it that is for use, I request the Lord that he may +bring it home upon them, when I am gone, and make it thus useful for +them that read it.—So I bid you all farewel, desiring none of you may +slight your time or duty as I have done; but shun the appearances of +evil, cleave to that which is good, and spend much of your time with +God: be not idle night nor day, and give not ever much sleep unto +yourselves.—O sirs, if you would be prevailed with to spend time for +God, it would be the sweetest and most desireable service ever you took +in hand. O be persuaded to fall in love with him, who is, without +compare, <i>the chiefest among ten thousand, yea, altogether +lovely</i>.—Take him for your all, and bind yourselves hand and foot to +his obedience. Let your ears be nailed to the posts of his doors, and be +his servants for ever."</p> + +<p>"And now seeing I get no more time allowed me here on earth, I close +with my hearty farewel to all friends, and pray the Lord may guide them +in all truth, and keep them from dreadful snares that are coming through +this covenanted land of Scotland. So I bid you all farewel, and be +faithful to the death. I know not certainly what may become of me after +this; but I look and expect that my time in this world is now near an +end, and so desire to welcome all that the Lord sends. Thinking +presently to be called in before God's enemies, I subscribe it,<br /> +<i>Sept. 28th, 1681</i> <span style="padding-left:8em;">ROBERT GARNOCK."</span></p> + +<p class="break"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_451" id="Page_451">451</a></span> +And having now with pleasure heard somewhat of the life and exercises of +Robert Garnock, we come now to notice somewhat anent his trial, death or +martyrdom which now hastens apace. So, according to his own expectation, +above narrated, he was brought before the council, October 1st, where he +disowned the king's authority, refused them as his judges, and on the +7th was brought before the Justiciary, and indicted, "That he did before +the council, on the 1st of October, decline the authority of the king +and council, and called the king and council tyrant, murderers, perjured +and mansworn, declaring it was lawful to rise in arms against them;—And +gave in a most treasonable paper, termed, <i>A protestation and testimony +against parliamenters</i>, wherein he terms the members of parliament, +idolaters, usurpers of the Lord's inheritance; and protests against +their procedure in their hell-hatched acts: which paper is signed by his +hand, whereby he is guilty of the crime of treason; and further gave in +a declaration to the council, wherein the said Robert Garnock disowns +the king's authority and government, and protests against the council as +tyrants: Therefore, <i>&c.</i>" By such an explicit confession, his own +papers being turned to an indictment without any matters of fact against +him, there was no difficulty of probation, his own protest and +declinature being produced before the justiciary and assize, to whom he +was remitted. But before the assize were inclosed, Robert Garnock and +other five who were indicted with him, delivered a paper to the inquest, +containing a protestation and warning, wherein "They advise them to +consider what they are doing, and upon what grounds they pass a sentence +upon them. They declare they are no rebels: they disown no authority +that is according to the word of God and the covenants the land is bound +by.—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 all +for what they do in this matter; and say they do this, since they are in +hazard of their lives, and against them. It is a dangerous thing to pass +a sentence on men merely because of their conscience and judgment; only +because they cannot in conscience yield to the iniquous laws of +men;—that they are free subjects never taken in any action contrary to +the present laws; adding that these whom they once thought should or +would rule for God have turned their authority for tyranny and +inhumanity, and employ it both in destroying the laws of God, and +murdering his people against and without law;—as we ourselves can prove +and witness, when brought in before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_452" id="Page_452">452</a></span> them. After two years imprisonment; +one of them most cruelly and tyrant-like rose from the place of +judgment, and drew a sword, and would have killed one of us<a name="FNanchor_200" id="FNanchor_200"></a><a href="#Footnote_200" class="fnanchor">[200]</a>, but +Providence ordered it otherways: However the wound is yet to be shown. +The like action was never heard or read of. After reminding them of +David Finlay murdered at Newmills, Mr. Mitchel's case, and James +Learmond's, who was murdered after he was three times freed by the +assize. They add, that, after such murders as deserve death, they cannot +see how they can own them as judges, charging them to notice what they +do; assuring them their blood will be heavy upon them:—Concluding with +Jer. xxvi. 15. And charging them not to take innocent blood on their +heads." And subscribe at Edinburgh October 7th 1681.</p> + +<p style="margin-left:4em;"> +ROBERT GARNOCK, D. FARRIE, JA. STEWART,<br /> +ALEX. RUSSEL, PAT. FORMAN, and G. LAPSLY.<br /> +</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding all this, they were brought in guilty and sentenced to +be executed at the Gallowlee betwixt Leith and Edinburgh, upon the 10th +instant; Forman's hand to be cut off before, and the heads and hands of +the rest after death, and to be set up upon the Pleasance port.</p> + +<p>What his deportment and exercises were at the place of execution we are +at a loss to describe: but from what is already related, we may safely +conclude that, through divine grace, his demeanour was truly noble and +Christian. But that the reader may guess somewhat of his exercises, +temper and disposition about that time, I shall extract a few sentences +of his own words from his last speech and dying testimony.</p> + +<p>"I bless the Lord, that ever he honoured the like of me with a bloody +gibbet 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 all +for. O for many lives to seal the sweet cause with: if I had as many +lives as there are hairs on my head, I would think them all little to be +martyrs for truth. I bless the Lord, I do not suffer unwillingly nor by +constraint, but heartily and cheerfully.—I have been a long time +prisoner, and have been altered of my prison. I was amongst and in the +company of the most part who suffered since Bothwell,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_453" id="Page_453">453</a></span> and was in +company with many ensnaring persons; though I do not question their +being godly folk; and yet the Lord kept me from harkening to their +counsel. Glory, glory to his holy and sweet name.—It is many times my +wonder how I have done such and such things; but it is he that has done +it: he hath done all things in me and for me: holy is his name.—I bless +the Lord I am this day to step out of time into eternity, and I am no +more troubled than if I were to take a match by marriage on earth, and +not so much. I bless the Lord I have much peace of conscience in what I +have done. O but I think it a very weighty piece of business to be +within twelve hours of eternity, and not troubled. Indeed the Lord is +kind, and has trained me up for this day, and now I can want him no +longer. I shall be filled with his love this night; for I will be with +him in paradise, and get a new song put in my mouth, the song of Moses +and the Lamb; I will be in amongst the general assembly of the first +born, and enjoy the sweet presence of God and his Son Jesus Christ, and +the spirits of just men made perfect: I am sure of it.</p> + +<p>"Now my Lord is bringing me to conformity with himself, and honouring me +with my worthy pastor Mr. James Guthrie: although I knew nothing when he +was alive, yet the Lord hath honoured me to protest against popery, and +to seal it with my blood: and he hath honoured me to protest against +prelacy and to seal it with blood. The Lord has kept me in prison to +this day for that end. His head is on one port of Edinburgh, and mine +must go on another. Glory, glory to the Lord's sweet name for what he +hath done for me.</p> + +<p>"Now I bless the Lord, I am not as many suspect me, thinking to won +heaven by my suffering. No, there is no attaining of it but through the +precious blood of the Son of God.—Now, ye that are the true seeker of +God, 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: love +one another; wrestle with God: mutually in societies <i>confess your +faults one to another; pray one with another: reprove, exhort and rebuke +one another in love.</i> Slight no commanded duty: Be faithful in your +stations as you will be answerable at the great day: seek not counsel +from men: follow none further than they hold by truth.</p> + +<p style="margin-bottom:0em;"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_454" id="Page_454">454</a></span> +"Now, farewell, sweet reproaches for my lovely Lord Jesus, though once +they were not joyous but grievous, yet now they are sweet. And I bless +the Lord for it, I heartily forgive all men for any thing they have said +of me; and I pray it may not be laid unto their charge in the day of +accounts: and for what they have done to God and his cause, I leave that +to God and their own conscience. Farewell, all Christian acquaintance, +father, mother, <i>&c.</i> Farewell, sweet prison for my royal Lord Jesus +Christ, now at an end. Farewell, all crosses of one sort or another: and +so 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."—<i>Sic +Subscribitur</i>,</p> + +<p style="margin-top:0em; text-align: right">ROBERT GARNOCK.</p> + +<p class="break">Accordingly the foregoing sentence in all its parts was executed<a name="FNanchor_201" id="FNanchor_201"></a><a href="#Footnote_201" class="fnanchor">[201]</a> +upon them all except Lapslay who got off.—And so they had their passage +from the valley of misery into the celestial country above, to inhabit +that land <i>where the inhabitants<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_455" id="Page_455">455</a></span> say not, I am sick, and the people +that dwell therein are forgiven their iniquities.</i></p> + +<p>Thus ended Robert Garnock in the flower of his youth; a young man, but +old in experimental religion.—His faithfulness was as remarkable as his +piety, and his courage and constancy as both.—He was inured unto +tribulations almost from his youth, wherein he was so far from being +discouraged at the cross of Christ, that he, in imitation of the +primitive martyrs, seemed rather ambitious of suffering.—He always +aimed at honesty; and, notwithstanding all opposition from pretended +friends and professed foes, he was by the Lord's strength, enabled to +remain unshaken to the last: for, though he was nigh tripped, yet with +the faithful man he was seldom foiled, never vanquished.—May the Lord +enable many in this apostate, insidious, and lukewarm generation to +emulate the martyr in imitation of him who now inherits the promise, <i>Be +thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee a crown of life.</i></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Robert_MWard" id="Mr_Robert_MWard"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Robert M'Ward</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Robert M'Ward was born in Glenluce. After he had gone through his +courses of learning at the university, he was ordained minister of the +gospel at Glasgow, where he continued for some time in the faithful +discharge of his duty until the year 1661, that this good man and +affectionate preacher began to observe the design of the then managers +to overturn the whole covenanted work of reformation. In the month of +February that year, he gave a most faithful and seasonable testimony +against the glaring defections of that time, in an excellent sermon in +the Trone-church of Glasgow, upon a week-day; which sermon was afterward +the ground of a most severe prosecution. His text was in Amos iii. 2. +<i>You have I known of all the families of the earth</i>, &c. He had preached +upon it for some time upon the week-days, and after he had run through +personal abounding sins, and those of the city, he came to the general +and national sins that were then abounding. And having enlarged upon +these things in scriptural eloquence, in a most moving way, he gives a +good many pertinent directions to mourn, consider, repent and return, to +wrestle and pour out their souls before the Lord, and encourageth them +to these duties from this, "That<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_456" id="Page_456">456</a></span> God will look upon these duties as +their 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 in +it, I do this day call you who are the people of God to witness, that I +humbly offer my dissent to all acts which are or shall be passed against +the covenants and the work of reformation in Scotland. And <i>2dly</i>, I +protest that I am desirous to be free of the guilt thereof, and pray +that God may put it upon record in heaven."</p> + +<p>The noise of this sermon quickly flew abroad, and Mr. M'Ward was brought +to Edinburgh under a guard, and imprisoned. Very soon after, he had an +indictment given him by the king's advocate, for treasonable preaching +and sedition. What the nature of his indictment was, we may easily guess +from the scope of his excellent sermon. He was allowed lawyers, whereby +his process became pretty long and tedious. Upon the 6th of June, he was +brought before the parliament, where he had a very public opportunity to +give a proof of his eminent parts and solid judgment. His charming +eloquence was owned here by his very adversaries, and he defended, by +scripture and reason, his expressions in his sermon before the bar of +the house.</p> + +<p>And although his excellent speech had not the influence that might have +been expected, yet doubtless it had some, for the house delayed coming +to an issue at this time. He indeed expected a sentence of death, which +no way damped him; but his Master had more, and very considerable work +too, for him elsewhere. Whether it was from orders from court to shed no +more blood, or for other certain reasons, it is not known; but his +affair was delayed for some time, and upon some encouragement given him +of success, he, upon the Monday following, gave in a supplication to the +parliament, wherein he exchanges the words protest and dissent, which he +had used in his sermon, with those of testifying, solemnly declaring and +bearing witness, and yet at the same time declares he is not brought to +this alteration, so much for fear of his person, <i>&c.</i> as from an +earnest desire to remove out of the way any, or the least occasion of +stumbling, that there may be the more ready and easy access, without +prejudice of words, to ponder and give judgment of the matter, <i>&c.</i>, +and withal humbly prostrates himself at their honours feet to be +disposed of as they shall think meet.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_457" id="Page_457">457</a></span> +This supplication, with what went before, might have softened the +persecutors (as the forecited historians observe) and yet it had no +effect; for Mr. Sharp and his friends resolved now to be rid, as much as +they could, of the most eminent of the presbyterian minsters; and +therefore he behoved to be banished, which was the highest thing they +could go to, unless they had taken his life. Upon the 5th or 6th of +July, the parliament gave him for answer, "That they pass sentence of +banishment upon the supplicant, allowing him six months to tarry in the +nation; one of which only in Glasgow, with power to him to receive the +following year's stipend at departure."</p> + +<p>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 the +compendious church history), he was employed as minister of the Scots +congregation there, to the no small edification of many; and that not +only to such as were fled hither from the rage and fury of the bloody +persecutors, but also to those who resorted to him and Mr. Brown, for +their advice in difficult cases, in carrying on and bearing up a +faithful testimony against both right and left-hand extremes, with every +other prevailing corruption, and defection in that day, it being a day +<i>of treading down in the valley of vision</i>.</p> + +<p>Thither the rage of his persecutors followed him, even in a strange +land; for about the end of the year 1676, the king by the influence of +primate 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 the +Scots law, and received the sentence of banishment, during life, out of +the king's dominion, and having come under their protection, could not +be imposed on to remove them out of these provinces, or be any further +disquieted; and for this end sent a letter to their ambassador at the +court of England, to signify the same to his majesty.</p> + +<p>After this, this famous man was concerned in ordaining worthy and +faithful Mr. Richard Cameron, when in Holland in the year 1679, and +afterwards sent him home with positive instructions to lift and bear up +a free and faithful standard against every defection and encroachment +made upon the church of Christ in these lands, and particularly the +indulgences, against which Mr. M'Ward never failed to give a free and +faithful testimony, as is evident from several<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_458" id="Page_458">458</a></span> of his writings, +particularly that in answer to Mr. Fleming.</p> + +<p>He remained at Rotterdam until some time about the 1681 or 1682, that he +died. 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 or +blazing-star (that then appeared), and when he saw it, he blest the Lord +that now was about to close his eyes, and was not to see the woful days +that were coming on Britain and Ireland, but especially upon sinful +Scotland. After which he died, and entered into his Master's joy, after +he had been for twenty years absent from his native country.</p> + +<p>It were altogether superfluous here to insist upon the character of this +faithful minister and witness of Jesus Christ, seeing that his own +writings do fully evidence him to have been a man of admirable eloquence +(not to speak of his learning) and singular zeal and faithfulness. While +remaining in Holland, he wrote several pieces<a name="FNanchor_202" id="FNanchor_202"></a><a href="#Footnote_202" class="fnanchor">[202]</a> which are said to be +these;—The poor man's cup of cold water ministred to the saints and +sufferers for Christ in Scotland, published about 1679; earnest +contendings, &<i>c.</i> published in 1723; banders disbanded; with several +prefatory epistles to some of Mr. Brown's works. He wrote also many +other papers and letters, but especially a history of the defections of +the church of Scotland, which has never hitherto been published.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Captain_John_Paton" id="Captain_John_Paton"></a><i>The Life of Captain <span class="smcap">John Paton</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>John Paton was born at Meadow-head, in the parish of Fenwick and shire +of Ayr. He was brought up in the art and occupation of husbandry till +near the state of manhood.—But of the way and manner in which he went +at first to a military life, there are various accounts.—Some say, that +he inlisted at first a volunteer, and went abroad to the wars in +Germany, where, for some heroic atchievement, at the taking of a certain +city (probably by Gustavus Adolphus king of Sweden), he was advanced to +a captain's post; and that when he returned home, he was so far changed +that his parents scarcely knew him. Other accounts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_459" id="Page_459">459</a></span> bear, that he was +with 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 that +by some bad drink, an asthmatical disorder was contracted in his breast, +which continued ever after.</p> + +<p>But whatever of the ways, or if both ways were certain, he behoved to +return very suddenly home; for it is said, That <i>anno</i> 1645, when the +several ministers in the western shires were called out upon the head of +their own parish militia, to oppose Montrose's insurrection, he was +called out by Mr. William Guthrie (or, as some say, taken by him from +the plough), and, under the character of a captain, behaved with much +gallantry about that time among the covenanters, particularly upon their +defeat by Montrose at Kilsyth, which fell out in the following manner:</p> + +<p>Montrose, having upon July 2d obtained a victory over the covenanters, +advanced over the Forth, and upon the 14th encamped at Kilsyth near +Stirling, and upon the 15th encountered the covenanters army, commanded +by lieutenant-general Bailey. At the first on-set, some of Montrose's +highlanders, going too far up the hill, were invironed by the +covenanters, and like to have been worsted; but the old lord Airly being +sent from Montrose with fresh supplies of men, the covenanters were +obliged to give way, and were, by the enemy, turned over unto a standing +marsh or bog, where there was no probability either of fighting or +escaping. In this hurry, one of the captain's acquaintance, when +sinking, cried out to him, for God's sake to help; but when he got time +to look that way, he could not see him, for he was gone through the +surface of the marsh, and could never be found afterwards. Upon this +disaster, the swiftest of the covenanters horse got to Stirling; the +foot were mostly killed on the spot and in the chace, which, according +to some historians<a name="FNanchor_203" id="FNanchor_203"></a><a href="#Footnote_203" class="fnanchor">[203]</a>, continued for the space of fourteen miles, +whereby the greater part of the covenanters army was either drowned, or +by these cruel savages cut off and killed.</p> + +<p>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 he +got safe to the two colonels Hacket and Strahan, who all three rode off +together: but had not gone far till they were encountered by about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_460" id="Page_460">460</a></span> +fifteen of the enemy, all of whom they killed, except two who escaped. +When they had gone a little farther, they were again attacked by about +thirteen more, and of these they killed ten, so that only three of them +could make their escape from them. But, upon the approach of about +eleven Highlanders more, one of the colonels said (in a familiar +dialect), Johny, if thou do not somewhat now, we are all dead men. To +whom the captain answered, Fear not; for we will do what we can, before +we either yield, or flee before them. They killed nine of them, and put +the rest to flight.</p> + +<p>About this time, the Lord began to look upon the affliction of his +people. For Montrose, having defeated the covenanters at five or six +different times, the committee of estates began to bethink themselves, +and for that end saw cause to recall general Leslie, with 4000 foot and +1000 dragoons, from England. To oppose him Montrose marched southward, +but was shamefully routed by Leslie at Philiphaugh upon the 13th of +Sept. Many of his forces were killed and taken prisoners, and he himself +escaped with much difficulty<a name="FNanchor_204" id="FNanchor_204"></a><a href="#Footnote_204" class="fnanchor">[204]</a>. After which Mr. William Guthrie and +captain Paton returned home again to Fenwick.</p> + +<p>Thus matters went on till the year 1648, that there arose two factions +in Scotland, which were headed by duke Hamilton and the marquis of +Argyle. The one party aimed at bringing down the king to Scotland; but +the other opposed the same. However, the levies went on, whereby duke +Hamilton, with a potent army, marched to England. In the meanwhile +major-general Middleton came upon a certain handful of the covenanters, +assembled at the celebration of the Lord's supper at Mauchlin, a small +village in the shire of Ayr. At which place were Messrs. William Ardair, +William Guthrie and John Nevay ministers, and the earl of Loudon, who +solicited Middleton to let the people dismiss in a peaceable manner; +which he promised to do: but, in a most perfidious way, he fell upon +them on the Monday after; which occasioned some bloodshed on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_461" id="Page_461">461</a></span> both +sides, for captain Paton (being still aware of these malignants +notwithstanding all their fair promises) caused his people from Fenwick +to take arms with them, which accordingly they did; whereby they only +made resistance.—Yea it is said, that the captain that day killed +eighteen of the enemy with his own hand.</p> + +<p>But duke Hamilton and his army being defeated, and he himself afterward +beheaded, the English pursuing the victory, Cromwel and his men entered +Scotland, by which means the engagers were not only made to yield, but +quite 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; and +taking a party of Fenwick men he went in quest of them; and found some +of them at a certain house in that parish called Lochgoin, and there +gave them such a fright (though without any bloodshed) as made them give +their promise never to molest or trouble that house or any other place +in the bounds again, under pain of death:—and they went off without any +further molestation.</p> + +<p>Charles I. having been beheaded Jan. 30, 1648-9, and Charles II. called +home from Breda 1650, upon notice of an invasion from the English, the +Scotch parliament appointed a levy of 10,000 foot and 3000 horse to be +instantly raised for the defence of the king and kingdom; among whom it +behoved the captain again to take the field, for he was now become too +popular to be hid in obscurity.</p> + +<p>Accordingly Cromwel and his army entered Scotland in July 1650. After +which 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 being +repealed, both church and state began to act in different capacities, +and to look as suspiciously on one another as on the common enemy. There +were in the army on the protestors side, colonels Ker, Hacket and +Strahan, and of inferior officers, major Stuart, captain Arnot (brother +to the laird of Lochridge) captain Paton, and others. The contention +came to such a crisis, that the colonels Ker and Strahan left the king's +army, and came to the west<a name="FNanchor_205" id="FNanchor_205"></a><a href="#Footnote_205" class="fnanchor">[205]</a> with some other officers; and many of +them were esteemed the most religious and best affected in the army. +They proceeded so far as to give battle to the English at Hamilton,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_462" id="Page_462">462</a></span> but +were worsted; the Lord's wrath having gone forth against the whole land, +because Achan was in the camp of our Scottish Israel<a name="FNanchor_206" id="FNanchor_206"></a><a href="#Footnote_206" class="fnanchor">[206]</a>.</p> + +<p>The king and the Scots army, being no longer able to hold out against +the English, shifted about and went for England, and about the end of +August 1651, had Worcester surrendered to them. But, the English army +following hard upon their heels, they were by them totally routed upon +the 3d of September, which made the king fly out of the kingdom. After +which the captain returned home, when he saw how fruitless and +unsuccessful this expedition had been.</p> + +<p>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 short +time). And here he no less excelled in the duties of the true Christian +life, in a private station, than he exceeded others while a soldier in +the camp; and being under the ministry of that faithful man Mr. William +Guthrie, by whom he was made one of the members of his session, and +continued so till that bright and shining light in the church was turned +out by Charles II. who was again restored, and the yoke of supremacy and +tyranny being by him wreathed about the neck of both church and state, +whereby matters grew still worse, till the year 1660, that upon some +insolencies committed in the south and west by Sir James Turner, some +people rose (under the command of Barscob and other gentlemen from +Galloway) for their own defence. Several parties from the shire of Ayr +joined them, commanded by colonel James Wallace from Achan's; captain +Arnot came with a party from Mauchlin; Lockhart of Wicketshaw with a +party from Carluke; major Lermont with a party from above Galston; +Neilson of Corsack with a party from Galloway; and captain Paton (who +now behoved to take the field again) commanded a party of horse from +Loudon, Fenwick and other places. And being assembled they went +eastward, renewed the covenants at Lanerk, and from thence went to +Bathgate, then to Collington, and so on till they came to Rullion, near +Pentland hills, where they were upon that fatal day November 28, +attacked by general Dalziel and the king's forces. At their first on-set +captain Arnot, with a party of horse, fought a party of Dalziel's men +with good success; and, after him, another party made the general's men +fly; but upon their last rencounter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_463" id="Page_463">463</a></span> about sun-setting, Dalziel (being +repulsed 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<a name="FNanchor_207" id="FNanchor_207"></a><a href="#Footnote_207" class="fnanchor">[207]</a>. Here captain Paton (who was all along +with captain Arnot in the first encounter) behaved with great courage +and gallantry. Dalziel, knowing him in the former wars, advanced upon +him himself, thinking to take him prisoner. Upon his approach, each +presented their pistols. Upon their first discharge, captain Paton +perceived the pistol-ball to hoop down upon Dalziel's boots, and knowing +what was the cause (he having proof), put his hand to his pocket for +some small pieces of silver he had there for the purpose, and put one of +them into his other pistol. But Dalziel, having his eye on him in the +mean while, jumped his horse behind that of his own man, who by that +means was slain. The colonel's men, being flanked in, on all hands, by +Dalziel's men, were broke and overpowered in all their ranks. So that +the captain and other two horsemen from Finwick were surrounded, five +men deep, by the general, through whom he and the two men at his back +had to make their way, when there was almost no other on the field of +battle, having, in this last rencounter, stood almost an hour.</p> + +<p>Whenever Dalziel perceived him go off, he commanded three of his men to +follow hard after him, giving them marks whereby they should know him. +Immediately they came up with the captain, before whom was a great +slough or stank in the way, out of which three Galloway men had just +drawn 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 upon +them; and then caused his horse jump the ditch, and faced about with his +sword drawn in his hand, stood still till the first, coming up, +endeavoured to make his horse jump over also.—Upon which he, with his +sword<a name="FNanchor_208" id="FNanchor_208"></a><a href="#Footnote_208" class="fnanchor">[208]</a>, clove his head in two, and his horse being marred, fell into +the bog, with the other two men and horse. He told them to take his +compliments to their master, and tell him he was not coming this night, +and came off, and got safe home at last.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_464" id="Page_464">464</a></span> +After this Christ's followers and witnesses were reduced to many +hardships, particularly such as had been any way accessory to the rising +at Pentland, so that they were obliged to resort unto the wildernesses +and other desolate and solitary places. The winter following he and +about twenty persons had a very remarkable deliverance from the +enemy.—Being assembled at Lochgoin, upon a certain night, for +fellowship and godly conversation, they were miraculously anticipated or +prevented by a repeated dream (of the enemies approaching) by the old +man of the house, who was gone to bed for some rest on account of his +infirmity; and that just with as much time as they could make their +escape, the enemy being within forty falls of the house.—After they got +off, the old man rose up quickly and met them with an apology, for the +circumstance the house was then in (it being but a little after day +break), and nothing at that time was discovered.</p> + +<p>About this time, the captain sometimes remained at home, and sometimes +in such remote places wherein he could best be concealed from the fury +of his persecutors. He married a second wife, one Janet Millar from +Eglesham (whose father fell at Bothwel-bridge), by whom he had six +children, who continued still to possess the farm of Meadow-head and +Artnock in tack, until the day of his death.</p> + +<p>He was also one who frequented the pure preached gospel where-ever he +could obtain it, and was a great encourager of the practice of carrying +arms for the defence thereof, which he took to be a proper mean in part +to restrain the enemy from violence. But things growing still worse and +worse, new troops of horse and companies of foot being poured in upon +the western shires on purpose to suppress and search out these +field-meetings, which occasioned their rising again <i>anno</i> 1679. While, +by these unparalleled severities, they were with those of whom the +apostle speaks, <i>destitute, afflicted and tormented, of whom the world +was not worthy, and they wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in +dens and caves of the earth</i><a name="FNanchor_209" id="FNanchor_209"></a><a href="#Footnote_209" class="fnanchor">[209]</a>.</p> + +<p>For that suffering remnant, under the command of Mr. Robert Hamilton, +having got the victory over Claverhouse on the 1st of June 1676, at +Drumclog in Evandale (in which skirmish there was about 36 or 40 of that +bloody crew killed), they went on the next day for Glasgow, in pursuit +of the enemy; but that proving unsuccessful, they returned back, and on +June 3d formed themselves into a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_465" id="Page_465">465</a></span> camp, and held a council of war. On +the 4th they rendezvouzed at Kyperidge, <i>&c.</i>; and on the 5th they went +to commissar Fleming's park, in the parish of Kilbride, by which time +captain Paton (who all this time had not been idle) came to them with a +body of horsemen from Finwick and Galston; and many others joined them, +so that they were greatly increased.</p> + +<p>They had hitherto been of one heart and one mind, but a certain party of +horse from Carrick came to them (with whom were Mr. Welch, and some +other ministers who favoured the indulgence), after which they never had +a day to do well, until they were defeated at Bothwel-bridge, upon the +22d of June following.</p> + +<p>The protesting party were not for joining with those of the Erastian +side, till they should declare themselves fully for God and his cause, +against all and every defection whatever; but Mr. Welch and his party +found out a way to get rid of such officers as they feared most +opposition from: For orders were given to Rathillet, Haugh-head, +Carmichael, and Mr. Smith, to go to Glasgow, to meet with Mr. King and +captain Paton; and they obeyed. When at Glasgow, Mr. King and captain +Paton led them out of the town, as they apprehended, to preach somewhere +without the town; but at last, upon inquiry where they were going, it +was answered (according to orders sent privately to Mr. King and captain +Paton), That they were to go and disperse a meeting of the enemy at +Campsie; but upon going there, they found no such thing, which made them +believe it was only a stratagem to get free of Mr. King and the rest of +the faithful officers; upon which they returned.</p> + +<p>The faithful officers were Mr. Hamilton, general Hackston of Rathillet, +Hall of Haugh-head, captain Paton in Meadow-head, John Balfour of +Kinloch, Mr. Walter Smith, William Carmichael, William Cleland, James +Henderson, and Robert Fleming. Their ministers were Messrs. Donald +Cargil, Thomas Douglas, John Kid, and John King; for Mr. Richard Cameron +was then in Holland. Henry Hall of Haugh-head, John Paton in +Meadow-head, William Carmichael, and Andrew Turnbull, were ruling elders +of the church of Scotland.</p> + +<p>Thus the protesting party continued to struggle with the Erastian party +(in which contending captain Paton had no small share) until that fatal +day 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,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_466" id="Page_466">466</a></span> +that the day preceding, he was made a colonel. An author<a name="FNanchor_210" id="FNanchor_210"></a><a href="#Footnote_210" class="fnanchor">[210]</a>, when +writing upon that affair, says, That he supposes John Paton, Robert +Fleming, James Henderson and William Cleland were chosen to be colonels +of regiments; however, as he did not enjoy this place long, we find him +still afterward continued in the character of captain John Paton.</p> + +<p>After the defeat at Bothwel-bridge, captain Paton made the best of his +way homeward; and having had a fine horse, with all manner of furniture +from the sheriff of Ayr, upon the way he gave him to one to take home to +his master, but being robbed of all its fine mounting, by an old +intelligencer (of the same name as was supposed), which very much +surprised the sheriff when he received the horse, and the captain when +he got notice thereof. This was a most base and shameful action, +designing to stain the character of this honest and good man.</p> + +<p>The sufferers were now exposed to new hardships, and none more than +captain 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 hotly +pursued, and that even in his most secret lurking places. In which time, +a little after Bothwel, he had another most remarkable escape and +deliverance from his blood-thirsty enemies, which fell out in this +manner.——</p> + +<p>The captain, with a few more, being one night quartered in the +forementioned house of Lochgoin<a name="FNanchor_211" id="FNanchor_211"></a><a href="#Footnote_211" class="fnanchor">[211]</a>, with James Howie (who was one of +his 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, to +see what they could apprehend; and that night, a party, being out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_467" id="Page_467">467</a></span> in +quest of some of the sufferers, came to Meadow-head, and from thence +went to another remote place in the muirs of Finwick, called Croilburn, +but finding nothing there, they went next to Lochgoin, as apprehending +they would not miss their design there; and that they might come upon +this place more securely, they sent about five men, with one serjeant +Rae, by another way whereby the main body could not come so well up +undiscovered.</p> + +<p>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, one +George Woodburn went out to see if he could observe any thing (but it +seems he looked not very surely), and going to secret duty instead of +this, 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 the +spence—James and John Howie happened to be then in the byre, among the +cattle. The wife of the house, one Isabel Howie, seeing none but the +serjeant, cried to them to take the hills, and not be killed in the +house. She took hold of Rae, as he was coming boldly forward to the door +of the place in which they were, and ran him backward out of the outer +door of the house, giving him such a hasty turn as made him ly on the +ground. In the mean while, the captain, being alarmed, got up, put on +his shoes (though not very hastily,) and they got all out; by which time +the rest of the party was up. The serjeant fired his gun at them, which +one John Kirkland answered by the like with his. The bullet passed so +near the serjeant, that it took off the knot of hair on the side of his +head. The whole crew being now alarmed, the captain and the rest took +the way for Eglesham muirs; and they followed. Two of the men ran with +the 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 their +guns had got, in coming through the water, they were not so ready to +fire, which helped the others to escape.</p> + +<p>After they had pursued them some time, John Kirkland turned about, and +stooped down on his knee, and aimed so well, that he shot a highland +sarjeant through the thigh, which made the front still stoop as they +came forward, till they were again commanded to run. By this time the +sufferers had got some ground, and, being come to the muirs of Eglesham, +the four men went to the height in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_468" id="Page_468">468</a></span> view of the enemy, and caused the +captain (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 her +a little, that he might be more suddenly out of their reach. But ere he +was aware, a party of dragoons going for Newmills was at hand, and what +was more observeable, he wanted his shoes (having cast them off before, +and was riding on the beasts bare back), but he passed by them very +slowly, and got off undiscovered; and at length gave the mare her +liberty (which returned home) and went unto another of his +lurking-places. All this happened on a Monday morning, and on the morrow +these persecutors returned, and plundered the house, drove off their +cattle and left almost nothing remaining<a name="FNanchor_212" id="FNanchor_212"></a><a href="#Footnote_212" class="fnanchor">[212]</a>.</p> + +<p>About this time the captain met with another deliverance. For, he having +a child removed by death, the incumbent of the parish, knowing the time +when the corpse was to be interred, gave notice to a party of soldiers +at Kilmarnock to come up and take him at the burial of his child. But +some persons present at the burial, persuaded him to return back in case +the enemy should come upon them at the church-yard, which he accordingly +did (when he was but a little distant from the church).</p> + +<p>He was also a great succourer of those sufferers himself, in so far as +his circumstances could admit, several of his fellow-companions in the +tribulation and patience of Jesus Christ, resorting at certain times to +him: Such as worthy David Hackston of Rathillet, Balfour of Kinloch, and +Mr Donald Cargil; and it is said, That Mr. Cargil dispensed the +sacrament of baptism to twenty-two children in his barn at Meadow-head, +sometime after the engagement at Bothwel-bridge<a name="FNanchor_213" id="FNanchor_213"></a><a href="#Footnote_213" class="fnanchor">[213]</a>.</p> + +<p>But, being now near the end of his race and weary pilgrimage, about the +beginning of Aug. 1684. he came to the house of one Robert Howie in +Floack, in the parish of Mearns (formerly one of his hiding places) +where he was, by five soldiers, apprehended before ever he or any in the +house were aware. He had no arms, yet the indwellers there offered him +their assistance, if he wanted it. Indeed they were in a condition to +have refused him, yea, he himself, once in a day, was in case to have +extricated himself<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_469" id="Page_469">469</a></span> from double that number. But he said, It would bring +them to further trouble, <i>&c.</i> and as for himself, he was now become +weary of his life, being so hunted from place to place, and being now +well stricken in years, his hidings became the more irksome; and he was +not afraid to die, for he knew well, that, whenever he fell into their +hands, this would be the case, and he had got time to think thereon for +many years; and for his interest in Christ, of that he was sure. They +took him to Kilmarnock, but knew not who he was (taking him for some old +minister or other) till they came to a place on the high-way, called +Moor-yeat, where the good man of that place, seeing him in these +circumstances, said, Alas! captain Paton, are you there! And then to +their joy, they knew who they had got into their hands. He was carried +from 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 after +to Edinburgh.</p> + +<p>It is reported as a fact, that general Dalziel met him here, and took +him in his arms, saying, "John, I am both glad and sorry to see you. If +I had met you on the way before you came hither I should have set you at +liberty: But now it is too late. But be not afraid, I will write to his +majesty 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, having +spoken some time together, a man came and said to the captain, You are a +rebel to the king. To whom he replied, Friend, I have done more for the +king 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 his +cane till he staggered, saying, He would learn him other manners than to +use such a prisoner so. After this and more reasoning, the captain +thanked him for his courtesy, and they parted.</p> + +<p>His trial was not long delayed. I find (says a historian<a name="FNanchor_214" id="FNanchor_214"></a><a href="#Footnote_214" class="fnanchor">[214]</a>) that +April 16th, the council ordered a reward of 20 pounds sterling to Cornet +Lewis Louder, for apprehending John Paton who had been a notorious rebel +these 18 years. He was brought before the justiciary, and indicted for +being with the rebels at Glasgow, Bothwel, &c. The advocate, <i>ex super +abundanti</i>, passed his being at Pentland, and insisted on his being at +Bothwel. The lords found his libel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_470" id="Page_470">470</a></span> relevant, and for probation they +refer to his own confession before the council: John Paton in +Meadow-head in Finwick, that he was taken in the parish of Mearns, in +the house of Robert Howie in Floack, and that he haunted ordinarily in +the fields and muirs, confesses that he was moved by the country people +to go out in the year 1666, commanded a party at Pentland, confesses +that he joined with the rebels at Glasgow, about eight days before the +engagement, commanded a party at Bothwel, <i>&c.</i> The assize had no more +to cognize upon, but his own confession, yet brought him in guilty. The +Lords condemned him to be hanged at the grass-market of Edinburgh on +Wednesday the 23d of April. But, by other accounts he was charged before +the council for being a rebel since the year 1640; his being an opposer +of Montrose; his being at Mauchlin muir, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>He was prevailed on to petition the council, upon which he was respited +to the 30th, and from that to May 9th, when he suffered according to his +sentence. And no doubt, Dalziel was as good as his word.—For it is said +that he obtained a reprieve for him from the king; but that coming to +the 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 to +spare him, but as he observed in his last speech, the prelates put an +effectual stop to that. In the last eight days that he lived, he got a +room by himself, that he might more conveniently prepare for death, +which was a favour at that time granted him above many others.</p> + +<p>What his conduct or deportment at the place of execution was, we are now +at a loss to know, only we must believe it was such as well became such +a valiant servant and soldier of Jesus Christ, an evidence of which we +have in his last speech and dying testimony wherein among other things +he says, "You are come here to look on me a dying man, and you need not +expect that I shall say much, for I was never a great orator or eloquent +of tongue, though I may say as much to the commendation of God in Christ +Jesus, as ever a poor sinner had to say, &c.—I bless the Lord I am not +come here as a thief or murderer, and I am free of the blood of all men +and hate bloodshed directly or indirectly, and now I am a poor sinner; +and never could merit any thing but wrath: and I have no righteousness +of my own, all is Jesus Christ's and his alone. Now as to my +interrogations I was not clear to deny Pentland or Bothwel. The council<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_471" id="Page_471">471</a></span> +asked me if I acknowledged authority; I said, All authority according to +the word of God. They charged me with many things as if I had been a +rebel 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 place +he adheres to the scriptures, the covenants and the whole of the work of +reformation, and then says, "Now, I leave my testimony as a dying man +against that horrid usurpation of our Lord's prerogative and +crown-rights, I mean that supremacy established by law in these lands, +which is a manifest usurpation of his crown, for he is given by the +Father to be head to the church, Col. i. 18, <i>&c.</i>" And further, he +addressed 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 the +last place comes to salute all his friends in Christ, whether prisoned, +banished, widows, the fatherless, wandering and cast out for Christ's +sake and the gospel's. He forgave all his enemies in these words, "Now +as to my persecutors, I forgive all of them, instigators, reproachers, +soldiers, private council, judiciaries, apprehenders, in what they have +done to me, but what they have done in despite against the image of God +in me, who am a poor thing, without that, it is not mine to forgive +them, 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 small +children on the Lord, takes his leave of worldly enjoyments, and +concludes, saying, "Farewel, sweet scriptures, preaching, praying, +reading, singing, and all duties. Welcome Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I +desire to commit my soul to thee in well doing: Lord, receive my +spirit<a name="FNanchor_215" id="FNanchor_215"></a><a href="#Footnote_215" class="fnanchor">[215]</a>."</p> + +<p>Thus another gallant soldier of Jesus Christ came to his end, the +actions of whose life and demeanour at death, do fully indicate that he +was of no rugged disposition (as has been by some asserted of these our +late sufferers) but rather of a meek, judicious and Christian +conversation, tempered with true zeal and faithfulness for the cause and +interest of Zion's King and Lord. He was of a middle stature (as +accounts bear) large and robust, somewhat fair of complexion, with large +eye-brows. But what enhanced him more was courage and magnanimity of +mind, which accompanied him upon every emergent occasion; and though his +extraction<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_472" id="Page_472">472</a></span> was but mean, it might be truly said of him, That he lived a +hero and died a martyr.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="John_Nisbet_of_Hardhill" id="John_Nisbet_of_Hardhill"></a><i>The Life of <span class="smcap">John Nisbet</span> of Hardhill.</i></h2> + +<p>John Nisbet born about the year 1627, was son to James Nisbet, and +lineally descended from one Murdoch Nisbet in Hardhill, who about 1500, +joined those called the Lollards of Kyle; but, a persecution being +raised against them, he fled over seas, and took a copy of the new +Testament in writing. Sometime after, he returned home, digged a vault +in 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 to +return,</p> + +<p>John Nisbet, being somewhat advanced in years, and one who had the +advantage of a tall, strong, well-built body, and of a bold, daring, +public spirit, went abroad and joined in the military, which was of +great use to him afterwards. Having spent some time in foreign +countries, he returned to Scotland, and swore the covenants when king +Charles at his coronation swore them at Scoon in 1650. Then, having left +the military, he came home and married one Margaret Law, who proved an +equal, true and kind yoke-fellow to him all the days of her life, and by +whom he had several children, three of whom survived himself, <i>viz.</i> +Hugh, James and Alexander.</p> + +<p>In the month of Dec. 1683, she died on the 8th day of her sickness, and +was buried in Stone-house church-yard. This behoved to be done in the +night, because it might not be known, neither would any do it but such +as 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; but +some of the persecuted party sent him a letter, assuring him, That if he +touched these graves they would burn him and his family, and all he +had;—so he forbare.</p> + +<p>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 at +last one well acquainted with the most interesting parts of practical +religion, but also he attained no small degree of knowledge in points of +principle, which proved of unspeakable advantage to him in all that +occurred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_473" id="Page_473">473</a></span> to him in the after-part of his life, in maintaining the +testimony of that day.</p> + +<p>He married and took up the Hardhill in the parish of Loudon, in which +station he behaved with much discretion and prudence. For no sooner did +prelacy and Erastianism appear on the field, in opposition to our +antient and laudable form of church-government, at the restoration of +Charles II. than he took part with the presbyterian side. And having +<i>anno</i> 1664, got a child baptized by one of the ejected ministers (as +they were then called), the incumbent or curate of the parish was so +enraged, that he declared his resolution from the pulpit, to +excommunicate him the next Lord's day. But behold the Lord's hand +interposed here; for, before that day came, the curate was landed in +eternity.</p> + +<p>This gentleman, being always active for religion, and a great encourager +of field-meetings, was, with the rest of Christ's faithful witnesses, +obliged to go without the camp bearing his reproach. When that faithful +remnant assembled together, and renewed the covenant at Lanerk 1666, his +conscience summoned him out to join them in that particular +circumstance, which being known and he threatened for such an action, he +resolved to follow these persecuted people, and so kept with them in +arms till their defeat upon the 28th of Nov. at Pentland hills, at which +fight he behaved with great courage and resolution. He fought till he +was so wounded, that he was stript for dead among the slain, and yet +such was the providence of God, that (having more work for him to +accomplish) he was preserved.</p> + +<p>He had espoused Christ's cause by deliberate choice, and was indeed of +an excellent spirit; and, as Solomon says, <i>more excellent than his +neighbour</i>. His natural temper was likewise noble and generous: As he +was 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 yet +alive! I was told, you was going in a pilgrim's habit, and that your +burns were begging, and yet I see you look as well as ever." Then taking +out a six-dollar, he offered it to him. John, seeing this, took out a +ducat, and offered it to him, saying, "I will have none of yours, but +will give you if you please; for you may see that nothing is wanting to +him 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 of +God, as to sell your conscience to save your gear, <i>&c.</i> Take<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_474" id="Page_474">474</a></span> 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 man +thanked him, put up his money, and went home.</p> + +<p>After this remarkable escape he returned home, where probably he +continued (not without enduring many hardships) till the year 1670, that +by his fame for courage, wisdom and resolution among the sufferers, when +that party who were assembled near Loudon-hill to hear the gospel, June +1st, came in view of an engagement with Claverhouse (who attacked them +that day at Drumclog), Hardhill, not being present, was sent for by one +Woodborn in the mains of Loudon, to come in all haste to their +assistance. But before they got half-way they heard the platoons of the +engagement, and yet they rode with such alacrity, that they just came up +as the firing was over. Upon their approach, Hardhill (for so he was +commonly called) cried to them to jump the ditch, and get over upon the +enemy sword in hand. Which they did with so great resolution and +success, that in a little they obtained a complete victory over the +enemy, wherein Hardhill had a share, by his vigorous activity in the +latter end of that skirmish.</p> + +<p>The suffering party, knowing now that they were fully exposed to the +rage and resentment of their bloody persecuting foes, resolved to abide +together. And for that purpose sent a party to Glasgow in pursuit of the +enemy, among whom Hardhill was one. After which he continued with them +and was of no small advantage to the honest party, till that fatal day +June 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 sent +with his party along with those who defended the bridge, he fought with +great gallantry, and stood as long as any man would stand by him, and +then made his retreat just in time, and through the goodness of God, he +escaped from their hands at this time also.</p> + +<p>After Bothwel, he was denounced a rebel, and a large reward offered to +such as could apprehend him. At which time the enemy seized all that he +had, stripped his wife and four children of all, turning them out of +doors, whereby he was reduced as one of those mentioned Hebrews xi. 38. +<i>They wandered about in desarts and in mountains, and in dens and caves +of the earth</i>, &c. Thus he lived for near the space of five years, +suffering all manner of hardships, not accepting deliverance, that he +might preserve to himself the free enjoyment of the gospel, faithfully +preached in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_475" id="Page_475">475</a></span> the fields. And being a man of a public spirit, a great +observer of fellowship meetings (alas, a duty now too much neglected!) +and very staunch upon points of testimony, and become very popular among +the more faithful part of our sufferers, and was by them often employed +as one of their commissioners to their general meetings, which they had +erected some years before this, that they might the better understand +the mind of one another in carrying on a testimony in that broken state.</p> + +<p>One thing very remarkable was—The Sabbath night (being that day eight +days before he was taken) as he and four more were travelling, it being +very dark, no wind, but a thick small rain: no moon, for that was not +her season; behold, suddenly the clouds clave asunder, toward east and +west, 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, and +were much amazed, saying one to another, What may that mean? but he +spoke none, only uttering three deep groans, one of them asked him, What +it might mean? He said, "We know not well at present, but within a +little we shall know better: yet we have a <i>more sure word of prophecy</i>, +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 his +providence shall call me to it, and bear me through in it; and although +I have suffered much from prelates and false friends these 21 years, yet +now I would not for a thousand worlds I had done otherwise; and if the +Lord spare me, I will be more zealous for his precious truths, and if +not, I am ready to seal his cause with my blood; for I have longed for +it these 16 years, and it may be I will ere long get it to do. Welcome +be his will, and if he will help me through with it, I shall praise him +to all eternity." Which made them all wonder, he being a very reserved +man; for although he was a strict observer of the Sabbath, a great +examiner of the scripture, and a great wrestler in prayer, yet he was so +reserved as to his own case and soul's concernment, that few knew how it +was with him as to that, until he came to prison.</p> + +<p>All this and more could not escape the knowledge of the managers, as is +evident from Earlston's answers before the council 1683, and we find +that one of the articles that John Richmond suffered for, at the cross +of 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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_476" id="Page_476">476</a></span> 1683, having retired amongst other +of his lurking places, unto a certain house called Midland, in the +parish of Fenwick, where were assembled for prayer and other religious +exercises (on a Saturday's night) other three of his faithful brethren, +<i>viz.</i> Peter Gemmel, a younger brother of the house of Horse-hill in the +same parish, George Woodburn, a brother of the Woodburns in the Muirs of +Loudon, and one John Fergushill from Tarbolton. Upon notice that +lieutenant Nisbet, and a party of col. Buchan's dragoons were out in +quest of the wanderers (as they were sometimes called) they resolved on +the Sabbath morning to depart. But old John Fergushill, not being able +to go by reason of some infirmities, they were obliged to return back +with him, after they had gone a little way from the house; and were, the +same day, apprehended. The way and manner of which, with his answers +both at Ayr, and before the council at Edinburgh, as they stand in an +old manuscript given under his own hand, while he was their prisoner, is +as follows:</p> + +<p>"First when the enemy came within sight of the house, we seeing no way +of escape, John Fergushill went to the far end of the house, and the +other two and I followed. And ere we were well at the far end of the +house, some of the enemy were in the house. And then in a little after +they came and put in their horses, and went to and fro in the house for +more than an hour, and we four still at the far end of the house; And we +resolved with one another to keep close till they should come just on +us; and if it should have pleased the Lord to have hid us there, we +resolved not to have owned them; but if they found us out, we thought to +fight, saying one to another, It was death at length. They got all out +of the house, and had their horses drawn forth. But in a little time +came back<a name="FNanchor_216" id="FNanchor_216"></a><a href="#Footnote_216" class="fnanchor">[216]</a>, tittling one to another, and at last cried for a candle +to search the house with; and came within a yard of us with a light +burning in their hand. According to our former<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_477" id="Page_477">477</a></span> resolution, we did +resist them, having only three shot; and one of them misgiving, and they +fired above twenty-four shot at us, and when we had nothing else, we +clubbed our guns, till two of them were quite broke, and then went in +grips with some of them; and when they saw they could not prevail, they +cried, All to go out and fire the house. Upon which we went out after +them, and I received six wounds in the going out. After which, they +getting notice what I was, some of themselves cried out to spare my +life, for the council had offered 3000 merks for me. So they brought me +towards the end of the yard, and tied my hands behind my back, (having +shot the other three to death). He that commanded them, scoffingly asked +me, What I thought of my self now? I smiled and said, I had full +contentment with my lot, but thought that I was at a loss that I was yet +in time and my brethren in eternity. At which he swore he had reserved +my life for a farther judgment to me. When we were going towards +Kilmarnock; he (the lieutenant, who was a cousin of his own) called for +me, and he and I went before the rest, and discoursed soberly about +several things. I was free in telling him what I held to be sin, and +what I held to be duty; and when we came to Kilmarnock tolbooth, he +caused slack my arms a-little, and inquired if I desired my wounds +dressed: and at the desire of some friends in the town, he caused bring +in straw and some cloaths for my brother John Gemmel<a name="FNanchor_217" id="FNanchor_217"></a><a href="#Footnote_217" class="fnanchor">[217]</a> and me to lie +upon, but would not suffer us to cast off our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_478" id="Page_478">478</a></span> cloaths. On Monday, on +the way to Ayr, he raged against me, and said that I had the blood of +the three men on my head that were killed yesterday; and that I was +guilty of all, and the cause of all the troubles that were come on the +poor barony of Cunningham first and last. But when we came near the +town, he called me out from the rest, and soberly asked me, What he +should say to the superior officers in my behalf? I told him, That if +the Lord would keep me from wronging truth, I was at a point already in +what he put me to, as to suffering. When we first entered the tolbooth +of Ayr, there came two and asked some things at me, but they were to +little purpose. Then I was taken out with a guard and brought before +Buchan. He asked me, <i>1st</i>, If I was at that conventicle? I told him, I +looked upon it as my duty. <i>2dly</i>, How many armed were there? I told +him, I went to hear the gospel preached, and not to take up the account +of what men were there. <i>3dly</i>, Where away went they, <i>&c.</i>? I told him +it was more than I could tell. <i>4thly</i>, Do you own the king? I told him, +while he owned the way and work of God, I thought myself bound both to +own and fight for him, but when he quitted the way of God, I thought I +was obliged to quit him. <i>5thly</i>, Will ye own the duke of York as king? +I told him, I would not; for it was both against my principles and the +laws of the nation. <i>6thly</i>, Was you clear to join with Argyle? I said, +No. He held me long, and spoke of many things. We had the musters +through hands, popery, prelacy, presbyterianism, malignants, defensive +and offensive arms, there being none in the room but him and I. I +thought it remarkable, that all the time from sabbath and to this +present, I had and have as much peace and quietness of my mind, as ever +in my life. O help me to praise him! for he alone did it. Now, my dear +friends and acquaintance, cease not to pray for me while I am in the +body, for I may say I fear nothing, but that, thro' weakness, I wrong +truth. And my last advice is, that ye be more diligent in following +Christian duties. Alas! that I was not more sincere, zealous and forward +for 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 his +blessing, shall open a door to more of a Christian soul-exercise; and +more of a soul-exercise, through his blessing, would keep away vain +jangling, that does no way profit, but gives way to Satan and his +temptations, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>"When I came to Edinburgh, I was the first night kept in the guard. The +next night I was brought into their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_479" id="Page_479">479</a></span> council-house, where were present +Drummond (<i>viz.</i> Perth) Linlithgow and one Paterson, together with some +others. They first said to me, that they looked upon me as one +acquainted with all that was done amongst these rebellious persons, +therefore the lords of his majesty's privy council would take it as a +great favour that I would be free in telling them what I knew, that +might 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 I +was more afraid to lie than to die, but I hoped they would be so much +christians as not to bid me tell any thing that would burden my +conscience. Then they began thus: (1.) What did ye in your meetings? I +told 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 and +society-meetings? <i>A.</i> I wonder why you ask such questions, for these +meetings were called so when our church was in her power. (3.) Were +there any such meetings at that time? <i>A.</i> There were in some places of +the land. (4.) Did the ministers of the place meet with them in these? +<i>A.</i> Sometimes they did, and sometimes they did not. (5.) What mean you +by your general meeting, and what do you do at them? While I was +thinking what to answer, one of themselves told them more distinctly +than I could have done, and jeeringly said, looking to me, When they +have done, then they distribute their collections. I held my peace all +the time. (6.) Where keep ye these meetings? <i>A.</i> In the wildest muirs +we can think off. (7.) Will ye own the king's authority? <i>A.</i> No. (8.) +What is your reason? you own the scriptures and your own confession of +faith? <i>A.</i> That I do with all my heart. (9.) Why do ye not own the +king's authority (naming several passages of scripture, and that in the +23d chapter of the confession)? <i>A.</i> There is a vast difference, for he +being a Roman catholic, and I being not only brought up in the +presbyterian principles from my youth, but also sworn against popery. +(10.) What is that to you though he be popish, he is not bidding you be +a papist, nor hindring you to live in your own religion? <i>A.</i> The +contrary does appear, for we have not liberty to hear a +gospel-preaching, but we are taken, killed and put to the hardest of +sufferings. They said, It was not so, for we might have the gospel, if +our wild principles would suffer us to hear it. I said, They might say +so, but the contrary was well known through the land, for ye banished +away our faithful ministers, and thrust in such as live rather like +profligates than like ministers; so that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_480" id="Page_480">480</a></span> poor things neither can nor +dare join with them. (11.) Are ye clear to join with Argyle? <i>A.</i> No. +Then one of them said, Ye will have no king but Mr. James Renwick; and +asked, If I conversed with any other minister upon the field than Mr. +Renwick? I told them, I conversed with no other:——And a number of +other things that were to little purpose.</p> + +<p>"Sirs, this is a true hint of any material thing that passed betwixt +them and me. As for their drinking of healths, never one of them spoke +of 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 I +would pray for all men. I told them, I was bound to pray for all; but +prayer being instituted by a holy God, who was the hearer of prayer, no +christian could pray when every profligate did bid them, and it was no +advantage to their cause to suffer such a thing.</p> + +<p>"How it may be afterwards with me, I cannot positively say, for he is a +free Sovereign, and may come and go as he pleaseth. But this I say and +can affirm, that he has not quarreled with me since I was prisoner; but +has always waited on to supply me with all consolation and strength, as +my necessity required; and now when I cannot lay down my own head nor +lift it without help, yet of all the cases that ever I was, I had never +more contentment. I can now give the cross of Christ a noble +commendation. It was always sweet and pleasant, but never so sweet and +pleasant as now. Under all my wanderings, and all my toilings, a prison +was still so terrifying to me, that I could never have been so sure as I +would have been. But immediately at my taking, he so shined on me, and +ever since that, he and his cross are to me far beyond whatever he was +before. Therefore let none scare or stand at a distance from their duty +for fear of the cross, for now I can say from experience, that it is as +easy, yea, and more sweet, to ly in prison in irons, than it is to be at +liberty. But I must forbear at present."</p> + +<p>Upon the 26th, he was ordered by the council to be prosecuted before the +justiciary. Accordingly on the 30th he was before the justiciary, and +arraigned, his own confession being the only proof against him, which +runs thus, "John Nisbet of Hardhill, prisoner, confesses, when examined +before the council, That he was at Drumclog, had arms, and made use of +them against the king's forces; and that he was at Glasgow; and that he +was at a field meeting within these two months, betwixt Eglesham and +Kilbride;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_481" id="Page_481">481</a></span> <i>&c.</i>" The which being read, he adhered to, but refused to +subscribe it. The assize brought him in guilty, and the lords sentenced +him to be hanged at the grass-market, Dec. 4th, betwixt two and four in +the afternoon, and his lands, goods and gear to be forfeited to the +king's use.</p> + +<p>It was inserted by the council in his confession, That the reason why he +could not join with Argyle was, that one Cleland told him, that Argyle +and his party were against all kingly government. Mr. Wodrow thinks this +false, and that it was only foisted in by the clerk of the council, it +not being the first time that things of this nature had been done by +them. But he behoves to have been in a mistake here, for in one of +Hardhill's papers, in manuscript, left behind him in way of testimony, +he gives this as the first reason for his not joining with Argyle, and +the second was to the same purpose with what Mr. Wodrow has observed, +<i>viz.</i> because the societies could not espouse his declaration, as the +state of the quarrel was not concerted according to the ancient plea of +the Scottish covenanters, and because it opened a door to a sinful +confederacy.</p> + +<p>His sentence was accordingly executed, and he appeared upon the scaffold +with a great deal of courage and christian composure, and died in much +assurance, and with a joy which none of his persecutors could +intermeddle with. It was affirmed by some, who were present at his +execution, that the scaffold or gibbet gave way and came down, which +made some present flatter themselves, that by some laws in being, he had +won his life (as they used to say in such cases). But behold a +disappointment here, for he behoved not to escape so (for to this end he +was born). Immediately all was reared up, and the martyr executed.</p> + +<p>In his last testimony, which is inserted in the cloud of witnesses, +after a recital of many choice scripture texts, which had been +comforting and strengthening to him in the house of his pilgrimage, he +comes among other things in point of testimony, to say, "Now, my dear +friends in Christ, I have alway since the public resolutioners were for +bringing in the malignants, and their interest, thought it my duty to +join 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 us +captains, that we may return to Egypt by the open doors, that are made +wide to bring in popery, and set up idolatry in the Lord's covenanted +land, to defile it. Wherefore it is the unquestionable and indispensible +duty of all who have any love to God and to his son Jesus Christ, to +witness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_482" id="Page_482">482</a></span> faithfully, constantly and conscientiously against all that the +enemies have done or are doing to the overthrow of the glorious work of +reformation, and banishing Christ out of these lands, by robbing him of +his crown rights.——And however it be, that many, both ministers and +professors, are turning their back upon Christ and his cause, +reproaching and casting dirt upon you and the testimony of the day. Yet +let not this weaken your hands, for I assure you it will not be long to +the fourth watch, and then he will come in garments dyed in blood, to +raise up saviours in mount Zion, and to judge the mount of Esau; and +then the cause of Jacob and Joseph shall be for fire, and the +malignants, prelates and papists, shall be for stubble; the flame +thereof 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."</p> + +<p>Then he goes on declaring, that he adhered to the scripture, confession +of faith, catechisms larger and shorter, and all the pieces of +reformation attained to in Scotland from 1638, to 1649, with all the +protestations, declarations, <i>&c.</i> given by the faithful since that +time; owns all their appearances in arms, at Pentland, Drumclog, +Bothwel, Airs-moss, <i>&c.</i> against God's stated enemies, and the enemies +of the gospel, and kingly government, as appointed and emitted in the +word of God, they entering covenant ways and with covenant +qualifications. And withal adds, "But I am persuaded, Scotland's +covenanted God will cut off the name of Stuart, because they have stated +themselves against religion, reformation, and the thriving of Christ's +kingdom and kingly government in these lands; and although men idolize +them so much now, yet ere long there shall none of them be to tyrannize +in covenanted Britain any more."</p> + +<p>Then he proceeds in protesting against popery, prelacy, the granters and +accepters of the indulgence, and exhorting the people of God to forbear +contention and censuring one another; to keep up their sweet fellowship +and society-meetings, with which he had been much comforted:——And +concludes, bidding farewel to all his dear fellow-sufferers, to his +children, christian friends, sweet Bible, and to his wanderings, and +contendings for truth. Welcomes death, the city of his God, the blessed +company of angels, and the spirits of just men; but above all, the +Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;——Into whose hands he commits his spirit. +Amen.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_483" id="Page_483">483</a></span> +After he wrote his last speech, he was taken out immediately to the +council, and from that to the place of execution. All the way thither he +had his eyes lifted up to heaven. He seemed to rejoice, and his face +shined visibly. He spoke but little till he came to the scaffold. When +he came there, he jumped upon it and cried out, "My soul doth magnify +the Lord, my soul doth magnify the Lord. I have longed these 16 years to +seal 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 do +but to come here and pour out my last prayer,—sing forth my last +praises of him in time on this sweet and desirable scaffold, mount that +ladder, 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, world +without end." Then he resumed the heads of his last testimony to the +truth, and enlarged on what he owned and disowned, but the drums being +beat, 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 a +thunderbolt, upon these covenanted lands, for their perfidy, treachery, +and apostacy, and then men shall say, they have got well away that got a +scaffold for Christ." He exhorted all to "make use of Christ for a +hiding 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 the +Romans, and prayed divinely with great presence of mind and very loud. +Then went up the ladder rejoicing and praising the Lord, which all +evidently saw: And so ended the race which he had run with faith and +patience upon the 4th of Dec. 1685, in the 58th year of his age.</p> + +<p>He was a man of strong memory, good judgment, and much given to +self-denial. It is said of him, that, under his hidings in a cave, near +or about his own house, he wrote out all the new testament; which +probably (according to some accounts) might be a transcription of an old +copy, which one of his ancestors is said to have copied out in the time +of popery, when the scriptures were not permitted to be read in the +vulgar language.</p> + +<p>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 in +point of principle; but this must be altogether groundless. For in one +of the forementioned manuscripts, he lets fall these words, "Now as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_484" id="Page_484">484</a></span> for +misreports, that were so much spread of me, I declare, as a dying person +going out of time to eternity, that the Lord never suffered me in the +least to incline to follow any of those persons who were drawn away to +follow erroneous principles. Only I thought it still my duty, to be +tender of them, as they had souls, wondring always wherefore I was right +in any measure, and they got leave to fall in such a manner. I could +never endure to hear one creature rail and cry out against another, +knowing we are all alike by nature." And afterwards when speaking of +Argyle's declaration, he farther says, "Let all beware of refusing to +join with ministers or professors, upon account of personal infirmities, +which is ready to raise prejudice among persons. But it shall be found a +walking contrary to the word of God, and so contrary to God himself, to +join either with ministers or professors, that hold it lawful to meddle +with sinful things; for the holy scriptures allow of no such thing. He +is a holy God, and all that name the name of God must depart from evil."</p> + +<p>There were also twenty-six steps of defection drawn up by him (yet in +manuscript) wherein he is most explicit in proving from clear scripture +proofs the sinfulness of the land's apostacy from God, both nationally +and personally, from the public resolutions to the time of his death in +the year 1685. He was by some thought too severe in his design of +killing the prisoners at Drumclog. But in this he was not altogether to +blame, for the enemies word was No quarters, and the sufferers were the +same; and we find it grieved Mr. Hamilton very much, when he beheld some +of them spared, after the Lord had delivered them into their hand. +<i>Happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us</i>, &c. +Psalm cxxxvii. 8. Yea Hardhill himself seems to have had clear grounds +and motives for this, in one of the above mentioned steps of defection, +with which we shall conclude this narrative.</p> + +<p>"<i>Fifteenthly</i>, As there has been rash, envious and carnal executing of +justice on his and the church's enemies, so he has also been provoked to +reject, cast off, and take the power out of his people's hand, for being +so sparing of them, when he brought forth and gave a commission to +execute on them that vengeance due unto them, as it is Psalm cxlix. 9 +For as justice ought to be executed in such and such a way and manner as +aforesaid; so it ought to be fully executed without sparing, as is clear +from Joshua vii. 24. <i>&c.</i> For sparing the life of the enemy,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_485" id="Page_485">485</a></span> and +fleeing upon the spoil, 1 Sam. xv. 18. Saul is sharply rebuked, and +though he excused himself, yet for that very thing he is rejected from +being king. Let the practice of Drumclog be remembered and mourned for. +If there was not a deep ignorance, reason might teach this; for what +master, having servants and putting them to do his work, would take such +a flight at his servants hands, as to do a part of his work, and come +and say to the master, That it is not needful to do the rest; when the +not doing of it would be dishonourable to the master, and hurtful to the +whole family. Therefore was the wrath of the Lord against his people, +insomuch that he abhorred his inheritance, and hiding his face from his +people, making them afraid at the shaking of a leaf, and to flee when +none pursueth, being a scorn and a hissing to enemies and fear to some +who desire to befriend his cause. And, O lay to heart and mourn for what +has been done to provoke him to anger, in not seeking the truth to +execute judgment, and therefore he has not pardoned. <i>Behold! for your +iniquities have you sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your +mother put away</i>, Isa. l. 1.; &c."</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Alexander_Peden" id="Mr_Alexander_Peden"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Alexander Peden</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>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, for +some time, employed to be schoolmaster, precentor and session clerk to +Mr. John Guthrie, minister of the gospel then at Tarbolton<a name="FNanchor_218" id="FNanchor_218"></a><a href="#Footnote_218" class="fnanchor">[218]</a>. When he +was 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 this +aspersion 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 the +divine direction, while he was embarrassed with that affair.</p> + +<p>A little before the restoration, he was settled minister at New Glenluce +in Galloway, where he continued for about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_486" id="Page_486">486</a></span> the space of three years, +until he was among others thrust out by the violence and tyranny of +these times. When he was about to depart from that parish, he lectured +upon Acts xx. from the seventh verse to the end, and preached in the +forenoon from these words in the 31st verse, <i>Therefore watch, and +remember, that for the space of three years I ceased not to warn every +man</i>, &c. asserting that he had declared unto them the whole counsel of +God, and had kept back nothing, professing he was free from the blood of +all souls. In the afternoon, he preached from the 32d verse, <i>And now, +brethren, I commend you to the word of his grace</i>, &c. which occasioned +a 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 see +his face in that pulpit again. He continued till night, and when he +closed the pulpit door, he knocked three times very hard on it, with his +Bible, saying three times over, I arrest thee, in my Master's name, that +none 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 the +revolution, that one of the presbyterian persuasion opened it.</p> + +<p>About the beginning of the year 1666, a proclamation was emitted by the +council against him (and several of the ejected ministers); wherein he +was charged with holding conventicles, preaching and baptizing children +at the Ralstoun in Kilmarnock parish in October last, and another in +Castlehill in Craigy parish, where he baptized 25 children. But upon his +non-appearance at this citation, he was next year declared a rebel, and +forfeited in both life and fortune.<a name="FNanchor_219" id="FNanchor_219"></a><a href="#Footnote_219" class="fnanchor">[219]</a></p> + +<p>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 that +left them, seeing you was persuaded that they would fall and flee before +the enemy, he was offended, and said, Glory, glory to God, that he sent +me not to hell immediately, for I should have stayed with them, though I +should have been all cut in pieces.</p> + +<p>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 of +the enemy's horse whom there was no evading. The laird fainted, fearing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_487" id="Page_487">487</a></span> +they should be taken. Mr. Peden, seeing this, said, Keep up your courage +and confidence, for God hath laid an arrest on these men, that they +shall do us no harm. When they met, they were courteous, and asked the +way. Mr. Peden went off the way, and shewed them the ford of the water +of Titt. When he returned, the laird said, Why did you go? you might +have let the lad go with them. No, said he, they might have asked +questions of the lad, which might have discovered us; but as for me, I +knew they would be like Egyptian dogs; they could not move a tongue +against me, my time not being yet come, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>He passed his time sometimes in Scotland and sometimes in Ireland<a name="FNanchor_220" id="FNanchor_220"></a><a href="#Footnote_220" class="fnanchor">[220]</a>, +until June 1673, that he was by Major Cockburn taken in the house of +Hugh Ferguson of Knockdew in Carrick, who constrained him to stay all +night. Mr. Peden told them it would be a dear night's quarters to them +both, accordingly they were both carried prisoners to Edinburgh. There +the said Hugh was fined in 1000 merks for reset, harbour and converse +with him. Some time after his examination he was sent prisoner to the +bass one sabbath morning. Being about the public worship of God, a young +girl, about the age of fourteen years, came to the chamber door mocking +with loud laughter. He said, Poor thing, thou laughest and mockest at +the worship of God, but ere long God shall write such a sudden and +surprising judgment on thee, that shall stay thy laughing <i>&c.</i> Very +shortly after that, as she was walking on the rock, a blast of wind +swept her off to the sea, where she was lost.</p> + +<p>Another day as he was walking on the rock, some soldiers were passing +by, and one of them cried, the devil take him. He said, Fy, fy! poor +man, thou knowest not what thou art saying; but thou shalt repent that. +At which he stood astonished, and went to the guard distracted, crying +out for Mr. Peden, saying, The devil would immediately come and take him +away. Mr. Peden came, and spoke to and prayed for him, and next morning +came to him again and found him in his right mind, under deep +convictions of great guilt. The guard being to change, they commanded +him to his arms, but he refused; and said, He would lift no arms against +Jesus Christ, his cause and people; I have done that too long. The +governor threatened him with death to-morrow by ten o-clock. He +confidently<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_488" id="Page_488">488</a></span> said, three times over, That though he should tear him in +pieces, he should never lift arms that way. About three days after, the +governor put him forth of the garrison, letting him ashore. And he, +having a wife and children, took a house in East Lothian, where he +became a singular christian.</p> + +<p>He was brought from the Bass to Edinburgh, and sentence of banishment +parted 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 of +death. After this sentence was past, he often said, That that ship was +not yet built that should take him or these prisoners to Virginia, or +any other of the English plantations in America. When they were on +ship-board in the road of Leith, there was a report that the enemies +were to send down thumbkins to keep them in order; on which they were +much discouraged. He went above deck and said, Why are ye so +discouraged; you need not fear, there will neither thumbkins nor +bootkins come here; lift up your hearts, for the day of your redemption +draweth near: If we were once at London, we will all be let at liberty, +<i>&c.</i> In their voyage thither, they had the opportunity of commanding +the ship and escaping, but would not adventure upon it without his +advice. He said, Let all alone, for the Lord will set all at liberty in +a way more conducive to his own glory and our own safety. Accordingly +when they arrived, the skipper who received them at Leith, being to +carry them no farther, delivered them to another to carry them to +Virginia, to whom they were represented as thieves and robbers. But when +he came to see them, and found they were all grave sober Christians, +banished for presbyterian principles, he said, he would sail the seas +with none such. In this confusion, that the one skipper would not +receive them, and the other would keep them no longer for being +expensive to him, they were set at liberty. Some, says the skipper, got +compliments from friends in London. Others assure us, That they got off +through means of the Lord Shaftesbury, who was always friendly to the +presbyterians. However it is certain that they were all liberated at +Gravesend, without any bond or imposition whatever. And in their way +homeward the English showed them no small degrees of kindness.</p> + +<p>After they were set at liberty, Mr. Peden stayed in London and other +places of England until June 1670, that he came to Scotland, and that +dismal day, the 22d of that month, when the Lord's people fell and fled +before their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_489" id="Page_489">489</a></span> enemies at Bothwel-bridge, he was 40 miles distant (being +near the border), where he kept himself retired until the middle of the +day, that some friends said to him, Sir, the people are waiting for +sermon, (it being the Lord's day). To whom he said, Let the people go to +their prayers; for me, I neither can nor will preach any this day; for +our friends are fallen and fled before the enemy at Hamilton, and they +are hashing and hagging them down, and their blood is running down like +water.</p> + +<p>Shortly after this stroke at Bothwel-bridge, he went to Ireland, but did +not stay long at that time. For in the year 1630, being near Mauchlin in +the shire of Ayr, one Robert Brown, in Corsehouse in Loudon parish, and +one Hugh Pinaneve, factor to the earl of Loudon, stabling their horses +in that house where he was, went to a fair in Mauchlin, and in the +afternoon, when they came to take their horses, they got some drink; in +the taking of which the said Hugh broke out into railing against our +sufferers, particularly against Mr. Cameron, who was lately, before +that, slain at Airs-moss. Mr. Peden, being in another room overhearing +all, 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 man +Mr. Cameron was: God shall punish that blasphemous mouth of yours in +such a manner, that you shall be set up for a beacon to all such railing +Rabshakehs. Robert Brown, knowing Mr. Peden, hastened to his horse, +being persuaded that his word would not fall to the ground; and fearing +also that some mischief might befal him in the said Hugh's company, he +hastened home to his own house, and the said Hugh to the earl's; and +casting off his boots, he was struck with a sudden sickness and pain +through his body, with his mouth wide open, and his tongue hanging out +in a fearful manner. They sent for the said Robert to take some blood +from him, but all in vain; for he died before midnight.</p> + +<p>After this, in the year 1682, he married that singular christian John +Brown, at his own house in Priesthall (in the parish of Moor-kirk in +Kyle) 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 him +long; 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 a +bloody one. Which sadly came to pass in the beginning of May 1685.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_490" id="Page_490">490</a></span> +In the same year 1682, he went to Ireland again, and coming to the house +of William Steel in Glenwhary in the county of Antrim, he enquired at +Mrs. 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, The +common rate was a common rule. To which she assented. At night he was +put to bed in the barn with the servant lad, and that night he spent in +prayer and groaning. To-morrow he threshed with the lad, and the next +night he spent in the same way. The second day the lad said to his +mistress, This man sleeps none, but groans and prays all night; I can +get no sleep with him; he threshes very well and not sparing himself, +though I think he hath not been used to it, <i>&c.</i>; and when I put the +barn in order, he goes to such a place and prays for the afflicted +church of Scotland, and names so many people in the furnace, <i>&c.</i> He +wrought the second day; his mistress watched and overheard him praying, +as the lad had said. At night she desired her husband to enquire if he +was a minister: which he did, and desired him to be free with him, and +he should not only be no enemy to him but a friend. Mr. Peden said, he +was 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 some +considerable time in that place, and was a blessed instrument in the +conversion of some, and the civilizing of others, <i>&c.</i> There was a +servant 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 her +away, for she will be a stain to your family; she is with child, and +will murder it, and will be punished for the same. Which accordingly +came to pass; for which she was burnt at Craigfergus; the usual +punishment of malefactor, in that country.</p> + +<p>In the year 1684, being in the house of John Slowan in the parish of +Conert, in the same country of Antrim, about 10 o'clock at night sitting +by the fireside, discoursing with some honest people, he started to his +feet, and said, Flee off, Sandy, and hide yourself, for col —— is +coming to this house to apprehend you, and I advise you all to do the +like, for they will be here within an hour. Which came to pass. When +they had made a most inquisitive search without and within the house, +and went round the thorn bush where he was lying praying, they went off +without their prey. He came in and said, And has this gentleman given +poor Sandy such a fright, and other poor things, for this night's work, +God shall give him such a blow within<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_491" id="Page_491">491</a></span> a few days, that all the +physicians on earth shall not be able to cure. Which likewise came to +pass; for he soon died in great misery, vermin issuing from all the +pores of his body, with such a nauseous smell that none could enter the +room where he lay.</p> + +<p>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 very +bitter reflections upon Mr. Peden. One Mr. Vernon, one of Mr. +Cuningham's elders, being much offended thereat, told Mr. Peden on +Monday what he had said. Mr. Peden, taking a turn in his garden, came +back and charged him to go tell Mr. Cuningham from him, That before +Saturday'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 not +to enter his meeting-house under pain of death.</p> + +<p>One time travelling alone in Ireland, being a dark mist, and night +approaching, 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, Thou +art 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. Peden +said, 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 came +to the meeting (as their custom was) they sat for some time silent, some +with their faces to the wall, and some covered; and, there being a void +in the loft above, there came down the appearance of a raven, and sat on +one man's head, who rose up and spoke with such vehemence, that the foam +flew 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 not +deny yon afterward. He answered, Thou promised to be silent. From a +second it went to a third man's head, who did as the former two. When +they dismissed, on the way home, Mr. Peden said to his landlord, I +always thought there was devilry amongst you, but I never thought that +he 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 redemption +thro' his blood, even the forgiveness of all your iniquities. The poor +man fell a-weeping and said, I perceive that God hath sent you to my +house, and put it in your heart to go along with me, and permitted the +devil to appear visibly among us this night. I never saw the like +before; let me have the help of your prayers, for I resolve, through the +Lord's grace, to follow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_492" id="Page_492">492</a></span> this way no longer. After this he became a +singular Christian; and when dying, blessed the Lord that in mercy he +sent the man of God to his house.</p> + +<p>Before he left Ireland, he preached in several places, particularly one +time near the forementioned Mr. Vernon's house in 1685, where he had +made a most clear discovery of the many hardships his fellow-sufferers +were then undergoing in Scotland; and of the death of king Charles, the +news of which came not to Ireland till twenty-four hours thereafter.</p> + +<p>After this he longed to be out of Ireland; what through the fearful +apprehension of that dismal rebellion that broke out there about four +years after, and what from a desire he had to take part with the +sufferings of Scotland. And before his departure from thence, he +baptised a child to one John Maxwel a Glasgow-man (who had fled over +from the persecution) which was all the drink-money (as he expressed it) +that he had to leave in Ireland.</p> + +<p>After he and twenty Scots sufferers came aboard, he went above deck, and +prayed, (there not being then the least wind) where he made a rehearsal +of times and places when and where the Lord had heard and helped them in +the day of their distress, and now they were in a great strait. Waving +his 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 fresh +gale, 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 all +straight down, but ere he ended they were all blown full, and they got a +very swift and safe passage over. In the morning, after they landed, he +lectured ere they parted on a brae side; in which he had some awful +threatening against Scotland, saying, The time was coming, that they +might travel many miles in Galloway, Nithsdale, Ayr and Clydesdale, and +not see a reeking house or hear a cock crow; and further added, My soul +trembles to think what will become of the indulged, backslidden and +upsitten ministers of Scotland; as the Lord lives, none of them shall +ever be honoured to put a tight pin in the Lord's tabernacle nor assert +Christ's kingly prerogative as Head and King of his church.</p> + +<p>After his arrival in Scotland, in the beginning of the year 1683, he met +with several remarkable deliverances from the enemy. One time fleeing +from them on horseback, he was obliged to ride a water where he was in +eminent danger. After he got out, he cried, Lads, do not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_493" id="Page_493">493</a></span> follow me, for +I assure you, ye want my boat, and so will drown; and consider where +your landing will be, <i>&c.</i>—which affrighted them from entering the +water. At another time, being also hard pursued, he was forced to take a +bog and a moss before him. One of the dragoons, being more forward than +the rest, run himself into that dangerous bog, where he and the horse +were never seen more.</p> + +<p>About this time he preached one Sabbath night in a sheep-house (the +hazard of the time affording no better). That night he lectured upon +Amos vii. 8. <i>And I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people the +house of Israel,</i> &c. On this lecture he said, I'll tell you good +news—Our Lord will take a feather out of Antichrist's wing, which shall +bring down the duke of York, and banish him out of these kingdoms——And +there shall never a man of the house of Stuart sit upon the throne of +Britain after the duke of York, whose reign is now short; for their +lechery, treachery, tyranny, and shedding the precious blood of the +Lord's people.—But oh! black, black! will the days be that will come +upon Ireland! that they shall travel forty miles, and not see a reeking +house or hear a cock crow, <i>&c.</i> When ended, he and those with him lay +down in the sheep-house, and got some sleep; and early next morning went +up a burn-side and stayed long. When he came back, he sang the 32d psalm +from the 7th verse to the end; and then repeated that verse,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><i>Thou art my hiding-place, thou shalt</i><br /></span> +<span class="i2"><i>from trouble keep me free;</i><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><i>Thou with songs of deliverance</i><br /></span> +<span class="i2"><i>about shalt compass me.</i><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Saying these and the following are sweet lines which I got at the +burn-side this morning, and will get more to-morrow; and so will get +daily 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 the +enemy coming upon him, and some others, they were pursued by both horse +and foot a considerable way. At last, getting some little height between +them and the enemy, he stood still and said, Let us pray here; for if +the Lord hear not our prayers and save us, we are all dead men, <i>&c.</i> +Then he began, saying, Lord, it is thy enemy's day, hour and power, they +may not be idle: But hast thou no other work for them, but to send them +after us? send them after them to whom thou wilt give strength to flee, +for our strength is gone. Twine them about the hill, Lord,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_494" id="Page_494">494</a></span> and cast the +lap of thy cloke over old Sandy and their poor things, and save us this +one time; and we'll keep it in remembrance, and tell it to the +commendation of thy goodness, pity and compassion, what thou didst for +us at such a time. And in this he was heard; for a cloud of mist +interveened immediately betwixt them; and in the mean time a post came +to the enemy to go in quest of Mr. Renwick and a great company with him.</p> + +<p>At this time it was seldom that Mr. Peden could be prevailed on to +preach; frequently answering and advising people to pray much, saying, +It was praying folk that would get through the storm; they would yet get +preaching, both meikle and good, but not much good of it, until judgment +was poured out to lay the land desolate, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>In the same year 1685, being in Carrick, John Clark of Muirbrook, being +with him, said, Sir, what think ye of this time? Is it not a dark and +melancholy day? Can there be a more discouraging time than this? He +said, Yes, John, this is a dark discouraging time, but there will be a +darker time than this; these silly graceless creatures the curates shall +go down, and after them shall arise a party called presbyterians, but +having little more but the name, and these shall as really as Christ was +crucified without the gates of Jerusalem on mount Calvary bodily, I say, +they shall as really crucify Christ in his cause and interest in +Scotland, and shall lay him in his grave, and his friends shall give him +his winding-sheet, and he shall ly as one buried for a considerable +time; O then, John, there shall be darkness and dark days, such as the +poor church of Scotland never saw the like, nor ever shall see if once +they were over; yea, John, this shall be so dark that if a poor thing +would go between the east sea-bank and the west sea-bank, seeking a +minister to whom they would communicate their case, or tell them the +mind 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<a name="FNanchor_221" id="FNanchor_221"></a><a href="#Footnote_221" class="fnanchor">[221]</a>, but especially by +these ministers who buried Christ; but after that he shall get up upon +them, and at the crack of his winding<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_495" id="Page_495">495</a></span> sheet as many of them as are +alive, 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 as +the church of Scotland never saw the like, but I shall not see them, but +you may.</p> + +<p>About this time as he was preaching in the day-time, in the parish of +Girvin, and being in the fields, one David Mason, then a professor, came +in 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, running +through rattling and summoning the people to their unhappy courts for +non-conformity, at which he and his got the name of the devil's +rattle-bag.——Since the revolution, he complained to his minister, that +he and his family got that name.——The minister said, Ye weel deserved +it, and he was an honest man that gave you it; you and yours must enjoy +it; there is no help for that.</p> + +<p>It is very remarkable, that being sick, and the landlord, where he +stayed, being afraid to keep him in his house (the enemy being then in +search of hiding people), made him a bed among the standing corn; at +which 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 he +lay in that field.</p> + +<p>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 enemy +searching for wanderers (as they were then called). He desired the +favour of his loft, being an old waste house two story high. This he +refused. He then said, Weel, weel, poor man, you will not let me have +the shelter of your roof, but that same house will be your judgment and +ruin yet. Some time after this, the gable of that house fell and killed +both him and his son.</p> + +<p>His last sermon was preached in the Collimwood at the water of Air, a +short 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 the +1<i>st</i> is, A bloody sword, a bloody sword, a bloody sword for thee, O +Scotland, that shall pierce the hearts of many. 2<i>dly</i>, Many miles shall +ye travel and see nothing but desolation and ruinous wastes in thee, O +Scotland. 3<i>dly</i>, The fertilest places in Scotland shall be as waste as +the mountains. 4<i>thly</i>,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_496" id="Page_496">496</a></span> The women with child shall be ript up and +dashed in pieces. And 5<i>thly</i>, Many a conventicle has God had in thee, O +Scotland, but ere long God will make a conventicle that will make +Scotland tremble. Many a preaching hath God bestowed on thee, but ere +long God's judgment shall be as frequent as these precious meetings +were, wherein he sent forth his faithful servants to give faithful +warning of the hazard of thy apostacy from God, in breaking, burning and +burying his covenant, persecuting, slighting and contemning the gospel, +shedding the precious blood of his saints and servants. God sent forth a +Welwood, a Kid, a King, a Cameron, a Cargil and others to preach to +thee, 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 sent +forth with a commission to preach these things in his name, <i>&c.</i> In the +sermon he further said, That a few years after his death there would be +a wonderful alteration of affairs in Britain and Ireland, and Scotland's +persecution should cease; upon which every one would believe the +deliverance was come, and consequently would fall fatally secure; but +you will be all very far mistaken, for both England and Scotland will be +scourged by foreigners, and a set of unhappy men in these lands taking +part with them, before any of you can pretend to be happy, or get a +thorough deliverance, which will be more severe chastisement than any +other they have met with, or can come under, if once that were over.</p> + +<p>After much wandering from place to place, through Kyle, Carrick and +Galloway (his death drawing near), he came to his brother's house, in +the 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's +house. The enemy got notice, and searched the house narrowly several +times, but him they found not. While in this cave, he said to some +friends<a name="FNanchor_222" id="FNanchor_222"></a><a href="#Footnote_222" class="fnanchor">[222]</a>, 1<i>st</i>, That God would make Scotland a desolation. 2<i>nd</i>, +There would be a remnant in the land, whom God would spare and hide, +3<i>dly</i>, They would be in holes and caves of the earth, and be supplied +with meat and drink; and when they came out of their holes, they would +not have freedom to walk for stumbling on dead corpses. And 4<i>thly</i>, A +stone cut out of the mountain would come down, and God would be avenged +on the great ones of the earth, and the inhabitants of the land for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_497" id="Page_497">497</a></span> +their wickedness; and then the church would come forth with a bonny +bairn-time at her back of young ones; and he wished that the Lord's +people might be hid in their caves as if they were not in the world, for +nothing would do until God appeared with his judgments, <i>&c.</i>; and +withal gave them this sign, That if he be but once buried, they might be +in doubt, but if oftener than once, they might be persuaded that all he +had said would come to pass, and earnestly desired them to take his +corpse out to Airs-moss, and bury him beside Richie (meaning Mr. Richard +Cameron) that he might have rest in his grave, for he had got little +during his life. But he said, bury him where they would, he would be +lifted again; but the man that would first put hands to his corpse, four +things would befal him, 1<i>st</i>, He would get a great fall from a house. +2<i>dly</i>, He would fall in adultery. 3<i>dly</i>, In theft, and for that he +should leave the land. 4<i>thly</i>, Make a melancholy end abroad for murder. +All which came to pass. This man was one Murdoch, a mason to trade, but +then in the military service, being the very first man who put hands to +his corpse.</p> + +<p>Mr. Peden had for some time been too credulous in believing the +obliquous misrepresentations of some false brethren concerning Mr. James +Renwick, whereby he was much alienated from him; which exceedingly +grieved Mr. Renwick, stumbled some of his followers, and confirmed some +of his adversaries, who boasted that now Mr. Peden was turned his +enemy<a name="FNanchor_223" id="FNanchor_223"></a><a href="#Footnote_223" class="fnanchor">[223]</a>. But now, when dying, he sent for him, who came to him in all +haste, and found him lying in very low circumstances. When Mr. Renwick +came 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? He +answered, Father, my name is James Renwick, but I have given the world +no ground to make any noise about me, for I have espoused no new +principles or practices, but what our reformers and covenanters +maintained, <i>&c.</i> He caused him sit down and give him an account of his +conversion, principles and call to the ministry. All which Mr. Renwick +did in a most distinct manner. When ended, Mr. Peden said, Sir, You have +answered me to my soul's satisfaction; I am very sorry that I should +have believed any such ill reports of you, which not only quenched my +love to, and marred my sympathy with you, but made me express myself so +bitterly against you, for which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_498" id="Page_498">498</a></span> I have sadly smarted. But, Sir, ere you +go, you must pray me, for I am old and going to leave the world. Which +he did with more than ordinary enlargement. When ended, he took him by +the hand and drew him to him, and kissed him, saying, Sir, I find you a +faithful servant to your Master; go on in a single dependence upon the +Lord, and ye will get honestly through, and clear off the stage, when +many others who hold their heads high will ly in the mire and make foul +hands and garments. And then prayed that the Lord might spirit, +strengthen, support and comfort him in all duties and difficulties<a name="FNanchor_224" id="FNanchor_224"></a><a href="#Footnote_224" class="fnanchor">[224]</a>.</p> + +<p>A little before his death he said, Ye will all be displeased where I +will 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's +door. His brother's wife said, Where are you going, the enemy will be +here? He said, I know that. Alas! Sir (said she), what will become of +you, 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-eight +hours I will be beyond the reach of all the devil's temptations, and his +instruments in hell and on earth, and they shall trouble me no more. +About three hours after that he entered the house, the enemy came, found +him not in the cave, searched the barn narrowly, casting the unthreshen +corn, searched the house, stabbing the beds, but entered not into the +place where he lay. After a weary pilgrimage, within forty eight hours +he became an inhabitant of that land, where the weary are at rest, being +then past sixty years of age.</p> + +<p>He was buried in the laird of Affleck's isle; but a troop of dragoons +came and lifted his corpse, and carried it<a name="FNanchor_225" id="FNanchor_225"></a><a href="#Footnote_225" class="fnanchor">[225]</a> two miles, to Cumnock +gallows-foot (after he had been forty days in the grave) where he lies +buried beside other martyrs.</p> + +<p>Thus died Mr. Alexander Peden so much famed for his singular piety, zeal +and faithfulness, and indefatigableness in the duty of prayer; but +especially who exceeded all we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_499" id="Page_499">499</a></span> have heard of in latter times, for that +gift of foreseeing and foretelling future events, both with respect to +the church and nation of Scotland and Ireland, and particular persons +and families, several of which are already accomplished. A gentleman of +late, when speaking in his writings of Mr. Peden, says, Abundance of +this good man's predictions are well known to be already come to +pass<a name="FNanchor_226" id="FNanchor_226"></a><a href="#Footnote_226" class="fnanchor">[226]</a>. And although these things are now made to stoop or yield to +the force of ridicule and the sarcasms of the profane, and fashions of +an atheistical age and generation, yet we must believe and conclude with +the Spirit of God, that the secrets of the Lord both have been, are, and +will be with them who fear his name.</p> + +<p>There are some few of Mr. Peden's sermons in print, especially two +preached at Glenluce <i>anno</i> 1682. the one from Matth. xxi. 38. and the +other from Luke xxiv. 21.; which prophetical sermons, though in a homely +stile, are of a most zealous and spiritual strain; now re-printed in a +late collection of sermons. As for those papers handed about under Mr. +Peden's name, anent Mr. James Renwick and his followers, they are, with +good reason, looked upon as altogether spurious.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_John_Blackadder" id="Mr_John_Blackadder"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">John Blackadder</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. John Blackadder was a lineal descendent, and the only representative +of the house of Tullialen. After he had undergone his courses of +classical learning, he was ordained minister of the gospel at Traquair +near Dumfries, where he continued faithfully to discharge the trust +committed unto his charge, until he was with many others of his faithful +brethren thrust out by that act commonly called, the drunken act of +Glasgow, in the year 1662.—At that time, a party came from Dumfries to +seize him; but he was gone out of the way. But his wife and children (to +whom the soldiers were extremely rude) were forced to retire to +Barndennoch in Glencairn parish.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_500" id="Page_500">500</a></span> But there he and his numerous +family<a name="FNanchor_227" id="FNanchor_227"></a><a href="#Footnote_227" class="fnanchor">[227]</a> met with further troubles: for in the year 1665, a party of +Sir James Turner's men came in quest of him; but happily he and his wife +were at Edinburgh. However with great fury and terrible oaths and +execrations in the middle of the night they turned out the children from +their beds, caused one of them to hold the candle till they searched his +book and papers, and took what they lifted. They stabbed the beds with +their swords, and threatened to roast the children on the fire, and +caused one of them to run near half a mile in a dark night in his shirt.</p> + +<p>After this he went and preached in the fields, where he had numerous +meetings, particularly at the hill of Beeth in Fife in the year 1670. He +had been before this, by the council's letter, put to the horn; and +after this, came west about the year 1675, and preached in the parish of +Kilbride 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 of +August) unto a retired place. When he came in again, he seemed somewhat +melancholy. Being asked by some friends, what was the reason? He said he +was afraid of a contagious mist that should go through the land in many +places 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 as +possible, and notice where it stood thickest and longest: which they +did; which was upon a little town called the Craigs, wherein was but a +few families; and within four months after that, thirty corpses went out +of that place: great dearth and scarcity followed for three years space +after. Mr. Blackadder was in his judgment against the indulgence, and +preached sometimes with Mr. John Dickson, they being both of one +sentiment. He continued under several hardships until the year 1678, +that he went over to Mr. M'Ward in Holland. Having continued sometime +there, and then returned home, he was about Edinburgh in the time of +Bothwel<a name="FNanchor_228" id="FNanchor_228"></a><a href="#Footnote_228" class="fnanchor">[228]</a>; and, after that, was of no small use to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_501" id="Page_501">501</a></span> prisoners in +dissuading them from taking the bond, and other compliances; which he +did by letters.</p> + +<p>After he had endured a series of hardships, and surmounted a number of +difficulties, he came to discharge his last public work at a moor side, +at the new house in the parish of Livingston, March 28th, 1681. He +lectured upon Micah iv. chapter from the 9th verse, where he asserted, +"That the nearer the delivery, our pains and showers would come thicker +and sorer upon us; and that we had been in the fields; but ere we were +delivered, we would go down to Babylon; that either popery would +overspread the land, or else would be at the breaking in upon us, like +an inundation of water." He preached upon 1 Thess. iii. 3. And, amongst +other things desired people to take good heed what ministers they heard, +and what advice they followed: and, praying, he said, he was as clear +and willing to hold up the blest standard of the gospel, as ever, and +blessed the Lord he was free of every bond and imposition; and said, +"The Lord rebuke, give repentance and forgiveness to these ministers who +persuaded the poor prisoners to take the bond; for their perishing at +sea was more shaking to him than some thousands of them that had been +slain in the fields." He went to Edinburgh, and being got notice of by +major Johnston, he was by him apprehended upon the 6th of April +following, and brought first to general Dalziel, then to the guard, and +then before a committee of council, consisting of the chancellor, +general, advocate, and bishop Paterson. The chancellor asked, if he had +excommunicated the king, or was at Torwood? He answered, he was not +there 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 and +persons; and therefore I humbly beg to be excused<a name="FNanchor_229" id="FNanchor_229"></a><a href="#Footnote_229" class="fnanchor">[229]</a>: You may form a +libel against me, and I shall endeavour to answer it as I can. Chan. But +we hear you keep conventicles since the indemnity. Answ. I am a minister +of the gospel, though unworthy, and under the strictest obligation to +exercise my ministry as I shall be answerable at the great day. I did +and do full count it my duty to exercise my ministry as I am<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_502" id="Page_502">502</a></span> called +thereunto. Chan. But you have preached in the fields, that is to say, on +moors and hill sides. I shall not ask you, if ye have preached in +houses, though there is no liberty even for that. Answ. I place no case +of conscience, nor make any difference between preaching in houses and +in 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 commission +reaches to houses and fields, within and without doors. Chan. We doubt, +you know and have seen the laws discharging such preaching. Answ. I +have, and I am sorry that ever any laws were made against preaching the +gospel. Chan. Not against the gospel, but against preaching +rebellion—The chancellor asked, if he kept conventicles in Fife? which +he did not deny.—He was carried to the guard. The council sat in the +afternoon; but he was not again called before them; but without a +farther hearing, was sentenced to go to the Bass. Accordingly, April +7th, he was carried thither, when on the way, at Fisher's-row there +happened to be a gathering of people, the captain, apprehending it might +be for his rescue, told Mr. Blackadder, if they attempted any thing of +this kind, he would instantly shoot him through the head: He told the +captain he knew nothing of any such design.</p> + +<p>He continued there, till the end of this year 1685, when he contracted a +rheumatism from the air of the place. A motion was made for his +liberation on bail on this account; but it never took effect; and so he +entered into the joy of his Lord about the beginning of the year 1686 +and as the interest of Christ always lay near his heart through his +life, so amongst his last words he said, "The Lord would yet arise, and +defend his own cause in spite of all his enemies." Thus died Mr. John +Blackadder, a pious man, and a powerful preacher. There are several well +vouched instances of the Lord's countenancing his ministry, while in the +fields, and of the remarkable success of his sermons, (which were not so +low and flat but the pious learned might admire them, nor so learned but +the plainest capacity might understand them). In a word, he was +possessed of many singular virtues. His going through so many eminent +dangers with such undaunted courage, was remarkable, and his love to God +and his church exemplary.</p> + +<p>I have only seen two of his many pathetick sermons, which are very +extensive upon the sufferings of Christ from Isa. liii. 11. <i>He shall +see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied</i>, &c—The reader +will find them in a small collection of sermons lately published.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_503" id="Page_503">503</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Mr_James_Renwick" id="Mr_James_Renwick"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">James Renwick</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>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. His +father Andrew Renwick (a weaver to trade) and his mother Elizabeth +Corsan, had several children before Mr. James, who died young; for which +when his mother was pouring forth her motherly grief, her husband used +to comfort her with declaring, that he was well satisfied to have +children, whether they lived or died, young or old, providing they might +be 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 might +not only be an heir of glory, but might live to serve him in his +generation: whereupon when Mr James was born, she took it as an answer +of prayer, and reputed herself under manifold engagements to dedicate +him to the Lord, who satisfied her with very early evidences of his +accepting that return of his own gift, and confirmed the same with very +remarkable appearances of his gracious dealings with the child. For, by +the time he was two years of age, he was observed to be aiming at prayer +even in the cradle and about it, wherewith his mother conceived such +expectations and hopes, that the Lord would be with him, and do good by +him, <i>&c.</i> so that all the reproaches he sustained, difficulties and +dangers that afterwards he underwent, to his dying day, never moved her +in 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 father +also, before his death, (which was Feb. 1, 1679.) obtained the same +persuasion, that his time in the world would be but short, but that the +Lord would make some eminent use of him.</p> + +<p>After he had learned to read the Bible, about 6 years old, the Lord gave +him 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 what +end; and with strange suppositions of so many invisible worlds above and +beneath, with which he was transported into a train of musing, and +continued in this exercise for about the space of two years, until he, +by prayer and meditation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_504" id="Page_504">504</a></span> on the history of the creation, came to a +thorough belief that God made all things, and that all which he made was +very good. And yet after he came to more maturity, he relapsed to a +deeper labyrinth of darkness about these foundation truths, and was so +assaulted with temptations of atheism, that being in the fields and +looking to the mountains, he said, "If these were all devouring furnaces +of burning brimstone, he would be content to go through them all, if so +be he could be assured there was a God." Out of which he emerged through +grace into the sweet serenity of a settled persuasion of the being of a +God, and of his interest in him.</p> + +<p>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 no +way decline, yet his inclination was constant for his book, until +providence propitiously furnished him with means of greater proficiency +at Edinburgh, by many, who were so enamoured of his hopeful disposition, +that they earnestly promoted his education; and when he was ready for +the university, they encouraged him in attending gentlemen's sons for +the improvement of their studies and his own both; which consorting of +youths, as it is usually accompanied with various temptations to +youthful vanity, so it inticed him, with others, to spend too much of +his time in gaming and recreations. Then it was, for no other part of +his time can be instanced, when some, who knew him not (for these were +only his traducers), took occasion from this extravagance, to reproach +him with profanity and flagitiousness, which his nature ever abhorred, +and disdained the very suspicion thereof. When his time at the college +drew near an end, he demonstrated such a tenderness of offending God, +<i>&c.</i> that, upon his refusal of the oath of allegiance then tendered, he +was denied his share of the public solemnity of laureation with the rest +of the candidates; but received it privately at Edinburgh. After which +he continued his studies, attending on the then private and persecuted +meetings for gospel-ordinances for a time.</p> + +<p>But upon a deplorable discovery of the unfaithfulness of the generality, +even of non-conformist ministers, he was again for some time plunged in +the deeps of darkness; doubting what should be the end of such +backsliding courses, until, upon a more inquisitive search after such +ministers as were freest from these defections, he found more light, and +his knowledge of the iniquity of these courses was augmented and his +zeal increased. And being more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_505" id="Page_505">505</a></span> confirmed, when he beheld how signally +the faithful ministers were owned of the Lord, and carried off the stage +with great stedfastness, faith and patience, especially after the death +of that faithful minister and martyr, Mr. Donald Cargil (at whose +execution he was present July 27, 1681.), he was so commoved, that he +determined to embark with these witnesses in that cause for which they +suffered: and he was afterward so strengthened and established in that +resolution, 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 hands +to the day of his death, could never shake his mind to the least doubt +concerning them.</p> + +<p>Accordingly in this persuasion, upon grounds of scripture and reason, +<i>&c.</i> in Oct. 1681, he came to a meeting with some of these faithful +witnesses of Christ, and conferring about the testimonies of some other +martyrs lately executed (which he was very earnest always to gather and +keep on record), he refreshed them greatly by a discourse shewing how +much he was grieved and offended with those who heard the curates, +pleaded for cess-paying, and defended the owning of the tyrant's +authority, <i>&c.</i> and how sad it was to him that none were giving a +formal testimony against these things; and in the end, added, "That he +would think it a great ease to his mind, to know and be engaged with a +remnant that would singly prosecute and propagate the testimony against +the corruptions of the times to the succeeding generations, and would +desire nothing more than to be helped to be serviceable to them."</p> + +<p>At his very first coming amongst them, he could not but be taken notice +of; for, while some were speaking of removing of the bodies of the +martyrs lately executed at the Gallowlee, Mr. Renwick was very forward +to promote it, and active to assist therein, and when the serious and +sincere seekers of God who were interspersed up and down the land, and +adhered to the testimony, as Messrs. Cameron and Cargil left it, towards +the end of that year 1681, began to settle a correspondence in general, +for preserving union, understanding one another's minds, and preventing +declensions to right or left hand extremes. In the first of which (the +duke of York holding a parliament at Edinburgh), they agreed upon +emitting that declaration published at Lanerk Jan. 12, 1682, wherein Mr. +Renwick was employed proclaiming it, but had no hand in the penning<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_506" id="Page_506">506</a></span> +thereof, otherwise it might have been more considerately worded than +what it was; for, though he approved of the matter of it, yet he always +acknowledged there were some expressions therein somewhat unadvised.</p> + +<p>After publishing this declaration, the next general meeting, finding +themselves reproached and informed against both at home and abroad in +foreign churches (as if they had fallen from the principles of the +church of Scotland), thought it expedient to send the laird of Earlstoun +to the United Provinces to vindicate themselves from these reproaches, +and to crave that sympathy which they could not obtain from their own +countrymen. Which at length, thro' mercy, proved so encouraging to them, +that a door was opened to provide for a succession of faithful +ministers, by sending some to be fitted for the work of the ministry +there. Accordingly Mr. Renwick, with some others, went thither. His +comrades were ready and sailed before, which made him impatiently haste +to follow. Yet, at his departure, to a comrade, he affirmed, "Though +they were gone before him, as they did not depart together, so he saw +something should fall out, which should obstruct their coming home +together also." Which was verified by the falling off of Mr. Flint +(however forward at that time) unto a contrary course of defection.</p> + +<p>When he went over, he was settled at the university of Groningen, where +he plied his studies so hard, and with such proficiency, that (upon the +necessities of his friends in Scotland longing for his labours, and his +own ardent desire to be at the work) in a short time he was ready for +ordination.—To precipitate which, his dear friend Mr. Robert Hamilton, +(who merited so much of those who reaped the benefit of Mr. Renwick's +labours afterward) applied to one Mr. Brakel, a godly Dutch minister, +who was much delighted at first with the motion, and advised it should +be done at Embden; but this could not be obtained, because the principal +man there who was to have the management of the affair was in his +judgment Cocceian, <i>&c.</i> Whereupon Mr. Hamilton solicited the classes of +Groningen to undertake it; which they willingly promised to do; and +calling for the testimonial of Mr. Renwick and the rest who went over at +that time, Mr. Renwick's was produced (being providentially in readiness +when the others were a-wanting) and though in a rude dress, was +sustained. The classes being conveened, they were called in and had an +open harangue, wherein open testimony was given against all the forms +and corruptions of their church: whereat they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_507" id="Page_507">507</a></span> were so far from being +offended, that after a solemn and serious consideration of their cause, +they declared it was the Lord's cause, and cost what it would, though +all the kings of the earth were against it, they would go through with +it. They all three should have passed together, but upon some +discontents arising, the other two were retarded. It was the custom of +the place, that every one that passes, must pay twenty guilders for the +use of the church, but they jointly declared that they would be at all +the charges themselves.</p> + +<p>But the next difficulty was, that being told it was impossible for any +to pass without subscribing their catechism, <i>&c.</i> and observing that +their forms and corruptions are therein justified, Mr. Renwick +resolutely answered, He would do no such thing, being engaged by solemn +covenant to the contrary. This was like to spoil all, but at length they +condescended that he subscribe the confession and catechism of the +church of Scotland, a practice never before heard of in that land; which +was accepted. The day of ordination being come, Mr. Renwick was called +in a very respectful way. After spending some time in prayer, the +examination began, which lasted from ten in the morning, to two o'clock +in the afternoon. Then</p> + +<p>His friends, who were attending in the church, were called in (amongst +whom was his honoured friend Mr. Hamilton, and another elder of the +church of Scotland<a name="FNanchor_230" id="FNanchor_230"></a><a href="#Footnote_230" class="fnanchor">[230]</a>), to be witness to the laying on of the hands; +which, after the exhortation, they performed with prayer, the whole +meeting melting in tears; and thereafter he had a discourse to the +classes. With this solemnity the classes were so much affected, that at +dinner (to which he and his friends were invited) the preses declared +the great satisfaction all the brethren had in Mr. Renwick, that they +thought the whole time he was before them, he was so filled with the +Spirit of God, that his face seemed to shine, and that they had never +seen nor found so much of the Lord's Spirit accompanying any work as +that, <i>&c.</i> But no sooner were these difficulties over, than others of a +more disagreeable aspect began to arise, which if they had appeared but +one 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 was +coming from the Scottish ministers at Rotterdam, containing heavy +accusations against the poor society people in Scotland, <i>&c.</i> which +they behoved either<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_508" id="Page_508">508</a></span> to vindicate, or else the ordination must be +stopped, but this being too late as to Mr. Renwick, it came to nothing +at last.</p> + +<p>After his ordination, he had a most longing desire to improve his talent +for the poor persecuted people in Scotland, who were his brethren; and +having received large testimonials of his ordination and learning +(particularly in the Hebrew and Greek tongue) from the classes, and +finding a ship ready to sail, he embarked at the Brill; but waiting some +days upon a wind, he was so discouraged by some profane passengers +pressing the king's health, <i>&c.</i> that he was forced to leave that +vessel, and take another bound for Ireland. A sea storm compelled them +to put in to Rye harbour in England, about the time when there was so +much 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 had +many conflicts with the ministers there, anent their defections and +indifference; and yet in such a gaining and gospel-way, that he left +convictions on their spirits of his being a pious and zealous youth, +which procured him a speedy passage to Scotland. In which passage he had +considerable dangers and a prospect of more, as not knowing how or where +he should come to land, all ports being then so strictly observed, and +the skipper refusing to let him go till his name be given up. But yet at +last he was prevailed on to give him a cast to the shore, where he began +his weary and uncertain wanderings (which continued with him till he was +apprehended) thro an unknown wilderness, amongst unknown people, it +being some time before he could meet with any of the societies.</p> + +<p>In Sept. 1683, he commenced his ministerial work in Scotland, taking up +the testimony of the standard of Christ, where it was fixed, and had +fallen at the removal of the former witnesses Messrs. Cameron and +Cargil, which in the strength of his Master he undertook to prosecute +and maintain against opposition from all hands, which seemed +insupportable to sense and reason.</p> + +<p>In the midst of which difficulties, he was received by a poor persecuted +people, who had lost all that worldly enjoyment they had, for the sake +of the gospel. His first public meeting was in a moss at Darmead, where +for their information and his own vindication, he thought it expedient +not only to let them know how he was called to the ministry, and what he +adhered to, but besides to unbosom himself about the then puzzling +questions of the time, particularly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_509" id="Page_509">509</a></span> concerning ministers, defections, +<i>&c.</i>—shewing, whom he could not join with, and his reasons for so +doing; and in the end told them, on what grounds he stood, and resolved +to stand upon; which he resolved (the Lord assisting him) to seal with +his blood.</p> + +<p>After this the father of lies began to spue out a flood of reproaches to +swallow up and bury his name and work in contempt, which was very +credulously entertained and industriously spread, not only by profane, +but even by many professors, <i>&c.</i> Some saying, he had excommunicated +all the ministers in Scotland, and some after they were dead; whereas he +only gave reasons why he could not keep communion with some in the +present circumstances. Others said, That he was no presbyterian, and +that his design was only to propagate schism. But the truth was, he was +a professed witness against all the defections of presbyterians from any +part of their covenanted work of reformation, <i>&c.</i> Again, other +ministers alleged he was sectarian, independent or anabaptist, or they +knew not what. But when he had sometimes occasion to be among them, in +and about Newcastle and Northumberland<a name="FNanchor_231" id="FNanchor_231"></a><a href="#Footnote_231" class="fnanchor">[231]</a>, they were as much offended +as any, at his faithful freedom in discovering the evils of their way, +and declared that they never met with such severe dealing from any +presbyterian before him.</p> + +<p>But the general out-cry was, that he had no mission at all. Others +slandering him, that he came only by chance, at a throw of the dice; +with many other calumnies, refuted by the foregoing relation.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, some gave out that he and his followers maintained +the murdering principles of the delirious and detestable blasphemies of +Gib; all which shameless and senseless fictions he ever opposed and +abhorred. Yea some ministers, more seemingly serious in their essays to +prepossess the people against him, said, "That they had sought and got +the mind of the Lord in it, that his labours should never profit the +church of Scotland, nor any soul in it, <i>&c.</i>" assuring themselves he +would break, and bring to nothing, him and them that followed him ere it +were long; comparing them to Jannes and Jambres, who withstood Moses. +All which reproaches he was remarkably supported under, and went on in +his Master's business, while he had any work for him to do.</p> + +<p>In the mean while, by the noise that went through the country concerning +him, the council got notice; and thereupon,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_510" id="Page_510">510</a></span> being enraged at the report +of his preaching in the fields, they raised a hotter and more cruel +persecution against him than can be instanced ever to be against any one +man in the nation; nay, than ever the most notorious murderer was +pursued with. For, having publicly proclaimed him a traitor, rebel, +<i>&c.</i>, they proceeded to pursue his followers with all the rigour that +hellish fury and malice could suggest or invent; and yet the more they +opposed, the more they grew and increased.</p> + +<p>In 1684, his difficulties from enemies, and discouragements from friends +opposite to him, and manifold vexations from all hands, began to +increase more and more; and yet all the while he would not intermit one +day's preaching, but was still incessant and undaunted in his work; +which made the ministers inform against him, as if he had intruded upon +other men's labours; alledging, that when another minister had appointed +to preach in a place, he unexpectedly came and preached in the same +parish, and for that purpose instanced one time near Paisley; whereas he +went upon a call from severals in that bounds, without knowing then +whether there was such a minister in that country. It is confessed, that +he hath sometimes taken the churches to preach in, when either the +weather, instant hazard at the time, or respect to secresy or safety did +exclude from every other place. But, could this be called intrusion, to +creep into the church for one night, when they could not stand, nor +durst they be seen without.</p> + +<p>This year, in prosecution of a cruel information, the soldiers became +more vigilant in their indefatigable diligence to seek and hunt after +him; and from whom he had many remarkable deliverances: particularly in +the month of July, as he was going to a meeting, a country man, seeing +him wearied, gave him a horse for some miles to ride on, they were +surprized with lieutenant Dundass and a party of dragoons. The two men +with him were taken and pitifully wounded. He escaped their hands, and +went up Dungavel hill, but was so closely followed (they being so near +that they fired at him all the time), that he was forced to leave the +horse (losing thereby his cloak-bag with many papers) and seeing no +other refuge, he was fain to run, in their sight, towards a heap of +stones, where, for a little moment getting out of their sight, he found +a hollow place into which he crept; and committing himself by earnest +ejaculation to God, in submission to live or die; and believing, that he +should yet be reserved for greater work, that part of scripture often +coming into his mind,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_511" id="Page_511">511</a></span> Psalm vi. 8. <i>Depart from me all ye workers of +iniquity</i>, together with these words, Psalm xci. 11. <i>For he shall give +his angels charge</i>, &c. In the mean time, the enemy searched up and down +the hill, yet were restrained from looking into that place where he was. +Many such sore and desperate chaces he and those with him met; some +continuing whole nights and days, without intermission, in the wildest +places of the country, for many miles together, without so much as a +possibility of escaping the sight of those who pursued them.</p> + +<p>This year Sept. 24. letters of intercommuning were issued out against +him, commanding all to give him no reset or supply, nor furnish him with +meat, drink, house, harbour or any thing useful to him; requiring all +sheriffs <i>&c.</i> to apprehend and commit to prison his person, wherever +they could find him; by virtue of which the sufferers were reduced unto +incredible straits, not only in being murdered, but by hunger, cold, +harrassing, <i>&c.</i> in which perplexity, having neither a possibility to +flee nor ability to fight, they were forced to publish an apologetical +representation of their sentiments, shewing how far they might, +according to the approven principles and practices, and covenant +engagements of our reformers, <i>&c.</i> restrict and reduce into practice +that privilege of extraordinary executing of judgment, on murdering +beasts of prey, professing and prosecuting a daily trade of destroying +innocents, <i>&c.</i>——When this declaration was first proposed, Mr. +Renwick was somewhat averse to it, fearing the sad effects it might +produce; but, considering the necessity of the case would admit of no +delay, he consented and concurred in the publication thereof. +Accordingly, it was fixed upon several market-crosses and parish +church-doors Nov. 8. 1684.</p> + +<p>After the publication of this declaration, rage and reproach seemed to +strive which should shew the greatest violence against the publishers +and owners of it. The council published a proclamation for discovering +such as own, or will not disown it; requiring that none above the age of +fifteen travel without a pass, and that any who could apprehend any of +them should have 500 merks for each person, and then every one should +take the oath of abjuration; whereby the temptation and hazard became so +dreadful, that many were shot instantly in the fields, others, refusing +the oath were brought in, sentenced and executed in one day, yet +spectators at executions were required to say, whether these men +suffered justly or not. All which dolorous effects and more, when Mr. +Renwick with a sad and troubled<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_512" id="Page_512">512</a></span> heart observed, he was often heard to +say, though he had peace in his end and aim by it, yet he wished from +his heart that declaration had never been published.</p> + +<p>Neither was the year 1685, any thing better. For it became now the +enemy's greatest ambition and emulation, who could destroy most of these +poor wandering mountain men (as they were called); and when they had +spent all their balls, they were nothing nearer their purpose than when +they began; for the more they were afflicted, the more they grew. <i>The +bush did burn but was not consumed, because the Lord was in the bush.</i></p> + +<p>Charles II. being dead, and the duke of York, a professed papist +proclaimed in Feb. 1685. Mr. Renwick could not let go this opportunity +of witnessing against that usurpation of a papist upon the government of +the nation, and his design of overturning the covenanted work of +reformation, and introducing popery. Accordingly he and about 200 men +went to Sanquhar May 28. 1685. and published that declaration, afterward +called the Sanquhar declaration.</p> + +<p>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 he +had of his honest and laudable intention, and spoke very favourably of +him, declaring his willingness to concur if the quarrel and declaration +were rightly stated, but because it was not concerted according to the +ancient plea of our Scottish covenants, <i>&c.</i> he could not agree with +them; which created unto him a new series of trouble and reproach, and +that from all hands, and from none more than the indulged.</p> + +<p>In the year 1686. Mr. Renwick was constrained to be more public and +explicit in his testimony against the designs and defections of the +time; wherein he met with more contradictions and opposition from all +hands and more discouraging and distracting treatment, even from some +who once followed him; and was much troubled with letters of accusation +against him from many hands. One of the ministers that came over with +Argyle, wrote a very vindictive letter<a name="FNanchor_232" id="FNanchor_232"></a><a href="#Footnote_232" class="fnanchor">[232]</a> against him, which letter he +answered at large. He also was traduced both at home and abroad by one +Alexander Gordon, who sometimes joined with that suffering party. But by +none more than one Robert Cathcart in Carrick, who wrote a most +scurrilous libel against him; from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_513" id="Page_513">513</a></span> which Mr. Renwick vindicated himself +in 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 protest +against Mr. Renwick's preaching or conversing within their jurisdiction; +giving him occasion with David to complain, <i>They speak vanity, their +heart gathereth iniquity</i>, &c; <i>yea mine own familiar friend in whom I +trusted, hath lift up his heel against me.</i></p> + +<p>Notwithstanding of all former obloquies he sustained from all sorts of +opposers, he had one faithful and fervent wrestler on his side, Mr. +Alexander Peden; and yet a little before his death, these reproachers so +far prevailed with him as to instigate him to a declared opposition +against Mr. Renwick, which not only contributed to grieve him much, but +was also an occasion of stumbling to many<a name="FNanchor_233" id="FNanchor_233"></a><a href="#Footnote_233" class="fnanchor">[233]</a> others of the well +affected, and to the confirmation of his opposers. Yet nevertheless he +proceeded in his progress through the country, preaching, catechizing +and baptizing; travelling through Galloway, where he was encountered +with a most insolent protestation given in against him by the professors +between Dee and Cree, subscribed by one Hutchison, which paper he read +over 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 done +in their name, with several animadversions thereon, as that which +overturned several pieces of our valuable reformation; exhorting them, +if there were any there who concurred therein, that they would speedily +retract their hand from such an iniquity, <i>&c.</i><a name="FNanchor_234" id="FNanchor_234"></a><a href="#Footnote_234" class="fnanchor">[234]</a></p> + +<p>Shortly after this, while his work was increasing daily on his hand, and +his difficulties multiplying, the Lord made his burthen lighter by the +help of Mr. David Houston from Ireland, and Mr. Alexander Shields, who +joined with him, all in one accord, witnessing against the sins of the +time; which as it was very refreshing to him, and satisfied his longing, +desires and endeavours, so it furnished him withal to answer those who +said, That he neither desired to join with another minister, not so much +as to meet<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_514" id="Page_514">514</a></span> with any other for joining. The first being already +confuted, and as for the other, it is well known how far he travelled +both in Scotland and England to meet with ministers for a coalescence, +who superciliously refused. He once sent a friend on that purpose to a +minister of great note in Glendale in Northumberland, but he +peremptorily refused. At another time, in the same country, before that +he happened to be in a much respected gentlewoman's house, where +providentially Dr. Rule came to visit, whom Mr. James, in another room, +overheard discharging her by many arguments to entertain or countenance +Mr. Renwick, if he should come that way; whereupon he sent for the +doctor, letting him know that the same person was in the house, and that +he desired to discourse with him on that head, but this he refused.</p> + +<p>After this one informed against him to the Holland ministers, who +returned back with Mr. Brackel's advice to Mr. Renwick and others; but +as it relished of a gospel spirit, not like that of his informers, it +was 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 to +him, that such a great man should be so credulous; but all these things +never moved him, being fully resolved to suffer this and more for the +cause of Christ.</p> + +<p>In 1687, a proclamation was issued out Feb. 12. tolerating the moderate +presbyterians to meet in their private houses to hear the indulged +ministers, while the field meetings should be prosecuted with the utmost +rigour of law, <i>&c.</i> A second proclamation was given June 28. allowing +all to serve God in their own way, in any house, <i>&c.</i> A third was +emitted Oct. 5. declaring that all preachers and hearers at any meeting +in the open fields should be prosecuted with the utmost severity that +law will allow, <i>&c.</i> and that all dissenting ministers who preach in +houses should teach nothing that should alienate the heart of the people +from the government; and that the privy counsellors, sheriffs, <i>&c.</i> +should be acquainted with the places set apart for their preaching, +<i>etc.</i> This proclamation it seems was granted as an answer to an address +for the toleration given in, in name of all the presbyterian ministers +July 21. 1687.</p> + +<p>Whereupon Mr. Renwick found it his duty not only to declare against the +granters, but also against the accepters of this toleration; warning +also the people of the hazard of their succession to it, <i>etc.</i> At which +the indulged were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_515" id="Page_515">515</a></span> so incensed, that no sooner was their meeting well +settled, than they began to shew their teeth at him, calling him an +intruder, a jesuit, a white devil, going through the land carrying the +devil's white flag; that he had done more hurt to the church of +Scotland, than its enemies had done these twenty years, <i>etc.</i>: As also +spreading papers through the country, as given under his hand, to render +him odious; which in truth were nothing else than forgeries, wherein +they only discovered their own treachery.</p> + +<p>Yet all this could not move him, even when his enemies were shooting +their arrows at him; being not only the butt of the wicked, but the +scorn of professors also, who were at their ease; and a man much +wondered at every way; yet still he continued at his work, his inward +man increasing more and more, when his outward man was much decaying; +and his zeal for fulfilling his ministry, and finishing his testimony +still increasing the more, the less peace and accommodation he could +find in the world; at the same time becoming so weak, that he could not +mount or sit on horseback; so that he behoved to be carried to the place +of preaching, and never in the least complained of any distemper in the +time thereof.</p> + +<p>In the mean while, the persecution against him being so furious, that in +less than five months after the toleration, fifteen most desperate +searches were made for him: To encourage which a proclamation was made +Oct. 18. wherein a reward of 100 pounds sterling was offered to any who +could bring in the persons of him, and some others, either dead or +alive.</p> + +<p>In the beginning of the year 1688, being now drawing near the period of +his course, he ran very fast, and wrought very hard both as a christian +and as a minister: And having for some time had a design to emit +something in way of testimony against both the granters and accepters of +the toleration, that might afterward stand on record. He went toward +Edinburgh, and on his way at Peebles he escaped very narrowly being +apprehended. When at Edinburgh he longed and could have no rest till he +got that which he, with the concurrence of some others, had drawn up in +form delivered; and upon inquiry, hearing that there was to be no +presbytery or synod of tolerated ministers for some time, he went to a +minister of great note amongst them<a name="FNanchor_235" id="FNanchor_235"></a><a href="#Footnote_235" class="fnanchor">[235]</a>, whom he heard was moderator, +and delivered a protestation into his hands; and then, upon some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_516" id="Page_516">516</a></span> +reasons, emitted it in public as his testimony against the +toleration<a name="FNanchor_236" id="FNanchor_236"></a><a href="#Footnote_236" class="fnanchor">[236]</a>.</p> + +<p>From thence he went to Fife, and preached some sabbaths: and, upon the +29th of January, preached his last sermon at Borrowstonness. Then +returned to Edinburgh, and lodged in a friend's house in the Castle +hill, who dealt in uncustomed goods; and wanting his wonted +circumspection (his time being come), one John Justice, a waiter, +discovered the house that very night; and hearing him praying in the +family, 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 these +words, My life for it this is Mr. Renwick.—After which he went to the +street crying for assistance to carry the dog Renwick to the guard.</p> + +<p>In the mean time, Mr. James and other two friends essayed to make their +escape at another door, but were repelled by the waiters. Whereupon he +discharged a pistol which made the assailants give way; but as he passed +thro' them, one with a long staff hit him on the breast, which doubtless +disabled him from running. Running down the Castle-wynd toward the head +of the Cowgate, having lost his hat, he was taken notice of, and seized +by a fellow on the street, while the other two escaped.</p> + +<p>He was taken to the guard, and there kept some time. One Graham, captain +of the guard, seeing him of a little stature and comely youthful +countenance, cried, What! is this the boy Renwick that the nation hath +been so much troubled with. At the same time one bailie Charters, coming +in, with great insolency accused him with bawdy houses, which he replied +to with deserved disdain. Then he was carried before a quorum of the +council; 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 him +what they please. What passed here could not be learned.</p> + +<p>He was committed close prisoner and laid in irons, where as soon as he +was left alone he betook himself to prayer to his God, making a free +offer of his life to him, requesting for through-bearing grace, and that +his enemies might be restrained from torturing his body; all which +requests<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_517" id="Page_517">517</a></span> were signally granted, and by him thankfully acknowledged +before his execution.</p> + +<p>Before he received his indictment, he was taken before the chancellor, +into the viscount of Tarbet's lodging, and there examined concerning his +owning the authority of James VII. the cess, and carrying arms at +field-meetings; and delivered himself with such freedom and boldness as +astonished all present. The reason why he was interrogate anent the cess +was, a pocket-book found about him, in which were the notes of two +sermons he had preached on these points which he owned. There were also +some capitals in the same book, and because the committee was urgent to +know these names, partly to avoid torture, and knowing they could render +the persons no more obnoxious, he ingenuously declared the truth of the +matter.——Which ingenuity did much allay their rage against him; and +being asked by the chancellor, What persuasion he was of? He answered, +Of the protestant presbyterian persuasion. Again, How it came to pass he +differed then so much from other presbyterians, who had accepted of the +toleration, and owned the king's authority; and what he thought of them? +He answered, He was a presbyterian, and adhered to the old presbyterian +principles (which all were obliged by the covenant to maintain), and +were once generally professed and maintained by the nation from 1640, to +1660, from which they had apostatized for a little liberty (they knew +not how long), as you yourselves (said he) have done for a little +honour. The chancellor replied, and the rest applauded, That they +believed, that these were the presbyterian principles, and that all +presbyterians would own them as well as he, if they had but the courage, +<i>etc.</i> However on Feb. 3. he received his indictment upon the three +foresaid heads, <i>viz.</i> disowning the king's authority, the unlawfulness +of paying the cess, and the lawfulness of defensive arms. All which he +was to answer on the 8th of February. To the indictment was added a list +of forty-five, out of which the jury was to be chosen, and a list of the +witnesses to be brought against him; which are too tedious here to +insert.</p> + +<p>After receiving his indictment, his mother got access to see him, to +whom he spoke many savoury words. And on Sabbath Feb. 5. he regretted +that now he must leave his poor flock; and declared, "That if it were +his choice, he could not think on it without terror, to enter again into +and venture upon that conflict with a body of sin and death; yet if he +were again to go and preach in the field,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_518" id="Page_518">518</a></span> he durst not vary in the +least nor flinch one hair-breadth from the testimony, but would look on +himself as obliged to use the same freedom and faithfulness as he had +done 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 with +him, 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 she +looked on him with an affrighted countenance, and he told her, He could +hardly pray, being so taken up with praising, and ravished with the joy +of 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 the +rest on the port of the city, <i>etc</i>! He smiled, telling her, She should +not see that, for (said he) "I have offered my life unto the Lord, and +have fought that he may bind them up, and I am persuaded that they shall +not be permitted to torture my body, nor touch one hair of my head +farther." He was at first much afraid of the tortures, but now, having +obtained a persuasion that these should not be his trials, thro' grace +he was helped to say, "That the terror of them was so removed, that he +would rather choose to be cast into a chaldron of burning oil, than do +any thing that might wrong truth." When some other friends were +permitted to see him, he exhorted them to make sure their peace with +God, and to study stedfastness in his ways; and when they regretted +their loss of him, he said, "They had more need to think the Lord, that +he should now be taken away from these reproaches<a name="FNanchor_237" id="FNanchor_237"></a><a href="#Footnote_237" class="fnanchor">[237]</a> which had broken +his heart, and which could not be otherwise wiped of, even though he +should get his life, without yielding in the least."</p> + +<p>Monday Feb. 8. he appeared before the justiciary, and when his +indictment was read, the justice-clerk asked him, If he adhered to his +former confession, and acknowledged all that was in the libel? He +answered, "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 his +law, that I am here standing ready to be condemned." Then he was +interrogate, If he owned authority, and James VII.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_519" id="Page_519">519</a></span> to be his lawful +sovereign? He answered, "I own all authority that hath its prescriptions +and limitations from the word of God, but cannot own this usurper as +lawful king, seeing both by the word of God, such an one is incapable to +bear rule, and likewise by the ancient laws of the kingdom, which admit +none to the crown of Scotland, until he swear to defend the Protestant +religion; 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? Had +the late king any children lawfully begotten? Was he not declared to be +his successor by act of parliament! He answered, "He was no question +king <i>de facto</i>, but not <i>de jure</i>, that he was brother to the other +king, he knew nothing to the contrary; what children the other had he +knew not; but from the word of God, that ought to be the rule of all +laws, or from the ancient laws of the kingdom, it could not be shewen +that he had or ever could have any right." The next question was, If he +owned and had taught it to be unlawful to pay cesses and taxations to +his majesty? He answered, "For the present cess enacted for the present +usurper, I hold it unlawful to pay it, both in regard it is oppressive +to the subject, for the maintenance of tyranny, and because it is +imposed for suppressing the gospel. Would it have been thought lawful +for the Jews in the days of Nebuchadnezzar to have brought every one a +coal to augment the flame of the furnace to devour the three children, +if so they had been required by that tyrant, <i>&c.</i>?"</p> + +<p>Next they moved the question, If he owned he had taught his hearers to +come armed to their meetings, and in case of opposition to resist? He +answered, "It were inconsistent with reason and religion both to do +otherwise; you yourselves would do it in the like circumstances. I own +that I taught them to carry arms to defend themselves, and resist your +unjust violence." Further they asked if he owned the note-book and the +two sermons written therein, and that he had preached them? He said, "If +ye have added nothing I will own it, and am ready to seal all the truths +contained therein with my blood."—All his confession being read over, +he was required to subscribe it. He said, "He would not do it, since he +looked on it as a partial owning of their authority." After refusing +several times, he said, "With protestation I will subscribe the paper as +it is my testimony, but not in obedience to you."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_520" id="Page_520">520</a></span> +Then the assizers were called in by fives and sworn, against whom he +objected nothing; but protested, "That none might sit on his assize, +that professed Protestant or Presbyterian principles, or an adherence to +the covenanted work of reformation<a name="FNanchor_238" id="FNanchor_238"></a><a href="#Footnote_238" class="fnanchor">[238]</a>." He was brought in guilty, and +sentence passed, That he should be executed in the grass-market on the +Friday following. Lord Linlithgow justice-general asked, If he desired +longer 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 time +was the best:"—Then he was returned to prison. Without his knowledge, +and against his will, yea, after open refusing to the advocate to desire +it, he was reprieved to the 17th day; which gave occasion to severals to +renew their reproaches.</p> + +<p>Though none who suffered in the former part of this dismal period, spoke +with more fortitude, freedom and boldness than Mr. Renwick, yet none +were treated with so much moderation. The lenity of the justiciary was +much admired beyond their ordinary; for they admitted him to say what he +pleased without threatening and interruption, even though he gave none +of them the title of lord, but Linlithgow, who was a nobleman by birth. +And though his friends (which was not usual after sentence) were denied +access, yet both papists and episcopals were permitted to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_521" id="Page_521">521</a></span> see him. +Bishop Paterson often visited him, nay he sought another reprieve for +him; which would easily have been granted, had he only petitioned for +it. The bishop asked him, Think you none can be saved but those of your +principles? He answered, "I never said nor thought that none could be +saved, except they were of these principles; but these are truths which +I suffer for, and which I have not rashly concluded on, but deliberately +and of a long time have been confirmed that they are sufficient points +to suffer for." The bishop took his leave, declaring his sorrow for his +being so tenacious, and said, "It had been a great loss he had been of +such principles, for he was a pretty lad." Again, the night before he +suffered, he sent to him, to signify his readiness to serve him to the +utmost of his power. Mr. Renwick thanked him for his courtesy, but knew +nothing he could do, or that he could desire.</p> + +<p>Mr. M'Naught, one of the curates, made him a visit in his canonical +habit, which Mr. Renwick did not like. The curate among other things +asked his opinion concerning the toleration, and those that accepted it. +Mr. Renwick declared that he was against the toleration, but as for them +that embraced it, he judged them to be godly men. The curate leaving +him, commended him for one of great gravity and ingenuity, <i>&c.</i> +Dalrymple the king's advocate came also to visit him, and declared that +he was sorry for his death, and that it should fall out in his short +time. Several popish priests and gentlemen of the guard, with some of +the tolerated ministers, were permitted to converse with him. The priest +at 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 the +tolbooth at the time; Begone (said they), as Mr. Renwick said to the +priests.</p> + +<p>Several petitions were wrote from several hands, of the most favourable +strain that could be invented, and sent him to subscribe, but all in +vain; yea, it was offered to him, if he would but let a drop of ink fall +on 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 begun +testimony which he was writing was taken from him, and pen and ink +removed. However he got a short paper wrote the night before, which is +to be found in the cloud of witnesses, as his last speech and testimony.</p> + +<p>On Tuesday the 14th, he was brought before the council on account of the +informatory vindication, but what passed there cannot be learned, +farther than their signifying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_522" id="Page_522">522</a></span> how much kindness they had shewn him, in +that they had reprieved him without his supplication; a thing never done +before. He answered with extraordinary cheerfulness, rejoicing that he +was 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 better +within three days. He told his mother, That the last execution he was +witness to was Robert Gray's, and that he had a strong impression in his +mind that he should be the next; and often said, He saw need for his +suffering at this time; and that he was persuaded his death would do +more 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 his +inheritance.</p> + +<p>On the day of his execution, the chief jailor begged that at the place +of execution, he would not mention the causes of his death, and would +forbear all reflections. Mr. Renwick told him, That what God would give +him to speak, that he would speak, and nothing less. The jailor told +him, that he might still have his life, if he would but sign that +petition which he offered him. He answered, That he never read in +scripture or in history, where martyrs petitioned for their lives, when +called to suffer for truth, though they might require them not to take +their life, and remonstrate the wickedness of murdering them; but in the +present circumstance he judged it would be found a receding from truth, +and a declining from a testimony for Christ.</p> + +<p>His mother and sisters, having obtained leave to see him, after some +refreshment, in returning thanks, he said, "O Lord, thou hast brought me +within 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, to +thy praise, I may say, I never had the fear of death since I came to +this prison; but from the place where I was taken, I could have gone +very composedly to the scaffold. O! how can I contain this, to be within +two hours of the crown of glory." He exhorted them much "to prepare for +death, for it is (said he) the king of terrors, though not to me now, as +it was sometimes in my hidings; but now let us be glad and rejoice, for +the 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 could +be so taken from me!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_523" id="Page_523">523</a></span> But what shall I say to it? It is the doing of the +Lord, and marvellous in our eyes.—I have many times counted the cost of +following Christ, but never thought it would be so easy; and now who +knows the honour and happiness of that? <i>He that confesseth me before +men, him will I confess before the Father.</i>" He said many times, "Now I +am near the end of time, I desire to bless the Lord, it is an expresly +sweet and satisfying peace to me, that he hath kept me from complying +with enemies in the least." Perceiving his mother weep, he exhorted her +"to remember that they who loved any thing better than Christ were not +worthy of him. If ye love me, rejoice that I am going to my Father, to +obtain the enjoyment of what eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, &c." Then +he went to prayer, wherein he run out much in praise, and pleaded much +in behalf of the suffering remnant, that the Lord would raise up +witnesses that might transmit the testimony to succeeding generations, +and that the Lord would not leave Scotland, asserting with great +confidence of hope, that he was strengthened in the hope of it, that the +Lord would be gracious to Scotland.</p> + +<p>At length, hearing the drums beat for the guard, he fell into a +transport, saying, Yonder the welcome warning to my marriage; the +bridegroom is coming; I am ready, I am ready. Then taking his leave of +his mother and sisters, he intreated them not to be discouraged, for ere +all were done, they should see matter of praise in that day's work. He +was taken to the low council-house (as was usual) where after his +sentence 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 in +Jer. xxiv. 14, 15. <i>As for me, behold I am in your hand</i>, &c." He was +told that the drums would beat at the scaffold all the time, and +therefore they desired him to pray there; but he refused, and declared +he would not be limited in what he would say, and that he had +premeditated nothing, but would speak what was given him. They offered +him any minister to be with him; but he answered, "If I would have had +any of them for my counsellors or comforters, I should not have been +here this day. I require none with me but this one man;" meaning the +friend that was waiting upon him.</p> + +<p>He went from thence to the scaffold with great cheerfulness, as one in a +transport of triumphant joy, and had the greatest croud of spectators +that has perhaps been seen at any execution; but little was heard on +account of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_524" id="Page_524">524</a></span> beating of the drums all the time without intermission +from his first ascending the scaffold until he was cast over. Yet from +the friends and others, permitted to attend him, there were some of his +last words collected, which were as follows.</p> + +<p>When he went first unto the scaffold, some forbade him to speak any +thing, because the people could not hear; which he took no notice of. +There was a curate standing at the side of the scaffold, who, tempting +him, said, Own our king and we shall pray for you. He answered, I will +have none of your prayers; I am come here to bear my testimony against +you 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 with +you. I am within a little to appear before him, who is King of kings and +Lord of lords, who shall pour shame, contempt and confusion upon all the +kings of earth, who have not ruled for him."</p> + +<p>Then he sang Psalm ciii. read Rev. xix.: then prayed, commending his +soul to God through the Redeemer, and his cause to be vindicated in his +own time, and appealed to the Lord if this was not the most joyful day +he ever saw in the world; a day that he had much longed for. He insisted +much in blessing the Lord in honouring him with the crown of martyrdom, +an honour which the angels were not privileged with, being incapable of +laying down their lives for their princely Master. He complained of +being disturbed in worshipping God; but, said he, I shall be above these +clouds; then shall I enjoy thee, and glorify thee, without interruption +or intermission for ever. Prayer being ended, he spoke to the people +much to the purpose of his written testimony, whereof somewhat was +remembered to this effect:</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">Spectators</span>, I am come here this day to lay down my life for adhering to +the truths of Christ, for which I am neither afraid nor ashamed to +suffer. Nay I bless the Lord that ever he counted me worthy, or enabled +me to suffer any thing for him; and I desire to praise his grace that he +hath not only kept me from the gross pollutions of the time, but also +from the many ordinary pollutions of children; and for such as I have +been stained with, he hath washed and cleansed me from them in his own +blood. I am this day to lay down my life for these three things: (1) For +disowning the usurpation and tyranny of James duke of York. (2.) For +preaching<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_525" id="Page_525">525</a></span> that it was unlawful to pay the cess expresly exacted for +bearing down the gospel. (3.) For teaching, that it was lawful for +people to carry arms for defending themselves in their meeting for the +persecuted gospel-ordinances. I think a testimony for these is worth +many lives, and if I had ten thousand I would think it little enough to +lay them all down for the same.</p> + +<p>"Dear friends, I die a Presbyterian Protestant; I own the word of God as +the rule of faith and manners; I own the Confession of Faith, larger and +shorter Catechisms, Sum of saving knowledge, Directory for public and +family Worship, Covenants national and solemn League, Acts of general +assemblies, and all the faithful contendings that have been for the +covenanted reformation. I leave my testimony approving the preaching in +the fields, and the defending the same by arms. I adjoin my testimony to +all these truths that have been sealed by bloodshed, either on scaffold, +field or seas, for the cause of Christ. I leave my testimony against +popery, prelacy, Erastianism, <i>&c.</i> against all profanity, and every +thing contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godliness, +particularly against all usurpations and encroachments made upon +Christ's right, the Prince of the kings of the earth, who alone must +bear the glory of ruling in his own kingdom the church, and in +particular against this absolute power, usurped by this usurper, that +belongs to no mortal, but is the incommunicable prerogative of Jehovah, +and against his toleration, flowing from this absolute power."</p> + +<p>Here he was ordered to have done.——He answered, I have near done; and +then said, "Ye that are the people of God, do not weary to maintain the +testimony 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 shall +try your foundation. Scotland must be rid of Scotland before the +delivery come; and you that are strangers to God, break off your sins by +repentance, else I will be a sad witness against you in the day of the +Lord."</p> + +<p>Here they made him desist, and go up the ladder, where he prayed and +said, "Lord, I die in the faith that thou wilt not leave Scotland, but +that 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 am +ready; the bride, the Lamb's wife, hath made herself ready." The napkin +being tied about his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_526" id="Page_526">526</a></span> face, he said to his friend attending, "Farewel; +be diligent in duty, make your peace with God through Christ. There is a +great trial coming. As to the remnant I leave, I have committed them to +God. Tell them from me, not to weary nor be discouraged in maintaining +the testimony, and the Lord will provide you teachers and ministers, and +when he comes, he will make these despised truths glorious in the +earth." He was turned over with these words in his mouth, Lord, into thy +hands I commend my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me, Lord God of truth.</p> + +<p>Thus died the faithful, pious, and zealous Mr. James Renwick on the +third day over the 26th year of his age, a young man and a young +minister, but a ripe Christian and renowned martyr of Christ, for whose +sake he loved not his life dear unto the death, by whose blood and the +word of his testimony he overcame, and thus got above all snares and +sorrows, and to the conviction of many that formerly reproached him was +as signally vindicated of, as he was in his life shamefully reproached +with all the aspersions, obloquies and calumnies, that were cast upon +him for prosecuting that testimony for truth, which now he sealed with +his blood, in such a treasure of patience, meekness, humility, +constancy, courage, burning love and blazing zeal, as did very much +confound enemies, convince neutrals, confirm halters, comfort friends, +and astonish all.</p> + +<p>He was of stature somewhat low, of a fair complexion, and, like another +young David, of a ruddy and beautiful countenance. Most men spoke well +of him after he was dead; even his murderers, as well as others, said, +They thought he went to heaven. Malignants generally said, He died a +Presbyterian. The viscount of Tarbet (one of the counsellors), one day +in company, when speaking of him, said, "That he was one of the stiffest +maintainers of his principles that ever came before them. Others we used +always to cause one time or other to waver, but him we could never +move.—Where we left him, there we found him. We could never make him +yield or vary in the least. He was the man we have seen most plainly and +pertinaciously 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 in +being." He was the last that on a scaffold sealed his testimony for +religion, liberty, and the covenanted work of reformation in Scotland.</p> + +<p>Besides what hand Mr. Renwick had in the informatory vindication, and +the forementioned testimony against the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_527" id="Page_527">527</a></span> toleration (both of which have +long ago been published), there was also of late, by some well wishers +to the same cause and testimony, published a collection of very valuable +prefaces, lectures and sermons of his, in two volumes; as also another +collection of very choice letters, wrote by him from July 8. 1682, to +the day of his death, Feb. 17. 1688. There is also a treatise of his +upon the admission of ruling elders, which the reader will find affixed +to his life and vindication of his testimony wrote by Mr. Shields.</p> + +<p><i>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.</i>—Heb. xii. 1. Rev. vii. 14. and vi. 9, <i>&c.</i> +xiv. 2.</p> + +<p>N. B. In Scotland during these twenty eight years persecution, according +to calculation, above 18000 people suffered death, or the outmost +hardships and extremities; whereof 1700 were banished to the +plantations, besides 750 banished to the northern islands, of these 200 +were executed. Those who suffered by imprisonment, confinement and other +cruelties of this nature, were computed at or above 3600, including the +800 last mentioned, and 55 who were panneled to be executed when +apprehended. Those killed in several skirmishes or on surprise, and +those who died of their wounds on such occasions were reckoned to be +680. Those who went to voluntary banishment to other countries, <i>&c.</i> +were calculated at 7000. About 498 were murdered in cold blood without +process of law, beside 362 who were by form of law executed. But the +number of those who perished through cold, hunger and other distresses, +contracted in their flight to the mountains, and sometimes even in the +article of death murdered by the bloody soldiers, cannot be well +calculated, but will certainly make up the number above specified. And +yet like the Lord's church and people of old, while in Egypt, the more +they were oppressed the more they grew, the blood of the martyrs being +always the seed of the church. Yea to the honour of truth, and the +praise of that God whom they served, they were so far from being spent, +wasted or eradicated, that at the revolution they could raise a regiment +in one day without beat of drum, the ancient motto of the church of +Scotland being verified now as evidently as ever, <i>Behold the bush +burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.</i></p> + +<p>See a more full account of these sufferings in the memoirs of the church +of Scotland, from page 290 to 295.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_528" id="Page_528">528</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Alexander_Moncrief" id="Mr_Alexander_Moncrief"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Alexander Moncrief</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>In virtue of an act of the general assembly 1642, appointing a list of +six able men for the planting of vacant churches, Mr. Moncrief was +pitched upon for the church of Skunie in Fife; and upon Sept. 26. 1643, +was received there with great contentment.</p> + +<p>After which he had an active hand in carrying on the work of reformation +at that time; and was nominated in the commission for the affairs of the +kirk. In the years 1650 and 1651, he made no small appearance among +these called protestors; and had a particular hand in the western +remonstrance, and the causes of God's wrath, which were drawn up about +that time.</p> + +<p>During Cromwel's usurpation, he suffered much on account of his loyalty, +in praying for the king. Upon account of which his house was often +searched, and rifled by the English, and he obliged to hide himself. +Upon the Sabbath he had spies set upon him, and was closely watched +where he went after preaching. He was frequently pursued, and one time a +party of horse came after him, yet by a special providence (though +attacked once and again by them) he got clear of them. Yet a little +after he was seized by them in a neighbouring congregation and +imprisoned some time<a name="FNanchor_239" id="FNanchor_239"></a><a href="#Footnote_239" class="fnanchor">[239]</a>.</p> + +<p>After he was liberated, he was pitched upon as a person of great courage +and magnanimity to present the protestation and testimony<a name="FNanchor_240" id="FNanchor_240"></a><a href="#Footnote_240" class="fnanchor">[240]</a> against +the toleration, and the errors and sectaries that then prevailed in +church and state, given in Oct. 1658, to general Monk, drawn up and +signed by himself, Messrs. Rutherford, James Guthrie and many others. +This he did with the greatest firmness, for which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_529" id="Page_529">529</a></span> he was exposed unto +new extremities, but what return he had for all his faithfulness and +loyalty to the king comes immediately to be discovered.</p> + +<p>For no sooner was the king restored and settled in his dominions, than +this worthy and good man was involved in a new series of sufferings. +For, being assembled at Edinburgh, with Mr. James Guthrie and eight +others of his brethren in Aug. 1660, where they drew up that humble +supplication and address to the king, commonly called, The paper of the +23d of August, they were all imprisoned in the castle of Edinburgh, +except Mr. Hay of Craignethen, who escaped.</p> + +<p>He continued under confinement until July 12. 1661, that he had his +indictment and charge, much about the same time with Mr. James Guthrie, +which runs upon his having a share in the remonstrance, and in forming +the causes of God's wrath. Refusing to retract any thing in them, he was +brought before the parliament several times, and their prosecution for +his life was so hot, that the earl of Athol, and others in parliament +particularly interested and concerned in this good man and his wife, +being importuned by her to appear for him in parliament, dealt with her +to endeavour to prevail with him to recede from some of his principles, +otherwise, they told her, it was impossible to save his life. This +excellent woman answered, "That they all knew she was happy in a good +husband, and she had a great affection for him, and many children; yet +she knew him to be so stedfast to his principles, where his conscience +was concerned, that nobody needed deal with him on that head; for her +part, before the world contribute any thing that would break his peace +with his Master, she would rather chuse to receive his head at the +cross." About the same time, two ladies of the first quality were +pleased so far to concern themselves in his case, as to provide a +compliment in plate (which was not unusual at that time), and send it to +the 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 the +compliment was again returned.</p> + +<p>Yet it was so over-ruled in providence, that Mr. Moncrief being much +respected, and his hardships almost universally regreted, upon account +of his eminent piety, integrity and uprightness, severals of all ranks, +and different persuasions, and unknown to him, began to make +application, and interpose for him, so that the spirit of some of his +most violent persecutors began to abate, his process lingred,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_530" id="Page_530">530</a></span> till, +after a tedious imprisonment, he fell sick and obtained the favour of +confinement in Edinburgh.——The parliament passed this sentence upon +him, "That he, the said Mr. Alexander Moncrief, be for ever incapable of +exercising any public trust, civil or ecclesiastic, within the kingdom, +until, in the next session of parliament, further orders be taken +concerning him, and discharge him in the mean time to go to his parish." +And all this for owning before them his accession to the remonstrance +and causes of God's wrath.</p> + +<p>After this sentence, when living peaceably some eight or nine miles from +his own parish, people began to resort to him, and hear him preach, +whereupon, under a most severe storm in the middle of winter, by virtue +of an act made against him, he was charged to remove twenty miles from +his house and charge, and seven or eight from a bishop's seat or royal +burgh; and was with his family forced from his house, and obliged to +wander in that great storm; and yet when he had removed to a place at a +competent 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 his +God who had all along countenanced and supported him wonderfully in his +troubles, honoured him to be instrumental in the conversion of many.</p> + +<p>The persecution somewhat abating, he brought his family to Perth, for +the 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 to +apprehend him, but he escaped, though his house was narrowly searched. +This forced him from his family, and he was obliged to lurk a good while +after this.</p> + +<p>At length he came with his family to Edinburgh, where he preached the +gospel many years under a series of persecution. He was intercommuned in +the year 1675, and his house, and many other places in and about the +city, 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, and +sometimes he would meet them in his return, and pass through the midst +of them unknown. When he was one time lodged in a remote part of the +suburbs of Edinburgh, a captain, with a party, searched every house and +chamber of the closs, but never entered into the house he was in, though +the door was open.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_531" id="Page_531">531</a></span> +Again, when he was lurking in a private family without the walls of +Edinburgh, a party was sent to apprehend him. Providentially he had gone +out to walk by the house; the party, observing him by his gravity to be +a minister, said one to another, That may be the man we are +seeking.——Nay, said another, he would not be walking there. Again, +when he was advertised that the soldiers were coming to search for him +in his own house, he lingered till another minister came to him, and +said, Sir, you must surely have a protection from heaven, that you are +so secure here, when the town is in such disorder, and a general search +to be made. Immediately he went off, and in a little after Mr. Moncrief +went out; and was not well down stairs before the guard came up and +searched his house. He took a short turn in the street, and came back +just as the guard went off.</p> + +<p>But the persecution growing still worse, he was obliged to disperse his +family for some time. He was solicited, when in these circumstances, to +leave the kingdom, and had an ample call to Londonderry in Ireland, yet +he always declined to leave his native country, and, in his pleasant +way, used to say, He would suffer where he had sinned, and essay to keep +possession of his Master's house, till he should come again. He had a +sore sickness about the beginning of June 1680. In which time he uttered +many heavenly expressions. But he recovered and continued in this the +house of his pilgrimage until harvest 1688, when he died, and got above +all sin and sorrow, after he had endured a great fight of affliction to +obtain a crown of eternal life.</p> + +<p>He was mighty in prayer, and had some very remarkable and strange +returns 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 many +seals of his ministry in Fife, and was a most faithful and painful +minister. His sufferings are a little hinted at in the fulfilling of the +scripture, though neither he nor his persecutors are mentioned there. +The relation runs thus:</p> + +<p>"The first relates to a considerable family in this country, who made it +their business to trouble and persecute the minister of that parish, an +eminently holy and faithful man, yea, upon account of his faithfulness, +the old laird of that house did pursue him, out of malice, with a false +libel before the synod, either to get him broken and put out of the +parish, or at least to crush his spirit and weaken him in the exercise +of his ministry, but did there meet with a disappointment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_532" id="Page_532">532</a></span> the Lord +clearing the innocence of his servant, and the malice of the other. At +which time that gentleman, while he went to the stable where his horses +were, being then at the synod on that account, was in the place stricken +with sickness, forced to hasten home, and take his bed; and there seized +with horror of conscience, which made him often cry, intreating most +earnestly 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 to +him, 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, and +thus that poor gentleman in great horror and anguish died.</p> + +<p>"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 she +was denied in that which she kept back from her husband; but he came to +her before her death, and she confessed, with much bitterness, her wrong +to him. After this, a young man, who had been their chaplain, and +engaged by them to appear as a witness against that godly man, was so +terrified in his conscience, that he could get no rest till he went to +the next synod, to acknowledge that horrid sin, in bearing false witness +against his minister; but being by some kept from a public appearance, +he went to another part of the country, where it is reported he died +distracted.</p> + +<p>"Last of all the young laird, who succeeded in that estate, would needs +pursue the quarrel, and finding more access through the change of the +times, did so endeavour with some who were in power, that an order was +passed for banishing him out of that parish; and although he was then +otherwise accused upon account of the public cause, yet it was known, +the violent persecution of that gentleman was the main cause of that +sentence, as those who had a hand in passing it did confess; for he had +solemnly sworn, that if he lived there, that minister should not be in +that place. Returning to his house a few days after, and boasting how he +had kept his word, and got his minister cast out of his parish, he was +suddenly struck by the Lord with a high fever, which plucked him away in +the very strength of his years." Fulfilling of the scriptures, page +428.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_533" id="Page_533">533</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Angus_MacBean" id="Mr_Angus_MacBean"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Angus MacBean</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Angus MacBean was born about the year 1656. After he had spent some +time at the grammar-school with good proficiency, he went to the +university of Aberdeen; where he began to distinguish himself, no less +for his great regard to practical religion (altho' he was yet of the +episcopal persuasion), than for his extraordinary parts and abilities in +learning.</p> + +<p>About this time the bishops, having found their mistake in sending men +of little learning and less religion to the south and west parts of +Scotland, where the people were much disaffected to them, applied to the +professors of divinity to name some of the greatest abilities to be sent +to these parts. Accordingly professor Minzies singled out Mr. MacBean +from amongst all his students, to be sent to the town of Ayr; but he did +not 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 he +proved a very pathetic and zealous preacher, and one of the most +esteemed of that way. He usually once a-week lectured on a large portion +of scripture, which was not the custom then in that apostate and +degenerate age.</p> + +<p>But notwithstanding of his being in the highest esteem among the +prevailing party, the constancy shewn by the sufferers for the cause of +truth, and the cruelty used toward them, made such deep impressions on +his mind, as could never afterward be rooted out or effaced. As a native +consequence of the toleration granted by the duke of York, the mass was +openly set up in the castle of Inverness, against which Mr. MacBean +preached publicly, and warned the people of the imminent danger the +nation was then in. At which the priest was so incensed, that he sent +Mr. MacBean a letter, challenging him to a public dispute. This letter +he received in a crowd on the weekly market, where he usually walked +with some constables to prevent common swearing. He went to a shop, and +there wrote such an answer to the priest, as determined him to send him +no more challenges. The report of this having spread, some of king +James's officers (being there) entered into a resolution to go to church +next Lord's day, and to take him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_534" id="Page_534">534</a></span> out of the pulpit in case he uttered +ought against that way. Of this he was informed late on Saturday, and by +some friends was importuned to abstain from saying any thing that might +exasperate 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 to +the usurpation of both popery and Erastianism; whereupon the officers +got all up to execute their design, which the good man did not observe +till he turned himself about (for they sat in a loft on the left side of +the pulpit). Then he said with an authority that put them out of +countenance, For these things I am become the song of drunkards. On +which they all sat down, for it was when drinking, that they had formed +that wicked design. From the popish controversy, he was led to a more +serious inquiry into the merits of what was then the real controversy; +and after serious wrestling with God, and earnest prayer for light and +direction from him, in which he spent several nights in his garden, he +at length determined fully to declare for the truth, whatever might be +the consequence: And accordingly in June 1687, he declined to sit in the +presbytery, but continued to preach. In August, the presbytery were +informed not only that he absented wilfully, but that he disowned the +government of the church by arch-bishops, bishops, <i>&c.</i> and appointed a +committee to converse with him. Who, having done so, at a subsequent +diet, reported that Mr. MacBean declared plainly to them that he had no +freedom to meet with them in their judicatories any more; that it was +over the belly of convictions that he had entered into the ministry +under bishops; and that these convictions were returning with greater +force upon his conscience, so that he could not overcome them; that he +was convinced presbytery was the only government God owned in these +nations; that he was fully determined to make all the satisfaction he +could to the presbyterians; to preach for them and in their favours; and +that though he should be dispensed with by bishop and presbytery from +keeping their meetings, he could not promise that, in his preaching, he +would not give ground of misconstruction to those that owned prelacy. At +the same time his colleague Mr. Gilbert Marshal farther reported, That +Mr. MacBean, both in his public lectures and sermons, did so reflect +upon the government of the church, as was like to make a schism at +Inverness; and therefore he had caused cite him to that meeting, to +answer for his reproachful doctrine that could not be endured. Mr. +MacBean did not appear before them, nevertheless the magistrates<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_535" id="Page_535">535</a></span> +prevailed with the presbytery to desist from proceeding against him at +that time. But shortly thereafter the presbytery referred him to the +synod of Murray, who appointed a committee to join with the presbytery +of Inverness to deal with him.</p> + +<p>In the mean time Mr. MacBean went to church without his cannonical +habit, publicly renounced prelacy, declared himself a presbyterian, and +as he found not freedom in the exercise of his charge in that place, he +demitted it. He preached his farewel sermon on Job xxxiv. 31, 32. The +scriptures 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 to +prove that Christ was sole Head of the church, Eph. v. 23. Col. i. 18. 1 +Pet. ii. 7. Next Lord's day he went to Ross, and there, in Mr. +MacGiligen's meeting-house, preached the truths he formerly opposed; and +some times thereafter he preached at Inverness, till he was, by order of +the council, called to Edinburgh before them.</p> + +<p>On this surprizing change and alteration, a great opposition among the +prevailing party soon appeared against him; which was the less to be +wondered at, as he embraced every opportunity of declaring for the cause +of truth, which they were most violent against; and therefore the +presbytery of Inverness sent one of their number to inform the bishop of +Murray, then at Glasgow, of the whole affair. But the bishop dying at +that time, the arch-bishop of St. Andrews took the affair into his +cognizance, and procured an order from the council to bring him to +Edinburgh. In consequence of which he was carried south in Jan. 1688. in +very tempestuous weather, and was called before the council, where he +made a bold and noble stand in defence of the truths he had so solemnly +professed. One of the questions asked at him, was, If he thought the +king's power was limited? To which he answered, He knew no power, but +the Almighty's, unlimited. And though the council could not find then +wherewith to attack him, anent the state, yet, to please the bishops, he +must be imprisoned: And upon the 27th of Feb. thereafter, the +arch-bishop of St. Andrews conveened him before him and the bishop of +Murray, and five doctors and ministers in Edinburgh, where (in the +virtue of his metropolitan capacity) he deposed him from the exercise of +any part of his pastoral office, and deprived him of all benefits that +might accrue to him thereby, since the time of his wilful desertion; +with certification, if he should transgress therein, the sentence of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_536" id="Page_536">536</a></span> +excommunication should pass against him. He was thereupon remanded back +to prison; and though the town of Inverness wrote, earnestly soliciting +him to make some compliance, that they might be favoured with his +return, yet he valiantly withstood their intreaties, and by his answer +dated July 1688. He dissuaded them from insisting on his return, as what +he assured them would never happen, and condemns himself in the +strongest manner for his adherence to prelacy, declaring against it in +the most express way, as anti-scriptural as well as tyrannical. His +confinement and the fatigue of his journey, having given such a shock to +his constitution, as his life was in danger, Sir Robert Gordon of +Gordonstoun, and Dun. Forbes of Culloden offered a bail bond for 10,000 +merks to the earl of Perth, then chancellor, that they would present him +when called upon, providing he was set at liberty; but he utterly +refused to set him at liberty, though he was in a very languishing +condition in the tolbooth; where he remained till Perth run away, and +that the Edinburgh mob set the prisoners at liberty. After this he +continued 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 of +his age. Some days before, news came that the parliament of England had +settled the crown on king William, who put an end to those bloody times, +and that tyrannical government.</p> + +<p>Mr. MacBean without all doubt was a man, both pious and learned, +although at first brought up in the prelatical persuasion, and when near +his death frequently compared himself in this particular to Moses, who +from mount Pisgah saw the land of promise, but for his sinful +compliance, as he always called it, would not be allowed to enter +therein, having some time before his death, a firm belief of the amazing +deliverance which the church and nation soon met with, and left his +mortal life rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Thomas_Hog" id="Mr_Thomas_Hog"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Thomas Hog</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Thomas Hog was born in the beginning of the year 1628, in the burgh +of Tain, in the county of Ross. His parents were careful to give their +son a liberal education; for which purpose he was early sent to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_537" id="Page_537">537</a></span> school, +and, from his commencement to the study of letters, he discovered an +uncommon genius, and soon made such proficiency as rendered him +respected during his youth. He was much addicted to the harmless +diversions of that age, yet they did never abate his progress in his +studies, nor his detestation of any thing immoral or unbecoming the +character of a scholar. He was put to the university in the new town of +Aberdeen, where he made great proficiency, till at last he was admitted +master of arts, with the universal approbation of the regents of the +college.</p> + +<p>About this time, a very remarkable incident fell out, which confirmed +Mr. Hog's aversion to drunkenness, and his belief of an over-ruling +providence: For, having accompanied a merchant of Aberdeen to a ship in +the mouth of the river Dee, who was going a voyage (being one of his +acquaintance), upon his return, with two burgesses who had gone the same +errand, through the importunity of one of them, they turned all aside to +take a bottle in an inn by the way. There he tarried till he thought +they had drunk sufficiently, and, finding they were not disposed to go +home, he laid down his share of the reckoning, and was going away, but +they, being averse to part with him, and resolute in their cups, laid +hold on him to stay, but he, being full six feet high, and +proportionably strong and vigorous, soon twisted himself out of their +gripes, and went off; and came home to his chamber, and went to bed at +his usual hour, but, though in good health, he could get no rest till +the clock struck one, when he fell asleep, and rested quietly till the +morning, when he arose. At which time coming forth to his class, one met +him weeping, and told him, That the two men he left yesternight, after +continuing 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 being +told just at one, he adored that providence which had both seasonably +disposed him to leave them, and made him uneasy whilst the complication +of sin was thus committing.</p> + +<p>And though Mr. Hog was adorned with these natural and acquired +accomplishments which constitute a truly amiable person, heightened with +the lustre of an unblameable life, yet, as he himself acknowledged, he +remained a stranger to the saving operations of the Spirit of God till +about the year 1638, when the arm of the Lord was gloriously revealed in +the revival of the work of reformation, and the influences of his grace +poured out upon many through the nation: and yet still his conversation +was strictly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_538" id="Page_538">538</a></span> moral, and he frequented societies, conversed and prayed +with them, was in the diligent use of means, and in reference to the +public state of religion and reformation, was found, bold and resolute; +in his straits acknowledging the Lord, bringing these his difficulties +before him, to which he thought he got some notable returns; yet upon +all these he himself declared, That if he was then in a state of grace +and salvation, he was not in that state afterwards, for that the whole +of the following work, which, by the Spirit and Word of God, was wrought +on his heart, was founded upon a strong and clear conviction of his +having been at that time out of Christ, notwithstanding all the +forementioned lengths.</p> + +<p>What the manner and means of his saving conversion were, we are at a +loss to describe; only we find he was under a very deep and severe +law-work, and that his convictions were very close, particular and +pointed, setting his sin before him; and that during this work, which +was of long continuance, whole clouds of sin were charged home upon him +without end or measure, so that he was brought well nigh to despair, +being then chaplain to the earl of Sutherland, where the work of God +flourished in several souls about that house; and amongst whom the +butler was at the same time under the same law-exercise, and yet the one +did not know of the other; notwithstanding the countess (who was an +eminent Christian), wanted not some discerning of what was a-working +with them both, and particularly with Mr. Hog; as will appear by what +follows:</p> + +<p>One time Mr. Hog, sitting alone in his chamber in extreme anguish, +nothing but wrath in his view, a horrible temptation was thrown in like +a thunderbolt, <i>viz.</i> Why do you continue under such intolerable +extremity of distress? Put rather an end to a miserable life +immediately. Upon this suggestion, he resented the temptation and the +tempter with indignation; his pen-knife (at which the enemy pointed) +lying well sharpened upon the table, lest the assault should have been +renewed, he rose up and threw it over the window, after which he sat +down and fell a-musing upon the intricacies of this his complicated +distress, and while in the midst of this his terrible whirlpool, the +countess, besides her custom (though she had been ever affable at table) +knocked gently at the door, and invited him to go and partake with her +of a present of summer fruit; he went with her, and behaved so, that +nothing could be known concerning his former troubles. She discovered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_539" id="Page_539">539</a></span> +by her kind speech and behaviour, that she was either impressed with his +danger, or that she suspected somewhat of the matter with him. After +this entertainment he returned to his room, and found the temptation +mercifully removed.</p> + +<p>As to the manner of his relief we learn in general, that, from a +conviction of actual sin, he was carried up to the fountain-head, +original sin, and to a conviction of unbelief as the seat of this +fountain, according to Rom. xi. 32. John iii. 16, 38. The Lord having in +this manner laid a solid, clear and excellent foundation, he was at +length blessed with faith's views of the glory of Christ in his offices +and person; which did so ravish his soul, as to render him most willing, +through grace, to forego, endure, and, in his strength, to adventure +upon any thing in his cause, and for his sake.</p> + +<p>But the last and most considerable adventure, while in this family, was +his being the instrument to convert a young gentleman of the name of +Munro who frequented the house, and though of a sober deportment, yet +void of real religion. He took great pleasure in Mr. Hog's company, but +wasted his time with idle, frothy and useless discourse. He bore with +him for some time, but pitying his case, he used all means possible with +him, till by divine grace he was wholly brought over from a state of +black nature unto a state of grace; and if he had visited Mr. Hog often +before, he made many more visits to him after this, but never gave him +occasion to impeach him, for the gentleman became eminently gracious; +and for an evidence that this free dealing was blessed, the good man in +his after-conduct did so excel in the virtues opposite to the former +blemishes, that he was esteemed for accommodating differences, and +several gentlemen did submit their contests to him, and acquiesced in +his sole determination.</p> + +<p>After Mr. Hog was settled at Killearn, this gentleman made him a visit; +where, after their mutual endearments, the gentleman addressed Mr. Hog +in this amazing dialect, "Sir, my course is nigh finished, and I am upon +my entrance into a state of eternal rest. The Lord hath his own way of +giving the watchful Christian previous warning concerning the end of the +warfare, 2 Pet i. 14.; and I, being so privileged, have been seriously +pondering where it may be most convenient to breathe out my last, and +quietly lay down this tabernacle, and seeing, after deliberation, I can +find no place nor company so fit as with you, I have adventured to come +and die with you." At this time the gentleman was in good health, and +ate his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_540" id="Page_540">540</a></span> meat as well as ever, whereupon Mr. Hog endeavoured to divert +him from these thoughts; but he firmly persisted in his persuasion: and +accordingly in a few days he was seized with a fever, whereof he died.</p> + +<p>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, some +of which could have yielded him a greater living than what he ever had; +but he preferred Killearn to the rest, because he understood that +sovereign grace was pursuing some elect vessels there, and he knew that +several gentlemen (especially the baron of Foulis) were friends to +religion there: And he was ordained minister in the year 1654 or 1655, +with the unanimous consent and approbation of all concerned.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hog, being thus settled, he heartily applied himself to his work, +taking heed to himself and his doctrine, that he might both save himself +and them that heard him, casting a good copy or example before them, in +all manner of temperance and Christian virtues, but more especially +remarkable in his public character. His concern and sympathy with the +ignorant was great, the bulk of the people of that parish, through the +long infirmity of their former pastor, and the interveening vacation, +being neglected in their examination, became very ignorant; but he was +at great pains in spreading catechisms and other abstracts among them; +and, going from house to house, he prayed with, exhorted and instructed +them in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God; and his deportment +was attended with as much majesty proper to that function, as had been +observed in any; and no wonder, for few were favoured with so many +testimonies 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 her +sister, afterwards Mrs. S——d, Mrs. R——s, the judicious and famous +John Monro of Ross, Mr. Thomas Taylor, Mr. Angus MacBean minister at +Inverness, John Bulloch his own servant, Christian MacIntosh a poor +woman in the depths of soul distress; holy Mr. Ross; Mr. John Welwood, +and the so much famed John Monro, were either converted or confirmed by +him while in this parish, or after his ejection, while he was settled at +Knockgaudy in Murray; and none more particular than that instance of +Monro of Lumlair, an heritor in that parish, who, upon some reprehensory +expressions by Mr. Hog, which he was at first dreadfully offended at, +yet were made the means of his thorough conversion, so that he ever +looked on Mr. Hog after as his best<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_541" id="Page_541">541</a></span> friend, and laid himself out to +promote the success of his ministry.</p> + +<p>So soon as it pleased the Lord thus to bless his parochial labours with +a gracious change wrought upon a considerable number of the people, he +took care to join the more judicious in societies for prayer and +conference. These he kept under his own inspection, and did heartily +concur with them; for he himself was much in the exercise of that duty, +and had several notable returns thereof, of which we have several +instances.</p> + +<p><i>1st</i>, A good woman having come to him with this sore lamentation, that +her daughter C—— L—— was distracted, Mr. Hog charged one or two +devout persons (for he frequently employed such on extraordinary +occasions) to set apart a day and a night for fasting and prayer, and +then join with him in prayer for the maid next day. Accordingly when +this appointment was performed, she recovered her senses as well as +before.</p> + +<p><i>2ndly</i>, A daughter of the laird of Parks, his brother-in-law, who +lodged with him, being seized with a high fever, and little hope of +life; Mr. Hog loved the child dearly, and while he and his wife were +jointly supplicating the Lord in prayer, acknowledging their own and the +child's iniquity, the fever instantly left her. This passage was found +in his own diary, which he concludes with admiration upon the goodness +of God, to whom he ascribes the praise of all.</p> + +<p><i>3dly</i>, In like manner, a child of the reverend Mr. Urquhart having been +at the point of death, those present pressed Mr. Hog to pray (for he was +now become so esteemed that none other would in such case do it, he +being present) upon which he solemnly charged them to join with him; and +having fervently wrestled in prayer and supplication for some time, the +child was restored to health. A like instance is found of a child of +Kinmundy's in his own diary.</p> + +<p><i>4thly</i>, 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 sit +down, and having advised with Mr. Frazer of Brae, and some others +present, what could be done for the lad; some were for letting blood, +but Mr Hog said, The prelates have deprived us of money, wherewith to +pay physicians, therefore let us employ him who cures freely, and so +laid it on Mr. Frazer to pray, but he put it back on himself. So after +commanding the distracted person to be still, he prayed fervently for +the poor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_542" id="Page_542">542</a></span> man, and he was immediately restored to his right mind. This +is faithfully attested by those who were eye and ear witnesses.</p> + +<p><i>5thly</i>, Mr. Hog having once gone to see a gracious woman in great +extremity of distress, both of body and mind, he prayed with and for +her, using this remarkable expression among many others, O Lord, rebuke +this temptation, and we in thy name rebuke the same; and immediately the +woman was restored both in body and mind. And yet notwithstanding the +Lord had honoured him in such a manner, it is doubtful if any in his day +more carefully guarded against delusions than he did, it being his +ordinary, whenever he bowed a knee, to request to be saved from +delusions, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>But as Mr. Hog was sent of God to be an ambassador of peace to some, so +he was also a messenger of wrath to others. Of which we have several +instances, but none more particular than the following, of a certain +gentleman in the parish, who had one dead in his family, and intended to +bury in the kirk; but on account of the vulgar superstition the general +assembly had by an act discharged the same, and Mr. Hog being a +strenuous defender of the act of the church, the gentleman was +non-plussed what to do; but one William Munro, a strong hectoring +fellow, engaged to make his way good against all opposition, and +succeeded so far that the people with the corpse were entering the +church-yard when Mr. Hog got notice. He went out and set his back to the +door through which the corpse was to pass, and began to reason with the +people to convince them of their error in breaking through good order; +but this had not the desired effect, for the fellow laid violent hands +on Mr. Hog to pull him from the door; but he, having the spirit of a man +as well as of a Christian, turned on his adversary, wrested the key out +of 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 man +hath grieved the Spirit of the Lord, and you shall see either his sudden +repentance or a singular judgment befal him." Accordingly the poor +wretch continued in his wicked courses, and met with the foretold +judgment in a few months after that. Having made a violent attack upon +one, who drew out the wretch's sword and dagger, and thrust him through +the belly, so that his bowels burst out, and he died most miserably.</p> + +<p>Another instance of this kind fell out, while he was lecturing in the +laird of Lethem's house in the county of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_543" id="Page_543">543</a></span> Murray. During the time of +worship, he observed a servant laugh once and again, and after an +admonition the third time, at which Mr. Hog paused a little, and then +with an air of severity said, "The Spirit of God is grieved by one in +the company, for mocking at these great truths, therefore I am bold to +say, Such offers of grace shall be visibly and more suddenly punished +than any here could wish, <i>&c.</i>" After they had supped, and retired to +their apartments, a message came to his chamber, telling him, that the +forementioned mocker was seized with a sudden sickness and cried +bitterly for him. Upon this Mr. Hog arose, quickly cast on his gown, and +came down stairs to see him without losing a minute's time, but ere he +got to him, the poor creature was dead.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hog was in judgment on that side called protestors, and therefore +was in the beginning of the year 1661. deposed by the synod of Ross, +because he would not decline that party judicially; and afterward when +he knew he was to be put out of the charge at Killearn <i>anno</i> 1662. he +had a farewell sermon to them, where, with the apostle Paul, he took God +and their own consciences to witness that he had not shunned to declare +the whole counsel of God to them, and added, That the storm would be of +a long continuance, but, after all, the sky would clear, and he would +live to see it, and be called to his own charge again as minister of +Killearn, and die with them. And further said, If any of you shall +decline from that good way, and these truths wherein ye have been +taught, and shall comply with the wicked designs now carried on, I take +heaven and earth to witness against you, I take the stones of these +walls I preached in, every word that was spoken, and every one of you to +be witnesses against another. With many other words he exhorted them, +and his labours were not altogether in vain; for there was not a parish +in Scotland that complied less with the corruptions than they did.</p> + +<p>After his ejection, John Card, who was converted by his ministry, told +him, That he should go to Murray. Of which he had no thoughts then, but +in a little the laird of Park offered him Knockgaudy near Oldearn to +labour and dwell in, of which he accepted, and went thither; where he +was a very useful instrument in the hand of the Lord in turning many +souls to him, as has been already said, and here finding his private +ministry so blessed with success, he adventured to give the sacrament in +this place, which was a bold attempt, considering the severity of the +laws at that time. But this solemnity being remarkably blessed with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_544" id="Page_544">544</a></span> the +divine presence and glory, the communicants returned to their +habitations with unspeakable joy, and amongst the rest one MacLoad who +came from Ross-shire, and understood nothing of the English language; +but, Mr. Hog understanding the Irish language, he told him, That he came +hither obeying the command of his exalted Redeemer, and understood what +was preached there in the English, as well as if every word had been +spoken in his own tongue. Which when Mr. Hog interpreted to the rest, +they were filled with wonder, and the good man was allowed to +communicate, which he did with joy.</p> + +<p><i>Anno</i> 1668. he was imprisoned for the truth at Forres, upon a complaint +for keeping conventicles, <i>&c.</i> and there he was wonderfully +strengthened and comforted, having great joy in his sufferings. Upon his +account 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 own +knowledge or expectation, was set at liberty, without any concessions on +his part.</p> + +<p>But what was more remarkable, he was again apprehended about the +beginning 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 most +welcome 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 much +of a scratch, this neck (pointing to it) shall go for it. Accordingly +when tried, he submitted himself joyfully to a prison, rather than bind +himself from preaching; and was sent to the Bass, where by the air of +the place and his close confinement he fell into a bloody flux, whereof +he was in great danger. A physician being called, gave his opinion, +Unless he was liberated from that place, there was no hope of life. But +Mr. Hog, hesitating, would not address that mongrel court, at any rate. +However the doctor, of his own accord, did it without his knowledge, and +gave in a petition to the council, in the strongest terms he could +devise. The petition being read, some of the lords interceeded for Mr. +Hog, and said, That he lived more quietly, and travelled not the country +so much as other presbyterians did. Upon which bishop Sharp, taking up +the argument, said, That the prisoner did, and was in a capacity to do, +more hurt to their interests, sitting in his elbow-chair, than twenty +others 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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_545" id="Page_545">545</a></span> off the stage, +the clemency of the government should not interpose to hinder it; and it +was his opinion that if there was any place in the prison worse than +another, he should be put there. Which motion, being seconded by the +prelates, was put to vote, and carried, To the closest prison in the +Bass; which was speedily put in execution. When the keeper intimated +this to Mr. Hog, he said, It was as severe as if Satan himself had +penned it. His servant William Bulloch, being with him when he carried +him down to that low, nasty dungeon in the Bass, fell a-weeping, and +cried, Now, master, your death is unavoidable. But the good man, +directing his eyes up, said, Now, that men have no mercy, the Lord will +shew himself merciful; from the moment of my entering this dungeon I +date my recovery. And so it fell out, for the very next day he recovered +surprisingly, and in a short time was as well as ever. Yet afterward, +when speaking of the arch-prelate, he never shewed any resentment, but +merrily said, Commend him to me for a good physician.</p> + +<p>In the end of the year 1679 being brought to Edinburgh before the +council, and refusing to take the bond to live peaceably, he was +remanded back to prison, and afterwards liberated, but on what +conditions we do not learn.</p> + +<p>About the year 1683, he fell again under the displeasure of the +managers, for holding private conventicles, and was banished by the +privy council, and ordained to remove off the kingdom in 48 hours, +unless he gave caution not to exercise any part of his ministry, under a +penalty of 5000 merks over and above performance; which conditions he +would by no means submit to, and therefore retired to Berwick, and from +thence to London, with a design the first opportunity to go from thence +to Carolina; but the pretended plot, called the presbyterian plot, then +falling out, he was thrown into prison, where he continued some time, +till his money being near spent, for beside his own and his servant's +maintenance, he paid 10 shillings sterling weekly to the keeper, for a +place by himself, and not to be put down among thieves and felons, he +said to his servant William, I'll set to-morrow apart for prayer and see +that no person be allowed to come in to interrupt me. Accordingly he +rose 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, <i>&c.</i> yet he +still interceeded to see him. Upon which William, seeing him of a grave +pleasant aspect, reported his desire to his master, who ordered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_546" id="Page_546">546</a></span> him to +his room. Mr. Hog received him courteously. The other entertained him +with a discourse about suffering for a good God and a good cause, and +shewed that <i>our light afflictions which are but for a moment, are not +to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed</i>. After which he +arose and embraced Mr. Hog most lovingly, exhorted him to continue in +well-doing, and then took out of his pocket a white paper, and gave it +to him. Mr. Hog, finding its weight, understood it was money, and said +to the stranger, Upon what account, Sir, do you give me this money? The +other answered, Because I am appointed by our great and exalted Master +to 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 to +be enlarged, and then I shall account it my duty to call for you at your +dwelling in this city, for I suppose you are a citizen in London. The +other replied, You must ask me no more questions, but <i>be faithful to +the death, and thou shalt have a crown of life</i>. Then he retired, and +Mr. Hog never saw nor heard of any him more. When Mr. Hog opened the +paper, there were five pounds sterling in it, which to the good man was +sweeter than if he had got 1000 pounds settled on him yearly<a name="FNanchor_241" id="FNanchor_241"></a><a href="#Footnote_241" class="fnanchor">[241]</a>.</p> + +<p>After he was set at liberty, being at London in the year 1685. when the +duke of Monmouth landed in England, and Argyle in Scotland, he plainly +told some of his acquaintance, That God would never honour any of these +men 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 was +endued with a prophetic spirit, drew king James's attention so far, that +he wanted Mr. Hog should be consulted concerning affairs at that +juncture. This being communicated to him, he concealed his mind, till he +consulted the Lord by prayer. In the mean time he made ready for his +departure, and then told them (what he charged them to report to him +faithfully) That if king James had seriously adhered to the principles +of our holy reformed religion, his throne should have been established +in righteousness, and if he would yet turn from popery matters might be +well with him, but if otherwise the land would spue him out. When this +was reported, the king ordered he should be speedily apprehended, but +he,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_547" id="Page_547">547</a></span> having foreseen this, eschewed it by a speedy flight to Holland.</p> + +<p>When in Holland, he was soon introduced to the prince of Orange, who had +him in great esteem, and therefore let him into the secret of his +resolution to deliver these nations from popery and tyranny. In the +indulgence Mr. Hog agreed with worthy Mr. M'Ward and Mr. Brown, yet was +far from clearness to withdraw from all presbyterian<a name="FNanchor_242" id="FNanchor_242"></a><a href="#Footnote_242" class="fnanchor">[242]</a> ministers, who +either had not taken the benefit of the indulgence, or those exposed to +suffering notwithstanding the same.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hog returned to Scotland <i>anno</i> 1688. where he stayed till 1691.; +that his old parishioners, finding the way cleared, sent commissioners +to accompany him back to his parish of Killearn; where he was received +with great joy in June or July that year. But his constitution being +broken, he was unable to discharge his function much in public after +that; however his conversation became still more heavenly. King William +as a reward to his merit, resolving to have this good man near him, sent +him a commission to be one of his chaplains, which was no mean evidence +of his esteem for him, and the truth of his prediction concerning him. +But before ever that honour was bestowed upon him, he was seized with +the trouble, or rather the complication of troubles, whereof he died.</p> + +<p>His sickness was considerably long, and accompanied with great pain. One +time his judicious servant, hearing the heavy moans he made, asked, +Whether it was soul or bodily pain that extorted such heavy groans from +him? To which he composedly replied, No soul trouble, man, for a hundred +and a hundred times my Lord hath assured me that I shall be with him for +ever, but I am making moan for my body. And thereupon entertained him +agreeably 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 do +not 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 he +cried, Look, O my God, upon mine affliction, and forgive all my sins. +And yet, says his servant, never was his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_548" id="Page_548">548</a></span> conversation more heavenly and +spiritual, than when thus chastised. Toward his end he was much feasted +with our Saviour's comfortable message to his disciples, John xx. 17. <i>I +ascend to my Father, and to your father; and to my God, and your God.</i> +To the writer of some remarkable passages of his life he said, He could +not give a look to the Lord, but he was persuaded of his everlasting +love. And to Mr. Stuart (who succeeded him in that place) at another +time he said, Never did the sun in the firmament shine more brightly to +the eyes of my body, than Christ the Sun of Righteousness hath shined on +my soul. "And some time after," (continues the same writer), "when I +understood he was very low, I made him my last visit; and when I asked +him 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 from +the church, his speech was unintelligible to me, but his servant desired +me to pray, and commit his soul and body to God. After prayer I retired +a little, and when I returned, I found all present in tears at his +dissolution, especially his wife and his faithful servant William +Bulloch." Mr. James Hog and the forementioned writer of the remarkable +passages add, That Mr. Thomas Hog had many times foretold that his Lord +and husband was coming; so in the end he cried out, "Now he is come, my +Lord is come, praise, praises to him for ever more. Amen." And with +these words death closed his eyes, upon the 4th day of Jan. 1692, being +about 60 years old.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hog was of a tall stature, but more remarkable for his courage and +fortitude of mind; he was most temperate in his diet and sleep. +Gluttony, he said, is a great incentive to lust, and rising betimes is +not only good for the health, but best adapted for study, wherein he +took great pleasure. His more serious work, his necessary diversions, as +visiting of friends, <i>&c.</i> and even meaner things were all gone about by +the rule of duty. He was sought unto by many for his good and faithful +advices, and in prayer he was most solemn and fervent, the profoundest +reverence, the lowest submission, and yet a marvelous boldness and +intimacy with God attended his engagements in this exercise. It might +truly be said of him as of Luther when he prayed. It was with so much +reverence as if he was praying to God, and with so much boldness as if +he had been speaking to his friend. And though the Lord did not bless +him with natural children, he gave him the powerful assurance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_549" id="Page_549">549</a></span> of that +promise, Isa. lvi. 5. <i>I will give thee a name better than of sons and +daughters</i>, which he signally fulfilled to him in making him the +instrument of begetting many sons and daughters to the Lord.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_Robert_Fleming" id="Mr_Robert_Fleming"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Robert Fleming</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Robert Fleming was born at Bathens <i>anno</i> 1630. He was son to Mr. +James Fleming minister of the gospel there, who, being a very godly and +religious man, took great care of his son's education; and for that +purpose sent him first to the college of Edinburgh, where he ran through +the course of philosophy with great applause, and made great progress in +the learned languages. Then being translated to St. Andrews, he passed +his course of theology in that university under the conduct of worthy +Mr. Rutherford.</p> + +<p>His natural parts bring very great, his understanding quick and +penetrative, his judgment clear and profound, his fancy rich, his memory +strong, and expressions masculine, they did with such a grace take with +them who were not acquainted with his accents or idioms, and to all +these his acquired learning was answerable, the culture of which he, +through the divine blessing, improved with great diligence. History, the +eye of learning, he singularly affected, especially sacred history, the +right eye. But to him all history was sacred, seeing he considered God's +actions more than man's therein. Nor did he value any man, but for the +knowledge of God, wherewith he himself was so much acquainted; for his +conversion to God was very early.</p> + +<p>Before he was full 23 years old, he was called to a pastoral charge, and +was settled therein at Cambuslang in the shire of Clydesdale, where he +served the Lord in the ministry, till after the restoration of Charles +II. when that storm arose that drove out so many, and particularly that +act (commonly called the Glasgow act) whereby near 400 faithful +ministers were ejected, of whom the world was not worthy.</p> + +<p>He had taken to wife Christiana Hamilton, justly famed for her person, +gifts and graces. By her he had seven children, and with them and +himself, sweetly committed unto his God's provision, he humbly received +the honour of his ejection. Of the children the Lord received three of +them to himself, before their mother, and two of them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_550" id="Page_550">550</a></span> died afterward; +the other two survived their father for some time. As for his worldly +substance, his share seemed according to Agur's desire, and with Luther +he said, To his knowledge he never desired much of it, or was very +careful for or about it; for during the most tragical days, his table +was spread and cup filled, and his head anointed with fresh oil, his +children 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 own +testimony of his life was this, It was once made up of seeming +contrarieties, great outward trouble and great inward comfort, and I +never found (said he) more comfort than when under most affliction.</p> + +<p>For some time after his ejection, he lived mostly at Edinburgh, Fife and +other places until Sept. 1673, that all the ministers in and about +Edinburgh being called to appear before the council to hear their +sentence, to repair unto the places of their confinement; but he and +some others not appearing were ordered to be apprehended wherever they +could 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 of +Edinburgh, where he was during the time of Bothwel battle. A little +after he was, with some others, called before the council, and tho' they +were willing to find bail for their appearance when called, yet because +they refused to live peaceably, and not to rise against the king or any +authorized by him, they were remanded to prison. However he was +liberated<a name="FNanchor_243" id="FNanchor_243"></a><a href="#Footnote_243" class="fnanchor">[243]</a> and went to Holland, where, after the death of the famous +and faithful Mr. Brown, he was admitted minister of the Scots +congregation at Rotterdam.</p> + +<p>And here again his activity in the ministry was such as was to be +expected from such a large soul, comprehensive of the interest of God +and his church. What a writer he was need not here be told, but in +preaching he might be called a Boanerges and Barnabas also for converse, +and for all things useful. What might Cambuslang testify of him! What +might Edinburgh and adjacent places, where,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_551" id="Page_551">551</a></span> after his ejection, he +lived and laboured? What might Rotterdam say, where, from the year 1679, +till towards his end, he was a most bright and shining light? There was +no time wherein we may suppose that he had no good design going on. It +is 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 Holy +Ghost's working upon the souls of men, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>As he was religious, so he was said to be of a peaceable and friendly +disposition, as not affecting controversy much, so that when speaking of +the differences amongst some brethren, he would say, I am amazed to see +good men thus tear one another in the dark, nor can I understand how +they should have grace in a lively exercise, who value their own +particular designs above the interest of the catholic church, <i>&c.</i> Nor +is it to be forgot what he said to one of his own begotten sons in the +faith, I bless God (said he) that in 15 years time I have never given +any man's credit a thrust behind his back, but when I had ground to +speak well of any man, I did so with faithfulness, and when I wanted a +subject that way, I kept silence.</p> + +<p>And according to his practice, his life was a life of worship +extraordinary. His solemn dedication of himself to his God was frequent; +his soliloquies with him almost perpetual; as spending his days and +years after this manner, in order to which we find it was his custom +from the 15th or 16th year of his age, to set apart the first day of +every year for renewing his covenant with God; or if interrupted that +day, to take the next day following. For the first years of his life we +cannot give any particular account of the manner of his doing this; but +we may guess what they have been, from the few instances following.</p> + +<p style="margin-bottom:0em;">1691. In the entry of this new year, (as I have now done for many years +most solemnly) I desire again to renew my personal engaging of myself to +the Lord my God, and for him, and with my whole heart and desire to +enter myself into his service, and take on his blessed yoke, and humbly +to lay claim, take and embrace him (O him!) to be my God, my all, my +light and my salvation, my shield and exceeding great reward. <i>Whom have +I in heaven but thee, O Lord, or in the earth whom I desire besides +thee?</i> And now under thy blessed hand my soul desires, and does here +testify my trusting myself and securing my whole interest, my credit, my +conduct, my comfort, my assistance, and my poor children and to leave +myself herein on thy gracious hand, on my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_552" id="Page_552">552</a></span> dearest Lord, whilst in time, +as I write this the 2d day of January 1691.</p> + +<p style="margin-top:0em; text-align: right"><span class="smcap">R. Fleming</span>.</p> + +<p>1692. In the entry and first day of this new year, that I desire as +formerly to enter (in this hidden record) a new surrender and offering +of myself to my dear Lord and Master, who hath been wonderfully tender +and gracious to me, and hath brought me by his immediate conduct through +the days and years of my pilgrimage past, hath still cared for his poor +servant, and given more singular mercies and evidences of respect than +to many else; and now, as still formerly, hath taken me through this +last year with singular evidences of his presence and assistance, and as +I trusted myself to my Lord, so he hath graciously answered; for which +and his special grace hitherto, I desire to insert this witness of my +soul's blessing the Lord my God.</p> + +<p style="margin-bottom:0em;">And now I do here with my full and joyful consent testify my giving up +myself again to the Lord, and to his work and service here, and wherever +he shall call me, with desire to consecrate my old age to my God and the +guide of my youth. I love my Master and his services, and let my ears be +nailed to the posts of his door, as one who would not go free from that +blessed yoke and service, and lay in hope the whole assistance hereof on +his grace and help, <i>&c.</i> To him I commit myself, my ways, my works and +services, which, with my whole desire, I offer to my Lord, in whose hand +I desire to secure my credit for the gospel's sake, my comfort and +enlargement in this day of deep trouble and anguish, together with my +poor children and the whole interest of my family and concerns, desiring +to put myself with humble confidence, and all that is dear to me, under +his care and conduct. O my soul, bless thou the Lord! This I write the +first of Jan. 1692. <i>My Lord and my God.</i></p> + +<p style="margin-top:0em; text-align: right"><span class="smcap">R. Fleming</span>.</p> + +<p>1694. In the first day and Monday of this new year 1694, that as I have +formerly through most of my life past, so now I desire to renew my +dedication and engagement to the Lord my God, and to join in the same +witness with what herein hath been formerly with my whole heart and +desire, and to offer to my dearest Lord praise, in remembrance of what +he hath been through the year past, and in the whole of my life, whose +gracious tender conduct hath been so wonderfully (and well hast thou, +Lord, dealt with thy servant according to thy word) in all that hath +befallen me, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p style="margin-bottom:0em;"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_553" id="Page_553">553</a></span> +And now I do again by a surrender witness my entire commitment of +myself, my poor children, my credit for the gospel, my conduct and +comfort in so extraordinary a juncture to my dearest Lord, to his +gracious and compassionate care and providence; together with my works, +and any small design to serve him and my generation; and I do intreat +new supplies of his grace and strength to secure and make his poor +servant (if it were his blessed will) yet more abundantly forth-coming +to him. And with hopes of acceptance I write this Jan. 1st, 1694. <i>Post +tenebras spero lucem.</i></p> + +<p style="margin-top:0em; text-align: right"><span class="smcap">R. Fleming</span>.</p> + +<p>But now drawing near his end in the same year 1694, upon the 17th of +July he took sickness, and on the 25th died. On his first arrest, O +friends, said he to such as were about him, sickness and death are +serious things; but till the spark of his fever was risen to a flame, he +was not aware that that sickness was to be unto death; for he told a +relation, That if it should be so, it was strange, seeing the Lord did +not hide from him the things that he did with him and his. Yet before +his expiration, he was apprehensive of its approach: Calling to him a +friend, he asked, What freedom he found in prayer for him? seems God to +beckon to your petitions, or does he bring you up and leave dark +impressions on your mind? This way, said he, I have often known the mind +of 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 may +say, I have been long above the fear of death.</p> + +<p>All the while his groans and struggling argued him to be under no small +pain, but his answers to enquiring friends certified that the distress +did not enter his soul. Always he would say, I am very well, or, I was +never better, or, I feel no sickness. This would he say, while he seemed +to be sensible of every thing besides pain. But the malignant distemper +wasting his natural spirits, he could speak but little, but what he +spoke was all of it like himself. Having felt himself indisposed for his +wonted meditation and prayer, he thus said to some near him, I have not +been able in a manner to form one serious thought since I was sick, or +to apply myself unto God; he has applied himself unto me, and one of his +manifestations was such as I could have borne no more. Opening his eyes +after a long sleep, one of his sons asked how he did? He answered, Never +better. Do you know me? said his son. Unto which with a sweet smile he +answered, Yes, yes, dear son, I know you. This<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_554" id="Page_554">554</a></span> was about two hours +before he died. About an hour afterwards he cried earnestly, Help, help +for the Lord's sake, and then breathed weaker and weaker till he gave up +the ghost, and after he had seen the salvation of God he departed in +peace in the 64th year of his age.</p> + +<p>Thus lived and died Mr. Fleming, after he had served his day and +generation. His works yet declare what for a man he was; for besides the +forenamed treatise, the confirming work of religion, his epistolary +discourse, and his well known book, the fulfilling of the scriptures; he +left a writing behind him under this title, A short index of some of the +great appearances of the Lord in the dispensations of his providence to +his poor servant, <i>&c.</i> And although the obscurity of these hints leaves +us in the dark, yet as they serve to shew forth his Master's particular +care over his servant, who was most industrious in observing the Lord's +special providences over others, and perhaps may give some further light +into the different transactions of his life, they are here inserted.</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p>"How near I was brought to death in my infancy, given over and esteemed +a burthen to my friends, so as my death was made desirable to them; I +being the refuse of my father's children, yet even I was then God's +choice, and in a most singular way restored. 2. That remarkable +deliverance, in receiving a blow by a club when a child, which was so +near my eye as endangered both my sight and life. 3. The strange and +extraordinary impression I had of an audible voice in the church at +night, when being a child I had got up to the pulpit, calling me to make +haste, <i>&c.</i> 4. That I, of all my father's sons, should be spared, when +the other three were so promising, and should thus come to be the only +male heir surviving of such a stock. 5. That solemn and memorable day of +communion at Gray-friar's in the entry of the year 1648, where I had so +extraordinary a sense of the Lord's presence, yea, whence I can date the +first sealing evidence of my conversion, now 40 years past. 6. The +Lord's gracious and signal preservation and deliverance given me at +Dumbar fight. 7. These solemn times and near approaches of the Lord to +my soul; the first at Elve when I went there, and the other a little +after 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 by +surprize engaged therein. 9. The great deliverances at sea going to +Dundee, the first time in company with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_555" id="Page_555">555</a></span> the duke of Lauderdale, the +other in company with Mr. Gray of Glasgow. 10. That extraordinary dream +and marvellous vision I had twice repeated, with the inexpressible joy +after the same. 11. These memorable impressions and passages about my +health, when it seemed hopeless, at my first entry upon the ministry, +and the strange expression of Mr. Simpson of Newmills. 12. The Lord's +immediate and wonderful appearance for me in my first entry to the +ministry, with that extraordinary storm on the day of my ordination, and +the amazing assault which followed the same in what befel, wherein +Satan's immediate appearance against me was so visible.—13. The great +and conspicuous seal given to my ministry from the Lord, in the +conversion of several persons, with that marvellous power which then +accompanied the word on the hearts of the people. 14. That signal +appearance of the Lord and his marvellous condescendence in my marriage +lot, and in the whole conduct of the same. 15. My deliverance from so +imminent hazard of my life in my fall from my horse at Kilmarnock. 16. +The Lord's marvellous assistance at the two communions of Cathcart and +Dunlop, with the great enlargement I had at the last of these two places +at the last table. 18. That as my entry to my charge was with such a +bright sunshine, so no less did the Lord appear at my parting from that +place, <i>&c.</i> 18. The Lord's special providence as to my outward lot +after my removal thence, in many circumstances that way. 19. The +gracious sparing my wife so long, when her life was in such hazard in +the years 1665 and 1672. 20. The preservation I had in going over to +Fife in the year 1672. and the settlement I got there. 21. The dream at +Boussay, wherein I got such express warning as to my wife's removal, +with the Lord's marvellous appearance and presence the Thursday after at +St. Johnston's. 22. That extraordinary warning I got again of my dear +wife'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 my +return from London 1674. <i>viz.</i> that in Rom. iv. in the forenoon, and +that in Psal. cxv. in the afternoon. 24. Those great and signal +confirmations given me at my wife's death, and that great extraordinary +voice so distinct and clear which I heard a few nights after her death. +25. These special confirmations given me at my leaving my country at +West Nisbet, Ridsdale, Stanton, and the first at sea from the Shiels. +26. These solemn passages to confirm my faith from Heb. xi.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_556" id="Page_556">556</a></span> and Exod. +xxxiii. and at other times at London, and the last night there before I +went away. 27. These extraordinary and signal times I had at my first +entering at Rotterdam. 28. These two marvellous providences that did +occur to me at Worden, and about the business of William Mader. 29. The +marvellous sign given me of the state of my family, in what happened as +to the sudden withering of the tree, and its extraordinary reviving +again at my first entry to my house at Rotterdam. 30. The great +deliverance from fire in the high street. 31. The good providence in +returning my diary after it had been long lost. 32. The special +providence in preserving my son from perishing in water. 33. The +surprizing relief when cited by the council<a name="FNanchor_244" id="FNanchor_244"></a><a href="#Footnote_244" class="fnanchor">[244]</a> of Scotland to appear, +with that sweet resignation to the Lord which I had then under such a +pungent trial. 34. The remarkable event of a warning I was forced to +give that some present should be taken away by death before the next +Lord's day. 35. The Lord's immediate supporting under a long series of +wonders (I may truly say) for which I am obliged in a singular way to +set up my Ebenezer, that hitherto hath the Lord helped. 36. The +remarkable appearance of the Lord with me (which I omitted in its place) +in the strange providence relating to Mr. Monypenny's death in +Preston-pans. 37. The solemn providence and wonder in my life, my fall +under the York coach in August 1654, when the great wheel went over my +leg, so as I could feel it passing me without hurting, far less breaking +my leg, as if it had been thus carried over in a just poise, to let me +see how providence watched over me, <i>&c.</i> 38. The comfort God gave me in +my children, and those extraordinary confirmations I got from God upon +the death of those sweet children whom God removed from me to himself."</p> + +<p>Now, reader, go and do thou likewise, for <i>blessed is that servant, whom +his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing</i>, Matth. xxiv.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_557" id="Page_557">557</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Mr_Alexander_Shields" id="Mr_Alexander_Shields"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">Alexander Shields</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Alexander Shields, son to James Shields of Haugh-head in the Merse, +born <i>anno</i> 1660, or 1661, and being sent to school (when capable of +instruction) made such proficiency there, that in a short time he +entered upon the study of philosophy under Sir William Paterson, then +regent of the college of Edinburgh, (afterwards clerk to the bloody +council) where he made no less progress. For, being of a lively genius +and penetrating wit, he soon commenced master of arts, and that with no +small applause. And having furnished his mind with no small degree of +the ancillary knowledge of learning, he began to think upon the study of +divinity in view for the ministry. But finding little encouragement this +way for any who could not in conscience join with prelacy, or the +prevailing defections of those called the indulged, he took a +resolution, and went over among others to Holland (shortly before or +after Bothwel) for the further improvement of his studies, where he +continued some short time, and then returned home to his native country.</p> + +<p>But upon his going to London, to be an amanuensis to Dr. Owen, or some +of the English divines who were writing books for the press; he had a +letter of commendation to one Mr. Blackie a Scots minister, who, +appointing him to speak with him at a certain season, had several +ministers convened unknown to him, and did press and enjoin him to take +license. So that being carried into it, in that sudden and surprizing +way, he did accept of it from the Scots dissenting ministers at London, +but without any imposition for sinful restriction. However, the oath of +allegiance 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 his +mouth, but he refused to submit himself thereunto.</p> + +<p>But it was not long here that he could have liberty to exercise his +office. For, upon the 11th day of January 1685, he was, with some +others, apprehended by the city-marischal (at a private meeting in +Gutter-lane) who came upon them at an unawares, and commanded them to +surrender in the king's name. Mr. Shields, being first in his way, +replied, What king do you mean? by whose authority<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_558" id="Page_558">558</a></span> do you disturb the +peaceable ordinances of Jesus Christ?——Sir, you dishonour your king in +making 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. Shields +made an attempt to escape, but was not able; and he and his companions +were brought before the lord mayor, who threatened to send him to +Bridewell. However bail was offered and admitted for him, to answer at +Guildhall upon the 14th. Upon which day he attended, with a firm +resolution to answer. But while he went out for a refreshment, he was +called for, and none answering, his bail bond was forfeited, which +afterward gave him no small uneasiness when his bail's wife said to him, +Alas! why have you ruined our family? However, to prevent further +damage, he appeared on the 20th, when he was arraigned in common form +and examined, Whether he was at Bothwel, and if he approved of bishop +Sharp's death? with several other questions. To which he replied, That +he was not obliged to give an account of his thoughts, and that he came +there to answer to his indictment, and not to such questions as these. +Upon which he was taken to Newgate by a single officer without any +mittimus or any express order unto what prison he should be committed. +By the way (says he<a name="FNanchor_245" id="FNanchor_245"></a><a href="#Footnote_245" class="fnanchor">[245]</a>) he could have escaped, had he not been led or +betrayed there by flattery. It was some days before his mittimus came, +by which he was ordered to be kept in custody till the next quarter +session, which was to be at Guildhall on the 23d of Feb. following.</p> + +<p>But Charles II. in this interval dying, he was, with other seven who +were apprehended with him, March 5, put on board the Kitchen yacht for +Scotland, and landed at Leith on the 13th, and the next day Mr. Shields +was examined before the council, where he pled the liberty of his +thoughts, putting them to prove his accusation, and waving a direct +answer anent owning the king's authority; which gave way to his slip +afterwards, as he (in his own impartial account of his sufferings) +observes among other reflections "In this I cannot but adore the wisdom +of the Lord's conduct, but with blushing at the folly of mine. I was +indeed determined, I think, by a sovereign hand, and led upon this not +usually trodden path by truth's confessor beyond my ordinary genius or +inclination, to fence with these long weapons, declining direct answers +which is the most difficult road, and most liable to snares; and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_559" id="Page_559">559</a></span> +wherein it is more hard to avoid wronging truth than in the plain and +open-hearted way." However, he was remanded back to prison till the 23d, +when he was brought before the justiciary, and interrogate, Whether he +would abjure the apologetical declaration, and own the authority of +James VII.? But being still on the reserve, he was sent back till the +25th, and from thence continued till the day following, which he calls +the day of his fatal fall, the just desert of his former blind and bold +approaches to the brink of these precipices over which he had looked, +and was now left to fall therein. Here he was again examined to the +effect aforesaid, and withal threatened with the most severe usage if he +did 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 the +sincerity of an unfeigned conscience and in the fear of God, that I do +renounce and disown that and all other declarations, in so far as that +they 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 read +this, they said it was satisfactory, and required him to hold up his +hand. This he still refused, till allowed to dictate to the clerk what +words he should swear. Which being done, he protested, that it might not +be constructed to any other sense than the genuine words he delivered in +the 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 mind +deceived, that by a quibble and nice distinction they thought that the +word might bear, That this was not a disowning of that nor no +declaration that ever he saw (save one of their pretending) nor that +neither but in so far, or if so be; which different expressions he was +taught to confound by scholastic notions infused into him by the court, +and some of the indulged ministers while in prison, <i>&c.</i>" Having so +done, the justiciary dismissed him, but, on pretence he was the +council's prisoner, he was sent back to his now more weary prison than +ever. For he had no sooner made this foolish and unfaithful step of +compliance (as he himself expresses it) than his conscience smote him, +and continuing so to do, he aggravated his fall in such a sort as he +wanted words to express.</p> + +<p>Yet after all this his dangers were not over, for having wrote a letter +to John Balfour to be by him transmitted to some friends in Holland +declaring his grief and sorrow, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_560" id="Page_560">560</a></span> his mind anent his former +compliances, <i>&c.</i> it fell into the enemies hands; whereupon he was +again brought before the lords of council, and though much threatening +ensued, yet he owned the letter, and declared his sorrow for what he had +formerly done. After which they appointed him to confer with the +arch-bishop of St. Andrews, and the bishops of Glasgow and Dunkeld. With +them he had a long reasoning, and among other things they objected that +all powers were ordained of God, be they what they will. He answered, +"All power is ordained of God by his provident will, but every power +assumed by man is not so by his approbative and preceptive will." One of +the prelates said, That even his provident will is not to be +resisted.——He answered, That the holy product of it cannot and may +not, but the instrument he made use of some times might be resisted. It +was urged that Nero was then regnant when this command of non-resistance +was given.——He answered, That the command was given in general for our +instruction how to carry in our duty under lawful magistrates, +abstracting from Nero. Then they asked him, How he would reconcile his +principles with that article in the confession of faith, that difference +in religion, <i>&c.</i>——He answered, "Very easily: For though difference +in religion did not make void his power, yet it might stop his admission +to that power where that religion he differed from was established by +law, <i>&c.</i>"</p> + +<p>He was continued till Aug. 6. when he was again before the justiciary +and indicted; which made him write two letters, one to the advocate and +the other to his old regent Sir William Paterson, which he thought +somewhat mitigated their fury. Whereupon he drew up a declaration of his +sentiments, and gave in to the lords of council, upon which much +reasoning betwixt him and them ensued. After two conferences wherein he +was asked many questions, in the third he condescended to sign the oath +of abjuration, (which they had so much insisted he should again take, as +he had at their command torn his name from the first) only it was worded +thus, If so be such things are there inserted; which he told them, he +was sure was not the case: This with difficulty was granted. As he +subscribed he protested before them, "That none were to think by this he +justified the act of succession or the abrogation of the ancient laws +about it, or the want of security for religion or liberty, or that he +acknowledged the divine approbation of it, <i>&c.</i>" When all was over he +was delayed till to-morrow. But to-morrow he was sent to the Bass, and +doubtless<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_561" id="Page_561">561</a></span> would have suffered, had he not got out in woman's clothes +and eloped.</p> + +<p>After his escape (without seeking after any other party whatsoever) he +came straight to Mr. Renwick, and that faithful contending remnant then +in the fields, where upon the 5th of Dec. 1686. he attended a meeting +for preaching at the wood of Earlston in Galloway. After which he +continued with Mr. Renwick for some time: In which time he ceased not, +both in public and private, to give full proof and evidence of his +hearty grief and sorrow for his former apostacy and compliances. Upon +the 22d he came to their general meeting, where he gave them full +satisfaction in espousing all and every part of their testimony and +likewise made a public confession of his own guilt; wherein he +acknowledged, (1.) That he had involved himself in the guilt of owning +the (so called) authority of James VII. shewing the sinfulness thereof, +taking shame to himself. (2.) He acknowledged his guilt in taking the +oath of abjuration and his relapsing into the same iniquity, the +sinfulness of which he held forth at great length, and spake so largely +to these particulars as discovering the heinousness of that sin as made +Mr. Renwick say, "I think none could have done it, unless they had known +the terrors of the Lord;" and added, "I thought it both singular and +promising to see a clergyman come forth with such a confession of his +own defections, when so few of that set are seen in our age to be +honoured with the like."</p> + +<p>After this when Mr. Renwick and the united societies were necessitated +to publish their informatory vindication, Mr. Shields went over to +Holland to have the same printed about the beginning of the year 1687.; +but it appears he was necessitated to return home before that work was +finished.</p> + +<p>After Mr. Renwick's death he continued for some time in the fields +preaching in Crawford muirs at Disinckorn-hill in Galston parish and +many other places, and about the end of the same year 1688. when +Kersland and the united societies, who had, in the inter-regnum of the +government, thrust out some of the curates, and demolished some of the +popish monuments of idolatry, were obliged to publish a vindication of +themselves in these proceedings; which they did at the cross of Douglas. +Mr. Shields being present did sing some verses in the beginning of the +76th psalm, <i>In Judah's land God is well known</i>, &c. making some notes +and while expatiating on the same, said, That this psalm was sweetly +sung by famous Mr. Robert Bruce at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_562" id="Page_562">562</a></span> cross of Edinburgh at the break +of the Spanish Armada the same time a hundred years ago.</p> + +<p>Upon the 3d of March 1689. when Mr. Linning, he and Mr. Boyd renewed the +covenants at Borland-hill in Lismahago, Mr. Shields stood up again +before a vast confluence of people, and declared his unfeigned sorrow +for his former sin of compliances, <i>&c.</i> to the affecting of all the +multitude, and the abundant satisfaction of the godly there present, who +had been grieved therewith.</p> + +<p>At and after the revolution he was of much service to the army, and +greatly esteemed by King William. And after his return home he, with the +foresaid Messrs. Linning and Boyd, presented a large paper of proposals +to the first general assembly after the revolution<a name="FNanchor_246" id="FNanchor_246"></a><a href="#Footnote_246" class="fnanchor">[246]</a>; both craving a +redress<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_563" id="Page_563">563</a></span> of their grievances, and likewise shewing on what terms they +and their people could and would join with them, <i>&c.</i> But this paper +being judged by the committee<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_564" id="Page_564">564</a></span> of this assembly to contain "peremptory +and gross mistakes, unreasonable and impracticable proposals, and +uncharitable and injurious reflections, tending rather to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_565" id="Page_565">565</a></span> kindle +contentions than compose divisions<a name="FNanchor_247" id="FNanchor_247"></a><a href="#Footnote_247" class="fnanchor">[247]</a>," it never once got a hearing, +but was thrown over the bar of that assembly. And yet notwithstanding +all this, the three foresaid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_566" id="Page_566">566</a></span> brethren being resolved to unite with them +at any rate, gave in another called the shorter paper, importing their +submission, casting down all their former proposals and desires<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_567" id="Page_567">567</a></span> at the +assembly's feet, "to be disposed of as their wisdom should think fit." +Which paper he, through their insinuation, was brought to subscribe, and +of which, it is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_568" id="Page_568">568</a></span> said<a name="FNanchor_248" id="FNanchor_248"></a><a href="#Footnote_248" class="fnanchor">[248]</a>, he sadly repented afterwards. For having +dropt his former testimony at their feet, who trampled on it, and though +they did not rent him, yet they soon found out a way to get rid of him. +For,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_569" id="Page_569">569</a></span> +Soon after the revolution, he was settled minister at St. Andrews, where +he continued in the discharge of his office until the year 1699, that +he, with Messrs. Borland, Stobo<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_570" id="Page_570">570</a></span> and Dalgliesh, were pitched upon to go +over with his countrymen to the national settlement at Darien in +America, where he, by letters under his own hand, gave particular<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_571" id="Page_571">571</a></span> +account of matters there; wherein it is evident that his spirit was +quite sunk with the divisions, impiety and unrighteousness of too many +of that handful, and at last was sadly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_572" id="Page_572">572</a></span> crushed with the fatal +disappointment of that undertaking, by the conduct of the then +government; which he shewed, had it been faithfully and well managed, +might<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_573" id="Page_573">573</a></span> have been of great advantage to this nation, as well as to the +Christian religion; and yet for want of a proper reinforcement, they +were either cut off or dissipated. While in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_574" id="Page_574">574</a></span> Caledonia he preached +mostly on Acts xvii. 26, 27. <i>God hath determined the times before +appointed, and the bounds of our habitation</i>. One time, as he and the +rest of the ministers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_575" id="Page_575">575</a></span> made a tour up the country, upon their return +they 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 through +various windings and bendings of the coast under lash of the swelling +surges or waves of the sea, being sometimes obliged to climb upon their +hands and feet upon the steep and hard rocks, until at last Mr. Shields +was like to faint, which troubled them much. Their provision and +cordials were spent, at length they came to a welcome spring of fresh +water 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 this +well we rested a little,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_576" id="Page_576">576</a></span> and Mr. Shields having drunk of it, was +refreshed and strengthened, and with the help of the Lord we were +enabled to proceed on our journey." After which Mr. Shields and Mr. +Borland escaped death very narrowly, the ship sinking in the harbour of +Kingston a very little after they were gone out of it. He died of a +malignant 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 woman +Isabel Murray, paid the expence of his funeral. His last preaching was +from the last words of Hosea, <i>Who is wise? and he shall understand +these things: prudent? and he shall know them, for the ways of the Lord +are right, and the just shall walk in them, but transgressors shall fall +therein</i><a name="FNanchor_249" id="FNanchor_249"></a><a href="#Footnote_249" class="fnanchor">[249]</a>.</p> + +<p>And thus the so much famed Mr. Alexander Shields, after he had tasted +somewhat of the various vicissitudes of life and fortune, was obliged to +die 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 a +public spirit, and firm in the cause he espoused; pretty well seen in +most branches of learning, in arguing very ready, only somewhat fiery, +but in writing on controversy he exceeded most men in that age.</p> + +<p>His works are the Hind let loose, Mr. Renwick's life, and the +vindication of his dying testimony, his own impartial relation, the +renovation of the covenant at Borland hill. There are also some lectures +and sermons of his in print; a vindication of our solemn covenants, and +several of his religious letters both before and since the revolution. +After his death Mr. Linnings published an essay of his on +church-communion. But how far this agrees with his conduct at the +revolution, or what coherency it hath with his other writings, or if Mr. +Linning had any hand therein, is not my province to determine at +present. There are also three pocket volumes of his journals yet in +manuscript, which were, among other valuable papers, redeemed from +destruction after Mr. Linning's death.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_577" id="Page_577">577</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Mr_John_Dickson" id="Mr_John_Dickson"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">John Dickson</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>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 the +university; where, after he had gone through his courses of learning, he +studied divinity, and then passed his trials for the ministry; and, +being found duly qualified for that office, he was licensed. And, some +time before the restoration, was ordained and settled minister at +Rutherglen, where he continued for some time a most faithful, diligent +and painful preacher of the gospel.</p> + +<p>But very soon after the restoration of Charles II. (prelacy beginning to +advance in Scotland) he was, upon the 13th of October 1660. brought +before the committee of estates, and by them imprisoned in the tolbooth +of Edinburgh, information having been given in against him by Sir James +Hamilton of Elistoun<a name="FNanchor_250" id="FNanchor_250"></a><a href="#Footnote_250" class="fnanchor">[250]</a>, and some of his parishioners, of some +expressions he had used in a sermon alledged to reflect upon the +government and the committee of estates, tending to sedition and +division. 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 was +exposed to much trouble and suffering afterwards, as now comes to be +observed.</p> + +<p>After this, Mr. Dickson was obliged to wander from place to place with +the rest of those who could not in conscience comply with the current of +defection and apostacy at that time, preaching to such as employed him; +wherein he ceased not, in shewing the sinfulness of bonding, cess +paying, and of the indulgence, and likewise wrote a faithful warning to +the shire of Fife against the same, shewing in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_578" id="Page_578">578</a></span> the most affecting and +striking manner the hazard and evil of such compliance<a name="FNanchor_251" id="FNanchor_251"></a><a href="#Footnote_251" class="fnanchor">[251]</a>.</p> + +<p>In 1670. we find he preached at Glenvail, and in June that year he and +Mr. Blackadder preached to a numerous congregation at Beeth-hill in +Dunfermline parish in Fife. While they were at public worship upon the +Lord's day, a lieutenant of militia in that place came up on horseback +to the people, and made a great deal of disturbance, threatening to +fright and if possible to scatter them; whereupon one more courageous +than the rest stept forward to him, and, after intreating him to remove +peaceably, took his horse by the bridle, pulled out a pistol, and told +him, He would shoot him dead if he was not silent: And whether he would +or would not, he was there compelled to sit on horseback till public +worship 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 to +call it), upon the 11th of Aug. a decreet was obtained by the king's +advocate against Mr. Dickson, Mr. Blackadder and several other +ministers, wherein they were charged with holding conventicles in houses +and in fields, and being after citation called and not compearing, they +were in absence denounced and put to the horn, which obliged them to +wander up and down the country, sometimes preaching in the fields where +they had opportunity.</p> + +<p>And thus continued Mr. Dickson in the midst of imminent hazards: For, by +virtue of a new modelled council June 4th, 1764. there were orders to +send out parties in quest of all conventicle preachers (as they were +called, who accepted not of the indulgence), amongst whom were Mess. +Dickson, Welch, and Blackadder, <i>&c.</i> 400 pounds sterling were offered +for Mr. Welch, and 1000 merks for Mr. Dickson and each of the rest. Nay, +the soldiers were indemnified and their assistants, if any slaughter was +committed in apprehending them, in case any resistance was made. By +which Mr. Dickson was exposed unto new dangers, but yet he escaped their +fury for some time.</p> + +<p>But after Bothwel-battle the persecution becoming still hotter, and the +searches more frequent, he was apprehended in 1680.; and being brought +in to Edinburgh prisoner by some of the guard, under caution to answer +before the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_579" id="Page_579">579</a></span> council Sep. 1st. Accordingly the council ordered him to be +sent to the Bass, where he continued to be prisoner near the space of +eleven years.</p> + +<p>While he was prisoner in the Bass he wrote a most excellent letter to +some friends, wherein he not only bewails and laments the apostacy of +these lands from God, <i>&c.</i> demanding what our noble Scots worthies +would think or say, were they then alive to behold the same, but also +gives many practical and suitable directions how to behave in following +Christ, and owning his cause under the cross, and walking in the furnace +of affliction and tribulation, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>After he got out of the Bass, he returned very early at the revolution +back to his flock at Rutherglen, where he again exercised his +ministerial function, and that upon all hazards.<a name="FNanchor_252" id="FNanchor_252"></a><a href="#Footnote_252" class="fnanchor">[252]</a> In the year 1698. +Oct. 4th, at the sitting down of the synod at Air, he preached a very +free and faithful sermon, upon the duty and qualifications of a faithful +watchman from these words, Ha. lxii. 6. <i>I have fit watchmen upon thy +walls, O Jerusalem</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>And although Mr. Dickson still acceded to the revolution church, yet he +was much grieved when he beheld how far inferior the glory of the second +temple was to the first, which does most evidently appear from his own +words in a letter to one a little before his death (which was in the +year 1700.) and which may stand here for his dying testimony, the +contents whereof are as follows.</p> + +<p>"The conception you have of the dispensation of the Lord towards this +poor plagued church, and the temper of the spirits of professors under +this dispensation, are not different from what many of the Lord's people +are groaning under. There is palpably a sensible difference betwixt what +the church now is, and what it was many years ago; yea, what it hath +been within these few years. The church hath lost much ground, and is +still upon the losing hand, and it seems will continue so until it +pleases the Lord to pour down his Spirit from on high, or else by some +sharp awakening dispensation rouse up drowzy souls out of the lethargy +wherein they are fallen, <i>&c.</i><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_580" id="Page_580">580</a></span> It is many years since the sun fell low +upon Scotland, many a dismal day hath it seen since 1649. At that time +our reformation mounted towards its highest horizon, and since we left +our building on that excellent foundation laid by our honoured +forefathers, we have still moved from ill to worse, and is like still +more (unless our gracious God prevent it) until we slide ourselves out +of sight and sense of a reformation. We have been lately trysted with a +wonderful deliverance from the slavery of heaven-daring enemy, but not +one line of reformation is pencilled upon our deliverance<a name="FNanchor_253" id="FNanchor_253"></a><a href="#Footnote_253" class="fnanchor">[253]</a>. We have +the shell of ordinances and church-government, but want the kernel, the +great things of Christ's law; as to contend for his interest is wrapt +under a cloud. It is a long time since our covenant and solemn +engagements looked pale. They have lost colour and verdure since the +rescinding our vows to God. These covenants are turned skeletons, +fearsome and affrighting, and former respect to them is like gradually +to dwine away under a consumption. There are some few things that made +them the glory of nations that are turned to a shadow:</p> + +<p>"(1.) They were the fruits of many prayers, fasting, tears, wrestling, +and indefatigable labours of the greatest and best men that ever +breathed in our nation, recovering a people sunk into antichristian +darkness, to enjoy liberty due to them by Christ's purchase.</p> + +<p>"(2.) The renewing them so many times in old king James's reign spoke +out the fervency of these worthy spirits, in ardour and affection to +them, as so many jewels of so great value, that they were set as gems +and pearls in Christ's crown, to wear so long as his interest remained +in the church.</p> + +<p>"(3.) The blessing accompanying the entering unto and renewing these +covenants were so fluent in all church-ordinances, both secret, private +and public, that whatever<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_581" id="Page_581">581</a></span> was planted in so fruitful a soil of such +blessing and influence of the Spirit, could not but grow up as calves in +the stall, fat and full of sap.</p> + +<p>"(4.) These covenants were to our forefathers, like the renting of their +own cloths, as Elisha did, and taking up Elijah's mantle, and clothing +themselves with it, 2 Kings ii. 12, 13.; enjoying of Moses's spirit, +Deut. xxiv.; and like Joshua (chap. xxiv.) when dying, leaving a +testimony of remembrance to posterity, by engaging them in these +covenants.</p> + +<p>"(5.) So long as our church cleaved to these our covenants, it fell out +with them as it did with king Asa, 2 Chron. xv. 2.; that the Lord was +with them while they were with him. But, our fathers offspring forsaking +God, he forsook them: from that day that our covenants were so +ignominiously treated, unto this day, all calamities as to our religious +concerns have fallen upon us.</p> + +<p>"(6.) The late sufferers, of all who shed their hearts blood upon the +fields and scaffolds, imprisonments and banishments, were all dyed with +the crimson blood of the covenant: from that day of the force and fury +of enemies, these solemn vows of our worthy forefathers, and the enemies +taking up Christ's march-stones (which were the bounds set by the Most +High, when he divided to the church of Britain its inheritance, and +separated the sons of Adam, Deut. xxix. 8.), the giddy church straying +in the wilderness is much fallen out of sight either of pillar of cloud +or fire. Our intermixtures are turned pernicious to the glory and honour +of 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 and +commons of all sorts) which were never before sealed either by the blood +of our primitive martyrs, our late martyrs in the dawning of our +reformation; and the two truths were, Christ's headship in the church in +despite of supremacy and bold erastianism, and our covenants: Which two +great truths were in the mouths of all our worthies, when mounting their +bloody theatres and scaffolds, ascending as it were up unto God in a +perfumed cloud of transporting joy, that they were honoured to suffer +upon 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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_582" id="Page_582">582</a></span> supremacy, that the +thoughts of getting the buried covenants out of the grave were more +terrible to them than the devils, who are now in the place of our vows +to God, managing their diabolical games in these places where the +covenants were most in honour and request, the one burned and the other +rising in its room. Much blood and treasure have been spent to set the +flourishing crown upon Christ's head in Scotland. Declarations, acts of +councils and parliament, remonstrances, engagements, vows and covenants; +but the sealing blood of the late martyrs was the cope-stone of all. The +primitive martyrs sealed the prophetic office of Christ with their +hearts blood, the reforming martyrs sealed his priestly offices with +their blood; but last of all our martyrs have sealed his kingly office +with 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 us +never dream of a reviving spirit among us, till there be a reviving +respect to these solemn vows of God. If there was but a little +appearance of that spirit which actuated our worthy forefathers in our +public assemblies and preachings, ye would see a wonderful alteration in +the face of affairs: The fields, I assure you would look white near to +harvest. If ye would adventure to trace our defections from the breach +of the act of classes in the year 1650, all along to this day of our +being bound in the grave of our neutrality, and all to edge up the +spirit of the people to a due sense of our woful and irrevocable like +backsliding from God (who hath acted many wonders for Scotland) you +would find a perfumed smoke of incense springing from our altar in +savoury 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 to +their nicknamed faith and repentance; without noticing any incroachments +upon Christ's proper rights to his church in the glorious work of +reformation, lest constructed fire-{illegible}ands and seditions, which +in running the full career may gradually drop into superstition through +neutrality, and thence plunge into an abyss of the shadow of popery. But +to sum up shortly all my present thoughts of the time in this one, I +cannot see an evasion of the church, in its present circumstance, from a +sharp and more trying furnace than ever it has yet met with, come the +trial from what airth it will, it fears me: Our principles are so +slippry, and the truths of God so superficially rooted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_583" id="Page_583">583</a></span> in us, that when +we are thrown in the furnace, many of us shall melt to dross. It is many +years since I heard one of the greatest seers in our nation, in horror +and with fear, dreading the heavy judgments of God upon the biassed +professors in the west of Scotland. But all that I say, not diminishing +my hopes of the Lord's reserving his purchased inheritance in his own +covenanted land, though Malachi be affrighted at the day of his coming, +and be made to cry out, <i>Who may abide it</i>, chap. iii. 1, 2, 3. <i>when he +sits as refiner and purifier of the sons of Levi</i>: A remnant shall be +left, 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 substance +thereof.</p> + +<p>"To revive a reflection upon two stupenduous passages of providence, I +know would have an imbittering relish to many professors in our country +side. The one is upon the last indulgence, wherein professors by bond +and penalty obliged themselves to produce their minister before the +council, when called. For this was a restriction so narrow, that all the +freedom and faithfulness of ministers in their office was so blocked up, +that either conscience towards God in discharging of necessary duties +behoved utterly to be buried, or else the life of their minister exposed +to 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 a +trip, in these gloomy times, of inconsiderable moment, though it was the +brat clecked by that supremacy, which not only hath wounded our solemn +vows to death, but bound the freedom and faithfulness of the church +seers, as to the public interest of Christ in their graves, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>"The other stupenduous providence is the obliterating the rich blessing +of the gospel in our late suffering times, when blessings not only +accompanied these solemn field-meetings, but extraordinary influences, +in gifts of freedom and faithfulness, were poured down upon these +ministers, who went out with their lives in their hands, setting their +faces as flints against the heaven-daring violence done to the mediator. +I call to mind a passage with perpetuated remembrance, that in one shire +of this kingdom there were about thirty ministers who cheerfully offered +up their service to Christ, all by turns out of Edinburgh. Each of +these, when they returned back to Edinburgh again, being questioned what +pleasure, what delight, and what liberty they had in managing that +hazardous task? they answered, That so soon as they set foot in these<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_584" id="Page_584">584</a></span> +bounds, another spirit came upon them; and no other reason could they +give for it, but that God wrought so mightily, that they looked upon it +as <i>genius loci</i>, that God sensibly at that time was in that county +working wonders; but the most part of all these are in their places, +resting on their beds, and their works follow them.</p> + +<p style="margin-bottom:0em;">"Thus in answer to yours I have given you some of my confused thoughts +of the present times, wishing you God's blessing in sucking honey out of +the eater."</p> + +<p style="margin-top:0em; text-align:right;">JOHN DICKSON.</p> + +<p class="break">Thus lived and died worthy Mr. John Dickson, in a good old age <i>anno</i> +1700, after he had, by his longevity, seen somewhat of the glory both of +the first and second temple, and emerged forth of all his troubles, +having got a most perspicuous view of our national apostacy, our breach +of covenant and other defections past, present and to come, with the +Lord's goodness and mercy toward his own remnant: And all this from the +top of mount Pisgah, when he was just about to enter upon the confines +of Emmanuel's land in glory.</p> + +<p>Of his works we have only seen his synod sermon, and the foresaid +letters, in print. If there be any other, it is more than is known at +present, except the foresaid warning to the indulged in the shire of +Fife, which was some time ago also published: All which shew him to have +been a most pathetical writer, his writings (tho' but few) making as +striking and lively an impression upon the mind, as any man's of his +time.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Sir_Robt_Hamilton_of_Preston" id="Sir_Robt_Hamilton_of_Preston"></a> +<i>The Life of Sir <span class="smcap">Rob<span class="super">t</span>. Hamilton</span> of Preston</i>.</h2> + +<p>Mr. Hamilton (afterwards Sir Robert Hamilton) brother to Sir William +Hamilton of Preston, was born about 1650, and probably a son to Sir +Walter Hamilton the reformer, and lineally descended from that famous +Sir John Hamilton of Preston, who was commissioner for east Lothian at +that black parliament held at Edinburgh, 1621, where he most boldly +voted against the ratification of the five articles of Perth; for which, +and because he would not recall his vote, the king's commissioner, the +marquis of Hamilton, and the secretary, thought to have disgraced him, +but found themselves utterly disappointed: For although<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_585" id="Page_585">585</a></span> they sent the +bishop of Dumblane, and after him lord Scone for that purpose, he would +not; and when by the secretary desired to absent, he told him, he would +stay and bear witness to the truth, and would render his life and all he +had, before he would recall one word he had spoke; and that they should +find him as true to his word as any Hamilton in Scotland<a name="FNanchor_254" id="FNanchor_254"></a><a href="#Footnote_254" class="fnanchor">[254]</a>.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hamilton having received a liberal education (as is usual for men in +such circumstances) before he was twenty-six years of age or thereby, +the Lord, in his free and sovereign mercy, and by the efficacious +working of the Holy Spirit, inclined his heart to fall in love with his +service; and for that purpose he made him attend the free and faithful, +(though persecuted) gospel, at that time preached in the fields; whereby +in a short time he came to espouse the true covenanted testimony of the +church of Christ in Scotland, for which he was, through divine grace, +enabled to be a true and faithful witness to his life's end.</p> + +<p>The first of his public appearances, we find he made in defence of that +noble cause wherein he had embarked, was in the year 1679; when (after +consulting with faithful Mr. Cargil) he, with Mr. Thomas Douglas and +faithful Rathillet, drew up that declaration (afterward called the +Rutherglen declaration) which they published upon the 27th of May, at +the market-cross of that burgh, after they had extinguished the +bone-fires; that day being kept as a holy anniversary-day for the birth +and restoration of Charles II. After this he returned with that little +handful to Evandale, where he was by them appointed to command in chief +June 1st, at the skirmish of Drumclog, wherein he shewed much bravery in +putting Claverhouse and that bloody crew to light, killing 36 or 40 of +them, Claverhouse himself narrowly escaping. But the Erastian party +coming up to that little army shortly after this, created them and Mr. +Hamilton their general no small disturbance, they being to them <i>a snare +upon Mispah, and a net spread upon Tabor</i>.——And though he most +strenuously opposed them in all their sinful courses of defection and +compliance, yet he was by them treacherously betrayed, in giving his +consent to their publishing the Hamilton declaration;—they promising to +be faithful in all time coming in preaching against the indulgence and +all the land's defections; and that what was ambiguous in that +declaration should be, at the honest party's desire, explained, what was +wrong should be left out, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_586" id="Page_586">586</a></span> what was wanting should be supplied, +before it was printed, or otherwise published, save the reading of it +that day:—one word of which they never fulfilled or kept.</p> + +<p>But it were a task too tedious here to enumerate all the struggles and +contendings among them at that time; only it is to be remarked, that it +was through Mr. Hamilton's great (I may say deserved) confidence in Mr. +Cargil's faithfulness (who was the principal minister among those called +the protesting party) that Mr. Hamilton was again by the corrupt party +so pitifully ensnared in subscribing their declaration to the duke of +Monmouth, when they were about to engage with the enemy: For they being +intent upon supplicating, the honest party consented only that an +information should be drawn up by Mr. Cargil and Mr. Morton, and sent to +him, of his own and his father's rebellion against God, by their +blasphemy, persecution and usurpation in church and state, <i>&c.</i> but the +corrupt party drawing up their own supplication, sent one of their party +with it in the one hand, and pen and ink in the other, to Mr. Hamilton +to subscribe, just as they were going to engage the enemy. Mr. Hamilton +asked, If it was Mr. Cargil's work? He answered, Yes, (whereas Mr. +Cargil knew nothing of it). Whereupon, being in haste, and having no +doubt of Mr. Cargil's veracity therein, he did that which was still +matter of great grief to him afterwards, as he himself, in a letter from +Holland dated 1685, doth fully testify.</p> + +<p>After their defeat at Bothwel-bridge, Mr. Hamilton was by the Erastian +party 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, <i>&c.</i> But from all these +he has been by one (whom we must take to have been a very impartial +writer on that affair) some time ago sufficiently vindicated; unto whom, +for brevity's sake, the reader must at present be referred<a name="FNanchor_255" id="FNanchor_255"></a><a href="#Footnote_255" class="fnanchor">[255]</a>.</p> + +<p>Shortly after Bothwel, he went over to Holland; upon which his estate +was forfeited 1684, and he sentenced to be executed whenever +apprehended. During his stay here he was of great service and use to his +own countrymen, and had the honour to be employed by them as +commissioner of the persecuted true Presbyterian church of Christ in +Scotland, having received commission from them to represent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_587" id="Page_587">587</a></span> their case, +and crave the sympathy of foreign churches; and it was by his skill, +industry and faithfulness in prosecuting this commission, that he +prevailed with the presbytery of Groningen <i>anno</i> 1683, to ordain the +famous and faithful Mr. James Renwick, a minister of the gospel, for the +persecuted true Presbyterian church of Christ in Scotland. And +afterwards, as their delegate with the presbytery of Embden, to ordain +Mr. Thomas Lining a minister of the gospel for the same church.</p> + +<p>Mr Hamilton, by virtue of his commissions which about that time he had +received from the united societies<a name="FNanchor_256" id="FNanchor_256"></a><a href="#Footnote_256" class="fnanchor">[256]</a>, went through several places of +Germany in the end of the year 1686: For an old manuscript (given under +his own hand dated March 10th, 1687) bears, that through many hazards +and difficulties, he arrived about the 10th of Oct. at Basil in +Switzerland, from whence he went to Geneva about the 16th of Nov. and so +into Bern, Zurich, and other places in Batavia and the Helvetian +Cantons, not without many imminent hazards and dangers. In which places +he conferred with the most part of their professors and other learned +men, craving their judgment and sympathy toward his mother church, and +the poor persecuted people in the kingdom of Scotland<a name="FNanchor_257" id="FNanchor_257"></a><a href="#Footnote_257" class="fnanchor">[257]</a>.</p> + +<p>But having emerged forth of all these difficulties, he returned home at +the revolution, about which time his brother Sir William Hamilton of +Preston died, and he fell heir to his brother's estate and honours. And +although after that he was still designed by the name of Sir Robert +Hamilton of Preston, yet because he could not in conscience enter into, +possess or enjoy that estate, unless he had owned the title of the +prince and princess of Orange, as king and queen of these three +covenanted nations, and in consequence of that own the prelatical +government as then established, upon the ruins of the cause and work of +God in these nations,—he never entered or intermeddled with his +brother's estate any manner of way; but with Moses he made that noble +choice, rather <i>to suffer affliction with the people of God than enjoy +the pleasure of sin for a season</i>, and did esteem a stedfast adherence +to the cause of Christ, (with all the reproaches that followed thereon) +greater riches than all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_588" id="Page_588">588</a></span> his brother's estate. For out of a true love to +Jesus Christ, his covenanted cause, interest and people, he laid his +worldly honour in the dust, continuing still a companion in the faith, +patience, affliction and tribulation of that poor, mean and despised +handful of the Lord's witnesses in these lands, who still owned and +adhered unto the state of the Lord's covenanted cause in Scotland.</p> + +<p>A little after his return from Holland, when Messrs. Lining, Shields and +Boyd, were drawing and enticing those who had formerly been faithful +for, and owning and suffering for the Lord's covenanted cause into a +conformity and compliance with the defection of that time, in a general +meeting held at Douglas on the 6th of November 1689, he gave a faithful +protestation against these proceedings, as by them carried on, and +particularly their owning the then government, while sworn to prelacy, +in opposition to our laudable establishment and covenanted work of +reformation: As also against the raising of the Angus regiment, which he +took to be a sinful association with malignants:—And likewise against +joining with Erastian ministers at that time, from whom they had +formerly most justly withdrawn, without any evidence of repentance, for +the many gross sins and defections they were guilty of.—And (as the +last-cited author elsewhere observes<a name="FNanchor_258" id="FNanchor_258"></a><a href="#Footnote_258" class="fnanchor">[258]</a>) after these three ministers +aforesaid had yielded up that noble cause, and drawn many of the owners +thereof into the same state of compliance with them, he had the honour +to be the chief instrument in the Lord's hand, in gathering together, +out of their dispersion, such of the old sufferers as had escaped these +defections that so many were fallen into, and in bringing them again +unto an united party and general correspondence, upon the former +laudable and honest state of the testimony.</p> + +<p>And farther, he had also a principal hand in drawing up and publishing +that faithful declaration, published at Sanquhar Aug. 10, 1692, for +which he was apprehended by some of the old persecuting soldiers, at +Earlstoun, upon the 10th of Sep. following, and by them carried to +Edinburgh, and there and elsewhere kept prisoner till the 5th of May +1693. When he was brought before the council, Sep. 15th 1692, there were +present the viscount of Tarbet, president Lothian, Ker, general +Livingston, lord Linlithgow, lord Bradalbain, and Sir William Lockhart +solicitor. He was by them examined concerning that declaration,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_589" id="Page_589">589</a></span> but he +declined them, and all upon whom they depended, as competent judges, +because they were not qualified according to the word of God and our +solemn covenants: And being interrogate, If he would take the oath of +allegiance? he answered, No, it being an unlimited oath, not bottomed +upon 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 would +own them and their government, live peaceably, and not rise against +them? He answered, When they were admitted according to the laws of the +crown, the acts of parliament 1648 and 1649, bottomed upon our sacred +covenants and sound qualifications, according to these, pursuing the +ends of these covenants, <i>&c.</i> then I shall give my answer.——Whereupon +some of them turned hot, and Lothian said, They were pursuing the ends +of 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 bound +to extirpate. Another answered, He had taken the coronation oath.—At +which Mr. Hamilton asked, What religion was established when that oath +was taken? They said, Prelacy was abolished. But he returned, Presbytery +was not established, so that he is not bound to us in religion, save to +prelacy in Scotland. But being urged to the last question, he adhered to +his former answers; at which some of them raged, and said, He would give +no security for obedience and peaceable living? To which he made answer +saying, I marvel why such questions are asked at me, who have lived so +retiredly hitherto, neither found plotting with York, France, or +Monmouth, or any such, as the rumour was; nor acting any thing contrary +to the laws of the nation enacted in the time of the purity of +presbytery. Lothian said, We are ashamed of you. He replied, Better you +be ashamed of me, than I be ashamed of the laws of the church and +nation, whereof you seem to be ashamed. Lothian said, You desire to be +involved in troubles. Sir Robert answered, I am not so lavish of either +life or liberty; but if the asserting of truth was an evidence thereof, +it might be thought more strange.</p> + +<p>But being remanded back unto prison, where he continued until the 3rd of +May 1693, that he was liberate. The day before his liberation he gave in +a most faithful protestation and declinature to the privy council and +parliament of Scotland, with another letter of the same nature to Sir +James Stuart the advocate, and upon his coming forth of the tolbooth, he +was so far from yielding one jot in the least,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_590" id="Page_590">590</a></span> that he left another +faithful protestation in the hands of the keepers of the tolbooth, +shewing, that for his adhering to, and appearing for the fundamental +laws and laudable constitution of our church and covenanted nation, he +had been apprehended and kept for 8 months close prisoner, and that very +unjustly; and that for his own exoneration and truth's vindication to +leave this protestation; disdaining all engagements to live peaceably, +which were a condemning himself of former unpeaceableness, which he +positively denies; as also in coming in any terms of oaths or bonds with +those who have broken covenants, overturned the reformation, and +destroyed the people of God; or engaging unto a sinful peace with them, +or any in confederacy with them, <i>&c.</i> declaring his present outcoming +merely on the account of finding open doors, and desired his +protestation to be inserted in the ordinary register, <i>&c.</i><a name="FNanchor_259" id="FNanchor_259"></a><a href="#Footnote_259" class="fnanchor">[259]</a></p> + +<p>From his liberation to the day of his death, he continued most faithful +in contending earnestly for <i>the faith once delivered to the saints</i>, +Jude, ver. 3.; and did greatly strengthen and encourage the rest of the +suffering remnant, with whom he continued in Christian communion, both +by his pious and godly example, and seasonable counsel and advice, with +respect to principles, and what concerned the salvation of their souls, +for the right carrying on the testimony for the cause that they were +owning. Some years before his death, he was taken ill with the stone, by +which he endured a very sharp and sore affliction, with a great deal of +Christian patience and holy submission to the holy will of God; and when +drawing near his journey's end, he gave a faithful testimony to the +Lord's noble and honourable cause, which he had so long owned and +suffered for: And upon the account of this gentleman's being most +unjustly branded<a name="FNanchor_260" id="FNanchor_260"></a><a href="#Footnote_260" class="fnanchor">[260]</a> for running to some extremes in principles,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_591" id="Page_591">591</a></span> both +before and since the revolution, a copy of his own dying testimony may +perhaps be the best vindication of him from such aspersions, that at +present can be produced; which is as follows:</p> + +<p>"Though I have many things that might discourage me from shewing myself +this way at such a time, when the Lord's controverted truths, his +covenanted reformation, and the wrestlings of his faithful and slain +witnesses, are things so much flouted at, despised and buried, not only +by the profane, but alas! even by the ministers and professors of this +generation; yet I could not but leave this short line to you, who, of +all interests in the world, have been my greatest comfort, being now +come to the utmost period of my time, and looking in upon my eternal +state, it cannot be readily apprehended by rational men, that I should +dare to write any thing, but according to what I expect shortly to be +judged, having had such a long time to consider on my ways, under a +sharp affliction. As for my case, I bless God it is many years since my +interest in him was secured, and under all my afflictions from all +airths, he hath been a present help in time of my greatest need. I have +been a man of reproach, a man of contention; but praise to him, it was +not for my own things, but for the things of my Lord Jesus Christ. +Whatever were my infirmities, yet his glory, the rising and flourishing +of his kingdom, was still the mark I laboured to shoot at, nor is it now +my design to vindicate myself from the calumnies that have been cast +upon my name; for when his slain witnesses shall be vindicated, his own +glory and buried truths raised up, in that day, he will assuredly take +away the reproaches of his servants, and will raise and beautify the +name of his living and dead witnesses: Only this I must add, Though that +I cannot but say that reproaches have broken my heart, yet with what I +have 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 his +cross, than to bear the burden of it. <i>O!</i> peace with God, and peace of +conscience is a sweet feast!</p> + +<p>"Now as to his public cause, that he hath honoured you in some measure +to side with, stand fast therein; let no man take your crown; for it is +the road he will take in coming to this poor land; and praise him for +honouring such poor things as you are, as to make you wish well to his +cause, when church and state, and all ranks, have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_592" id="Page_592">592</a></span> turned their back +upon it: and my humble advice to you as a dying brother is, To stand +still, and beware of all tampering with these betrayers of the royal +interest, and concerns of Christ's kingdom, and listen to no conferences +with the ministers and professors of this generation, till the public +defections of this land from the doleful source of all our ruin and +misery, that sin of the public resolutions, the compliance with prelacy, +the church-ruining and dividing indulgences and toleration, until the +present sinful course of vindicating all these defections, and burying +all the testimonies against the same: I say, until these be +acknowledged, and publicly rejected and disowned, both by church and +state.</p> + +<p>"I die a true Protestant, and to my knowledge a reformed Presbyterian, +in opposition to popery, prelacy, and malignancy, and whatever is +contrary to truth, and the power of godliness, as well against +flattering pretenders to unwarrantable zeal on the right hand, as +against lukewarmness on the left; adhering with my soul to the holy +sweet scriptures, which have often comforted me in the house of my +pilgrimage, our confession of faith, our catechisms, the directory for +worship, covenants, national and solemn league and covenant, +acknowledgment of sins and engagement to duties, with the causes of +God's wrath, and to all the faithful public testimonies given against +defections of old or late, particularly these contained in the +informatory vindication, and that against the toleration, and the two +last declarations emitted since this fatal revolution, which testimonies +I ever looked upon as a door of hope of the Lord's returning again to +these poor backslidden lands.</p> + +<p>"And now, my dear friends, let nothing discourage you in that way. The +Lord will maintain his own cause, and make it yet to triumph. The nearer +to-day it may be the darker, but yet <i>in the evening time it shall be +light</i>, and the farther distant ye keep from all the courses and +interests of this generation, the greater will your peace and security +be. O! labour to be in Christ, for him, and like him, much in reading of +the holy scriptures, much in prayer and holy unity among yourselves. Be +zealous and tender in keeping up your private fellowship for prayer and +Christian conference, as also your public correspondences and general +meetings, go to them and come from them as these intrusted, really +concerned and weighted with Christ's precious controverted truths in +Scotland, and labour still to take Christ along with you to all your<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_593" id="Page_593">593</a></span> +meetings, and to behave yourselves as under his holy and all-seeing eye +when at them, that ye may always return with a blessing from his rich +hand.</p> + +<p>"Now farewel, my dear Christian friends, the Lord send us a joyful +meeting at his own right hand after time; which shall be the earnest +desire, while in time, of your dying friend,"</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Sic subscribitur</i>,</p> + +<p>R. HAMILTON.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Borrowstoness<br /></span> +<i>Sept. 5th, 1701.</i></p> + +<p class="break">And so, after he had come through many tribulations, and at last endured +a series of sore bodily affliction, in all which he was still kept +faithful, in testifying for the word of Christ's patience, until he +yielded up his life to that God who gave him his being, at +Borrowstoness, Oct. 21st, being then 51 years of age; and <i>because thou +hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour +of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that +dwell upon the earth</i>.</p> + +<p>Thus ended another of Christ's faithful witnesses, Sir Robert Hamilton, +who (for soundness in the faith, true piety, the real exercise of +godliness, a conversation becoming the gospel, and a true understanding +of the right state of the Lord's cause in every part thereof, +accompanied with a true love and affection to, and zeal according to +knowledge for the same), with stedfastness and stability to the last, +maintained his cause against every opposition (being equally superior to +the influence of fear or flattery); and was preferable to the most part +of his station in that age; and without flattery it may be said, he was +an honour to the name of Hamilton and to his nation. The faithful Mr. +Renwick called him <i>Mi pater</i>, my father, and ever had a high esteem and +regard 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 lived +and been qualified for writing a book, and if it had been dedicated to +any, you would have been the man; for I have loved you, and I have peace +before God in that; and I bless his name that ever I have been +acquainted with you, <i>&c.</i>" And indeed he was not mistaken in him, for +he was one who both professed and practiced truth, was bold in Christ's +cause, and had ventured life, wealth, reputation and all, in defence +thereof. He was of such constancy of life and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_594" id="Page_594">594</a></span> manners, that it might be +truly said of him, which was said of the emperor Marcus Antoninus, <i>In +omni vita sui similis, nec ulla unquam in re mutatus fuit. Itaque vere +fuit vir bonus, nec fictum aut simulatum quicquam habuit.</i></p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<i>An <span class="smcap">Acrostic</span> on his Name.</i> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><b>S</b>in wrought our death, death strikes and none doth spare;<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>I</b>t levels sceptres with the plowing-share;<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>R</b>aging among poor mortals every where.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><b>R</b>eligion's lovers death must also own,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>O</b>r this brave soul his life had not laid down.<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>B</b>ut weep not: Why? death challenges but dross,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>E</b>ternal gain compensates temporal loss;<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>R</b>est from his labour, sickness, grief and pain:<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>T</b>his makes him happy, and our mourning vain.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><b>H</b>ad he not reason rather to be glad<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>A</b>t death's approach, that life he never had<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>M</b>ust meet him there? He enters now that land,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>I</b>n view of which, believing, he did stand,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>L</b>onging for ling'ring death; still crying, Come;<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>T</b>ake me, Lord, hence, unto my father's home.<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>O</b> faithless age! of glory take a sight;<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><b>N</b>or death nor grave shall then so much affright.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Mr_William_Vetch" id="Mr_William_Vetch"></a><i>The Life of Mr. <span class="smcap">William Vetch</span>.</i><a name="FNanchor_261" id="FNanchor_261"></a><a href="#Footnote_261" class="fnanchor">[261]</a></h2> + +<p>Mr. William Vetch was born in the shire of Clydesdale, at Roberton seven +miles from Lanerk, <i>an.</i> 1640. He was the youngest son of Mr. John +Vetch, who was minister of that place for about the space of 45 years. +His brethren were, Mr. John Vetch, who was minister of Westruthers in +the shire of Berwick 54 years; another brother, Mr. James Vetch was +ordained minister in Mauchlin in the shire of Ayr, 1656; a third, Mr. +David Vetch, the most eminent of them all, was sometime minister at +Govan near Glasgow, co-temporary and co-presbyter with the famous Mr. +Durham, to whom Mr. Rutherford gave this testimony at his trials, "That +the like of Mr. David Vetch in his age, for learning and piety, he had +never known."</p> + +<p>Mr. William, being laureat at Glasgow <i>anno</i> 1650, was resolved to +follow the study and practice of physick, as having<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_595" id="Page_595">595</a></span> so many brethren in +the function of the ministry, and episcopacy being appearingly to be +settled in the kingdom. And being then in the family of Sir Andrew Ker +of Greenhead, great Mr. Livingston minister of Ancrum frequenting that +house (as did other godly ministers) by many arguments dissuaded him +from his intended design, and exhorted him to follow the footsteps of +his brethren, who were then much esteemed in the church.</p> + +<p>About the beginning of 1663, he went to Murray land, where he was +sometime chaplain to Sir Hugh Campbel of Calder's family; but at the +instigation of M'Kenzie then bishop of Murray, he was obliged about +Sept. 1664, to leave this family. He then returned home to his father +then dwelling at Lanerk, being ejected from his own parish by the +prelates: in which time he fell acquainted with one Marion Fairlie, whom +he married; and being a woman eminent for religion, she proved a great +blessing to him afterwards.</p> + +<p>In the year 1666 he was solicited and prevailed upon by Mr. John Welch +to join that party who were so oppressed by the inhuman cruelties of Sir +James Turner and his forces then lying at Dumfries. Accordingly, after +the Galloway forces had taken Sir James, Mr. Vetch and major Lermont +went west and joined them on a hill above Galston. Next day, they sent +him with 40 or 50 horse to take up quarters in the town of Ayr.</p> + +<p>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 as +Strathaven in quest of them; but hearing they were at Lanerk, turned his +march after them. In the mean time, the honest party being above 1500 +horse and foot, it was thought proper that both the national and solemn +league and covenant should be by them renewed; which they did with great +solemnity: and hearing that Dalziel approached, they concluded it would +be best to abide some time there, as the heavy rains had made Clyde +impassable for him except by boat, (and that being broken) until the +water decreased; and that 50 of their number might be able to stop his +passage at the river; which might be both a dash upon the enemy, and +encouraging to friends to join them at that place. But unhappily a +letter came at that juncture from Sir James Stuart (after the +revolution, advocate) to Messrs. Welch and Semple, to come as near +Edinburgh as possible, where they would get men and other necessaries. +This made them break their resolution, and march for Bathgate, where, +both<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_596" id="Page_596">596</a></span> night and snow coming on, they concluded to go forward to +Collington.</p> + +<p>Having taken up their quarters, they consulted how they should do in +answer to Mr. Stuart's letter; and at last voted Mr. Vetch to go to +Edinburgh, and converse with him anent the promised supply. This, +against his own mind at the importunity of col. Wallace, he +undertook.—And having disguised himself with a baggage horse, an old +hat and cloke, Mr. M'Cormick conveyed him a little way, minding him of +several things to communicate to James Stuart. He had but gone a little +till 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 you +not see all Colington on fire? I fear my house be burnt; for I hear the +Whigs are come. Mr. Vetch declared his ignorance of this, and so they +parted. Near Greenhill park, he met three women, who told him, that if +he went by Greenhill house, <i>&c.</i> he was a dead man; for there lord +Kingston was placed with a party to intercept all the Whigs from coming +to the town. This made him take a bye-road to Libberton wynd. A little +farther, he espied a centinel on horseback, which obliged him to take +Dalkeith way. But coming thither, some colliers told him, there was no +getting 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, where +he was examined by the captain of the guard; and instead of being let +into the city, was sent with a file of musqueteers back to lord +Kingston. Mr. Vetch, in this sad dilemma, had no other comfort but to +put 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, to +whom he gave soft answers; in the mean time, an alarm rose, that the +Whigs (as they called them) approached; Kingston called them to their +arms; whereupon Mr. Vetch called for arms, saying, he would go against +them in the first rank: This made Kingston say, he was a brave fellow.</p> + +<p>After the hurry was over, with great difficulty he got off into the +town. But finding nothing could be got there, the next morning hearing +that the western forces marched toward Pentland hills, he adventured to +return by Libberton way toward the house in the muir; and making his +escape at Pentland town, when passing through Roslin<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_597" id="Page_597">597</a></span> moor, coming to +Glencross water, a frontier of Dalziel's horse had almost taken him. But +being within cry of capt. Paton (now lieutenant of the rear-guard of the +western 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 such +an unreasonable undertaking. As they rode toward Pentland hills, they +perceived their friends leaving the high way, marching their main body +towards the hill, and a select body to the top: general Dalziel's coming +from Currie through the hills, occasioned this. It was about 12 o'clock +the 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 select +party under Drummond fell upon their select party; but was beat back, to +the great consternation of their army, hundreds of whom, as they were +marching through the hills, threw down their arms and run away. Drummond +himself 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; major +Lermont commanded the second party, who beat the enemy again, where the +duke Hamilton narrowly escaped by the dean of Hamilton's laying his +sword upon the duke's back, which warded off the country man's blow upon +him. Dalziel sending up a party to rescue him, major Lermont's horse was +shot under him; but he, starting back to a dyke, killed one of the four +pursuers, mounted his horse, and came off in spite of the other +three.—The last encounter was at day-light going, when the covenanters +were broke, and Mr. Vetch falling in amongst a whole troop of the enemy +who turned his horse in the dark, and violently carried him along with +them, not knowing but he was one of their own. But they falling down the +hill in the pursuit, and he wearing upward, the moon rising clear, for +fear of being discovered, he was obliged to steer off; which they +perceiving, cried out, and pursued after him, discharging several shot +at him; but their horses sinking, they could not make the hill, and so +he eloped, and came that night to a herd's house in Dunsyre common, +within a mile of his own habitation.</p> + +<p>A little after this, he met with another remarkable deliverance at the +laird of Auston's, when the enemy were there in pursuit of his +son-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 he +took the name of William Johnston, his mother being of that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_598" id="Page_598">598</a></span> name. After +a considerable time of trouble, when he had the flux through the fatigue +and cold he had got in the winter, he went home to visit his wife, where +he again narrowly escaped, and so returned again to Newcastle. From +thence he was invited to London, where he preached sometimes for Mr. +Blackie, particularly one Sabbath on these words, <i>If thou hadst known +in this thy day</i>, &c. After the blessing was pronounced, some of the +auditors cried, Treason, treason; which surprized Mr. Blackie and the +people, till one col. Blood stood up and said, Good people, we have +heard nothing but reason, reason: and so he took off Mr. Vetch, which +ended the business.</p> + +<p>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 his +wife and family to that county, which he did, and settled for some time +within the parish of Rothbury in Northumberland. But no sooner was he +settled here (though in a moorish place) than the popish gang stirred up +enemies unto him on account of his little meeting, which obliged him to +remove five miles, farther up the country to a place called Harnam hall, +where many, out of curiosity, frequented his preaching. Likewise +Anabaptists, who kept 7th day Sabbaths, were punctual attenders.</p> + +<p>Here he had no small success in the reformation of people's morals; +several instances of which, for brevity's sake, must here be +omitted<a name="FNanchor_262" id="FNanchor_262"></a><a href="#Footnote_262" class="fnanchor">[262]</a>. But the devil, envying these small beginnings, again +stirred him up enemies, particularly one justice Lorrain, who, at the +instigation of the clergy, issued out warrants to apprehend him. But +this misgiving, Lorrain, in one of his drinking fits, promised to go in +person next Sabbath, and put an end to these meetings. But not many +hours after, he by an unusual and strange mean got his leg broke: so +that he could travel none for many weeks after.</p> + +<p>This design being frustrated, one parson Ward of Kirkhails went up to +the bishop of Durham, and returned well armed, as he thought, against +Mr. Vetch, having orders to excommunicate all such. But being delayed by +another curate, they drank all night together; and that he might be home +against Sabbath, he so tired his horse, that he was not able to get him +on alone. He hired the herd man of Harnam to lead him, taking his club +to drive him on; but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_599" id="Page_599">599</a></span> while he so unmercifully was beating the poor +beast, 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 boy +that led the horse (seeing him fall) run to a gentlewoman's house hard +by, who sent out two servants with a barrow, who carried him in where he +had his wounds dressed, and lay there several weeks under a cure; and so +they were again disappointed.</p> + +<p>Having continued there four years, he removed to Stanton-hall, where he +found the country filled with papists, and the parish church with a +violent persecutor, one Thomas Bell. This Bell, though he was his own +country-man, and had received many favours from Mr. Vetch's brother, yet +was so maliciously set against him, that he vowed to some professed +papists, who were stimulating him on against that meeting, that he +should either ruin Mr Vetch, or he him. And, as the event proved, he was +no false prophet; for he never gave over till he got one major Oglethorp +to apprehend him, which he did Jan. 19, 1679.</p> + +<p>After different turns, he was brought to Edinburgh, and Feb. 22. brought +before a committee of the council, where bishop Sharp was preses. The +bishop put many questions to him to see if he could ensnare him. One of +them was, Have you taken the covenant? He answered, This honourable +board may easily perceive, I was not capable to take the covenant, when +you and other ministers tendered it. At which the whole company gave a +laugh, which somewhat nettled the bishops. They asked, Did you never +take it since. Answ. I judge myself obliged to covenant myself away to +God, and frequently to renew it. At which bishop Paterson stood up and +said, You will get no good of this man: he is all evasion. After other +questions, he was required to subscribe his own confession, which he +assented to, if <i>in mundo</i>, without their additions; which at last +through Lundy's influence they granted. And though they could prove +nothing criminal against him, he was remanded back to prison, and by a +letter from the king turned over to the criminal court, which was to +meet March 18th. but was adjourned to two different terms after, till +the month of July, that sentence of death was to have been passed upon +him, upon the old sentence in 1666. Mr. Vetch, now finding sentence of +death was to be passed upon him, prevailed with his friend Mr. Gilbert +Elliot to ride post to London, where not having access to Lauderdale, he +applied to Shaftsbury, and got his case printed, and a copy given to +each member of parliament, The king being applied unto, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_600" id="Page_600">600</a></span> threatened +with a parliamentary enquiry, wrote a letter, and sent express to stop +all criminal process against him: which expresses, procured at last by +Lauderdale out of antipathy to Monmouth, who was minded to have +interceeded to the king for him, he was liberated under a sentence of +banishment, to retire to England; which he did in a short time after.</p> + +<p>In the mean time these affairs were transacting, bishop Sharp was cut +off at Magus moor, the account of which it were needless to relate here, +being touched elsewhere: excepting a circumstance or two somewhat +different, or more full, than some others on that particular; that is, +after they had fired several pistols at him in the coach, being pulled +out, Burly having a brazen blunderbuss charged with several bullets, +fired it so near his breast, that his gown, cloaths and shirt were +burnt, and he fell flat on his face; they, thinking a window was made +through 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 yet +alive: 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 him +while yet lying on his face, (as is said) putting his hat off with his +foot, struck him on the head till his brains were seen; then, with a +cry, he expired. Searching his pockets, they found the king's letter for +executing more cruelties, as also a little purse with two pistol +bullets, a little ball made up of all colours of silk, like an ordinary +plumb, a bit of parchment, a finger breadth in length, with two long +words written upon it which none could read, though the characters were +like Hebrew or Chaldaick. This they took, but meddled with neither money +nor watch.</p> + +<p>After he was by the council's order examined by two surgeons, the blue +marks of the bullets were seen about his neck, back and breast, where +his 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 an +universal talk, that he had got proof against shot from the devil, and +that the forementioned purse contained the sorcery or charm. However, +his brother got liberty to erect a marble monument on him, which instead +of honour (the only end of such sumptuous structures) stands yet in St. +Andrews as an ensign of his infamy unto this day.</p> + +<p>The rising of Bothwel immediately followed this. But being broke, an +indemnity was granted to those concerned therein. But one of the +conditions being, that no minister<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_601" id="Page_601">601</a></span> should preach without liberty given, +which no faithful minister could assent to. However Monmouth, upon +Shaftsbury's recommendation, inserted Mr. Vetch's name in the roll with +the rest. But by bishop Paterson's means, his name was excluded. This +made Monmouth say he should get the matter done another way, as soon as +he came to London. Which coming to Lauderdale's ears at court, by means +of lord Stairs, the king signed a warrant, turning the sentence of death +to banishment from Scotland only; and so he was liberated, and returned +back to his old habitation in England.</p> + +<p>But not long after his return, hearing they intended in these parts to +apprehend him again, he retired westward in the English borders; where +he frequently preached, <i>viz.</i> Kilderhead, Wheeler, Causeway, Deadwater, +<i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>What wonderful success the preaching of the gospel had by ministers +retiring thither under the persecuting period, to the repressing, yea, +almost extinguishing, the feuds, thefts and robberies so connatural unto +these places and people about the borders, has been worth a singular and +serious observation.</p> + +<p>Before his apprehending, he had preached with much success at Blewcairn +in Lauder moor, and several places in the Merse and Teviotdale, +especially at Fogo moor, upon these words, Psal. cii. <i>Thou shalt arise, +and have mercy on Zion</i>, &c. After which he had a very remarkable escape +from his enemies. After his return, upon a line from Mr. Temple, he went +to Berwick. But the news coming in the mean time there, that the earl of +Argyle was escaped from Edinburgh, caused no small confusion in that +place; out of which he emerged, and at last having surmounted several +difficulties, by means of his good friends and acquaintance, he got to +the house of Mr. Ogle the outed minister of Berwick, now six miles from +the place. He desired him to stay till Sabbath was over, and perform an +old promise of giving a sermon to one Hall and his lady; to which he +assented.</p> + +<p>But going to bed after this confusion, he being weary fell asleep, and +dreamed that his house at Stanton-hall (more than 30 miles distant) was +all on fire; which made him awake with no small consternation, resolving +to take journey home. But it not being time to rise, he fell asleep, and +dreaming the same thing over again, awaking all in a sweat. The doubling +of the dream he took for a clear call to go home, and telling the dream +to Mr. Ogle, (who called it a maggot) he excused himself the best way he +could to the laird and lady, to whom he was to preach, and went off.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_602" id="Page_602">602</a></span> +About a mile and a half from his own house, he met Torwoodlee's man, who +said, O Sir, you are long looked for at your house: which made him ask +what was the matter, and if his family was all well? He answered, Yes; +but, says he, there is a stranger, <i>viz.</i> Argyle, and your wife longs to +see you, and we have been for two days sending about the country to find +you.</p> + +<p>After meeting and some converse, with his wife's consent, (who was now +near her time) he undertook to do his best for bringing the earl safe to +London, and so he took Argyle under the name of Mr. Hope along with him +to 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 he +left Argyle and went to Newcastle, and bought three horses for him at +his own expence, the earl being then scarce of money: after which they +came to Leeds, and then to Roderam; and took up there one night; from +thence they set off, and at last arrived safe at London.</p> + +<p>After staying some time in London, Argyle set off to join with Monmouth +in Holland, and Mr. Vetch returned to his house in Stanton-hall. But the +thing breaking out, he narrowly escaped being taken; and after lurking +sometimes in one place, and sometimes in another, he was obliged to go +over secretly to Holland, where he met with old friends and +acquaintances, Monmouth, Argyle, earl of Melvil, Polwart, Torwoodlee, +and James Stuart. Monmouth and Argyle, having agreed to make a descent +at one time, the one to England, and the other to Scotland, several of +their friends were sent over <i>incognito</i>, to warn their friends in both +kingdoms to make ready. It was Mr. Vetch's part, to give Northumberland +and the Scots borders notice. Mr. Vetch had a verbal commission from +Argyle to procure money for buying arms, drums, colours, horses, and +taking on men, especially Oliverian officers: somewhat of all which he +did. But the matter taking air, he was obliged to hide himself near +Reidsdale head, even from his very friends, till the season of appearing +came, where he narrowly escaped being taken, while hid on Carter-hill +covered with a turff of heather, col. Strothers and Meldrum's troop +being out in quest of him and others.</p> + +<p>But this enterprize failing, Argyle being defeated and taken in +Scotland, and Monmouth in England, the design came to nothing, only Mr. +Vetch, besides his time, trouble (wherein he was in many dangers) lost +about 120 l. ster. and its interest; and Argyle's son, the late duke, +gave him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_603" id="Page_603">603</a></span> repeated promises to reimburse him, yet never was there any +thing of this kind done, his kindness being soon forgot.</p> + +<p>But prior to this affair of Monmouth and Argyle, one tyrant was cut off +to make way for another. But as the death of king Charles II. is related +by so many historians, it were needless to relate the whole affair here: +only the following circumstances seem more full and somewhat different +from the accounts of the most part of writers in that period. The king's +harlot, the Duchess of Portsmouth, (for so we may call her) being by the +Duke of York's direction to give the king a treat on Sabbath night, and +being 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 poison +in his coffee, and then advised the Duchess to keep him all night; and +likewise knowing that when he first awaked in the morning, he usually +called for his snuff, they hired the Duchess's chambermaid to put +poisoned snuff into his box. Accordingly having drunk the coffee at +night, in the morning he awoke, and cried out he was deadly sick, and +called for his box and took a deal of it. Then growing worse, he called +for his servant to put on his cloaths; which doing, he staggered and got +to the window, and leaning on it, cried, I am gone, I am poisoned, have +me to my chamber. The Duke getting notice, came running undrest to +lament his fate, saying, Alas, Sir! what is the matter? To whom he +answered, O you know too well; and was in a passion at him. In the mean +time he called for an antidote against poison he had got from a German +mountebank; 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 all +entries 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 four +ruffians on him, which made him cry out; but they soon choked him with +his cravat, and beat him instantly on the head, so that he died. It is +said, his head swelled bigger than two heads, and his body stunk, so +that they were obliged to take him out in the night, and bury him +<i>incognito</i><a name="FNanchor_263" id="FNanchor_263"></a><a href="#Footnote_263" class="fnanchor">[263]</a>.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_604" id="Page_604">604</a></span> +But to return; after the defeat of Monmouth and Argyle, Mr. Vetch was +obliged to lurk for some time in a wood near Newcastle, until the storm +was a little calmed: and then he ventured to Newcastle, to see his wife +and family, where he met with some of his Scots relations; and some +other good people of the town were also there.—They spent a part of the +night in prayer and mourning over the sad case that the church and +nation were now in, the most part fearing they were never like to see +good days again.</p> + +<p>After this, Mr. Vetch being wearied with such toil and confinement, went +with a Nottingham merchant to Yorkshire, and staid some time in a town +called Southeave.—From thence he was invited to preach to the people of +Beverly. Here he met with another remarkable deliverance; for the mayor +and aldermen compassed the house where he was preaching, and caused the +clerk mark down all their names: but Mr. Vetch, by means of his +landlord, got off under the name of William Robertson, and so he +escaped, and hid himself, sometime amongst bushes, and then went to a +man's house two miles from town, where he preached out the rest of his +sermon to some people that followed that way, and then went home with +his landlord.</p> + +<p>From thence Mr. Vetch returned to Yorkshire, where he met with another +deliverance; for a Scots jesuit priest, knowing him, procured a warrant +to 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 then +he had a call from the people of Beverly to be their minister, which he +complied with. At this place he had a numerous congregation, and several +times he was invited to preach at Hull six miles from thence.—There the +people declared, There was never such a reformation in that place. Some +of the justices of the peace in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_605" id="Page_605">605</a></span> that place, being papists, were greatly +incensed against it, and used all means to break his preaching there, +but were opposed by the people. Mr. Vetch never had more satisfaction of +his ministerial work (as he himself says) than in that place.</p> + +<p>Having preached six or seven months there, and settled a meeting-house +and a people greatly reformed,—he was strongly invited to his native +country by those who had accepted of the toleration then granted. And +his wife being forward for his return, he took his leave of Beverly, a +pleasant city, having preached his farewel sermon, where there were many +tears shed. In his way home, he visited his friends at Darntoun, who +persuaded him to stay some time, where he settled a congregation, and +left one Mr. Long for his successor to that people. After all +impediments removed, he returned to his native land; where the people in +the parishes of Oxnam, Creilland, Eckford, Linton, Marbottle and Harnam +gave him a call to preach to them at Whitton hall; unto which charge he +entered in April 1688. Here he continued that summer, and sometimes was +invited to preach at Reidsdale on the English side. But the prince of +Orange having landed in England, Nov. 4, 1688. the ministers of Scotland +who had been outed, thought it expedient to meet at Edinburgh, and +called all their brethren to attend there to consult of matters.</p> + +<p>It fell out unexpectedly to Mr. Vetch, that the meeting voted him to +preach the next day after he came, in the new meeting-house over against +Libberton's wynd. This he was most averse to, being a stranger to the +transactions for the most part in Scotland for upwards of 30 years. But +his reasons not being heard, he was so perplexed what to do, that till 8 +o'clock, he could not find a text: but at length falling upon Psal. +cxix. 18. <i>Thou hast trod down all that err from thy statutes</i>, &c. he +was 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, and +the congregation greatly increasing, his fear increased also. However, +he delivered his thoughts upon the subject with respect to the then +circumstances with such freedom and plainness as offended the prelates, +who afterwards sent him a message, that ere long they resolved to be +even with him.—All the answer he returned them was, to put on their +spurs.—Upon the other hand, he seemed to give some offence to the godly +party by some free expressions he had with respect to the present +government, if presbytery was erected.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_606" id="Page_606">606</a></span> +When the Presbyterian church was restored, he had calls from several +parishes, <i>viz.</i> one to Creilland, another to Melross, and a third to +Peebles; which he was persuaded by the earl of Crawford and others to +embrace: and yet he met with such opposition there, from the old duke of +Queensbury, that the church was so over-awed as to loose him from that +charge: and he having a call from Edinburgh, one from Paisley, and +another from Dumfries, the assembly, hearing his aversion to Edinburgh, +voted him to Dumfries, after he had been minister of Peebles full four +years from Sept. 1690 to 1694, when he was settled or admitted to his +ministry at Dumfries.</p> + +<p>He left Peebles with great aversion, not only with respect to the +parish, but the country round about; and upon a new call, struggled to +be back; but lost it only by four voices. However, he lost all his legal +stipend the four years, which, with the expences of suit, amounted to +10,000 merks. Mr. Vetch's hard usage from the assembly, with their +illegal removing him, merely to please the duke, and to send him to +Dumfries, made him resolve to leave the nation, and refuse to submit to +their sentence. In the mean time his old friends in England, hearing +this, sent a gentleman to Peebles to bring him back to them. Mr. Vetch +went with him; but he refused to settle with them, till he had +handsomely ended with the commission of the church, to whom the matter +was referred. Upon his return, they persuaded him to submit: which at +last he did, and continued minister in that place until the day of his +death, which fell out (if I mistake not) about the year 1720, being then +about 80 years of age.</p> + +<p>From the foregoing account two things are conspicuous: first, that the +whole of Mr. Vetch's life, at least during the persecuting period, was +attended with a train of remarkable occurrences of divine providence. +Secondly, that in that time, he behoved to be a most powerful and +awakening preacher from the influence he had upon the manners or morals +of those who attended his sermons. Nor is it any disparagement to him +that that black-mouthed calumniator in his Presbyterian Eloquence +displayed, has published to the world, "That he murdered the bodies as +well as souls of two or three persons with one sermon, because (says he) +preaching in the town of Jedhurgh, he said, <i>There are two thousand of +you here, but I am sure eighty of you will not be favored</i>; upon which +three of his ignorant hearers dispatched themselves soon after." Indeed +it must be granted, that, after the revolution in the latter end of his +life, he became<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_607" id="Page_607">607</a></span> somewhat inimical and unfriendly to dissenters<a name="FNanchor_264" id="FNanchor_264"></a><a href="#Footnote_264" class="fnanchor">[264]</a>, at +least some of those who professed to own and adhere unto the same cause +and testimony that he himself had contended and suffered somewhat for; +whether this proceeded from the dotage of old age (as some would have +it) or from mistaken principles, or any thing else, we cannot, and shall +not at present determine.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="John_Balfour_of_Kinloch" id="John_Balfour_of_Kinloch"></a><i>The Life of <span class="smcap">John Balfour</span> of Kinloch</i>.</h2> + +<p>John Balfour of Kinloch (sometime called Burly) was a gentleman in the +north of Fife. He joined with the more faithful part of our late +sufferers, and altho' he was by some reckoned none of the most +religious, yet he was always zealous and honest-hearted, courageous in +every enterprize and a brave soldier, seldom any escaping that came in +his hands. He was the principal actor in killing that arch-traitor to +the Lord and his Christ, James Sharp. After which his goods and gear +were inventoried by the sheriff, and he forfeited in life and fortune, a +reward of 10,000 merks offered to any that could apprehend him. He was a +commanding officer at Bothwel and Drumclog. At Drumclog he was the first +who, with his party, got over the ditch upon the enemy. At Bothwel he +was still among the more faithful part, and at the fight behaved with +great 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 own +hand, taking a pair of fine pistols belonging to the duke from his +saddle, 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 duke +said, He knew who it was, and withal prayed that he might never see his +face, for if he should, he was sure he would not live long. After this +he lurked mostly among his suffering brethren; and a little before the +revolution went over to Holland, where he joined the prince of Orange +(afterward king William), and having still a desire to be avenged upon +those who persecuted the Lord's cause and people in Scotland, it is said +he obtained liberty from the prince for that purpose, but died at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_608" id="Page_608">608</a></span> sea +before their arrival in Scotland. Whereby that design was never +accomplished, and so the land was never purged by the blood of them who +had shed innocent blood, according to the law of the Lord, Gen. ix. 6. +<i>Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.</i></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="An_Abstract_of_a_Speech_delivered_by_Lord_Warriston" id="An_Abstract_of_a_Speech_delivered_by_Lord_Warriston"></a><i>An Abstract of a Speech delivered by Lord <span class="smcap">Warriston</span>, before the +Assembly of Divines at Westminster, after the delivery of some Queries +from the Parliament to them.</i></h2> + +<p>Mr. Prolocutor, I am a stranger. I will not meddle with the parliament +privileges of another nation, nor the breaches thereof, but as a +christian, under one common lord, a ruling elder in another church, and +a parliament man in another kingdom, having commission from both that +church and state, and at the desire of this kingdom assisting in their +debates, intreat for your favour and patience to express my thoughts of +what is before you.</p> + +<p>In my judgment, that is before you which concerns Christ and these +kingdoms most, and above all, and which will be the chiefest mean to end +or continue these troubles. And that not only speaking <i>humaniter</i>, and +looking to the disposition of these kingdoms, but especially in regard +of the divine dispensation, which hath been so special and sensible in +the rise and continuance of these commotions, as I can neither be +persuaded that they were raised for, or will be calmed upon the +settlement of civil rights and privileges either of kings or princes, +whatsoever may seem to be our present success; but I am convinced they +have a higher rise from, and for the highest end, the settling of the +crown of Christ in these islands, to be propagated from island to +continent; and until king Jesus be set down on his throne, with his +sceptre in his hand, I do not expect God's peace, and so not solid peace +from men in these kingdoms. But establish that, and a durable peace will +be found to follow that sovereign truth. Sir, let us lay to heart what +is before us, a work which concerns God and man most of any thing in +agitation now under the sun, and for which we will one day be called to +a more strict account than for any other passage of our life. Let us +both tremble and rejoice when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_609" id="Page_609">609</a></span> we reflect upon what is under debate, and +now in our hands.</p> + +<p>I was glad to hear the parliament confess their willingness to receive +and observe whatsoever shall be shown from the word of God to be Christ +or his church, their rights or due; albeit I was sorry to see any, in +the delivery thereof, intermix any of their own personal asperity, any +aspersions upon this assembly, or reflections on another nation; so in +this day of law for Christ, wherein justice is offered, if he get not +right in not shewing his patent from his father, and his churches from +himself, it will be counted your fault.</p> + +<p>Sir, all christians are bound to give a testimony to every truth when +called to it, but ye are the immediate servants of the Most High, +Christ's proctors and heralds, whose proper function it is to proclaim +his name, and preserve his offices, and assert his rights. Christ has +had many testimonies given to his prophetical and priestly offices by +the pleadings and sufferings of his saints, and in these latter days +seems to require the same unto his kingly office. A king loves a +testimony 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 and +most stately of any state martyrs; so although Christ's kingdom be not +of this world, and his servants did not fight therefore when he was to +suffer, yet it is in this world, and for this end was he born. To give a +testimony to this truth, among others, were we born, and must not be +ashamed of it, nor deny it; but confess and avouch it by pleading, doing +and suffering for it, even when what is in agitation seems most to +oppose it, and therefore requires a seasonable testimony. But it lies +upon you, Sir, <i>&c.</i> who have both your calling from Christ for it, and +at this time a particular calling from many, that which the honourable +houses require from you at such a time, when the settlement of religion +thereon, and when it is the very controversy of the times, and the civil +magistrates not only call you before them to aver the truth therein, but +also giveth you a good example, cometh before you out of tenderness to +their civil trust and duty, to maintain the privileges of parliament; to +give a testimony assentatory to their civil rights and privileges, and +to forewarn you lest you break the same, and incur civil premunires. +Sir, this should teach us to be as tender, zealous and careful to assert +Christ and his church, their privileges and rights, and to forewarn all +lest they endanger their souls by encroaching thereon, and lest their +omissions and remissness bring eternal premunires upon them, let all +know that the spirit of your Master is upon you, and that Christ<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_610" id="Page_610">610</a></span> hath +servants who will not only make pulpits to ring with the sound of his +prerogative, but also, if they shall be called to it, make a flame of +their bodies burning at the stake for a testimony to it, carry it aloft +through the earth (like the voice in Sicily) that <i>Christ lives and +reigns alone in his church</i>, and will have all done therein according to +his word and will, and that he has given no supreme headship over his +church to any pope, king or parliament whatsoever.</p> + +<p>Sir, you are often desired to remember the bounds of your commission +from man, and not to exceed the same. I am confident you will make as +much conscience not to be deficient in the discharge of your commission +from Christ. But now, Sir, you have a commission from God and man +together, to discuss that truth, That Christ is a king, and has a +kingdom in the external government of his church, and that he has set +down laws and offices, and other substantials thereof; and a part of the +kingdom the which to come we daily pray (as Perkins shews well). We must +not now before men mince, hold up, or conceal any thing necessary for +this 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 not +flinch for one hour, nor quit one hoof, nor edge away a hem of Christ's +robe royal. These would seem effects of desertion, tokens of being +ashamed, afraid or politically diverted; and all these and every degree +of them, Sir, I am confident will be very far from the thoughts of every +one here, who by their votes and petitions, according to their +protestations at their entry, have shewed themselves so zealous and +forward to give their testimony, albeit they easily saw it would not be +very acceptable to the powers on earth, who would hamper, stamp and +halve it. But would ye answer to that question, If this were a +parliament, and if it was a full and free one, would he not, and should +he not be esteemed a great breaker of privileges, and <i>contemptor +curiæ</i>, albeit we are not so wise, yet let us be as tender and jealous +in our day and generation. Truly, Sir, I am confident you will not be so +in love with a peaceable and external profession of any thing that may +be granted to the church, as to conceal, disclaim or invert your +Master's right. That were to lose the substance for a circumstance, to +desert and dethrone Christ, to serve yourselves and enthrone others in +his place: a tenant doing so to his lord or landlord forfeits all. Ye +are commanded to be faithful in little, but now ye are commanded to be +faithful in much; for albeit the salvation of souls be called <i>cura +curaru</i>, the welfare and happiness of churches (made<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_611" id="Page_611">611</a></span> up of these) is +far more; but the kingdom of Christ is <i>q. d. optimum maximum</i>, and to +have it now under your debate, as it is the greatest honour God doth +bestow upon an assembly, so it is the greatest danger: For according now +as God shall assist or direct you, you may, and will be the instruments +of the greatest good or evil on earth. Let us do all in, with, for and +by Christ. Remember the account we have to make to him, who subjects the +standing or falling of his crown in this island to our debate. I speak +<i>humaniter</i>, for <i>diviniter</i> I know it is impossible, and albeit we +should all prove false and faint-hearted, he can, and will soon raise up +other instruments to assert, publish, and propagate his right to a +<i>forum consistorii</i>. He will have it thoroughly pled and judged betwixt +his kingdom and the kingdoms of the earth. And seeing he has begun to +conquer, he will prevail over all that stand in his way, whether pope, +king or parliament, that will claim any part of his headship, supreme +prerogative, and monarchy over his own church.</p> + +<p>Sir, some may think you have had a design in abstaining so long from +asserting the divine right of church government, now to come in with it +truly. Sir, I look upon this check, as a good providence for your great +sparing and abstaining in that point, and must bear witness to many +passages of God's good hand in it, in not suffering us to make a stand +of our desires concerning religion, either in Scotland or here, albeit +we have often set down <i>mensura voti</i> to ourselves; but he has as often +moved us step after step to trace back our defections, and make the last +innovations a besom to sweep out the former, and the king refused to be +a mean to engage in a covenant with himself and others, and so has drawn +us, against our wills, and beyond our desires, to perform our duty, and +to give a testimony to his truth, that much of God and divine wisdom and +design, and little of man and his politic projects, might be seen in the +beginning, progress and continuance of the whole work, by this good hand +of God: And for this end I hope these queries are brought to your hand +at this time.</p> + +<p>Sir, your serving the parliament a while, I am confident, has been and +will be still, not that they may serve you, but for to serve the Lord +Jesus Christ; and that parliament will glory more in their subordination +and subservience to him, than in the empire and command over the world.</p> + +<p>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 three +orders in the title and preface, three main duties in the body, and the +three effects<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_612" id="Page_612">612</a></span> in the close. The covenant begins with the advancement, +and ends with the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ, as the +substantials and over-word of the whole.</p> + +<p>The first article of the seven is Christ, an article like <i>dies +Dominica</i> in the week, all the rest are <i>in Domino</i>, and subordinate +thereunto: And all laws contrary to the will of Christ are acknowledged +to be void in his kingdom, and so they should, with far greater reason +than the constable's orders against the ordinance of parliament are void +in law. But, Sir, Christ's throne is highest, and his privileges supreme +as only King and Head of his church, albeit kings and magistrates may be +members in it. There is no authority to be balanced with his, nor posts +to 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 the +sword? but they must have the keys also. Truly, Sir, I am confident that +the parliament, and both nations will acknowledge themselves engaged +under this authority, and as they would not be drawn from it (for we +must deny our places, take up our cross, lay aside our love to father or +mother, paternal or civil, yea lay down our lives, to aver and confess +this truth against all allurements and terrors) so ye would never +endeavour to draw us to any other, and whatsoever reflection to the +contrary was insinuated by the deliverer of this message, I cannot but +impute it to personal passion, which long ago was known to the world, +but will never believe the honourable house will allow thereof, as being +far beneath their wisdom, and contrary to your merit.</p> + +<p>And, Sir, seeing these queries are before you, I am confident that +whatever diversity of opinion may be among you in any particular, ye +will all hold out Christ's kingdom distinct from the kingdoms of the +earth, and that he has appointed the government of his own house, and +should rule the same; and that none of this assembly, even for the +gaining of their desires in all the points of difference, would by their +silence, concealment and connivance, weaken, commutate or sell a part of +this fundamental truth, this sovereign interest of Christ; and that ye +will all concur to demonstrate the same by clear passages of scripture, +or necessary consequences therefrom, and by constant practice of the +apostles, which are rules unto us.</p> + +<p>Sir, I will close with remembering you of two passages of your +letter<a name="FNanchor_265" id="FNanchor_265"></a><a href="#Footnote_265" class="fnanchor">[265]</a> sent, by order of the house of commons, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_613" id="Page_613">613</a></span> the general +assembly of the church of Scotland, that you will set out such +discipline as, to the utmost of your power, you may exalt Christ the +only Lord over the church, his own house, in all his offices, and +present the church as a chaste virgin to Christ; and for this end that +you were not restrained by the houses in your votes and resolutions, nor +bound up to the sense of others, nor to carry on a private design in a +civil way, but by your oath were secured against all flattering of your +judgment, and engaged thereby according to the house's desire, to use +all freedom becoming the integrity of your consciences, the weight of +the cause, and the integrity and honour of such an assembly. I will no +more, Sir, trouble you, but with one word upon the whole matter, to +desire you seriously to consider if this business, whereon the eyes of +God are fixed, deserves not a special day of humiliation and prayer, for +the Lord's extraordinary assistance and direction of this assembly.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Messrs_Robert_Trails" id="Messrs_Robert_Trails"></a><i>The Lives of Messrs. <span class="smcap">Robert Trails</span>.</i></h2> + +<p>Messrs. Robert Trails, the father and son, deserve a place among the +Scots Worthies, as they were brought to much trouble for their +faithfulness and zeal for our reformation-principles. Old Mr. Robert +Trail, one of the ministers of Edinburgh, along with Mr. James Guthrie +and others, met in a private house in Edinburgh, and assisted in drawing +up a humble address and supplication to the king; but before it was +finished, they were apprehended by the managers of the times, and +committed prisoners to the castle of Edinburgh, without a hearing; +matters went so high at that time, that a simple proposal of petitioning +the king for a redress of grievances was reckoned criminal. Mr. Robert +Trail was brought Aug. 1661. before the lords of articles, and +afterwards before the parliament, where he delivered an excellent speech +in his own defence, and pointed out the cruelty and injustice then +exercised, and the many false accusations that were exhibited against +him and his reverend brethren at that time. This excellent speech of his +may be seen in Wodrow's history, vol. I. page 73. After seven months +imprisonment he wrote to Mr. Thomas Wylie minister at Kirkudbright. He +says, "I need not write to you how matters do here.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_614" id="Page_614">614</a></span> This I must say, +your imprisoned brethren are kindly dealt with by our kind Lord, for +whose cause and interest we suffer; and if any of us be straitened, it +is 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 us +at 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 from +the Lord; and whatsoever it shall be as good from him; and whithersoever +he shall send us, he will be with us, and shall let us know that the +earth is his, and the fulness thereof." This was the resigned Christian +temper of these worthies. He was afterwards banished, and took refuge in +Holland. On the 19th of July 1677, their persecuting fury also broke out +against his son Mr. Robert Trail. Being accused with holding +field-conventicles, he was brought before the council, where he +acknowledged, that he had kept house-conventicles. But being asked, if +he 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 the +ministry by Presbyterian ministers at London in 1670. But refusing to +clear himself by oath, he was therefore sent to the Bass; major Johnston +got 1000 l. Scots for apprehending him. We have no account at what time +he was released; but he was afterwards an useful minister to a +congregation of dissenters in London; where he continued many years and +laboured with great diligence, zeal and success. Here he published his +vindication of the Protestant doctrine of justification, prompted +thereto by his zeal for that distinguishing doctrine of the reformation; +and his sermons on the throne of grace and the Lord's prayer, at the +earnest desire of those who heard them. His sermons on Heb. x. 20, 21, +22, 23, 24. intitled, <i>A stedfast adherence to the profession of our +faith</i>, were published after his death, at the request of many of his +hearers. The simplicity and evangelical strain of his works have been +savoury to many, and will ever be so, while religion and +scripture-doctrine are in request.</p> + +<p class="center gesperrt" style="margin-top:2em;"><i>FINIS</i></p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_615" id="Page_615">615</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Contents" id="Contents"></a>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<table summary="Contents"> +<col align="left" valign="bottom"></col> +<col align="left" valign="bottom"></col> +<col align="right" valign="bottom"></col> +<tr><th> </th> +<th> </th> +<th align="right" style="font-weight:normal;">Page</th></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="bl"><a href="#The_Introduction">INTRODUCTION,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#The_Introduction">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Patrick_Hamilton">The Life of </a></td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Patrick_Hamilton">Mr. Patrick Hamilton,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Patrick_Hamilton">41</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_George_Wishart">Mr. George Wishart,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_George_Wishart">46</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Walter_Mill">Mr. Walter Mill,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Walter_Mill">60</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#James_Stuart_Earl_of_Moray">James Stuart Earl of Murray,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#James_Stuart_Earl_of_Moray">64</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_John_Knox">Mr. John Knox,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_John_Knox">77</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_George_Buchanan">Mr. George Buchanan,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_George_Buchanan">90</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Rollock">Mr. Robert Rollock,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Rollock">96</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_John_Craig">Mr. John Craig,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_John_Craig">99</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_David_Black">Mr. David Black,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_David_Black">101</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_John_Davidson">Mr. John Davidson,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_John_Davidson">105</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_William_Row">Mr. William Row,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_William_Row">108</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Andrew_Melvil">Mr. Andrew Melvil,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Andrew_Melvil">111</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Patrick_Simpson">Mr. Patrick Simpson,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Patrick_Simpson">119</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Andrew_Duncan">Mr. Andrew Duncan,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Andrew_Duncan">126</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_John_Scrimzeor">Mr. John Scrimzeor,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_John_Scrimzeor">129</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_John_Welch">Mr. John Welch,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_John_Welch">132</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Boyd">Mr. Robert Boyd,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Boyd">152</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Bruce">Mr. Robert Bruce,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Bruce">154</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Josias_Welch">Mr. Josias Welch,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Josias_Welch">162</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#John_Gordon_Viscount_Kenmuir">John Gordon Viscount of Kenmuir,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#John_Gordon_Viscount_Kenmuir">164</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Cunningham">Mr. Robert Cunningham,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Cunningham">181</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_James_Mitchel_a">Mr. James Mitchel,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_James_Mitchel_a">183</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Alexander_Henderson">Mr. Alexander Henderson,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Alexander_Henderson">189</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_George_Gillespie">Mr. George Gillespie,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_George_Gillespie">196</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_John_MClelland">Mr. John M'Clelland,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_John_MClelland">200</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_David_Calderwood">Mr. David Calderwood,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_David_Calderwood">205</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Hugh_Binning">Mr. Hugh Binning,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Hugh_Binning">210</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Andrew_Gray">Mr. Andrew Gray,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Andrew_Gray">216</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_James_Durham">Mr. James Durham,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_James_Durham">220</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Samuel_Rutherford">Mr. Samuel Rutherford,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Samuel_Rutherford">229</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#the_honourable_Archibald_Campbel_Marquis_of_Argyle">Archibald Campbel Marquis of Argyle,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#the_honourable_Archibald_Campbel_Marquis_of_Argyle">239</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_James_Guthrie">Mr. James Guthrie,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_James_Guthrie">254</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#John_Campbel_Earl_of_Loudon">John Campbel Earl of Loudon,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#John_Campbel_Earl_of_Loudon">264</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Bailey">Mr. Robert Bailey,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Bailey">275</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_David_Dickson">Mr. David Dickson,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_David_Dickson">279</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_616" id="Page_616">616</a></span></td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Sir_Archibald_Johnston_Lord_Warriston">Sir Archibald Johnston, Lord Warriston,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Sir_Archibald_Johnston_Lord_Warriston">287</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_James_Wood">Mr. James Wood,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_James_Wood">299</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_William_Guthrie">Mr. William Guthrie,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_William_Guthrie">303</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Blair">Mr. Robert Blair,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Blair">318</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Hugh_MKail">Mr. Hugh M'Kail,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Hugh_MKail">336</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_John_Nevay">Mr. John Nevay,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_John_Nevay">354</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_John_Livingston">Mr. John Livingston,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_John_Livingston">357</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_John_Semple">Mr. John Semple,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_John_Semple">366</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_James_Mitchel_b">Mr. James Mitchel,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_James_Mitchel_b">371</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_John_Welwood">Mr. John Welwood,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_John_Welwood">384</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#William_Gordon_of_Earlstoun">William Gordon of Earlstoun,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#William_Gordon_of_Earlstoun">389</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Messrs_John_Kid_and_John_King">Messrs. John Kid and John King,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Messrs_John_Kid_and_John_King">392</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_John_Brown">Mr. John Brown,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_John_Brown">395</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Henry_Hall_of_Haugh-head">Henry Hall of Haugh-head,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Henry_Hall_of_Haugh-head">398</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Richard_Cameron">Mr. Richard Cameron,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Richard_Cameron">401</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#David_Hackston_of_Rathillet">David Hackston of Rathillet,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#David_Hackston_of_Rathillet">410</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Robert_Ker_of_Kersland_Esq">Robert Ker of Kersland,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Robert_Ker_of_Kersland_Esq">415</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Donald_Cargil">Mr. Donald Cargil,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Donald_Cargil">419</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Walter_Smith">Mr. Walter Smith,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Walter_Smith">433</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Garnock">Mr. Robert Garnock,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Garnock">437</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Robert_MWard">Mr. Robert M'Ward,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Robert_MWard">455</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Captain_John_Paton">Captain John Paton,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Captain_John_Paton">458</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#John_Nisbet_of_Hardhill">John Nisbet of Hardhill,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#John_Nisbet_of_Hardhill">472</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Alexander_Peden">Mr. Alexander Peden,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Alexander_Peden">485</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_John_Blackadder">Mr. John Blackadder,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_John_Blackadder">499</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_James_Renwick">Mr. James Renwick,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_James_Renwick">503</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Alexander_Moncrief">Mr. Alexander Moncrief,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Alexander_Moncrief">528</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Angus_MacBean">Mr. Angus MacBean,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Angus_MacBean">533</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Thomas_Hog">Mr. Thomas Hog,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Thomas_Hog">536</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Fleming">Mr. Robert Fleming,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Robert_Fleming">549</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_Alexander_Shields">Mr. Alexander Shields,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_Alexander_Shields">557</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_John_Dickson">Mr. John Dickson,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_John_Dickson">577</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Sir_Robt_Hamilton_of_Preston">Sir Robert Hamilton of Preston,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Sir_Robt_Hamilton_of_Preston">584</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Mr_William_Vetch">Mr. William Vetch,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Mr_William_Vetch">594</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#John_Balfour_of_Kinloch">John Balfour of Kinloch,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#John_Balfour_of_Kinloch">607</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#An_Abstract_of_a_Speech_delivered_by_Lord_Warriston">A speech of Lord Warriston's,</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#An_Abstract_of_a_Speech_delivered_by_Lord_Warriston">608</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td> +<td class="bl"><a href="#Messrs_Robert_Trails">The Lives of Messrs. Trails.</a></td> +<td class="br"><a href="#Messrs_Robert_Trails">613</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<hr /> + +<h2><a name="Errata" id="Errata"></a>ERRATA.</h2> + +<p>Page 262. Line 5. from the foot, after <i>cried</i>, read, <i>The covenants, +the covenants shall yet be Scotland's reviving</i>.</p> + +<p>P. 292. l. 18. from the foot, for 1657, r. 1651.</p> + +<p>P. 505. l. 29. for <i>in</i> r. <i>from</i>.</p> + +<p>P. 448. l. 29. for <i>Fanquirs</i> r. <i>Tanquirs</i>.</p> + +<p>P. 452. l. 7. for <i>Learmoril</i> r. <i>Learmond</i>.</p> + +<p>P. 499. l. 10. from the foot, for <i>Fullialen</i> r. <i>Tullialen</i>.</p> + +<p>P. 500. foot note, for <i>Stirleg</i> r. <i>Stirling</i>.</p> + +<p>P. 502. l. 17. for <i>first</i> r. <i>farther</i>.</p> + +<p>P. 603. foot note, last line, for <i>they</i> r. <i>the king</i>.</p> + +<hr /> + +<h2><a name="Footnotes_Biographia" id="Footnotes_Biographia"></a>FOOTNOTES</h2> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1" id="Footnote_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Mr Renwick's life wrote by Mr Shields and published <i>anno</i> +1724.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2" id="Footnote_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Of these records belonging to the state carried away by +Cromwel to secure our dependence on England, there were 85 hogsheads +lost Dec. 18, 1660, in a ship belonging to Kirkaldy, as she was +returning with them from London. And as for the church records and +registers, a great many of them also (either through the confusion of +the then civil wars, or falling into the hands of the prelates while +prelacy prevailed in Scotland) are also a-missing. <span class="smcap">Preface</span> to +Stevenson's History.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3" id="Footnote_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> Mr Wodrow in history.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4" id="Footnote_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a></p> +<div class="poem nomargin"> +<span class="i0">Sure 'tis a serious thing to die; my soul<br /></span> +<span class="i0">What a strange moment must it be when near<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thy journey's end, thou hast the gulph in view!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That awful gulph no mortal e'er repass'd,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To tell what's doing on the other side.<br /></span> +<p><span style="margin-left: 8em;">The <span class="smcap">Grave</span>, by Blair</span></p> +</div> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_5" id="Footnote_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> Mr Henry on 1 Cor. xi. 1.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_6" id="Footnote_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> For confirmation of this, see the Edinburgh monthly review +for February 1774.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_7" id="Footnote_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> See the parliamentary chronicle, or God on the mount</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_8" id="Footnote_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> See act v. parl. 1640 act v. 1644. act xv. 1649.; acts of +the general assembly, sess. 26. 1638. sess. 23. 1639. sess. 6. 1642. +sess. {illegible} 1647. sess. 31. 1648, &c.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_9" id="Footnote_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> Act v. sess 1. parl. 1. James VII. See James VII. and +William and Mary's acts of parliament abridged, p. 42.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_10" id="Footnote_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> Such as Messrs Currie, Ferguson, and Smith of Newburn &c. +who, in order to palliate and extenuate the evil of the present +backsliding courses, seem to have left no stone unturned to expose or +blacken the reforming period.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_11" id="Footnote_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> See more anent patronage and our covenants in the notes, +pag. 184 and 185.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_12" id="Footnote_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> Although toleration principles be now espoused, boasted of +and gloried in by many, yea by some from whom other things might be +expected, yet it is contrary to scripture. See Gen. xxxv. 2. <i>&c.</i> Deut. +xiii. 6. Judg. ii. 2. Ezek. xliii. 8. Prov. xvii. 15. Zech. xiii. 2. +Rom. xiii. 6. Rev. ii. 14, <i>&c.</i> And how far the civil magistrate is to +exert his power in punishing heretics, I shall not at present determine, +or whether the word <i>extirpate</i> in our solemn league and covenant +extends to the temporal or spiritual sword, only there are different +sentiments and expositions, yet sure I am that according to the very +nature of things that which is morally good (being a commanded duty) +needs no toleration; and that which is morally evil no mortal on earth +can lawfully grant an immunity unto: And betwixt these there is no +medium in point of truth and duty. And it is observable, that where +toleration or toleration principles prevail, real religion never +prospers much; and besides all it is of woful consequence, for as in +natural bodies antipathies of qualities cause destruction, so in bodies +politic different religions, or ways of worship in religion, cause many +divisions and distractions, whereby the seamless coat of Christ is like +to be torn in pieces, and this oftentimes terminates in the ruin of the +whole. <i>For a kingdom, city or house divided against itself</i> (saith +Christ) <i>cannot stand.</i> And yet some will say, That toleration is a good +thing, for by it people may live as good as they please. I answer, It is +true, but they may also live as bad as they please, and that we have +liberty and freedom to serve God in his own appointed way, we have him +primarily to thank for it, as for all his other mercies and goodness +toward us.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_13" id="Footnote_13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></a> Witness the Quebec act, establishing popery in Canada, +1774.—The Catholic bills granting a toleration to Papists in England +and Ireland, 1778, with the gloomy aspect that affairs bear to Scotland +since that time.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_14" id="Footnote_14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></a> This doctrine of original sin is plainly evinced from +scripture, canonical and apocryphal, Job xiv. 4. Psal. li. 5. Rom. v. +12. <i>etc.</i> 1 Cor xv. 21. John iii. 6. Apocrypha Eccles. xxv. +{illegible}6; asserted in our church standards, illustrated and defended +by many able divines (both ancient and modern) and by our British poets +excellently described: Thus, +</p> +<div class="poem"> +<span class="i0">Adam, now ope thine eyes, and first behold<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Th' effects which thy original crime hath wrought<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In some, to spring from thee, who never touch'd<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Th' excepted tree, nor with the snake conspir'd,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Nor sinn'd thy sin; yet from that sin derive<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Corruption to bring forth more violent deeds.<br /></span> +<p><span style="margin-left: 8em;"><span class="smcap">Paradise Lost</span>. Lib. ix.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="poem"> +<span class="i0">Conceiv'd in sin, (O wretched state!)<br /></span> +<span class="i2">before we draw our breath:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The first young pulse begins to beat<br /></span> +<span class="i2">iniquity and death.<br /></span> +<p><span style="margin-left:8em;">Dr <span class="smcap">Watts</span>.</span></p> +</div> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_15" id="Footnote_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></a> However much these leading articles in the Arminian and +Pelagian scheme be now taught and applauded yet sure they are +God-dishonouring and soul-ruining tenets, contrary to scripture, God's +covenant, and eversive of man's salvation. For, +</p><p> +(1.) They are contrary to scripture, which teaches us that we are no +less dependant in working than in being, and no more capable to act from +a principle of life of ourselves, than to exist. <i>The way of man is not +in himself, neither is it in man that walketh to direct his steps. What +hast thou, O man, but what thou hast received? How to perform that which +is good I find not</i>, Jer. x. 23. 1 Cor. iv. 7. Rom. vii. 18. <i>So that a +man can do nothing, except it be given him from above; and no man can +come unto me except the Father draw him</i>, saith Christ, John iii, 27. +vi. 44. See Con. ch. ix. § 3. Article of the church of England 10. And +for good works, however far they may be acceptable to God in an +approbative way (as being conformable to his command, and agreeable to +the holiness of his nature) yet we are assured from his word that moral +rectitude in its very summit can never render one acceptable in his +sight in a justifying way, <i>for by the works of the law shall no man be +justified; not by works of righteousness that we have done</i>, &c. Rom. +iii. 28. Gal. ii. 16. Tit. iii 5. So though good works or gospel +obedience, and true holiness be absolutely necessary unto salvation, (as +being the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith in every +believer) the greatest saint being the best moralist, yet there are no +ways meritorious of man's salvation; no, this depends upon God's eternal +purposes, Rom. ix. 11. Eph. i. 4.—We find it often said in scripture, +that it shall be rendered to every man <i>according to his works</i>, Rom. +iii. 6. Rev. xxii. 12 &c. but never for their works; yea works (though +otherwise materially good in themselves) in an unregenerate man become +sinful before God, <i>for whatsoever is not of faith is sin</i>, 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 many +others. +</p><p> +(2.) They are antipodes to reason, and strike eminently against the very +nature of God's covenant, for according to the tenor of the covenant of +works, nothing but perfect, personal and perpetual obedience can merit +(if any thing in a degenerate creature may be so called) and can any +reasonable man look his own conscience in the face and say, that he is +the person that can perform this. Again, if we betake ourselves unto the +covenant of grace, reason itself might blush and be ashamed once to +suppose, that the blood of the immaculate Son of God stood in any need +of 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 <i>ratio sacra</i>, page 17, <i>&c.</i> +</p><p> +(3) They must be very dangerous, soul-ruining and Christ dishonouring +errors, for it might be counted altogether superfluous for a person to +come to a physician for a cure, while he is not in the least suspicious +of being infected with any malady: So in like manner, can it be expected +that any soul can cordially come (or be brought) to Christ, without a +due sense of its infinite distance from God by nature? of the +impossibility of making any suitable approaches to him? and of the utter +disability to do any thing that may answer the law, holiness and +righteousness of God therein, <i>etc.</i>? <i>For they that be whole</i> (at least +think themselves so) <i>need not a physician</i>, saith Christ; <i>and I came, +not to call the righteous</i> (or such as think themselves so) <i>but sinners +to repentance</i>, Mark ix. 12. +</p><p> +From hence observe, that whosoever intends to forsake his sin, in order +to come to Christ, or effectually to correct vice, before he believes on +him, must needs meet with a miserable disappointment, for <i>without faith +it is impossible to please God</i>, Heb. xi. 6. and in the end sink himself +into an immense and bottomless chaos of uncertainties, like one lopping +the branches off a tree to kill the root; <i>no man cometh to the Father +but by me, and without me ye can do nothing</i>, says Christ himself, John +xiv. 6. xv. 5. The love of God being the <i>prima causa</i>, the obedience +and meritorious righteousness of Christ the foundation, source and +spring of man's salvation and all true happiness, <i>for by grace ye are +saved</i>, Eph. 2. 8. And whosoever has been made rightly to know any thing +of the depravity of his nature in a lapsed state, or experienced any +thing of the free grace of a God in Christ, will be made to acknowledge +this, <i>That it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his +good pleasure</i>, Phil. ii. 13. And yet I know it is objected, That it is +highly dishonouring to the Author of nature, to argue man to be such a +mean and insufficient creature, and that it can never be supposed, that +a gracious and merciful God would make such a number of intelligent +beings 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 upon +moral suasion to obey, <i>&c.</i> It is true indeed, that in comparison of +the irrational insect and inanimate creation, man is a noble creature, +both as to his formation, <i>I am wonderfully made</i>, Psal cxxxix. 14. and +also in his intellectual parts, but much more in his primeval state and +dignity, when all the faculties of the mind and powers of the soul stood +entire, being endued not only with animal and intelligent, but also +heavenly life, <i>Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels</i>, +Psal. viii. 5. But then in what follows, these objecters seem, either +inadvertently, or willingly, to have forgot, (1.) <i>That man in honour +abideth not</i>, Psal. xlix. 12, (or as the Rabbins read, and some +translate it, as Cartwright, Ainsworth, Leigh and Broughton) <i>Adam in +honour abideth not one night</i>. Adam, by his disobedience, not only +introduced a jarr into the whole creation, rendered his posterity +decrepit and lame, but also lost all power to any spiritual good, the +whole of his intellectual parts concreated with him being either +corrupted, darkened, obliterated or lost. Indeed Dr Taylor would have us +believe, 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 in +innocence, saving so far as God sees fit to set any man above or below +his standard, some are below Adam in rational endowments and some are +above him, of the latter he thinks Sir Isaac Newton was one (doctrine of +original sin, page 235. supplement, page 85.) The fallacy of which is so +obvious and absurd that it deserves no observation, for every man to his +dear bought experience may know, that man now unassisted by all the dark +remains of original, natural, moral and political knowledge he is master +of, can acquire no certain knowledge of any part of his duty, as to +moral good or evil, but by a gradation of labour, slow and multiplied +deductions, and much less is he able to bind the strong man and cast him +out. And yet all this is no way dishonouring to the great author of +nature 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 is +dishonouring to him. <i>Lo, this have I found out</i>, says the wisest of +men, <i>that God at first made man upright, but he sought out many +inventions</i>. (2.) That in a proper sense God neither made man to save +nor to damn him, but only for his pleasure and the manifestation of his +own power and glory, Rev. iv. 11. Conf. chap. ii. § 3. (3.) Although we +have lost power to obey, yet he still retains his right to demand +obedience, and nothing can be more suitable to the justice, wisdom and +sovereignty of God, than to maintain his right to perfect obedience from +man whom he originally endued with all power and abilities for what he +commanded; neither is he any wise bound to restore that power again to +man, which he by his disobedience lost. (4.) All mankind by the fall +stand condemned by God's judicial act, <i>In the day that thou eatest +thereof thou shalt surely die</i>, Gen. ii. 17. And you'll say, a judge +does a malefactor no injury in condemning him, when by the law he is +found guilty of death, <i>and cursed is every one who confirmeth not all +the words of this law to do them</i>, Deut. xxvii. 26.; and much less the +supreme Judge of all, who can do nothing wrong to any, in condemning +man, <i>for the wages of sin is death</i>, Rom. vi. 13. <i>and hath not the +potter power over the clay</i>, &c.—And finally, if the first Adam's +posterity be thus naturally endued with a power to do that which is +spiritually good, pray what need was there for the second Adam to die to +quicken his elect, Eph. ii. 1.; indeed we are commanded to repent and +turn from our iniquities, <i>turn ye, turn ye, and live</i>, Ezek. xxxiii. +11. and ye <i>will not come unto me that ye might have life</i>, John v. 40. +But who, excepting a bold Arminian, will say, that these texts imply a +natural power in man to turn, come or not as he pleases. If this were +the case, the same Spirit of God would not have said elsewhere, <i>Draw me +and we will run after thee; turn thou us, and we shall be turned</i>, Cant. +i. 4. Jer. xxxi. 18; <i>surely after I was turned, I repented</i>, ver. 19; +it was not before I was turned I repented: No, this command and +complaint only points out our duty, but the prayers and promises in the +word 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 so +too, Cain will be wroth and his countenance fall, Gen. iv. 5. <i>But let +the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth; but we unto him +that striveth with his Maker.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_16" id="Footnote_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_16"><span class="label">[16]</span></a> Mr John Dickson in a letter while prisoner in the Bass.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_17" id="Footnote_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_17"><span class="label">[17]</span></a> See Josephus <i>de bello Jud.</i> lib. v. and vi.; and of this +destruction Eusebius lib. iii. chap. 6.; and the life of Titus +Vespasian.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_18" id="Footnote_18"></a><a href="#FNanchor_18"><span class="label">[18]</span></a></p> +<div class="poem nomargin"> +<span class="i0">Well may we tremble now! what manners reign?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But wherefore ask we? when a true reply<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Would shock too much. Kind heaven, avert events,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Whose fatal nature might reply too plain!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">—— Vengeance delay'd but gathers and ferments;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">More formidably blackens in the wind,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Brews deeper draughts of unrelenting wrath,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And higher charges the suspended storm.<br /></span> +<p><span style="margin-left: 8em;">Young's <span class="smcap lowercase">NIGHT THOUGHTS</span>.</span></p> +</div> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_19" id="Footnote_19"></a><a href="#FNanchor_19"><span class="label">[19]</span></a> Here Christ's crown rights not only became the word of +their testimony, but also the very motto of their civil and military +banners, insomuch as when that gallant Scots army lay at Dunce muir, +(<i>anno</i> 1639) each captain had his colours flying at his tent door, +whereon was this inscription in letters of gold, <span class="smcap">Christ's crown and +covenant</span>. Stevenson's History, Vol. II. p. 729.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_20" id="Footnote_20"></a><a href="#FNanchor_20"><span class="label">[20]</span></a> Here it neither can nor need be expected, that, in such a +number of lives they could be all found alike precise in point of public +testimony; yet I would fain expect, that what is here recorded of them +might be somewhat equivalent to whatever blemishes they otherwise had, +seeing their different sentiments are also recorded: Otherwise I presume +it were hard to please all parties. For Mr Wodrow has been charged by +some (and that not without some reason) that, in favours of some of his +indulged <i>quondam</i> brethren, in the last volume of his history, he has +not only smothered some matters of fact relative to the more honest part +of our sufferers, but even given the most faithful part of their +contendings the epithets of unwarrantable heats, heights, flights, +extravagancies, extremities, <i>etc.</i> [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 on +very slender grounds) for corrupting, perverting and omitting some +testimonies of our late sufferers, whom they say, came "not to the same +length of principles with themselves, or those they had pickt out for +that purpose." To avoid both rocks, all possible care has been here +taken, and yet it must needs meet with its fate also, according to the +various capacities, tempers and dispositions of the readers (and why not +censure if blame-worthy?): Yet it is hoped that the honesty, labour and +diligence used therein, will counterpoise all other reflections or +exceptions.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_21" id="Footnote_21"></a><a href="#FNanchor_21"><span class="label">[21]</span></a> See collection of acts of parliament (said to be Andrew +Stevenson's) preface to part II.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_22" id="Footnote_22"></a><a href="#FNanchor_22"><span class="label">[22]</span></a> Mr Rutherford, in a letter to the Earl of Cassils. See his +letters, part I. epist. 23.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_23" id="Footnote_23"></a><a href="#FNanchor_23"><span class="label">[23]</span></a> Fuller in the preface to his lives in the holy state.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_24" id="Footnote_24"></a><a href="#FNanchor_24"><span class="label">[24]</span></a> 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 to the knowledge of the publishers.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_25" id="Footnote_25"></a><a href="#FNanchor_25"><span class="label">[25]</span></a> Vid. Bede's ecclesiastical history, lib. i. ch. 13. Buch. +history, book v.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_26" id="Footnote_26"></a><a href="#FNanchor_26"><span class="label">[26]</span></a> Book iii. cap. 8.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_27" id="Footnote_27"></a><a href="#FNanchor_27"><span class="label">[27]</span></a> Hind let loose, period II. page 11, prior edition.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_28" id="Footnote_28"></a><a href="#FNanchor_28"><span class="label">[28]</span></a> The queen and Darnly became so irreconcileable, that as he +never rested until he had caused the Italian Rizzio to be murdered, the +queen never rested till she caused her husband to be murdered, and +divine justice after all never rested till it had caused her to be +murdered; so that blood followed blood, till the whole knot was +destroyed. +</p><p> +<span class="smcap">Defoe's</span> memoirs, p. 59.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_29" id="Footnote_29"></a><a href="#FNanchor_29"><span class="label">[29]</span></a> Sir James Melvil of Halhill, in his memoirs, from page 173 +to page 178, seems to insinuate, that altho' the earl of Moray was at +first of a gentle nature, religiously educated, well inclined, good, +wise, <i>&c.</i> yet when he was advanced to the helm of government, through +the mean of flatterers, he became more proud and rough in his +proceedings, which, together with his too remiss conduct anent his own +preservation after so many warnings, was the cause of his own ruin.—And +says further, That he was compelled sometimes to receive and apply +divers sentences of Solomon concerning chancellors and rulers to this +good regent, which he ordered him to commit to writing that he might +carry them in his pocket: But before he was slain, this different gloss +on the life and character of Moray is contradicted, in substance, by the +historians, Knox and Buchanan.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_30" id="Footnote_30"></a><a href="#FNanchor_30"><span class="label">[30]</span></a> Buchanan's history, vol. II. P. 392.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_31" id="Footnote_31"></a><a href="#FNanchor_31"><span class="label">[31]</span></a> Spotswood's history, P. 234.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_32" id="Footnote_32"></a><a href="#FNanchor_32"><span class="label">[32]</span></a> In the memoirs of the duke of Sully, prime minister to +Henry IV of France, Vol. 1. page 392. Edin. edit. 1773, there is the +following note: James de Bethune, arch bishop of Glasgow in Scotland, +came to Paris in quality of ambassador in ordinary from the queen of +Scotland, and died there in 1603, aged 66 years, having 57 years +suffered great vicissitudes of fortune, since the violent death of +cardinal de Bethune arch-bishop of St. Andrews his uncle, which happened +in 1646: His epitaph may be still seen in the church of St. John de +Lateran.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_33" id="Footnote_33"></a><a href="#FNanchor_33"><span class="label">[33]</span></a> Vide Calderwood's history, page 31.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_34" id="Footnote_34"></a><a href="#FNanchor_34"><span class="label">[34]</span></a> In the space of two or three days, there were about 70000 +protestants murdered in cold blood in Paris, and other parts of France. +This massacre was begun in the night of St. Bartholomew's day in the +reign of Charles IX. of that kingdom; the king of Navarre, afterward +Henry the Great, narrowly escaped on that occasion, for he was then in +Paris, on account of the solemnization of his marriage with Charles's +sister, which marriage the papists had contrived, in order to draw as +many protestants into that city as possible, that they might have them +in their power. See the account of this mournful event at large in +Sully's memoirs, volume I.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_35" id="Footnote_35"></a><a href="#FNanchor_35"><span class="label">[35]</span></a> Spotswood says he was born within the parish of Killearn, +at house of Drunmakill. History, page 325.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_36" id="Footnote_36"></a><a href="#FNanchor_36"><span class="label">[36]</span></a> In the midst of these evils, he (the king) caused to put +hands on that notable man Mr. George Buchanan: But by the merciful +providence of God he escaped the rage of those that sought his life, +although with great difficulty, and remains alive to this day, (anno +1566) to the glory of God, the great honour of this nation, and to the +comfort of those who delight in learning and virtue. +</p><p> +<span class="smcap">Knox</span>'s history.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_37" id="Footnote_37"></a><a href="#FNanchor_37"><span class="label">[37]</span></a> A little before his death, he returned home from court to +visit his friends, during which time king James sent him several +messages, and, at last, a very threatening letter to return in twenty +days, but he, finding his death approaching, sent him back a letter of +admonition relative to the government of his kingdom, and well-being of +his council, and, at the end, told him, that he could run the hazard of +his majesty's displeasure without danger, for that "by the time limited, +he would be where few kings or great men should be honoured to enter;" +at reading which it is said the king wept.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_38" id="Footnote_38"></a><a href="#FNanchor_38"><span class="label">[38]</span></a> His works that are now extant, make two folio +volumes.—His treatise, de jure regni apud Scotos, was condemned by act +of parliament, about two years after his death, which happened at +Edinburgh on the 28th of September, 1582. These pamphlets going under +the name of the witty exploits of George Buchanan, seem to be spurious, +although it is true he pronounced many witty expressions, many of which +have (I suppose) never been committed to writing, and some of which I +could mention, were it here necessary.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_39" id="Footnote_39"></a><a href="#FNanchor_39"><span class="label">[39]</span></a> Mira et vera relatio de Davidis Black transmigratione in +cœlestem patriam.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_40" id="Footnote_40"></a><a href="#FNanchor_40"><span class="label">[40]</span></a> Mr Robert Montgomery, minister in Stirling, had made a +simoniacal purchase of the Arch-bishopric of Glasgow from the earl of +Lennox, for which he was to give him five hundred pounds sterling of +yearly rent. Accordingly on the 8th of March 1582. Montgomery came to +Glasgow, with a number of soldiers, and pulled the minister in the +pulpit by the sleeve, saying, "Come down sirrah;" the minister replied. +"He was placed there by the kirk, and would give place to none who +intruded themselves without order." Much confusion and bloodshed ensued +in the town. The presbytery of Stirling suspended Montgomery, in which +the general assembly supported them: Lennox obtained a commission from +the king to try and bring the offenders to justice. Before that +commission court met, the earls of Marr and Gowrie, the master of +Oliphant, young Lochlevin, &c. carried the king to Ruthven castle, and +there supplicated him to revoke his commission to Lennox, which he did: +and the king ordered him to leave the country, which, after some delays, +he also did, retiring to Berwick. Afterwards two persons concerned in +the affair at Ruthven, were charged to leave the realm upon pain of +corporal punishment, because the council had adjudged that affair to be +treason against the king and government. The earl of Gowrie was ordered +to leave the kingdom, notwithstanding he had, at the command of the +council, confessed that the fact at Ruthven was treason.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_41" id="Footnote_41"></a><a href="#FNanchor_41"><span class="label">[41]</span></a> The persons concerned in the raid of Ruthven, assembled an +army at Stirling and took the castle, from thence they sent a +supplication to the king to redress their grievances. In the mean time, +the earl of Gowrie, lingering about Dundee was apprehended and committed +to prison, which discouraged the party at Stirling very much, so that +they fled in the night, and got to Berwick; the captain of the castle +and three others were hanged; Gowrie was likewise executed on the 2d of +May 1584.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_42" id="Footnote_42"></a><a href="#FNanchor_42"><span class="label">[42]</span></a> Bennet, in his memorial, says, That while he (James) +grasped at arbitrary power, to which he discovered an inclination thro' +the whole of his reign, it has been observed, and not without good +reason, that he made himself mean and contemptible to all the world +abroad, though affecting to swagger over his parliament and people at +home, which he did in a manner that was far from making or showing him +great.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_43" id="Footnote_43"></a><a href="#FNanchor_43"><span class="label">[43]</span></a> Mr James Melvil was confined at last to Berwick, where he +ended his days, Jan, 1614.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_44" id="Footnote_44"></a><a href="#FNanchor_44"><span class="label">[44]</span></a> The epigram is as follows,</p> +<div class="poem"> +<span class="i0">Cur stant clausi Anglis libri duo, regia in arca,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Lumina cæca duo, pollubra sicca duo?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Num sensum, cultumque Dei tenet Anglia clausum,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Lumine cæca suo, sorde sepulta suo?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Romano et ritu, dum regalem instruit aram<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Purpuream pingit religiosa lupam.<br /></span> +</div> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_45" id="Footnote_45"></a><a href="#FNanchor_45"><span class="label">[45]</span></a> Spotswood doth not ascribe any thing of the form of +presbyterian church government to Mr. Knox, because they admitted of +superintendents in the church in his time, which he thinks was +Episcopacy: but says, That Mr. Andrew Melvil brought this innovation (as +he is pleased to call it) from Geneva about the year 1575. Hist. p. +{illegible} <i>&c.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_46" id="Footnote_46"></a><a href="#FNanchor_46"><span class="label">[46]</span></a> <i>The Protestation offered to the estates convened in +Parliament at Perth, in the beginning of July</i>, anno 1606. +</p><p> +The earnest desire of our hearts is to be faithful, and in case we would +have been silent and unfaithful at this time, when the undermined estate +of Christ's kirk craveth a duty at our hands, we should have locked up +our hearts with patience, and our mouths with taciturnity, rather than +to have impeached any with our admonition. But that which Christ +commandeth, necessity urgeth, and duty wringeth out of us, to be +faithful office bearers in the kirk of God, no man can justly blame us, +providing we hold ourselves within the bounds of that Christian +moderation, which followeth God, without injury done to any man, +especially these whom God hath lapped up within the skirts of his own +honourable stiles and names, calling them, Gods upon earth. +</p><p> +Now therefore, my lords, convened in this present parliament, under the +most high and excellent majesty of our dread sovereign, to your honours +is our exhortation, that ye would endeavour with all singleness of +heart, love and zeal, to advance the building of the house of God, +reserving always into the Lord's own hand that glory, which he will +communicate neither with man nor angel, viz. to prescribe from his holy +mountain a lively pattern, according to which his own tabernacle should +be formed: Remembering always that there is no absolute and undoubted +authority in this world, excepting the sovereign authority of Christ the +king, to whom it belongeth as properly to rule the kirk according to the +good pleasure of his own will, as it belongeth to him to save his kirk +by the merit of his own sufferings. All other authority is so intrenched +within the marches of divine commandment, that the least overpassing of +the bounds set by God himself, bringeth men under the fearful +expectation of temporal and eternal judgments. For this cause, my lords, +let that authority of your meeting in this present parliament, be like +the ocean, which, as it is greatest of all other waters, so it +containeth itself better within the coasts and limits appointed by God, +than any rivers of fresh running water have done. +</p><p> +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 your +authority that kirk, which the Lord hath fashioned by the +uncounterfeited work of his own new creation, as the prophet speaketh, +<i>He hath made us, and not we ourselves</i>; but that that ye should presume +to fashion and shape a new portraiture of a kirk, and a new form of +divine service which God in his word hath not before allowed; because, +that were you to extend your authority farther than the calling ye have +of God doth permit, as namely, if ye should (as God forbid) authorize +the authority of bishops, and their pre eminence above their brethren, +ye should bring into the kirk of God the ordinance of man, and that +thing which the experience of preceding ages hath testified to be the +ground of great idleness, palpable ignorance, insufferable pride, +pitiless tyranny, and shameless ambition in the kirk of God. And +finally, to have been the ground of that antichristian hierarchy, which +mounteth up on the steps of pre eminence of bishops, until that man of +sin came forth, as the ripe fruit of man's wisdom, whom God shall +consume with the breath of his own mouth. Let the sword of God pierce +that belly which brought forth such a monster; and let the staff of God +crush that egg which hath hatched such a cockatrice; and let not only +that Roman antichrist be thrown down from the high bench of his usurped +authority, but also let all the steps, whereby he mounted up to that +unlawful pre eminence, be cut down, and utterly abolished in this land. +</p><p> +Above all things, my lords, beware to strive against God, with an open +and displayed banner, by building up again the walls of Jericho, which +the Lord hath not only cast down, but hath also laid them under a +horrible interdiction and execration; so that the building of them again +must needs stand to greater charges to the builders, than the +re-edifying of Jericho to Hiel the Bethelite, in the days of Achab; For +he had nothing but the interdiction of Joshua, and the curse pronounced +by him, to stay him from building again of Jericho; but the noblemen and +estates of this realm, have the reverence of the oath of God, made by +themselves, and subscribed with their own hands, in the confession of +faith, 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 them +back from setting up the dominion of bishops. Because, it is of verity, +that they subscribed and swore the said confession, containing not only +the maintenance of the true doctrine, but also of the discipline +protested within the realm of Scotland. +</p><p> +Consider also, that this work cannot be set forward, without the great +slander of the gospel, defamation of many preachers, and evident hurt +and loss of the people's souls committed to our charge. For the people +are brought almost to the like case, as they were in Syria, Arabia and +Egypt, about the 600th year of our Lord, when the people were so shaken +and brangled with contrary doctrines, some affirming, and others +denying, the opinion of Eutyches, that in end they lost all assured +persuasion of true religion; and within short time thereafter, did cast +the gates of their hearts open to the peril, to receive that vile and +blasphemous doctrine of Mahomet; even so the people in this land are +cast into such admiration to hear the preachers, who damned so openly +this stately pre eminence of bishops, and then, within a few years +after, accept the same dignity, pomp and superiority in their own +persons, which they before had damned in others, that the people know +not what way to incline, and in the end will become so doubtful in +matters of religion and doctrine, that their hearts will be like an open +tavern, patent to every guest that chooses to come in. +</p><p> +We beseech your honours to ponder this in the balance of a godly and +prudent mind, and suffer not the gospel to be slandered by the behaviour +of a few preachers, of whom we are bold to affirm, that if they go +forward in this defection, not only abusing and appropriating the name +of bishops to themselves, which is common to all the pastors of God's +kirk; but also taking upon themselves such offices, that carry with them +the ordinary charge of governing the civil affairs of the country, +neglecting their flocks, and seeking to subordinate their brethren to +their jurisdiction; if any of them, we say, be found to step forward in +this cause of defection, they are more worthy, as rotten members, to be +cut off from the body of Christ, than to have superiority and dominion +over their brethren, within the kirk of God. +</p><p> +This pre eminence of bishops is that Dagon, which once already fell +before the ark of God in this land, and no band of iron shall be able to +hold him up again. This is that pattern of that altar brought from +Damascus, but not shewed to Moses in the mountain, and therefore it +shall fare with it as it did with that altar of Damascus, it came last +in the temple, and went first out. Likewise the institution of Christ +was anterior to this pre eminence of bishops, and shall consist and +stand within the house of God, when this new fashion of the altar shall +go to the door. +</p><p> +Remember, my lords, that in times past your authority was for Christ, +and not against him. Ye followed the light of God, and strived not +against it; and, like a child in the mother's hand, ye said to Christ, +<i>Draw us after thee</i>. God forbid, that ye should now leave off, and fall +away from your former reverence borne to Christ, in presuming to lead +him, whom the Father hath appointed to be leader of you. And far less to +trail the holy ordinances of Christ by the cords of your authority, at +the heels of the ordinances of men. +</p><p> +And albeit your honours have no such intention to do any thing which may +impair the honour of Christ's kingdom; yet remember, that spiritual +darkness, flowing from a very small beginning, doth so insinuate and +thrust itself into the house of God, as men can hardly discern by what +secret means the light was dimmed, and darkness creeping in got the +upper hand; and in the end, at unawares, all was involved in a misty +cloud of horrible apostacy. +</p><p> +And lest any should think this our admonition out of time, in so far as +it is statute and ordained already by his majesty, with advice of his +estates in parliament, that all ministers, provided to prelacies, should +have vote in parliament; as likewise, the General Assembly (his majesty +being present thereat) hath found the same lawful and expedient, We +would humbly and earnestly beseech all such, to consider, +</p><p> +<i>First</i>, That the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the office bearers and laws +thereof, neither should, nor can suffer any derogation, addition, +diminution or alteration besides the prescript of his holy word, by any +inventions or doings of men civil or ecclesiastical. And we are able, by +the grace of God, and will offer ourselves to prove, that this bishopric +to be erected, is against the word of God, the ancient fathers, and +canons of the kirk, the modern most learned and godly divines, the +doctrine and constitution of the kirk of Scotland since the first +reformation of religion within the same country, the laws of the realm, +ratifying the government of the kirk by the general and provincial +assemblies, presbyteries and sessions; also against the well and honour +of the king's most excellent majesty, the well and honour of the realm +and quietness thereof; the established estate and well of the kirk in +the doctrine, discipline and patrimony thereof; the well and honour of +your lordships, the most ancient estate of this realm, and finally, +against the well of all, and every one, the good subjects thereof, in +soul, body and substance. +</p><p> +<i>Next</i>, That the act of parliament, granting vote in parliament to +ministers, is with a special provision, that nothing thereby be +derogatory or prejudicial to the present established discipline of the +kirk and jurisdiction thereof in general and synodical assemblies, +presbyteries and sessions. +</p><p> +<i>Thirdly</i> and lastly, The General Assembly (his majesty sitting, voting +and consenting therein) fearing the corruption of that office, hath +circumscribed 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 of +parliament, that is to be made for confirmation of their vote in +parliament, as most necessary and substantial parts of the same. And the +said assembly hath not agreed to give thereunto the name of bishops, for +fear of importing the old corruption, pomp and tyranny of papal bishops, +but ordained them to be called commissioners for the kirk to vote in +parliament. And it is of verity, that according to these cautions, +neither have these men, now called bishops, entered to that office of +commissionary to vote in parliament, neither since their ingyring, have +they behaved themselves therein. And therefore, in the name of the Lord +Jesus Christ, who shall hold that great court of parliament to judge +both the quick and the dead at his glorious manifestation; and in name +of his kirk in general, so happily and well established within this +realm, and whereof the said realm hath reaped the comfortable peace and +unity, free from heresy, schism and dissention these 46 years by-past; +also in name of our presbyteries, from which we have our commission; and +in our own names, office bearers and pastors within the same, for +discharging of our necessary duty, and disburdening of our consciences +in particular, We Except and Protest against the said bishopric, and +bishops, and the erection, or confirmation or ratification thereof at +this present parliament; most humbly craving, that this our protestation +may be admitted by your honours, and registrate among the statutes and +acts of the same, in case (as God forbid) these bishoprics be erected, +ratified, or confirmed therein. +</p><p class="center"> +<i>This Protestation was subscribed by the ministers, whose names follow,</i> +</p><p> +<span class="smcap">Messrs.</span> Andrew Melvil, James Melvil, William Scott, James Ross, John +Carmichael, John Gillespie, William Erskine, Colin Campbel, James +Muirhead, John Mitchel, John Davidson, John Coldon, John Abernethy, +James Davidson, Adam Bannantyne, John Row, William Buchanan, John +Kennedy, 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, William +Cranston.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_47" id="Footnote_47"></a><a href="#FNanchor_47"><span class="label">[47]</span></a> These were, 1. Kneeling at the communion. 2. Private +communion. 3. Private baptism. 4. Observation of holydays. 5. +Confirmation of children.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_48" id="Footnote_48"></a><a href="#FNanchor_48"><span class="label">[48]</span></a> See them in Calderwood's history, page 708.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_49" id="Footnote_49"></a><a href="#FNanchor_49"><span class="label">[49]</span></a> Vide Mr. Welch's dispute with Gilbert Brown the papist, in +preface.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_50" id="Footnote_50"></a><a href="#FNanchor_50"><span class="label">[50]</span></a> The first was called Dr. Welch, a doctor of medicine, who +was unhappily killed, upon an innocent mistake in the Low Countries. +</p><p> +Another son he had most lamentably lost at sea, for when the ship in +which he was, was sunk, he swam to a rock in the sea, but starved there +for want of necessary food and refreshment, and when sometime afterward +his body was found upon the rock, they found him dead in a praying +posture upon his bended knees, with his hands stretched out, and this +was all the satisfaction his friends and the world had upon his +lamentable death. +</p><p> +Another he had who was heir to his father's graces and blessings, and +this was Mr. Josias Welch minister at Temple patrick in the north of +Ireland, commonly called the Cock of the conscience by the people of +that country, because of his extraordinary awakening and rouzing gift: +He was one of that blest society of ministers, which wrought that +unparallelled work in the north of Ireland, about the year 1636 but was +himself a man most sadly exercised with doubts about his own salvation +all his time, and would ordinarily say, That minister was much to be +pitied, who was called to comfort weak saints, and had no comfort +himself. He died in his youth, and left for his successor, Mr. John +Welch minister in Irongray in Galloway, the place of his grandfather's +nativity. What business this made in Scotland, in the time of the late +episcopal persecution, for the space of twenty years, is known to all +Scotland. He maintained his dangerous post of preaching the gospel upon +the mountains of Scotland notwithstanding of the threatenings of the +state, the hatred of the bishops, the price set upon his head, and all +the fierce industry of his cruel enemies. It is well known that bloody +Claverhouse upon secret information from his spies, that Mr. John Welch +was to be found in some lurking place at forty miles distance, would +make all that long journey in one winter's night, that he might catch +him, but when he came he missed always his prey. I never heard of a man +that 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 be +more cautious, and not to hazard himself so much, That he firmly +believed dangerous undertakings would be his security, and that whenever +he should give over that course and retire himself, his ministry should +come to an end; which accordingly came to pass, for when, after the +battle of Bothwel bridge, he retired to London, the Lord called him by +death, and there he was honourably interred, not far from the king's +palace.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_51" id="Footnote_51"></a><a href="#FNanchor_51"><span class="label">[51]</span></a> With Mr. Welch other five godly ministers was banished for +the same cause, viz. John Forbes, who went to Middleburgh, to the +English staple there, Robert Dury, who went to Holland, and was minister +to the Scots congregation in Lyden, John Sharp, who became minister and +professor of divinity at Die in the Delphinate, where he wrote Carlus +Theologeous, &c. and Andrew Duncan and Alexander Strachan, who in about +a year got liberty to return into their former places. Calderwood's +history, page ult.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_52" id="Footnote_52"></a><a href="#FNanchor_52"><span class="label">[52]</span></a> Fulfilling of the scripture, part 1st, page 450.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_53" id="Footnote_53"></a><a href="#FNanchor_53"><span class="label">[53]</span></a> This was the famous Leighton doctor of divinity in the two +universities of St. Andrews and Leyden, who, for writing of Zion's plea +against prelacy, was apprehended at London by two ruffians, and brought +before arch bishop Laud, who sentenced him (besides a fine of 10,000 +pounds) to be tied to a stake, and receive thirty-six stripes with a +triple cord, and then to stand two hours in the pillory (which he did in +a cold winter night), and then to have his ear cut, his face fired and +his nose slit; and the same to be repeated that day seven night, and his +other ear cut off, with the slitting of the other side of his nose and +burning his other cheek; all which was done with the utmost rigour, and +then he was sent prisoner to the fleet, where he continued, till upon a +petition to the parliament in 1640, he was released, and got for his +reparation a vote of 6000 pounds, which it is said was never paid, and +made warden of that prison wherein he had been so long confined, but +through infirmity and bad treatment he did not long survive, being then +seventy two years of age. See this more at length in Stevenson's +history, vol. 30, page 948.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_54" id="Footnote_54"></a><a href="#FNanchor_54"><span class="label">[54]</span></a> Livingston's memorable characters, page 74.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_55" id="Footnote_55"></a><a href="#FNanchor_55"><span class="label">[55]</span></a> By the calculation of Mr. Livingston's account he behoved +to be only 75 years of age; but Mr Calderwood makes him 77; and says he +had an honourable burial, being accompanied with four or five thousand +people to the grave. Vide his history, page 818.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_56" id="Footnote_56"></a><a href="#FNanchor_56"><span class="label">[56]</span></a> Mr. Blair says, that he told him, that for three years he +durst not say, my God, and that his conscience smote him for the +same.—Blair's memoirs, page 39.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_57" id="Footnote_57"></a><a href="#FNanchor_57"><span class="label">[57]</span></a> About this time the king created one marquis, ten earls, +two viscounts and eight lords, and while he was in Scotland he dubbed +fifty-four knights on different occasions. See Crawford's peerage, +<i>&c.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_58" id="Footnote_58"></a><a href="#FNanchor_58"><span class="label">[58]</span></a> This minister is supposed to have been Mr. Rutherford, who +was by some said to be the author of that pamphlet, intitled, The last +and heavenly speech, <i>&c.</i> of John Viscount of Kenmuir.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_59" id="Footnote_59"></a><a href="#FNanchor_59"><span class="label">[59]</span></a> It would appear from the date of the last of Mr. +Rutherford's letters to this noble lady, that she lived till or a little +after the restoration.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_60" id="Footnote_60"></a><a href="#FNanchor_60"><span class="label">[60]</span></a> Mr. Livingston in his memorable Characteristicks, last +edition.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_61" id="Footnote_61"></a><a href="#FNanchor_61"><span class="label">[61]</span></a> See Stevenson's history of church and state, vol. II. page +234.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_62" id="Footnote_62"></a><a href="#FNanchor_62"><span class="label">[62]</span></a> Bailey's letters, &c. page 587.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_63" id="Footnote_63"></a><a href="#FNanchor_63"><span class="label">[63]</span></a> See these articles in the history of church and state, +vol. II. p. 745. and the civil wars of Great Britain, p. 20, &c.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_64" id="Footnote_64"></a><a href="#FNanchor_64"><span class="label">[64]</span></a> At that time the assembly sat in king Henry VIII's chapel, +and when the weather grew cooler, in Jerusalem chamber, a spacious room +in Westminster abbey. The prolocutor, Dr. Twisse, had a chair set at the +upper hand, a foot higher than the earth; before it stood two chairs for +Dr. Burgess and Mr. White assessors: before these stood a table where +Mr. Byfield and Mr. Roborough, the two scribes sat; upon the +prolocutor's right hand sat the Scots commissioners; on the left hand +the English divines to the number of about 118, whereof about two thirds +only attended close. They met every day of the week, except Saturday, +six or seven hours at a time, and began and ended with prayer.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_65" id="Footnote_65"></a><a href="#FNanchor_65"><span class="label">[65]</span></a> Such as the author of the appendix to Spotswood's history, +and others.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_66" id="Footnote_66"></a><a href="#FNanchor_66"><span class="label">[66]</span></a> Mr. Henderson's monument was afterwards repaired, as it +now stands intire a little to the westward of the church. On one side +the inscription begins with these words,</p> +<div class="poem"> +<span class="i0"><i>Hanc quisquis urnam transiens, &c.</i><br /></span> +</div> +<p>On another side it begins,</p> +<div class="poem"> +<span class="i0"><i>Qui contra grassantes per fraudem et tyrannidem.</i><br /></span> +</div> +<p>And the English inscription on a third side—</p> +<div class="poem"> +<span class="i0">Reader, bedew thine eyes<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Not for the dust here lies,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">It quicken shall again,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And aye in joy remain:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But for thyself, the church and state<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Whose woe this dust prognosticates.<br /></span> +</div> +<p>The fourth side of the urn has no inscription.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_67" id="Footnote_67"></a><a href="#FNanchor_67"><span class="label">[67]</span></a> Mr. Bailey in his speech to the general assembly, 1647.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_68" id="Footnote_68"></a><a href="#FNanchor_68"><span class="label">[68]</span></a> It appears that he was also chaplain to the viscount +Kenmuir about the year 1634.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_69" id="Footnote_69"></a><a href="#FNanchor_69"><span class="label">[69]</span></a> Such as our catechisms, directory for worship, form of +church-government, and when the confession of faith was about to be +compiled, 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 that +purpose.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_70" id="Footnote_70"></a><a href="#FNanchor_70"><span class="label">[70]</span></a> Mr. Bailey in his letters.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_71" id="Footnote_71"></a><a href="#FNanchor_71"><span class="label">[71]</span></a> See the preface to Stevenson's history.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_72" id="Footnote_72"></a><a href="#FNanchor_72"><span class="label">[72]</span></a> Although patronage be a yoke upon the neck of the church, +which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear, contrary to Acts i. +13, <i>&c.</i> vi. 6. xiv. 23. 2. Cor. viii. 19. the practice of the +primitive church, reason and the natural rights of mankind, yet in the +beginning of our reformation from popery, it was somewhat more tolerable +(not to say necessary) than now, when there were few ministers, the +people but just emerging out of gross darkness, and our noblemen and +gentlemen then being generally not only pious religious men, but also +promoters of our reformation (the quite contrary of which is the case at +present); and yet our wise reformers, while in an advancing state, made +several acts both in church and state as barriers against this +increasing evil, and never rested until by an Act of Parliament 1649, +they got it utterly abolished. Soon after the restoration this act among +others was declared null, and patronage in its full force restored, +which continued till the revolution, when its form was changed, by +taking that power from patrons and lodging it in the hands of such +heritors and elders as were qualified by law. But as if this had not +been enough, to denude the people of that right purchased to them by the +blood of Christ, patronage was, in its extent, by act of parliament +1712, restored, and is now universally practiced with as bad +circumstances as ever.——And yet it is to be feared after all, that +there are many now-a-days, more irritated and chagrined at this evil, +because it more sensibly crosses their own inclination, then because it +is an usurpation upon the church of Christ, else they would give a more +ample testimony against the other branches of those incroachments made +upon Christ's crown and royal dignity. These who would see more of the +evil consequences of patronage, and popular elections vindicated, may +consult <i>Rectius instruendum</i>; Park upon patronage; the suffrages of the +people; the full vindication of the people's right, <i>&c.</i> a plea for the +church of Scotland against patronage; the candid inquiry; and an attempt +to prove every species of patronage foreign to the nature of the church, +<i>&c.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_73" id="Footnote_73"></a><a href="#FNanchor_73"><span class="label">[73]</span></a> And may we not tremble and be afraid of the same +judgments? for how applicable is this to out case in Scotland at +present, wherein these our national vows and covenants are not only +slighted and neglected, yea flouted at by many in this profane +generation, but even some having a more seeming zeal for religion, stand +not to argue and say, "That although these covenants were binding on our +forefathers who made and took them, yet they can be no way obligatory on +us who were never personally engaged therein." But let such for +certainty know, that as these 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 and moral, they must have respect unto all +circumstances and periods of time, and besides their form being +<i>formalis ratio</i>, <i>i.e.</i> formal reason, and the action solemn, the +majesty of heaven being both a party and witness therein, the obligation +must be perpetual, which no mortal on earth can lawfully dispense with, +and so shall bind and oblige all Scotsmen under penalty of breach of +God's covenant while sun and moon endure.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_74" id="Footnote_74"></a><a href="#FNanchor_74"><span class="label">[74]</span></a> See the forementioned letter and note in a pamphlet +intitled, Some predictions or prophecies of our Scots Worthies, &c., +from page 20 &c.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_75" id="Footnote_75"></a><a href="#FNanchor_75"><span class="label">[75]</span></a> This protestation had been given in a little before this, +to a meeting of ministers in the little kirk of Edinburgh. See +Calderwood's history, page 675.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_76" id="Footnote_76"></a><a href="#FNanchor_76"><span class="label">[76]</span></a> See his own history, page {illegible}32.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_77" id="Footnote_77"></a><a href="#FNanchor_77"><span class="label">[77]</span></a> Mr. Calderwood gave in a protest against the assembly +1649, for enabling the directory for election of ministers, which +protest was not given in, so favours of patronage, as the author of the +modest inquiry would insinuate, for Mr. Calderwood in his <i>Altare +Damascenum</i> hath affirmed once and again, in the strongest terms, the +people's right to choose their own pastor.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_78" id="Footnote_78"></a><a href="#FNanchor_78"><span class="label">[78]</span></a> This gentleman entered advocate in the year 1648, and was, +by the Protector, made one of the judges of the session in the year +1657, and became president in the year 1681. In the year 1682, he had to +retire to Holland: in 1689, he was restored to his office, and in 1690, +was created a viscount. He wrote the institutions of the law of +Scotland, and also published a system of physic greatly valued at that +time, with a book intitled, a vindication of the divine attributes, in +which there is discovered great force of argument and sound knowledge.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_79" id="Footnote_79"></a><a href="#FNanchor_79"><span class="label">[79]</span></a> It is said that the presbyterians and independents being +on a certain time to dispute before Cromwell, while he was in Scotland, +in or about Glasgow, whereat Mr. Binning being present, managed the +points controverted, that he not only non plussed Cromwell's ministers, +but even put them to shame, which, after the dispute, made Oliver ask +the name 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 +hand on his sword, said, This will loose all again.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_80" id="Footnote_80"></a><a href="#FNanchor_80"><span class="label">[80]</span></a> According to the date of his exhortations at Kirkliston, +June 11th. 1653, and his letter to lord Warriston, when on his death-bed +affixed to his select sermons, dated Feb. 7, 1656, it should appear, if +both be authentic, that he was at least two years and a half in the +ministry.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_81" id="Footnote_81"></a><a href="#FNanchor_81"><span class="label">[81]</span></a> It appears that Mr Gray was some short time married to +that worthy young gentlewoman, who afterward was married to Mr. George +Hutcheson sometime minister of the gospel at Irvine.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_82" id="Footnote_82"></a><a href="#FNanchor_82"><span class="label">[82]</span></a> See these overtures at large in the account of his life +prefixed in his commentary on the Revelation.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_83" id="Footnote_83"></a><a href="#FNanchor_83"><span class="label">[83]</span></a> See his letters, part iii. letter 27.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_84" id="Footnote_84"></a><a href="#FNanchor_84"><span class="label">[84]</span></a> See Stevenson's history, vol. 1. page 149. Rowe's history, +page 295.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_85" id="Footnote_85"></a><a href="#FNanchor_85"><span class="label">[85]</span></a> It is reported, that when King Charles saw <i>lex rex</i> he +said, it would scarcely ever get an answer; nor did it ever get any, +except what the parliament in 1661 gave it, when they caused to be burnt +at the cross of Edinburgh, by the hands of the hangman.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_86" id="Footnote_86"></a><a href="#FNanchor_86"><span class="label">[86]</span></a> See his letter to Col. Gib, Ker, part II. letter 59.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_87" id="Footnote_87"></a><a href="#FNanchor_87"><span class="label">[87]</span></a> Betwixt this toleration and that of the duke of York there +was this difference; in this all sects and religions were tolerated, +except popery and prelacy; but in that of York these two were only +tolerated, and all others except those who professed true presbyterian +covenanted principles; and as for Queen Ann's toleration, it was nothing +else than a reduplication upon this to restore their beloved {illegible} +prelacy again.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_88" id="Footnote_88"></a><a href="#FNanchor_88"><span class="label">[88]</span></a> It is commonly said, that when the summons came he spoke +out of his bed and said, Tell them I have got summons already before a +superior judge and judicatory, and I behove to answer my last summons, +and ere your day come I will be where few kings and great folks come. +When they returned and told he was a-dying, the parliament put to a +vote, Whether or not to let him die in the college. It carried, Put him +out, only a few dissenting. My lord Burleigh said, Ye have voted that +honest man out of the college, but ye cannot vote him out of heaven. +Some said, He would never win there, hell was too good for him. Burleigh +said, I wish I were as sure of heaven as he is, I would think myself +happy to get a grip of his sleeve to hawl me in. See Walker's Rem. page +171.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_89" id="Footnote_89"></a><a href="#FNanchor_89"><span class="label">[89]</span></a> See this testimony and some of his last words published in +1711.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_90" id="Footnote_90"></a><a href="#FNanchor_90"><span class="label">[90]</span></a> This appears to be these papers bearing the name of +representations, propositions, protestations, <i>&c.</i> given in by him, and +Messrs. Cant and Livingston to the ministers and elders met at +Edinburgh, July 24th 1652.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_91" id="Footnote_91"></a><a href="#FNanchor_91"><span class="label">[91]</span></a> It appears that he married a second wife by whom he had +only one child alive. See his letters part III. letter 55.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_92" id="Footnote_92"></a><a href="#FNanchor_92"><span class="label">[92]</span></a> Part I. letter 4, and part III. letter 37.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_93" id="Footnote_93"></a><a href="#FNanchor_93"><span class="label">[93]</span></a> See this discourse at large in Stevenson's history, page +674.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_94" id="Footnote_94"></a><a href="#FNanchor_94"><span class="label">[94]</span></a> See a more full account of these transactions in +Stevenson's history, vol. III. page 176.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_95" id="Footnote_95"></a><a href="#FNanchor_95"><span class="label">[95]</span></a> Some accounts bear that this was a rape committed by him.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_96" id="Footnote_96"></a><a href="#FNanchor_96"><span class="label">[96]</span></a> See the national covenant.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_97" id="Footnote_97"></a><a href="#FNanchor_97"><span class="label">[97]</span></a> See the coronation of Charles II. page 38, <i>&c.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_98" id="Footnote_98"></a><a href="#FNanchor_98"><span class="label">[98]</span></a> See these articles at large and his answers in Wodrow's +church history, vol. 1. page 43,——52.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_99" id="Footnote_99"></a><a href="#FNanchor_99"><span class="label">[99]</span></a> See the appendix to Wodrow's history, No. 18.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_100" id="Footnote_100"></a><a href="#FNanchor_100"><span class="label">[100]</span></a> The historian Burnet in the introduction to his history +page 30. <i>&c.</i> is pleased to say, "This Argyle was a pretender to high +degrees of piety. Warriston went to very high notions of lengthened +devotions, and whatsoever struck his fancy during these effusions he +looked on it as an answer of prayer." But perhaps the bishop was much a +stranger both to high degrees of piety and lengthened devotions, and +also to such returns of prayer, for these two gallant noblemen faced the +bloody ax and gibbet rather than forgo their profession, with more +courage, and (I may say) upon better principles or grounds of suffering +than what any diocesan bishop in Scotland at least, or even the doctor +himself was honoured to do.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_101" id="Footnote_101"></a><a href="#FNanchor_101"><span class="label">[101]</span></a> Or the wrestling of the church of Scotland, page 166.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_102" id="Footnote_102"></a><a href="#FNanchor_102"><span class="label">[102]</span></a> Wodrow in his history, vol. I. page 56.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_103" id="Footnote_103"></a><a href="#FNanchor_103"><span class="label">[103]</span></a> It surely was a piece of ill advised conduct (as many of +themselves afterward acknowledged), that ever they elected or admitted +any of that family of Ahab, after the Almighty had so remarkably driven +them forth of these kingdoms, unto the regal dignity, upon any terms +whatsoever; particularly Charles II. after he had given such recent +proofs of his dissimulation and dissaffection unto the cause and people +of God in these nations. After which they never had a day to prosper; +for by contending against malignants, and yet at the same time vowing +and praying for the head of malignants they not only had malignants and +sectaries to fight with, but also made a desuetude unto their former +attainments, and so came to contend with one another, until prelacy +proved their utter ruin at last. It is objected that king Charles was a +good natured man, and that the extermination of our excellent +constitution, was from evil counsellors. It is but too true, that evil +counsellors have many times proved the ruin of kingdoms and +commonwealths, else the wise man would not have said. <i>Take away the +wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established</i>, Prov. +xxv. 5. But take the matter as it is, he was still the head of that +constitution and (not to speak of his other immoralities), a most +perfidious, treacherous and wicked man, and could engage to day and +break to-morrow, and all to obtain an earthly crown. For a further +illustration of this, see a letter shewing the defection of both +addressers and protestors, &c; Dr. Owen's sermon before the protector in +Scotland; the history of the Stuarts; and Bennet's memorial of Britain's +deliverances, &c.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_104" id="Footnote_104"></a><a href="#FNanchor_104"><span class="label">[104]</span></a> Apologetical relation, § v. page 83.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_105" id="Footnote_105"></a><a href="#FNanchor_105"><span class="label">[105]</span></a> See these protestations in Wodrow's church-history, vol. +I. p. 58 & 59.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_106" id="Footnote_106"></a><a href="#FNanchor_106"><span class="label">[106]</span></a> This unjust sentence was pronounced in the high church of +Glasgow by Mr. John Carstairs, who prefaced Mr. Durham's posthumous +works some of which are supposed to be vitiated by him especially his +treatise on scandal.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_107" id="Footnote_107"></a><a href="#FNanchor_107"><span class="label">[107]</span></a> See this paper called the humble petition in Crookshank's +history, vol. I. p. 64.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_108" id="Footnote_108"></a><a href="#FNanchor_108"><span class="label">[108]</span></a> Wodrow's history, vol. I. p. 61.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_109" id="Footnote_109"></a><a href="#FNanchor_109"><span class="label">[109]</span></a> History of his own times, page 127.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_110" id="Footnote_110"></a><a href="#FNanchor_110"><span class="label">[110]</span></a> Mr. Alexander Hamilton, when a student at the college of +Edinburgh, at the hazard of his life, took down Mr. Guthrie's head and +buried it, after it had stood a spectacle for twenty seven years; and it +is observable that the very same person afterward succeeded him at +Stirling, where he was minister for twelve years.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_111" id="Footnote_111"></a><a href="#FNanchor_111"><span class="label">[111]</span></a> 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 of London had the direction of the ceremony. He +preached in the chapel royal, and insisted upon the benefit of +conformity, and the reverence due to the ceremonies of the church <i>&c.</i> +But this discourse was far from being to the gust of the people. See +Stevenson's history, Vol. I. Bennet's memorial, page 178.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_112" id="Footnote_112"></a><a href="#FNanchor_112"><span class="label">[112]</span></a> Vide Bailie's Letters, Vol. I. page 69.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_113" id="Footnote_113"></a><a href="#FNanchor_113"><span class="label">[113]</span></a> History of the Stuarts, Vol. I. page 140.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_114" id="Footnote_114"></a><a href="#FNanchor_114"><span class="label">[114]</span></a> History of the Stuarts, vol. I. p. 140.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_115" id="Footnote_115"></a><a href="#FNanchor_115"><span class="label">[115]</span></a> Memoirs of the duke of Hamilton, p. 163.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_116" id="Footnote_116"></a><a href="#FNanchor_116"><span class="label">[116]</span></a> Rushworth's history, vol. I. Oldmixon, vol. I. p. +14{illegible}.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_117" id="Footnote_117"></a><a href="#FNanchor_117"><span class="label">[117]</span></a> See Dr. Welwood's memoirs, p. {illegible}0.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_118" id="Footnote_118"></a><a href="#FNanchor_118"><span class="label">[118]</span></a> See these speeches in the history of church and state, +vol. III. pages 1215-25.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_119" id="Footnote_119"></a><a href="#FNanchor_119"><span class="label">[119]</span></a> His son James earl of Loudon suffered much after his +father's death, during the persecuting period; and at last was obliged +to leave his native country, and died an exile at Leyden, after having +endured a series of hardships. And there are recent instances of the +truly noble and independent spirit for liberty this worthy family have +all along retained, which, we doubt not, will be transmitted to their +posterity.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_120" id="Footnote_120"></a><a href="#FNanchor_120"><span class="label">[120]</span></a> Of his life prefixed to his letters.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_121" id="Footnote_121"></a><a href="#FNanchor_121"><span class="label">[121]</span></a> See this and another of his letters to Lauderdale, +Wodrow's history, Vol. I. page 129.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_122" id="Footnote_122"></a><a href="#FNanchor_122"><span class="label">[122]</span></a> See the first discourse in Stevenson's history page 562.; +and the last in the assembly-journal.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_123" id="Footnote_123"></a><a href="#FNanchor_123"><span class="label">[123]</span></a> See Mr. Livingston's memorable characteristics, page 81.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_124" id="Footnote_124"></a><a href="#FNanchor_124"><span class="label">[124]</span></a> See further of these declarations and protests in +Stevenson's history of church and state, page 361.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_125" id="Footnote_125"></a><a href="#FNanchor_125"><span class="label">[125]</span></a> See a more full account of these affairs in the history +of church and state, vol. III. page 1009.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_126" id="Footnote_126"></a><a href="#FNanchor_126"><span class="label">[126]</span></a> See the said reasons, <i>&c.</i> page 50.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_127" id="Footnote_127"></a><a href="#FNanchor_127"><span class="label">[127]</span></a> Blair's memoirs, page 121.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_128" id="Footnote_128"></a><a href="#FNanchor_128"><span class="label">[128]</span></a> Wodrow's history, Vol. I. page 164.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_129" id="Footnote_129"></a><a href="#FNanchor_129"><span class="label">[129]</span></a> Wodrow's history, Vol. I. page 175.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_130" id="Footnote_130"></a><a href="#FNanchor_130"><span class="label">[130]</span></a> See his history, page 203.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_131" id="Footnote_131"></a><a href="#FNanchor_131"><span class="label">[131]</span></a> Preface to the apologetical relation.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_132" id="Footnote_132"></a><a href="#FNanchor_132"><span class="label">[132]</span></a> Crookshank's history, Vol. I. page 248.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_133" id="Footnote_133"></a><a href="#FNanchor_133"><span class="label">[133]</span></a> The reader will find this speech in Naphtali, and in the +appendix to Wodrow's history.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_134" id="Footnote_134"></a><a href="#FNanchor_134"><span class="label">[134]</span></a> About the time of Middleton's parliament 1661, or 1662, +Mr. Wood in company of Mr. Vetch, went into one Glen's shop in Edinburgh +to see Sharp, whom he had not seen since he turned bishop.—Sharp +discoverning his head to receive the commissioner they had a full view +of his face to whom Mr. Wood looked very seriously, and then with much +affection uttered these words, "O thou Judas, apostate, traitor, that +has betrayed the famous presbyterian church of Scotland to its utter +ruin as far as thou canst, if I knew any thing of the mind of God, thou +shall not die the ordinary and common death of men." And though this was +spoken eighteen years before it was exactly accomplished, <i>anno</i> 1679. +See Vetch's large life biography, prior edition, page 471.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_135" id="Footnote_135"></a><a href="#FNanchor_135"><span class="label">[135]</span></a> Wodrow's history, vol. I. page 208.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_136" id="Footnote_136"></a><a href="#FNanchor_136"><span class="label">[136]</span></a> See Wodrow's and Crookshank's histories.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_137" id="Footnote_137"></a><a href="#FNanchor_137"><span class="label">[137]</span></a> Rutherford's letters, part III. let. 66.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_138" id="Footnote_138"></a><a href="#FNanchor_138"><span class="label">[138]</span></a> After the rest of his brethren were cast out, people so +flocked to his sacramental occasions, that the church was so thronged, +that each communicant (it is said), had to shew their tokens to the +keepers of the door before they got entrance, to prevent disorder and +confusion.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_139" id="Footnote_139"></a><a href="#FNanchor_139"><span class="label">[139]</span></a> Wodrow's history, Vol. I. page 111.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_140" id="Footnote_140"></a><a href="#FNanchor_140"><span class="label">[140]</span></a> In the form of a crooked boy who laughed in his face, +<i>&c</i>, fulfilling of the scriptures, Vol. I. page 357.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_141" id="Footnote_141"></a><a href="#FNanchor_141"><span class="label">[141]</span></a> His own memoirs, page 11, and 13.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_142" id="Footnote_142"></a><a href="#FNanchor_142"><span class="label">[142]</span></a> Fulfilling of the scriptures, Vol. I. page 375.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_143" id="Footnote_143"></a><a href="#FNanchor_143"><span class="label">[143]</span></a> It seems to have been about this time, that Mr. Blair +married his first wife Beatrix Hamilton, a very gracious woman, of the +house of {illegible}.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_144" id="Footnote_144"></a><a href="#FNanchor_144"><span class="label">[144]</span></a> See the {illegible} of Mr. {illegible}</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_145" id="Footnote_145"></a><a href="#FNanchor_145"><span class="label">[145]</span></a> See his testimony in Naphtali and Samson's riddle.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_146" id="Footnote_146"></a><a href="#FNanchor_146"><span class="label">[146]</span></a> Mr. Crookshanks. This was about the Nov. 1662, when the +council commenced a process against Sir James Stuart for entertaining +him in that family. See his history, vol, II, page 134.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_147" id="Footnote_147"></a><a href="#FNanchor_147"><span class="label">[147]</span></a> Bishop Guthrie says, That the chief managers here were +Mess. William Ardir, William Guthrie, and John Nevay; and that the +covenanters were of foot 2000 and horse 500 strong (but this is more +than probable). See his memoirs, page 177. Bailie's letters adds Mssrs. +Mowet, Thomas Wylie, Gabriel Maxwel, and Alexander Blair, and says they +were some 800 foot and 12 horse strong, Vol. II. page 295,—299.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_148" id="Footnote_148"></a><a href="#FNanchor_148"><span class="label">[148]</span></a> See the fulfilling of the scriptures, part I. page 434. +Wodrow's history, vol. I. page 143.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_149" id="Footnote_149"></a><a href="#FNanchor_149"><span class="label">[149]</span></a> See the process and his answers at large in Wodrow's +history, vol. 1. page 144.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_150" id="Footnote_150"></a><a href="#FNanchor_150"><span class="label">[150]</span></a> Wodrow's history, vol. I. page 113.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_151" id="Footnote_151"></a><a href="#FNanchor_151"><span class="label">[151]</span></a> See Stevenson's History, vol. III. page 223.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_152" id="Footnote_152"></a><a href="#FNanchor_152"><span class="label">[152]</span></a> It is generally told, that when his mother was ready to +be delivered of him, his father, being in the next room, intreated the +midwife, if possible, to stop the birth a few minutes, but she answered, +She could not. Afterwards, being asked the reason of it, he answered, He +would not die an ordinary death.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_153" id="Footnote_153"></a><a href="#FNanchor_153"><span class="label">[153]</span></a> Wodrow's history, vol. I. page {illegible}92.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_154" id="Footnote_154"></a><a href="#FNanchor_154"><span class="label">[154]</span></a> Mr. Wodrow thinks he was at Pentland; but in his answers +before the committee he says otherwise.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_155" id="Footnote_155"></a><a href="#FNanchor_155"><span class="label">[155]</span></a> Crookshank's history, vol. 1. page 343.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_156" id="Footnote_156"></a><a href="#FNanchor_156"><span class="label">[156]</span></a> The author of the narration of his torture, which is +inserted at large in Naphtali.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_157" id="Footnote_157"></a><a href="#FNanchor_157"><span class="label">[157]</span></a> Wodrow's history, vol. I. appendix, No. 93.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_158" id="Footnote_158"></a><a href="#FNanchor_158"><span class="label">[158]</span></a> In his history, page 415.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_159" id="Footnote_159"></a><a href="#FNanchor_159"><span class="label">[159]</span></a> See this petition inserted in Naphtali.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_160" id="Footnote_160"></a><a href="#FNanchor_160"><span class="label">[160]</span></a> See this testimony at large in the same book.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_161" id="Footnote_161"></a><a href="#FNanchor_161"><span class="label">[161]</span></a> Wodrow's history, Vol. I. page 443.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_162" id="Footnote_162"></a><a href="#FNanchor_162"><span class="label">[162]</span></a> Mr. Crookshanks, in his history page 419, calls him Mr. +James Welwood, which alteration proceeds probably from a mistake in P. +Walker's remarkable passages of the lives of Semple, Welwood, <i>&c.</i> page +26. edit. 1728.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_163" id="Footnote_163"></a><a href="#FNanchor_163"><span class="label">[163]</span></a> Vid. Rutherford's letters, epist. 139.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_164" id="Footnote_164"></a><a href="#FNanchor_164"><span class="label">[164]</span></a> Here observe that though this worthy gentleman mentions +the right of patronage, yet it is with this proviso and limitation, the +choice or consent of the people; otherwise says he it would wrong the +majesty of God, take away the Christian liberty of the people, and +invalidate his own right; and how unlike is this to the species of +patronage and claim of patrons at the time, when nothing but absolute +power and arbitrary measures will satisfy them.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_165" id="Footnote_165"></a><a href="#FNanchor_165"><span class="label">[165]</span></a> His son Alexander Gordon here narrowly escaped being +taken, by means 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. After this he went over to his brother in law Mr. Hamilton, to +represent the low case of the united societies to the churches of the +Netherlands; he was by them called home, and when returning back a +second time, he was apprehended by the enemy and put to the torture, but +by means of his friend the duke of Gordon, his life was spared. However, +he was sent to the Bass, and from thence (I suppose) to Blackness, where +from 1683, he continued till he was liberated at the Revolution.—It is +to be lamented, that neither he, after this, nor his son Sir Thomas, +fully followed the steps of their ancestors.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_166" id="Footnote_166"></a><a href="#FNanchor_166"><span class="label">[166]</span></a> Since the publication of the above, I received the +following account of the taking of Mr. King in a letter from a +correspondent. +</p><p> +Mr King having come to pay his respects to the Laird of Blair, (in Dalry +parish near Kilwinning to whom formerly he had been some time chaplain) +one Bryce Blair, a farmer, who had been groom there while Mr. King was +about that house, getting notice, came and desired Mr King to pay him a +visit, to which he consented. Accordingly, he went where he preached a +short word on the Saturday night following. But on the Sabbath morning, +a party of the enemy (according to some, Crighton's dragoons) being in +quest of him, and getting the scent, two of them in disguise came to an +old man feeding cattle near Bryce Blair's house, and asked him, whether +he knew where that godly minister Mr. King was; for they were afraid he +would be taken, as the enemy were in pursuit of him; and if they knew +where he was, they would secure him from them. The old man having more +honesty than policy, cried out, I'll run and tell him. Whereupon they +rode full speed after him to the house. Finding a servant of the house +waiting on Mr King's and his servant's horses, they immediately +dismounted, and having driven their own horses into the standing corn, +threatening him not to stir from the spot on pain of death, one of them +took his saddle, and putting it on Mr. King's horse said, Many a mile +have I rode after thee, but I shall ride upon thee now. +</p><p> +By this time the rest had surrounded the house, and Mr. King and his +servant being in bed they immediately commanded them to rise and put on +their cloaths. While his servant was putting on his spurs, one of the +soldiers damned him, saying, was he putting a spur on a prisoner? To +whom he replied, He would put on what he pleased: For which he received +from him a blow: then another gave that soldier a blow, saying, Damn +you, sir, are you striking a prisoner, while making no resistance. In +the hurry, Mr. King's servant threw his master's wallees into a peat +loft. Thus they were both carried off. They hired one David Cumming in +the 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 him +with such violence as affrighted the beholders, they were obliged to let +him go; but no sooner was he returned home, than he became as calm as +ever. Cumming had to go on foot to Glasgow. From thence Mr. King was +sent to Edinburgh. After which his servant was set at liberty. For what +afterward became of Cumming see the Appendix.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_167" id="Footnote_167"></a><a href="#FNanchor_167"><span class="label">[167]</span></a> See a short hint of their advocates pleadings and +petition in behalf of Mr. King, Crookshank's history, vol. II. page 27.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_168" id="Footnote_168"></a><a href="#FNanchor_168"><span class="label">[168]</span></a> Crookshank's history, vol. I. page 255.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_169" id="Footnote_169"></a><a href="#FNanchor_169"><span class="label">[169]</span></a> M'Ward, in his earnest contendings, page 541.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_170" id="Footnote_170"></a><a href="#FNanchor_170"><span class="label">[170]</span></a> The Rev. Mr. George Barclay, who was very public at this +time, and had his hand at many a good turn, and was a blessed instrument +to the edification 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 of the gospel was in the bounds belonging to the laird of +Haugh-head, worthy Henry Hull, <i>&c.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_171" id="Footnote_171"></a><a href="#FNanchor_171"><span class="label">[171]</span></a> Those who dispensed the sacrament of the Lord's supper +here, were Messrs. Archibald Riddel, John Welch, Andrew Morton, Patrick +Warner, George Barclay and others.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_172" id="Footnote_172"></a><a href="#FNanchor_172"><span class="label">[172]</span></a> Probably this was Mr. Henry Erskine, the late Mr. +Erskine's grandfather.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_173" id="Footnote_173"></a><a href="#FNanchor_173"><span class="label">[173]</span></a> King James II. never took the coronation oath of +Scotland.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_174" id="Footnote_174"></a><a href="#FNanchor_174"><span class="label">[174]</span></a> Another account bears, that his last sermon was preached +at the water of Renan in Galloway, and that it was a very prophetical +one. But though he might have preached there, yet, according to the +order of time and place as above specified, it does not appear to have +been the last sermon that he preached.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_175" id="Footnote_175"></a><a href="#FNanchor_175"><span class="label">[175]</span></a> It was said, Earshall got 500 l. and Ochiltree 10,000 +merks. However some time after, one morning about break of day, a fiery +pillar of a bloody colour seemingly about two yards long, was seen +hanging above that house. The same day about two o'clock after noon the +castle took fire, and was with charters, plate and all, burnt down to +the ground. The son said to the father while it was burning, "This is +the vengeance of Cameron's blood." That house was never built. For the +new house, estate and all, they are gone from that race to others.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_176" id="Footnote_176"></a><a href="#FNanchor_176"><span class="label">[176]</span></a> See Wilson's impartial relation of Bothwel-bridge, p. +67.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_177" id="Footnote_177"></a><a href="#FNanchor_177"><span class="label">[177]</span></a> Some of these bloody enemies said, That that handful were +men of the greatest courage that ever they set their faces to fight +against, although they had been at battles abroad; and that if they had +been as well trained, horsed and armed as they were, they would surely +have been put to flight. And few of them escaped, for their shots and +strokes were deadly, of which few recovered; for though there were but +nine of the covenanters killed, yet there were twenty-eight of the enemy +killed or died of their wounds in a few days. +</p><p> +Walker's memoirs, p. 56.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_178" id="Footnote_178"></a><a href="#FNanchor_178"><span class="label">[178]</span></a> See his letters and answers in the cloud of witnesses.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_179" id="Footnote_179"></a><a href="#FNanchor_179"><span class="label">[179]</span></a> See more of this laird of Blackstoun, in the appendix.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_180" id="Footnote_180"></a><a href="#FNanchor_180"><span class="label">[180]</span></a> For a particular account of this gift, see Samson's +Riddle, <i>&c.</i> page 139, 144.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_181" id="Footnote_181"></a><a href="#FNanchor_181"><span class="label">[181]</span></a> See more of Murray in the Appendix.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_182" id="Footnote_182"></a><a href="#FNanchor_182"><span class="label">[182]</span></a> It would appear, he was retaken about the end of that +year, by the acts of council; and liberate without any conditions: which +was a thing uncommon at this time. Vid. Wodrow's history, Vol. +{illegible}, page 146. +</p><p> +N. B. It has been thought somewhat strange, that the posterity of such +ancient and religious families as this and Earlstoun should be now +extinct in their houses and estates. But this needs be no paradox; for +the condition of the covenant or promise of property and dignity +is,—<i>if thy children will keep my covenant and testimony, their +children shall also sit upon thy throne for ever, and shall return unto +the Lord thy God, and obey his voice; thy God will bring them unto the +land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shall possess it.</i> Now the +contrary practices must produce the contrary effects: and upon none more +remarkable than those who apostatize from the profession, principles and +piety of their ancestors. It is said, that Sir Thomas Gordon of +Earlstoun fell into a profligate and irreligious life. And for Donald +Ker, he fell in with king William, and was killed at the battle of +Steinkirk in Flanders, 1692. And for John Crawford (alias Ker) who +married his sister, and with her the estate of Kersland, he got a patent +to be a rogue, <i>patrem sequitur sua proles</i>, from Queen Ann and her +ministry, by virtue of which, he feigned himself sometimes a Jacobite, +and sometimes an old dissenter, or Cameronian, (as he calls them) unto +whom he gives high encomiums. What correspondences he might have with +some 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 was +never admitted into the community, or secrets of the genuine old +dissenters: for, though he attended one or more of their meetings, yet +he was refused, and so could never influence them to publish any of +their declarations. But more of this, if the Lord will, elsewhere on +another occasion. +</p><p> +The reader will find the above mentioned patent on the frontispiece of +his memoirs: And what satisfaction he himself had in this dirty work and +wicked courses in the courts interest, as he himself calls it, and how +he was by them repaid as he deserved, in these memoirs, from page 31 to +81, <i>&c.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_183" id="Footnote_183"></a><a href="#FNanchor_183"><span class="label">[183]</span></a> It appears that it was about this time, that he resolved +to go over to Holland, but we have no certain account where or what time +he stayed there; but from the sequel of the following account it could +not be long.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_184" id="Footnote_184"></a><a href="#FNanchor_184"><span class="label">[184]</span></a> See Walker's remarkable passages of the life of Mr. +Cargil, &c. page 8.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_185" id="Footnote_185"></a><a href="#FNanchor_185"><span class="label">[185]</span></a> The first of these was clearly verified in the case of +lord Rothes, and the second was verified in the remembrance of many yet +alive. (1.) Every person knoweth that Charles II. was poisoned. (2.) His +brother the duke of York died at St Germains in France. (3.) The duke of +Monmouth was executed at London. (4.) The duke of Lauderdale turned a +belly god, and died on the chamber-box. (5.) The duke of Rothes died +raving under the dreadful terror of that sentence, &c. (6.) Bloody Sir +George MacKenzie died at London, and all the passages of his body +running blood. (7.) General Dalziel died with a glass of wine at his +mouth in perfect health. See Walker's remarks, page 10.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_186" id="Footnote_186"></a><a href="#FNanchor_186"><span class="label">[186]</span></a> About this time the Gibbites were all taken and +imprisoned in the tolbooth and correction house of Edinburgh, but, by +the duke of York and his faction, were soon liberated; after which the +four men and two women went west to the Frost moss, betwixt Airth and +Stirling, where they burnt the Holy Bible, every one of them using +expressions at that horrid action which are fearful to utter.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_187" id="Footnote_187"></a><a href="#FNanchor_187"><span class="label">[187]</span></a> To these two men he said, If I be not under a delusion, +(for that was his ordinary way of speaking of things to come) the French +and other foreigners with some unhappy men in this land, will be your +stroke: it will come at such a nick of time when one of these nations +will not be in a capacity to help another. For me, I am to die shortly +by the hand of those murderers, and shall not see it, I know not how the +Lord's people will endure it that have to meet with it; but the +foresight and forethought of it make me tremble. And then, as if it had +been to himself, he said, Short but very sharp.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_188" id="Footnote_188"></a><a href="#FNanchor_188"><span class="label">[188]</span></a> Sometimes he ran on foot, having lost several horses in +his remarkable escapes, one of which was shot under him at +Linlithgow-bridge.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_189" id="Footnote_189"></a><a href="#FNanchor_189"><span class="label">[189]</span></a> The week before he was taken, he married two persons; and +being in the Leewood, John Weir and his wife brought him his dinner. +Being pressed to eat, he said, Let me alone, I cannot be pressed: for I +took not that meal of meat these 30 years but I could have taken as much +when I rose up as when I sat down. Vide Walk. Relation, page 45.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_190" id="Footnote_190"></a><a href="#FNanchor_190"><span class="label">[190]</span></a> See his examination and answers at large in Wodrow's +history Vol. II. page 184.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_191" id="Footnote_191"></a><a href="#FNanchor_191"><span class="label">[191]</span></a> Vid Walker in his remarkable passages, &c.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_192" id="Footnote_192"></a><a href="#FNanchor_192"><span class="label">[192]</span></a> See a more full account of this in Wilton's impartial +relation of Bothwel-bridge, page 13. &c.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_193" id="Footnote_193"></a><a href="#FNanchor_193"><span class="label">[193]</span></a> The reader will find an account of these their +transactions in their own register now published of late, under the +title of Faithful Contendings displayed, &c.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_194" id="Footnote_194"></a><a href="#FNanchor_194"><span class="label">[194]</span></a> What relates to this worthy, I have extracted from the +account of his life wrote by himself when in prison yet in manuscript; +what concerns his trial and martyrdom, I have collected from history and +other writings.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_195" id="Footnote_195"></a><a href="#FNanchor_195"><span class="label">[195]</span></a> {illegible} he says they saw a remarkable flash of fire +the elements seeming as it were to open and then to close again.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_196" id="Footnote_196"></a><a href="#FNanchor_196"><span class="label">[196]</span></a> In his narrative he condescends upon four different times +he apprehended he heard or saw the enemy; the last of which he was in +company with another returning from a sermon. But I forbear to relate +these as I did with a late instance in the life of Mr. Cargil lest they +should seem incredible in this sceptical age.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_197" id="Footnote_197"></a><a href="#FNanchor_197"><span class="label">[197]</span></a> I have been more full in relating the way and manner of +this skirmish, as it is omitted, so far as I can learn, in the histories +of the sufferings of the church of Scotland.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_198" id="Footnote_198"></a><a href="#FNanchor_198"><span class="label">[198]</span></a> This seems to have been the skirmish at Bewly bog only +mentioned in history.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_199" id="Footnote_199"></a><a href="#FNanchor_199"><span class="label">[199]</span></a> Whether this was Mr Law after the revolution minister at +Edinburgh, Mr. Hutcheson or another, I can not say.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_200" id="Footnote_200"></a><a href="#FNanchor_200"><span class="label">[200]</span></a> Probably this was R. Garnock, who though a private man, +was honoured of the Lord to be a public witness, which was most galling +to them.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_201" id="Footnote_201"></a><a href="#FNanchor_201"><span class="label">[201]</span></a> N. B. The faithful and pious Mr. Renwick was present, and +much affected at this execution: after which he assembled some friends, +and lifted their bodies in the night, and buried them in the West Kirk. +They also got their heads down; but, day approaching, they could not +make the same place but were obliged to turn aside to Lauriston's Yards +(to whom one Alexander Tweedie then in company with them, was gardener) +where they in a box interred them. The said gardener, it is said, +planted a white rose-bush above them, and a red one below them a little; +which proved more fruitful than any bushes in all the garden. This place +being uncultivated for a considerable time, they lay till October 7th, +1728, that another gardener trenching the ground found them. They were +lifted and by direction were laid on a table in the summer house of the +proprietor; and a fair linen cloth cut out and laid upon them, where all +had access to come and see them; where they beheld a hole in each head +which 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 by +some friends, carried unto Gray-Friars church-yard, and interred near +the martyr's tomb (being near forty-five years since their separation +from their bodies) they were re-buried on the same day Wednesday, and +about four o'clock afternoon the same time that at first they went to +their resting place: and attended, says one present, "with the greatest +multitude of people old and young men and women, ministers and others, +that ever I saw together." And there they ly awaiting a glorious +resurrection on the morning of the last day, when they shall be raised +up with more honour, than at their death they were treated with reproach +and ignominy.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_202" id="Footnote_202"></a><a href="#FNanchor_202"><span class="label">[202]</span></a> Some accounts bear that Naphtali was wrote by him, but +Wodrow says otherwise.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_203" id="Footnote_203"></a><a href="#FNanchor_203"><span class="label">[203]</span></a> So says the history of the civil wars, page 186. The +history of Montrose's wars, or memoirs of his life, page 12{illegible}.; +and his letters to the covenanters, appendix, page 49.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_204" id="Footnote_204"></a><a href="#FNanchor_204"><span class="label">[204]</span></a> Although Montrose got off at this time, yet when he made +another insurrection <i>anno</i> 1650, he was fought and routed by a few +troops under the command of the forementioned colonels Strahan, Hacket +and Ker, and he himself taken afterwards in the land of Assen's, bound +and brought to Edinburgh, where he was by the parliament condemned to be +hanged May 21st, on a gallows thirty feet high, three hours space, his +head to be cut off and placed on the tolbooth, and his legs and arms to +be hanged up 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}, <i>&c.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_205" id="Footnote_205"></a><a href="#FNanchor_205"><span class="label">[205]</span></a> Blair's memoirs, page 113.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_206" id="Footnote_206"></a><a href="#FNanchor_206"><span class="label">[206]</span></a> See this engagement in Cromwel's life.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_207" id="Footnote_207"></a><a href="#FNanchor_207"><span class="label">[207]</span></a> See a more full account of the battle in Wodrow's +history, vol. 1. page 250, <i>&c.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_208" id="Footnote_208"></a><a href="#FNanchor_208"><span class="label">[208]</span></a> Their sword or short shabble yet remains, and may now be +seen in the hands of the publisher of this collection. It was then by +his progenitors, counted to have twenty eight gaps in its edge, which +made them afterwards observe that there were just as many years in the +time of the persecution, as there were steps or broken pieces in the +edge thereof.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_209" id="Footnote_209"></a><a href="#FNanchor_209"><span class="label">[209]</span></a> Hebrews xi. 57, 58.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_210" id="Footnote_210"></a><a href="#FNanchor_210"><span class="label">[210]</span></a> Wilson's history of Bothwel-bridge, page 41.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_211" id="Footnote_211"></a><a href="#FNanchor_211"><span class="label">[211]</span></a> This house and family was always a harbour and succour to +our late sufferers both gentlemen, ministers and private Christians; for +which, after this and their non conformity to prelacy, they were not +only harrassed, pilaged and plundered to the number of ten or twelve +times during 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 up on the parish church-doors, whereby they were exposed to +close hiding, in which they escaped many imminent dangers, and yet were +so happy as to survive the revolution at last, yet never acceded to the +revolution church, &c. But the said James Howie, when dying, Nov. 1691, +emitted a latter will or testimony, wherein he not only gave good and +satisfying evidence of his own well being, and having interest in Jesus +Christ, but also gave a most faithful testimony to Scotland's covenanted +work of reformation, and that in all the parts and periods thereof.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_212" id="Footnote_212"></a><a href="#FNanchor_212"><span class="label">[212]</span></a> In the time of this, or another plunder shortly after +this, some of the soldiers burnt the Bible in the fire in a most +audacious manner.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_213" id="Footnote_213"></a><a href="#FNanchor_213"><span class="label">[213]</span></a> This seems to have been when he made a tour through +Ayr-shire to Galloway: a little after they were surprized by the enemy +on a fast day, near Loudon hill, upon May 5th 1681.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_214" id="Footnote_214"></a><a href="#FNanchor_214"><span class="label">[214]</span></a> Mr. Wodrow's history, Vol. II.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_215" id="Footnote_215"></a><a href="#FNanchor_215"><span class="label">[215]</span></a> The reader may consult his last speech, which is at full +in the cloud of witnesses.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_216" id="Footnote_216"></a><a href="#FNanchor_216"><span class="label">[216]</span></a> Here it was commonly said, that after the enemy went off +at the first, they met with two persons one of whom told them, They were +good seekers but ill finders; or somewhat to that purpose, which made +them return. It has also been said, that one of their men confessed this +at his death. However this be, people could not help observing that not +many years ago three of the offspring of the other person blamed lost +their lives by fire near the same place where these three gallant +martyrs were killed. Whether it had any reference to that, God knoweth, +I shall not, can not determine. Only we may say, <i>The Lord is known by +the judgment he executeth</i>, Psal. ix. 16.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_217" id="Footnote_217"></a><a href="#FNanchor_217"><span class="label">[217]</span></a> This John Gemmel was brother to the martyr, and being +lying of a fever in a house in the same parish, called Derwholling, he +was that day apprehended by some of the same party, together with the +goodman of the house Thomas Wylie, and his son William Wylie for reset. +They were all taken to Ayr, where the said Thomas Wylie died. While in +Ayr, it is said, this John Gemmel dreamed one night that he should be +banished, and his fellow-sufferer Hardhill should be hanged: which +accordingly came to pass.—They were taken to Edinburgh and examined, +and the foresaid William Wylie was required to take the oath of +allegiance, but refused. They ordered him to take the test. This he +refused also. They asked his reasons. 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 shoulder said, Thomas, as sure as God is in +the heavens, you'll never see a change of government. But in this he +proved a false prophet. However, he and John Gemmel were, with eleven +more banished to Barbadoes, and sold for slaves there, where they +continued for about three years, and at last purchased their liberty and +returned home at the Revolution. The first known person they saw, after +their landing at Irvine, was lieutenant Nisbet, by whom they had been +apprehended; and of whom see more in the appendix.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_218" id="Footnote_218"></a><a href="#FNanchor_218"><span class="label">[218]</span></a> According to Mr. Wodrow he was sometime also precentor at +Finwick. See the History, Vol. I. page 443.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_219" id="Footnote_219"></a><a href="#FNanchor_219"><span class="label">[219]</span></a> Wodrow's History, Vol. I. page 235.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_220" id="Footnote_220"></a><a href="#FNanchor_220"><span class="label">[220]</span></a> Walker, in his eighth additional passage, <i>&c.</i> says, +That he was in Ireland in the year 1670.; but of this we have no farther +ac-{footnote truncated}</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_221" id="Footnote_221"></a><a href="#FNanchor_221"><span class="label">[221]</span></a> In an old copy there are these words. "In the hands of a +few who shall have neither magistrate nor minister among them, who shall +be sore despised and undervalued of all, &c." Whether this alteration +proceeds from different informations or from partiality is hard to +determine, only it is affirmed that the author of these passages was +then amongst that party who had neither magistrate nor minister at that +time; Or at least was not in full communication with any party, if it +was not those adhering to Mr. Hepburn.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_222" id="Footnote_222"></a><a href="#FNanchor_222"><span class="label">[222]</span></a> The foresaid old copy says, This was within two hours of +his death.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_223" id="Footnote_223"></a><a href="#FNanchor_223"><span class="label">[223]</span></a> Renwick's life wrote by Mr. Shields, page 99.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_224" id="Footnote_224"></a><a href="#FNanchor_224"><span class="label">[224]</span></a> Some have doubted of the certainty of this interview; +however, there is no seeming improbability in it, nor does it make any +thing to the disparagement of either Mr. Peden, or Mr. Renwick.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_225" id="Footnote_225"></a><a href="#FNanchor_225"><span class="label">[225]</span></a> After this (says Patrick Walker) that troop of dragoons +came to quarter in Cambusnethen, two of them were quartered in the house +of James Gray (one of his acquaintance) and being frighted in their +sleep, they started up and clapped their hands, crying, Peden, Peden. +These two dragoons affirmed, That out of their curiosity they opened his +coffin to see his corps, and yet they had no smell, though he had been +forty days dead.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_226" id="Footnote_226"></a><a href="#FNanchor_226"><span class="label">[226]</span></a> John Ker of Kersland, in his memoirs, page 8 where he +adds, that when some people were going to join Argyle in 1685, Mr. Peden +after a short ejaculation, bid them stop, for Argyle was fallen a +sacrifice that minute. Some taking out their watches marked the time, +which accordingly answered his being taken.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_227" id="Footnote_227"></a><a href="#FNanchor_227"><span class="label">[227]</span></a> Amongst the branches of this numerous family, were Mr. +Adam Blackadder, who was first imprisoned in Stirling at seventeen years +of age, and afterwards in Blackness, in the year 1684, for waiting on +his father John Blackadder, who came over with Argyle 1685, and was +apprehended, but afterwards set at liberty; and that religious gentleman +Colonel Blackadder sometime governor of Stirling castle since the +revolution. Whither that Dr. William Blackadder mentioned in history was +that Mr Blackadder who was at Bothwel, or if he was son to Mr John +Blackadder and brother to the above mentioned, I cannot say at present.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_228" id="Footnote_228"></a><a href="#FNanchor_228"><span class="label">[228]</span></a> It was one Mr. William Blackadder that was at Bothwel.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_229" id="Footnote_229"></a><a href="#FNanchor_229"><span class="label">[229]</span></a> A historian says, that Mr. Blackadder was as free to have +declared his disapprobation of what was done there, as he was of his not +being there—But whether it be not a slur thrown upon the memory of this +worthy man, to insinuate that he should suffer such hardships and so +many years imprisonment merely out of ill nature, when he was free to +have declared what would have satisfied them, must be left with the +reader.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_230" id="Footnote_230"></a><a href="#FNanchor_230"><span class="label">[230]</span></a> See this in his testimonials from the classes, which are +inserted in his life at large, pag. 25, &c.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_231" id="Footnote_231"></a><a href="#FNanchor_231"><span class="label">[231]</span></a> This seems to have been when he made a hasty journey +thither in the year 1684 and 1686. See his letters page 98, and 136.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_232" id="Footnote_232"></a><a href="#FNanchor_232"><span class="label">[232]</span></a> See his letters and the answers, with the reasoning on +Cathcart's affair at large from page 84 to 97.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_233" id="Footnote_233"></a><a href="#FNanchor_233"><span class="label">[233]</span></a> Mr. Peden on his death-bed sent for him, and after some +conference owned he had been misinformed anent him; exhorted him to go +forward, and he would be carried honestly through; asked his +forgiveness, and desired him to pray with him before he departed: all +which Mr. Renwick did with great cheerfulness. See Walker's remarks of +the life of Mr. Peden.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_234" id="Footnote_234"></a><a href="#FNanchor_234"><span class="label">[234]</span></a> See his letter to Earlston, page 163.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_235" id="Footnote_235"></a><a href="#FNanchor_235"><span class="label">[235]</span></a> Mr. Hugh Kennedy then moderator.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_236" id="Footnote_236"></a><a href="#FNanchor_236"><span class="label">[236]</span></a> This testimony was again of late republished by some +friends to the same cause.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_237" id="Footnote_237"></a><a href="#FNanchor_237"><span class="label">[237]</span></a> For besides these reproaches already noticed, with many +others, he and his followers were charged as men of anarchical, +murdering and bloody principles, which makes it the less wonder that +their successors should be still charged with the same.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_238" id="Footnote_238"></a><a href="#FNanchor_238"><span class="label">[238]</span></a> And it is to be remarked, that many of the Jury were +professors, and eminent in the tolerated meetings; while others, even of +the malignants, chose rather to run the hazard of the penalty, as the +laird of Torrence, who compeared not, and Somerville chamberlain of +Douglas, who, though when he appeared, yet when he saw Mr Renwick turn +about, and direct his speech to them, he ran away, saying, He trembled +to think to take away the life of such a pious like man, though they +should take his whole estate. The list of the Assizers is as follows:</p> +<p> +James Hume of Kimmergen.<br /> +John Hume of Nine wells.<br /> +John Martin clerk to the manufactory.<br /> +Alexander Martin sometimes clerk of ——<br /> +Robert Halyburton merchant.<br /> +Thomas Laurie merchant.<br /> +Archibald Johnston merchant.<br /> +Thomas Wylie merchant.<br /> +James Hamilton vintner.<br /> +William Cockburn merchant.<br /> +James Hamilton jun. stationer.<br /> +Robert Currie stationer.<br /> +Joseph Young merchant.<br /> +John Cuningham merchant in Glasgow.<br /> +Ninian Banantine of Kaims, chancellor.<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_239" id="Footnote_239"></a><a href="#FNanchor_239"><span class="label">[239]</span></a> Wodrow's history, Vol. I. page 71, &c.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_240" id="Footnote_240"></a><a href="#FNanchor_240"><span class="label">[240]</span></a> In this testimony among other things they say, "We do +profess our dissatisfaction that the civil powers should take upon them +to prescribe public humiliation and thanksgiving, with the causes and +diets thereof, to all the ministers and members of this church, as being +contrary to the well warranted privileges and constant practice of the +church itself, and in its own nature introductory to greater +encroachments, and putting into the hands of the civil powers the +modelling of the public worship of God, a thing most properly +ecclesiastic, &c."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_241" id="Footnote_241"></a><a href="#FNanchor_241"><span class="label">[241]</span></a> This relation was attested by William Bulloch, who was +his faithful servant near thirty years who was eye and ear witness, and +was inclined to think he was an angel.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_242" id="Footnote_242"></a><a href="#FNanchor_242"><span class="label">[242]</span></a> It must, of necessity, here be observed, That any who are +acquainted with the historical accounts of these times, will find that +Mr. Hog was not so explicit upon point of public testimony, as the more +faithful part of our sufferers at that time; otherwise he was, for parts +and attainments, a very remarkable and extraordinary man, as this +narrative in part discovers.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_243" id="Footnote_243"></a><a href="#FNanchor_243"><span class="label">[243]</span></a> Pat. Walker in his remarks says, That while he was in +prison he dealt earnestly with Messrs. King and Kid (then under sentence +of death) to give a healing testimony in favours of the indulged. And +that he was liberate upon the terms of the indemnity, &c. However be as +it will, to derogate from nothing due to the memory of Mr. Fleming, It +is well known, that though he was never actively indulged himself, yet +he ran into some extremes in coalescence with them; which was no small +grief at that time to faithful Mr. M'Ward, as witness his earnest +contendings, &c.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_244" id="Footnote_244"></a><a href="#FNanchor_244"><span class="label">[244]</span></a> This seems to have been in the year 1685, upon a process +of forfeiture and citation of appearance given him amongst others, but +upon a representation given in by him, his diet was deserted: which made +up a part of his compliances.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_245" id="Footnote_245"></a><a href="#FNanchor_245"><span class="label">[245]</span></a> In his own impartial relation, page 11.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_246" id="Footnote_246"></a><a href="#FNanchor_246"><span class="label">[246]</span></a> <i>To the Moderator and remanent Members of the General +Assembly, now convened at Edinburgh, October 1690, The humble Proposals +of Mr. Alexander Shields</i>, &c. +</p><p> +If our eye could suitably affect our hearts this day, Right Reverend, we +might find much matter, both of rejoicing and mourning, in the wonderful +commencement and advancement of this work of reformation. We are called +to rejoice with thanksgiving for the mercy of God manifested and +magnified in the progress of this work hitherto; that the Lord hath been +pleased in sovereign mercy to prevent and surprize us with such a +reviving in our bondage, by the repression of tyranny, suppression of +popery, and depression of prelacy. When the doctrine of this church is +asserted, and the confession of faith formerly received, is read, voted, +approven and established by parliament. The worship and ordinances of +Christ are administred in great purity, plenty and peace: The government +of Christ's institution, is at length restored to what it was <i>anno</i> +1592. And the discipline retrieved to such a fond of freedom, that all +ecclesiastic courts may without restraint, or being accountable to any +exotic usurped power in the magistrate, assert all the authority, and +exercise the power, wherewith Christ hath intrusted them. Which power, +if duly and diligently improved, and put in execution, may, through the +blessing of God, contribute very much to the reducing of order, and the +redress of many disorders in this church. And now the causes of our +disunion and division, in times of defection, being in a great measure +removed, when erastian usurpations are abrogated, the churches intrinsic +power redintegrated, and the corruptions introduced by compliances, so +far abdicated and antiquated, that they are not, in the constitution of +the church, and do not continue to be the scandal and snare of the +times; we hope and expect a remedy may be found for our breaches and +divisions, that we thought incurable, and union and communion in the +Lord may be attained. We are no less obliged to mourn, when we observe +this house of the Lord so unlike the former, wanting many things the +former had, and pestered with many things the former wanted. They that +have seen our former reformation in its integrity, before the late +deformation, can hardly refrain from weeping at the sight of the sad +disproportion between this and the former. In the former, as the +constitution was calculate in the nearest conformity to the divine +pattern, so the builders had always a care to pull down what was to be +demolished, before they established what was to stand; and to purge away +the rubbish from the foundation, before they promoved the +superstructure. Accordingly, when prelacy was reintroduced at several +times, the first thing they did, when they recovered their power, was +always to exert it, in condemnation of that corruption, and of these +assemblies and meetings that promoved, abetted, favoured, or complied. +And when the erastian supremacy began to encroach upon the church's +liberties, and to bring the ministry into bondage, they did not think it +enough to wrestle against it, by personal witnessings; but, by the good +hand of God upon their endeavours, never ceased until it was condemned +by acts of assembly. They proceeded also with great earnestness and +vigilance, to purge the church of corrupt and scandalous ministers. But +now, after all the rubbish and filth, brought into the house of God, by +invasions and usurpations of the enemies, and defections of friends, +when now opportunity and capacity is given to rebuild and beautify the +house of the Lord, and to repair the desolations thereof, the present +building is so far advanced, without pulling down and purging away the +rubbish, and condemning these corruptions and defections, in compliance +with them, or confessing and forsaking them, as our fathers used to do. +And the prelatical clergy, after all the evil they have done, and bitter +fruits they have produced, are yet kept in many places, and like to +continue, as a seminary and nursery of a corrupt ministry. As long as +this rubbish stands, there can be little hope either of purity or +stability in the superstructure. +</p><p> +In former reformations also, the advancement used to be progressive, +beginning where the former reformation stopt, and going forward, after +they had got removed what obstructed: But now the motion is retrograde, +going as far back as that in 1592, muffling many excellent steps of +reformation attained after that in 1649. In former reformations, our +worthy ancestors used to begin with renovation of the national +covenants, and acknowledgments of the breaches thereof, which hitherto +hath been neglected, to the great grief of many. +</p><p> +It is also matter of lamentation to reflect, that in former +reformations, though adversaries troubled the builders, hired +counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose: Yet, being +furnished and spirited of the Lord, for that generation work, they never +studied to please men, but to acquit themselves, as faithful servants of +their princely Master Jesus Christ, in witnessing against all sins and +corruptions of great and small impartially; and in acts of assembly, +ordaining and recommending to all ministers, this faithfulness, in +applying 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 up +to build, but on design to mar the work, and many are too much inclining +to join in affinity with the people of those abominations; yet it is +sadly wanting, and much desiderated among many ministers, who being long +accustomed to fears, and constrained silence, have not yet recovered +their confidence and courage, to cry aloud against, and not to spare the +iniquities of the time. +</p><p> +Though in former reformations, this church was for order and authority, +beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, and terrible as an army with +banners; Yet now alas! the crown hath fallen from our heads, wo unto us +that 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 with +the fire of the Lord's indignation, burning against us for our +defections, whereby the Lord was provoked to forsake his house; and +since his departure there hath been nothing but disorder among his +children and servants. The popish, prelatic and malignant party, have +come in by force and fraud, and by the cedings of those, that should +have stood in the gap, have broke down the carved work of our covenanted +reformation, rescinding all the legal bulwarks of ecclesiastical +constitutions, civil sanctions, and national covenants, wherewith it was +fenced. Wherein, alas! they were too much encouraged by our faint +resistance, and too universal involvement in the sin of submitting to, +and countenancing of the intrusions of the prelatical party. At length +having set up these their ensigns for signs, in sign of complete +victory, obtained over the servants and subjects of our exalted Prince, +after they had invaded his kingdom and place, and made havock and +slaughter of such as would not yield; they offered some tempting terms, +whereupon they would suffer them to live in subjection to these +usurpations, painted indeed with pretences of favours, but really, at +least indirectly, requiring a recognizance of the usurper's power, and a +cessation from opposing the peaceable possession of their robberies. +These and the like defections, on the one hand, together with many +extravagancies on the other, have brought the godly into many +confusions. +</p><p> +We did indeed demur to concur with and follow, and did think it our duty +to withdraw from these ministers who promoted courses of defection after +specified; and to adhere to those (though but few) who were more +stedfast and faithful. When the case was so stated that we thought +communion could not be kept by us with them, from whom we withdrew, +without sin; while the very exercise of their ministry was so far +depending upon, subordinate unto, complying with, modified and +authorized by <i>unlawful usurpators</i>, that our joining would have +inferred, at least in our conference, a submission to, symbolizing with, +and approving of their offensive yieldings to these encroachments. Yet +we never thought this a schism: Therefore, +</p><p> +That this happy and desirable union, may be holy and comfortable, in a +way that may procure, and secure our union and communion with the Lord: +And, considering in all the periods of this church from the first +reformation, a witness hath never been wanting, against the same, or +equivalent corruptions, that have offended us: And no method can be more +adapted for recovering and restoring, union, than that which was used +for preserving it: And that having aimed hitherto, to offer and keep up +our mite of a testimony against the same: if now, under the convictions +of its remaining righteousness, we shall pass from it; and so seem to +condemn what we approved before, and approve what we condemned before, +it will leave an undefiable reproach, not only on ourselves, but on our +contendings and sufferings. +</p><p> +We earnestly desire, Right Reverend, you would be pleased to condescend +to us, in some things, that we humbly conceive, are very needful, just +to be sought, and easy to be granted. We know and are confident, your +zeal for truth and peace, will suggest the same means and measures, for +obtaining this end, and will urge you to take notice of the same things, +we desire, without our advertisement: Nor do we take upon us to +prescribe the methods, terms or conditions, necessary for composing +these unhappy differences, and restoring the holy and happy union in the +Lord; but we think, the word and works of God this day, point at these +which we crave leave in the bowels of Christ, to remonstrate unto your +serious consideration: +</p><p> +I. That to the end the causes of our divisions, the anger of the Lord as +the holy cause, and our mutual offences, as the sinful cause may be +removed, that the effect may cease, a mutual, impartial, and accurate +search and trial may be made into our ways, to find out, and remember +from whence we are fallen, and discover our manifold and manifest +defections, from the right ways of the Lord; that the great wrongs and +indignities done to our great Head and King by enemies encroachments on +his prerogatives, and his kingdom's liberties, and our compliances +therewith, on the one hand, and on the other, may not be past in +oblivion but diligently inquired into; and what accession to them, or +participation with them, all of us have been involved in, these thirty +years bygone: Particularly that it be laid to heart, what indignity to +the Lord Jesus, and injury to his church, was done by the introduction +of abjured, diocesan and erastian prelacy, and the several degrees of +compliance therewith; as ministers leaving their pastoral charge, at the +command of the magistrate, and laying aside the exercise of their +ministry, giving way unto, and not testifying against the intrusions of +prelatic 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 protest +against, as sinful and scandalous. +</p><p> +1. Because they were, and are manifest intruders, not entering in at the +door, in the way and order of Christ, and not having, yea despising and +renouncing a call from the people, and ordination by the presbytery and +having no other external call, authority, or right to officiate in this +church, as its proper pastors, but the collation of bishops, and +presentation of patrons, who are none of Christ's officers, and +forfeiting and foregoing any other right, that any of them formerly +could pretend to, by palpable defection to the enemies of this church. +</p><p> +2. Because both in principle and profession, and in the way of their +entry unto their pastoral charge, they were, and are erastians, deriving +their power from, and subjecting it in its exercise to another head than +Christ, the magistrate's supremacy, by which only they were authorised, +without Christ's warrant, or the church's consent. +</p><p> +3. Because they were and are schismatics, who caused divisions and +offences, contrary to the doctrine of this church, breaking her union +and order, going out themselves from the fellowship of this church, and +leading people away from her vowed reformation; yea, who violently +thrust out, and persecuted her faithful pastors and children, for +adhering to that reformation, which they designed to raze and ruin. +</p><p> +4. Because they were, and are perjured covenant breakers, avowedly +disowning our covenants, and stated in opposition to that reformation, +which is therein sworn to be maintained. +</p><p> +5. Because they were, and are in several points erroneous, in their +doctrine, many of them tainted with the leaven of popery, arminianism, +and socinianism, and all of them hetrodox, in the point of the +magistrate's power in church matters, in the matter of oaths, and in +condemning the work of our reformation, and covenants; seducing thereby +their hearers, and both positively by these doctrines, and privately by +with-holding other necessary instructions and warnings, murdering their +souls. +</p><p> +6. Because they were, and are, upon all these accounts, scandalous, and +the object of the church's censure: And though through the iniquity of +the times, their deserved censure hitherto hath not been inflicted, yet +they stand upon the matter convict, by clear scripture-grounds, and by +the standing acts, and judicial decision of this church, in her supreme +judicatories. +</p><p> +7. Because this hearing and submitting to them, was required as a badge, +test, and evidence of due acknowledgment of, and hearty compliance with +erastianism and prelacy, or his majesty's government ecclesiastic, Act +parl. 1. Char. II. July 10th, 1663, which made it a case of confession +to withstand it. +</p><p> +8. Because, by our covenants, we are obliged to stand at a distance, +from such courses of defection, and to extirpate them, yet, in +contradiction hereunto, we were commanded by the rescinders of the +covenants, to hear the prelatic curates, as a badge of our yielding to +the rescinding of the covenants. +</p><p> +9. Because this course was offensive and stumbling, both in hardning +those that complied with prelacy, and weakning the hands of those that +opposed it, and inferred a condemning of their sufferings upon this +head. Especially, +</p><p> +10. When communion with them was so stated, that therein was not only a +case of controversy among the godly, in which always abstinence is the +surest side, not only is the judgment of many a case of confession, +which it is always dangerous to contradict and condemn, but undeniably a +case of competition, between the true church of Scotland, her ministers +and professors, owning and adhering to her holy establishments, claiming +a divine right to their offices and privileges, contending for the +church's reformation; and a schismatical party, setting up a new church, +in a new order, under a new head, robbing them of their offices and +privileges, and overturning the reformation. +</p><p> +II. We must presume to plead also, That enquiry be made into the heinous +and heaven-daring affront done to the holiness of God, in the horrid +violation of our holy covenants, national and solemn league; not only +how the popish, prelatical, and malignant party, have broken them, +enacted the breaches of them by law, burnt them and endeavoured to bury +them, by making it a capital crime to own their obligation, and by +bringing in and substituting in their room, conscience-ensnaring anti +covenants, oaths, bonds, and engagements renouncing the former, and +obliging to courses contradictory thereunto: But that it may be +considered, how many ways ministers and professors, in this time of +tentation and tribulation, have been guilty of breach of these holy +covenants; particularly by consenting unto, subscribing, swearing, and +taking any of the new multiplied, mischievously contrived, capriciously +conceived, and tyrannically imposed oaths, tests, or bonds, in matters +of religion, since the overturning of the covenanted reformation and +establishment of prelacy; and by persuading people to take them, and +forbearing a necessary warning of the danger of them, and leaving people +in the dark to determine themselves, in the midst of these snares. All +which we plead and protest against, as sinful and scandalous: +</p><p> +1. Because all of them did infer, import, and imply a sinful unitive +conjunction, incorporation, association and confederacy with the people +of these abominations, that were promoting a course of apostacy from +God. +</p><p> +2. Because all of them were incapable of qualifications required in +sacred engagements, to be taken in truth, righteousness and judgment. +</p><p> +3. Because all of them, in the sense of the imposers, interpreted by +their acts and actings, were condemnatory of, and contradictory unto the +covenants, and some part of the covenanted reformation. +</p><p> +4. Because, by the ancient acts of assembly, all public oaths imposed by +the malignant party, without consent of the church, are condemned, July +28, 1648. Ante merid. sess. 18. and sess. 26 those ministers are +ordained to be censured, who subscribe any bonds, or take any oaths not +approven by the General Assembly; or by their counsel, countenance and +approbation, make themselves accessory to the taking of such bonds and +oaths by others. +</p><p> +III. In like manner, we dare not forbear to cry and crave, That it may +be considered, what wrongs Christ hath received from the Erastian and +Antichristian usurpation of the supremacy, encroaching upon the +prerogative of the Lord Jesus Christ, his incommunicable Headship and +Kingship, as Mediator, giving to a man a magisterial, and Architectonic +power, to alter and innovate, authorize and exauctorate, allow or +restrain, 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 its +nature, being only a ministerial stewardship, distinct from the civil +government, in its nature, causes, ends, officers, and actings; and +giving to the magistrate the power of the keys, without and against +Christ's donation and authority, even the dogmatic, critic and diatactic +decisive suffrage and power in causes ecclesiastic, which Christ hath +intrusted to the church representative; and denying to the church the +exercise of these keys and powers, without the magistrate's warrant and +indulgence. We crave also, That it may be inquired into, how far this +encroachment 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 and +testimony of some faithful ministers, to the contrary, the indulgences +<i>anno</i> 1669, and 1679; and by the silence of others, not witnessing +against the same, and others censuring the faithful for discovering the +sinfulness thereof.——Which we remonstrate upon these grounds, +complexly considered: +</p><p> +1. Because, as the contrivance and end of the grant thereof was to +advance and establish the supremacy; to engage presbyterians, either to +co-operate towards the settling and strengthening thereof, or to +surcease from opposing the peaceable possession of the granter's +usurpation, and to extort from them, at least an indirect recognizance +of acknowledged subordination in ministerial exercises, to his usurped +power, in a way which would be best acquiesced in; to suppress the +preaching and propagation of the gospel in persecuted meetings in fields +and houses, so necessary at that time; and to divide, and increase +differences and animosities among presbyterians, by insinuating upon +these called the more moderate, to commend the indulger his clemency, +while other non-conformists, adhering to interdicted duties, were justly +complaining of the effects of his severity. And as the woeful effects of +it, strengthening the supremacy, weakening the hands of those that +witnessed against it, extinguishing zeal, and increasing many divisions, +did correspond with these wretched designs; so these could not be +counteracted, but very much strengthened and promoted, by the acceptance +of the indulgence, which, in its own nature, was so palpably subservient +thereto, even though there had been a testimony against these designs +and ends, yet when the means adapted to these ends, were complied with, +it was rendered irrite, and <i>contra factum</i>. +</p><p> +2. Because as the supremacy received much strength and increment from +the indulgence, so reciprocally it had its rise, spring, conveyance and +subsistence from the supremacy, from which it flowed, upon which it +stood, and by which at length it was removed. And in the grant and +conveyance of the indulgence, all the power of the supremacy was +arrogate, asserted and exerted, in first taking away the power of the +keys from Christ's stewards, and then restoring only one of them to some +few, with restrictions bounding, and instructions regulating them in the +exercise of that. The acceptance whereof, so clogged with these complex +circumstances, without a clear and distinct testimony, in that case of +confession, hath at least a great appearance (which should have been +abstained from) of a conniving at, submitting unto, complying with, and +homologating of that Erastian usurpation. +</p><p> +3. Because, as it was interpreted to be accepted in the same terms +wherein it was granted, without a testimony against the supremacy, so +the entry of those ministers to their churches, by this indulgence, was +prejudicial to the church's privilege: Some of them being fixed in +particular churches, whereunto they had no peculiar pastoral relation +before, and some transplanted from one church to another, without the +interposition of any ecclesiastic presbyterial authority, without the +free and orderly call of the people; being in many respects prelimited; +and in the way of patronages, at the council's pleasure and order: And +those 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. +</p><p> +4. Because the embracing thereof, and the continuing therein, was a +faint yielding to prevailing Erastianism, and a course of defection from +former integrity of ministerial freedom and faithfulness, in which the +servants and witnesses of Jesus Christ were famous and eminent in former +times, who for writing, preaching, and protesting against the +ecclesiastic supremacy in the magistrate, and all Erastian courses, did +bear the cross of Christ, with much stedfastness; yea, a receding from, +and foregoing of a very material part of the cause and testimony of the +church of Scotland, which, till then, did constantly wrestle against +such encroachments: And in this respect scandalous, because hardening to +Erastian enemies, stumbling to many friends, and offensive to posterity. +</p><p> +5. Because it is contradictory to our covenants, to receive indulgences, +contrived and conferred, on purpose, to divide (by the terror of +persecution on the one hand, and the persuasion of this pretended +liberty, taking off the legal restraint on the other) ministers and +people from the cause and testimony of the church of Scotland, against +the supremacy, and from their former blessed conjunction therein, and to +induce them to make defection to that party, that were advancing +Erastianism. And it is expresly contradictory to the engagement to +duties, <i>anno</i> 1648, where the obligation bears, "Because many of late +have laboured to supplant the liberties of the kirk, we shall maintain +and defend the kirk of Scotland, in all her liberties and privileges, +against all who shall oppose or undermine the same, or encroach +thereupon under any pretext whatsoever." +</p><p> +IV. Likewise, we plead and obtest, that a search may be made into, and a +review taken of the late toleration, and addressing for it, and +acceptance of it, complexly considered: The sinfulness whereof, we could +not, and now cannot forbear to witness against. +</p><p> +1. Because as the design of the granter, and tendency of the grant +itself, 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 had +been a testimony against the design thereof, as there was none, and +could be none consistent with the continuance thereof; so being conveyed +from absolute power, which all were required to obey without reserve, +stopping, suspending, and disabling all the penal statutes against +papists; thereby undermining all the legal bulwarks of our religion; The +addressing for, and accepting of it, so conveyed, without a witness +against this despotical encroachment, (yea, the very condition of +enjoying the benefit of it, being exclusive of such a testimony, which +might any way tend to the alienating of the people, from such a +despotical government, in all its encroachments) did indirectly, at +least, imply compliance with, if not the recognizance and acknowledgment +of that usurped power, and the arbitrary exercise and effect of it in +suspending the penal statutes. +</p><p> +2. Because it was extended, not only to prelacy, but to popery, +quakerism, and all idolatry, blasphemy, and heresy, which was highly +provoking to the Lord Jesus, and prejudicial to the peace and purity of +his church; contrary to the scriptures of the old and new Testament; +contrary to the confession of faith and catechisms, chap. xx. § 1. and +chap. xxiii. § 3. Being placed also among the sins of the second +command, in the larger catechism; contrary to the principles of the +church of Scotland; being condemned, warned of, and witnessed against by +acts of assembly, <i>anno</i> 1649. And by her faithful pastors preaching, +writing, and protesting against such tolerations; (and sometimes even +when papists were excluded, as that, against which the ministers of Fife +and Perth did testify). And contrary to our covenants, wherein we are +bound to preserve reformation, and uniformity in doctrine, worship, +discipline and government, to extirpate popery, <i>&c.</i> to free our souls +from the guilt of other men's sins, defend our liberties; and +consequently never to comply with a toleration, eversive of all these +interests we are sworn to maintain, and productive of these things we +are sworn to endeavour the extirpation of. +</p><p> +3. Because it was clogged with such conditions and limitations, as did +exceedingly hamper the freedom of the ministry, being offered (in +proclamations) and accepted (in addresses and obedience) with +restrictions to persons who might preach, (allowing some, and +discharging others, who had as good authority as they, to exercise their +ministry) to places where they should preach (only where intimation was +given of the name of the place, and of the preachers, to some of the +lords of the council, <i>&c.</i>) and to the matter what, or at least what +they might not preach, <i>to wit</i>, nothing that might have any tendency to +alienate the hearts of the people from a popish and tyrannical +government; and consequently nothing against the wickedness, or of the +misery of tyranny; nothing against the toleration, and the open sins +proclaimed therein, and wicked ends designed thereby; nothing against +disabling the penal statutes, or for the obligations of them, and ties +of national covenants strengthening them. +</p><p> +4. Because of the manifold scandal of it, we cannot but witness against +it, because so disgraceful to the Protestant religion, and prejudicial +to the interest thereof. It was reproachful to our religion, sometimes +established by law, then only tolerate, under the notion of an evil to +be suffered: How confounding and consternating was this to all the +reformed churches, that sometimes admired and envied Scotland's +establishments, now to see her so dispirited and deceived, as to accept +and address for a toleration, without a testimony, whereby instead of +all the laws and covenants securing her reformation, the only tenor and +security for it she had now remaining, was, the arbitrary word of an +absolute prince, whose principles obliged him to break it? What occasion +of disdainful insulting, did it give to the prelatical party, then +pleading for the nation's laws, to observe presbyterians, acquiescing in +that which suspended and stopped the penal statutes? Yea, what matter of +gloriation and boasting was it to papists, to see presbyterians sleeping +and succumbing, and not opposing, when, at this opened gap, they were +bringing in the Trojan horse of popery and slavery? +</p><p> +V. Moreover, with respect to some things, at present, which we account +corruptions, and are offensive to many, we cannot forbear to remonstrate +and plead, That consideration may be taken, of the sinfulness of the too +universal defect and neglect of zeal and faithfulness, in receiving the +buried national covenants, when now they seem to be laid aside, and many +ministers forbear to preach plainly the obligation of them, and discover +particularly the breaches of them, and to mention them in engagements +which they require of parents, when they present their children in +baptism, according to the continued custom of faithful ministers, these +many years bygone. And it is stumbling to many, that in all addresses to +king and parliament, the renewing of them hath not been desired. This we +think very grievous, +</p><p> +1. Because in the scriptures, as we have many precepts, promises, and +precedents for renewing them, and demonstrations of their perpetual, +indissoluble obligation, being in their matter and form agreeable with +the word of God; so we have many denunciations and certifications of +unavoidable threatenings of all evils, rational, personal, temporal, +spiritual, and eternal, against forsaking or forgetting them. +</p><p> +2. Because as there is no other way to prevent the curse of the +covenants, and this threatened wrath imminent upon the land, for breach +of covenants, but to acknowledge the breaches of them, and engage again +to the duties of them; so these omissions cannot consist with that +faithfulness required of ministers in such a case. +</p><p> +3. Because it is a plain defection from first love, and former +attainments of our fathers, who commenced all reformations with +renovation of the covenants; And in their ecclesiastic constitutions, +enjoined all ministers to preach up the covenants, and witness against +all defections from them, and indifferency or lukewarmness to them; +which also is a breach of covenant in itself. +</p><p> +VI. Hence, more particularly, we cannot but signify how much we and many +others are offended, at the too general keeping silence at, or very +ambiguous speaking against, and omitting the plain, impartial, doctrinal +rebuking of such crying sins and scandals of the times, as cannot be +controverted among presbyterians; such as the imposing and taking many +bonds and oaths, repugnant to the covenants and work of reformation; +which many complied with to shift persecution, and many others to +purchase preferments unto places of trust; the accession of nobles and +rulers to the wicked establishments and framing mischiefs into laws in +former times; the manifold involvements of great and small, in the guilt +of persecution, by delating and informing against honest suffering +people, riding with armed force to pursue and apprehend them; appearing +under displayed banners for the defence of tyranny, on expeditions +against them at Pentland, Bothwel bridge, <i>&c.</i> sitting in courts, +juries and assizes, to condemn them; putting them out of houses and +tenements under them, because they would not comply with sinful +impositions: And especially, the defiling of the land with blood, which +hath yet a cry in the ears of the Lord God of Sabaoth: All which the +servants of the Lord are 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 season and out of season. +</p><p> +VII. Finally, We must presume to lay open our own, and the general +complaints through several corners of the land, of the sad slackness and +remissness of discipline: The report <i>fama clamosa</i> whereof, at least, +doth wound our ears and pierce our hearts, <i>viz.</i> That some who had gone +a great length in the above-mentioned compliances, even to the swearing +the test itself, besides other wicked oaths, and to the prosecuting of +the godly sundry ways, are admitted to the sacrament of the Lord's +supper, and to present their children to baptism: And that others are +admitted to the charge of elders, who had not only habitually complied +with prelacy, and had borne the name of that office under that +government, but had taken these scandalous forementioned oaths; yea, and +that of late, some are admitted to the ministry, that constantly +followed episcopacy, and were trained up to be curates, and were deeply +involved in the foresaid compliances, without due trial of their past +conversation, and requiring of their public profession of repentance, +and resentment of these respective scandals; whereby the precious are +not taken from the vile, and a little of that old leaven, may quickly +leaven the whole lump, and offenders are not like thereby to be gained +to repentance, but rather hardened in, and tempted to think little of +these destroying sins. +</p><p> +We plead not here, that every one of the defects, or every degree of +these offences should be, in the case of this epidemic involvement, +proceeded against by disciplinary censure; nor do we urge, that all +chargeable with these offences above taxed, especially such as are in +controversy, should be either personally rebuked in public, or obliged +publicly to confess their own degree of the guilt of them; though it +would give glory to God, and comfort to the church, and peace to their +own consciences, for all to confess their offences, that have been most +stumbling to the godly; so far as from the word of God, and known +principles of this reformed church, they may be convinced. Nor do we +propose, that the condemnation of every one of these steps of defection, +that are questioned, should be so far stretched <i>quoad momentum rei</i>, as +either to be stated by us, as a ground of separation formerly, or now +required as a necessary condition of communion; though still, we +conceive the complication of them together, when they stood, was a +ground that necessitated our withdrawing from many in the same +circumstances. +</p><p> +We only desire, they may be so far inquired into, that what guilt is in +them before the Lord, may be in some measure discovered, and the wrongs +done to Christ thereby, may not be passed over in an act of oblivion: +But as the right honourable the estates of parliament, have found and +declared these acts and actings of the overturners of our reformation: +and the mischiefs of prelacy, supremacy and tyranny established by +wicked laws, which were the foundations and fountains of all the +offensive compliances above mentioned, to be grievances against the laws +of the land; so the right reverend, the members of this venerable +assembly, may find and declare, these wicked establishments and +compliances supporting them, and defections flowing therefrom, to be +sins against the laws of Christ; and so far as they can find iniquity in +the foresaid offences, may provide by ecclesiastic constitutions for the +future, that the like compliances with the like contrivances of usurping +enemies, may never again be allowed, under pain of church censures, to +prevent and preclude all fears of divisions, to be occasioned by the +like defections, in time coming. And as we offer and promise, so far as +we are, or may be convinced, to confess our offences, any manner of way +that church-judicatories shall appoint; so, for the satisfaction of all +concerned in the late differences, and removal of offences, given or +taken, we desire and expect, that such failings in the above specified +particulars, or others, be laid to heart by all sorts of ministers and +preachers, as they are convinced of, or after search, may be discovered +to them by this reverend assembly: And that these, among the sins of the +land, be set down in order as causes of a public fast, upon some week +day, through all the meetings of Presbyterians within this kingdom; and +that the sins of the people be intermixed among these causes. Further, +</p><p> +As we humbly conceive, it would prove a very proper and promising +expedient, for promoving, preserving and propagating reformation; for +settling and keeping order and union; for preventing and precluding +innovation or corruptions; for discovering and discouraging apostates or +schismatics, malignants or sectaries, and excluding them from access to +do further hurt; so we hope, we shall be approven and seconded by many +in this reverend Assembly, in craving the renewing of the covenants, +either both the national and solemn league, with accommodations to our +times, or one made up of both, with additions or explications, suiting +our present case and day, with a solemn acknowledgment of the public +breaches, and engagement to the duties of the covenants: Humbly moving, +that none be forced to swear or subscribe the same, or so much as +admitted to it, except they be such, as may be judged, in charity, to +have a competent knowledge, and sense of the sins and duties thereof. +</p><p> +In fine, Though we will not take upon us, to propose the time or the way +of 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 the +churches whereinto they have intruded; nor re-admitted that are, or may +be laid aside, until they give approvable evidence of their repentance, +for their sinful conformity. (1.) Upon all these grounds, exhibited +above, against hearing of them. (2.) Because former experience of the +hurt received by the entertainment of the episcopal clergy, <i>anno</i> 1638, +does now plead for their care to prevent it in time coming. (3.) Because +the people under their ministry, have hitherto been, and are perishing +in ignorance and irreligion; being either starved for want of faithful +and spiritual instruction, or poisoned with false instruction; and +therefore pity to them, and zeal to propagate the gospel, should prompt +to all endeavours to purge them out. (4.) Because the settlement, +purgation, and plantation of the church, will be exceedingly obstructed +by the continuance of them that unsettled it, corrupted it, and pestered +the Lord's vineyard, with plants not of his planting, and whose leaven +will be always in hazard to leaven the whole lump. (5.) Because, all of +them are among these, whom the laws of Christ do oblige, the +constitutions of this church do ordain, and the present civil sanctions +for establishing church government do allow the church-representative, +to try and purge out; being all of them either insufficient, or +negligent, or erroneous, or scandalous, if these characters may be +applied, or interpreted, according to scripture rules, or as the church +hath extended them heretofore. +</p><p> +We are content that none of the curates be put out, but the insufficient +and ignorant, if this be one part of the trial of their knowledge, to +inquire not only into their gifts but their graces; if ignorance of +conversion, regeneration, sanctification, and communion with God; both +as to the doctrine of these benefits, and as to their own experience of +them, so far as may be discovered by human judgment, be reputed +insufficiency: We are content, none be put away but the negligent, if so +be they that do not warn the wicked of their destroying sins, that feed +themselves and not the flock, that do not strengthen the diseased, nor +heal the sick, <i>&c.</i> that omit the pressing of necessary duties +impartially on persons and families, and the censuring of scandals +without respect of persons, be comprehended in that character: We are +satisfied, none be removed but the erroneous; if they be judged to be +such, who not only own points of popery, Arminianism and Socinianism, +but are unsound in their explanation of the kingly office of Christ, or +the perfection of the scriptures, in the point of church-officers and +government, in the matter of oaths and of the magistrate's power, and do +maintain Erastianism, an exploded and abjured error in this church: And +we seek no more but that all be removed who are scandalous, and none but +they, if intruders, covenant breakers, perjured subscribers of +scandalous oaths and tests, schismatics and persecutors, be counted +among the scandalous. +</p><p> +Some things are indeed extraordinary, which we here urge; but as +extraordinary exigencies do force us, to move without a precedent; so +they furnish you a power, to make a precedent for the like cases +thereafter: We confess also, it may seem precipitant to press all these +things so hard, and so soon, in a bruckle time, before things be better +settled; but we fear, if new delays be procured, till all things be +fully settled, that the observing of wind and clouds shall hinder both +sowing and reaping. But it, laying aside the plaisters, wherewith the +wounds of our backslidings have been slightly covered rather than cured, +you put to your hand to the healing of your breaches, in condescending +to these our humble desires, you shall win the blessing of many souls, +rent and racked with these divisions; you shall disburthen the land of +many weights and woes, whereof it is weary; you shall send to all the +neighbouring churches a pattern, transmit to posterity an example, and +erect to all ages a monument of self denying, zeal and wisdom; a work to +be paralleled with the glories of former times. If herein our hopes +shall fail us, we shall not know whether to wish, we had died with our +brethren, by the enemies hand, and had never seen this reviving in our +bondage; for it will be a death to us, and not a reviving, if there be +not a returning together to the Lord, searching and trying, and +discovering the iniquities of our ways. But however, we intend not to +separate from the church, but to maintain union and communion in truth +and duty, with all the ministers and members of this church that do, and +in so far as they do follow the institutions of Christ; and to approve +ourselves, God assisting, as much for peace and concord, as ever we were +suspected to be men of divisive principles; hoping it shall appear, we +are seeking <i>where he feedeth, and where he makes his flock to rest at +noon</i>, and are not as such, <i>who turn aside by the flocks of his +companions, but going forth by the footsteps of the flocks, beside the +shepherds tents</i>: Yet with this protested dissent from, and testimony +against all the above mentioned corruptions, defections, and offensive +courses, which obliged us to stand at a distance in times of +deformation; that our present joining in these circumstances, when these +are removed, may not infer, or be interpreted an approving of what we +formerly condemned: and be free from all partaking in these defections, +by consent, connivance, compliance, or communion therein. For which we +humbly supplicate, that these our humble proposals may be recorded in +the books of assembly.</p> +<p style="text-align:right">ALEXANDER SHIELDS, <i>Esq.</i></p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_247" id="Footnote_247"></a><a href="#FNanchor_247"><span class="label">[247]</span></a> See this Act V. Sess. 9. Ass. 1999. wherein the lesser +paper is inserted.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_248" id="Footnote_248"></a><a href="#FNanchor_248"><span class="label">[248]</span></a> Pat. Walker says, That Mr. Shields much lamented his +silence before the assembly, and of his coming so far short of his +former resolutions, and if ever he saw such an occasion, he would not be +so slack. Messrs. Lining and Boyd had too much influence upon him, being +in haste for stipends and wives. Rem. of the lives of Messrs. Semple, +<i>&c.</i> first edit, page 78.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_249" id="Footnote_249"></a><a href="#FNanchor_249"><span class="label">[249]</span></a> See a more full account of Mr. Shields both while in +Caledonia and Jamaica, in the history of Darien, lately republished, +from page 42 to 49.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_250" id="Footnote_250"></a><a href="#FNanchor_250"><span class="label">[250]</span></a> This family that pursued him is long ago extinct, and +their house (as Mr. Dickson very publicly foretold in the hearing of +many), after it had been an habitation for owls, the foundation stones +were digged up. The inhabitants there could not but observe, that those +who were informers, accusers and witnesses against Mr Dickson (some of +them magistrates then in the town) were brought so low, that they were +sustained by the charity of the parish. So hard a thing it is to meddle +with the servants of Jesus Christ.</p> +<p style="text-align:right"><span class="smcap">Wod. History.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_251" id="Footnote_251"></a><a href="#FNanchor_251"><span class="label">[251]</span></a> It was no doubt such faithful freedom that made that +defamatory scribbler say, in his Presbyterian Eloquence, that he said in +a sermon at Galashields, that cess paying to Charles II. was as bad as +sacrificing to devils, see page 15.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_252" id="Footnote_252"></a><a href="#FNanchor_252"><span class="label">[252]</span></a> Mr. Dickson being one who maintained and defended the +lawfulness of defensive arms, either about this time or at the +restoration before he was ejected, he kept the sacrament of the Lord's +supper (probably at Rutherglen), while the people kept guard by centries +under arms the whole time of the dispensation thereof. Which truly sets +forth the danger and hazard of these times, and the aggravations of our +sins in misimproving these mercies and privileged which they could not +peaceably enjoy.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_253" id="Footnote_253"></a><a href="#FNanchor_253"><span class="label">[253]</span></a> If these were Mr. Dickson's sentiments then of the +revolution settlement, so much now gloried in and boasted of by many, +they must be either ignorantly blind or under an infatuation, who see +not that things are a great deal worse (though the same as to the +constitution) than in his day. For how many are the clogs and +impositions, that are annually (I may say daily) wreathed about the neck +of the church, in these degenerate isles of sea, Britain and Ireland. +And could any thing be believed by an apostate generation, we should +think that his words should be of some weight, who was no opponent, but +a member of the established church, yea and more, a seer in our Israel, +and, we may say, one among a thousand, <i>for as the man is, so is his +strength</i>, &c.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_254" id="Footnote_254"></a><a href="#FNanchor_254"><span class="label">[254]</span></a> Calderwood's history, page 776.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_255" id="Footnote_255"></a><a href="#FNanchor_255"><span class="label">[255]</span></a> Wilson's impartial relation of Bothwel bridge, where the +reader will find a full account of the most material transactions done +there at that time.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_256" id="Footnote_256"></a><a href="#FNanchor_256"><span class="label">[256]</span></a> In the hands of some friends, are yet to be seen two of +these commissions in Latin, wrote on parchment, one of which is a very +beautiful copy on copper-plate.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_257" id="Footnote_257"></a><a href="#FNanchor_257"><span class="label">[257]</span></a> See a more full account of his negotiations in the +Netherlands for the suffering remnant, in a large letter of his now +published in Faithful Contendings, page 186,——{illegible}.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_258" id="Footnote_258"></a><a href="#FNanchor_258"><span class="label">[258]</span></a> Memorandum of occurrences in manuscript, page 1st and +2d.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_259" id="Footnote_259"></a><a href="#FNanchor_259"><span class="label">[259]</span></a> See the above-mentioned declarations, protestations and +declinatures with some of his many religious letters, lately published +in a pamphlet intitled, the Christian Conduct, <i>&c.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_260" id="Footnote_260"></a><a href="#FNanchor_260"><span class="label">[260]</span></a> And even some others (Walker and others) who have +pretended a great regard for the principles and memory of some of our +late sufferers, such as Mess. Cameron, Cargil and Renwick. But in this +they are not aware whom they have obliged: for it is pretty notour, That +this gentleman and these worthies, particularly the last, were the very +same in principle to their lives end, as their own letters and +testimonies do evidence; and so in condemning him, they have not only +tacitly condemned them, but most avowedly relinquished the substantial +part of the covenanted testimony of the church of Scotland in her purest +times; and what can the arch-bishop of Canterbury require more, never +once to mention an anti-covenanter, a nullifidian, or lukewarm +presbyterian.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_261" id="Footnote_261"></a><a href="#FNanchor_261"><span class="label">[261]</span></a> This life is substracted from his life at large in the +first edition.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_262" id="Footnote_262"></a><a href="#FNanchor_262"><span class="label">[262]</span></a> See his life at large wrote by himself, Scots Worthies +page 486.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_263" id="Footnote_263"></a><a href="#FNanchor_263"><span class="label">[263]</span></a> The most judicious historians that I have seen upon this +subject, grant that Charles 2d was poisoned by the direction of the +Papists, but B. Burnet in his History, and Dr. Welwood in his memoirs +say, the king had no suspicions he was poisoned. Burnet insinuates that +his harlot the duchess of Portsmouth and her confessor were the +instruments, and that the king died in good terms with his brother. Dr. +Welwood who gives both sides, relates this story: Some time the king, +having drunk more liberally 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 a little time returned to the company, when a servant +belonging to one of them, lay down on the same couch, and was found +stabbed dead with a poinard, nor was it ever known who did it: the +matter was hushed up, and no 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 the court.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_264" id="Footnote_264"></a><a href="#FNanchor_264"><span class="label">[264]</span></a> <i>Viz.</i> Mr. Hepburn.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_265" id="Footnote_265"></a><a href="#FNanchor_265"><span class="label">[265]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<hr /> + +<p style="text-align:right"><span class="smcap">Glasgow</span>, <i>April 22d, 1782</i></p> + +<h3><span class="gesperrt">PROPOSALS</span><br /> +For Printing by <span class="smcap">Subscription</span>,<br /> +In Two <span class="smcap">Octavo</span> Volumes.</h3> + +<h3><span class="gesperrt smcap lowercase">A COMPENDIOUS</span><br /> +<span class="gesperrt" style="font-size:200%">VIEW</span><br /> +Of <i>Natural</i> and <i>Revealed Religion</i>.—In Seven Books.</h3> + +<h3>By <span class="smcap">John Brown</span>, <i>Minister of the Gospel in Haddington</i>.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">Book I.</span> Of the standard of all religion;—the law of nature in its +<i>foundation</i> and <i>contents</i>,—the <i>insufficiency</i> of the <i>light of +nature</i> to render a man truly virtuous and happy;—the <i>possibility</i>, +<i>desireableness</i>, <i>necessity</i>, <i>propriety</i>, <i>reasonableness</i>, +<i>credibility</i>, <i>divine authority</i>, <i>properties</i> and <i>parts</i> of that +revelation which is contained in the scriptures of the old and new +Testament.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Book II.</span> Of <i>God</i>, the author, or, object and end of all religion,—in +his perfections, persons, purposes and works.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Book III.</span> Of the bonds of religious connection between God and men,—the +covenants of works and grace in their <i>origin</i>, <i>parties</i>, <i>parts</i> and +<i>administration</i> in time and eternity.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Book IV.</span> Of Christ the mediator of the covenant of grace, in his +<i>person</i>, <i>offices</i> and <i>states</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Book V.</span> Of the <i>blessings</i> of the covenant of grace, <i>effectual +calling</i>, justification, adoption, sanctification, spiritual comfort, +eternal glory.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Book VI.</span> Of the dispensation of the covenant of grace by means of <i>law</i>, +<i>gospel</i> and <i>ordinances</i> thereof.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Book VII.</span> Of the new covenant <i>society</i> or church, in her +<i>constitution</i>, <i>members</i>, <i>offices</i> and <i>government</i>.</p> + +<hr class="mini" /> + +<h4 class="small">CONDITIONS.</h4> + +<p class="small">I. The book will be printed on a fair paper and new Type, in two Octavo +volumes, to consist of about 300 and 30 pages each volume.</p> + +<p class="small">II. The price to Subscribers will be One Shilling and Sixpence Sterling +each volume, sewed, and Two Shillings neatly bound. A few copies on a +fine Demy paper at Two Shillings sewed, and Two Shillings and Sixpence +bound, each volume.</p> + +<p class="small">III. Those who subscribe for twelve copies, shall have one Gratis.</p> + +<p class="small">IV. The book will be put to the press as soon as a competent number of +subscriptions are obtained.</p> + +<p class="small">The encouragers of this work are desired to send in their Names, with +the number of Copies they want, to the Publisher immediately as few +copies will be printed but those subscribed for.</p> + +<p class="center break"><span class="smcap">Subscriptions</span> are taken in by <span class="smcap">John Bryce</span>, Printer, <i>Glasgow</i>; and by all +others intrusted with Proposals.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_i" id="JPage_i">(i)</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="The_Judgment_and_Justice_of_God" id="The_Judgment_and_Justice_of_God"></a> +<i>The Judgment and Justice of God</i><br /> +<span class="gesperrt">EXEMPLIFIED</span>.</h2> +<h3>OR, A<br /> +BRIEF HISTORICAL HINT<br /> +OF THE<br /> +<span class="smcap">Wicked Lives</span> and <span class="smcap">Miserable Deaths</span> +of some of the most remarkable +Apostates and bloody Persecutors in Scotland, from the Reformation till +after the Revolution;</h3> + +<p class="center">COLLECTED FROM<br /><br /> +Historical Records, Authenticated Writings, and other well-vouched +Relations.</p> + +<hr class="mini" style="margin-bottom:0" /> +<p class="center smcap">By JOHN HOWIE.</p> +<hr class="mini" style="margin-top:0" /> + +<p><span class="smcap">Psalm</span> lv. 23. <i>But thou, O God, shalt bring them down to the pit of +destruction. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their +days.</i></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Psalm</span> vii. 12. <i>He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death, +he ordained his arrows against the persecutors.</i></p> + +<p>2 <span class="smcap">Thess.</span> i. 6.—<i>It is a righteous thing with God to recompense +tribulation to them that trouble you.</i></p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza" style="margin-bottom:0"> +<span class="i0">—— Immemores Dei<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Gentes mors inopina<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Aeternis tenebris premit.<br /></span> +</div> +<span class="i8">Psalm ix. 17.—<span class="smcap">Buchan.</span></span> +</div> + +<hr class="mini" /> + +<p class="center">GLASGOW:</p> +<p class="center">Printed by <span class="smcap">John Bryce</span>.</p> +<p class="center">MDCCLXXXII.</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_ii" id="JPage_ii">(ii)</a></span> +Had I not confined myself at first to the limits of an Appendix to the +lives of our Scots worthies, I might have written a volume, containing +the same hints of the most notable Apostates, Blasphemers, and wicked +Persecutors, Jew and Christian, in all the different kingdoms and +countries wherein the true religion and knowledge of the true God hath +been professed, from the earliest ages to this present century; and +which may be yet attempted, if this meet with the approbation of the +Public, and a call and farther encouragement be given for that purpose.</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_iii" id="JPage_iii">(iii)</a></span></p> +<h2>THE INTRODUCTION.</h2> + +<p>I presume, that any person, who has diligently perused the history of +the lives of our noble Scots worthies, will by this time be able to form +some idea in their own minds of the religious, virtuous and faithful +lives, joyful and comfortable deaths of a certain number of Christ's +noble witnesses, confessors and martyrs, who through much tribulation +emerged forth of all their difficulties in much faith and patience, and +are now inheriting the promise in that land and celestial Jerusalem +above, <i>where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary be at +rest</i>.</p> + +<p>It now follows of course, that I should present another scene unto the +reader's view, <i>viz.</i> a short index or memorial of the wicked, apostate, +perfidious and flagitious lives, and miserable and lamentable deaths of +some of the most particular persons that opposed and oppressed the +church of Christ, and mal-treated and persecuted them. But previous to +the opening of this tragical train of examples, (of the Lord's righteous +justice and judgment on his and his church's enemies) let the following +few particulars be observed. And,</p> + +<p><i>1st</i>, Let none think that this is a subject foreign or remote to either +scripture, apocrypha, or history. No; I might instance Cain, the +proto-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 fell +out; apostate Joash and Jehoiakim, who burnt the roll, came to +ignominious ends: Ahab and Zedekiah, false prophets, whom the king of +Babylon 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 of +Bethlehem, and had the same fate with Antiochus; Herod Antipas, who +killed John Baptist; Herodias and Salmon the dancer came to<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_iv" id="JPage_iv">(iv)</a></span> fearful +ends: Judas and Caiaphas became their own executioners; Pilate also +ended his own wretched life; Herod Agrippa was eaten up of worms: Nero +and all the succeeding emperors, authors of the ten persecutions; Philip +II. of Spain, Charles IX. Henry III. and IV. kings of France, Dukes of +Guise, Anjou, Austria, <i>&c.</i> the cardinals Wolsey and Pool, bloody Mary +of England, bishop Gardiner, with an immense number more both of this +and inferior ranks, too tedious here to mention, came all to deserved +wretched deaths suitable to such wicked and bloody lives.—Nay, God will +have such reverence paid to what bears the name of deity and religion, +that even amongst the very heathens, who had not the knowledge of the +true God, those who blasphemed or affronted the gods, robbed their +temples, or mal-treated and persecuted their priests, did not pass +without some public mark of divine displeasure, (of which I might give a +number of instances from history, were it needful). And should such as +are favoured with an objective revelation of the true God and way of +salvation in and by him, who destroy his heritage, persecute his people, +blaspheme his name, and make a mock of religion, go unpunished? Nor,</p> + +<p><i>2ndly</i>, Is the collecting or recording such exemplary instances without +precept or precedent? Moses, by the Lord's direction, commanded the +centers of those who were burnt up when offering strange fire to be made +broad plates for a covering to the altar, for a memorial to the children +of Israel.—And, passing other instances in scripture, historians and +martyrologers, we find the reformed church of the Netherlands at the +famous synod of Embden 1571, amongst other things, enacted and ordered +the Lord St. Atergonde to write the history of the persecution by the +Duke de Alva, with the visible judgments that befel the persecutors at +that time. The same thing was agitated and concluded upon by the united +societies in Scotland, both before and after the Revolution, which, had +their resolutions been accomplished, had either anticipated this +publication, or rendered it more complete than what it can otherwise be +expected.<a name="FNanchor_266" id="FNanchor_266"></a><a href="#Footnote_266" class="fnanchor">[266]</a> Nor,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_v" id="JPage_v">(v)</a></span> +<i>3dly</i>, Can it be expected, that all our Scots apostates and persecutors +are here narrated. No; there have many of God's eminent saints and dear +children made their exit out of this world without any note or +observation: in like manner, every wicked and notorious offender has not +been made a Magor Missabib, a wonder unto themselves and others. We can +ascribe this to nothing but divine wisdom and sovereignty. But there +have been as many instances of both kinds as may serve for a monitor +both to saints and sinners, to encourage the one and deter the other, +and <i>that others may hear and fear</i>. Again, there have been several of +these wicked enemies of God even in our own land, whose deaths have been +as remarkable as those now related, which have either not been recorded, +or else the records have been lost, and cannot now, after such a long +time elapsed, be retrieved<a name="FNanchor_267" id="FNanchor_267"></a><a href="#Footnote_267" class="fnanchor">[267]</a>. And</p> + +<p><i>4thly</i>, This may be observed, That, though numbers in this black +catalogue have nothing different as to the taking away of the life +temporal, such as by heading, hanging, <i>&c.</i>, from what has befallen +God'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 of +balance. Jesus as man, and the obstinate malefactor on the cross, are an +illustrating proof of this: for, while the one goes off the stage +triumphing in the justice of their cause under the sensible +manifestations of God's gracious presence, crying out, Farewel, friends +and relations, holy scriptures, duties, sun, moon, stars,—all created +enjoyments:—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, and +life for evermore:—The other (although I do not meddle with their +eternal state, as being no-ways my province or prerogative to determine +upon) at least those I have here condescended upon, died either in a +senseless, secure, supine stupidity, or else belching out the most +fearful oaths, and imprecations against themselves or others, or worse, +if worse may be, roaring out in despair in the most dreadful horror of +an awakened conscience under the sense of God's wrath and fiery +indignation ready to be poured forth upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_vi" id="JPage_vi">(vi)</a></span> them for their former wicked +lives; which must be one of the most exquisite torments in this life, as +expressed by the poet,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">——<i>Siculi non invenere Tyranni</i><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><i>Tormentum majus.</i>——<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Nay, some have had very wicked lives or actions in life, and yet through +the Lord's goodness have obtained mercy at last, though none of this +stamp to my knowledge, as far as could be discerned, are brought into +this category<a name="FNanchor_268" id="FNanchor_268"></a><a href="#Footnote_268" class="fnanchor">[268]</a>. And</p> + +<p><i>5thly</i>, Let none think that I have dragged any in here, because they +were king, queen, or bishop; no, there are others here; it was because +they were tyrants, apostates, perjured wretches, wicked persecutors and +bloody deceitful men: a Charles on the throne, a Lauderdale in the +state, a M'Kinzie at the bar, a Jefferies on the bench, a Dalziel in the +army, and a Judas Sharp in the church, amongst others inrolled in the +annals of time, (and we may fear in eternity too) are terrible monuments +of this.—It is true, all this black group attained not the same +altitude of wickedness; but they all acted from the same principle, and +bended 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 humane +than others) yet they must all be brought to the same standard, seeing +divine sovereignty has ordered it so.</p> + +<p><i>6thly</i>, It is here hoped, that none of the offspring of those will be +offended at what is related of their ancestors, unless they approve of +their deeds; seeing no man can help the evil qualities of his +forefathers. A good Jehoshaphat begat a wicked Jehoram and a wicked +Ahaz, and Amnon begat a good Josiah. And though the Lord has declared<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_vii" id="JPage_vii">(vii)</a></span> +that he will visit the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, yet +he 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 and +religious lives are necessary to be set before us for our example, and +why should not the contrary vices be eschewed by viewing a portrait of +the reverse qualities? for he who has said that the memory of the just +shall be blessed, has also said, that the memory of the wicked shall +rot; that is, they shall either sink into oblivion, or else in consuming +away shall become nauseous unto posterity, as says the prophet, <i>Their +everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten</i>.</p> + +<p><i>Lastly</i>, For the matter and method of the following examples, though +there be severals of them touched at in the lives of the Scots worthies +as connected with the subject, yet I have brought them unto this +composition, that the reader may view them all at once; and for the +method I have arranged them in, each example is as near the order of +time when they died as could be guessed, and as concise as possible, +being restricted to such narrow limits. As for the authority of the +authors from whom they are collected, (except a few relations as well +vouched as at present could be obtained) they are much the same with +those of the lives of the worthies, historical faith being all that can +be claimed in human and imperfect composures.</p> + +<p>And for a conclusion, let us see all scenes closing, let us, through the +foregoing mirror and following prospect, view the Lord's admirable +goodness to his own dear children even when walking through the furnace +of affliction, with his just and severe indignation and resentment even +in this life upon his and their enemies.—Let us behold the one wafted +over the dark river in the arms of a Redeemer (though sometimes on a +bloody bottom) unto the flowery banks of Emmanuel's land;—while the +other is with an awful gloom of horror hurled head-long into the pit of +destruction. Let us by faith apprehend those thousands of thousands at +Christ's right hand, singing, <i>Allelujah, true and righteous are his +judgments; he hath judged the great whore, and avenged the blood of his +servants</i>,—with a numberless throng on his left hand of these +miscreants sentenced unto that place of torment and woe, where they +shall have an eternity to bewail their infidelity, impiety, avarice, +ambition, cruelty, and stupidity in.—And, in fine, if the<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_8" id="JPage_8">(8)</a></span> following +hints shall serve for no other purpose, they will stand for an +incontestable evidence of the very first principle of religion, that +there is a God to reward the righteous and punish the wicked:—<i>So that +men shall say, Verily, there is a reward for the righteous; verily there +is a God that judgeth in the earth.</i></p> + +<hr /> +<h2><i>The Judgment and Justice of GOD Exemplified, &c.</i></h2> + +<p>JOHN CAMERON, sometime bishop of Glasgow was a most wicked wretch: he +not only committed many acts of avarice and cruelty upon the poor people +of his diocese, but also encouraged those in place and power to do the +like: So that he became the author of almost all the mischief in that +part of the country.—But in this he did not long escape the just +judgment 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 from +Glasgow, he seemed to hear an audible voice summoning him to appear +before Christ's tribunal to give an account of his doings.—He got up +affrighted, 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 a +second time louder, which struck all his servants with horror. His +servant being gone, the voice called a third time more terrible than +before; at which the bishop was heard give a groan, and so was found +dead in his bed with his tongue hanging out of his mouth; and so came to +an end deserving of such a life.—<i>Buchanan and Spotiswood's Histories</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sir</span> GEORGE STEEL, a parasite and mighty flatterer of James V.; but one +of the greatest enemies to God and his people (that then began to +profess the true religion) that was in all the court, being such a +bigotted papist, that, one day in a large audience, he renounced his +portion of Christ's kingdom, if the prayer of the Virgin Mary did not +bring him hither.—But one day, while in presence of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_9" id="JPage_9">(9)</a></span> king, he +dropped down dead from his horse and never spoke a word.—<i>Knox's +history</i>.</p> + +<p>JAMES HAMILTON, a natural brother to the earl of Arran was by the popish +clergy's influence advanced in the reign of said James V. and was so +cruel and terrible against all such as were supposed to favour the +protestant religion, that even some of his own relations were brought +under his power—being by the intercession of these poplings by the king +made judge or lord justice for that purpose. But while he was employing +himself to crush the gospel in the very bud, his cousin James Hamilton +sheriff of Linlithgow, whom he had caused to be banished before on that +account, returned home and accused him of treason, and in spite of all +the popish clergy could do in his behalf, he was arraigned, condemned, +beheaded and quartered at Edinburgh, and his quarters placed upon the +public places of the city.—<i>Buchanan and Fulfilling of the Scriptures</i>.</p> + +<p>THOMAS SCOT, a privy counsellor and justice clerk to the said James V. +was a notable enemy and persecutor of these professing the reformed +religion. But falling sick at Edinburgh, he fell into despair: he was +most vexed for what he had done against Christ's witnesses, and still +cried out, <i>Justo Dei judicio condemnatus sum</i>, I am condemned by God's +just judgment, and damned without remedy. And (if he be the same who is +called by some, Blair) when the monks began to comfort him, he charged +them to be gone with their factions and trumperies, saying, till now, I +never believed there was God or devil, heaven or hell. I acted only as a +politician to get preferment and money, and for that purpose I joined +the bishops side, and prevailed with the king to cast out their +adversaries. All your masses can do me no good: the devil has me already +in his gripes to carry me to hell and torment me eternally. In this +situation he died the same night, he appeared to the king when lying at +Linlithgow with a company of devils, and uttered these words to him, O +woe to the day that ever I knew thee or thy service; for the serving of +thee against God, against his servants and against justice, I am +adjudged to endless torment.—<i>Knox's history</i>, <i>Appendix to +Sp{illegible}'s relation</i>.</p> + +<p>ALEX. CAMPBELL, a dominican friar, a man of wit and learning, who though +he agreed almost in every point with Patrick Hamilton, yet being more +desirous to save than hazard his life for the truth, was prevailed upon +by<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_10" id="JPage_10">(10)</a></span> his friends not only to prefer a public accusation against the said +Patrick, but even when bound at the stake in the fire, over the belly of +the light of his own conscience, continually cried out, Convert, +heretic; call on our lady: say, <i>salve regina</i>, &c. to whom the martyr +said, depart from me, and trouble me not, thou messenger of Satan. But +while this friar still roared out these words with great vehemency, He +said again to him, "O thou vilest of men, thou art convinced that these +tenets which thou now condemnest, are certainly true, and didst confess +to me that they are so. I cite thee against a certain time before the +tribunal seat of Christ Jesus, <i>&c.</i>" In a few days after, Campbel +turned quite mad, and died in Glasgow as one in despair.—<i>Buch. Knox's +hist. and others</i>.</p> + +<p>JAMES V. son to James IV. who began to reign 1514, notwithstanding a +quick genius and inclination at first to sobriety and justice, yet soon +became corrupted with licenciousness and avarice the bane of that age; +and, being wholly under the direction of the pope and his poplings in +Scotland he turned a most violent persecutor of the professors of the +true religion, (which then began to dawn) in so much that Patrick +Hamilton, of the royal stock, behoved to suffer the flames; many others +were oppressed and banished the nation as hereticks. Nay, such was his +furious zeal, that he was heard say, that none of that sort need expect +favour at his hand, were it his own sons if guilty: and it appears he +would have been as good as his word, (from a paper or list of their +names given in by the clergy found in his pocket at his death) had not +divine providence interposed: for being pushed on to an unjust war with +the English by the advice of Oliver Sinclair and others, his army was +shamefully defeated at Solway moss, where this Oliver his general fled +and 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 at +Linlithgow) and hearing the queen was delivered of a daughter, he broke +forth unto this desperate expression, "The devil go with it, it came +with a woman, and will go with a woman, <i>&c.</i>" But still his continued +cry was, Is Oliver taken, <i>&c.</i> till cardinal Beaton came, whose +intrigues with the queen were before known, and by whose direction it +was supposed the king received a dose, of which he soon expired in that +situation, 1542.—<i>Buch. Knox</i>, <span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_11" id="JPage_11">(11)</a></span>&c.</p> + +<p>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. He +would by no means admit of a disputation with any of the reformed; but +recommended fire and sword for the only defence of the catholic +religion. "Our victory (said he) stands neither in God nor his word, but +in our own wills, otherwise we will no more be found the men we are +called, than the devil will be approved to be God, <i>&c.</i>" Amongst other +extravagances, he became a notable Epicurean, eating and drinking +becoming the only pastime of his life, and in that excess, he at last +fell down and expired.—<i>Knox</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>—— 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 see +of Galloway, and became such a persecutor of the reformation, that he +roundly vowed, that, in despite of God, as long as they prelates lived, +that word called <span class="smcap lowercase">GOSPEL</span> should never be preached in this realm. But his +boasting lasted not long; for being suddenly seized by death, the +articles of his belief or dying words were, "Decarte, you, ha, ha. The +four kings and all made, the devil go with: it is but a varlet from +France; we thought to have got a ruby, but we got nothing but a +cohoobie." And so this filthy enemy of God ended his life.—<i>Knox</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>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 cruel +disposition, he set himself to crush the professors of the reformed +religion with fire and faggot. Captain Bothwick was by his influence +accused, but fled to England: four men by his direction were burnt on +the Castle-hill of Edinburgh 1538; as were Russel and Kennedy the year +after. Thus he continued at this game, at the same time wallowing like a +hog in a stie in all manner of filthiness, till the year 1646, that he +got that man of God George Wishart brought to the flames.—While he was +at the stake before the cardinal's castle at St. Andrews, that the +cardinal might gratify his eyes with this desirable sight, the cushions +were laid for him and his company to lean upon, while looking forth at +the windows.—After the fire was kindled, the martyr said amongst other +things, "This fire torments my body, but no ways abates my spirit, but +he who now looks down so proudly from<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_12" id="JPage_12">(12)</a></span> yonder lofty palace, (pointing to +the cardinal) and feeds his eyes with my torment, shall ere long be hung +out at that window as ignominiously, as he now there leans with pride." +Accordingly some gentlemen vowed to avenge Mr. Wishart's death. The +wicked 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 my +devotion? Is not France my friend? What danger should I fear?—But in a +few days, Norman Lesly, John Lesly, and the laird of Grange entered the +castle in the morning, just as one of his harlots Mrs Ogilvie was gone +out of bed from him. The noise soon alarmed the cardinal, who was but a +little before fallen asleep. He got up and hid a coffer of gold in a +corner. Afterward with some difficulty they got in. John Lesly drew his +sword, and in sober terms told him their errand, but could bring him to +no signs of repentance or preparation for death.—Whereupon they stabbed +him; upon which he cried out, I am a priest: fy, all is gone; and so he +expired. The provost and his friends came in a fray, and demanded what +was become of him, and would not depart; which made them hang his +carcase over the window, according to Mr Wishart's words; and then they +departed;—after which he lay a considerable time unburied<a name="FNanchor_269" id="FNanchor_269"></a><a href="#Footnote_269" class="fnanchor">[269]</a>.</p> + +<p>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 into +a poor woman's house, with a small family of children at Whiteside, to +plunder it. She offered him such provision as she had; but this would +not satisfy him; for notwithstanding all her tears and intreaties, the +cruel wretch must have what little meal and beef she had to sustain her +and her young<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_13" id="JPage_13">(13)</a></span> infants. She perceiving this, upon his stooping down into +a large barrel or pipe to take what was there, first turned up his +heels, and then with what help her family could afford, kept him in, +till amongst the meal he ended his wicked life.—<i>Knox.</i></p> + +<p>MARY of Lorrain, sister to the duke of Guise, and second wife to James +V. after her husband's death, aspired to the regency; and being sprung +from a family who always had shewn themselves inveterate and implacable +enemies to the kingdom of Christ, she set herself with might and main, +to exterminate the gospel and its professors out of Scotland.—She told +them, 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 ever +St. Paul did: and, for that purpose, procured to her faction in Scotland +some thousands of French soldiers, which obliged them to lift arms in +their own defence. One time, these cruel savages having obtained a small +advantage in a skirmish at Kinghorn, and committed many outrages of +plunder in Fife, she broke out into the following expression: "Where is +now John Knox's God? My God is stronger than his, even in Fife." At +another time when the reformed had pulled down some monuments of +idolatry at St. Johnston, this catholic heroine vowed, "She should +destroy both man, woman and child in it, and burn it with fire: and +that, if she had a fair pretext for the deed, she would not leave an +individual of the heretical tribe, either his fortune or life." Again +1560, when her Frenchmen had obtained another victory at Leith, and +having stripped the slain, and laid their bodies upon the walls before +the sun, at the beholding of which from the castle of Edinburgh, it is +said she leaped for joy and said, "Yonder is the fairest tapestry I ever +saw! I would the whole field were covered with the same stuff." But God +soon put a stop to this wicked contumely; for in a few days (some say +the same day) her belly and legs began to swell of that loathsome and +ugly disease whereof she died in the month of June following. Before her +death, she seemed to shew some remorse for her past conduct; but no +signs of true repentance, else she would not have received the Popish +sacrament of extreme unction. The papists having now lost their head, +and the church not suffering her to be buried with the superstitious +rites of popery, she was coffined, and kept four months, and then went +to France: and so she, who a little made the followers of Christ when +killed lie unburied,<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_14" id="JPage_14">(14)</a></span> could not obtain a burial in the kingdom of +Scotland<a name="FNanchor_270" id="FNanchor_270"></a><a href="#Footnote_270" class="fnanchor">[270]</a>.</p> + +<p>DAVID RIZIO or Riccio, born at Turin in Savoy, came over, and was +introduced unto queen Mary's musicians (being of that craft) and +complying with her humour in every thing, he was advanced to be one of +her secretaries. But being one of the pope's minions and a deadly enemy +to the cause of Christ in Scotland, he laid continual schemes to ruin +the noble reformers. He laid a plot to murder the good earl of Murray +with his own hand, but it miscarried. He had a principal hand in the +queen's match with Darnly; but soon became his rival, and the queen's +paramour. He exceeded the king in apparel and furniture, and intended to +have cut off the Scots nobility, and brought in a set of foreign +ministers. He counterfeited the king's seal, and nothing could be done +without him at court. He was apprized of his hazard, but nothing could +affright him. Whereupon the king, with James Douglas, Patrick Lindsay, +<i>&c.</i> knowing that he was gone in privily to the queen one night, (as +his custom was) came in upon them, while he was sitting by the queen at +supper. She sought to defend him by the interposition of her body; but +bringing him to an outer chamber, at first they intended to have hanged +him publicly, which would have been a most grateful spectacle to the +people; but being in haste, James Douglas gave him a stroke with his +dagger, which was by the company succeeded, to the number of fifty-three +strokes, and so he soon expired, March 9, 1566<a name="FNanchor_271" id="FNanchor_271"></a><a href="#Footnote_271" class="fnanchor">[271]</a>.</p> + +<p>HENRY STUART, son to the earl of Lenox, returned to Scotland 1565, and +was married to the queen; and being a bigotted papist, the reforming +lords opposed his marriage, but were obliged to flee to England. While +matters went well betwixt him and the queen, he was wholly at her +devotion, and at her instigation, cast the Psalms of David into the +fire. But after Rizio's death, the earl of Bothwel becoming the queen's +beloved paramour, she fell in disgust<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_15" id="JPage_15">(15)</a></span> with the king; and he being +misled up in popery, and seeing himself thus forsaken of the queen, and +despised 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 were +not 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 of +youth, he surmounted the disorder. Being a man wholly given to sensual +pleasure, he was easily deceived: the queen decoyed him to Edinburgh, +where she and Bothwel laid a plan for his life wherein Bothwel was to be +the aggressor. In prosecution of which, he with some others entered the +king's lodging in the night, and while he was asleep strangled him and +one of his servants, and drew him out at a little gate they had made +through the wall of the city, and left his naked body lying, and so, +like another Johoiakim, who burnt the roll, was <i>cast without the gates +of Jerusalem</i>.</p> + +<p>JOHN HAMILTON was, by his brother the regent, after the cardinal's death +made arch-bishop of St. Andrew's. He exactly trod in the footsteps of +his predecessors; and that not only in uncleanness, taking men's wives +from them for his concubines, (as the popish clergy must not be married) +but was also a violent oppressor and persecutor of Christ's gospel in +his mystical members. Adam Wallace and Walter Mill were by his direction +committed to the flames. Again, when Mr. Knox went with the lords to +preach at St. Andrew's, he raised 100 spear-men to oppose him. He had a +hand 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 a +hand in Henry Stuart's death, and was afterward one of the conspirators +of the the death of the good regent the earl of Murray; but the reformed +getting the ascendent, he was obliged to flee to the castle of +Dumbarton, and was there taken, when it was taken by the regent earl of +Marr, and for his former misdemeanours, was hanged up by the neck like a +dog at Stirling, about the year 1572.</p> + +<p>WILLIAM MAITLAND, commonly called in history, young Lethington, though a +man of no small parts or erudition, yet became sadly corrupted by the +court. He was made secretary to queen Mary, and with her became a prime +agent against the reformation. He oftentimes disputed with Mr. Knox, and +at last gave in a charge of treason against him on account of religion. +And one time, he was so chagrined<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_16" id="JPage_16">(16)</a></span> at the preachers of the gospel, +namely Mr. Craig, that he gave himself to the devil, if after that day +he should care what became of Christ's ministers, let them blow as hard +as they would. He had a prime hand in the queen's marriage with Darnly, +and against the lords who professed the reformed religion. After the +queen fled to England, he was the principal manager of all the popish +plots and tragical disasters that for some time happened in England and +Scotland. But the queen's affairs growing desperate, he fled to +Edinburgh castle, which was then held for the queen by the laird of +Grange. Mr. Knox sent a message to them of their danger, and what would +befal them. But Lethington made a mock of Mr. Knox and his advice; but +the castle being taken 1573, he was imprisoned in the steeple of Leith, +where six escaped further ignominy by public punishment. It was said he +poisoned himself, and lay so long unburied that the vermin upon his body +were creeping out at the doors of the house, in under the ground of the +steeple.—<i>Calderwood's history.</i></p> + +<p>JAMES HEPBURN Earl of Bothwel was a wicked vicious man from his very +infancy. At first he inclined as seemed to the protestant side, but +becoming the queen's principal minion, he apostatized to popery, because +it was her religion. He vigorously opposed the work of reformation, +attempted to murder the good Earl of Murray, but was prevented. After +the slaughter of Rizio, he succeeded in his place, and became a partaker +of 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 have +murdered James VI. then a child, but was prevented by the lords who rose +in defence of religion and their liberties. The queen was by them made +to abandon him, which made him flee to Shetland, where he became a +pirate: but being obliged to escape from thence to Denmark, where after +near ten years confinement, he became distracted and died mad.</p> + +<p>JAMES DOUGLAS Earl of Morton was a man of no small natural endowments, +but a man of a covetous and lecherous disposition. While chancellor, he +got the Fulcan bishopricks erected<a name="FNanchor_272" id="FNanchor_272"></a><a href="#Footnote_272" class="fnanchor">[272]</a>, that the bishops might have +the<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_17" id="JPage_17">(17)</a></span> title and honour; but the nobility got the profit or church +revenues. After he became regent, though things came to a more settled +state, yet for his own political ends, he oppressed the people, but +especially the clergy by promises to assign them stipends in parishes. +He extorted from them the rights to the thirds of the benefice, and +oftimes caused one minister to serve four or five parishes, while +himself took all the stipends but one, (so that by the end of the +century some ministers had but 11 l. and some but the half and miserably +paid). He was the first that introduced prelacy into Scotland. Says a +historian, "He threatened some of the ministers, misliked general +assemblies, could not endure the free and open rebuke of sin in the +pulpit, maintained the bishops and pressed his own injunctions and +conformity with England; and had without question stayed the work of +God, had not God stirred up a faction of the nobility against him." For +first, the king took upon him the regency: then he was accused of the +late king's murder. He had amassed great sums of money together; but it +was partly embezzled by his friends, and partly conveyed away in barrels +and hid; So that when brought to Edinburgh, he had to borrow twenty +shillings for the poor. Thus having lost both his friends and his money, +which might have procured him friends, he was condemned and executed at +Edinburgh, June 2d, 1581. And so, for advancing the king's authority and +supremacy over the church and introducing bishops into it, he was by him +and them but poorly rewarded.—<i>Calderwood and Fulfilling of the +Scriptures.</i></p> + +<p>JAMES STUART, son to the lord Ochiltree, was from a single centinel +advanced to a captain in king James's minority; but, becoming still +greater at court, he assumed unto himself the title of earl of Arran. He +became the king's only favourite, and was by him advanced unto the helm +of affairs; and then he set himself to ruin the church of God: for +first, he got the king's supremacy in all causes civil and +ecclesiastick, asserted by parliament; and then he got a set of wicked +and profane bishops, like himself, again reinstated in the church. In a +word, this ambitious, covetous, bloody, seditious Cataline, and scorner +of religion and enemy to the commonwealth was the author of all the +broils and disorders in church and state from 1680 to 1685; and would +have done more (being now made chancellor and captain of the castle of +Edinburgh) had not the Lord, by his own immediate hand of providence, +interposed in behalf of his church; for, first, being disgraced at +court,<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_18" id="JPage_18">(18)</a></span> while on the pinnacle of dignity, he was tumbled down unto his +first original: then taking a tour through Kyle, came near Douglas, and +was at last set upon by James Douglas (afterward lord Fotherald) in the +valley of Catslaks, in revenge for his accusation of his friend the earl +of Morton, and thrown from his horse, and killed with a spear, and his +body left lying exposed to be devoured of dogs upon the king's high +way.—<i>Calderwood, Spotiswood, and Melvil's memoirs.</i></p> + +<p>MARY STUART daughter to James V. first married the dauphin of France, +and after his death returned home, and took on her the regal government +of Scotland. Tho' some historians represent her for a woman of a quick +judgment and good natural abilities, yet it is evident she was of a +revengeful temper and lecherous disposition; and being misled up in +popery from her infancy, her opposition to the protestant reformed +religion seems all of a piece. It would fill a volume to recite the +wickedness, mischiefs and tragical disasters, that, through her +instigation, by her command or example, were committed during her reign. +For, not to mention her intrigues with Rizio and Chattelet the French +dancer, whom she caused at last to be hanged; the court rung with all +manner of wickedness, impiety and profanity. About 1566, she entered +into a league with Charles IX. of France to extirpate the reformed +religion. She and her favourites robbed the church of their patrimony to +maintain the luxury of the court: So that they could all have scarce +2000l. yearly. Nor upon all their petitions, though in a starving +condition, could they get any redress from her. She married Darnly, then +fell in adultery with Bothwel, then they concerted his murder: and after +she married the Regicide, lifted arms against the professors of the true +religion, by whom she was obliged to flee to England. In a word, every +dreary year of her unfortunate reign was blackened with some remarkable +disaster, and by such acts of impudence and injustice, as corrupt nature +and popish cruelty could suggest. After her elopement to England, the +popish faction, of which she was the head, kept the nations in continual +intestine broils, till a scheme was by them laid to marry the duke of +Norfolk a papist, get rid of her son James and Queen Elizabeth, and +grasp both kingdoms into the hands; but this proving abortive, she next +endeavoured to have herself declared Second in England, whereupon Queen +Elizabeth signed a warrant somewhat precipitantly for her execution; and +so she was beheaded<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_19" id="JPage_19">(19)</a></span> in Fotheringay castle, Feb. 18. 1586, or according +to some 1587. She died with some fortitude, but would have nothing to do +with the protestant clergy at the place of execution, saying, she would +die in the catholick religion wherein she was bred and born, willing +only to have her confessor: at last she lifted the crucifix and kissed +it. And so she ended her days, as she lived, and with her ended +bare-faced popery for a time in Scotland.—<i>Knox</i>, <i>Melvil</i>, +<i>Spotiswood</i>, &c.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> PATRICK ADAMSON, first minister of Paisley, was a preacher of much +repute in the church; but ambition and private interest had more sway +with him than the interest of Christ. And having wrought himself into +the king's favour by undermining the government and discipline of the +church, he was declared bishop by Morton about 1578. But got the +bishoprick of St. Andrews 1584, after which he not only spoke and wrote +in favours of prelacy, but became a persecutor of his faithful brethren. +In the height of his grandeur, he used to boast that three things could +not fail him, his learning, the king's favour, and his riches: for the +first, in the just judgment of God, he could not speak a word of sense +before or after his meat. For the second, he lost the king's favour and +had his bishoprick taken from him, and was heard say, he was sure the +king cared more for his dogs than for him. And for his riches, he was so +reduced that he had to get charity from those ministers whom before he +harrassed. Before, for his pride, contumacy and other enormities he was +excommunicated by the church, but being now in extreme poverty and +sickness, he made a recantation and confession, supplicating the church +he might be absolved from the censure; which at last was by them +granted. Whether this repentance proceeded from constraint to get a +little outward sustenance, as was suspected, I cannot say; but in this +situation he died, in great want and extreme misery, about the year +1591—<i>Fulfilling of the Scriptures</i>, &c.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> JAMES NICHOLSON, a creature of the same make; one eminent for parts +and learning in these times, and at first a great opposer of prelacy. +But being still gaping for riches, honour and preferment, shifted from +one benefice to another, till he got the bishopric of Dunkeld: yea, so +forward was he to establish prelacy, that he behoved to be one of those +who assisted the king at Hampton court against eight of his brethren who +were more faithful than<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_20" id="JPage_20">(20)</a></span> himself in 1606. But his honour continued not +long, for being stricken with sickness of body and seized with +melancholy 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 a +bishoprick hath racked my conscience. I have against much light and over +the belly of it, opposed the truth and yielded up the liberties of +Christ to please an earthly king, <i>&c.</i>" And so in great horror of +conscience he made his exit, August 1609.—<i>Calderwood</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>GEORGE HUME, Earl of Dumbar, one of king James's creatures, and the only +instrument (I may say) used by him at that time to overturn the +Presbyterian form of church-government and discipline, and introduce +prelacy into Scotland: for which purpose he was by him sent as +commissioner to both the general assemblies 1608 and 1610. He brought +some English doctors to persuade, a strong guard to intimidate the +faithful, and money to bribe those of a contrary disposition; which he +distributed to these mercenary creatures for their votes. He so far +succeeded, as to get a new set of bishops erected, and then returned to +England, where, with the wages of iniquity, he built a sumptuous palace +at Berwick. When he intended to keep St. George's day, and solemnize his +daughter's marriage with Lord Walden, the Lord pulled him down from the +height of all his honours by a sudden and surprizing death. <i>That day +his thoughts perish</i>, and with the builder of Jericho, for all his +acquisitions in Scotland and England, in a short time there was not a +foot breadth of land left of it to his posterity.—<i>Calderwood</i>, +<i>Fulfilling of the Scriptures</i>, &c.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> GEORGE GLADSTONE, at first, was such a zealous Presbyterian, that he +vowed he should never be bishop of St. Andrews, because they were hated +and came all to untimely ends. But his motives not being good, he +returned from court 1605, with a presentation to the very same +bishoprick. Again, when called up to court next year, to assist the king +against the faithful Scottish ministers, he was adjured by his brethren +of the ministry in the presbytery of St. Andrews, that as he should be +answerable to God, he should do nothing to the prejudice of the church +of God; he took God to witness, it should be so. But they soon found the +contrary to their sad experience; for he not only became a cruel enemy +to his brethren who continued<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_21" id="JPage_21">(21)</a></span> faithful, but also a lazy time-serving +hireling, oftimes loitering upon his bed in the very time of +sermon.—Instance, being one time on his bed in time of the afternoon +sermon, both he and the congregation were alarmed with the cry of +<i>Murder</i>, his sister's son in the house having killed his cook with a +dagger, as he was making ready his supper.—At this rate he continued +till 1615, that he was seized with a fearful and strange disease, (which +historians forbear to name) and what was worse, with obstinate and +senseless stupidity, approving of his former courses, and in that +situation he died, May 2, 1615.—<i>Calderwood and others.</i></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> ALEX<span class="super">R</span>. FORBES, a bird of the same feather, was first made bishop of +Caithness, then of Aberdeen. He was not only an enemy to the faithful +servants of Christ, but even of such a poor, low disposition, and such a +table friend and flattering spunger, that he was nicknamed Collie; +because so impudent and shameless that he would follow the lords of +session, advocates, <i>&c.</i> when they went to dinner, and cringe about, +and sometimes follow them uncalled, and sit down in their houses at +table.—At last he was seized with sickness at Leith, and fell under +sore remorse of conscience for his past life: he sent for bishop +Spotiswood, and would gladly have communicated his mind to him; but it +seems he would not leave his playing at cards (albeit it was on the +Sabbath day), and so he in this condition died.—<i>Calderwood.</i></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> ANDREW FORRESTER, sometime minister at Dunfermline, when sent to the +General Assembly 1610, was by his brethren adjured, that, as he should +answer to Jesus Christ, he should consent to no alteration in the +government of the church: yet, having received 50 merks from Dumbar, (a +small equivalent to the cause of Christ) he voted for prelacy. After +which, he was convicted of taking silver out of the poor's box with +false keys, and then fell into a fearful distemper, insomuch that, from +some words of the chancellor apprehending he should be hanged, he run +out 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 with +sickness. Mr. Row made him a visit, and found him in a lamentable +condition. He asked, if he was persuaded that God had called him to the +ministry. He answered, "Nay, I ever sought the world, and so is seen on +me." He next asked, what he got at the assembly for selling the +liberties of the church? He answered,<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_22" id="JPage_22">(22)</a></span> 50 merks, at which his horror +recurred, apprehending that he was instantly to be executed. Mr. Row +desired him to pray; he said he could not. Mr. Row prayed, in time of +which the buttons burst off his breast, and the blood gushed terribly +both from mouth and nose. After prayer, he asked, if he was prepared for +death? He answered, no, woes me. Next day he made him another visit, and +found him senseless and stupid, and so left him. After which he died in +great infamy, poverty and misery. Nor was Mr. Paton, another of the same +stamp, much better.—This and more was declared anent them by Mr. Row +before the assembly at Glasgow, 1638.—<i>Stevenson</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> WILLIAM COOPER, sometime minister at Perth, witnessed no small zeal +against prelacy, both doctrinally and from the press, and yet through +covetousness and court preferment, he was made bishop of Galloway: after +which none was more forward for the corruption of the times.—He left +his diocese, says the historian, and took up his residence in the +Cannongate of Edinburgh, and committed his ministerial affairs to +others, by whom was extorted the enormous sum of 100,000l. In his visits +once in two years he behaved most impiously, thrust in ignorant persons +to cures, and admitted his servant unto the ministry at his bed-side, +desired the presbytery of Kirkudbright to dispense with one who kept a +woman with him in fornication, and above all, was a fervent presser of +the king's injunctions for keeping Christmass, <i>&c.</i> and sent up his +advice 1619, for punishing those who did not comply. Some time before +his death, he took a hypochondriack distemper, apprehending his head was +all glass, which much affrighted him.—Some brought his former +discourses to him to reconcile, which disquieted him more. Being at his +pastime at Leith, he apprehended he saw armed men coming upon him; the +company shewing him the contrary, he fell a-trembling, went home and +took bed; and being in great anguish and trouble of spirit, he would +often point with his finger to the earth, and cry, "A fallen star, a +fallen star." And so he ended his life in great horror and anguish of +mind.<a name="FNanchor_273" id="FNanchor_273"></a><a href="#Footnote_273" class="fnanchor">[273]</a> On his court-advancement Mr. Simson of Stirling made the +following line,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><i>Aureus, heu! fragilem confregit malleus urnam.</i><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_23" id="JPage_23">(23)</a></span> +<span class="smcap">Mr.</span> PATRICK GALLOWAY was another of this fraternity; for when minister +of 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, who +carried on the court affairs then, he was persecuted and obliged to +abscond some time, about 1584. But afterwards being carried down with +the current of the times, he was transported to Edinburgh, where he +became a mighty stickler for prelacy, especially, the five articles of +Perth; insomuch that by the year 1620, he pressed kneeling at the +sacrament with much impudence and indecency; and though he would not +preach on Sabbath, yet he behoved to preach on Christmass.—At his +Christmass sacrament 1621, he commanded the communicants to kneel, and +he himself bowed with the one knee and sat with the other. Thus he +continued to the dotage of old age, and at last died upon the stool, +easing himself; and (as worthy Mr. Welch had before foretold) without +the least sense or signs of true repentance.</p> + +<p>—— HAMILTON, Marquis of Hamilton, for his many good services to king +James against the Presbyterian interest, was by him appointed +commissioner to the parliament 1621, on design to have the five articles +of Perth (<i>viz.</i> 1. Kneeling at the communion; 2. Private communion; 3. +Private baptism; 4. Observation of holy days; 5. Confirmation of +children) ratified: all the faithful ministers being by him discharged, +the city and the parliament guarded, that no protestations might be got +offered. Through threats and flattery he got that dismal affair +effected; but not without a notable mark of divine displeasure: for, in +that moment he arose to touch the act with the sceptre, a terrible flash +of fire came in at the window, followed with three fearful claps of +thunder, upon which the heavens became dark, and hailstones and a +terrible tempest ensued; which astonished every beholder, and made the +day afterward be called the black Saturday; because it began in the +morning with fire from earth, and ended in the evening with fire from +heaven.—And on the Monday, when the act was read at the cross of +Edinburgh, the fire and thunder again recurred.—However, the Marquis +having got the king's design partly accomplished returned to court, and +not long after, for such services, it is said, he was poisoned by the +king's principal minion the Duke of Buckingham.—<i>Calderwood</i>, <span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_24" id="JPage_24">(24)</a></span>&c.</p> + +<p>JAMES STUART, son to Mary Stuart queen of Scotland, was in his youth +educated by the famous Buchanan, and brought up in the true reformed +Protestant Presbyterian religion, then established in Scotland, which +was by him more than once ratified when he was in his swaddling cloaths, +as one well observes, Christ reigned in Scotland in his minority. The +church had its various turns according to the dispositions of the +regents, the king's favourite flatterers and court-parasites; but +whenever he began to think of obtaining the crown of England, he began +to introduce Episcopacy into the church of Scotland to gain the English +nation. And though he was a habitual gross swearer, and such a master of +dissimulation, that what he exalted at one time he set himself to +destroy at another, he carried still a face of religion in profession +while in Scotland. The church had many struggles, sometimes Israel, and +sometimes Amalek prevailed; but as soon as he ascended the throne of +England, he wholly assumed an arbitrary power and absolute supremacy +over the church, which before he had long grasped at. And though he had +sworn to maintain the Presbyterian form of church-government and +discipline, <i>&c.</i> his desire of unlimited authority made him now relish +Episcopacy to the highest degree: the bishops were his creatures. By +bribery, falsehood and persecution he introduced prelacy into Scotland, +created such bishops whom he knew would stick at nothing to serve his +purpose. Such as opposed his measures in both kingdoms, especially +Scotland, shared deep in his persecuting vengeance, some were +imprisoned, others deprived of their offices, while numbers fled to +foreign countries where they might serve God with a safe conscience. +Toward the end of his reign he waxed still worse:—a high commission +court was by him erected 1610: a set of wicked profane bishops installed +about 1618, by the help of whom and other corrupt clergy, he got the +five articles of Perth agreed to by a patched assembly that year—in +1621. He got them ratified by act of parliament, and then they began to +be pressed with rigour. In England matters were but little better: a +declaration was emitted for using sports and gaming on the Lord's day +after sermon, which profanations continue there to this day. He had +before wrote against the pope, threatening a malediction upon any of his +posterity that should apostatize to popery; but now he hastened toward +Rome; for, upon the match of his son with France, he agreed to the +following articles, That all laws formerly made against popery should +not be executed:<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_25" id="JPage_25">(25)</a></span> 2. That no new laws should be made against Roman +Catholics, but they should have a free toleration in England, Scotland +and Ireland.—At the same time, to the arch-bishop of Embrun he +acknowledged the pope's authority, and it is said, concluded on a +convocation for that purpose at Dover or Boloign, in order to effect a +more full toleration for papists. By his management in favours of +popery, his son-in-law the Protestant king of Bohemia lost a +kingdom.—In Scotland, several were incarcerate and fined for +non-conformity. He had commanded Christmass communion to be kept at +Edinburgh; but, by the Lord's immediate hand in the plague, he was in +that defeated. The next year being 1624, he resolved to have it kept +with great solemnity; but before that he was cut off on March 27, by +what they call a Quartan ague, in the 59 year of his age<a name="FNanchor_274" id="FNanchor_274"></a><a href="#Footnote_274" class="fnanchor">[274]</a>, but +(rather of poison as has been supposed) with such suspicious +circumstances, says a historian, as gave occasion of inquiry into the +manner of his death, in the first two parliaments of his son; all which +came to nothing by their sudden dissolution—<i>Welwood's memoirs</i>, +<i>Calderwood</i>, <i>Burnet</i>, <i>Bennet's memorial of Britain's deliverances</i>, +&c.</p> + +<p>PATRICK SCOTT, a gentleman in Fife, being a violent enemy to the cause +of Christ and religion, after he had wasted his patrimony, had to take +himself to several wretched shifts at court; and amongst others set +forth a recantation under the name of Mr. David Calderwood then under +banishment; in which, it was thought, he was assisted by the king. But +this project failing, he set off for Holland in quest of Mr. David, with +a design, as appeared, to have dispatched him. But providentially he was +detained at Amsterdam till he heard that Mr. Calderwood was returned +home. This made him follow. After which he published a pamphlet full of +lies, intituled, Vox vera, but as true as Lucian's Historia. But after +all his unlawful ungodly shifts, he became so poor (and at last died so +miserable) that he had nothing to bury him: so that the bishop had to +contribute as much as got him laid below ground for the good service he +had done the king and bishops.—<i>Calderwood.</i></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_26" id="JPage_26">(26)</a></span> +<span class="smcap">Mr.</span> WILLIAM FORBES (perhaps a son of the forementioned Forbes) was first +made doctor in Aberdeen 1621 and 1622. When the people of Edinburgh had +made choice of faithful Mr. Andrew Cant for their minister, the provost +sent and brought this Forbes, as one whom he and the episcopal faction +knew 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 also +preached up Arminianism, and essayed to reconcile the papists and the +church of Scotland together anent justification. And when complained of +by some of the bailies and citizens of Edinburgh, all the redress they +got was to be brought before the council and by the king's order handled +severely by fining and banishment. When Charles I. came to Edinburgh +1633, he erected a new bishoprick there, to which he nominated this +Forbes for bishop as one staunch to his interest. No sooner got he this +power than he began to shew his teeth by pressing conformity both by +word and writing, and for that purpose sent instructions to all the +presbyteries within his jurisdiction. The people of Edinburgh were also +threatened by the bishop's thunder; for on the first communion finding +them not so obsequious as he would have had them, he threatened that, if +life was continued, he should either make the best of them communicate +kneeling or quit his gown; and who doubts of his intention to do as he +had promised? But he soon found he had reckoned without his host; for +before he could accomplish that, God was pleased to cut him off on the +12th of April following by a fearful vomiting of blood, after he had +enjoyed this new dignity about two months. Burnet says, he died +suspected of popery.—<i>Burnet's history, and Stevenson's history, vol. +1.</i></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> JOHN SPOTISWOOD was first minister at Calder; but by his undermining +practice he got himself wrought into the bishoprick of Glasgow, and a +lord of the session, 1609. From thence he jumped into the +arch-bishoprick of St. Andrews 1615, and aspired still higher till he +was made chancellor of Scotland. He was a tool every way fit for the +court measures, as he could be either papist or prelate, provided he got +profit and preferment. When in France with the Duke of Lenox, he went to +mass, and in Scotland he had a principal hand in all the encroachments +upon the church and cause of Christ from 1596 to 1637. And for practice +a blacker character scarcely ever filled the<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_27" id="JPage_27">(27)</a></span> ministerial office. An +adulterer, a simoniack, a drunkard tippling in taverns till midnight, a +profaner of the Lord's day by playing at cards and jaunting through the +country, a falsifier of the acts of assembly, a reproacher of the +national covenant;—for which crimes he was excommunicated by that +venerable assembly at Glasgow 1638; after which, having lost all his +places of profit and grandeur, he fled to England (the asylum then of +the scandalous Scots bishops) where he died about the year 1639, in +extreme poverty and misery; according to Mr. Welch's words, He should be +as a stone cast out of a sling by the hand of God, and a malediction +should be on all his posterity;—which all came to pass; his eldest son +a 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. <i>Their fruit shalt thou +destroy from earth, and their seed from amongst the children of +men</i><a name="FNanchor_275" id="FNanchor_275"></a><a href="#Footnote_275" class="fnanchor">[275]</a>.—<i>Calderwood</i>, <i>Stevenson</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>JOHN LOGIE student in the university of Aberdeen, was such a malignant +enemy to the work of reformation and the national covenant, that when +commissioners were sent from Edinburgh there in the year 1638, in order +to reconcile them to the covenant, while Mr. Henderson was preaching in +the earl Marshal's closs for that purpose, he threw clods at them with +great scorn and mockery. But in a few days, he killed one Nicol Ferrie a +boy, because the boy's father had beat him for stealing his pease; and +tho' he escaped justice for a time, yet he was again apprehended and +executed in the year 1644. Such was the consequence of disturbing the +worship of God and mocking the ambassadors of Jesus +Christ.—<i>Stevenson</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>CHARLES I. succeeded his father James VI. and exactly trod in the same +steps, and with no better success. He grasped at the prerogative; and to +establish absolute power, prelacy, superstition and Arminianism seemed +his principal aim.—In England he infringed the liberties of parliament, +and by his marriage the nations became pestered with papists: in +Scotland he pressed Perth articles, the service book, and then, by +Laud's direction, the book of canons<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_28" id="JPage_28">(28)</a></span> which he and the rest of the +bishops had compiled for them about 1637, contrary to his +coronation-oath taken at Edinburgh 1633. But in these he was repulsed by +the Scots covenanters 1639 and 1640.—Again, when he was confirming all +oaths, promises, subscriptions and laws for establishing the reformation +in the Scots parliament 1641, in the mean time, he was encouraging his +Irish cut-throats to murder betwixt two or three hundred thousand +innocent Protestants in Ireland, the letters that he had sent for that +purpose being produced afterward. After his return to England, matters +became still worse betwixt him and the English parliament; so that both +parties took the field, in which by his means a sea of innocent blood +was spilt, the Scots assisting the parliament as bound by the Solemn +League, that he might overturn the covenanted interest in that land. +Notwithstanding all his solemn engagements, oaths and confirmations of +acts of parliament, by his direction, Montrose was sent down from court +to raise an insurrection in the Highlands; by whom the bloody Irish were +invited over, whereby in a few years many thousands of the covenanters +his best subjects were killed.—But all his bloody schemes for +overturning that covenanted interest that he had so solemnly bound +himself to defend and maintain, proving abortive, he fell at last into +the 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 the +church of England) he was so far from repentance, that he seemed to +justify the most part of his former conduct<a name="FNanchor_276" id="FNanchor_276"></a><a href="#Footnote_276" class="fnanchor">[276]</a>—<i>Civil wars of Gr. +Br.</i>, <i>Bailie's let.</i>, <i>Bennet, Welwood and Guthrie's memoirs</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>JAMES, Duke of Hamilton, though none of the most violent prosecutors of +the malignant interest against the reformation, yet was always one who +conformed to his master Charles 1st's measures, and was by him sent down +commissioner to the assembly 1630, which he commanded to dissolve +(though they did not obey) and left it. He published the king's +declaration against the covenants and covenanters. And though none of +the most rigid, yet he may be justly accounted the head of the malignant +faction<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_29" id="JPage_29">(29)</a></span> in Scotland, from 1638 to 1648, since he, contrary to the +solemn league and covenant, raised a large army in Scotland and went to +England in behalf of the king. But he was shamefully defeated by +Cromwel, and taken prisoner to London. After some time's confinement he +was executed.—<i>Bailie's Letters</i>, <i>Civil Wars</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>JAMES GRAHAM, Earl, afterwards Marquis, of Montrose, in the year 1638, +took the covenanters side, was a prime presser of the covenants, was one +of the commissioners sent to Aberdeen 1638 for that purpose, and in +1639, 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 the +covenanters under general Lesly for England 1640, and led the van of the +army for England. But shifting sides 1643, he offered to raise forces +for the king, came from court, and set up the king's standard at +Dumfries. From thence he went to the north and joined M'Donald with a +number of bloody Irishes, where they plundered and wasted the country of +Argyle, marched southward and gained six battles over the covenanters, +<i>viz.</i> at Trippermoor, Aberdeen, Inverlochy, Alfoord, Aldearn and +Kilsyth, where many, some say, thirty thousand of the Covenanters were +killed. But at last was defeated at Philiphaugh by Lesly 1645. For this +conduct he was excommunicated by the general assembly. He went abroad +and there remained till the year 1650, that when the treaty was on the +very anvil with Charles II. he received another commission from him to +raise a new insurrection in the north, but was defeated by colonels +Strahan, Ker, and Halkel, and afterwards taken in the laird of Ason's +ground, and brought to Endluish, where he was condemned to be hanged on +a gallows thirty feet high two hours, and then quartered, and his legs +and 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 to +persuade him to repentance for his former apostate and bloody life, but +by no means could they persuade this truculent tyrant and traitor to his +country to repent. He excused himself, and died under the censure of the +church, obstinate and utterly impenitent.—<i>Montrose, Guthrie, and +Blair.</i></p> + +<p>WILLIAM MONRO, a kind of gentleman in the parish of Killern, was a hater +of God and every thing religious;<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_30" id="JPage_30">(30)</a></span> for while Mr. Hog was minister there +sometime before the restoration, a gentleman in the parish having one of +his family dead, intended to bury in the church; but, this being +contrary to an act of the general assembly, Mr. Hog refused it. But +Monro, being a brisk hectoring fellow, promised to make their way good +in spite of all opposition. Accordingly, when they came to the church +door, Mr. Hog opposed them: whereupon Monro laid hands on him to pull +him 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 to +repel force by force, perhaps he would find himself no gainer: withal, +telling the people, that that man had grieved the Spirit of God, and +that they should either see his speedy repentance, or then a singular +judgment upon him. He went on in his wicked courses a few months, till +in one of his drunken revels, he attacked a mean man, and threw him in +the fire. The poor man in this extremity drew out the wretch's own +sword, and thrust it through his belly; on which his bowels came out, +and so he expired in a miserable condition.—<i>Memoirs of the life of Mr. +Hog.</i></p> + +<p>JOHN, Earl of Middleton, at first lifted arms with the covenanters, and +had a share of the victory of the Gordons at the bridge of Dee. Yea, he +was so zealous in that profession, that one time having sworn the +covenants, he said to some gentlemen present, that it was the +pleasantest day he ever saw, and if he should ever do any thing against +that blessed day's work, he wished that arm (holding up his right arm) +might be his death. But finding presbyterian discipline too strict for a +wicked vitious life, he shifted sides and became major general to duke +Hamilton 1648, and came upon a handful of covenanters at a communion at +Machlin muir; and, contrary his promise, killed a number of them. He +became a great favourite of Charles II. and laid a scheme to take him +from the convention of estates to the north to free him of any further +covenant engagements, for which he was excommunicated by the church; and +though the sentence was taken off upon his feigned repentance, yet it +was never by him forgot, till he got the blood of the pronouncer, Mr. +Guthrie. After the restoration, he was advanced to great honour, and +sent down commissioner to the parliament 1661, where he got the +covenanted work of reformation wholly overturned by the infamous act +rescissory,—oath of allegiance,—act establishing episcopacy and +bishops in Scotland,—the act against the covenants,<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_31" id="JPage_31">(31)</a></span> &c. But this would +not do; he must have a glut of the blood of Argyle and Mr. Guthrie: and +more, he behoved to come west, and grace that drunken meeting at Glasgow +by whom several hundred of the faithful ministers were thrust out. From +thence he arrived at Air, where he and some more drunken prelates drank +the devil's health at the Cross in the middle of the night. It were +endless almost to sum up the cruelties by his orders exercised upon +those who would not conform to prelacy for the space of two years; in so +much that he imposed no less than the enormous sum of one million +seventeen thousand and three hundred and fifty pounds in the parliament +1662 of fines. So that in the south and western parts of Scotland, men +either lost their consciences or their substance. But being complained +of at court, that he had amerced large sums into his own hands, he +hastened up, but was but coldly received by the king, (who had now got +his turn done by him) Lauderdale being now his rival: He lost his office +and honour, and lived sober enough, till as an honourable kind of +banishment, he was sent off as governor to Tanguirs on the coasts of +Africa; but he lived but a short and contemptuous life there, till the +justice and judgment of God overtook him; for, falling down a stair, he +broke the bone of his right arm; at the next tumble the broken splinter +pierced his side; after which he soon became stupid, and died in great +torment. This was the end of one of those who had brought the church of +Scotland on her knees by prelacy.—<i>Wodrow.</i></p> + +<p>ROBERT MILNE, bailie (or according to some provost) sometime of +Linlithgow, swore the covenants with uplifted hands; but soon after the +restoration, to shew his loyalty, did in a most contemptuous manner burn +the said covenants, the causes of wrath, lex rex, western remonstrance, +with several other acts of church and state at the Cross, and to grace +the solemnity, French and Spanish wine was distributed most liberally, +wherein the King's and Queen's healths were drunken. But this vile +Pageantry, similar to Balthazzers quaffing in the holy vessels, did not +pass long without a note of observation, for though Milne had scraped +together much riches, yet, in a short time, he became an insolvent +bankrupt, and was forced to flee to the Abbey; after which he became +distracted, and died in great misery at Holyrood-house.—<i>Wodrow.</i></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_32" id="JPage_32">(32)</a></span> +—— MAXWELL of Blackston rose with Caldwall, Kersland and some others +of the Renfrew gentlemen, who intended to join Col. Wallace, and that +handful who rose 1666; but being by Dalziel prevented from joining them, +was obliged to disperse; and, though Blackston was a <i>socius criminis</i>, +(had it been a crime,) yet to save his estate and neck, he went first to +the arch-bishop, then to the council, and accused and informed against +the rest: and, though he thus purchased his liberty, he had nothing +afterwards to boast of; for these gentlemen mostly got honourably off +the stage; whereas after that he never had a day to do well, (as himself +was obliged to confess) every thing in providence went cross to him, +till reduced, and then he took a resolution to go to Carolina: but in +this he was disappointed also; for he died at sea in no comfortable +manner; and was turned into the fluid ocean as a victim for fishes to +feed upon.—<i>Wodrow.</i></p> + +<p>DAVID M'BRYAR, an heritor in Irongray parish, was chosen a commissioner +of the burgh for Middleton's parliament, in which he intended to have +charged his minister Mr. Welch with treason. After which he became a +cruel persecutor; nor was he less remarkable in that country for a +wicked and villainous practice, than for his furious rage against the +godly; but in a short time he became insolvent, and for fear of caption +was obliged to skulk privately among his tenants. In the mean time, one +Gordon, a north country man of the same stamp, coming forth to agent a +curate's cause in that country, and travelling through Irongray parish +found Mr. M'Bryar, in the fields very dejected and melancholy like, and +concluding him to be one of the sufferers, commanded him to go with him +to Dumfries. But M'Bryar, fearing nothing but his debt, refused: +whereupon Gordon drew his sword, and told him he must go. He still +refused, till in the struggle Gordon run him through the body, and so he +expired. Gordon made it no secret, that he had killed a whig (as he +called him) but when they saw the body, they soon knew who it was, and +immediately Gordon was taken to Dumfries himself, and hanged for killing +one as honest as himself. Here remark a notable judgment of God: M'Bryar +was killed under the notion of one of those he persecuted, and then one +persecutor was the instrument to cut off another.—<i>Wodrow</i>, <i>Fulfilling +of the Scriptures</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_33" id="JPage_33">(33)</a></span> +<span class="smcap">Sir Wm.</span> BANNANTINE, another of this wicked persecuting gang, having got +a party under command, took up garrison in the castle or house of +Earlston after Pentland, where he committed such cruelties upon the poor +people in these bounds who would not comply with prelacy as are shocking +to nature to relate: In the parishes of Dalry, Carsphern and Balmagie, +he fined and plundered numbers. He tortured a poor woman, because he +alledged, she was accessory to her husband's escape, with fire matches +betwixt her fingers, till she almost went distracted and shortly after +died. He also tortured James Mitchel of Sandywell the same way, though +nothing but 16 years of age, because he would not tell things he knew +nothing of. Sometimes he would cause make great fires, and lay down men +to roast before them, if they would not or could not give him money, or +information concerning those who were at Pentland. But his cruel reign +was not long-lived; for the managers not being come to that altitude of +cruelty as afterward, an enquiry was made into his conduct, and he laid +under two hundred pounds of fine; and, because Lauderdale would not +remit this, it is said, he attempted to assassinate him. However, he was +obliged to leave the king's dominions, and go over to the wars in the +low countries, where, at the siege of Graves, as he was walking somewhat +carelesly, being advised to take care of himself, he said, canons kill +none but fey folk. At that very nick of time, a canon ball came, and +severed his heart from his body to a considerable distance according to +a wicked imprecation often used by him in his ordinary discourse, that +if such a thing were not so, he wished his heart might be driven out of +his body.—<i>Wodrow.</i></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> JAMES HAMILTON, brother to lord Belhaven, but of the clerical order. +Before the 1638 assembly, he had received episcopal ordination; but upon +the turn of affairs then, he became a zealous covenanter; and being +settled minister at Cambusnethen, such was his zeal, that he not only +bound his people to these covenants, but excommunicated all from the +tables, who were not true to them, using Nehemiah's form, shaking the +lap of his gown, saying, <i>So let God shake out every man</i>, &c. But how +he himself kept them, the sequel will declare. For his cunning, time +serving temper made him too volatile for a presbyterian; for no sooner +did prelacy again get the ascendant after the restoration, then he got +himself into the leet of bishops,<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_34" id="JPage_34">(34)</a></span> and must needs up to London to be +consecrated. The bishoprick of Galloway came to his share; and then he +began to shew his teeth against the covenanters, and procured letters +from the council against several of the field preachers: and having got +Sir Thomas Turner south for that purpose, he oftimes hunted him out +beyond his intention unto many outrageous oppressions, though Turner was +one like himself every way qualified for such exercises. Thus he +continued for about 12 years, till at last he was called before the +supreme tribunal to answer for his perfidy, apostacy, treachery and +cruelty by a death suitable and similar unto such a life. The +circumstances of which for want of certain information I am not able to +relate at present<a name="FNanchor_277" id="FNanchor_277"></a><a href="#Footnote_277" class="fnanchor">[277]</a>.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> ANDREW HONYMAN, son to a baker who dedicated more than one cake to +the 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 one +of good parts, he was employed by the presbytery to draw up a testimony +for the same about 1661. Nay, such was his zeal, that he said, if ever +he spoke or acted otherwise, he was content to be reckoned a man of a +prostitute conscience; and that, if he accepted a bishoprick, he wished +he 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 of +Orkney; and having alway run greedily after the error of Balaam, from a +zealous covenanter he became a fiery bigot for prelacy, and was the +first after the restoration that wrote in defence<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_35" id="JPage_35">(35)</a></span> of that constitution +(against Naphtali) for that, that hand upon the wrist received the +pistol shot intended for Sharp 1668. But this did not deter him from his +former wicked practices, till about the year 1677, he met with harsher +treatment (says the historian) from a more dreadful quarter, when he +died at his house in Orkney.—<i>Sharp's life, Wodw.</i></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> THOMAS BELL, born in Westruther in Berwickshire, was, by Mr. John +Vetch's generosity, put to school, and being minister there, he procured +also a bursary for him; but after his laureation, falling into +drunkenness, he went over to the English side, where shifting sides, he +obtained a parsonage and became curate of Longhorsly; and was a violent +persecutor of the presbyterians, especially these who had fled from +Scotland, and particularly Mr. William Vetch (brother to his former +benefactor) then at Stanton-hall; and being one time drinking with some +papists 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 as +his word; for having brought him to many hardships he at last got him +apprehended and sent off to Edinburgh, 1679. He did not long continue +this trade; for, meeting with a gentleman, he boasted, that this night +Mr. Vetch would be at Edinburgh, and to-morrow hanged. But in three days +he himself, being abroad and drinking at a certain place till ten +o'clock at night, must needs set home. The curate of the place urged him +to stay the night being stormy and the water big, but he would not: so +setting off and losing his way, and coming to the river Pont, where, as +was supposed, he alighted to find the way by reason of the snow; and +stepping over the brink of the river to the arm-pit, where the old ice +bare 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 the +upper part of his body dry. Some went to help him out, but few could be +got to give his corpse a convoy: So that they were obliged to lay him +across a horse's back with a rope about his neck and through below the +beasts belly fastened to his heels; and so he was carried off by a death +suitable enough to such a wicked malevolent life.—<i>Vetch's life at +large</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> 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, after<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_36" id="JPage_36">(36)</a></span> +which he obtained a regent's post in the university of St. Andrew's. To +relate every thing in the black and dismal story of his life would fill +a volume. I shall only point at the principal lineaments thereof. While +regent, he furiously beat one of his colleagues honest Mr. Sinclair on +the Lord's day at the college table. He took up his lodging in a public +inn, and there got the hostler one Isabel Lindsay with child. When she +came to be delivered, he prevailed with her, upon promise of marriage, +to consent to murder the infant, which he himself effected with his +handkerchief, and then buried it below the hearth stone. When the woman, +after he was bishop, stood up once and again before the people, and +confronted him with this, he ordered her tongue to be pulled out with +pincers, and when not obeyed, caused her to be put in the branks and +afterwards banished with her husband over the water. For this and the +striking of Mr. Sinclair he pretended a great deal of repentance and +exercise of conscience, and being one eloquent of tongue, he soon +deceived the ministry, and was by them advanced to be minister at Crail +and then to make sure, he took the covenants a second time. In Cromwel's +time, he took the tender, and became a thorough paced Cromwelian. When +the time of his advancement approached at the restoration, being one of +a zealous profession, his brethren sent him (as one whom they could +confide in) over to Charles II. at Breda, that they might have the +Presbyterian form of church-government continued. In the mean time, he +in their name supplicated him to have episcopacy restored, because he +saw it would please the malignant faction. After the king's arrival, he +was again employed in the same errand, and, while at London undermining +that noble constitution, he made his brethren believe all the while by +letters, how much he had done for their cause, till he got it wholly +overturned; and then, like another Judas, he returned, and for his +reward obtained the arch bishoprick of St. Andrew's, and according to +some 50,000 merks a year, and counsellor and primate of Scotland. No +sooner was the wicked Haman advanced, than he began to persecute and +harrass all who would not comply with his measures. He perjured himself +in Mr Mitchel's case, had an active hand in all the bloodshed on +scaffolds and fields from 1660 till his death, and kept up the king's +orders of indemnity till the last ten of the Pentland men were executed. +Nor was he any better in his domestick character, for sometimes he +would, when at table, whisper in his wife's ears, the devil take her, +when things were not ordered to his contentment.<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_37" id="JPage_37">(37)</a></span> In a word, the +ambition of Diotrephes, the covetousness of Demas, the treachery of +Judas, the apostacy of Julian, and the cruelty of Nero, did all +concenter in him. But to come to his death, having hunted out one +Carmichael to harrass the shire of Fife, a few Fife gentlemen went out +in quest of the said Carmichael, upon the 3d of May 1679—But missing +him, they providentially met the bishop his master, which they took as a +kind of providential call to dispatch him there. And having stopt his +coach, commanded him to come out and prepare for death. But this he +refused. 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 his +people, particularly Mr. James Mitchel, and James Learmond. The bishop +still lingered, and cried for mercy, and offered them money. He said, +<i>Thy money perish with thee</i>. He again commanded him to come out and +prepare for death and eternity. At last he came out; but by no means +could they prevail with him to pray. Upon which they all drew their +swords, and then his courage failed him. The commander struck him, which +was redoubled by the rest, until he was killed. And so he received the +just demerit of his sorceries, villanies, murders, perfidy, perjury and +apostacy. <i>Then Phinehas rose and executed justice</i>.—<i>Vid. his life, +Wodrow</i>.</p> + +<p>JOHN, Earl (afterwards Duke) of Rothes, was son to that famous reformer +the Earl of Rothes. He at first set out that way. But, after the +Restoration, being one of a profane wicked life, he exactly answered the +taste of king and court. So he was made president of the council, and on +Middleton's fall, commissioner, with many other places of power and +trust heaped upon him, all which titles, <i>&c.</i> died with him. After +Pentland, with others, he made a tour through the west, and caused +twelve more of the Pentland men to be executed at Irvine and Air.—He +perjured himself in Mr. Mitchel's case, and was the contriver of that +barbarous unheard-of cruelty exercised on worthy Hackston of Rathillet. +Nay, such was his zeal in serving his master Charles (or rather +Diabolus) that he professed his willingness to set up popery in Scotland +at the king's command, for which, with his other flagitious wickedness,<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_38" id="JPage_38">(38)</a></span> +such as uncleanness, adulteries, ordinary cursing, swearing, +drunkenness, <i>&c.</i> he was one of those excommunicated by Mr. Cargil at +Torwood, Sep. 1680. Thus he continued to wallow in all manner of +filthiness, till July next year, that death did arrest him, Mr. Cargil +being then in custody, he threatened him with a violent death; to whom +Mr. 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 in +the afternoon) Rothes was seized with sickness and a dreadful horror of +conscience; some of his wife's ministers were sent for, who dealt +somewhat freely with him: to whom he said, "We all thought little of +that man's sentence, (meaning Mr. Cargil) but I find that sentence +binding on me now, and will bind me to eternity." And so roaring out, +till he made the bed shake under him, he died in that +condition,—<i>Wodrow, Walker's life of Mr. Cargil</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>HUGH PINANEVE, factor to the lady Loudon while the earl was a refugee in +Holland, was a most wicked wretch both in principle and practice, and an +inveterate enemy to the sufferers, in so much, that being at a market at +Mauchlin some time after Mr. Cameron's death, when drinking in a room +with one Robert Brown, before they took horse, he brake out in railery +against Mr. Cameron and the sufferers: Mr. Peden, overhearing him in the +next room, came to the chamber door and said, Sir, hold your peace, ere +twelve o'clock, you shall know what for a man Mr. Cameron was: God shall +punish that blasphemous mouth and tongue of yours in a most remarkable +manner for a warning to all such railing Rabshakehs. Brown, knowing Mr. +Peden, hastened the factor home and went to his own house, and Hugh to +the earl's house. But when casting off his boots, he was suddenly seized +with great pains through his whole body. Brown, using to let blood, was +immediately sent for.—But when he came, he found him lying, and his +mouth gaping wide, and his tongue hanging out: he let a little blood, +but to no effect; he died before midnight in this fearful +condition.—<i>Peden's life</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>JOHN NISBET, factor to the arch-bishop of Glasgow, was a drunkard, a +hater 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. Cargil<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_39" id="JPage_39">(39)</a></span> +sometimes used in his pathetic way of preaching). To whom Mr. Cargil +with much regret and concern, said,—"Mock not, lest your bands be made +strong. Poor man, the day is coming ere you die, that you shall desire +to have one word and shall not have it." Shortly, he was suddenly struck +by God, and his tongue three days successively swelled in his mouth, so +that he could not speak one word. Two Glasgow men made him a visit, and +desired him to commit to writing the reason of this, and if he desired +to speak; to whom he wrote, "That it was the just judgment of God, and +the saying of the minister verified on him for his mocking of him; and +if he had the whole world, he would give it for the use of his tongue +again." But that he never got, but died in great torment and seeming +horror.—<i>Wodrow, Walker</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>J—— ELLIES, was one employed by the bloody managers about Bothwel +affair, and being a lawyer, he behoved to shew his parts in pleading +against the servants of Jesus Christ, namely, in the trial of Messrs. +Kid and King: and though he got their lives pleaded away, and his +conscience kept quiet for a little, yet shortly death did arrest him; +and then his conscience awakened; and under the horror of that, he died +in a very pitiful and shocking manner.—<i>History of the sufferings</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>JOHN, Earl (afterwards Duke) of Lauderdale, at first set up for a prime +covenanter, and swore them more than once; and, if I mistake not, was +the same called lord Maitland ruling elder from Scotland to the +Westminster assembly, and had a principal hand in the whole management +during the second reformation period; but, falling in with Charles II. +he soon debauched him. After the restoration, he became a furious +malignant, and being one whose nature and qualifications did exactly +correspond with the king's, he complied in every thing that pleased him, +for which he heaped upon him titles, places of power, profit and +preferment, all which died with himself. He was made secretary of state, +president of the council, and commissioner to the parliament 1669, where +he got that hell-hatched act of supremacy passed, which has plagued this +church and nation ever since; at the instigation of Dr. Burnet, he set +the 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 arm +to the elbow in council,<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_40" id="JPage_40">(40)</a></span> and swore by Jehovah he would make the best of +them submit. In a word, he was the prime instrument of all the cruelties +exercised for a number of years, while he obtained the king's ear. Nor +was this all; for he became notorious for a wicked profligate life and +conversation; a thing common with apostates:—a Sabbath-breaker, gaming +on the Lord's day, a profane swearer and blasphemer, a jester on +scripture and things religious, one time saying to prelate Sharp, <i>Sit +thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool</i>. He +perjured himself in Mr. Mitchel's case, promising in council he should +be indemnified to life and limb, and then swearing before the judiciary, +that there was no such promise or act made. For these, with his other +sins of adultery, counselling the king, and assisting him in all his +tyrannies in overturning the work of reformation, and murdering those +who adhered to these covenants that he himself had engaged in, he was +also one of those excommunicated at Torwood, 1680. Towards the end of +his life, he became such a remarkable Epicurean, that it is incredible +the flesh, or juice of flesh, it is said, he devoured in one day, eating +and drinking being now his only exercise and delight. His scheme of +management had rendered him odious to the English patriots. Now his +effeminate life made him unfit for business: so, about 1681, he was +obliged to resign his offices; after which, by old age and vast bulk of +body, his spirits became quite sunk, till his heart was not the bigness +of 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 went +to his own place.—<i>Burnet and Wodrow's histories, and Walker's +remarks</i>.</p> + +<p>J—— WYLIE, though of no great note, yet for a wicked life and practice +was a tool fit enough for the dreary drudgery of persecution: in which +he got a party of soldiers to assist him as often as he would. In this +devilish employment, amongst other instances, he got a party of +Blackaras' troop, 1683, and came upon John Archer, while his children +were sick, and himself ill of the gravel; yet he must needs have the +mother of the children too, though she could not leave them in that +condition. While he insisted, one of the dragoons said, The devil ding +your 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 in +a sledge; which was his common bye-word when hauling<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_41" id="JPage_41">(41)</a></span> poor people to +prison. However, he got Archer and five small children to Kirkaldy +tolbooth. But what then? In a little after, having taken a gentleman +prisoner, he went with him to a public house near Clunie in the parish +of Kinglassie to see some public matters accommodated; but not agreeing, +Wylie made a great splutter, and amongst other imprecations said, The +devil take me, if I carry him not to Couper tolbooth this night. The +gentleman's man, a young hardy fellow, told him roundly, his master +should not go there. Upon which, Wylie gave him a blow: the fellow ran +to a smith's shop, and getting a goad of iron, made at Wylie. A scuffle +ensued, in which he broke Wylie's back in two; which obliged them to get +two sledges and tie him across on them, and so carry him home; and in a +short time he died in great agony. <i>The Lord shall break the arm of the +wicked</i>—<i>Wodrow</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> FRANCIS GORDON, a volunteer in the Earl of Airly's troop, but +chiefly so from a principle of wickedness. He had committed several +outrages upon the suffering people of God, and intended more (as +appeared from several of their names in his pocket to be taken at his +death) had not God cut his days short; for he and another wicked +companion left their troop at Lanerk, and came with two servants and +four horses to Kilkcagow, searching for sufferers. Gordon rambling +through the town, offering to abuse some women, at night coming to +East-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 with +his sword in his hand came to Moss-plate. Some men who had been in the +fields all night, fled; upon which he pursued. In the mean time, seeing +three men, who had been at a meeting in the night, flee, he pursued and +overtook them: one of them asked, why he pursued them? He said, to send +them 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 great +fury, run his sword at one of them, which missed his body, but went +through his coat. The said person fired at him, but missed him; +whereupon he roared out, God damn his soul; another fired a pocket +pistol, which took his head; and so he fell down dead. Thus his +assiduity brought him to his end, near four miles from the troop, and +one from his companion.—<i>Walker</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_42" id="JPage_42">(42)</a></span> +THOMAS KENNOWAY, an officer of the guards and another booted apostle for +the propagation of Episcopacy, was with Dalziel at Pentland and at the +apprehending of Mr. M'Kail at Braid's craigs, and the apprehending of +Mr. King after Bothwel. He attacked a meeting at Bathgate, shot one +dead, and took fourteen prisoners, who were afterwards banished 1681. He +came with a party to Livingston parish, where he rifled houses, broke +open chests, abused women with child, took an old man and his son, and +offered to hang them on the two ends of a tow. He spent the Lord's day +in drinking, saying, he would make the prisoners pay it. He was a +profane adulterer, a drinker, a fearful blasphemer, curser and swearer. +He would sometimes say, Hell would be a good winter but a bad +summer-quarters. One asked him, if he was never afraid of hell? He swore +he was never afraid of that, but he was sometimes afraid the rebels (so +he called the sufferers) should shoot him dead at a dykeside. In the +midst of this career, he comes out of Edinburgh, Nov. 1683, with a roll +of 150 persons, probably of his own up-giving to be apprehended. He +alights at Livingston, where he meets one Stuart. When drinking, he +shewed him his commission, and told him, he hoped in a few days to be as +good 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, where +they continued some days drinking, laying their projects. But on the +20th of November being somewhat alarmed, they run to the door of the +house, thinking none would be so bold as attack them, but were instantly +both shot dead on the spot.<a name="FNanchor_278" id="FNanchor_278"></a><a href="#Footnote_278" class="fnanchor">[278]</a> And thus their wicked lives were ended, +and their malevolent designs left unaccomplished.—<i>Wodrow</i>.</p> + +<p>JAMES IRVIN of Bonshaw, at first a trader in Irish horses, then a +high-way man, but one who loved the wages of unrighteousness:—for +having got notice of Mr. Cargil, Mr. Smith, <i>&c.</i> he went to the +council, and got a commission and a party, and surprized them at +Coventorn mill. This made him cry out, "O blessed Bonshaw! and blessed +day that ever I was born! that has found such a prize!" meaning the 5000 +merks set on Mr. Cargil's head. At Lanerk, when tying Mr. Cargil's feet +hard below<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_43" id="JPage_43">(43)</a></span> +the horse's belly, Mr. Cargil said, "Why do you tie me so +hard? Your wickedness is great: you will not long escape the just +judgment of God; and if I be not mistaken, it will seize you near this +place." Nor was this all; having apprehended George Jackson 1683, in the +Lord's night, he offered to set him on a horse's bare back, and tie his +head and feet together, and offered him the king's health, which he +refused. On the morrow, when setting him on the horse, he caused hold a +trumpet to his ear and bade sound him to hell: at which the martyr +smiled. In the same year having apprehended twelve prisoners, he carried +them to Hamilton, then to Lanerk, where they were augmented to thirty. +They were cast at night into a dungeon without fire or candle: next +morning, he tied them two by two on a horse's bare back, and their legs +twisted below the horses bellies to the effusion of their blood, and so +drove them to Edinburgh at the gallop, not suffering so much as one of +the poor prisoners to alight to ease nature. But being now arrived at +the very summit of his wicked cruelty, he returned to Lanerk, and at the +very place where he had bound Mr. Cargil, one of his drunken companions +and he falling at odds, while he was easing himself on a dunghill, his +comrade coming out with a sword, ran him through the body till the blood +and dirt, with Eglon's, came out. His last words were, "God damn my soul +eternally, for I am gone." <i>Mischief shall hunt the violent man, till he +be ruined.</i>—<i>Wodrow, Walker's remarks</i>.</p> + +<p>CHARLES II. succeeded his father Charles I. He was from his infancy such +a dissembler, that he could metamorphose himself unto any profession +that 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 for +a crown, he became a Protestant and a Presbyterian too. So that he took +the covenants twice in one year at Spey and Scoon, and emitted a +declaration 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 should +be restored again. No sooner was he restored, than he restored +episcopacy in England, and by the help of a set of poor time-serving +wretches got the work of reformation overturned in Scotland, and then +episcopacy, prelacy, and arbitrary power began to shake its bloody dart. +The persecuting work began; Presbyterian ministers were driven from +their charges, and killed or banished. He got himself<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_44" id="JPage_44">(44)</a></span> advanced head of +the church, and then commanded these covenants he had more than once +sworn, to be burnt by the hand of the hangman, and then the laws against +covenanters were written in blood and executed by dragoons. It were +almost endless to relate all the cruelties exercised upon the poor +wanderers during his reign, before, at, and after Pentland, by the +Highland host.—At and after Bothwel, boots, thumbkins and cutting off +of ears came in fashion. Some put to death on scaffolds; some in the +fields, and some made a sacrifice to the manes of Sharp; some drowned on +ship-board, some women hanged and drowned in the sea mark, some kept +waking for nine nights together; some had their breasts ript up, and +their hearts plucked out, and cast into the fire, others not suffered to +speak to the people in their own vindication for the beating of drums, +<i>&c.</i> Nor were things in England much better: two thousand ministers +were thrust out by the Bartholomew act, and laid under a train of cruel +hardships, even such as were a shame to any Protestant nation. Many of +the English patriots were murdered; Essex, Russel and Sidney came to the +razor and the block. And for his practice, he was now drunken in all +manner of uncleanness and filthiness. For all the numbers of strumpets +and harlots he had, his own sister the duchess of Orleans could not be +exempted. But drawing near his end, the popish faction of York his +brother grew stronger, on suspicion that he intended to curb them. To +cut the matter short, he was seized with an apoplectic fit, or rather +had got a dose of poison: he formerly professed to caress the church of +England, now in views of death father Huddleston was brought to +administer the popish sacraments of the host and extreme unction, +absolution and the eucharist. The host sticking in his throat, water was +brought instead of wine to wash it down. Afterward bishop Ken came and +pronounced another absolution upon him; and here observe, that he who +was justly excommunicated by a lawful minister of the church of Scotland +for his gross perjury, contempt of God and religion, lechery, treachery, +covenant breaking, bloodshed, <i>&c.</i> was now absolved, first by a popish +priest, and then a prelate of the church of England, and all without any +the least signs of repentance, else he would never in his last words +have recommended the care of two of his harlots (one of whom being in +bed 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,<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_45" id="JPage_45">(45)</a></span> +in all respects in nature, feature and manners, he +resembled the tyrant Tiberius; and for all the numerous brood of +bastards begot on other men's wives, he died a childless poltroon, +having no legitimate heir to succeed him of his own body, according to +the divine malediction, <i>Write this man childless: for no man of his +seed shall prosper, sitting on the throne of David, and ruling any more +in Judah.</i></p> + +<p>THOMAS DALZIEL of Binns, a man natively fierce and rude, but more so +from his being brought up in the Muscovy service, where he had seen +little else than tyranny and slavery: Nay, it is said, that he had there +so learned the arts of divilish sophistry, that he sometimes beguiled +the devil, or rather his master suffered himself to be outwitted by +him<a name="FNanchor_279" id="FNanchor_279"></a><a href="#Footnote_279" class="fnanchor">[279]</a>. However he behoved to return and have a share of the +persecuting work; and after murdering a number of the Lord's witnesses +at Pentland, he came west to Kilmarnock, where he committed many unheard +of cruelties; instance, his putting a woman in the thieves hole there, +in the Dean amongst toads and other venomous creatures, where her +shrieks were heard at a distance, but none durst help her, and all +because a man pursued ran through her house: and also his shooting one +Findlay at a post without the least crime or shadow of law; with the +many cruelties exercised upon the country after Bothwel; for these and +his uncleanness and contempt of marriage from his youth, drunkenness, +atheistical and irreligious conversation, he was another of these +excommunicated at Torwood. After which he waited sometime on the council +at Edinburgh to assist them in the persecuting work there, till the year +1685, that one William Hannah was brought before the council, and, when +pleading, he was too old to banish, Dalziel told him roughly, he was not +too old to hang: he would hang well enough. This was among the last of +his public maneuvres: For that same day August 22d, when at his beloved +exercise, drinking wine, while the cup was at his head, he fell down +(being in perfect health) and expired.—<i>Wodrow, Hind let loose, +Naphtali</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>GEORGE CHARTERS, sometime a kind of factor to the duke of Queensberry, +in imitation of his master was such an assiduous persecutor, "That he +could boast that he<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_46" id="JPage_46">(46)</a></span> had made 26 journeys in a year in pursuit of the +whigs." And, if the same with Bailiff Charters who was on the scaffold +with John Nisbet of Hardhill, and though the martyr spoke most meekly +there, yet this Charters was rude to him. But that night he had a child +overlaid in the bed, and in two days fell into great horror of +conscience, crying out, Oh, for the life of John Nisbet. His friends +thought to have kept it secret, and diverted him; but he became worse +and worse, still crying out, Oh, for the life of John Nisbet, until he +fell into a most terrible distraction. So that he sat night and day +wringing about his nose and roaring ever, John Nisbet, to the terror of +all around him<a name="FNanchor_280" id="FNanchor_280"></a><a href="#Footnote_280" class="fnanchor">[280]</a>.—<i>Appendix to the Cloud of Witnesses, and Lady +Earlstoun's Letter from Blackness in manuscript</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> —— EVANS, a man of no great note, but abundantly qualified to make +merchandize of the people of God; for being master or commander of a +ship wherein 190 of Christ's prisoners were put to be banished 1685, to +the West-Indies, during their voyage of three months space, he made them +endure the most excruciating hardships. They were crammed in so close +night and day, that they could have no air, and so tormented with hunger +and thirst, that they were obliged to drink their own urine: Whereby 32 +of them died. After their arrival in Jamaica, they were imprisoned and +sold for slaves. But Evans fell sick, and his body rotted away +piece-meal while alive, so that none could come near him for stink. This +wrought horror of conscience in him; whereupon he called for some of the +prisoners, and begged forgiveness, and desired them to pray for him, +which they did; so he died. Howard's case who got the price was still +less hopeful; for he fell down betwixt two ships, and perished in the +Thames. Nor were the ship's crew who assisted them much better; for 40 +of them took a pestilent fever, and turned mad and leapt over board and +perished.—<i>Wodrow</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sir</span> ROBERT LAURIE of Maxwelton, was another enemy to the poor people of +God. When Cornet Baillie had met with W. Smith in Glencairn parish, +1684, his Father being one of Sir Robert's tenants, went to beg favour +for his son. But Sir Robert presently sentenced him<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_47" id="JPage_47">(47)</a></span> to present death. +Bailie refused to execute it, because illegal. But the cruel monster +threatened him to do it without delay; and being shot, Maxwelton refused +him burial in the church-yard: The same day being the day of his +daughter's marriage, his steward declared, that a cup of wine that day +being put into his master's hand, turned into congealed blood. However, +in a short time, he fell from his horse, and was killed dead—<i>Wodrow</i>, +<i>Appendix to the Cloud</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>—— WHITEFORD, son to Whiteford, pretended bishop of Brichen, (who was +excommunicated by the Assembly 1638) went first to England; thence to +Holland, where he killed Dorislaus, and being turned papist, to be out +of Cromwel's reach, he went over to the duke of Savoy's service, and was +there when the terrible massacre was committed upon the poor Vandois +(probably about 1655) where he committed many barbarous murders upon +them with his own hands. He returned home, and it appears, he was made a +captain of the guard, and had a share in the persecuting work. However, +he had a small pension given him for such service. But he sickened +before York's parliament sat down, 1686, and being haunted with an +intolerable horror of conscience of the execrable murders he had +committed, called for some ministers, and told them his abhorrence of +popery: "For (said he) I went to priests of all sorts; they all +justified me in what I had done, and gave me absolution. But now I am +persuaded by an awakened conscience." And so he died as one in despair, +roaring out against that bloody religion that had undone him.—<i>Burnet's +history</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>PHILIP STANDFIELD, son to Sir James Standfield of New-milns, was a +mocker of God and all things religious. While student at the university +of St. Andrew's, he came to a meeting where Mr. John Welch was preaching +in 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 knew +not who it was, that had put that public affront upon a servant of +Christ; but be who it would, he was persuaded that there would be more +present 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 and +continued his wicked courses, till the year 1688, that he murdered his +own father; for which he was taken to Edinburgh, and executed. In time +of his imprisonment,<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_48" id="JPage_48">(48)</a></span> he told some, he was confident that God was now +about to accomplish what he had been before by his servant forewarned +of.—<i>Wodrow</i>.</p> + +<p>JOHN ALLISON, sometime chamberlain to the duke of Queensberry, to please +his master, became a most violent persecutor of God's people. It were +needless to condescend upon particular instances: the way and manner of +his death plainly shews what his conduct had been, and from what +principle he had acted: for being seized with a terrible distemper +wherein he had the foretaste of hell both in body and soul; in body he +was 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 his +awakened conscience they could by no means cool, but still he cried out +in despair, that he had damned his soul for the duke his master, till he +died.—<i>M. S. and Appendix to the Cloud</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>GEORGE LORD JEFFERIES, an Englishman, was born in Wales about 1648. He +first studied the law, then he became serjeant of the city of London; he +next stepped to the recordership of the city; from thence he became +chief justice of the city of Chester; and in 1683, was made lord chief +justice of the king's bench. In this, as in all his other offices, he +behaved most indecently; for besides his being scandalously vitious, he +was almost every day drunk, besides a drunkenness of fury in his temper +by which he brought the lord Russel, and the famous Alg. Sidney unto +their ends. He also handled Mr. Baxter and others severely. But the most +tragical story of his life fell out 1685. After Monmouth was defeated +and himself and many of his little army taken, Jefferies was sent by his +master king James to the West as ordinary executioner to try the +prisoners; and here his behaviour was beyond any thing ever heard of, I +believe, in a Christian nation. He was perpetually after drink or in +rage, liker a fury than a judge: where no proof could be had, he +commanded the pannels to plead guilty, if they desired mercy; and then, +if they confest any thing, they were immediately hung up. In a few towns +in the west of England, he pronounced sentence of death on some 500 or +600 persons, 292 of them received this sentence in an hours space; and +of these 600 250 were executed; others had the benefit of his avarice; +for pardons were by him sold from 10 pound to 14000 guineas. He +sentenced the lady Lesly for harbouring a stranger one night. Miss Gaunt +was burnt. A poor man was hanged<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_49" id="JPage_49">(49)</a></span> for selling three-pence worth of hay +to Monmouth's horse. Some were hanged at the stanchions of windows, +others had their bowels burnt and their bodies boiled in pitch, and hung +round the town. Bloody Kirk put in for part of the honour. At Taunton he +hanged nine without suffering them to take leave of their wives and +children. At some places they cast off so many with a health to the +King, and a number more with a health to the Queen, drinking it at every +turn, and perceiving the shaking of their legs in the agonies of death, +they said, they were dancing, and called for music, and to every one +cast over a spring was played on pipes, hautboys, drums and trumpets, +with a huzza and a glass of wine. Jefferies sentenced one Tutchin for +changing his name to seven years imprisonment, and whipping through all +the market towns in the shire, which was once a fortnight during that +time; which made Mr. Tutchin petition the king for death. Many other +cruelties were then committed, but the foregoing swatch may suffice. +Jefferies returned to London, where his master James, for his good +services, made him lord chancellor. Being now above the reach or envy of +the people, he set himself to assist his master in bringing in popery; +but their mad hasty zeal spoiled the project, and so his master having +to flee his dominions, Jefferies, disguised in a seaman's dress in a +collier, essayed to escape after and in imitation of his master, but was +taken and severely drubbed by the populace, and then brought to the lord +mayor. Jefferies to be freed of the people, desired to be sent to the +Tower; because they were waiting with clubs upon him. The mayor seeing +this, and the chancellor in such a gloomy appearance, was so struck that +he 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 of +oysters being sent him, he thanked God he had yet some friends left: but +when 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 former +intemperate wicked bloody life, and the horrors of an awakened +conscience; and at last, whether nature wrought out itself, or, if he +himself helped the fatal stroke, (as is most likely) is uncertain; +1689.—<i>Vide his life, and the Western Martyrology or Bloody Assizes</i>, +&c.</p> + +<p>JOHN GRAHAM of Claverhouse in Angus, a branch of the house of Montrose, +another champion for the prince of the kingdom of darkness. To improve +the cruelty of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_50" id="JPage_50">(50)</a></span> nature, he was sometime in the French service. He +returned to Scotland 1677. The vivacity of his genius soon recommended +him to Charles and James, who bestowed upon him the command of a troop +of horse: and then he began the spoiling and killing the people of God; +wherein he was alway successful, except at Drumclog. One of his exploits +was at Bewly-bog, where the writer of his memoirs says, he killed 75 and +took many prisoners. After Bothwel, had Monmouth granted it, he would +have killed the prisoners, burnt Glasgow, Hamilton and Strathaven, and +plundered the western shires. To enumerate all the cruelties, bloodshed +and oppression committed by him, while he ranged up and down the country +for ten years space, were a talk here too tedious: in which time it is +said, he killed near 100 persons in cold blood. In Galloway, he and his +party ravished a woman before her husband's eyes, took a young boy, tied +his two thumbs with a cord, and hung him to the balk or roof of the +house. Another they took and twisted a small cord about his head with +their pistols to the scull. In 1682, he pursued and shot one W. Graham +when escaping from his mother's house. In 1683, he shot four men on the +water of Dee, and carried two to Dumfries, and hanged them there. In +1685, he caused shoot one in Carrick, and in the same year most cruelly +shot 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 title +of honour: he was created Viscount Dundee, and made privy counsellor. In +York's reign, his conduct was much of a piece, running up and down the +country, making people swear they would never lift arms against king +James. He was alway staunch to popery, and when the convention met at +Edinburgh, he went off with some horse to the north, and raised the +clanships for James's interest; where he shifted from place to place +till June 13, 1689, that he came to a pitched engagement with Gen. +Mackay on the braes of Gillicrankie on the water of Trumble. The battle +was very bloody, and by Mackey's third fire Claverhouse fell, of whom +historians give little account; but it has been said for certain, that +his own waiting man taking a resolution to rid this world of this +truculent bloody monster; and knowing he had proof of lead<a name="FNanchor_281" id="FNanchor_281"></a><a href="#Footnote_281" class="fnanchor">[281]</a>, shot +him<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_51" id="JPage_51">(51)</a></span> with a silver button he had before taken off his own coat for that +purpose. However he fell, and with him popery and king James's interest +in Scotland. <i>Behold thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a +bloody man</i>—<i>Claverhouse's memoirs</i>, <i>History of the Sufferers</i>, +<i>Defoe's memoirs</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>ALEX. GORDON of Kilstuers in Galloway set out amongst the suffering +remnant, joined the united societies who followed faithful Mr. Renwick, +and was for some time most zealous for that cause; for which he was +apprehended, but rescued at Enterkine-path, August 1684, when going to +Edinburgh; at which some of the sufferers were not a little (if not too +much) elated. But never being right principled, as Mr. Peden perceived, +when he refused to sail the sea with him from Ireland before this. He +first fell in with Langlands and Barclay in favour of Argyle's attempt, +1685, and from that time he became a most violent traducer and +reproacher of Mr. Renwick and the faithful party both by tongue and pen +to render them odious: then he fell into a kind of profligate life, (as +Mr. Renwick often said, that these who fell from strictness in principle +would not long retain strictness of practice) at last being at +Edinburgh, he got drunk, and then must needs fight, as is usual with +such miscreants; and, having in the squabble lost much blood, his head +became light, so that when going up stairs, he lost his feet and falling +down brained himself, and so expired.—<i>Faithful Contendings</i>, <i>Walkers +Remarks</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sir</span> GEORGE M'KENZIE of Rosehaugh, was another notorious apostate; for +after he had made no small profession of presbyterian principles and +holiness of life, he after the restoration, not only apostatized from +that profession, but fell into a most wicked and flagitious life and +conversation; which were qualifications good enough then to gain him the +post of an advocate. Sometime after Pentland, he pleaded the sufferers +part; but afterwards shifted sides (being advanced to be king's +advocate) and pleaded most strenuously against them, and even with such +a degree of fury that neither prelate nor bloody manager could ever<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_52" id="JPage_52">(52)</a></span> +charge him with the least thing that looked like moderation. It were +needless 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 from +1677 to 1688. Nay, such was his rage at the cause of Christ and his +people, that before they escaped his hands, he would charge them with +what in his conscience he knew was false: and, if they would not answer +questions to his mind, he would threaten to pull out their tongues with +pincers. At the same time pleaded that murderers, sorcerers, <i>&c.</i> might +go free. In one of his distracted fits, he took the Bible in his hand +and wickedly said, it would never be well with the land till that book +was destroyed. These and the like procured him a place in that black +list excommunicated at Torwood. After the persecuting work was over, he +went up to London, where he died with all the passages of his body +running blood (like Charles IX. of France author of the Paris massacre.) +Physicians being brought could give no natural cause for it, but that it +was the hand of God on him for the blood he had shed in his own +land.—<i>Vid.</i> <i>West's memoirs, and History of the sufferings of the +church of Scotland</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sir</span> JAMES JOHNSTON of Westerraw (alias Westerhall) another of the same +kidney was an egregious apostate. He was such a zealous professor, that +when the test was first framed, he could boast that he was an actual +covenanter, and so scorned it. But, on the first trial, he not only took +it, but furiously pressed it on others; and, having gathered the parish +for that purpose, 1683, he in one of his rages said, "The devil damn his +soul; but before to-morrow's night they should all be damned by taking +it as well as he." And for persecuting work, he exacted 11,000l. in +Galloway by oppression, digged a man's body out of the grave, plundered +the poor widow woman's house where he died, because he was one of the +sufferers, and caused Claverhouse, somewhat contrary to his mind to +shoot An. Hyslop because taken on his ground. He lived till or after the +revolution, that he died in great torture of body and grievous torment +and horror of conscience, insomuch that his cries were heard at a great +distance from the house, as a warning to all apostates.—<i>Wodrow, +Appendix to the Cloud</i> &c.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sir</span> JOHN WHITEFORD of Milton (Carluke parish) was a wicked man, and such +a persecutor, that he was said with his servants to have murdered +severals when flying from Pentland, and had a principal hand in +informing against<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_53" id="JPage_53">(53)</a></span> Gavin Hamilton in Mauldslie, who was taken and +executed with others at Edinburgh Dec. 7, 1666, and was one of the test +circuits 1683. This and other pieces of the like employment made James +Nicol a martyr say, That the world would see that house a desolation, +and nettles growing in its closs:—which came to pass soon after the +Revolution, when he became insolvent, his estate sequestrated, and +orders obtained to apprehend him: which at last was effected although he +defended himself some time with stones from the battlement. The lands +changed many masters, and for some years lay desolate; and it has been +observed, that till of late, no man dwelt in it above the space of seven +years.—<i>M. S.</i></p> + +<p>—— DOUGLAS, laird of Stenhouse, was another of this fraternity. He +assisted Maxwelton at the murder of William Smith in Hill; and, though +but 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 James +VII. (whether it was he that was advanced to be earl Milford, I know +not) but his wicked honours were short lived; his name soon became +extinct, having neither root nor branch, male nor female, for a +remembrance left of him. <i>Their fruit shalt thou destroy from earth, and +their seed from among the children of men</i>.</p> + +<p>WILLIAM, Duke of Queensbury, was a prime instrument in managing the +persecuting work in that period: he once said, they should not have time +to 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 they +called them) made a chancellor and treasurer in 1679.—Afterwards made a +Duke and appointed commissioner by James VII. to the parliament 1685, +where he got an act made for taking the test,—act of regularity,—act +for taking the allegiance,—and that heaven-daring act declaring it +treason to take the covenants,—with a great number banished during the +parliament. Such was his vigilance by his factors and emissaries, that +saints blood like water was shed; and his own tenants were cruelly +spoiled and harrassed; and though he fell somewhat out of king James's +favour in the last years of his reign, yet he still retained his +persecuting spirit, even after the Revolution; for he opposed Mr. +Vetch's settlement at Peebles, and for seven sessions pleaded it both +before the lords and the church, till he {illegible}<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_54" id="JPage_54">(54)</a></span> removed, 1694—But +all this did not pass without a note of observation of divine vengeance +even in this life; for, taking a fearful disease, it is said, that, like +another Herod, the vermin issued in such abundance from his body, that +two women were constantly employed in sweeping them into the fire. Thus +he continued, till the fleshy parts of his substance were dissolved, and +then he expired.<a name="FNanchor_282" id="FNanchor_282"></a><a href="#Footnote_282" class="fnanchor">[282]</a>—<i>M. S. History of the sufferings</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>JOHN MAXWEL of Milton, (commonly called Milton Maxwel) another of the +persecuting tribe, caused apprehend George M'Cartny, and was president +of the Assize who condemned those ten of the Pentland sufferers that +suffered at Ayr and Irvine 1666; after which he harrassed the poor +persecuted people in Galloway, particularly on the water of Orr. After +Neilson of Corsack's execution, he came with a party upon his house and +riffled it; carrying away every thing portable, he destroyed the rest, +and turned out the whole family with the nurse and sucking child to the +open fields (lady Corsack being then at Edinburgh). But, with all this +ill gotten gain, then and afterwards he was but ill served; for, after +the Revolution, he was reduced to seek his betters, and amongst other +places came to the house of Corsack, and cringed for an alms from the +same lady Corsack before her window, which she generously gave him; but +at the same time reminded him of his former wicked life, particularly, +his persecuting the people of God. He went off, but with small +amendment; and some time after ended his wretched life.—<i>Samson's +riddle, A—d—k—n</i>, <span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_55" id="JPage_55">(55)</a></span>&c.</p> + +<p>—— NISBET, (commonly called lieutenant Nisbet) a man of no high +extraction, but born of creditable parents in the parish of Loudon; +being inlisted a soldier, obtained for his good services in the +persecuting work some time after Bothwel, a lieutenant's post, which he +managed with such fury against the poor persecuted wanderers for the +cause of Christ, as made him break over all limits or bonds of religion, +reason or natural affection or relation; so that he apprehended James +Nisbet, a cousin-german of his own, while attending a friend's burial +who was executed at Glasgow; where the said James was also executed; and +while ranging up and down the country like a merciless tyger, he +apprehended another of his cousins, John Nisbet of Hardhill, and with +him George Woodburn, John Fergushill and Peter Gemmel (in the parish of +Fenwick); which three last he took out, and immediately without sentence +shot dead; and then carried Hardhill, after he had given him seven +wounds, to Edinburgh, where he was executed. He also apprehended +severals in the said parish that were banished; and upon their return at +the Revolution, he was amongst the first they saw at Irvine after they +landed. At first they were minded to have justice executed upon him; but +on a second thought referred him to the righteous judgment of God. After +the Revolution, he soon came to beg his bread (as old soldiers oftimes +do) and it was said, that coming to a certain poor woman's house in the +east 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 convenience +could afford). On which he lay down, she going out on some necessary +errand; a little after, when she returned, she found the wall of peats +fallen upon him, which had smothered him to death; a very mean end for +such a courageous soldier.—<i>Wodrow</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>JAMES GIBSON, (called sometime bailie Gibson of Glasgow) brother to the +merchant, but one qualified to barter the bodies of Christ's suffering +members. He got the command of his brother's ship with those sufferers +that were banished to Carolina in the year 1684. The inhumanity he +exercised upon them in their voyage is incredible: they were thrust +below hatches, and a mutchkin of water allowed them in 24 hours: so that +some of them died of thirst, although they had 14 hogsheads to cast out +on their arrival.—These who were sick, were miserably treated; and two +endeavouring to escape, were by him beat 8 times a-day, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_56" id="JPage_56">(56)</a></span> and condemned +to perpetual slavery. Nor could they have liberty to serve God; when +they 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 most +part 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 fleet +for the settlement at Darien.—But being one of the most wicked wretches +that then lived, and some of the rest nothing better, the judgment of +God pursuing him and them, they fell from one mishap into another, until +put off by the Spaniards from thence, they went to Jamaica; from thence +every one made the best of their way to their own country. Captain +Gibson set off from Blue-fields July 21, 1700: but before he made +Florida their masts were off by the boards, which made them with much +difficulty come up to Carolina, and making Charleston bar, the very +place where he landed Christ's prisoners, just as one of the ministers +were 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 every +soul perished in the surges of the rolling ocean. <i>The Lord is known by +the judgments which he executeth</i>.—<i>Wodrow, History of Darien</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>JAMES, Duke of York, a professed papist and another excommunicated +tyrant, used no small cruelties while in Scotland 1679, 1681 and 1684; +but after his ascension to the crown 1685, he threw off the mask, and +set himself might and main to advance popery, and exterminate the +protestant in-religion in these nations, and for that purpose set all +his engines at work to repeal the penal statutes against papists; but +that not speeding to his wish, he had recourse to his dispensing power +and 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 all +the west of Scotland and south of Forth were made a hunting field; and +to recite the cruelties by his orders exercised in the west of England +by shooting, heading, hanging, and banishing ever seas those concerned +in Monmouth's affair, beggars all description. However matters go on; he +sends Castlemain to the pope; the pope's nuntio arrives in England; the +king declares himself a member of the royal society of jesuits, +imprisons the seven bishops in the tower, and threatens to convert +England to popery or die a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_57" id="JPage_57">(57)</a></span> +martyr.—But the prince of Orange arriving +in England and his army forsaking him, he sets off in a yacht for +France, but is taken for a popish priest by some fishermen and brought +back. His affairs becoming desperate, he sets off again for France; from +thence, with 1800 French, he landed next year in Ireland being joined by +the bloody Irish papists. He, like his predecessors, had no small art in +dissimulation. Now he told them in plain terms, he would trust or give +commissions to no protestants; they stank in his nostrils; he had too +long caressed the damned church of England; but he would now do his +business without them. Accordingly a popish parliament was called, +wherein 3000 protestants were forfeited, and to be hanged and quartered +when taken, whereof many were plundered and killed, his cut-throats +boasting they would starve the one half and hang the other. In short, +they expected nothing but another general massacre. But being defeated +on the banks of the Boyn by king William, July 1, 1691. he set off to +France never to return. Here he continued till 1700, or by some 1701, +that he took a strange disease, which they were pleased to call a +lethargy, wherein he became quite stupid and senseless, and so died at +St. Germains in that situation, after he had lived ten years a fugitive +exile. <i>He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in +the wilderness</i>, &c.—<i>History of popery under James</i>, <i>Martyrs in +flames</i>, &c.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sir</span> ARCHIBALD KENNEDY of Colzen, another violent persecutor in Carrick +and parts adjacent; for having got the command of a troop of militia, he +ranged the country in quest of the sufferers, (a very puny employment +for a gentleman) and amongst other cruelties killed one Wm. M'Kirgue at +Blairquachen mill 1685, and the same year surprized a meeting for prayer +near Kirkmichael, and shot Gilbert M'Adam for essaying to escape. And, +though he got over the persecuting work, he obtained no reformation of a +cruel and wicked life for some time after the Revolution.—The +remarkable occurrence at his burial is sufficient to indicate in what +circumstance he died; for, if we shall credit one present, as soon as +the gentlemen lifted his corpse, a terrible tempest of thunder arose, to +the terror of all present: when going to the church-yard it ceased a +little; but when near the place of interment it recurred in such a +fearful manner, that the flashes of fire seemed to run along the coffin, +which affrighted them all: nay, from the lightness of the bier, it is +said, that some were apt to conclude the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_58" id="JPage_58">(58)</a></span> +body was thereby consumed, or +else taken away by the devil from among their hands, before they gained +the place of interment. A note of God's fiery indignation on such a +fiery persecutor. <i>Upon the wicked he shall rain fire and brimstone, and +an horrible tempest.</i>—<i>Crookshanks, A—d R—n</i>.</p> + +<p>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 down +the country oppressing and killing God's people. In Clydesdale he +uplifted 1500l. of fines. And being one of lord Airly's petty officers, +he got a commission 1683, to hold courts in East Kilbride parish, upon +which he quartered his party and harrassed them in a cruel manner. He +spoiled the house and goods of John Wilson in High-Flet, to the value of +673l. seizing crops and land and all: and, though he got the gift of +some land there, he did not long possess it; for, after the Revolution, +he was reduced to extreme poverty, and went through the country now +begging, (instead of robbing) until the day of his death, which was a +very terrible one, if we may believe what I have often heard related by +several judicious old men of good credit and reputation. He at last came +to a kind of gentleman's house in the east country for quarters. The +gentleman, coming to the hall, and seeing him in a dejected melancholy +situation, asked the reason. At last, Grant told him, That, by a former +paction, the devil was to have, him soul and body that night. Whether +the gentleman believed the reality of this or rather took him to be +crazed, I cannot say: but it was said, he gave him such advices as +occurred to him, to break off his sins by repentance, and implore God's +mercy, who was able to pardon and prevent his ruin, <i>&c.</i>—What answers +he gave we know not; but he went to bed in the gentleman's barn. It +appears, he asked no company, else they were not convinced fully in the +matter. However, he was not like to open the door next morning, which +made them at last break it open; where they found his body dissected on +the floor, and his skin and quarters in such a position, as I shall +forbear to mention, lest they should shock the humane reader's +mind.—<i>History of the sufferings</i> &c. <i>A—d R—n</i>.</p> + +<p>ALEXANDER HUME, commonly called sheriff Hume, probably because employed +by the sheriff or sheriffs depute in Renfrew, as a kind of inferior +officer, and of that kind to<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_59" id="JPage_59">(59)</a></span> +persecute, pursue and oppress the +sufferers, in which he proved a most industrious labourer, wherein he +would run upon the least notice of any field preaching, and harrass +people, particularly, in the parish of Eglesham, where he mostly +resided: for instance, hearing that Mr. Cameron was preaching at a place +in that parish called Mungie hill, he and one R—t D—p, another of +these vassals, set off, and, while in the tent, they laid hold on it to +pull it down, because he was on Eglinton's ground. Mr. Cameron told +them, he was upon the ground of the great God of heaven, unto whom the +earth and its fulness did belong, and charged them in his Master's name +to 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's +houses, and offer to throw them down or inform against them, whereby he +got sums of money or other considerations. But all this, besides a large +patrimony by his parents of some thousands of pounds, did not serve him +long; for he came to beggary, wherein he was so mean as to go to some of +these 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 drawing +conclusions on the occurrences of divine providence; but people could +not help observing that, having a little pretty girl, who was one +moon-shine night playing with the children in the village and a mad dog +came and passed through them all, and bit her; whereof she grew mad, and +it is said was to bleed to death, whereby his name and offspring of a +numerous family of 17 or 18 children became extinct. At last she died in +misery 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 not +that such a nauseous and infamous monument is suitable enough unto such +nauseous service and an infamous life.—<i>A—d R—n</i>.</p> + +<p>JOHN GIBB, (from the largeness of his body commonly called meikle John +Gibb) ship-master and sailor in Borrowstoness, set out amongst the most +zealous part of the sufferers; but being but badly founded in principle, +about the year 1681, he associated three men and twenty-six women to +himself, and on a pretence of religious zeal to serve God, took to the +decent places towards the west of Scotland; where from their often +singing the mournful psalms, they were called the sweet singers. But +they had not long continued there, till they fell into fearful +delusions, disowning<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_60" id="JPage_60">(60)</a></span> +all but themselves; for, laying more stress upon +their own duties of fasting and devotion than upon the obedience, +satisfaction and righteousness of Christ, they soon came to deny part of +the scripture, and to reject the psalms of David in metre; which began +first to be discovered at Lochgoin in Fenwick parish. But returning +eastwards towards Darmead, faithful Mr. Cargil had a meeting with them, +and used all means with this mad-cap and his hair-brained followers to +convict or reclaim them; but to no purpose. And when some asked his mind +anent 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 are +many devils in him (said he), wo be to him; his name will stink while +the world standeth." They were all taken to Edinburgh tolbooth, and +about the first of May gave in a paper to the council, shewing how many +days they had fasted all at once, how they had burnt the psalms,—and +renounced the confession of faith, covenants, reforming acts of +assembly, the names of days, months, <i>&c.</i> These extravagancies pleased +York then in Edinburgh well, who dismissed them: after which, Gibb, the +three men and two women went west to the Frost moss betwixt Airth and +Stirling, where they burnt the holy bible (one night with a great light +around them) with the most fearful expressions. Gibb and some of them +were again apprehended and taken to the Canongate tolbooth, where they +took such fits of fasting for several days, that their voices changed +like to the howlings of dogs. Gibb became so possest of a roaring devil, +like another demoniack, that the sufferers could not get exercise made +in 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 would +stay his roaring.—After threatening to no purpose, he caused them stop +in worship, till he beat him severely: after which, when they began, he +would run behind the door, and with the napkin his mouth, sit howling +like 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 much +admired by the poor blind Indians for his familiar converse with the +devil and sacrificing to him (a thing then more common than now in these +parts). In consequence of such a wretched life, he died a dismal death +as far down as 1720.—<i>Wodrow, Walker's remarks</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_61" id="JPage_61">(61)</a></span> +<span class="smcap">Sir</span> ROBERT GRIERSON of Lag, was another prime hero for the promoting of +Satan's kingdom. I think that it was sometime after Bothwel that he was +made sheriff or sheriff depute of Dumfries. But to relate all the +sining, spoiling, oppression and murders committed by this worthy of +Satan, or champion of his kingdom, were beyond my intention. I must +leave it to his elegy, and the histories of that time, and only in a +cursory way observe, that besides 1200l. of fines exacted in Galloway +and Nithsdale shires, he was accessory to the murdering, under colour of +their iniquitous laws, Margaret McLauchlan aged sixty-three years, and +Margaret Wilton a young woman, whom they drowned at two stakes within +the sea-mark, at the water of Bladnock. For his cold blood murders, he +caused hang Gordon and Mr. Cubin on a growing tree near Irongray, and +left them hanging there 1686. The same year, he apprehended Mr. Bell of +Whiteside, D. Halliday of Mayfield, and three more, and, without giving +them leave to pray, shot them dead on the spot. Whiteside, being +acquainted with him, begged but one quarter of an hour to prepare for +death; all he got from him was, "What the devil, have ye not got time +enough to prepare since Bothwel?" and so he was shot. The same summer, +Annandale having apprehended G. Short and D. Halliday, and having bound +them, after quarters granted, the monster Lag came up, and, as they lay +on the ground under cloud of night, caused shoot them immediately, +leaving their bodies thus all blood and gore. Nay, such was their +audacious impiety, that he with the rest of his bon companions, +persecutors, would over their drunken bowls feign themselves devils, and +those whom, they supposed in hell, and then whip one another as a jest +on that place of torment. When he could serve his master this way no +longer, he wallowed in all manner of atheism, drunkenness, swearing and +adultery, for which he was excommunicated by the church after the +revolution, and yet by the then powers was made justice of the peace +sometime before 1714; a disgrace to any civilized nation, not to mention +a presbyterian profession. Thus he continued in his wicked obstinate +courses to an old age, although his name and estate are now extinct. But +death's pangs at last arresting him, and all other refuges failing him +under the views of his former wicked nefarious life, in imitation of his +master Charles, he feigned himself of the popish profeshon, because a +popish priest made him believe, for money, he could pardon all his sins, +and even when in purgatory for<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_62" id="JPage_62">(62)</a></span> +them, he could bring him to heaven. And +so we must conclude he died 1733, Dec. 23d, and went down to Tophet with +a lie in his right hand, and so remains in spite of all the priest could +mutter or mumble over him, as the author of his Elegy in his master's +name well expresses it:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">For when I heard that he was dead,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A legion of my den did lead<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Him to my place of residence,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And there he'll stay and not go hence.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">This Lag will know and all the rest,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Who of my lodging are possest.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">On earth they can no more serve me;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But still I'll have their companie, <i>&c.</i><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p><i>To the foregoing List I shall subjoin a few more of these Satannical +Heroes of inferior note, who also persecuted the Followers of the Lamb +during the suffering period.</i></p> + +<p>CORNELIUS ANDERSON, who was one of those ten sentenced to die at Air and +Irvine, 1666, to save his own life became executioner to the rest (when +the executioner poor Sutherland a native of the highlands would not do +it) for which divine vengeance did pursue him; for coming down from the +gibbet, the boys stoned him out of the town, and the noise of such an +infamous action running faster than his feet could carry him, made him +be hated of all honest men. This and horror of his own conscience +haunting 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 little +house upon some piece of common ground, near Dublin, which in a little +after accidently took fire, and so he and it were both burnt to +ashes.—<i>Crookshank's history</i>, <i>Walker's remarks</i>.</p> + +<p>—— MURRAY who, lest Kersland should escape, went behind the bed with a +light and catched him standing with his Bible, while waiting on his sick +lady in 1669, in<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_63" id="JPage_63">(63)</a></span> +a few days after became distracted, and in his lucid +intervals (while alive) would cry and roar out under that agony, Oh, +that ever he was instrumental in that matter.—<i>Wodrow</i>, &c.</p> + +<p>—— one of these cursed wretches, who carried Mr. King from Glasgow +1679. After he had, with his companions on horseback, drunk to the +confusion of the covenants and destruction of the people of God, rode +off with the rest; and meeting one of his acquaintance at the +Stable-green Port who asked where he was going, he said to carry King to +hell; and then galloping after the rest, whistling and singing on the +Lord's-day: But before he had gone many pace, behold, the judgment of +Divine Omnipotency, his horse foundered on somewhat in the path, and his +loaded carabine went off and shot him, and so he tumbled from his horse +dead.—<i>Wodrow</i>.</p> + +<p>DAVID CUNNING, or Cumming, being willingly hired by that bloody crew +(who took Mr. King in the parish of Dalry near Kilwinning) to be their +guide 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 as +ever.) But after Cumming's return, it was observable, that every person +on meeting him started back, as if they had seen an apparition; for +which they could give no other reason. However he had no success in the +world, and died despicably.—<i>Missive in Manuscript</i>.</p> + +<p>WILLIAM AUCHMUTIE, another of this black gang, riding with the rest of +his party to Couper 1679, and espying that young excellent gentleman, +young Aiton of Inchdarnie riding at some distance, brake off from the +rest full speed after him; and, though he was his relation, he shot two +balls through his body, without ever asking him one question, and so +left him. And though he came again and asked forgiveness of him when +dying which he readily granted with some advice, yet the justice and +judgment of God seemed not to be satisfied; for in two or three years +after, he died under the terrible agonies of an awakened conscience for +the foresaid fact, and so launched to eternity.—<i>Wodrow</i>.</p> + +<p>ANDREW DALZIEL, a cocker or fowler, but a debauchee. While Mr. Cameron +was preaching in a house in a stormy day near Cumnock, cried out, "Sir, +we neither<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_64" id="JPage_64">(64)</a></span> know you nor your God." To whom Mr. Cameron said, "You and +all who know not my God in mercy, shall know him in his judgments, which +shall be sudden, and surprising upon you, <i>&c.</i>" Accordingly in a few +days being in perfect health, he vomited his very heart's blood in the +vessel wherein he had taken his breakfast plentifully, and so expired in +a most frightful manner.—<i>Walk. remarks</i>.</p> + +<p>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 stand +centinel at the Stable-green Port, he must needs to be sure, get up upon +the battlement of the Port, upon which he fell over, and broke his neck +bone and so ended his wretched life.—<i>Wodrow</i>.</p> + +<p>JOHN ANDERSON, indweller in Glasgow, in the year 1684, was amongst +others prevailed upon to take that hell-hatched test upon his knee. Not +long after he took a running issue in his left hand and knee. And though +we are not to be too peremptory in drawing conclusions of this kind, yet +we may relate what this poor man's apprehensions of the causes of this +disease were. The disease still increasing, he still cried out, "This is +the hand I lifted up, and this is the knee I bowed to take the test." +And in a few days after he died in great horror of +conscience.—<i>Wodrow</i>.</p> + +<p>WILLIAM MUIRHEAD vintner there, on his taking said test, rising from his +knees said to the administrator, "Now you have forced me to take the +test on my knees, and I have not bowed my knee to God in my family these +seven years." And though a rude wicked man, yet his conscience got up, +and next Sabbath he was suddenly seized with bodily illness, and in that +condition died.—<i>Wodrow</i>.</p> + +<p>WILLIAM SPALDIE in Glasgow, a third, who there took and subscribed the +test, in a little after fell under great remorse of conscience for +taking that self contradictory test. At length he sickened. Some people +having come to visit him, endeavoured to comfort him; but he utterly +refused every thing of this nature; and when desired to consider the +extensive greatness of the mercy of God in Christ, he said, "Speak not +of mercy to me. I have appealed to God and attested him to judge me, and +he will do it. I have<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_65" id="JPage_65">(65)</a></span> sealed and signed my condemnation with mine own +hand, <i>&c.</i>" And so he died in great distress.—<i>Wodrow</i>.</p> + +<p>JOHN FRAM in Loudon parish, was once a most zealous professor and in +fellowship with John Richmond the martyr, yet to save his life, foully +apostatized not only from the cause of Christ, but also was one of these +who witnessed him to death. After which he became a bankrupt, and fled +to Ireland; where it was said that he (who would not hang for religion) +was there hanged for stealing of horses.</p> + +<p>JOHN PATERSON, another of the same society, who witnessed him also to +death, went from one thing to another, till he took the clap or +French-pox, and died at Edinburgh miserable.</p> + +<p>JOHN LOUDON and John Connel of the same society, and who acted the same +part, were reduced to beggary afterwards.—<i>Cloud</i> &c.</p> + +<p>PATRICK INGLES, son to Captain Ingles, with a party in May 1685, +surprized ten or twelve men at a night meeting for prayer at Little +Blackwood, (Kilmarnock parish) took ten prisoners, and shot James White, +cut off his head with an ax, and carried it to New-milns, where one of +them played with it for a foot-ball. Ingles procured a warrant to shoot +the 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, but +it is said, he who used the martyrs head thus, being got up unto the top +of the garrison house there, a little after when easing him over the +battlement, fell backward over the wall, and broke his neck, which ended +a wicked life by a miserable ignominious death.—<i>Crookshanks, +Appendix, A—d, R—n</i>.</p> + +<p>WILLIAM SMITH in Moor-mailing, (Shots parish) with his brother when +returning home from Pentland, William stepped aside to a neighbour's +house when near home upon a certain errand; but not coming out soon, his +brother went to see for him. But when going past the window, he had a +glance of two men and a woman standing round his brother, and a spit run +through his throat: this made him flee for his life. William was not to +be found, and as things then went, his brother durst make no inquiry<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_66" id="JPage_66">(66)</a></span> +after him. Near thirty years after, sometime after the revolution, he +was found in a clift of a moss, standing as if he had been put down +wanting the head. His brother came upon the first notice, and not +minding the situation, grasped him in his arms: upon which he crumbled +all down to dust. Which remains they gathered up and buried, upon which +a stone was erected with a motto, which is to be seen to this day.—But +let 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 his +mouth, and so he expired. Some time after, the other brother being +abroad, was got lying dead upon the way in drink as was supposed. Last +of all, the woman hanged herself, and was buried in two or three laird's +grounds 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.—<i>A—d R—n</i>.</p> + +<p>The Earl of Argyle, and others, made an attempt 1685, and though their +quarrel was not altogether stated according to the antient plea of the +Scottish covenanters; yet they came to rescue the nations from popery, +slavery and bloody persecution; but being broke, and several of his +officers and men taken, the gallant col. R——d Rumbol of Rye-house fled +westward, and would it is thought have extricated himself of the enemy, +had not a number of cruel country men risen, and (after a gallant +resistance) taken him, west from Lismahagow, in the head of Dalsyrf or +Glassford parish. Nay, it is said, they were so cruel that, while +defending himself against three in number, having turned his horse with +his back to a stone gavel, one of them came with a corn fork and put it +behind his ear, and turned off his head-piece; to whom he said, "O cruel +country 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 the +scaffold, drawn up on a gibbet, then let down a little, and his heart +taken out by the executioner while alive, and held out on the point of a +bayonet, and then thrown into a fire; his body quartered, and placed on +the public places of the nation.—But let us hear what became of these +ungrateful wretches, who thus used and apprehended him who had ventured +his life to deliver them from cruel bondage. Few of them died a natural +death.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_67" id="JPage_67">(67)</a></span> +Mark Ker, one of the principal actors, and who was said to wound him +after he was taken, and who it is said got his sword, was afterwards +killed on a summer evening at his own door, (or run through by the same +sword), by two young men who called themselves col. Rumbol's sons, and +who, it is said, went off without so much as a dog's moving his tongue +against them, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>George Mair, being abroad, when returning, wandered and fell over +Craignethen 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.</p> + +<p>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 person +for the stink could come near him, <i>&c.</i></p> + +<p>—— Weir of Birkwood fell from his horse, and was killed; and his son +not many years ago, was killed by a fall down a stair in drink after a +dregy.</p> + +<p>Gavin Hamilton who got his buff coat, (out of which Rumbol's blood could +by no means be washed) lived a good while after a wicked and vicious +life, yet his name and memorial is become extinct, and the place of his +habitation is razed out, and become a plain field.—<i>M. S.</i></p> + +<p class="break">But what needs more?—Examples of this kind are numerous. God has +provided us with his wonderful works, both in mercy and judgment, to be +<i>had in everlasting remembrance</i>,—that their ends may be answered, and +that they may serve for a memorial of instruction and admonition to +those <i>on whom the end of the world is come</i>.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><i>The Lord is by the judgments known</i><br /></span> +<span class="i2"><i>which he himself hath wrought:</i><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><i>The sinners hands do make the snares</i><br /></span> +<span class="i2"><i>wherewith themselves are caught.</i><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p><i>N. B.</i> To the foregoing prodigies of wickedness, I intended to have +added a number of examples of the same nature in England and elsewhere +under the auspices of popery; but the Scots Worthies having swelled so +far above expectation, to which this behoved to go as an Appendix<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_68" id="JPage_68">(68)</a></span> as +proposed, I was not only obliged to desist from my intended design in +this, but even to contract or abridge my former transcript of these +historical hints and omit several practical observations thereon, which +might have been useful, or at least entertaining to the reader.—At the +same time the reader is to observe, That all the authors are not named +from whence they are collected, but only the most principal; nor are +they to expect every circumstance in any one of these quoted in every +example; for what is omitted by one author is observed by another; which +rendered the knitting of such distant authors and variety of materials +into such a small composition, a matter of some difficulty.</p> + +<p class="center gesperrt" style="margin-top:2em;"><i>FINIS</i></p> +<hr /> + +<h2><a name="Footnotes_Judgment" id="Footnotes_Judgment"></a>FOOTNOTES</h2> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_266" id="Footnote_266"></a><a href="#FNanchor_266"><span class="label">[266]</span></a> For this see the conclusion of the general meeting at +Blackgannoch, March 7, 1688, and last conclusion of the general meeting +at Crawford John, April 21, 1697, and second conclusion of the general +meeting at Carntable, Oct. 29, 1701. but what of this was done, cannot +now be found.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_267" id="Footnote_267"></a><a href="#FNanchor_267"><span class="label">[267]</span></a> Such as Earls-hall, the laird of Meldrum, Livingston, +bloody Douglas, major White, &c. as for lieutenant Drummond, captain +Windrum, lieutenant Bruce and lieut. Turner, who went over with the rest +of Dundee officers to France, they died at Tourelliers. See +{illegible}stan and Perpignon hospitals, 1693 and 1694, miserable +enough.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_268" id="Footnote_268"></a><a href="#FNanchor_268"><span class="label">[268]</span></a> Passing scripture instances, such as a Manasseh amongst +the thorns, a penitent thief upon the cross,—the late earl of Argyle +who was executed 1685, was a member of the bloody council many years, +but this he lamented at his death, particularly his casting vote on Mr. +Cargil; and for ought we can learn, in charity we must suppose he +obtained mercy: and the youngest bailie in Edinburgh, who gave the +covenants out of his hand to the hangman to be burnt, was afterwards +thought to be a good man, and ever lamented that action, and did much +service to Christ's prisoners after. Yet the Lord would not suffer him +to go unpunished in this life, for it is said he never had the use of +that hand after; and for all his stately buildings, they were burnt to +ashes in 1700.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_269" id="Footnote_269"></a><a href="#FNanchor_269"><span class="label">[269]</span></a> Buchanan mentions not his burial. Knox says, they gave +him salt enough and a lead cap, and let him in the sea tower to see what +the bishops would procure for him. Fox and Clark say, he lay {illegible} +months unburied, and then like a carrion was thrown on a dunghill.—Sir +David Lindsay of the Mount, made the following stanza on his death: +</p> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">As for the Cardinal, I grant,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He was the man we well could want,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">God will forgive it soon:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But of a truth, the sooth to say,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Altho' the Lown be well away,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">The fact was foully done.<br /></span> +</div></div> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_270" id="Footnote_270"></a><a href="#FNanchor_270"><span class="label">[270]</span></a> Spotswood would have us believe, there was nothing +remarkable in her life or about her death more than what is incident to +princes; but we must rather believe and follow Knox in this.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_271" id="Footnote_271"></a><a href="#FNanchor_271"><span class="label">[271]</span></a> The queen was at this time pregnant with James VI. Some +historians have been inclined to think, from the intrigues this Rizio +had with the queen, that James VI. Char. I. and II. and Jam. VII. had +more of the nature, qualities, features and complexion of the Italian +Fidler, than of the ancient race of the Stuarts, kings of Scotland.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_272" id="Footnote_272"></a><a href="#FNanchor_272"><span class="label">[272]</span></a> Mr. John Douglas once a great presbyterian, was the first +bishop that thus entered by prelacy in Scotland; after which he became +slothful and negligent in his office. But one time, coming into the +pulpit at St. Andrew's he fell down in it and died.—<i>Naphtali.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_273" id="Footnote_273"></a><a href="#FNanchor_273"><span class="label">[273]</span></a> Mr. Clark in his lives represents Mr Cooper as an eminent +saint. No doubt he had his credentials from the bishops. But we must +rather follow Mr. Calderwood and the author of the Fullfilling of the +Scriptures.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_274" id="Footnote_274"></a><a href="#FNanchor_274"><span class="label">[274]</span></a> This king's reign has by historians been represented with +different features; some making him a just, religious and wise prince: +but whatever his abilities were and whatever advantage the church got in +his minority, yet it is sure his reign was almost one continued scene of +affliction and tribulation to Christ's faithful witnesses, and laid the +foundation of all the evils that followed.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_275" id="Footnote_275"></a><a href="#FNanchor_275"><span class="label">[275]</span></a> The bishop of Winchester who wrote Spotiswood's life now +prefixed to his history, represents him for moderation, patience and +piety, as one of the greatest saints that ever lived. He says, He was +always beloved of his master, and the only instrument for propagating +Episcopacy in Scotland, to which he gave a testimony in his dying words, +with much more fulsome stuff!</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_276" id="Footnote_276"></a><a href="#FNanchor_276"><span class="label">[276]</span></a> The high fliers and English historians lay the blemishes +of this reign on the covenanters, and make Charles I. the martyr.—As to +his eternal state, it is not our part to determine; God has judged him: +but sure, he was the prime instrument of all the broils and bloody +disasters that took place in the end of his reign.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_277" id="Footnote_277"></a><a href="#FNanchor_277"><span class="label">[277]</span></a> Here observe, that Mr. William Violant formerly minister +at Ferry Parton in Fife, was indulged to Cambusnethen 1699 (whom Mr. +Wodrow calls a man of singular learning, moderation and temper,—perhaps +because he wrote a pretended answer to the history of the indulgence) +upon a time hearing some relate Mr. Cargil's faithfulness and diligence +in preaching at all hazards, &c. Mr. Violant said, what needs all this +ado? we will get 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 on earth, which is more than heaven. However Mr. Violant +out lived the revolution, and was sometime minister of the established +church, being one of these nominated by the general assembly 1690, to +visit the south of 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, <i>Thou tookest vengeance of their inventions</i>.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_278" id="Footnote_278"></a><a href="#FNanchor_278"><span class="label">[278]</span></a> The author of Claverhouse's memoirs, says, That they were +shot by James Carmichael laird of little Blackburn, and fifty +whigs,—Vid. page 17.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_279" id="Footnote_279"></a><a href="#FNanchor_279"><span class="label">[279]</span></a> I could here relate several stories by tradition of his +deceiving the devil with his shadow at a race in Muscovy, his delivering +a woman from him by the burning of a candle,—his supplanting him in a +hat full of money, <i>&c.</i> But I forbear.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_280" id="Footnote_280"></a><a href="#FNanchor_280"><span class="label">[280]</span></a> We have no account of Charters' death, but it is more +than probable he died in that condition, as few or none of that tribe we +read of were ever again recovered.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_281" id="Footnote_281"></a><a href="#FNanchor_281"><span class="label">[281]</span></a> Perhaps, some may think this anent proof of shot a +paradox, and be ready to object here as formerly concerning bishop Sharp +and Dalziel, "How can the devil have or give a power to save life? &c." +Without entering upon the thing in its reality, I shall only observe; +That it is neither in his power or of his nature to be a saviour of +men's lives; he is called Apollyon the destroyer. 2. That even in this +case, he is said to give only inchantment against one kind of mettle, +and this does not save life; for the lead would not take Sharp and +Claverhouse's life, yet steel and silver could do it: and for Dalziel, +though he died not on the field, he did not escape the arrows of the +Almighty.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_282" id="Footnote_282"></a><a href="#FNanchor_282"><span class="label">[282]</span></a> Concerning the death of the Duke of Drumlanerig, alias +Queensbury, we have the following relation:—That a young man perfectly +well acquainted with the Duke (probably one of those he had formerly +banished) being now a sailor and in foreign countries, while the ship +was 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 mount +with great velocity, when it came past them they were so near that they +could perceive the dimensions and features of one that sat in it. The +young man said to the rest, If I could believe my own eyes, or if ever I +saw one like another, I would say, that is the duke. In an instant, they +heard an audible voice echo from the mount, Open to the duke of +Drumlanerig; upon which the coach, now near the mount, evanished. The +young man took pen and paper, and marked down the month, day and hour of +the apparition; and upon his return, found it exactly answereth the day +and hour the Duke died. Perhaps some may take this representation of his +future state for a romance; but it is as it has been oftimes related by +old men of good credit and reputation.</p></div> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_69" id="JPage_69">(69)</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Subscribers" id="The_Subscribers"></a>THE<br /> +<span style="font-size:200%">SUBSCRIBERS</span></h2> + +<p> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">John Glen</span>, Merchant, Port-Glasgow.<br /> +<br /> +PORT GLASGOW.<br /> +<br /> +James Glen, taylor<br /> +Alex. M'Farlane do.<br /> +George M'Gee smith<br /> +Andrew Mann skipper<br /> +Wm. Holm shoemaker<br /> +James Erskine dyer<br /> +Wm. Henderson baker<br /> +Wm. Liddel do.<br /> +James Couper skipper<br /> +Humphray Davie shop keeper<br /> +Archd. Brown taylor<br /> +James Ronald shoemaker<br /> +Wm. Wallace do.<br /> +John Stiven tanner<br /> +Wm. Allerdie weaver<br /> +John Paton<br /> +George Campbel weaver<br /> +Robert Jamieson porter<br /> +Samuel Fife Rope maker<br /> +<br /> +GREENOCK.<br /> +<br /> +Robert M'Farlane wright<br /> +Andrew Simson do.<br /> +James Munn do.<br /> +James Morison do.<br /> +David Fife weaver<br /> +Wm. Lamont shoemaker<br /> +Wm. Turner junr. smith<br /> +Humphray M'Lean baker<br /> +Wm. Hart do.<br /> +James M'Kean copper smith<br /> +John Armour weaver<br /> +Wm. Gibb sawer<br /> +James Graham carter<br /> +Archd. Henderson wright<br /> +Thomas Edmiston mason<br /> +James Kelly wright<br /> +George Neilston do.<br /> +Duncan Buchanan sawer<br /> +James Davidson weaver<br /> +Malcolm White do.<br /> +George Nicol do.<br /> +Archd. Scott wright<br /> +Daniel Fleming do.<br /> +Archd. Taylor do.<br /> +Dougal Gray clerk<br /> +Moses M'Cool sawer<br /> +John Biggar do.<br /> +Archd. M'Vicar do.<br /> +Wm. Holm do.<br /> +Peter Sinclair do.<br /> +James Stuart do.<br /> +Andrew Fairlie do.<br /> +John Gordon do.<br /> +John Adam do.<br /> +John Litsler do.<br /> +Wm. Paterson wright<br /> +Donald M'Intosh copper smith<br /> +James White labourer<br /> +James M'Kinzie baker<br /> +John Rodger junr. smith<br /> +Francis Sproul wright<br /> +John Flane<br /> +John Garner labourer<br /> +<br /> +GOUROCK.<br /> +<br /> +John Banks miner<br /> +Thomas Ferguson do.<br /> +William Gordon do.<br /> +Wm. Watson do.<br /> +<br /> +KILMALCOLM.<br /> +<br /> +William Minzies hosier<br /> +David Miller labourer<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_70" id="JPage_70">(70)</a></span> +Robert Taylor farmer<br /> +Alexr. Hadridge do.<br /> +James White do.<br /> +John Greenlees labourer<br /> +John Laird farmer<br /> +John Laird do.<br /> +<br /> +Andrew Dick, Erskine<br /> +<br /> +HOUSTON.<br /> +<br /> +Wm. Stuart school master<br /> +Robert Barr shoemaker<br /> +Alexr. Stevenson farmer<br /> +Robert Orr smith<br /> +Patrick Lindsay flax dresser<br /> +<br /> +CARDROSS.<br /> +<br /> +James Hamilton linen printer<br /> +Matthew Bush do.<br /> +John Stirling engraver<br /> +Frederick Gordon do.<br /> +Randolph M'Innes linen printer<br /> +John Hall do.<br /> +Wm. Yuill do.<br /> +Patrick M'Farlane do.<br /> +Andrew Aitken wright<br /> +Walter Lindsay labourer<br /> +John M'Grigor copperman<br /> +Wm. M'Farlane shoemaker<br /> +Wm. M'Aulay maltman<br /> +John Barton farmer<br /> +John Barr farrier<br /> +William Gordon<br /> +James Bain miller<br /> +Robt. M'Farlane farmer<br /> +John Cafor<br /> +Andrew Aitken<br /> +Patrick Gray Hellbrick<br /> +<br /> +BONHILL.<br /> +<br /> +Thos. Maltman linen printer<br /> +Thomas Kereg do.<br /> +Adam White do.<br /> +John Bryce couper<br /> +Wm. Henderson shoemaker<br /> +James Henderson linen printer<br /> +John Alexander vintner<br /> +Michael Lindsay<br /> +Katharine Beatson, Drummond<br /> +Robert Brash there<br /> +<br /> +DUMBARTON.<br /> +<br /> +Bailie James Colquhoun<br /> +George Walker shoemaker<br /> +John Ewing do.<br /> +John Mitchel do.<br /> +Patrick Mitchel do.<br /> +John Lindsay do.<br /> +Patrick Colquhoun do.<br /> +Peter Houston do.<br /> +Elizabeth Lin<br /> +Janet Donald<br /> +Katharine Houston<br /> +James Paterson sawer<br /> +Robert Lata boatman<br /> +John M'Alester wright<br /> +Alexr. Williamson do.<br /> +Alexander Brown do.<br /> +Archibald Glen weaver<br /> +James M'Niel do.<br /> +John Houston do.<br /> +Wm. Lang merchant<br /> +Hugh Cameron do.<br /> +Wm. Alexander wright<br /> +John Webster baker<br /> +Robert Lang farmer<br /> +Wm. Lang malter<br /> +<br /> +GLASGOW.<br /> +<br /> +Robert Williamson stay maker<br /> +Andrew Shields taylor<br /> +William M'Farlane couper<br /> +William Reid dyer<br /> +Robert Gardiner shoemaker<br /> +Mungo M'Intyre do.<br /> +Jeremiah Rankin do.<br /> +James Ker do.<br /> +James Scott do.<br /> +Alexander Little do.<br /> +Archibald Fife weaver<br /> +James Morison currier<br /> +<br /> +Margaret Martin in Shots<br /> +<br /> +PAISLEY.<br /> +<br /> +John Train merchant<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_71" id="JPage_71">(71)</a></span> +James M'Culloch wright<br /> +John Rentoul do.<br /> +William Black do.<br /> +James Auken do.<br /> +Patrick Wotherspoon do.<br /> +Robert Lintown do.<br /> +James Lintown do.<br /> +Archibald Martin mason<br /> +Hugh Anderson do.<br /> +Patrick Stobs do.<br /> +John Carse reed maker<br /> +Thomas Tudhope labourer<br /> +David Scott mason<br /> +David Picken wright<br /> +Duncan Robertson<br /> +Robert Findlay stone cutter<br /> +John Brownlie mason<br /> +Henry Sutherland do.<br /> +John Campbel<br /> +Wm. Scott weaver<br /> +Matthew Brown do.<br /> +William Cochran do.<br /> +Robert Craig do.<br /> +William Stevenson do.<br /> +William Robertson do.<br /> +John Dunlop do.<br /> +John Willison do.<br /> +Robert More do.<br /> +John Macham do.<br /> +John Campbel do.<br /> +James Renfrew do.<br /> +Thomas Gemmel do.<br /> +John Peden do.<br /> +Peter Lithgow do.<br /> +Robert Stirling do.<br /> +Neil Whyte do.<br /> +Alexander Stuart do.<br /> +James Bryce do.<br /> +Edward Taylor do.<br /> +Archibald Leckie do.<br /> +John Sproul do.<br /> +Alexander M'Gown do.<br /> +Thomas Suttily do.<br /> +James Hillhouse do.<br /> +John Reid do.<br /> +James M'Lymont do.<br /> +Alexander Thomson do.<br /> +Mungo White do.<br /> +Thomas King do.<br /> +James Brown hosier<br /> +William Semple do.<br /> +John Richmond smith<br /> +Andrew Morison mason<br /> +John Jack do.<br /> +James Semple silk dresser<br /> +John Dunlop weaver<br /> +<br /> +NIELSTON.<br /> +<br /> +John Balfour shoemaker<br /> +John Rankin linen printer<br /> +William Maxwel do.<br /> +James Duncan do.<br /> +Alexander Dalgliesh do.<br /> +John Dalgliesh do.<br /> +James Adam cutler<br /> +John Strong do.<br /> +John Brown bleacher<br /> +John Niven yarn washer<br /> +John Miller<br /> +John Craig<br /> +David Shephard weaver<br /> +James Lang do.<br /> +William Swap do.<br /> +John Young do.<br /> +Thomas Robertson do.<br /> +William Dunlop do.<br /> +Robert Stevenson do.<br /> +John Gibson do.<br /> +John Thomson labourer<br /> +<br /> +KILBARCHAN.<br /> +<br /> +William Livingston gardener<br /> +Thomas Laird wright<br /> +Hugh Allan shoemaker<br /> +James Allison labourer<br /> +William Pinkston weaver<br /> +Robert Thomson do.<br /> +Robert Spier senior do.<br /> +Andrew Giffin do.<br /> +Joseph Jamieson do.<br /> +John Houston senior do.<br /> +John Houston junior do.<br /> +James Pinkerton do.<br /> +Thomas Monie do.<br /> +James Buchanan do.<br /> +Robert Hall do.<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_72" id="JPage_72">(72)</a></span> +William Park do.<br /> +William Provan do.<br /> +William Gavin do.<br /> +John Wright do.<br /> +James Barr do.<br /> +William Davis do.<br /> +James Houston do.<br /> +<br /> +BIETH.<br /> +<br /> +Robert Boyd weaver<br /> +James Patieson do.<br /> +Robert Kilpatrick do.<br /> +William Lindsay do.<br /> +Robert Matthie do.<br /> +John Guy do.<br /> +Robert Hunter do.<br /> +John Crawford do.<br /> +David Kennedy do.<br /> +Bryce Barr do.<br /> +Andrew Smith do.<br /> +Adam Barr do.<br /> +Robert Gillespie do.<br /> +Archibald Taylor do.<br /> +John Knox do.<br /> +Robert Jamieson of Boghead<br /> +William Knox shoemaker<br /> +Hugh Knox do.<br /> +Robert Patrick do.<br /> +Robert Fulton do.<br /> +Robert Hunter taylor<br /> +Robert Glen do.<br /> +James Clark do.<br /> +Robert Kerr merchant<br /> +Thomas Miller mason<br /> +John Houston do.<br /> +James Craig shoemaker<br /> +James Campbel flax dresser<br /> +Allan Caldwell<br /> +Thomas Howie carter<br /> +William Pollock smith<br /> +William Allan<br /> +David Caldwall mason<br /> +John Dunlop merchant<br /> +James Pollock farmer<br /> +<br /> +KILBURNIE.<br /> +<br /> +Robert Orr farmer<br /> +James Orr weaver<br /> +Robert Montgomerie shoemaker<br /> +Thomas Houston mason<br /> +John Logan do.<br /> +William Findlay do.<br /> +John Sheddan weaver<br /> +John Barclay do.<br /> +James Allan smith<br /> +<br /> +DALRAY.<br /> +<br /> +John Boyd portioner<br /> +Daniel Kerr do.<br /> +Allan Spier of Kersland mill<br /> +James Stirrat merchant<br /> +John Lyle<br /> +Andrew Hunter<br /> +Samuel Hunter of Pastorhill<br /> +Andrew Greg wright<br /> +John Logan do.<br /> +Allan Bogle farmer<br /> +William Woodside do.<br /> +Robert Ferguson do.<br /> +Thomas Aitken portioner<br /> +Thomas Milliken mason<br /> +Robert Howie carter<br /> +William Kirkwood flax dresser<br /> +Alexr. M'Pherson coal grieve<br /> +William Galston carter<br /> +James Miller do.<br /> +John Fulton<br /> +John Plewhight dykebuilder<br /> +William Archibald farmer<br /> +John Muir weaver<br /> +James Niel do.<br /> +Robert Dunlop do.<br /> +Robert Auld do.<br /> +John Archibald do.<br /> +Thomas Logan do.<br /> +John Hamilton do.<br /> +William Aitken do.<br /> +David Auld do.<br /> +Robert Stuart do.<br /> +Hugh Oswald<br /> +James Kerr do.<br /> +John Montgomerie do.<br /> +James Laurie do.<br /> +John Auld do.<br /> +Robert Aitken weaver<br /> +Hugh Willison do.<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_73" id="JPage_73">(73)</a></span> +James Aitken weaver<br /> +John Henry do.<br /> +Matthew Stirrat do.<br /> +<br /> +KILWINNING.<br /> +<br /> +James Baillie junr. weaver<br /> +Alexander Petter do.<br /> +John Conn do.<br /> +James Dotchen do.<br /> +James Gray do.<br /> +Robert Barr do.<br /> +William Murdoch do.<br /> +Duncan Lowdon do.<br /> +John Starrat<br /> +John Gath couper Irvine<br /> +<br /> +STEVENSTON.<br /> +<br /> +Thomas Kirkwood merchant<br /> +Hugh Gilmore do.<br /> +Robert Boyd weaver<br /> +John Dyet do.<br /> +James M'Millan do.<br /> +Alexander Howie wright<br /> +Robert Gardiner causayer<br /> +John Boyd<br /> +Mary Black<br /> +Jean Cowen<br /> +<br /> +WEST KILBRIDE.<br /> +<br /> +William Biggart farmer<br /> +John Fleck do.<br /> +James Galbraith do.<br /> +William Dun do.<br /> +<br /> +SALTCOATS.<br /> +<br /> +Thomas Hunter merchant<br /> +James Watson wright<br /> +Thomas Lauchlan do.<br /> +George Starrat<br /> +William Stevenson merchant<br /> +Thomas Service wright<br /> +Daniel Vicar do.<br /> +John Craig merchant<br /> +Elizabeth Anderson<br /> +John M'Millan<br /> +Bryce M{illegible} ship master<br /> +John Ka{illegible} rope maker<br /> +James Raside do.<br /> +Robert Ingram junior<br /> +James Hall ropemaker<br /> +James Ske{illegible} weaver<br /> +William Barr do.<br /> +James Robertson do.<br /> +Robert Workman do.<br /> +Robert Dunlop do.<br /> +James Hill<br /> +<br /> +LARGS.<br /> +<br /> +Daniel Kerr merchant<br /> +Robert M'Naught wright<br /> +John Wilson maltman<br /> +Henry Reid weaver Slackmanan, 12 copies<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by Mr. <span class="smcap">Christopher Scott</span>, student in divinity now in Pathhead.<br /> +<br /> +Adam Watson smith Pathhead<br /> +Mr. James Thomson student in philosophy<br /> +David Mitchel weaver there<br /> +John Reid weaver Sinklertown<br /> +Robert Forrester do. Pathhead<br /> +James Mitchelson do.<br /> +Mr. Æneas M'Bean student in philosophy<br /> +Mr. David Black do.<br /> +Mr. John Thomson do.<br /> +James Halley weaver there<br /> +Walter Gray do. there<br /> +Matth. Shields junior Gallatown<br /> +John Goodwin manufacturer Pathhead<br /> +John Drybrough smith there<br /> +Laurence Mitchel weaver there<br /> +John Lawson do. there<br /> +George Adam do. there<br /> +John Drybrough nailer there<br /> +Andrew Wilson there<br /> +Robert Gou{illegible} weaver in Grange<br /> +Peter Fason weaver in Pathhead<br /> +James Ure junior there<br /> +John Mathieson weaver there<br /> +James Forbes do. there<br /> +Gilbert Fisher in Grange<br /> +John Forgan weaver Pathhead<br /> +Alexander Beveridge do. there<br /> +David Forgan do. there<br /> +David Miller wright there<br /> +James Bodger weaver there<br /> +John Mackin{illegible} weaver in the links of Kirkaldie<br /> +James Stocks dyer Pathhead<br /> +David Halley weaver there<br /> +Robert Gibb do. there<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_74" id="JPage_74">(74)</a></span> +James Jackson weaver Pathhead<br /> +William Taylor do. there<br /> +Peter Killgour do. there<br /> +Alex. Haggart flaxdresser there<br /> +James Miller weaver there<br /> +George White maltster there<br /> +Robt. Dick gardener Sinklertown<br /> +Eben. B{illegible}rte flaxdresser Pathhead<br /> +Robert Coventry weaver there<br /> +Andrew Blyth do. there<br /> +James Smart do. there<br /> +Andw. Waddel do. Kierbrae<br /> +John Brown do. Pathhead<br /> +James Johnston do. Sinklertown<br /> +Robt. Brown candlemaker Pathhead<br /> +Thomas Smart weaver there<br /> +John Gray do. there<br /> +Andrew Seath farmer there<br /> +Thomas Bell Ceres parish<br /> +George Mount there<br /> +And. Wallace labourer Kettle<br /> +Rachel Watson there<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">John Whytock</span> weaver in Playfield Perth.<br /> +<br /> +PERTH.<br /> +<br /> +Peter Whytock weaver<br /> +David Cairnie do.<br /> +Hugh Cairnie do.<br /> +John Watson do.<br /> +John Killor do.<br /> +Andrew Brown ditto<br /> +John Wilson ditto<br /> +James Lamb ditto<br /> +Alexander Ferrier ditto<br /> +James Taylor ditto<br /> +David Smith ditto<br /> +Andrew Wylie ditto<br /> +John Carrick ditto<br /> +William Bettie ditto<br /> +David Kettle ditto<br /> +John Young ditto<br /> +Alexander Wilson ditto<br /> +John Speedie shoemaker<br /> +John Robertson tanner<br /> +Alexander Miller ditto<br /> +Walter Scobbie weaver<br /> +Robert Glass merchant<br /> +John M'Grigor flaxdresser Long Forgan<br /> +David Gardiner in Muirtown<br /> +<br /> +Wm. Scott weaver in East Shiels<br /> +Charles Stark smith there<br /> +Archd. Shaw marble cutter Glasgow<br /> +Robt. Gibson weaver Pettinain<br /> +Alexander Nairn Libberton<br /> +James Gourlie in Stirling<br /> +John Harvie there<br /> +Thos. Kirkwood weaver Kilsyth<br /> +Margaret Black of Lairn in Ireland, 12 copies<br /> +James Muirhead farmer Kilsyth<br /> +John Muirhead there<br /> +Margaret Nimmo Delshanan Kirkintilloch<br /> +Andrew Wilson servant there<br /> +Jas. Dalrymple weaver Westside<br /> +James Dickson do. Monkland<br /> +George Brown merchant Perth, 12 copies<br /> +Henry Buist there<br /> +David Gardiner there<br /> +Peter Taylor in Tapermalloch<br /> +Revd. Mr. Preston minister of the gospel at Logieamen<br /> +Revd. Mr. John Young minister of the gospel at Dumbarron<br /> +Revd. Mr Laurence Reid minister of the gospel at Patha Condy<br /> +Mrs Bisset in Perth<br /> +Thomas Blair shoemaker there<br /> +James Hamilton in Blantyre<br /> +John Young innkeeper Alloa<br /> +Wm. Young student of divinity Glasgow<br /> +James Anderson in Strathmiglo, 12 copies<br /> +John Muir junior merchant in Glasgow, 2 copies<br /> +Wm. Blackwood plaisterer there<br /> +Wm. Wallace in Blacklow<br /> +Alex. Cuningham mason there<br /> +Robert Young do. there<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_75" id="JPage_75">(75)</a></span> +Given in by <span class="smcap">James Hood</span>, taylor Glasgow.<br /> +<br /> +William Todd<br /> +Andrew Allan<br /> +Andrew Hood<br /> +Thomas Smith<br /> +William M'Ewen<br /> +Alexander Norrel<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">John Mein</span>, London.<br /> +<br /> +Thos. Orr East Smithfield, 2 cop.<br /> +Alexander Grant Deptford<br /> +Andrew Imbrie London<br /> +William Clarke ship wright<br /> +George Gregory Spittle fields<br /> +David Imbrie<br /> +Mr. Watson in great Towerhill<br /> +Henry Russel<br /> +Henry Hutton<br /> +Daniel Cook<br /> +Mrs. Toben<br /> +Robt. Forsyth No. 100 Wapping<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">John Hardie</span> Old Meldrum.<br /> +<br /> +Revd. Mr. James Chalmers minister of the gospel in Daviot<br /> +John Gelland Old Meldrum<br /> +John Simson grieve Torvis<br /> +William Reid in New Deer<br /> +William Duguil in Odney<br /> +William Dow in Marnoch<br /> +William Cran merchant there<br /> +<br /> +John Brown bookseller in Dunse, 24 copies<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">James Craig</span> shoemaker in Kilbride<br /> +<br /> +KILBRIDE.<br /> +<br /> +William Riddel weaver<br /> +James Shaw portioner<br /> +Thomas Russel smith<br /> +John Craig farmer<br /> +William Arbuckle<br /> +Wm. Wallace mains of Eglesham<br /> +Christopher Strang there<br /> +William C{illegible}r in Glassford<br /> +Robert Hamilton smith there<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">Alexander Hutchison</span> in Newton.<br /> +<br /> +Matthew Short baxter Moffat<br /> +David French Wamphray<br /> +William Proudfoot there<br /> +Matth. Murray jun. in Bentpath<br /> +Sim. Graham Newton Wamphray<br /> +Robt. Ferguson herd in Finigal<br /> +James Lochie in Windyshiels<br /> +John Chisholm in Shiel<br /> +James Hyslop in Wellroadhead<br /> +James Purvos in Watcarrick<br /> +John Anderson in Moodley<br /> +William Scott in Holm<br /> +Alexander Glencross Saughtrees<br /> +William Proudfoot Johnston<br /> +John Geddes Coriehall<br /> +John Beatie in Lambhill<br /> +Benj. Munel wright Saughtrees<br /> +Wm. Little wright Coriemill<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">James Goudie</span> travelling chapman in Girvan.<br /> +<br /> +Thos. Woderwood quarrier in Daily parish<br /> +James Paterson weaver there<br /> +Agnew Fletcher shoem. Maybole<br /> +James Goudie merchant there<br /> +Alex. Heron farmer Kirkoswald<br /> +Sam. M'Lymont mercht Girvan<br /> +William M'Queen mason there<br /> +Hugh M'Quaker do. there<br /> +John Ramsay shoemaker there<br /> +Thomas M'llwrath currier there<br /> +Joseph Baird weaver there<br /> +<br /> +Revd. Mr. James Punton minister of the associate congregation at Hamilton<br /> +James Miller flaxdresser<br /> +William Hart merchant<br /> +James Barr shoemaker<br /> +Andrew Faulds in Carscallan<br /> +William Fleming servant there<br /> +Robert Strang in meikle Ernock<br /> +Thos. Leister weav. in Hamilton<br /> +Robert Smith do. there<br /> +Andrew Smith hosier<br /> +William Semple in Calton<br /> +John Weir weaver there<br /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_76" id="JPage_76">(76)</a></span> +Messrs. Gordon and M'Knight in Dudly Worcestershire, 12 cop.<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">John Haggart</span> in Errol<br /> +<br /> +Patrick Brown in Wardhead<br /> +James Gentle in Errol<br /> +Andrew Adam there<br /> +John Thomson there<br /> +John Matthieson there<br /> +James Davie there<br /> +John Mallock there<br /> +Peter Pirie there<br /> +James Rattray there<br /> +David Gill there<br /> +James Kelt in Godins<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">John Forsyth</span>, shoemaker Stirling<br /> +<br /> +Robt. Rae grocer Stirling<br /> +John Henderson maltman there<br /> +Robert Beleh there<br /> +Katharine Connel there<br /> +Duncan King workman there<br /> +Alex. Wilson shoemaker there<br /> +James Ferguson carpet weaver<br /> +James Morison<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">John Wingate</span> in St. Ninians<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">St. NINIANS.</span><br /> +<br /> +William Miller weaver<br /> +John Thomas do.<br /> +Archibald Gilchrist do.<br /> +John Harvie do.<br /> +John Forrester do.<br /> +William Forsyth taylor<br /> +Christian Anderson servant<br /> +Thomas Gilchrist merchant<br /> +John Miller do.<br /> +Alexander Gilchrist do.<br /> +John Wingate weaver<br /> +James Paterson do.<br /> +Robert Forrester do.<br /> +Robert Paul nailer<br /> +John Sharp smith<br /> +John Kessim brewer<br /> +John M'Farlane shoemaker<br /> +<br /> +STIRLING.<br /> +<br /> +Walter Smith weaver<br /> +James Smart shoemaker<br /> +John M'Learn weaver<br /> +Thomas Thomson do.<br /> +John Fisher shoemaker<br /> +<br /> +BANNOCKBURN.<br /> +<br /> +Thomas Anderson weaver<br /> +John Stevenson ditto<br /> +Archibald Smart shoemaker<br /> +John M'Farlane weaver<br /> +Alexander M'Farlane do.<br /> +William Jeffray do.<br /> +George Aitken do.<br /> +John M'Donald do.<br /> +James Munro do.<br /> +Robert Waterson do.<br /> +William Sharp do.<br /> +James Johnson do.<br /> +John Forfar do.<br /> +Andrew Liddel do.<br /> +Robert Stevenson do.<br /> +Thos. Anderson do. wester Livelands<br /> +John Baird do. Fategrin<br /> +Andrew Cowan Touchgorun<br /> +Thos. Jeffray smith Charters hall<br /> +James Gillespie do. there<br /> +Archd. Thomson taylor there<br /> +Willm. Chalmers do. there<br /> +George Miller smith New market<br /> +John M'Killop Craiggarth<br /> +Henry Edmund farmer in Hole<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">David Miller</span> in Campsie<br /> +<br /> +John Benny schoolmaster near Paisley<br /> +John Galloway Burn foot<br /> +William Thomson Arnbrae<br /> +Janet Bulloch Blarveath<br /> +Jas. Gilchrist weaver Campsie<br /> +Moses N{illegible}lson do. there<br /> +Robert Somerville merchant Kirkintilloch<br /> +Robt. Aitken tayler Waterside<br /> +John Stirling there<br /> +Andrew Stirling there<br /> +Archibald Stirling hosier Kirkintilloch<br /> +John Stuart couper there<br /> +John Ingli junr. smith there<br /> +John Goodwin portioner there<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_77" id="JPage_77">(77)</a></span> +Mr William Fergus bailie of Kirkintilloch<br /> +John King in Baldernock<br /> +William Thomson farmer in Bridge end<br /> +William Murdoch workman in Torrence<br /> +John M'Kean merchant Campsie<br /> +Robert Young in Denny<br /> +Thos. Winning labourer Balmore<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">William White</span>, bookseller in Beith<br /> +<br /> +KILWINNING.<br /> +<br /> +Robert Dunlop portioner<br /> +Alexander Young<br /> +Andrew Robinson farmer<br /> +Alexander Robinson do.<br /> +James Robinson wright<br /> +John Robinson<br /> +Matthew French servant<br /> +John Miller weaver<br /> +Matthew King portioner<br /> +John Connel mason<br /> +Adam Gibson farmer<br /> +Robert Boyd do.<br /> +Hugh Barklay smith<br /> +John Paton weaver<br /> +Thomas Robinson weaver<br /> +James Spier portioner<br /> +Hugh Barklay servant<br /> +William Gishe farmer<br /> +Robert Ranken dyer<br /> +James Johnston farmer<br /> +John Armour servant<br /> +William Dickie servant<br /> +George Park<br /> +James Allan schoolmaster<br /> +David Clark merchant<br /> +Hugh Barklay taylor<br /> +Hugh Anderson farmer<br /> +Margaret Muir servant<br /> +Robert Wilson do.<br /> +William Paton<br /> +James Govan miller<br /> +John Hill flaxdresser<br /> +William Anderson wright<br /> +Andrew Mackie<br /> +William Jack shoemaker<br /> +James King wright<br /> +Robert Dunlop baker<br /> +Alexander Paton<br /> +John Bogle farmer<br /> +William King miller<br /> +Hugh Barr<br /> +<br /> +ARDROSON.<br /> +<br /> +William Service farmer<br /> +John Crawford do.<br /> +William Donald do.<br /> +<br /> +DALRAY.<br /> +<br /> +Robert Berkley<br /> +William Rodger<br /> +<br /> +BEITH.<br /> +<br /> +John Sheddan portioner<br /> +John Dow wright<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">John M'Lymont</span>, travelling Chapman<br /> +<br /> +Gilbert M'Lymont weaver in Newton Stuart<br /> +William M'Lymont do. there<br /> +James M'Kean do. there<br /> +James M'Clure do. there<br /> +John M'Clumpha do. there<br /> +Anthony M'Gowan labourer<br /> +Wm. M'Kean taylor there<br /> +John M'Kie ferrier there<br /> +Wm. Bogle gardener in Minigass<br /> +Peter M'Kean mason at Ferrytown of Cree<br /> +William Watson at Bridgend of Cree<br /> +Robert Campbel at Largs<br /> +Willm. Douglas in Bargonan<br /> +Eliz. Hyslop in Knockvill<br /> +Mary Broadfoot in Corbyknows<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">Matthew Miller</span> in Mauchlin<br /> +<br /> +John Paterson tayl. in Mauchlin<br /> +John Miller schoolmaster there<br /> +Robert Gill there<br /> +Alexander Ray there<br /> +James Smith mason there<br /> +Andrew Aird servant there<br /> +Hugh Thomson smith Tarbolton<br /> +Roberr Elliot do. there<br /> +Willm Rattray weaver there<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_78" id="JPage_78">(78)</a></span> +Andrew Cowan wright Sorn<br /> +Wilm. M'Gown miller do.<br /> +James Ralston in Sorn<br /> +James Mitchel in Craighall<br /> +John Mitchel there<br /> +John Baird there<br /> +John Wilson there<br /> +Wm. Currie wright St. Quivox<br /> +James Kirkland mason there<br /> +James Murdoch do. there<br /> +John Armour schoolmaster Gibb's yard<br /> +William Weir in Craigie<br /> +William M'Henle in Mauchlin<br /> +James Lees tanner there<br /> +William Miller weaver Tarbolton<br /> +<br /> +FENWICK.<br /> +<br /> +James Brown son to Wm. Brown 2 copies<br /> +John Young in Ridgehill<br /> +John Garvan in Burn<br /> +John Young in muir of Rowallen<br /> +<br /> +STEWARTON.<br /> +<br /> +James Anderson weaver, 26 copies<br /> +John Stevenson do.<br /> +James Reside do.<br /> +Andrew Smith Castlesalt do.<br /> +John Blackwood do.<br /> +James Jamieson do.<br /> +James Muir in Robertland do.<br /> +John Dunlop wright<br /> +John Tannihill in Bogflit<br /> +James Wilson portioner in Chapleton<br /> +James Gemmel weaver<br /> +Archibald Alexander do.<br /> +James Alexander do.<br /> +John Calderwood do.<br /> +John Wylie taylor<br /> +Robert Smith weaver<br /> +<br /> +DUNLOP.<br /> +<br /> +James Stevenson in Oldhall<br /> +Andrew Cochran in Gilles<br /> +John Hall shoemaker<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">West KILBRIDE.</span><br /> +<br /> +Alexander Wylie<br /> +Thomas Smith portioner Canaan<br /> +John Stevenson<br /> +<br /> +BEITH.<br /> +<br /> +John King Junior in Gree<br /> +<br /> +DREGHORN.<br /> +<br /> +David Steel weaver in Lambroghten<br /> +John Brown jun. in Bowstonhead<br /> +Archibald Young in Mains<br /> +<br /> +Alexander Wilson in town of Air 2 copies<br /> +<br /> +Margaret M'Gillan near Wighton 6 copies<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">East KILBRIDE.</span><br /> +<br /> +James Orr<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">John M'Donald</span>, student of Divinity in Ceres.<br /> +<br /> +Patrick Orr farmer in Ceres<br /> +William Morton do. there<br /> +John Turpie merchant in Carnum<br /> +James Laing in Ceres<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">Robert Inglis</span>, bookseller in Edinburgh<br /> +<br /> +Revd. Dr John Erskine, minister of the gospel in the old Gray-friar's Edinburgh, 2 copies<br /> +Hugh Watson servant in Westerholls<br /> +William Inglis schoolmaster in Carstairs<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">James Lang</span> bookseller Kilmarnock<br /> +<br /> +Revd. Mr John Russel minister of the gospel in Kilmarnock<br /> +George Fairservice schoolmaster<br /> +George Miller shoemaker there<br /> +James White do. there<br /> +James Cuningham do. there<br /> +Gavin Walker miller there<br /> +James Freebairn plaisterer there<br /> +John Dickie there<br /> +William Arbuckle there<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_79" id="JPage_79">(79)</a></span> +George Thomson barber<br /> +Alexander Giffin farmer in Dundonald<br /> +John Rowat shoemaker<br /> +David Ferguson in Craigie<br /> +Mary Frances in Irvine<br /> +Archibald M Ketton shoemaker in Saltcoats<br /> +Mat. Alerton farmer Galston<br /> +Alexr. Longmuir portioner in Dreghorn<br /> +Robt. Creighton in Firmerlaw<br /> +Samuel Muir weaver Kirkland<br /> +John Wilson in Titwood<br /> +Robert Hay quarrier Symington<br /> +Wm. Hendry farmer Muir mill<br /> +James Morison do. Riccarton<br /> +Alexander Holm<br /> +Robt. Parker farmer Burleith<br /> +John Bunton do. in Puroch<br /> +Thomas Earle weaver in Capperingtiren<br /> +Wm. Arbuckle butcher in Kilmarnock<br /> +John Dickie shoemaker there<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">Robert Ramsay</span>, taylor in Bathgate<br /> +<br /> +BATHGATE.<br /> +<br /> +Revd. Mr John Jamieson minister of the gospel<br /> +Daniel Steel shoemaker<br /> +John Gillan workman<br /> +David Newlands merchant<br /> +William Gray workman<br /> +John Rule tanner<br /> +George Ranken wright<br /> +Margaret Muirhead<br /> +Andrew Jeffray workman<br /> +John Bryce mason<br /> +David Tinnond do.<br /> +Robert Ramsay taylor 10 copies<br /> +James Marshal mason<br /> +<br /> +CORSTORPHIN.<br /> +<br /> +Thomas Hodge weaver<br /> +John Cuthbertson workman<br /> +Gavin Inglis do.<br /> +William Laurie smith<br /> +Alexander Mitchel workman<br /> +Robert Geddes do.<br /> +William Sclate<br /> +Robert Thomson<br /> +Peter Newlands weaver<br /> +<br /> +John Gardiner shoemaker Torphichen<br /> +<br /> +Alexander Black stabler in Edinburgh<br /> +<br /> +William Gray in Currie<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by Sir <span class="smcap">Archibald Nicol</span>, weaver and bookseller in Glasgow.<br /> +<br /> +David Riddel plaisterer Glasgow<br /> +William Blackwood do. there<br /> +Andw. Blackwood hosier there<br /> +Andrew Riddel weaver Kilbride<br /> +Agnes Strang of Bogton there<br /> +John Freebairn wright Rutherglen<br /> +John Wilson do. there<br /> +Robert Dun coalhewer<br /> +Andrew Keir there<br /> +Robert Arthur linen printer Cross mill<br /> +John M'Nab do. there<br /> +John Moffat do. there<br /> +William Cumming do. there<br /> +Walter M'Gregor do. there<br /> +Peter M'Nicol do. Farnazie<br /> +John Brown do. Cross mill<br /> +Joseph Buchanan do. there<br /> +Alexander Buchanan do. there<br /> +John Ewing there<br /> +Isobel Lindlay in Kilbride<br /> +Robert Watson silk weaver Hole<br /> +William Leitch weaver there<br /> +Robert Anderson do. there<br /> +John Montgomerie there<br /> +John M'Ewen weaver in Grahams town<br /> +James Angus dyer at Farnezie<br /> +Thomas Ogilvie weaver Gorbals<br /> +John Niven do. there<br /> +William Henderson do. there<br /> +Henry Muir Carotine<br /> +Thomas Galloway there<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_80" id="JPage_80">(80)</a></span> +John Paterson smith in Rutherglen<br /> +Pitcairns Ritchie there<br /> +James Paterson there<br /> +John Brown hammerman Calton<br /> +James Wingate do. there<br /> +John M'Lea tanner there<br /> +John Walker Calder<br /> +John M'Lean of north Medrox<br /> +Mary Martin in Rew<br /> +William Brown there<br /> +John Paterson weaver Birkenshaw<br /> +William M'Lean of south. Medrox<br /> +John Stark taylor in Leckethill<br /> +James Legat in Drumbowie<br /> +James Towie weaver Glentore<br /> +Margaret Brown in Rew<br /> +William Shaw portioner in wester Glentore<br /> +James Bogle weaver Slamanan<br /> +David Auchinvole Auchinsterry, Cumbernauld<br /> +Joseph Thom in Calder<br /> +William Dickie silk weaver in Mauchlin<br /> +James Ritchie weaver there<br /> +Margaret Ferrier in Dalsholm<br /> +William Smith coalhewer Knightewood<br /> +James Aitken horsekeeper there<br /> +Robert Watt wright Jordan hill<br /> +James Mackie in Cumbernauld<br /> +Joseph Williamson in Millbrae, New Monkland<br /> +Gavin Bailie sawer Hamilton<br /> +Alexr. Pomfrey weav. Millheugh<br /> +John Burns of Braehead<br /> +John Hamilton weaver Dalfeif<br /> +James Davidson do. there<br /> +James Drummond shoemaker<br /> +Ann Alston there<br /> +Janet Lepper there<br /> +John Henderson mason Hamilton<br /> +James Weir shoemaker in Blantyre<br /> +John Maiklem gardener Campsie<br /> +James Bollock weaver Neilston<br /> +David Sprour do. there<br /> +Michael Stevenson silk weaver there<br /> +Thomas Gilmour weaver there<br /> +John Gray do. there<br /> +Robert Gilmour linen printer Eastwood<br /> +Alexander Calderwood do. there<br /> +John Bell do. there<br /> +Andrew Faulds dyer there<br /> +John Gilchrist wright Carluke<br /> +John Husband in Hurlot<br /> +Walter M'Farlane coal cutter there<br /> +William Paterson<br /> +James Craig weaver in Govan<br /> +Matthew Gilmour do. there<br /> +William Clow do. there<br /> +George Jamie do. there<br /> +James Morison do. there<br /> +John Struthers do. there<br /> +Wm. Robertson do. there<br /> +John Robertson do. there<br /> +James Shields mason there<br /> +John Ritchie weaver there<br /> +Wm. Campbel do. there<br /> +John Lyle do. there<br /> +Smellie Gellers manufactorer there<br /> +David Gran weaver there<br /> +John Russel do. there<br /> +Wm. Liddel do. there<br /> +John Lyon workman Carmunnock<br /> +Arthur More miller there<br /> +Thomas Muir coalhewer Rutherglen<br /> +Wm. Roxburgh weaver Glasgow<br /> +John Davie do. there<br /> +Matthew Morison do. there<br /> +John Duncan do. there<br /> +Wm. Lang do. there<br /> +John Hamilton of Gurhomlock Barony<br /> +John Moffat farmer there<br /> +Andrew Moffat mason there<br /> +Robert Arthur at Garoch mill<br /> +John Richmood of Carlenb, Sorn.<br /> +Matthew Jamieson there<br /> +James Wilton of Crafthead there<br /> +George Cameron in Hill there<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_81" id="JPage_81">(81)</a></span> +Alexander Buchanan linen printer Cross mills<br /> +John Arthur do. there<br /> +Matthew Cameron do. there<br /> +Wm. Jarvie workman Farnezie<br /> +Daniel Spier in Monsshonse Sorn<br /> +Jos. Aiton shoemaker Riccarton<br /> +John Dick Craigie<br /> +Jean Wilson there<br /> +Hugh Templeton there<br /> +George Marr coal hewer there<br /> +Robert Lamon farmer Thornhill<br /> +Robert Perier shoemaker there<br /> +William Morton do. Craigie<br /> +Matthew Dickie do. there<br /> +William Allen farmer there<br /> +George Bowie there<br /> +Thomas Wallace there<br /> +John Glover there<br /> +John Wallace miller there<br /> +James Hunter in Riccarton<br /> +James Orr Mossside there<br /> +Thomas Jamieson in Tarbolton<br /> +Robert Lamont farmer there<br /> +Ronald Hunter cowper there<br /> +William Stephen wright there<br /> +David Smith there<br /> +William Lindsay there<br /> +Wm. Auld farmer there<br /> +Wm. Reid mason there<br /> +Wm. Drips do. there<br /> +John Gray do. there<br /> +John Jamieson farmer there<br /> +Hugh Reid there<br /> +Janet Tait there<br /> +Wm. Wright wright there<br /> +Alexr. Paterson farmer there<br /> +David Miller there<br /> +David Wilson in Craigie<br /> +John Armour taylor Galston<br /> +David Borland there<br /> +Robt. Goudie miller Garoch mill<br /> +George Donald there<br /> +John Brown in Barony<br /> +Alexr. Moffat Parkhead there<br /> +William Baxter do. there<br /> +John Jarvie weaver Barony<br /> +James Robertson in Eastwood<br /> +Archebald Paterson there<br /> +John Taylor there<br /> +Robert Gilmour in Mearns<br /> +John Faulds in Nethertown<br /> +John Morison there<br /> +Jas. Thomson wright Hackethead<br /> +John Marshall do. there<br /> +Peter Norris plumber Glasgow<br /> +Arthur Laing wright Paisley<br /> +James Philip Hackethead<br /> +Matthew Laurie there<br /> +Elizabeth Forrester there<br /> +Sarah Gemmel there<br /> +John Brown farmer Paisley<br /> +John Ralston do. there<br /> +William Adam in Mosslane<br /> +Zach. Waterston farmer Govan<br /> +Agnes Stark there<br /> +Wm. Ritchie weaver there<br /> +Jas. Fleming mason & wright there<br /> +James Dove dyer Glasgow<br /> +Robert Love plasterer there<br /> +John Dun mason there<br /> +Wm. Beggart do. Calton<br /> +George Neill there<br /> +Alex. Connel wright Carmunnock<br /> +Alex. Anglie weaver Glasgow<br /> +John M'Farlane shoemaker there<br /> +Alexander Nicol do. there<br /> +James Dun officer London<br /> +David M'Creath Maybole<br /> +David Crooks in Selnock<br /> +Euphans Hodge in Galston<br /> +John Carmichael there<br /> +Andrew Willock there<br /> +Alexander Mair there<br /> +James Irvin there<br /> +John Richmond there<br /> +George Paterson hosier there<br /> +William Parker there<br /> +James Watt there<br /> +Janet Smith there<br /> +John Lamie workman there<br /> +Robert Glover do. there<br /> +John Goudie there<br /> +John Anderson farmer Mauchlin<br /> +William Hunter do. there<br /> +John Hunter do. there<br /> +John Reid do. there<br /> +James Dickie do. there<br /> +Wm. Meikle wright & glaz. there<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_82" id="JPage_82">(82)</a></span> +Matth. Ronald silk weaver there<br /> +James Smith mason there<br /> +Hugh Wallace of Bergow there<br /> +Frances Murdoch there<br /> +James Smith there<br /> +Archibald Campbel there<br /> +Andrew Ritchie there<br /> +George Beveridge there<br /> +James Oliphant there<br /> +Elizabeth Lindsay there<br /> +William Barrie there<br /> +John D{illegible}ak there<br /> +Robert Glover weaver there<br /> +Mary Glover in Craigne<br /> +Jas. Stuart shoemaker Glasgow<br /> +John Shearer smith in Barony<br /> +Wm. Watchman weaver there<br /> +Robert Allan do. there<br /> +James Wallace do. mid Quarter<br /> +James Allan there<br /> +John Wotherspoon weaver there<br /> +John M'Allun do. there<br /> +David M'Nair weaver Calton<br /> +Robt. Buchanan wright there<br /> +David Donald weaver there<br /> +James Taylor do. there<br /> +Gilbert Garth do. there<br /> +Wm. Goven do. there<br /> +Mat. Steel do. middle Quarter<br /> +Wm. Dounie wright Carntine<br /> +Geo. Chrichton coalhewer Barony<br /> +Alex. M'Learn smith Calton<br /> +Jas. Robertson miller Garscub<br /> +Andrew George do. there<br /> +Jas. Park coalhewer Anastand<br /> +Geo. Crawford weaver Glasgow<br /> +Archibald Bell do. there<br /> +Thomas Park wright there<br /> +Thomas Malcolm do. there<br /> +George Arthur do. there<br /> +John Rae weaver Calton<br /> +Wm. Williamson teacher there<br /> +Wm. Walker weaver there<br /> +Wm. Crocket do. there<br /> +Robert Wilson do. there<br /> +John Alston do. there<br /> +John Fife do. there<br /> +James Lawson do. there<br /> +Robert Hutton do. there<br /> +William Gardiner do. there<br /> +John Chrystie labourer there<br /> +David Jack weaver there<br /> +Robert Munro do. there<br /> +John Garden do. there<br /> +James Wylie do. there<br /> +Adam Brown taylor there<br /> +Mary Arthur there<br /> +James Leigh potter Glasgow<br /> +Alex. Moriton candlemaker there<br /> +James Granger weaver Calton<br /> +Jas. Henderson do. Drygate toll<br /> +James Kay plasterer Gorbala<br /> +Duncan Campbel cowper Glasgow<br /> +John Burn shoemaker there<br /> +Gavin Wotherspoon do. there<br /> +Henry M Culloch do. there<br /> +John Sheddan do. there<br /> +John Pettigrew old Monkland<br /> +Robt. Pettigrew wright there<br /> +Christian Murdoch Glasgow<br /> +Blackney Waddel old Monkland<br /> +James Smith there<br /> +John Pettigrew wright there<br /> +Robt. Pettigrew sawer there<br /> +Henry Pato teacher there<br /> +William Thomson there<br /> +Mat. Reid coalhewer Sandhills<br /> +Wm. Erskine do. there<br /> +Martin Rodger smith there<br /> +Jas. Kinnibrugh tayl. Shettleston<br /> +Wm. Walkinshaw miller Barony<br /> +Wm. M'Leland plaisterer Glasg.<br /> +John Niyison wright there<br /> +Andrew Niven Gorbals<br /> +William Reid nailer there<br /> +John Burry weaver Calton<br /> +Malcom M'Lean do. there<br /> +Janet Zuill Glasgow<br /> +Wm. Hamilton in Carmunnock<br /> +John Warnock farmer Cathcart<br /> +Andrew Park do. Eastwood<br /> +George Deans weaver Neilston<br /> +John Johnston do. Duckethall<br /> +James Cochran do. there<br /> +Robert Cunningham do. there<br /> +John Wilson do. there<br /> +Doug Graham bleacher Farnezie<br /> +Willm. Morison Paisley<br /> +James Airston weaver Neilston<br /> +Robert Legat do. there<br /> +Wm. M'Ewen there<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="JPage_83" id="JPage_83">(83)</a></span> +Alexr. M'Gregor Neilston<br /> +Robt. Cumming labourer Paisley<br /> +Robert Barr farmer there<br /> +John Peacock in Pollock place<br /> +Alexander Malcolm there<br /> +Archibald Hamilton there<br /> +James Henderson there<br /> +Thos. Cullen shoemaker Calton<br /> +John Shearer coalhewer Houlton<br /> +James Lyle do. there<br /> +Charles Colquhoun do. there<br /> +Wm. Watt in Knightswood<br /> +Grizel Gibb Dalsholm<br /> +John Duncan of Milnfield<br /> +John Gardner weaver Calton<br /> +John Ross hammerman there<br /> +William Glen weaver Glasgow<br /> +Andrew Tury boatman Canal<br /> +James Mitchel in Dalmarnock<br /> +John Nisbet in Carntine<br /> +John M'Pherson smith Glasgow<br /> +Jas. Allan shoem. Calton 12 cop.<br /> +Andrew M'Gilchrist Glasgow<br /> +John Findlay there<br /> +John Drummond there<br /> +Hugh Henderson barber there<br /> +Wm. Cochran weaver Paisley<br /> +John Stuart hillman there<br /> +James Lauchlan weaver there<br /> +Robt. Miller bleacher Eastwood<br /> +Alexander Leck weaver<br /> +Arthur Campbel in Barony<br /> +Alexr. Allan at Provan mill<br /> +James Thomson in Rochelay<br /> +Robt. Galloway mason Carntine<br /> +John Blair coallier there<br /> +Wm. Burnside do. there<br /> +James Orrock weaver<br /> +James Smith do. Calton<br /> +Matthew Rea do.<br /> +Robert Young in Postle<br /> +Jas. Morton shoemaker Calton<br /> +John Morison do. there<br /> +Wm. Somerville miller Glasgow<br /> +Wm. Henderson weaver there<br /> +John Falconer there<br /> +William Allan there<br /> +John Gray Westmuir<br /> +James Ralston Glasgow<br /> +Wm. M'Gibbon there<br /> +Agnes Dalrymple there<br /> +James Glen farmer Woodside<br /> +James Dickson Auldhousebridge<br /> +James Findlay weaver Gorbals<br /> +Peter Gray coalhewer Shettleston<br /> +James Graham Glasgow<br /> +Wm. Loudon gardener Dalbeth<br /> +Agnes Dyer Glasgow<br /> +Margaret Boyd there<br /> +James Logan miller Woodside<br /> +Jas. Graham shoemaker Calton<br /> +Jas. Fisher do. in Callender<br /> +Wm. Miller wright Glasgow<br /> +John Buchanan do. there<br /> +Mungo Ritchie do. Garscub<br /> +Archibald Sword do. there<br /> +Hugh Aitken coalhewer Jordanhill<br /> +Robt. Purdon hammerman Barony<br /> +Robt. Brown brewer Glasgow<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Given in by <span class="smcap">Peter Gold</span>, in Newtown of Douglas<br /> +<br /> +William Gold there<br /> +Wm. Williamson there<br /> +Hugh Gold there<br /> +James Gold farmer there<br /> +John Aitken there<br /> +Robert Miller there<br /> +John Forrest farmer west Calder<br /> +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p style="text-align:right"><span class="smcap">Glasgow</span>, <i>June 4th, 1782</i></p> + +<h3><span class="gesperrt">PROPOSALS</span><br /> +For Printing by <span class="smcap">Subscription</span>,<br /> +In One large <span class="smcap">Octavo</span> Volume.</h3> + +<h3>An Elegant Edition of<br /> +Three Hundred and Fifty-Two<br /> +<span style="font-size:200%"><span class="gesperrt">LETTERS</span>,</span></h3> + +<h3>By the Eminently Pious<br /> +<span class="smcap">Mr. SAMUEL RUTHERFORD</span>,<br /> +Professor of Divinity at <i>St. Andrews</i>.</h3> + +<p class="break center">To which is added,</p> + +<p>The Author's <i>Testimony</i> to the covenanted work of Reformation, as it +was carried on between 1638 and 1649.—And also his <i>Dying Words</i>, +containing several Advices to some ministers and near relations. As +also,</p> + +<p>A large <span class="smcap">Preface</span> and <span class="smcap">Postscript</span>, wrote by the Reverend Mr. M'Ward.</p> + +<hr class="mini" /> + +<h4 class="small">CONDITIONS.</h4> + +<p class="small">I. The book will be printed on a fair paper and good large Type, to +consist of nearly 600 pages.</p> + +<p class="small">II. The price to Subscribers will be Two Shillings and Sixpence Sterling +to be paid at the delivery of the book, neatly bound.</p> + +<p class="small">III. Those who subscribe for twelve copies, shall have one Gratis.</p> + +<p class="small">IV. The book will be put to the press as soon as a competent number of +subscriptions are obtained.</p> + +<p class="small">The encouragers of this work are desired to send in their Names, with +the number of Copies they want, to the Publisher, within two months +after the date of this proposal.</p> + +<p class="break"><span class="smcap">Subscriptions</span> are taken in by <span class="smcap">John Bryce</span>, 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.</p> + +<hr /> + +<div class="notes"> + +<h2><a name="Transcribers_Notes" id="Transcribers_Notes"></a><a name="trn" id="trn"></a>Transcriber's Notes</h2> + +<p>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. The following list details these changes +(including those described in the Errata):</p> + +<p>Preface:</p> + +<p> +p vii: Duch --> Dutch<br /> +p viii: ths --> this<br /> +p x: renegado --> renegade<br /> +p xvi: A footnote anchor follows Oedipus, but there is no corresponding footnote<br /> +</p> + +<p>Introduction:</p> + +<p> +p xxxi: opportuuity --> opportunity<br /> +</p> + +<p>Lives and Characters:</p> + +<p> +p 45: duplicated word "and" removed<br /> +p 46: defore --> before<br /> +p 47: duplicated word "gives" removed<br /> +p 49: oftner --> oftener<br /> +p 54: Thar --> That<br /> +p 55: judgement --> judgment<br /> +p 58: forgivenness --> forgiveness<br /> +p 66: ehey --> they<br /> +p 82: Thet --> That<br /> +p 85: exhprted --> exhorted<br /> +p 88: band --> hand<br /> +p 95: commited --> committed<br /> +p 97: weerein --> wherein<br /> +p 112: Aarran --> Arran<br /> +p 112: handwritten text added: "doctrine, and therefore remitted him to ward in the castle of"<br /> +p 115: weakned --> weakened<br /> +p 117: year --> ear<br /> +p 117: Hampton-cout --> Hampton-court<br /> +p 125: duplicated word "shall" removed<br /> +p 133: theif --> thief<br /> +p 147: Scotish --> Scottish<br /> +p 154: patnet --> patent<br /> +p 166: duplicated prefix "re-" removed<br /> +p 167: duplicated letter "e" in "even" across line break removed<br /> +p 180: exepcted --> expected<br /> +p 181: Cuningham --> Cunningham for consistency<br /> +p 187: canot --> cannot<br /> +p 190: proclamaon --> proclamation<br /> +p 195: judicarories --> judicatories<br /> +p 196: remonstrancs --> remonstrance<br /> +p 196: changed univerty --> university<br /> +p 201: endevoured --> endeavoured<br /> +p 208: changed petitition --> petition<br /> +p 208: changed ot --> at<br /> +p 214: succeded --> succeeded<br /> +p 218: duplicated word "a" removed<br /> +p 218: changed cootinue --> continue<br /> +p 226: yon --> you<br /> +p 232: unparalelled --> unparalleled<br /> +p 245: "is is well known" --> "it is well known"<br /> +p 249: duplicated word "the" removed<br /> +p 253: clossest --> closest<br /> +p 253: tolboth --> tolbooth<br /> +p 258: tu --> to<br /> +p 262: Extra text added (from Errata)<br /> +p 264: baronses --> baroness<br /> +p 264: promotter --> promoter<br /> +p 270: Loudoun --> Loudon<br /> +p 271: Loudoun --> Loudon<br /> +p 271: lef --> left<br /> +p 292: 1657 --> 1651 (from Errata)<br /> +p 293: duplicated letter "E" in "Edinburgh" across line break removed<br /> +p 316: conant --> covenant<br /> +p 319: ocurred --> occurred<br /> +p 321: conditition --> condition<br /> +p 324: contsary --> contrary<br /> +p 348: he --> the<br /> +p 350: wich --> with<br /> +p 354: redeem --> redeemed<br /> +p 358: must --> most<br /> +p 365: at --> as<br /> +p 375: duplicated word "on" removed<br /> +p 381: chuch --> church<br /> +p 402: sollicitations --> solicitations<br /> +p 405: in --> from (from Errata)<br /> +p 426: stoped --> stopped<br /> +p 432: droping --> dropping<br /> +p 435: it --> its<br /> +p 435: Edingburgh --> Edinburgh<br /> +p 448: Fanguirs --> Tanguirs (from Errata and for consistency)<br /> +p 448: priseners --> prisoners<br /> +p 449: chearfulness --> cheerfulness<br /> +p 452: Learmoril --> Learmond (from Errata)<br /> +p 452: duplicated word "in" removed<br /> +p 462: Lermonnt --> Lermont<br /> +p 464: Penland --> Pentland<br /> +p 464: unparalelled --> unparalleled<br /> +p 468: interrred --> interred<br /> +p 475: rery --> very<br /> +p 479: destribute --> distribute<br /> +p 479: (6.) --> (9.)<br /> +p 494: thir --> their<br /> +p 499: Fulliallan --> Tullialen (from Errata)<br /> +p 499: druken --> drunken<br /> +p 501: disswading --> dissuading for consistency<br /> +p 502: first --> farther (from Errata)<br /> +p 504: duplicated word "time" removed<br /> +p 510: duplicated word "and" removed<br /> +p 514: ect --> etc<br /> +p 536: disswaded --> dissuaded<br /> +p 556: entring --> entering<br /> +p 560: word "He" inserted before answered<br /> +p 602: duplicated letter "a" in "about" across line break removed<br /> +p 606: wheu --> when<br /> +p 607: inventored --> inventoried<br /> +p 607: duplicated word "who" removed<br /> +p 616: Warristoun --> Warriston<br /> +</p> + +<p>Errata:</p> + +<p> +P. 291 --> P. 292<br /> +P. 505 --> P. 405<br /> +</p> + +<p>Judgment and Justice:</p> + +<p> +p 9: Aaran --> Arran<br /> +p 15: Added word "of" after "footsteps"<br /> +p 16: errected --> erected<br /> +p 28: disolve --> dissolve<br /> +p 29: Duplicated word "from" removed<br /> +p 29: Duplicated word "a" removed<br /> +p 30: recissory --> rescissory<br /> +p 31: Fanquirs --> Tanguirs (for consistency)<br /> +p 31: Miln --> Milne<br /> +p 33: assasinate --> assassinate<br /> +p 33: Added word "body" after "heart from his"<br /> +p 33: Added word "assembly" after "1638"<br /> +p 34: outragious --> outrageous<br /> +p 35: laueration --> laureation<br /> +p 38: drunkeness --> drunkenness<br /> +p 43: Dumfermline --> Dunfermline<br /> +p 45: Duplicated word "the" removed<br /> +p 45: Duplicated word "of" removed<br /> +p 46: roted --> rotted<br /> +p 56: frome --> from<br /> +p 56: patridges --> partridges<br /> +p 65: steped --> stepped<br /> +</p> + +<p>Proposals:</p> + +<p> +p 84: RUTHERFOORD --> RUTHERFORD<br /> +</p> + +<p>Footnotes:</p> + +<p> +fn 15: duplicated word "that" removed<br /> +fn 68: 2634 --> 1634<br /> +fn 103: melignants --> malignants<br /> +fn 150: location of footnote anchor unclear<br /> +fn 156: location of footnote anchor unclear<br /> +fn 200: footnote truncated in original<br /> +fn 227: Stirleg --> Stirling (from Errata)<br /> +fn 229: meerly --> merely<br /> +fn 246: counsellours --> counsellors<br /> +fn 246: iucurable --> incurable<br /> +fn 246: hetrodox --> heterodox<br /> +fn 246: accessary --> accessory<br /> +fn 246: strengthned --> strengthened<br /> +fn 251: scribler --> scribbler<br /> +fn 253: most --> must<br /> +fn 263: they --> the king (from Errata)<br /> +fn 277: Cambusnethan --> Cambusnethen (for consistency)<br /> +</p> + +<p>Changes to the following words (or variations on them) were made on several pages, +primarily for consistency within the text:</p> + +<p> +threatning(s)--> threatening(s),<br /> +threatned--> threatened<br /> +untill-->until<br /> +couragious --> courageous<br /> +accomodate-->accommodate<br /> +sherriff-->sheriff<br /> +diocess-->diocese<br /> +acknowledgement --> acknowledgment<br /> +Naphthali --> Naphtali<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIOGRAPHIA SCOTICANA (SCOTS WORTHIES)***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 28272-h.txt or 28272-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/8/2/7/28272">http://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/2/7/28272</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be 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