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M E M O I RE 
 
 of The 
 
 L I F 
 
 O F 
 
 Mr. ROBERT BLAIR, 
 
 Mmifter of the Gofpel fometime at Ban** 
 gor in Ireland, and afterward at 
 St. Andrews in Scotland. 
 
 In TWO PARTS* 
 
 The Fir/} Part wrote by himfelf, and the Second 
 by Mr. William Row fometime Minifter of 
 the Gofpel at Ceres. 
 
 EDINBURGH: 
 
 Printed for Andrew Stevenson Writer, 
 
 U DCC LIY. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 THE Tublifier reckons himfelf 
 obliged to obferve, that the firft 
 and only part of the following Me- 
 moirs, wrote by Mr. Blair, having been 
 intended chiefly for his own family, 
 and made out by him at a time of life 
 when the faculties of the mind ufe to 
 be on the decline, the fame muft be 
 fuppofed to- want that correclnefs and 
 accuracy which it might have had, 
 If the worthy author had prepared the 
 fame for rhe prefs in his younger years. 
 To prevent, as far as poflible, all mif- 
 conftrueYions on this account, I have ta- 
 ken the trouble to compare my copy 
 with feveral others which I have feen 
 of thefe Memoirs, and particularly 
 with a copy of both parts in the 
 hands of Mr. B/^'r'sgrandfon, which he 
 avouches to be genuine; and, not fatisfi- 
 ed with this, I offered mine to be revifed 
 by that gentleman and his friends, who 
 no doubt have greater liberty to improve 
 upon the original than any other. But 
 this they have not thought fit to take 
 the trouble of; fo that, after patiengfeon- 
 waiting for this purpofe a considerable 
 time, and repeated follicitations 'to pub- 
 
 lifh 
 
I ] 
 
 lifh this Life, from many to whom I 
 had imparted my defign, I now bring 
 it forth with thefe variations only. Fir/I, 
 Becaufe what is here written doth not 
 contain a full relation of the author's 
 life, but only fome of the mod materi- 
 al paffages thereof, I chufe to give it 
 the additional appellation of Memoirs. 
 JVbtf, Whereas Mr. Blair divides his part 
 into chapters, feveral of which feem on- 
 ly breathing-places, or flops, I follow 
 the writer of the fecond part, who more 
 naturally divides the fame into pe- 
 riods. And, laftly, I have ventured to 
 make a few alterations in the fryle, 
 in order, if poffible, to adapt the fame 
 a little more to the modes of expref- 
 fion ufed in the prefent age ; but thefe 
 alterations are inconfiderable. Doubt- 
 lefs the following Memoirs might have 
 admitted of more amendments;, but, 
 fuch as they are, I am perfuaded 
 that all lovers of piety and ufeful hiftory 
 will reckon them highly acceptable, 
 and a monument due to the memory 
 of precious Mr. Robert Blair, 
 as an eminent divine, his intimate co- 
 temporary f , did fitly call him. 
 
 f LivingJIon's Life, p. j. anst Memoraik Cbaraflerifticks, p. 28. 
 
MEMOIRS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LIFE 
 
 O F 
 
 Mr. ROBERT BLAIR. 
 
 PART I. 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 HAVING met with great variety and viciiTitudes 
 of conditions in my lifetime, and drawing 
 now near to the clofe of it, (my 70th year being 
 almoft expired) and having had experience of the 
 conftant care and kindnefs of my unchangeable 
 Lord, I think myfelf obliged to leave fome notes 
 concerning the chief pafTages that have occurred to 
 me in my pilgrimage, that my wife and children, 
 at lead, may have thefe to be a memorial of the way 
 that I kept in the world, and that they may be the 
 better furnifhed to anfwer the calumnies and re- 
 proaches that have been, and poflibly may be caft 
 upon me, and that fo much the more becaufe this 
 hath been often required cf me by near relations-*, 
 and fome others. 
 
 PERIOD 
 
 * Mr. Blair was born at Irvine in the year 15-93- His father 
 John Blair, a merchant-adventurer at Tea, was ion to Alexander Blair 
 of Windy edge, a younger brother cf the ancient and honourable fa- 
 wily of Blair ef that M. His mother was Beatrix M:iir t of the an- 
 cient 
 
[M 
 
 PERIOD FIRST. 
 
 F rem my childhcod to the vear 1613. when I took my 
 degrees in the college of Glafgow. 
 
 TO begin then with my younger years, my fa- 
 th r (of whole piety, when I came to age, 
 I got certain information, particularly how much 
 he was addicted to prayer, and how tenderly he 
 walled, refuting to enrich himfelf by buying com- 
 modities from pirates, as feveral of his neighbours 
 did, altho' he was twice (polled at fea by pirates), 
 was taken from mc in the Gxth vear of my age, and, 
 at his interment, I (hewed my childifh fympathy, in 
 attempting to be in the grave before him. I was 
 the youngeft of fix children left upon the hand of 
 a widow-mother who was not well furnimed, and, 
 fhewed little concern about her foul till many years 
 thereafter, (for me Jived near 50 years a widow 
 after my father's death), when it pleafed the lord 
 to mew her mercy under the miniftry of his worthy 
 and faithful fervant Mr. David Dick/on f. 
 
 Being fo left the Lord owned me early; for ha- 
 ving, through indifpofition in the feventh year of 
 my age, been left alone upon a Sai>bath-day> he be- 
 gan to catechize me, and caufed my confeience to 
 pofe me with this query, For what ferveft thou, tin- 
 profitable creature? Unable to anfwer, 1 looked out 
 at a window, and feeing the fun mine brightly, and 
 a cow with a full udder, I underirood that fun was 
 
 made 
 
 clent family of RcivaF.an : He had three brothers, John, Jame; 
 and WtBtam Btairs ; the two eideft were honoured with the office of 
 chief magiftrate or provoA of Irvine, and Mr. Wilhain was firlt a 
 regent in the univerfity of Gla/gcw, and afterwards miuifter of the 
 gofpel at Dumbarton. Bow's Supplement, p. 2. 
 
 f Mr. Bfair's mother lived till flie was a hundred years old. Efftv's, 
 ^vpflemer.ttf. 2. 
 
C 7 ] 
 
 made to give light to the world, and that cow to 
 afford nourifhment ; but for what end I was made I 
 was ignorant. For fome time I went penfive up and 
 down a gallery wherein I then was, and, perceiving 
 neither young nor old upon the ftreets, I remem- 
 bered that the people ufed to meet often together 
 in a very large houfe called The kirk, and doubt- 
 ed not but they were about a duty which I had not 
 yet laid to heart. 
 
 Upon a Lord's day, foon after this, a (tranger 
 entering the pulpit, (who I afterward learned was 
 an Engli/h miniiter cenfured by their bifhops for 
 non-conformity, and was waiting at Irvine for a 
 palTage to Ireland} his countenance, and efpecially 
 his band, (as I had notfeen the like before) attracted 
 my eyes to gaze upon him, and, while I was thus 
 employed, he uttered thefe words, // is good for me 
 to draw near to God. This being the text whereon 
 he preached, he frequently repeated the fame, and 
 every time he did fo my heart was much affected, 
 • and heartily approved ihat truth; and I verily 
 believed that the Lord had given me the anfwer of 
 the queftiori which my confcience had put to me : 
 And thefe words were afterwards fo fweet unto me, 
 that I refolved, if ever I were honoured to preach 
 the gofpel, to make that text my theme. Accord- 
 ingly, in the very entry of my publick miniftry, 
 I handled the fame; and, tho' it be now fixty three 
 years Cnce I heard that minifter, his counte- 
 nance, carriage and accent remain frefh upon my 
 memory. 
 
 After that time I durft never play upon the Lord's 
 day ; yea, tho' when the fchool-mafter, after ca- 
 techizing his fcholars upon that day, would have 
 difmiffed us with exprefs orders not to go to the 
 town, but to the fields to play, I obeyed him in 
 going to the fields, yet I refufed to play with my 
 companions, as agaicft the commandment of God. 
 
 Butj 
 
[ 8 ] 
 
 But, as I remember thofe early mercies, fo alfo 
 the fins of my youth. In a time of rioting, common- 
 ly called The holy days of Yule, not long after the 
 former inftances took place, having perceived what 
 liberty fome took who were elder than I, to the 
 end I alfo might play the fool more boldly, I feign- 
 ed myfelf drunk, tho' I wasras frefh as at any time; 
 and, being challenged for (laying at play till after fup- 
 per time, I pretended that I was mourning at my 
 father's grave. By this impofition I indeed efca- 
 ped correction, but fet my mother a-weeping. Thefe 
 things I did eafily digefl till feveral years thereafter, 
 when reading holy Augufline his confeflions, I ob- 
 served how much he did in his old age lay to heart 
 his cbildifh faults, fuch as the breaking into or- 
 chards and dealing apples, not for want, having a- 
 bundance of the fame in his father's houfe, but leafl 
 he lhould feem inferior to his comerades. Now, 
 tho' I was free of that fin, yet I was thereby ftir- 
 red up to ponder the paths of my youth ; for fin* 
 ful felf-love is fo ftrong, that tho' the Lord's 
 word gives clear warning of the heart's deceitful- 
 nefs above all things, and defperate wickednefs, yet 
 we do not believe the fame until we feel it actual- 
 ly breaking out in our lives. 
 
 About this time the Lord was pleafed to vifit me 
 with a deadly-like difeafe, a bloody flux, of which 
 my father died ; and, when all prefcribed means pro- 
 ved ineffectual, the gracious God was pleafed to fug- 
 geft to myfelf a cure, which, when I had ufed, feem- 
 ed at firft to kill me outright, but, having fallen into 
 a deep deep for above twenty four hours, I awak- 
 ed perfectly recovered, and called for meat, tho' I 
 had tafted little for twenty three days before. Ne- 
 verthelefs the corruption of my nature did rnanifefi: 
 itfelf more vigorous than before, and did break out 
 in contention and unrulinefs toward my two fitters. 
 But then the Lord did again calt me fuddenly into 
 
[ 9 ] 
 
 abed of affliction, which produced the taming of my 
 Spirits, and a deteftation of all ftrife and contention. 
 
 In the twelfth year of my age, the fupper of the 
 Lord having been celebrated in Irvine^ I was admi- 
 rably taken with the fermon ; and, my fpirit having 
 been likewife greatly ravifhed with the firft exhorta- 
 tion at the table. I earneftly defired to communicate, 
 but having got breakfafr, I durlt not, for it was then 
 a generally received opinion, that the facrament be- 
 hoved to be received failing ; and, being alfo greatly 
 moved with the fecond exhortation, I fecretly la- 
 mented that my bodily breakfaii mould bereave me of 
 a foul-banquet : But obferving thefe words after /up- 
 per, in the third exhortation, I thus reafoned with 
 rnyfelf: Did Christ and his difciplcs celebrate this 
 facrament after fupper, and can it be a fault in me to 
 celebrate the fame after b.:akfa(fc? Sure it can be 
 none ; and fo I fat down at the next table, and com- 
 municated. This "was the Lord's work to his poor 
 child, to make me his covenanted and fealed fervant. 
 
 About this time the miniiter ordered that Mr. 
 Welfns catechifm fhould be publickiy repeated in thie 
 kirk before fermon, both before and afer noon, and 
 I was made choice of to repeat all the anfwers. Thus 
 the Lord, who had a mind to make me a publick ora- 
 tor for him, was pleafed to caufe me timeoufly pro- 
 nounce words whereby his people were edified. 
 
 Having profited well in my childifh ftudies, I was 
 found fit for the univerfity, and entered to the col- 
 lege of Giafgiiu about the Year 1608. where I frudied 
 hard, and made as great progrefs as anvofmy fellow- 
 ftudents ; but, left I ihould have been puffed up with 
 my proficiency, the Lord was pleafed to vifit me with 
 a tertian fever for full four months, to the great de- 
 triment of my ftudies. 
 
 After this nothing remarkable occurred till the 
 
 20th year of my life, when, I remember, I couid not 
 
 willingly want the exercife of my body, by archery, 
 
 B and 
 
C io ] 
 
 and the like ; and, left my ftudies ftionld be hindered, 
 I refoived to be bufy at them, every other night, fo 
 quietly as net to be perceived. Fcr this purpofe I 
 poi L< find no place fo fit us a room v. herein none was 
 permitted to Iv by reajfon of an apparit : on that ufed 
 to frequent it ; yea, wherein I myfelf had feen one in 
 the likerei*- of one of my fellow-ftudents, whom I 
 fuppofeu to be really he, and, having a candle in 
 rhy hand, 1 chafed him into a comer of the room, 
 where he teemed to conceal himfelf, but. when I of- 
 fered fo pull him out, Icoiddfind nothing; yet even 
 there I refoived to fpend my watching nights, and 
 did Co for a whole fummer, without ever being in the 
 leaft troubled. And, tho" I was influenced to this 
 onl\ from an ardent defire of profecuting my ftudies 
 diligently, yet the Lojid had another defignj and o- 
 verruled this to a better end, even to act faith on him- 
 felf; for thus he taughumc, that devils are referved 
 in chains o( darknefs to the judgment of the great 
 day. that they dare not appear, and far lefs moleft a- 
 ny without the divine perrrilTion, and that if God 
 had permitted fuch a thing to me, he would have made 
 it work for my good : But withal, by this he taught 
 me how necelTary it was to pray ferioufly and fervent- 
 ly, and to live always as under his all-feeing eye ; 
 and fo, during that time, I ftudied the one night 
 "without any fear, or the leatt diftraclion, and the 
 other night I flept very fweetly. Glory be to my 
 Hefted protector for ever. 
 
 PERIOD SECOND. 
 
 From the time I ivas made Master of Arts, anno 
 1613. to the Tear [623. nvJnfn 1 [idt mitt ed my office a: 
 a recent in the univerfety of Ghfgow. 
 
 HAVING now fmifsed my courfe of pfailofo- 
 phy, under the difcipline of my brother Mr. 
 William Blair, I engaged to be an alUftant to the 
 
 aged 
 
C ii ] 
 
 y.ged and decayed fchool-m after at Glafgoiv, who had 
 above 300 Scholars under his inftruction, the half of 
 whom were committed to my charge, where I re- 
 member not of any thing remarkable that bcfel me, 
 except that I made (b much confcience of my employ- 
 ment, that I often went to bed without fupper, not 
 for want, but for wearlnefs, my ftrength and fpirits 
 having been exhsuded with the toil of the day. 
 
 At that time Mr. Robert Boyd of Trochrig, then 
 a minUter, and profeifor of theology at Sal-mure in 
 France, was called home, by king James, to be prin- 
 cipal of the college o£G[q/g'o4ii and minifier of Govan. 
 At the hearing of Mr. Boy a s inaugural oration I was 
 Hot a little refreihed and ftirred up to the difcharge 
 ' of my duty with diligence and chearfulnefs. On this 
 occaCon one moved a qneiTion to him, 4 That, feeing 
 
 * he was a gentleman of a confidenible cfhte, where- 
 f upon he might live competently er.cugh, what 
 
 * caufed him embrace 10 painful a calling, as both to 
 
 * profefs divinity in the fchools, and teach people 
 ' alfo by his miniftry r ' His anfwer was, * i hat, 
 ' confidering the great wrath' under which he lay na- 
 ' turally, and the great falvation purchafed to him 
 
 * by Je.su s Christ, he had refolved to fpend himfelf 
 
 * to the utmoft, giving all diligence to glorify that 
 • ' Lord who bad fo loved him.' I thought with my- 
 
 felf, there is a man of God, there is one or a thoa- 
 fand. Who am I in the very entry to weary of 
 painfulnefs in ferving my Lord, tho' in a meaner 
 employment ? From that day my heart was knit 
 to that learned and holy man, in whofe hand the 
 Lord did, as it were, put the key of my heart, 
 whenever I heard him in publick or private. I pro- 
 fited little by others ; but he, as fent from God to 
 me, did fpeak words of eternal life, whofe leffons I 
 carried away written in my heart, and thereafter did 
 write them on paper Jor my own ufe. 
 
 AfWr 
 
[ 12 ] 
 
 After two years I was admitted in the room of my 
 brother Mr. IVilll am y r\ow fettled minillerat Dumbarton, 
 to be a regent in the college of Gla/gow, tho' not 
 "without oppofition from archbifhop Law, who had 
 promifed that place to another, and was defirous to 
 detain me in the charge I was : n, his fon being under 
 my indrndion, (Jor as yet I had not laid to heart the 
 controverfy about church-government, fo as to make 
 myfelf difagreeab'e to him on that account) but nei- 
 ther the principal nor regents would give way to his 
 motion. 
 
 When admitted to this charge, my elder collegues, 
 perceiving that 1 had confiderableinfigl^yfcimanity, 
 urged me to read the clafiical authojjj Hearken- 
 ing to the motion, I began to perufe t^H|P^cient of 
 them, and read over all Plautus ; but the Lord, being 
 diipleafed with that defign, diverted me thus : 1 ha- 
 ving the charge of the library, and meeting with An- 
 giiftlne'% confeffion, wherein he inveighs fharply againft 
 the education of youth in heathen writings. I there- 
 for betook me to the reading of the holy fcriptures 
 and the ancient fathers, efpedally Augufline^ who had 
 another relifh, and breathed out much piety ; and, 
 tho' I perceived that our reformed divines were 
 purer, and their opinions more confident with the 
 fcriptures, than feveral of the ancients, yet I refoJ- 
 ved to perufe thefe ancient r. cnuments, beginning at 
 the o'deft, and made considerable progrefs in the 
 hours I couid fpare from my charge. 
 
 In dimmer 1616. I was entred on trials for the 
 ?n ; ni(lry, and it wa< laid upon me to preach in the 
 ■Colhge-knk the very fir It Sabbath after my licence. 
 After feyeraJ vears : was told byfome of the hearers, 
 better acquainted with religion than I was, that in 
 that firft lermon the Lord did fpeak to rheir hearts, 
 which greatly furprifed me, and ftirred me up to fol- 
 low after the Lord. A 
 
 That 
 
 ^^ys^d^r 4* 
 
[ n 3 
 
 That year having, upon an evening, been enga~ 
 ged in company with fome irreligious perfons, when 
 I returned to, my chamber, and went to my ordinary 
 devotion, the Lcrd did mew To much difpleafure and 
 wrath, that I was driven from prayer, and heavily 
 threatned to be deferred of God : hor this I had a 
 reftlefs night, and refolved to fpend the next day in 
 extraordinary humiliation, farting and prayer ; and, 
 toward the evening of that day, I found accefs to 
 God, with fweet peace, through Jesus Christ, 
 ^nd learned to beware of fuch company ; but then I 
 did run into another extream of rudenefs and incivi- 
 lity towa^^Mhjs were profane and irreligious, fo 
 hard a thfl Br fliort-fighted finners to hold the 
 right andflHWght way. 
 
 Some days after this, being in conference with 
 worthy Mr. D avid Dickjon, my elder collegue, who 
 was once my matter, I learned that, on the very 
 day which I had fet apart as above, he alfo was in 
 the fame way employed ; this cufiom we refolved to 
 keep up in time coming, and from this did arife molt 
 entire friendfhip betwixt us, and a covenant of mu- 
 tual remembrance frequently before the Lord. 
 
 About this time I learned alfo that it was my duty, 
 not only to teach my ftudents according to the laws 
 and cufioms of the college, but alfo, according to the 
 law of God. to teach them piety, and found that my 
 reproof had more weight upon them, after this, than 
 the rod had formerly. 
 
 Hitherto I obferved little controverfy about religi- 
 ous matters in the church of Scotland ; for, tho ? 
 there werebifhops before this time, they took little 
 upon them, and were very little oppofed until the af- 
 fembly at Perth, in the year i6i3. when fevcral ar- 
 ticles, which had been canvaffed in the two former 
 afTemblies at St. Andrews and Aberdeen, fuch as 
 kneeling at the communion, the obfervation of holi- 
 days, &c were much talked of as innovations to be 
 
 introduced 
 
C 14 
 
 introduced by that aiTembly; an! the time of its 
 meeting coinciding with the college-vacation, I re- 
 folved to go thither to fee how matters were con- 
 dueled. 
 
 In the entrv of that affembiy there was feme con- 
 tefi: about moderating in rhe meeting. The archbifliop 
 of St. Andrews, who opened the afTembly with a 
 crafty fermon, pretended that the precedency belong- 
 ed to him ot right; but venerable worthy minilters 
 oppofed this, affirming that it was again ft the liberty 
 and freedom of a general afiVmbly, that any mould 
 intrude themfelves into that place; and that, in all 
 aiTemblies fincethe beginning of the reformation, the 
 moderator was always elected by the fuffrages of all 
 the confHtuent members : As alfo they affirmed, 
 that even the late pretended afietablies had not, by 
 any aft, conferred the privilege of prefiding in the 
 general affembly upon the bifhop, who had crept in 
 contrary to the ancient conftitution of the kirk of 
 Scotland. Notwithstanding the archbifliop ufurped 
 the chair, againft which the brethren gave in a writ- 
 ten protection, and then theaflTerally proceeded to 
 their bufinefs. The king's letter for concluding thofe 
 articles in that aiTembly was read, and difputation 
 enfued thereon, which lafted for forae days, Mr. Wil* 
 Hum Scot at Compar, Mr John Carmkhael at Kilcon- 
 gilhar, and Mr. Alexander Mender/on at Leucbars, 
 reafoning againft the innovations, and the doctors 
 Lhdfay, Gladftanes and Phi'p making anfwers 
 fach as they were. They frequently urged the 
 king's will, but for reafons I heard none except 
 one argument offered by doctor JJndfay, which was 
 enfily blown away. The reafoners againft kneeling 
 asked, whether their opponents urged the gefture of 
 kneeling in reverence f o the elements of the facra- 
 ment, yea or not. It was anfwered by Dr. Glad' 
 ftanes, Not as to elements, but as to holy figns ; at 
 which anfwer a great number of the affembly mur- 
 mured, 
 
[ i5 1 
 
 mured, as a moft dangerous and fuperftitious con- 
 ceit, yea, his very party (hewed their difpleafure ; 
 and yet the act for kneeling carries the fame notion, 
 not obfeurely, in the very bofom of it. To in- 
 itance only in one particular more, the hiftory of that 
 alRmbly being well known. The difpute being carried 
 on with more llrength by the brethren than their anta- 
 gonifts, were like to overcome, the archbifhop burfted 
 out in a great pafEon v.'ith thefe words? This mat* 
 ter /hall not be carried either by arguments or votes ? 
 if it were but we bifi?ps, -with his majejl/s cemmif- 
 Jioner, we will conclude and enatf the matter, and fee 
 who dare vfithflandit. 
 
 Matters being thus carried, I did net doubt then, 
 nor ever fince, on what fide truth frocd ; yea, I then 
 perceived that prelacy itfelf is definitive to the pu- 
 rity of the gofpel, and the worft of all ceremonies, 
 and became fixed in my judgment never to approve 
 that way. From that time I ihidied the controver- 
 fies concerning bifhops and cer monies, and was (till 
 more and more perfuaded of their being weighty cor- 
 ruptions. This change introduced a perfecution of 
 honeli minifters and profelTors who would not prac- 
 tife thefe ceremonies, yet nothing fo hot and violent 
 as that which now f rages againft the church of 
 Christ. 
 
 About that time I happened, in looking for cne 
 book, to light upon another, called Petronius Arbiter. 
 This book I heard fomc commend for an excellent 
 Latin diction, both in profe and metre, and upon this 
 account I bought the fame, yet till that day I had 
 never read any part of it ; but then, opening the 
 book, I found, under the vail of elegant words, the 
 inofl: bafe and baudy matter ; and, turning over one 
 cr two other places, I ftill found filthy poifon fugar- 
 cd and gilded over with very ornate language. Now, 
 thought I with myfelf, if any thing in the world be 
 
 the 
 f Anno 1663. 
 
t 16 ] 
 
 the devil's bait to defile and intangle fouls, this h e- 
 minently fo, and, \vi filing there had been no more co« 
 pies of it in the world, I committed it to the flames. 
 Thereafter I learned that this author was called A>-~ 
 hiter, bccaufe hewas the inventor and minifter of wic- 
 ked pleafures to that monfter of cruelty and filthinefs 
 the emperor Nero. O, with how great circumfpec- 
 tion ought all, efpecially young ones, confider what 
 books they have or read, left unawares they fwallov/ 
 down foul-poifon, which, as poifon to the body, 
 though it be vomited tip* yet always leaves a noxious 
 dreg ! 
 
 Not long after that I met with a moft rare and ad- 
 mirable mercy ; I tailed abundantly of the Lord's 
 loving-kindnefs that is better than life, and forne-. 
 what oi that joy that is unfpeakable and glorious ; 
 and thus it was: One of my collegues being indifpo- 
 ftd I made him a vifit after fupper, and, finding him 
 troubled with a crudity in the (tomach, I propofed 
 that he would caufe make a poffet of wine and milk 
 for it ; he knowing that I could fcarce tafte wine, 
 yielded to the motion providing I would drink with 
 him. To this condition I agreed for his fake, and fo 
 the drink was made ; but the college-fervants, not welt 
 Skilled in pofTet-making, put in more wine than the 
 milk could qualify ; of this I took a draught, and 
 found no harm for the prefent, but about two 
 two hours after, being in bed, I was cad into a burn- 
 ing fever, and, having never felt the like^ I appre- 
 hended that death approached. I was the more fuf- 
 ceptible of this apprehenfion, that, for about thirteen 
 years before, I had often meditated upon death, and 
 lived under impreffions that I would never fee thirty 
 years, of which I then wanted only four or five. The 
 burning heat ftill increafing, as it ufes to be in A 
 quotidian fever, I concluded that I would not fee the: 
 fun-rifing, tho' it being the month of July, the night 
 was then very fhort: Yet at this I was not difmayed ; 
 
 on 
 
[ 17 ] 
 
 cm the contrary, I began to rejoice greatly in the 
 expectation that (hortly I would get rid of fin and 
 forrow, and thought I was fair before the wind to ar- 
 rive where holinefs and glory dwells, to enjoy 
 God eternally ; and tho' that fcorching fever was 
 burning my body, yet, the love of God burning more 
 fervently in my foul, I felt no pain at all. It was 
 notpoflible for my tongue then, nor is it poflible for 
 my pen now, to exprefs the great gladnefs and ex- 
 ulting of my fpirit. I extolled my Lord and Saviour, 
 yea I fang to him, efpecially the 16th p/aim, for I 
 felt within me that which is written in the end there- 
 of, Thou wilt few me the path of life, in thy prefence 
 is futnefs Qfj&y, at thy right hand there are pleafures 
 for evermore : And thus I rea r cned, If I be fo full 
 now of joy and pleafure in this valley of tears, how 
 infinitely greater (hall thofe joys and pleafures be 
 when the foui (hall be elevated and enlarged to enjoy 
 God eternally without interruption. But, after I 
 "had been fome hours in the banquetting-houfe, under 
 the banner of love, there burfted out a great fweat, 
 which did wet my body and fhirt, and even the 
 whole clothes about me, the vehemency of the fever 
 abated, and I perceived that the time of my perfect- 
 ing was not yet come, which caufed me to utter ma- 
 ny love-fighs, and the vehemency of my rejoicing 
 alfo abated. At fun-ri(ing I fell afleep, and when, 
 about fix o' clock, I began to (Kr, not being fully a- 
 wakened, I thought at firft, O what a pleafant dream 
 have I drfamed ! notwithstanding, when I awaked 
 fully, I conddered all tlie palfages, and how I had 
 Shifted my (elf, and that yet all was wet about me, fo 
 that it was no dream, but a real manifeftation of the 
 loving-kindnefs of the Lord. "When I arofe, I re- 
 iolved, tho' I found my body much fhaken, and 
 that the fever was not yet quite gone, to ride two 
 miles to the kirk of Govan, where the bleffed Mr. 
 Boyd did pre-ach. There, in time of the firft fermon 
 C I 
 
[ i8 ] ' 
 
 1 had another fit of the fever, which ended with 
 fweating, during which my joy in God was renew- 
 ed, tho not fo high as the former. After both the 
 fermons, having returned to town in the company of 
 that man of God, I opened to iiim how it had been 
 with me the former night j at which time he told me, 
 that was not the daily fare of the people ofGoD,buta 
 delicate reached to one from the hand of my heavenly 
 Father, to ftrengthen my faith, to quicken my hope, 
 and to prepare me to endure temptation and affliction 
 chearfuily and courageoufly for l.hrilt's fake, and ad- 
 vifed me not to have frequent expectations of the 
 like, but to lay it up as an earneft of the glory that 
 is to be revealed at the appearing of Jesus Christ. 
 About that time I was frequently invited to preach 
 publickly, which I did willingly, and thereby became 
 acceptable to the good people of that town and 
 country, particularly to the parifnioners of Stewar- 
 ton, where the Lord had a great work in converting 
 many. Numbers of them, who were at firlt under great 
 terrors, and deep exercife of confeience, did there- 
 after attain to fweet peace and Itrong confohtion. I 
 preached often to them in time of the college-vaca- 
 tion, refiding at the houfe of that eminent faint the 
 lady Robertlav.d, and had frequent conference with 
 them, and did profit more by them than I think they 
 did by me : Tho' ignorant and proud fecure li- 
 vers called them the daft people of Stewarton. Mr, 
 Robert Boyd, of whom I have formerly made men- 
 tion, came from his houfe in Carrick to meet with 
 them ; and, having conferred both with men and wo- 
 men, he heartily Melted God for the grace of God in 
 them. The countefs of Eglinton did countenance 
 them much, and pcrfuatied her noble lord to refrain 
 from his hunting and hawking for fome days, to 
 cenfer with fome of them, whom (he had fent to for 
 that effect; and, after conference, his lordfliip pro- 
 tefled that he never converfed with the like of them, 
 and wondered at the wifdom which they difcovered in 
 
 their 
 
C 19 ] 
 
 their fpeech. As many of them as were able to tra- 
 vel, being encouraged thereto by their remitter, 
 went to the Monday market of Irvine with fame 
 fmall commodities, but their chief intention was to 
 hear the leclurc, which ended before the market be- 
 gan, and, by their example, many were incited to 
 go from other parifhes, whereby the power of reli- 
 gion was fpread over that part of the country. 
 
 I blefs the Lord that ever I was acquainted with 
 that people, and for the Iicip I had by correfpond- 
 ing with bJeiied Mr. Bickfon, after he left the 
 college and fettled at Irvine, By thefe I was helped 
 to fimpathize tenderly with fucb as I knew to be 
 tempted, and lay under heavy preiTures of ccnfcience, 
 whereby I (till learned more of the wicked wyles of 
 Satan, and of the blelTed ways of God. 
 
 In the fixth year of my profefEon in the college, 
 many faithful minivers having been expofed :o fuf- 
 fering, for not conforming to Perth urticU;, I con- 
 ceived that fuflering might alfo be my lot, and I got 
 fpecial warning of this by Monjieur Bafnage^a grave 
 and gracious French minifter, fent' from the French 
 proteitants to receive contributions in ScctlcnJ to 
 be employed for the ufe of the diftrefTed Rocks! 'ers f. 
 This gracious man, coming to Glafgow to receive 
 the contributions there, told me that he had carried 
 indifferently to the feverul parties in onr kirk, lead 
 he had marred the errand he came upon. But now, 
 having done bis work, he might more freely de- 
 clare his fentiments ; and thereupon he added, that 
 he had heard well of me from thofe he loved bed ; 
 withal he aiTured me, that the bijfhops and their fac- 
 tion were fore difpleafed with me, and that in his 
 judgment, ere a year ended, I would find the truth 
 
 of 
 
 f In Apijl 1622 .Mr. Bafi.ige granted receipt to WilXiam Dick and 
 James Spiers collectors, for 80,424/. 6 s. 8 J. S::fs ; and in June 
 1632. he granted receipt tor the farther Cum of 53.237 /, I 3 :. 6 d. 
 iU from the church of SicilW, s* 
 
 T* 
 
 ytf. -v ^ 
 
 2J? J/^ CL?^ *"** '*» *2< ^ y 4 fJ ( &4 fr - v ' 
 
 
L 2° ] 
 
 of what he foretold me. He encouraged me againft 
 this evil day ; exhorted me, if I were troubled, to 
 come to France, where I would be very welcome, 
 and the more fo for my differing, and aflhred me 
 that I mould no fooner come than I fhould have 
 a place in a college to teach philofophy, till I learned 
 the French tongue fo well as 1 might ferve in the 
 holy miniftry there. 
 
 What I was thus forewarned of came to pafs ; but, 
 before I relate particulars, it will be proper to de- 
 clare how the Lord prepared me for the fame, what 
 rubs and hindrances I met with in his fervicc, and 
 what encouragements and furtherances I had from 
 himfelf. 
 
 And, fir ft y I declare that I did find great fweetnefs 
 and eaiinefs in worfhipping the Lord for a confi- 
 derable (pace, fo that I had little profpect of any 
 great difficulty to enfue : Satan was bound up from 
 tempting, and my corruption from breaking out ; 
 much fweetnefs was as it were milked in from the 
 Lord, and his tender love encouraged me in his ways 
 before I did find difficulties : But when I began to 
 jet more ciofely to duties, as in fpecial to the faneYi- 
 fying of the Lo v/'j-day, I met with fuch oppofiticn 
 by the wandering of my mind, and injections from 
 Satan, that the more I aimed at watchfulnefs, the 
 lefs fpeed I ca^e, and feemed farther from gaining my 
 po:nt than when I endeavoured it lefs. I was put to 
 a non-plus, and knew not what to do ; to flack my en- 
 deavours I durft not, and to bend them more I could 
 not. When I endeavoured it, I was beaten back with 
 lo r s, and for feme fpice I walked in heavinefs. At 
 my firi awaking I knew the. LirJ's-d?.y from another, 
 by the oppofition of my heart unto the duties of 
 the day, before ever my eyes were opened. One day 
 my brother finding me in this cafe, by my frequent 
 fi^hi ,g , inquired what ailed me: Was I in doubts 
 or fears about my foul's (alvation ? I told him that 
 
 is 
 
C 21 ] 
 
 is not the cafe, I have Chrift to be ray righteoufnefs, 
 and by his merits I hope to be faved. What can 
 trouble you then, 'laid he ? I anfwered, This troubleth 
 me, that I cannot get the Lord my God ferved 
 chearfully and conftantly, efpecially on his own 
 day, as fome times I have done, or at lead Teemed 
 to myfelf to do. He laboured to encourage me, and to 
 chide me out of that heavinefs, but that took no ef- 
 fect ; fl ill I lay under the fame, till, on a Lird's-day 
 on which I had been much perplexed in private, as I 
 was entering the place of publick worfhip, the Lord 
 did by his fpiritfpeak to my foul, out of the 71ft pfalm, 
 I will walk in the (Irenpth of the Lord, and will make 
 mention of thy right eoufnnjs, even of thine only. With 
 this, great iight mined inro my foul, difcovering the 
 ignorance and darknefs in which I was walking; as, 
 fir ft, That when the Lord took me, by the arms, and 
 taught me to go, I obferved not that it was the 
 Lord's fecret upholding and furnilhing me with 
 ftrength to go from ftep to ftep, but imagined I had 
 got a ftock of grace in my keeping, that would fuf- 
 lice to carry me through all difficulties ; and then, 
 idly, I looked upon this as my own, which no doubt 
 did highly provoke the Lord to blaft my endeavours, 
 and to withdraw his gracious afTiftance, that fo I 
 might learn better what I was, and what was my 
 own, viz, weaknefs, folly, wandering, deadnefs, 
 backfliding, 6c. then did I fee that ftrength to walk 
 with ,God was not committed to my keeping, but 
 was in the Lord's hand, who did withdraw that he 
 might embrace ; then compared I with the words 
 now cited, that which often occurs in fcripture, The 
 Lord is my ftrength and ray fong, he aljo is become my 
 falvation. (Excd. xv. 2, Pfal. cxviii. 14. Ifa. xii. 2.) 
 By thefe and the like paflages of holy fcripture the 
 Lord did then teach me that the {lock and ftrength of 
 fin was within m5 T felf, and that I carried about with 
 me a body of fin and death, a bitter root of finning ; 
 
 fin 
 
I 22 ] 
 
 fin budding and breaking forth; and that even 
 when the Lord quickened the foul, putting the 
 life of God therein, and putting- down fm from 
 reigning, yet it remained and fought to reign, and 
 frequently prevailed ; fo that the new creature was 
 afTaulted and led as a captive, retarded in doing 
 good, and hurried away to evil, and that ftrength to 
 refill was to be looked for from a Redeemer: Vea, I 
 perceived then that fin, which feemed to be dead, had 
 too much of vigorous life. This appeared molt e- 
 vident, when the ipirituai law accurately urged o- 
 bedience, according to what is written, Rom. vii. 8. 
 where the apoftle, bearing the perfon of a comba- 
 tant in this warfare, faith, Sin taking occofion by the 
 commandment , wrought in me all manner cf concitpifcence f 
 for without the law fin was dead; for I was alive with- 
 out the law once, but when the commandment came, fin 
 revived, and I died. Thus the Lord was pleafed to 
 humble and to teach me not to truft in myfelf, but 
 in God who raifeth the dead, (2 Cor. i. 9.) " Then be- 
 gan I to learn the truth of that chriftian paradox, and 
 better to underftand the meaning of it, (2 Cor. xii. 
 10.) When I am weak, then am 1 ftrong. The Lord 
 gives a proof of his own ftrength and power, where 
 he makes a difcovery to us of our own weaknefs, ac- 
 cording to verfe 9. My ftrength is made perfetl in 
 weaknefs ; and fo way is made that the power of 
 Chrift may reft upon (lien. 
 
 If any think this was no great manifestation of an 
 Important truth, for who that knows any thing of 
 God can be ignorant of this, that every good duty 
 muft be performed by ftrength and furniture from the 
 Lord himfelf r I anfwer, It is one thing to know a 
 truth notionally, (Judever. 10.) or by a gift of com- 
 mon illumination, fo as to difecurfe thereof, both ac- 
 curately as to matter, and elegantly as to ftyie ; this 
 many gifted ftudents and others attain, and yet the 
 Lord's word proncunccLh fuch an one proud, knowing 
 
 nothings 
 
C 23 ] 
 
 nothing, but doting about qucflions, (l Tim. vi. 4.) yea he 
 may be a great difpjutant (as the following verfe doth 
 intimate) but a grtat deal of this brain frothy know- 
 ledge cometh to nothing ; it puffeth up, and will be 
 a witnefs againft him that hath it, though it may, 
 through God's bleffing, edify others. This differeth 
 eiTentially in kind or fpecie, as I may fay, from the 
 true and faving knowledge of God, i Jo. ii. 4. and 
 iii. 6. and iv. S. the fcriptnre abcundeth herein. True 
 and fpiritual knowledge is afFectionate and practical ; 
 it floweth from the fpirit of grace, csrrieth with it a 
 ftream of hoiy affections, and ftirreth up to endea- 
 vours and earneltnefs in the practice of hclinefs ; a 
 little of this reacheth very far. Now, according to 
 this dilHncticn, I, no doubt, knew formerly this 
 truth notionally, but as to the affectionate and practi- 
 cal knowledge of it, upon good grounds, that appeared 
 to me a newlefTon, and a great light, whereby to or- 
 der my converfation aright, cut of the infinite flock 
 and ftore of divine frrength communicated to and 
 influencing the foul from time to time, as felt necef- 
 fity earnestly fought the fame; and in this way I 
 came to underhand, to purpcfe, what is written, Ifa. 
 xl. 29, 30, 31. He giveth {over to the faint, and 
 to them that have no might he increafeth ftrengtb ; even 
 the youth jhall faint, &c. That is to fay, when quick- 
 witted and weli-gifted perfons fhall fit up, and fall 
 away, poflibly both from profefhon and practice, the 
 weaker, refting upon the ftrength of the Lord, mall 
 perfevere in profeffion, and abound in the practice 
 of holy duties : This, thro' God's bieffing, proved to 
 me a great, long, and ftrong ftroke of the oars, to fet 
 me foreward for a confiderable time, walking in the 
 ftrength of the Lord in felf-denial, and magnifying 
 the grace of God and his gifted righteoufnefs : But 
 my gracious Lord, who intended to lead me on in 
 holy practice, according to gofpel principles, did, in 
 procefs of time^ fuiFer the great help and aififtance 
 
 gotten, 
 
C 24 3 
 
 gotten, by what hath been now mentioned, to drink 
 in and decay, 1 hen was I put hard to it what to do 
 next. I found no (lock in my own hand to trade 
 with, and that ftrength and furniture from the Lord 
 did not flow in as of late. When I was reduced to 
 this reftlefs pafs, and was, as it were, put outof all 
 ways, the words of our Saviour, / am the ivay, and 
 the truth, and the life, no man comet h unto the Father 
 hut by me, {Jo. xiv. 6.) were fuggefted unto me. 
 Then was I thus rebuked and upbraided : What mean- 
 eft thou, dark-minded man, to live as if the Defire of 
 all nations were not come, as if the Light of the Gen- 
 tiles were not mining ? To live as if he were not pu- 
 blished, in whom it pieafed the Father that all fulnefs 
 mould dwell, and out of whole fulnefs we are to re- 
 ceive, even grace for grace ? For tho' thou be oft 
 fpeaking of Christ, and to him, yet thou art not 
 directly making him the Way, that is, the guide or 
 leader, the new and living way unto the Father. What 
 marvel tho' the ftrength and power of the Lord 
 influence not thy foul, feeing thou makeft fo little ap- 
 plication to God, and addrefs to him by his Son: 
 Tho' thou feemeit to know, yet thou confideredft not, 
 that all power in heaven and earth is put in his hand ; 
 and, as it was of old with his ihadow Jofeph in Egypt, 
 all granaries were (hut or opened, all facks were filled 
 or emptied, all comers, or feekers, w r ere roughly or 
 gently dealt with at his direction and pleafure ; {q 
 now, in the kingdom of heaven, ail petitioners and 
 traders are to come directly and exprefly to the 
 Man in whom the fulnefs of the God-head dwelleth 
 bodily, and all the deburfings or out-givings to tra- 
 ders and dealers in his kingdom cometh through his 
 hand. Thus was I rebuked, and, as it were, chi- 
 ded unto Jefus Chrift. This was to me as the difco- 
 very cf a new world, and I began to lament that 
 fo many like myfelf, who had fled from the pur- 
 ging Wrath of God, to the fatisfaclion given bv 
 
 Chri't 
 
L >5 A 
 
 Chrift to the juftice of God, in order to their recon- 
 ciliation and abfolution, and were exalting, extol- 
 ling and fetting him on high, yet knew little or no- 
 thing what ufe to make of Chrift for fanctification. 
 
 Then began I, in earned, to ftudy his perfon, 
 his natures, and his offices, how he is made to 
 us of God, not only JVifdom as the great promifed 
 prophet, Righteoufnefs as our juftifier and abfolver, 
 but alfo Sanclification, as our king to reign in us, and 
 work that which is well-pleafing in his fight. Then 
 looked I with pleafureupon his human nature, where- 
 in he is fib to us. Comfortable was the report, that un- 
 to us a child is born, and a fon given, ( If a. ix. 6.) who 
 fiat I be the peace when the AfTyrian fiall come into our 
 land, and -when he (hall tread in our palaces, (Mic. v. 
 5.) and who, being made like or.e of us, partaking of 
 fie/h and blood with the children, both he that fancJifeth, 
 and they who are fanilified^ are all of one ; for which 
 caufe he is not ajhamed to call them brethren, ( Heb. ii. 
 II.) And the confideration of his human nature, 
 wherein he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities y 
 ifTued in ftrong confolation ; for upon this ground 
 we are exhorted to come boldly unto the throne of grace y 
 that we may obtain mercy, and fid grace to help in time 
 fneed : And fo our Saviour was made fit to be a fa- 
 crifiee to fatisfy for fin, and more familiar, to whom 
 we might have recourfe for fanclification to help us 
 againft all temptations as our need requireth, fee- 
 ing for this purpofe the Son of God was manifefled 9 
 that he might dejlroy the works of the devil, (1 John iii. 
 8.) Now, as the confideration of his human na- 
 ture proves thus comfortable, in order to our lancli- 
 fication, fo alfo his divine nature ; for the Child that 
 is born to us, the Son that is given to us, his name is 
 The mighty God, The everlafling Father, 
 
 When our fpiritual enemies are terribly muftered 
 
 up before us, and impudent Satan, as God of this 
 
 world, claimeth an independent fupremacy, (for th : s 
 
 D is 
 
[ *« ] 
 
 is cne of his ftratagems againft heartlefs finners, to 
 bear in temptations with importunity, as having un- 
 controllable power both to command and compel) 
 then he is to be knocked on the head with that divine 
 word, as a fword, The Cod of peace fl: all btuife Satan 
 under our feet Jbortly, {Rom. xvi. 20.) But efpecially 
 the kingly office of Chrift, in order to our fanctifka- 
 tion, is mod confiderable, and that both in order to 
 our enemies, Satan, fin, the world and death, and in 
 order to ourfelves, as a victorious king to reign in us, 
 through the abundance of his grace to make us kings 
 andpriefis to the Father, {Rev. i.6.) When fin offers 
 to reign, and really doth much prevail, he not only 
 exhort?, Let not fin reign in your mortal bodies, {Rom. 
 vi. 12.) but alfo (v. 14.) by his princely power, 
 determines the cafe, faying to all who have fled to 
 him for refuge, Sin /hall not reign or have dominion 
 cveryra, for you ere mt under the lain, as a covenant 
 thatcurfeth the fmner, but under grace, that fupplies 
 
 and fuupcrts. And fo now, when thefulnefs of 
 
 Chrift and the riches of grace were made patent to 
 me, as a well furnimed magazine and an inexhauft- 
 ible flore-houfe, how fweetly and fatisfyingly did 
 this refrelh my foul ? I faw then that the facrifjee 
 once offered for finners remained flill to be a 
 itrengthening feaft, and that we are exhorted while 
 we live to keep the feaft, (1 Cor. v. 8.) 
 
 While thus I was feafting on and with Chrift, look- . 
 ing on him as King and Lord, and drawing virtue 
 from him, I perce : ved that, as Chrift hath a kingdom 
 within us, {Lukexvli. 21.) corfijYmg of right eoufnefs 
 and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghojl, {Rom. xiv. 17.) 
 fo alfo that he doth adminifter his fpiritual kingdom 
 externally, in governing his houfe, which is his 
 church, by his appointed fervants and officers, the 
 government being on his jhoulder. 
 
 This put me to a new examination of the point of 
 church -government, ccnfidering, fir ft y the fcripture, 
 
 and 
 
C 27 ] 
 
 and then authors who debated thofe dueftions. In. 
 fearching the fcriptures I found that our Saviour 
 did, upon feveral occafions, forbid lordlhip and do- 
 minion even to his extraordinary commiffioners, 
 {Luke xxii. 24, 26. Matth. xx. 25, <bc ) and con- 
 sequently to all that fhall at any time bear office in 
 his kirk. In which prohibitions thefe things are re- 
 markable, 1//, That in the gofpel cl Luke was given 
 out at the celebration of the facrament of his fupper, 
 Chrift our Lord giving to the difciples their facra- 
 ment upon it. idly, It is obfervable, that in both 
 the evangelifts, where our Saviour difcharges domini- 
 on and lordfhip in kirk- officers, he afTerts and al- 
 lows civil and kingly government, and the titles of 
 honour due thereto, and thereby refutes that conceit 
 that goe? too current, no bi/bcp no king. • And, %dly 9 
 it is remarkable, that, with the difcharging of domi- 
 nion in church-officers, he alfo prohibits titles of 
 honour to be alTumed by them, or given to them, 
 faying exprefly in Luke, It jhall not be fo with you. 
 Alfo the apoftle Peter (on whom efpecially the lue- 
 rarchy is built) difcharges this dominion, faying, 
 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being en- 
 f ample s to the fiock, (1 Pet. v. 3.) And wherever bi- 
 fhops are named in the New Teftament, no other 
 thing is meant than paftors, prefbyters or miniders ; 
 fo that bifiiop and^prcfbyter, in the language of the 
 holy fcripture, is nothing clfe but two names for one 
 and the fame office. So much is ccnfelTed by the 
 mod learned of the prelatick writers, and is fo ma- 
 nifeft, dflsxx. and Philip, i. that it cannot be de- 
 nied without great impudence. 
 
 For this reafon the wifer fort of pretatifls, fnun- 
 ning fcripture-authority, do betake themfelves ei- 
 ther to the authority of the civil magiftrate, or to the 
 ancient cuftom of the kirk, or to the good end for 
 which this fuperiority of bifhops was ordained ; but 
 
 none 
 
C ^8 ] 
 
 noncof thefe can be a ground fufficient to build their 
 Superiority upon, much lefs their fole power. 
 
 Touching the fir ft of thefe, it may juftly be ac- 
 counted a profane conceit, to imagine that Chrift 
 hath not ordained and inftituted the fubftantials of a 
 government, (of which the office-bearers are a prin- 
 cipal part) whereby to govern his houfe and king* 
 dom ; and it contradicts the perfection and fuffici- 
 ency of the holy fcripture. Who will think the man a 
 wife governor of his houfe, that leaves it to the fer- 
 vants to chufe rulers over them without his direction 
 and appointment ? And how high a crime would it 
 be accounted in a kingdom, to appoint office-bearers, 
 efpecially the higheft under the king, without his ap- 
 pointment ? 
 
 As to the/econd, of pretended antiquity, iy?. It is 
 no abfurdityto call every fubfhntial change, after the 
 doling of the canon of fcripture, a corrupt novelty. 
 And, 2dly 9 is is well known to all verfant in the 
 writings of the ancients, that the change at firft was 
 very fmall, yea, that for near 400 years, the perfon to 
 whom the name of a bifliop began to be appropriated 
 had nothing above the prelbyter but ordination, as 
 Jerome witnefTcth in his time ; thereafter, as purity 
 decayed, and corruption increafed, more was added, 
 from time to time, till it came to the height it is now at. 
 
 And for the third, namely, the end for which this 
 fuperiority was ordained, viz. to keep unity, it is 
 the truell plea of all the reft:, but very weak and in- 
 fufficient ; for, as learned Whitcker obferved, when 
 difputing this point, the remedy proved worfe than 
 the difeafe ; and, in very deed, granting once the 
 expediency and lawfulnefs of a lordihip over a dio- 
 cefe, to keep unity therein, and of a primate's grace 
 to keep unity in a kingdom, it cannot be denied that, 
 upon the fame ground,it is fit and necefTary, that there 
 be an univerfal bifhop and pope over all the churches 
 and kingdoms of the world. 
 
 The 
 
C *9 ] 
 
 The truth is, the dominion of bifhops has been 
 the greatelt ground of divifion and contention that 
 ever was in the chriliian world. And here it is very 
 obi'ervable, that, when the blelfed apoftle Paul is ex- 
 horting to unity, (Ephef/w.) and gathering argu- 
 ments to promote the fame, if it had been the mind 
 of the Lord to appoint the fuperiority of bifhops, and 
 to blefs that as a mean to preferve unity in the kirk of 
 Chrift, it had been feafonable there to fuggeft the 
 fame ; but, on the contrary, after apoftles and evan- 
 gelifts (who were extraordinary commifTioners, and 
 in that wherein they were extraordinary they had 
 no fuccefTor) he nameth only paflors and teachers for 
 the perfecting of the faints, till we all c§me in the unity 
 *f the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, un- 
 to a perfeel man, unto the meafure of the Jtature of the 
 fulnefs ofChriJl ; where it is plain, that, according to 
 the wifdom of God, it is not the lording fuperiority 
 of a prelate over a province, or a primate over a 
 kingdom, or a pope over all the churches of the 
 world, that is the mean to keep unity, but that it is 
 the blefTing of Chrift upon the labours of his fent 
 paftors and teachers, jointly acting and carrying on 
 the work of the miniftry, that doth perfect the faints, 
 bringing them to unity, and making them to grow 
 up lo the ftrength and ftature of the grace of God. 
 
 This difcourfe may feem a going out of the way to 
 meet with an adverfary, but in very deed it is no di- 
 greffion ; for ftudying fanctification, and the progrefs 
 of holinefs, does belong to the kingly office of Jefus 
 Chrift., whereby he, reigning in his people, deftroys 
 in them what is oppofite to his kingdom, and brings 
 up their hearts to a conformity with him. While I 
 was about the itudy of the inward part of Chrift's 
 kingdom, I faw it incumbent on me not to flight his 
 kingly government of the church, and to fearchfrom 
 the regifter of his own will, not neglecting the learned 
 writings of the molt able difputants, concerning the 
 
 controyerfies 
 
C 30 ] 
 
 controverfies on that head : And here I declare snd 
 proteft, that, according as I attained any progrefs in 
 piety, under the influence of the grace of Chrift, I 
 attained to farther confirmation of the truth of the 
 government of his church by his appointed officers, 
 and not by intruders and ufurpers. To thefe Idurft 
 not give the accultcmed titles of honour, being pro- 
 hibited by the Lord as well as the ufurpation itfelf ; 
 and tho 1 Ifaw many who were clear enough againft 
 that ufurpation, make no fcruple of giving titles 
 of honour to the ufurpers, following that maxim, lo- 
 juendum cum vulgo^fent'iendum cum fapientibus ,v,e ought 
 to fpeak as the common people do, but think as wife- 
 men, I durft not follow that loofe principle, altho' 
 I knew my not doing fo might haiten on trouble ; and 
 in this I was confirmed by what is written, Job 
 xxxii. 21,22. where Elihu, that grave (tho 1 young) 
 moderator of the controverfy betwixt Job and his 
 friends, reproving them both as injurious to God, and 
 to one another, faith, Let me not accept any man's per- 
 
 fon, neither let me give flattering titles unto man in 
 
 fo doing my Maker would foon take me away. In his 
 eyes the giving of undue and flattering titles was not 
 a trifling thing, that needed not to be (luck upon ; *\n 
 doing fo he feared defection from God, and fo did I 
 alfo. Honourable titles are indeed due to them who 
 are dignified with them by a kir>g or ft ate ; but tho* 
 the fovereign Lord, who authoritatively gives out 
 indifpenilble laws, both for giving and receiving of 
 honors, and the titles due to the fame, allow fuch 
 as are invefted with them to be called benefactors, 
 (/. e. gracious lords, or your grace) as in that before- 
 cited 2 2d of Luke, yet to church-rulers he fays, Itfiall 
 not befo with you ; and therefor they may neither re- 
 quire nor admit the fame, nor may others, by fo flat- 
 tering, harden them i» their ufurpation. 
 
 But now to proceed, in opening up the fleps of 
 practical light, wherein the Lord did lead mc in thofe 
 
 times, 
 
[ 3i 3 
 
 £::ncs, I thought with myfelf, that, having thus found 
 opened to me the myftcry of Chrift incarnate, in or- 
 der to a full fatisfaction for (in, as alfo his kingly 
 ofHce in order to carry on fandification, and fo made 
 to me all and in all, I concluded that there was no 
 mere to do, but in humble iincerity to follow on that 
 way ; and then, that I might know better how it was 
 with my foul from day to day, having heard of the 
 practice of fome diligent chriltians, who daily took 
 brief notes of the condition of their foul, marking 
 loth what failings and efcapes they were overtaken 
 with, as alfo what progrefs they made in the ways of 
 God, I followed the fame courfe in fome pafTages, 
 ufiijg a dark way of writing *, and kept it up above 
 
 fisteen 
 
 * Among/} the various iniknces which Mr. Kcu/ gives of this 
 way of writing, take the following for a fpecimen, ' 1626. Ft- 
 
 * bruary 8. This day being a day for private humiliation, I could 
 
 * do nothing, only I concluded the Lord worthy ffili to be fought. 
 ( Entering with the family exceeding deed and dull, I refolved to 
 ' pafs the firft prayer in few words, but I could not end my heart 
 1 melted fo wonderfully : Honoured be thy rnajefry! That kind- 
 
 * nefs which were unlawful to be fiicwn among men, (Jer. iii. 1.) 
 
 * the Lord mewed to me ; O more than wonderful !' Again, in 
 November that year, lamenting the leaving eff to remark his e • 
 ftate, he /ays, ' Oh grofs omifHon, O miferable backfliding, 
 
 * bringing fenfible lofs and gre;t difcouragemen-ts! efpecially on the 
 ' 29th of Otrober, when 1 had the communion to celebrate without 
 ' help, many ftrangers were then prefent, with a great appetite, 
 
 * and my heart barfed before I entered ; yet thou, O Lord, didfl 
 
 * gracioufly affift. and made rne both to preach, and effectually to 
 ' feel that thy yoke is light and eafy. "When we are y >ked by 
 ' the one fide there is no kindly drawing ; when the burden hangs 
 
 * upon the houghs it is uneafy, but hoiit it up and it is lighter. Thy 
 
 * help was fvrctt and fenfible at entry and ending, and all (ho- 
 
 * noured be thou ! ) more accepted for fome time after, than for a 
 4 longtime before; yet, Satan being fenfible of his harm, was dili- 
 1 gent to makeup his lofs; for November the 27th being appointed 
 ' for a private faff, no preparation, greatly kept back, and all the 
 
 * company, yet at night thy Majefty gracioufly helped and held me 
 
 * up, and I feit the lightnefs of thy yoke : Magnified be thou for 
 
 * ever! Novtrruar 28. Thou awakenedft me, O Lord, gracioufly 
 
 * mufing 
 
[ 3* ] 
 
 fixteen years ; To that every Lord's-day the notes of 
 the preceeding week were ccnfidered and laid to 
 
 heart ; 
 
 1 mufing, in my very flecp, on the rower of the facrament, the 
 4 matter that raifed mc up the day before. In wreftling we fhould 
 
 * ftrive to make ufe of the facrament, whereby our communion 
 
 * with Chrift is fealed up: Blefled be thy Majefty ! ' Again, 
 
 * uhen I get accefs to thy Majefty, my heart is enlarged for thy 
 ■ fen ices, and flies thro' them; I find it a notable help to renew 
 ' daily the covenant,' Rotv's Supplement, p. ioo. 
 
 1 1629. Febr. I was in fome meafure prepared for thy holy table, 
 
 < to which I went at the fpurs both in foul and body. Thy Majefty 
 
 * helped me in the fermon afternoon, to ftir up to the new fong, 
 
 * Pfalm xcviii. wherein thou, O Lord, madeftmy tongue as the pen 
 ' of a ready writer.' And yet hear him in the fame month bemoan", 
 ing himfeif thus r • WVTis me for the difpofition of my heart 
 
 * 1. Idle. x.Vain. 3. Wicked. 4. Exceeding ft iff and ftrong in 
 c evil ; but, O how good art thou, who challenged iharply, hum- 
 
 < bled quickly, and made all work together for my good ; but 
 ' never lhall any find the good of counter poifon till they firft find 
 
 * the evil of it,' Ibid. p. 1 o3. 
 
 163 1. He records it as one of his experiences, that lawful ac- 
 tions, done without an eye to God, are Co many fteps leading a- 
 way from him ; and that he was troubled, if at any time, tho'on 
 week- days, he had entertained too much worldly conference, adding, 
 
 * Lord give me amends of the body of fin ; I find one luft help a- 
 
 * nether; my Lord help thou me againft them ail.' Raw's Sup. 
 p. 112. 
 
 1 1632. Feb. 10. Lord, thcu waft highly lifted up in the fanftu- 
 
 * ary, thou haft afcended on high, &$. my foul was chearful in 
 
 * thee, blefled be thy holy i;s.rne,' Ibid. -p. 114. 
 
 1633 . April tut. he fays, ' My time is fhort, I thank thy Ma- 
 1 jetty who gives me a mind and occafion to be bufy. How graci- 
 
 * ous haft thou been, O my Lord, this communion-time ? I was 
 
 * more afraid for it than formerlj, yet, becaufe men were chal- 
 1 lenging thy work and workmen, my foul claimed the greater 
 
 * right to thee, and expected the greater help from thy Majefty. — 
 
 * Next Sabbath I was in greater fear, by reafbn of the former af- 
 1 fiftance. for Co ordinarily have I been exercifed with temptations 
 ' of that kind, but never (poke I fo in publick as that day. Q- 
 4 what melting in the prayer with great liberty, and what zeal 
 
 * gaveft thou in preaching on that Lamb of God ? And upon Mon- 
 
 * day, altering of neceffiry the text I had meditated upon, and 
 
 * handling ?/;///£, i, 27, 28. thy Majefty gave gracious affiftance. 
 
 * Owhat 
 
[ 33 ] 
 
 heart; and at the end of every month the notes 
 thereof were pernfed, and at the end of the year a 
 view was taken of the whole. 
 
 By this Uriel: courfe T perceived fome new obflr 
 tion to arife, whereat I was not a little afHicled, ha- 
 ving before thought that the difcovcry made to me of 
 the richs and fulnefs of grace in Chrifl mould have 
 readied farther without any flop. Thus was I again put 
 to a Ct.mdy and made with great forrow for my fhort- 
 comfng, tc wonder how I could obtain a favourable 
 outgate: Sometimes I thought that deeper humilia- 
 tion, for not improving a difcovered Chriit, would 
 clear the way to me, and, at other times, I thought 
 of more diligence in the practice of religious duties; 
 and that tho 1 ordinary diligence did not carry the 
 matter, extraordinary would do it ; but ftill I mi 
 mv expectation. 
 
 \\ bile I was thus perplexed, that great oracle, The 
 jtifl \ flail lit xmnded loud in my ears, and 
 
 this put me on a new fearch of the fcriptures, where 
 I did find great weight laid upon that grace, both in 
 coming at the aifurance of cur juflincaticn, and in 
 making progrefs in fanctification ; yet I was not fa- 
 tislled with o^r divines, who commonly d ra- 
 
 ther th.e high degrees and eflecls of that grace, at- 
 tainable in this life, tl an the nature of it : To I vent 
 about, inquiring for light, till . 
 weql's Ty e at: f e cf Faith came our ; and his notions of 
 faith being the fame with what arc fince pubiifbed by 
 the Weftminfter aifcmbly, 1 was thereby much fatisfied 
 and confirmed. 
 
 By this ftudyof the nature of precious faith, and 
 
 efpeciaily of the text before mentioned, I learned, 
 
 ift. That nominal chrii'rians, or common profefTors, 
 
 E were 
 
 ' O what a Orange monrning yvas among the people — and what a* 
 * bundaqce of tears were filed Lord prepare me tc bear thy fwc'ej: 
 1 croft patiently aoi comforts! J . tie". 
 
C 34 ] 
 
 were much deluded in their way of believing; and 
 that not only do papifts err, who place faith in an 
 implicit affent to the truth which they know not, and 
 that is it better defined by ignorance than by know- 
 lege, (a way ot believing, very (uitable to Antichrift's 
 {laves, who are led by the nofe they know not whi- 
 ther) but alfo fecure proteftants, who, abufing the 
 defcription of old given of faith, fay, that it implies 
 an allured knowlege in the perfon who believes, of 
 the love of God in Corift to him in particular This 
 aiTurance is no doubt, attainable, and many believ- 
 ers do comfortably enjoy the fame, as our divines 
 prove unanfwerably againft the popi'h doctors, who 
 maintain the neceditv of perpetual doubting, and 
 mifcaii comfortable affurance as the proteftants pre- 
 fumption : But riotwithdanding that comfortable af- 
 furaricc doth ordinarily accompany a high degree of 
 faith, yet that affurance is not to be found in all the 
 degrees of faving faith ; fo that, by not adverting to 
 this diftincVion, many gracious and found believers, 
 v. he have received Jefus Chritt, and retted on him as 
 lie is offered to them in the word, have been much 
 puzzled, as if they were not believers at all. On the 
 other hand, many fecure and impenitent tinners, who 
 have not yet believed the Lord's holinefs and abhor- 
 rence of fin, nor their own ruined ftate and condi- 
 tion, do, from feU-love, imagine, without any war- 
 rant of the word, that they are beloved of God, and 
 that the forefatd defcription of faith agrees well to 
 them. 
 
 Seco::ih, I perceived that many who make a right 
 ufe of faith, in order to attain to the knowlege of 
 their judication, make no direct ufe thereof in order 
 to fandtiiication; and that the living of the juft by 
 faith reached farther than I formerly conceived, and 
 that the heart is purified "by faith. If any fay, Why 
 did I not know that precious faith, being a grace, is 
 not only a part of o;,r holinefs, but dees promote o? 
 
 the* 
 
L 35 J 
 
 ;.,cr parts of holinefs ? I aufwcr, That I did indeed 
 know this, and made ufe of faith as a motive to ftir 
 me up to holinefs, according to the apoflle's exhor- 
 tation, Having therefore thefe prcmifes, let us cleav.Je 
 ourfelves from all flthinefs of the fie Jb end fpirit, per- 
 feting holinefi in the for of the Lord. But I had net 
 before that learned to make ufe of faith as a mean 
 and indrument to draw holinefs out of Chrift, tho' it 
 'may be I had both heard and fpoken that by way of 
 a tranfient notion ; but then I learned to purpofe, 
 thai they who receive forgivenefs of fins are fancli- 
 fied thro' faith in Chrilt, as our glorious Saviour 
 taught the apodle Paul, j43s xxvi. iS. Then I faw 
 that it was no wonder tho' my not making nfe of 
 faith for fanctiheation, as hath been faid, occafioned 
 an obitrnclion in the progress of holinefs ; and I per- 
 ceived, that making uk of Chriit for fanctilication, 
 without direct impioying of faith to extract the fame 
 out of him, was like one feeking water out of a deep 
 well without a long cord to let down the bucket and 
 draw it up again, or like a child that opens the mouth 
 to the brealt. but does not lay the tongue about the 
 top of it, fo that the milk doth rather run into the 
 mouth than that there is kindly fucking. Then was 
 I like one that came to the ftore-houfe, but got my 
 provifion reached to me, as it were, thro' a window- 
 I had come to the honfe of mercy, but had net found 
 the right doof ; but by this difcovery I found a pa- 
 tent doer, at which to go in and receive provifion and 
 furniture from Chrffl: Jefus. Thus the Welled Lord 
 trained me den by ftep, fuffering many difficulties to 
 arife, that more light from himfelf might flow in, 
 
 I hoped then to make better progreft with lefs 
 (tumbling, yet fhcrtly after I met with another diffi- 
 culty, arid, wondering what discovery would nest 
 clear the way, I found ffcat the fpirit of hoKnefs, 
 whole immediate and proper wc rk was to far.fiifv. 
 h?d bren flighted and thereby grieved; : rr the" 
 
r s6 ] 
 
 the Holy Spirit had been teaching, and I had been 
 fpeaking of "him arid to him frequently, and feek- 
 ing the but-pouring thereof," and urging ethers 
 to (eek t u e fame, vet that difcovery appeared to me 
 a new pracHcil leiTon ; and Co 1 laboured more 
 tocbetifh, and not quench the Holy Spirit, praying 
 to be led into all truth., according to the fcriptures, by 
 that bieflTed guide ; and that by that heavenly com- 
 forter F might be encouraged in all troubles, and 
 fealed up thereby in ilrong affuraftce of mv intcrcflin 
 God. 
 
 About that time the Lord did let me on work to 
 Air up the (Indents who were under my difcipiine 
 earneftly to ftudy piety, and to be 'diligent in fecret 
 fceking of the Lord, and my endeavours this way 
 were graciouQy blefTed to feveral of them. 
 
 But then, the teaching of philofophy became 
 irkfom to me, and was as land betwixt my teeth.. 
 I began to think that reading and meditating onphi- 
 lofophick notions, and teaching the fame, was a creat- 
 or hindrance to piety and holinefs than handy labour 
 could pofiibly be, becaufe in the one the mind was left 
 free to contemplate on the divine Majefty and holy 
 duties, which could not be fo eafily attained in the o- 
 thcr. Ncverthelefs I durft not flack- my diligence in 
 irrftructing the youth ; and my prejudice at that em- 
 ployment was not a little mitigated with the confi- 
 deration, that diligence in the meanefl: lawful calling 
 is fervice acceptable to God, when confeionably per- 
 formed, according to that of the apoQle, Col. iii. 23', 
 eje idly, I was taught to intermix holy ejacula- 
 tions to God "with all my (Indies and teaching of 
 philofophy And, «dly, I had accefs a'fo to teach the 
 grounds, and to urge the practice of piety ; and fo I 
 got the refl of ray time and l.hour there (which con- 
 tinued but for a fhort while thereafter} comfortably 
 endured. 
 
 After 
 
[ 
 
 After Perth Aricles were ratified, ( 1 6r : ■ 
 ing at the communion was ftricUj urged. Many 
 faithful nijnifters were denoted from the miniflry for 
 
 not pracliiing the articles, amongft whom were .Mr, 
 Henry BIyth at Holy-rood- houfe^ Mr, Richard Dick/on at 
 
 ft - -ark, Mr. Daz -id For reft at With, and Mr. £ 
 Dickfon at Irvine ; and at Glefgov) kneeling in time of 
 receiving the elements was k> hardly preffed, that 
 archbiihop £<ru; removed from the Lord's table iome 
 ftudents, tho 1 well known to be godly young men 
 
 With this conduct Trochr:g? y the principal of the 
 college, having been much offended, went, with the 
 other matters of the univerfity, to the bifhop's lodg- 
 ing, where he freely admoniihed nnd reproved him 
 for driving fo many from the table, whom doubtlefs 
 Chrift made welcome; adding, that the table was not 
 his, but Chrill's, and yet he hr.c dealt as imperlcudy 
 as if removing his horfe-boys from the by-hoard. 
 Thearchbifnop was fo incenfed with this admonition,, 
 that his pr.fTion hindered his expreffion for feme fpace, 
 and io foon as he recovered himfelf, he vented his in- 
 dignation in very high words, and in end he extolled 
 Perth affembly, where thofe articles were concluded, 
 ciledging that all their concluilons proceeded npon 
 weight}' grounds. Upon this I was obliged (ncr.eof 
 the reft having been prefent at that aflcuibiv) to re- 
 mind him that the moderator cf that meeting foil! 
 openly, in time of the difputation, that tlefe cri:c ! j: 
 fhould be earned neither by argument ■ uor voices ; 
 that tho* no others "X ere fir it than them, (the bifhops;. 
 with the king's c:mndjJ;oner, they luotdi conclude the 
 fame. The archbifhop denied not that it was true 
 which I fiiid, yet he poured out his indignation a- 
 gainfl: me in very injurious exprcfuons ; and tho' r 
 after this, he fpared not to commend my parts be- 
 yond the truth, yet, when I was preferred to any 
 charge, he oppofed the fa^fc notwithihnding he at* 
 ; -Avi\t viz till after 71 :/: V; re- 
 
[ 53 ] 
 
 tired from the college, frbt that fhirnng fight, finding 
 it impolfible to lit in .. ';.- ■ and drive with the pope, 
 thorght proper, for peace fake, to yield up bis charge 
 there in winter 1621-2.) but after that, doctor fca- 
 mrrov having been put into his place, that learned man 
 made the archhiflfop (liH the more my enemy ; but 
 before I fst forth the particulars of this matter, it wiM 
 be necefTary firft to relate what it was did irri- 
 tate him agiinir. me. Dr. Cameron having been catted 
 home from France by king J.:re:. rzd fettled prin- 
 cipal of the college of Giafgrn), of rurpofe that he 
 might brin- tl . :t nniverfity to conform to Perth Ar« 
 ikies, finding, eftcr fome endeavours ufed, to gain 
 the other regents, that his chief difficulty lay in pcr- 
 foading me, he fet all his art on work to attract me ; 
 end hearing that I intended a jobrney to vifit the 
 faithful fcrv ants of Chrift who were confined in the 
 north by the bigh-commiffion court, and fiifpecling 
 that bis work, would be the harder if I had once 
 made that vifit, he world needs accompany me, as 
 .;:-:. . rho* I afterward learned he intended 
 only a vifit to the dodtcrs of Aberdeen ; bat I having 
 beefij beforehand, cng2ged to gq north with fome 
 people from Edinburgh^ this afforded me a rkuf blc 
 ^xcufe for not going with hint; however, when I 
 came to Edisbmrgb, the company I had mace a tryft 
 with were in providence hindered from going at 
 that time; yet I found other and very unexpected 
 company, and (ved paffiges of divine providence, 
 and mv ipirit was much refreshed with the r.-hferv. 
 ©f the Lord - condocl from day to day. 
 
 When I w;nt north, the fefibwflitp of the fofierers, 
 efpecii '.Da vid Dtckfi n confined at Ti 
 
 ef Mr. Robert Brwce who was now for the (econd time 
 confined at IaOerKefs, did admirably refrcfh me. This 
 old, venerable and hcrckk man, corfidering I had 
 come fo f'.r on his zccMfk, it be-in"; computed near 
 ia r o miles bctt 1st Git d-"- '-"-'-' T*cerref . did impart 
 
 tc? 
 
L" 39 3 
 
 to me. the molt remarkable railages of his life, and, 
 that be might be the lefs liable to forget the fame, 
 he had committed them to writing, and they, toge- 
 ther with' fome valuable letters to and from hiro, 
 made a pretty Jarge volume : In general, I remem- 
 ber that hr had therein narrated what fad and dzcp 
 cxercife his foul had met with both before and 
 afrer his entry to the miniflry at Edinburgh, (how 
 ti tor three years fpace he was h afiaulted with 
 temptations, that during all that time he never faid 
 MV Cod, but his conference challenged him for the 
 !. " ") and fome of the (irong confolations where- 
 with the Lord had comforted him, among which 
 two moll eminent were vouchsafed him before he 
 fell under tire king's difpleafure, by which the Lord 
 did ftrCngtheri him againft that tryai. Farther par- 
 ticulars 1 have now forgot. In my return I alfo 
 met with feyeraj remarkable pafFages of providence, 
 forrte were drowned in rivers, and others killed by 
 robbers, from which (however bitter they were to 
 others) the Loir! enabled me to fuck fweetnefs. 
 
 On my return to Glajgow I was informed that 
 Trachrigg lay lick, and therefore I made hafte next 
 day to vifit him at his own houfe in Carrhk, 
 
 Some time after this 1 learned that thefe my vi- 
 Gts gave offence to the promoters of conformity, 
 and particularly, thro 1 doctor Cameron's ignorance 
 that it was my cultom in vacation time to vifit gra- 
 cious minrfters and eminent chriftians, that by their 
 conference and feliowfhip 1 might be furthered in 
 the good ways of the Lord, he became luiiicious that 
 I was negotiating fome plot among the fufFering mi- 
 nifters, in oppoiition to the innovations which had 
 lately crept into the church of Scotland. 
 
 The vacation being ended doctor Celeron began 
 his prelections, v. hich I attended, and took notes oi 
 every thing I judged mate/la], and, in his private dif- 
 fourfes ; he endeavoured to pcrfuadc me to conform to 
 
 the 
 
C 4° ] 
 
 the articles of Perth ; but I anfwered his arguments 
 with as much difcretion as I could, To that we 
 parted good friends for a considerable fpace. 
 
 About that time came to my hand the hiflory 
 and acts of the famous fynod of Dort, together with 
 the writes of the Be'gkk Remonflrahts, ail which I 
 perufed diligently in my night-ftndies, and fo much 
 the rather, that doftor Cameron having, as was report- 
 ed, confuted one %'ilonus an Arniinian, I hoped that 
 the doctor in cur pabiick difputes which we had 
 weekly, and private conferences, wherein he was 
 very communicative, would refolve all my doubts 
 on that fubjecl, but I foon found my miftake. 
 
 For a French itudent, who accompanied the doclor 
 to Scotland, having for thefes maintained that elecJion 
 did proceed upon fbrefien faith, ?nd it having been 
 laid on me to oppugn the fame, I had not proceeded 
 iar, when the doctor, who was prefes of that meeting, 
 did bewray a byafs to the fide of his tleologue. 
 This unexpected encounter furorifed me greatly, and 
 I was at a nonplus what to do, becaufe I fuppofed 
 the difpute in hand bad driven them to alfert as 
 they had done, rather for argument's fake than that 
 it was their fixed judgment ;and I was afraid lead my 
 opp'ofing them too much might make them refolute 
 and fixed on that point, and therefore I did not an- 
 fwer directly to the point in hand, but contented my- 
 fclf with reminding ray antagonift, that the fynod of 
 Cert had lately determined, contrary to what he af- 
 . Upon this the prefes gave me the lie, and, 
 calling for my proof, I was obliged either to take 
 with liis charge, or to difpute, which I undertook, 
 and cc . the tolling of the bell did diflblve 
 
 the meeting. 
 
 Many of the ftadents having been prefent on that 
 rent reports of that paiimd were quick- 
 ly fpread abroad, fbme affirming that doctor Cameron 
 and his difcipte had openly maintained a point of 
 
 Arm'imanifm y 
 
C V ] 
 
 Armlnianifm condemned by the fynod of Dort, and 
 others, that I had only charged them with having 
 done fo; which, coming to the doctor's ears, did aug- 
 ment his wrath, and made him refolute on having 
 amends of me. 
 
 Wherefor, againft next meeting, I was challen- 
 ged to difpute again, but, fearing that might tend 
 to no good purpofe, I declined the fame, till a 
 young gentleman, a Undent, came to me in the 
 name of his fellows, and told me that the prefes 
 would give them no other thefes till I difputed the 
 former, and that they were much grieved at my aver- 
 fion to gratify them : By which, and the like motives, 
 he urged me fo vehemently that I yielded to difpute. 
 
 When the time came for this new encounter I 
 proceeded in the argument where we formerly left 
 off, but, finding my antagonift would neither direct- 
 ly defend nor retract what he had formerly faid, I 
 thought needful, both for the fatisfaclion of others 
 prefent, who were more numerous than welcome, 
 and that I might bring the defendant to a point, to re- 
 fume the (late of the quefiion, and the arguments 
 which had been advanced on both fides. 
 
 This rehearfal did much difpleafe the doctor, who 
 finding his theologue in the mire, and himfelf in 
 hazard of being befmeared, burftcd out in opprobrious 
 language agaihlt me as an unfair reafoner ; where- 
 upon I made as if I were to leave them, faying, / 
 •will not difpute contentioujly. But the prefes not willing 
 to let me part fo, framed this dilemma for me, * Ei- 
 ■ ther you have charged us with contention,which were 
 * a proof of your arrogance, or yourfelf, which would 
 ' be an evidenceiof an evil confcience.'-To which I 
 anfwered, Sir, my fpeech neither charged you nor my 
 /elf with contention, hit I endeavoured, by yielding, t$ 
 prevent the occafion thereof. My anfwer was commen- 
 ded by the auditors, but the prefes was otherwife 
 difpofed, and vented himfelf in very injurious and 
 F menacing 
 
I V 3 
 
 jaienatdtig words againft me, wherewith Mr. Robert 
 Sect, rector of the univerfity, and minifter of the 
 high-church, was much offended, and piiblickly re- 
 proved him. 
 
 That grave man having, by his reproof, thrown 
 water upon the ilame, one of the French ftudents of- 
 fered to revive the difpute, but he was foon put to 
 filence, and the meeting broke up. 
 
 After the principal and regents had convoyed the rec- 
 tor to the out-gate of the college, I flayed behind for a 
 little fpace, and having intreated the reclor, and thofc 
 who were with him, to tel! me ingenioufly, while the 
 matter was recent in their memory, whether I had 
 given any juft canfe for that great indignation which 
 the doctor (hewed againft me, they anfwered, with 
 one confent, that, to the bed of their obfervation, I 
 had given him none. One of them added that fo great 
 wrath did bade a ftorm, and he judged rightly ; 
 for the doctor, having miffed his aim in perfuading me 
 to conform to Perth articles, reckoning himfelf alfo 
 afire:) ted in our conference, and being polTefted of as 
 fir- g pafhons as parts, could not contain his hu- 
 mc f rom violent outbreaking againft me, which foon 
 determined me to demit my office. 
 
 owever this I did not immediately, for, by the 
 influence of Mr. James Roberfon my fenior colleague, 
 an agreement was in appearance made up betwixt 
 the doctor and rr.e, brut, like Jzr.ah\ gourd, it was 
 o iort continuance ; for, in a meeting of the mode- 
 jra rs of the univerfity, the dean of faculty having 
 tfked, if, at any time before this age, the obfervation 
 of the day of thrift's nativity was queftioned in the 
 chriftian church, the doctor anfwered in the nega- 
 tive, and, pretending the authority of Auguflhie in 
 his epillle to Januanus, he afhnr.ed that it was kept 
 thro' the whole world. 
 
 I hiving lately read that letter, and judging it my 
 duty to detect the fallacy of this afTertion, fo boldly 
 
 uttered 
 
C 43 ] 
 
 uttered in confirmation of a fuperfritious rite, decele- 
 rated proof of Auguj\lne\ opinion. Upon this Mr. 
 Cameron, of whom it was faid that lie knew not v/hat 
 it was to forget, had recourfe to the book, and, 
 after fumbling fome time with it, (fome of the com- 
 pany looking upon me all the time, as the barbari- 
 ans did upon Paul when the viper fattened on his 
 hand) was obliged to throw it afide, faying, / wil- 
 der that St. Anguftine dt J forget this! 
 
 This affront added new fuel to the flame, and 
 tho' he concealed his wrath at that time, his ma- 
 lice was fecretly employed in endeavouring to work, 
 my ruin ; for, in a few days after, I having gone 
 out of town to avoid difputes during the abufed 
 days otTu/e, the doctor engaged one John Gardner , 
 who, of all that had been my lludents, loved me lead, 
 to fearch my dictates on Ariftot!e% cthicks and poli- 
 ticks, and to bring him whatever he could find, either 
 of magiitrates, laws or obedience f. 
 
 Some parages capable of wreiting Gardner ex- 
 cerpted, and brought to Mr. Cameron, which he pre- 
 fented to the archbifhop, and, to accomplish this plot 
 the better, three or four more were drawn into it, 
 and an 03th of fecrecy exacted from them ; but one of 
 them, being flruck with a ftrong remorfe for his ac- 
 celTion thereto, font me information of the whole 
 and advifed me to make my efcape ; but I abhorred 
 that motion, as calculated for betraying my innocence 
 and the Lord eftablifhed my heart with confidence 
 that he would clear my integrity : Whereupon I pre- 
 pared a written apology, and required a publick 
 
 hearing 
 
 | Not long after this Informer was apprehended for fleUir:^ 
 books, and put in the biihop's (locks, from which he maie his 
 efcape, leaving a paper, which was fent by a friend to Mr. Blair, 
 then in Ireland, bearing, That the judgment of GJ vai upon him ever 
 [vice that Lord's-^* -whereim be ivai ftduceJ to inform againji Mr. Ro- 
 bert Bia : r. 
 
C 44 ] 
 
 hearing before the magiftrates and miniders of the 
 place. 
 
 That requefc being granted, I anfwered fo con- 
 vincingly, that- all prefent profelTed their entire fa- 
 tisfaclion with me; yea, one of. the city-minifters, 
 who had been influenced againlt me, faid, in the face 
 of the meeting, Would to God king James had been 
 frefent, and heard what anfwers that man hath given. 
 The archbifliop alfo having wrote to the king con- 
 cerning me, which letter he fhewed to me before he 
 fent it away, an anfwer was returned by my lord 
 Alexander, who, as having been my fcholar, ufed his 
 interefl for me, that the king faw no caufe to be of- 
 fended with me. Afterward the archbifliop wrote 
 to my brother at Dumbarton to diiTuade me from go- 
 ing out of the country, and promifed that I fhould 
 be placed in a confiderabie charge ;"*and Dr. Cameron 
 likewife importuned me, with feeming carncflnefs, 
 not to give up my charge: But, being now wcarv of 
 teaching philofophy, and trufting little to the fair 
 promifes which were made to me, I demitted my 
 place in that univerfity, to the great grief of the moll 
 of my fellow-regents and ftudents, and the good 
 people of Glafgc-j), who were pleafed to encourage 
 me with their teftimony ; for the praife of worthy 
 perfons, which at other times may be the occafion of 
 a dangerous temptation, is very comfortable in a 
 time of trouble and reproach. 
 
 And tho'this piece of my tryal took its rife wholly 
 from Dr Cameren, yet, before I left the town, I went 
 to his clumber, and peaceably took my leave of him, 
 and, as long as he lived, I made confeience to pray for 
 him, that his great gifts might be ufeful to the church 
 of God, fearing, if 1 had omitted this, le(jt I had 
 been left to harbour f; leen in my breaft. 7* \ 
 
 KotwitMtanding the calumny of anti-monarchical 
 and difloyal principles was thus clearly wiped away, 
 yet, that a blow might be reached to the famous af- 
 
[ 45 ] 
 
 fembly which fat at Glafgow anno 1638. for tranf- 
 porting me to St. Andrews, the author of the book, 
 called The large Declaration, thought fit to revive that 
 reproach, with this addition, that I was expelled the 
 college of Glafgow on that account, but, by the 
 good providence of God, a gentleman, who was a 
 ruling-elder, having heard a furmife of my (lory, 
 did openly defire to be fatisfied concerning it, which 
 he foon obtained ; for I, having been a member of 
 that alfembly, and in the place where that calumny 
 took its rife, and Mr. Robert Baillie and Mr. George 
 Young, who were witneffes to that whole buiinefs, be- 
 ing prefent, I, and thefe two brethren, did fully fa- 
 tisfy the alfembly of the injuitice of my accufers,and, 
 which is much more, Dr. Balcanqual dean of Dur- 
 ham, who penned 'The large Declaration, fent to me, 
 when I was at London fometime after that, intreating 
 a meeting with me, and promifmg to fatisfy me con- 
 cerning that raifrepreientation, and to tell me his in- 
 former. But I returned for anfv/er, that his book 
 was under the confideration of the commiffioners of 
 both kingdoms, who, I doubted not, would do me 
 jultice among others, and therefore I could not make 
 any tranf^clion with him for my own private fa- 
 tisfaction. 
 
 But, to return to the hifiory of my trouble at Glaf- 
 goiv, that which afHiifled me moft was, that being be- 
 loved of many gracious people thro' the land, I 
 knew they would be grieved on my account, fome 
 for my trouble, and others for fear left I had given 
 occaiion for that imputation : Alas ! even when we 
 feem to be prepared lor fufTering, how far are we 
 from it ? When the Lord fees meet to fuffer pain, 
 iofs, and efpecially reproach, to touch us, innocence 
 and integrity themfelves are fometimes overwhelmed, 
 but, when he brings trouble on his own, he will make 
 it ifTue in their fanclificaticn, and will have them, as 
 it was with the apoflle Paul, (2 Cor a. i ; 8 ; o.) prefect 
 
 out 
 
C 46 ] 
 
 »ut ofmeafure, and above their flrength, that they may 
 learn not to trufl in the nfehes, but in Go J who quicken- 
 etb the dead. .Vis the chofen veHel, that had carried 
 the name of Chrill fo long, and with fo great fuccefs, 
 in need of learning, not to truft in himfelt, but in the 
 living God, and behoved he to be preffed beyond 
 any ltock. of grace he had received, how then can 
 younger apprentices think themfelves hardly dealt 
 with, when they are fo ufed under their tryals ? They 
 need not wonder if all their gifts, graces, experiences 
 and confolations, not only (brink, but even fink un- 
 der them, when they offer to reiy thereon. The 
 Lord, in love to the fouls of his fervauts, will not 
 endure that piece of heart-whorifhnefs, that gifts be 
 refted on rather than himfelf. Gifts, and examples in 
 others, and experiences in ourfelves, may be of ufe, 
 as pinnings in a waH, to encourage and advance our 
 faith, fo may alfo the diligent ufe of the means and 
 ordinances of life, but, if they be laid in the foun- 
 dation, they are out of their own place, and will be 
 foon cruflied with their burden. The Lord Jehovah, 
 in whom alone i3 power, the Father, I fay, in his 
 Son and Spirit, without partners, will be the only 
 objecl: of our faith and hope, (Pfaim. lxii. 2, 5, 6.) 
 Hence learn, that we do not truly wait on, trult and 
 hope in God, when we do only exclude means and 
 helps, outward or inward, from being the objeft of 
 faith ; and likewife, that when the Lord brings his 
 fervants under fuch preffures, he intends not only 
 the refining of their faith, which is more preci- 
 ous than gold, but, by vouchfafing his ftrong con- 
 folations to them, he thereby fits them to comfort o- 
 thers, with the confolations wherewith he hath com- 
 forted themfelves. 
 
 The day I left Glafgow, riding to Dumbarton in 
 the company of Mr. William Caftkia-w minifter at 
 Steivarton y in whofe pulpit I had often preached, I 
 was fo filled with the confohtions of the Holy Spirit, 
 
 that. 
 
C 47 ] 
 
 that I could not conceal my joy ; and mod part of 
 the way, which is about ten miles, he and I fang to 
 the Lord's praife with great chearfuinefs. 
 
 About this time I received a comfortable letter from 
 Trochrigg. This gentleman had got a call to teach 
 divinity in the univerfity of Edinburgh, and to be one 
 of the city-miniflers ; but the refort of gracious 
 people and eminent perfons was fo great to hi3 
 preaching and converfe, that the other minifters there, 
 efpecially Dr. Forbes, who thereafter was made the firft 
 bifhop of Edinburgh, being moved with envyagainft 
 him, procured an order from the king, to the town- 
 council of Edinburgh, to remove him from that 
 charge ; and afterwards he was confined to his owa 
 ho ufe in Car rick. 
 
 So much for the Second Period of my life, wherein, 
 tho' I ftudied brevity, I could not more briefly dif- 
 patch the fame. 
 
 . PERIOD THIRD. 
 
 From the time I left the college of Ghfgow, to the year 
 1 63 1, when I was firfi fufpended from the mini ft ry at 
 Bangor. 
 
 ALT HO' I was prefented to feveral charges in 
 Scotland, and had an invitation, and a great 
 inclination, to go to France, yet the fovereign Lord, 
 who hath determined the bounds of our habitation, 
 thruft me over to Ireland, altogether contrary to my 
 inclination ; and thus it was. 
 
 Next day after I demitted my charge in the col- 
 lege of Glafgow, an invitation was fent to me from 
 the lord Clanniboy, patron of the kirk of Bangor, in 
 the county of Down in Ireland, to be minifter of that 
 parifh. The bearer, Mr. J ernes Hamilton of Kirkton- 
 bolm, told me, what indeed appeared from its date, 
 
 that 
 
C 43 ] 
 
 that the faid commiflion had been in his cuftody for 
 a confiderable time, but that, as he had no freedom 
 while there was a profpecr of my continuing in Glafgoiu, 
 to deprive that Univerfity, and the good people in the 
 place and neigbourhood, of my labours, he had kept 
 up his orders, and begged me to have him excufed. 
 
 Such was my averfion to Ireland, that I prayed him 
 to fpeak no more concerning it, and rafhly repelled 
 that motion with a flat denial, telling him that 1 had 
 an invitation to France, which I intended now to 
 embrace. 
 
 Yet, notwithflanding this precipitant anfwer, it 
 was my rcqueft in my daily prayer to God, that he 
 would be pleafed to difpofe of me according to the 
 good plcafure of his will ; and one day, being in 
 prayer, I did find myfelf as fenfibly rebuked as if 
 one (landing by me had audibly faid, Thou, fool, art 
 taking the difpofal cfthyfelf, not fubmit ting to me ; then 
 muft either preach the go/pel in Ireland, or no where at 
 all. In this way I was feveral times rebuked, fo that 
 I found myfelf bound in fpirit to fet my face toward 
 a voyage to Ireland. 
 
 PalTing from Irvine in a fair day, toward the e- 
 vening there arofe a contrary wind, and I became 
 very fea-fick ; and, during this difafter, the tempter 
 fhrewdly objected calumnious accufations againft me. 
 Thefe I could not for the prefent repel; and there- 
 for, remitting they were true, I fled for refuge to the 
 mercy of God in Chrifl. Jefus ; but, when the ftorm, 
 both outward and inward, was calmed, I found thofe 
 objections were mod groundlefs and impudent lies. 
 
 When I landed in Ireland, fome men parting from 
 their cups, and all things fmelling of a root called ram- 
 pions, my prejudice was confirmed againft that land ; 
 but next day, travelling towards Bangor, I met, un- 
 expectedly, withfofweet a^peace, and fo great a joy, 
 as I behoved to lock thereon as my welcome thither, 
 and, retiring to a private place about a mile above 
 
 Craigfergus, 
 
 
[ 49 ] 
 
 Crdigfergus, I proflrated myfelf upon the grafs, to 
 rejoice in the Lord, who proved the fame to me in 
 Ireland which he had been in Scotland. 
 
 Neverthelefs, my averfion to a fettlement there 
 continued llrong ; and when my noble patron re- 
 newed his invitation and offer, I was very careful to 
 inform him, both of what accufations had been laid 
 againfl. me, of difaffection to the civil powers, 
 and that I could not fubmit to the ufe of the Englijb 
 liturgy, norepifconal government, to fee if cither of 
 thefe would prevail with him to pafs from his invita- 
 tion. But he having been informed by a minifter 
 prefent of my altercations with Dr. Cameron, he faid, 
 I know all that bufinefs ; and, for the other point, 
 he added, that he was confident of procuring a free 
 entry for me, which he quickly effectuated. So all my 
 devices to obit met a fettlement there did evanifh and 
 took no effect, the counfel of the Lord (landing faft 
 in all generations ; yea, his wifdom over-ruled all 
 this, both to procure me a free and fafe entry to the 
 holy miniftry; and that, when after fome years I 
 met with trials fcr my non-conformity, neither pa- 
 tron nor prelate could fay that I had broken any 
 condition to them. 
 
 Having been invited to preach by the patron, and 
 by Mr. Gib/on the lick incumbent, I yielded to their 
 invitation, and preached there three SaMath-diyt* 
 And after that, feveral of the aged and moll; refpe'cl- 
 ful perfons in the congregation came to me by 
 order of the whole, and informed me, that they 
 were edified by the doctrine delivered by me ; 
 intreated me not to leave them ; and promifed,if the 
 patron's offer of maintenance were not large e- 
 nough, they would willingly add to the fame. This 
 promife . I flighted, being too carelefs of com- 
 petent and comfortable proviiion ; for I had no 
 thoughts of any greater family than a boy or two to 
 fervc me.: But on the former part of that fpeech, 
 G importing 
 
C f° 1 
 
 importing the congregation's call, 1 laid great weigntj 
 2nd it did contribute more to the removing of my 
 unwiiiin^icfs to fettle there than any thing elie. 
 Likewife, the dying man did feveral ways encourage 
 me : He profefTed great fcrrow for his having been a 
 dean • he condemned epifcopacy more ftrongly than 
 ever I durfi: do ; he charged me, in the name of Chriit, 
 and 2s I expected his bleffing upon my ministry, not 
 to leave that good way wherein I had begun to walk : 
 and then drawing my head towards his boforn with 
 both his arms, he laid his hands on my head, and 
 heartily bleiled me. Within a few days after, he died, 
 and my admifTion was accomplished as quickly as 
 might be. 
 
 But before I fet forth the fame, it may not bq a- 
 mifs to relate in what (late the north of Ireland was 
 at that time. The molt part of the lands there were 
 of old poiTeiTed by the Englijb : But the civil wars in 
 England, betwixt the houfes of York and Lancafter, 
 drew from Ulfter (the northern province in Ireland) 
 ail the able men of the . lation, to affift their 
 
 countrymen at home; and, in their abfe:*ce, tne 
 native Irijb in Ulfter murdered thofe of the Englijh 
 who remained, or expelled them out of the country • 
 and not only Co, but Ulfter being, for fuppofition, 
 like the thumb in the hand, which is able to hold a- 
 gainft the four lingers, the natives in Ulfter did ex- 
 ceedingly moieft the Englifb in the provinces of Leht~ 
 ffer, Munfter and Connaugbt , which obliged many of 
 them alfo to retire out of that kingdom. 
 
 And tho' the civil wars in England ended in the 
 beginning of the reign c£ king Henry VII. the fup- 
 preflion of the Irtjh rebels was much neglected, til! 
 the reign of queen Elizabeth^ partly thro' intefrinc 
 {editions, and partly thro' their wars with France 
 and Scotia 
 
 Yet, notwithstanding, thh happy queen, who in- 
 deed was . to all the reformed :, did 
 
 much 
 
[ 51 ] 
 
 much to finifli the rebellion in Ireland', (he could not 
 fully extinguifh the fame ; for the Scots Highlanders 
 joining fometimes with the Irijb rebels, and at other 
 times acfting for themfelves, the pofTeilion of thofe 
 northern counties by Englijb protefrants was much 
 obdrucled, till the acceihon of king James VI. to the 
 crown of England. 
 
 For thefe reafons, the Englijb who inhabited thofe 
 counties/ polTefiing only fome towns and cafties, with 
 a fmall part of the adjacent land, the greatefr. part 
 of the country lay wafre, till the acceflion of this 
 peaceable prince. But, after that time, the defolate 
 land began to be inhabited, both by Englijb and 
 Scot/men ; and particularly the parts of Scotland lying 
 nearefi to Ireland, knowing at what an e'afy rate the 
 fertile land in Uljter, &c. might be had, fent over 
 abundance of people and cattle, whereby that coun- 
 try was in a ihort time fufficiently peopled. 
 
 Altho' aniongft thofe whom divine providence did 
 fend thither, there were feveral perfons eminent for 
 birth, education, and parts ; yet the raoft part were 
 fuch as either poverty, fcandalous lives, or, at the belt, 
 adventurous feeking of better accommodation, had 
 forced thither : fo that the fecurity and thriving of 
 religion was little feen to by thofe adventurers, arid 
 the preachers were generally of the fame complexion, 
 with the people. 
 
 But as in almofl: every general cafe there are fome 
 exceptions, fo there was in this : For in Holywood, 
 the very next parifh to Bangor, Mr. Rclert Cuning- 
 ham, a godly man, v.' as fettled before me ; as was alfo 
 Mr. John Ridgd a gracious man, at Antrim ; and 
 Mr. Huhart, a gracious and able minifter, who had 
 been fettled at Craigjergus, died a little before I went 
 over. 
 
 My acquaintance being made with Mr. Cnningham 
 q{ Holywoodj was comfortable to us both ; and grew 
 to fuch intimacy, that we frequently viGted one ano- 
 ther, 
 
ther, and fpcnt m;my days and hours together in 
 prayer and godly conference. 
 
 But the confideration of the ftate of that part of 
 the country proved as water to our wine ; they ha- 
 ving been generally drowned in ignorance, fecurity, 
 and fenfuality. 
 
 And now to proceed to my fcttlement : The vif- 
 count of Chnnihoji (who was firft made a knight, after- 
 ward a vifcount, and died earl of ClanbriJJel) my 
 noble patron, did, on my requeft, inform bifhop 
 Knox, how oppofite I was to epifcopacy and their li- 
 turgy, and had the influence to procure myadrniflion 
 on eafy and honourable terms ; yet left his lordlhip 
 had not been piain enough, I declared my opinion 
 fully to the bifhop at our firft meeting, and found 
 Mm yielding beyond my expectation. He told me, 
 that he was well informed of my piety, and there- 
 fore would impofe no conditions upon me incon- 
 tinent with my principles ; onlv that he behoved to 
 ordain me, elfe neither of us durft be anfwerable to 
 the law. I anfwered him, that- his fole ordination 
 oid utterly contradicl my principles : But he replied, 
 both wittily tmd fubmilfively, Whatever you account of 
 ef:fcopacy, yet I know you account a presbytery to have 
 crj'ne warrant ; will you not rece : ve ordination from 
 Air. Cuningham, and the adjacent brethren, and let 
 me come in amon? them in no other relation than a p^eC- 
 kyter ? This I could not refufe ; and fo the matter 
 was performed. 
 
 Being thus fettled, my charge was very great, con- 
 fining of about fix miles in length, and containing 
 Tcbove i 200 perfons come to age, befides children, who 
 itood greatly in need of infraction. This being the 
 cafe, I preached twice every week, befide the Lord's 
 day; on all which occafions 1 found little difficulty, 
 either as to matter or method. But find : ng ftill that 
 this fell fnort of reaching the deHgn of a gofpei- 
 minifiry, and that the raoit part continued valtly ig- 
 norant 
 
I 53 3. 
 
 norant, I faw the neceflity of trying a more plain and 
 familiar way of instructing them ; and therefore, be- 
 fides my publick preaching, I fpent as much time 
 every week as my bodily ftrengt'h could hold out with, 
 in exhorting and catechifing them. 
 
 Not long after I fell upon this method, the Lord 
 vifited me with a fever ; on which, fome who hated 
 my painfulne^s in the mini(try,faid fcoffingly, that they 
 knew I could not hold out as I began. But in a little 
 fpace, it pleafed the Lord to raife me up again, and 
 he enabled me to continue that method the whole 
 time I was there. 
 
 During the firft year of my minlfcry, I refolved not 
 to go thro' a whole book or chapter, but to make 
 choice of fome paflages which held forth moft im- 
 portant heads of religion, and to clofe this courfe 
 with one fermon of heaven's glory, and another of 
 hell-torments: But when I came to meditate on 
 thefetwo fubjecls, I was the whole day held in great 
 perplexity, and could neither fix upon matter or me- 
 thod till night ; when, after forrowing for my difor- 
 der, the Lord, in great pity, brought both matter 
 and method to my mind, which remained with me 
 till I delivered the fame in publick. 
 
 With thefe difcourfes the people were much affec- 
 ted ; and my learned and judicious patron intreated, 
 that the next Lord's-dsy I would repeat the fame 
 again, altering my order, and fpeaking of that in 
 the forenoon, (when the people who lived at a great 
 diltance were prefent) which formerly I delivered in 
 the afternoon. But after hearing the difficulty I had 
 in (hidying them, and that I had nothing in writ of 
 that which flowed to me in time of delivery, for il- 
 luftrating and explaining my general heads,he accepted 
 my excuie. 
 
 About this time I met with a notable deliverance, 
 which ought never to be forgotten : For (faying in 
 a high houfc at the end of the town, till a manfe was 
 
 buik 
 
C 54 1 
 
 built for me, and having fat fo late at my ftudies, 
 that my candle was done, and; calling to my land- 
 lady for another, fne went to bring one from the 
 room under which I lay ; when, to her aftonilhment, 
 a joift which went under my bed, had taken lire. 
 Had I, as ufuaf, been afieep at that time, the confe- 
 quenccs would, in all probability, have been dreadful 
 to the moll part of the town, as well as to me ; for 
 the wind blew ftrong from the north, and the houfe 
 ftood upon the north end o^ the town. But by the 
 tirneous alarm given, this mifery was prevented. For 
 learning that the firne was occaGoned by an hearth- 
 fire, which had gone through the bricks, and feized 
 on a joilt, I immediately pulled up the bricks, and, 
 with my land-lady's help, extinguifaed the fire. 
 Thanks be to the Lord for this great deliverance. 
 
 The firft time I difpenfed the facrament of the 
 Lord's -fupper, the foiemnity was like to have been 
 diforderly on this account. My noble patron and 
 his lady would communicate kneeling ; and even after 
 ceafooiog, his lordlhip continued obftinate ; fo that 
 I parted from him with forrow, and refolved to de- 
 lay that work until another time. Eut his lordlhip 
 remembring that his pew joined to the upper end of 
 the table, and was fo inclofed, that only one's head 
 could be difcerned in it, he promifed not to kneel, on 
 condition he received the elements within his own 
 pew. 
 
 Fcr peace fake, 1 rafnly yielded to this offer ; but 
 was fo much difcompofed by it next day, that when 
 I came to the publick, I was for half an hour fo much 
 deierted of God, that I was about to give over the 
 work of that day. But the Lord, in great mercy, 
 pitied and helped me: For preaching upon the words 
 of the inftitution, i Cor. xi. and handling tbefe words, 
 This cup is the new-left anient in my blood ; as ioon as I 
 began to difcourfe of that new covenant or teltament, 
 J found light and life flowing in upon my foul, en^ 
 
 larging 
 
■ tfs ] 
 
 iarging it, ana openinafmy mouth to fpeak with com- 
 fort and courage ; a<Cd wifci this affiitance I went to 
 the table, and adminiftred the facraaient The acti- 
 on being ended, my patron, and efpetially his lady, 
 j'rofeiTed their great fatisfaclion with that day's fer- 
 vice, and proved my moft tender and real friends 
 ever after. 
 
 Another memorable pafTage of divine providence 
 Occurred in the fecond year of my miniftry . The crop 
 Was very great, but the harveit proved very bad, e- 
 fpecially in my parifti, for the foil being moftly ftrong 
 clay, the barveft was generally later by ten or twelve 
 days, than in the neighbourhood ; and there having 
 been conftant rain-j for the (pace of a month, the 
 whole corns were growing almoll a finger-length, 
 and in the utmofl hazard of periming. In this de- 
 plorable fltuation, we reiolved folemnly, by humili- 
 ation and rafting, to befeech the Lord to avert the 
 threatned famine. When the day came, it rained 
 heavily from morning till night ; (6 that the Lord 
 feemed to be thrufting cut our prayers from him : 
 But that fame night, he fent a mighty wind, which 
 did fully dry the corns, and checked the growing ; and 
 this wind continuing to blow fair for two days, the 
 people ceafed neither night nor day, till the whole 
 corns were got in. 
 
 During thefe two days, I, and two neighbouring 
 minifters, were continuing our fuppiications and 
 thankfgiving to the Lord for this great mercy. The 
 wife heritor, and whole pofTeiTors of thefe lands, were 
 fo femible of it, that they aifo gave glory to the Lord 
 for hearing our prayers, and proving our help in 
 time of fo great need ; and this notable act of divine 
 providence prevailed with very many, beCdes their 
 fecret prayer, to fet up the worjhip of God in their 
 families, a duty which I had been formerlv incul- 
 cating often npon them, but without fuccefs with 
 reipect to the moll till no^% 
 
 Bat 
 
t 56 ] 
 
 But even then I found that Satan was endeavour- 
 ing to fow his tares, and to perfuade fome, that 
 whatever ailed them, their children, or fubftance* 
 there was no need of ufing any other mean but pray- 
 er. This I learned by confulting a devout man 
 (whom I knew to be fkilled) concerning my horfe, 
 which was feized with fome diftemper ; for he, taking 
 me afide, told me, that I needed only to go to my 
 clofet, and pray for him, and he mould be well. But 
 after fome difficulty, I detected this error as a temp- 
 ting of providence. 
 
 The knowledge of God increafing amongd that 
 people, and the ordinance of prayer being precious 
 in their eyes, the work of the Lord did profper in 
 the place ; and in this we were much encouraged, 
 both by the affiflance of holy Mr. Cuningham^ 
 and by the good example of his little riariflh of Holy* 
 i9ood ; For knowing that diverfity of gifts is enter- 
 taining to the hearers, he and I did frequently 
 preach for one another ; and we alfo agreed to cele- 
 brate the facrament of the Lord's-fupper four times 
 in each of our congregations annually ; fo that thofe 
 in both parimes who were thriving in religion, did 
 communicate together on all thefe occafions. 
 
 About this time, Mr. James Hamilton, nephew to 
 the vifcount otClannibcy, a learned youth f , profper- 
 ing greatly under thofe means of grace, Mr. Citn- 
 ingham and I entered him on trials for the mini* 
 ilry ; and being fatisfied with his gifts, I invited him 
 to preach in my pulpit in his uncle's hearing, who, 
 till then knew nothing of this matter: For Mr. Ha- 
 milton having till then been his uncle's chamberlain 
 and chief manager of his affairs, we were afraid the 
 
 vifcount 
 
 f Mr. Hamilton having been Jepofed by the bifhop for noncon- 
 formity, came over to Scotland, and was fettled at Dumfries, aup 
 j 63 8. from whence he was afterward trunfported to Edinburgh, but 
 after the fearful change in the 1660. he was ejfefted by the psivy- 
 
 csvincil. Living Jhh's Ctaruilcrijiich, $. 33. 
 
[ 57 ] 
 
 vifcount would not part with fo faithful a fervant ; 
 but he having once heard his nephew, did put more 
 refpect upon him than ever before. Shortly thereafter, 
 Mr. Hamilton v/as ordained to the holy miniftry at 
 Balwater; where he was both diligent and fuccefsful : 
 And notwithit.nding he had many temptations to 
 efpoufe epifcopacy, and might eaCly have obtained 
 promotion in that way ; yet the Lord did gracioufiy 
 preferve him from being infnared with thofe baits, 
 and made him very inilrumental in promoting his 
 work. 
 
 . But now to return to the hiftory of my own mini- 
 ftry : My heart having, when I firft celebrated the 
 Lord's (upper, been lifted up in fpeaking of the 
 new covenant, I refolved, in the view of adminiftra- 
 ting that ordinance a fecond time, to go back to the 
 fame inexhauftible fource of confolation. For that 
 purpofe, I fet ferioufly about the ftudy thereof ; and 
 coming over to Scotland about that time *, I received 
 no fmall afMance in it from Mr. David Ditk/bn ; who 
 was reik>red to his fiock at Irving and was ftudying 
 and preaching on the fame fubject. 
 
 While the Lord was dealing thus gracioufly with 
 me, and the people to whom he fent me, the nvardercr 
 Satan (Hired up a wicked man, the chief conitable of 
 the parifh, to (tab me. One day, when I was ob- 
 ferving a famiiy-fa(t, this man came to my houfe, 
 with a tenant of his, who had a child to be baptized. 
 After I had examined the parent, and inltrucled and 
 exhorted him as I judged necefTary, (as was ever my 
 H cuttom), 
 
 * It feenv; to have been at this time, that Mr Blair married his 
 firft wife, Beatrix tiarnl.tyn, a very gracious, model!, and wife worrac, 
 defcended from the family ofBardnie. She had three lifters, all of 
 them excellent, wife, and prudent women, i:z. Marion, who was 
 married to Barthdomew Fleming merchant in Edinburgh ; BeJJie, mar- 
 ried to Mr. Richard Dickfon rrinifter, firft at Wiftkfrk, afterward at 
 Ki,.n:el; and Barbara, wife to John Mien merchant in Kdinh.rri}, 
 
C 58 ] 
 
 ciulom), his matter fent him away ; and, (laying be- 
 hind, he wanted to fpeak to me by myfelf. When I 
 Jooked to him, his eyes appeared fierce and fiery ; yet 
 I yielded to his motion ; and conducting him into 
 the kirk, he fell a-trembling, and became fpeechlefs. 
 J defired him to fit down ; but his trembling increafed, 
 fo that he was in hazard, had I not held my arms a- 
 bouthim, of falling out of his feat. At laft the trem- 
 bling abated ; and when he recovered his fpeech, 
 he told me, that the devil had, at different times, 
 appeared to him, and tempted him to commit mur- 
 der, and promifed to reward him largely, with this 
 further allurance, that the better the perfons he 
 fhould kill were, the fervice would be the more -ac- 
 ceptable ; and that Satan's fuggeftions had prevailed 
 fo far with him, that his hanger had been feveral 
 times drawn, and carried under his cloak (as it then 
 was) for that purpofe ; but that an invifible power 
 did it i II prevent him : And then he again fell a trem- 
 bling, and crying lamentably. I endeavoured, as 
 the Lord enabled, to exhort and inftruct him ; and 
 fo we parted for that time. 
 
 About two weeks after, I was fent for to fee the 
 fame man, then confined to his bed ; at which time 
 he tola me, that the night before, as he was return- 
 ing home, the devil appeared to him again, and 
 challenged him for opening to me what had pafTed 
 betwixt them ; claiming him as his, and pulling the 
 cap off his head, and the band from about his neck ; 
 adding, that on Halhiv-eveuing he mould have him 
 foul and body, in fpite of the minifter, and all who 
 would oppofe him. The man's wife alfo concur- 
 red with him, as to thediforder, confufion, and ter- 
 ror he was in when he entered his houfe. And he re- 
 queued me, for Chrifl's fake, to be with him againft 
 the time that the devil threatened to be with him. I 
 inflmcied him as I could, prayed with him, and 
 rronVifed to attend him as he defired ; providing he 
 
 would 
 
C 59 ] 
 
 would flee to Chrift for refuge, and not to me, who 
 was but a weak and wretched creature. 
 
 Before the fet day came, I refolved to fpend it In fad- 
 ing, as I had done the day en which the man thought 
 to have killed me ; but forgot my refolution till to- 
 ward the evening of that day ; when, after recollect- 
 ing myfelf, and fpending fome time in my clofet in 
 great perplexity, whether to flight my promife, or to 
 adventure on that pitched conflict fo unprepared, I 
 was encouraged to go, trufling in his gracious good- 
 nefs, who is the preferver cf man y againft the wiles 
 and violence of Satan. 
 
 When I reached the village where the fick man 
 dwelt, I called to an elder of the congregation, who 
 alfo refided there, imparted my errand to him, and 
 defired him to acquaint his neighbours, that I was to 
 be that night in the houfe of the fick man, without 
 letting them know the fpecial occafion of it. 
 
 Accordingly, I fpent the night in prayer, explain- 
 ing the doctrine of Chrift's temptation, and praifing, 
 with fome fh.ort intermiflions. While I was thus 
 opening up that portion of fcripture, the man, at 
 whofe bed-fide I was, hid his hand on me, whenever 
 he underftood not aright, and requeued me to make 
 it more plain, which I endeavoured to do ; and in 
 the morning he took courage, and defied Satan and 
 all his wiles. He feemed very penitent, and not long 
 after he died. 
 
 Having made mention of an elder, I am thereby 
 brought to the remembrance of another thing fit to be 
 obferved, viz. That in my congregation, we had both 
 deacons for the poor, and elders for difcipline; and 
 fo long as we were permitted to exercife it, the Lord 
 blefTed that ordinance. Of this I fhall only give an 
 jnftance. A cunning adulterer, who had continued 
 long in that fin before I went to Bangor, and, by 
 bribing the biftiop's official, had concealed his wick- 
 ednefs, having been prefent a* - a fernion which I 
 
 had 
 
C 60 ] 
 
 had on the parable cf the fower, it pleafed the Lord fo 
 to reach his confcience, that he made ccnfcflion of his 
 great fin with many tears, and fought to be admitted 
 to the publick profeflion of his repentance. This th« 
 feffion did readily agree to ; and he appeared pub- 
 lickly, for feverai days, under very deep conviction, 
 to the great affefling of the congregation, and lived 
 ever after a reformed man, fo far as could be per- 
 ceived. Others alfo did willingly fubmit themfelves 
 to difcipline, till a proud youth, the heir of a con- 
 fiderab'e eflate, failing into a fcandal, proved refrac- 
 tory, and appealed to the bifhop : After which the 
 order of cur difcipline was broken ; and it became 
 fafhionahle for the rich to compound with the bi- 
 fhop's ofRcial ; and tho' the poor were fent to do 
 public!, penance, as they call it, yet I never faw a 
 blefiing acccmpcny that ordinance thereafter, nor e- 
 dification to the people. Iseverthelefs the Lord's huf- 
 bandry there did profper, and his work was promoted 
 by inllruments the mod unlikely. 
 
 At Craig fergus lived one Mr. James Gh?nhnning a 
 lecturer, who met with great applaufe for his learn- 
 ing. My curiofity being on this account raifed, I 
 went one day to hear him ; but perceived, that he did 
 buJ trifle away the time in citing paffages from lear- 
 ned authors whom he had never feen nor read. Af- 
 ter fermon I communed freely with him on that mat- 
 ter ; and hewasfo much convinced that his minirtra- 
 tions did not edify the people of that place, that he 
 quickly retired to Oldjlone ; where, as it was a country- 
 place, and the people very ignorant, he hoped to do 
 more good. 
 
 Accordingly the Lord was pleafed to ferve himfelf 
 by him: For no fooner was he fettled at Oldftone, 
 than he began to preach diligently; and having a 
 llrong voice, vehement delivery, and treating much 
 of the law and its threatenings, he routed up that 
 people, and awakened them with terrors ; but not 
 
 having 
 
[ 6i ] 
 
 having nnderftood the gofpel well, nor been well 
 grounded in learning, nor of a folid judgment, he 
 could not pacify the confcience with the gofpel-offers, 
 nor filence the objections, and refolve the doubts of 
 the awakened. 
 
 To fupply this defect, Mr. John Rigg, the judici- 
 ous and gracious minifter of Antrim^ perceiving many 
 people on both fides of the Six-mile water awakened 
 out of their fecurity, made an overture, that a month- 
 ly meeting might be fet up at Antrim, which was 
 within a mile of Oldftone, and lay centrical for the 
 awakened perfons to refcrt to ; and he invited Mr. 
 Cuninghcm, Mr. Hani/ton, and my felf, to take part 
 in that work, who were all glad of the motion, and 
 heartily embraced it f . 
 
 This meeting was continued for many years. In 
 the fummer-day four did preach ; and when the day- 
 grew Paorter, only three : And, thro' the Lord's bleiling 
 on our labours, religion was fpread thro' that whole 
 county, and into the borders of fome others. 
 
 At Antrim, Sir Hugh Clotworthy was very hofpi- 
 table to the minifters who took part in that work ; 
 and his worthy fon, the firft Lord Mazarine, with his 
 mother and fpoufe, both of them very virtuous and 
 religious ladies, did greatly countenance the fame. 
 
 Mr. Glendonntng alfo was at the firft glad of the 
 confluence of people; but we not having invited him 
 to bear a part in the monthly meeting, he became fo 
 emulous, that, to preferve popular applaufe, he watch- 
 ed and faded wonderfully. Afterward he was fmitren 
 with a number of erroneous and enthufiaftick opini- 
 ons, fuch as, that perfons turning in bed after they 
 fell afieep, was an evidence of the want of the truth 
 of chriltianity j condescending upon a certain fliort 
 
 day 
 
 f Mr. Blair was a chief inftrument of that great work at Six-mile 
 •water, and ellewhere in the north of Ireland ; ar.d this not only by 
 his ownminiftry, wherein he was both diligent and faithful, but 
 alfo by ftirring up others, LiviBgJien'syiejmrable CkareSeri/ikksj p. 2 §. 
 
 I 
 
C «* ] 
 
 clay as the day of judgment ; and affirming, that who- 
 ever would join with him in a ridiculous way of 
 roaring out fome prayers, lying with their faces on the 
 earth, would undoubtedly be converted, and the like. 
 
 Some judicious gentlemen to whom he had impart> 
 ed thefe conceits, having formerly received benefit by 
 his miniftry, fent an exprefs for me to repair to him 
 with all expedition. Accordingly I made hade to 
 vifit him, and found him fo drowned in his delufion, 
 that he endeavoured to convert me to his opinion; 
 and even adventured to put his foot in the fire, in ex- 
 pectation of his perfuading me by a miracle ; which 
 I prevented by mere force: But finding him refolute 
 in his madnefs, I humoured him in the difclofing of 
 his notions, and then from his own mouth I convict- 
 ed him of contradictions and abfurdities. Where* 
 upon he made a motion to pray; and ere ever I had 
 confidered well what to do, he was flat upon the earth, 
 roaring out his -abfurdities and repetitions, in fuch a 
 way as furprifed all who were within hearing. Find- 
 ing him thus add fin to his folly, I required him, in the 
 Lord's name, to be lilent ; and kneeling down, (feveral 
 other perfons occafionally prefent alio joining in the 
 duty), I prayed with humble confidence for a confider* 
 able fpace. And when 1 had made an end, Mr. Glen- 
 donning took me afide, and confided he faw himfelf 
 miftaken, and intrcated that the matter might be con- 
 cealed. Yet this delufive diftemper was not at an 
 end ; for fome time thereafter he fell again into it, and 
 embracing one error after another, he fet out at lalt 
 on a vifit to the feven churches of Afia. 
 
 Mean time I, and thofe that were with me, thanked 
 God for the prefent refpite, and for the difplay of his 
 vvifdom, power and goodnefs in that matter: For tho' 
 (as that man was very inftrumental in firft awakening 
 many out of their feenrity) we doubted not that 
 Satan had a deep defign in this way to difgrace 
 the work of God in that country, neither man nor 
 
 woman 
 
[ 63 ] 
 
 woman (except Mr. Glendonning's own wife, of whom 
 few had a good opinion ere that happened) were 
 ever Humbled by his fall; but took warning there- 
 by to avoid the extravagancies to which he went, 
 and were taught to work out their falvation with the 
 greater fear. 
 
 Having thus led this one inftrument, the Lord 
 was pleafed to add unto us three more worthy, viz. 
 Firft. From Scotland came over Mr. Jofich IVelJh, fon of 
 the famous Mr. John JVeijb, who both in Scotland and 
 France was inftrumenial in converting and confirming 
 many. A great meafure of that fpirit which wrought 
 in and by the father, retted alfo upon the fon. The la.1 
 time I had been in Scotland, I met with him ; and find- 
 ing of how zealous a fpirit he was, I exhorted hira 
 to haften over to Ireland, where he would find work 
 enough, and I hoped fuccefs too. And fo it came to 
 pafs : For Mr. Weljh having been fettled at Terr.ple- 
 Patrick, became a great blefllng to that people ; and 
 he having at the time been under deep exercife of 
 fpirit, did with great eagernefs convince the fecure, 
 and fweetly comfort thofe who were deje&ed f. Next 
 Mr. Henry Colvert, an Engiijbman, helper 'to Mt.Edward 
 Bryce at Broadificnd, was fettled at Oldjione. This 
 able minifter having been of a fervent fpirit, and ve- 
 hement delivery in preaching, and withal very diligent, 
 he was a bleffing to that people. And after thefe two, 
 the Lord brought over to Lochlearn old Mr. George 
 Dunbar, after he had been depofed from his miniitry 
 at Ayr by the high ccmmiflion, and b:.ni(hed by 
 the privy council. At Learn, the Lord did greatly 
 blefs his miniftxy; and he and the other two having 
 joined the monthly meetings, the word of God grew 
 
 mightily^ 
 
 f Mr. Jopah Weljh was provided of the Lord to bring the cove- 
 nant of grace to the people at the Six-mile -Mater, on whom Mr. 
 Glendonmng had wrought fome legal conviflions. After preaching 
 fome time at 0:djkne,he was fettled at Terr.plc-Pahici, where he fcad 
 many feals of his miniflry. Lhnngjhm'sMem frdk Qwt&eriJHebj p.3 3. 
 
C 6 4 ] 
 
 mightily, and his gracious work profpered in our 
 
 hands. 
 
 In March 1627. my noble patron having had a 
 gr< efteem of primate Ufher, would have me to ac- 
 company him to a meeting of the nobility and 
 gentry of Ulfler with the primate. Accordingly I. 
 went, and had a kind invitation to be at his table, 
 while I was in town. But having once met with the 
 Englifh liturgy there, I left my excufe with my pa- 
 tron, that I expected another thing than formal li- 
 turgies in the family of fo learned and pious a man. 
 The primate excufed himfelf, by reafon of the great 
 confluence that was there ; and had the good nature to 
 intreat me to come to Tredaf, where his ordinary 
 refidence was, and where he would be more at leifure 
 to be better acquainted with me. 
 
 I complied with the primate's invitation, and found 
 him very affable, and ready to impart his mind. He 
 dedred to know what was my judgment concerning the 
 nature of jultifying and faving faith. I told him, 
 in general, that I held the accepting of Jefus Chrift 
 as he is freely offered in the gofpel, to be faving faith. 
 With this he was well fatistied ; and by a large dif- 
 courfe confirmed, and further cleared the fame, by 
 the fimiJitude of a marriage, where it is not the fend- 
 ing or receiving of gifts, but the accepting the per- 
 fon, that constitutes the marriage. From this he 
 paffed on to try my mind concerning ceremonies ; 
 wherein we were not Co far from agreeing as I feared : 
 for when I had freely opened my grievances, he ad- 
 mitted, that all thefe things ought to have been re- 
 moved, but the confatution and laws of the place and 
 time would not permit that to be done. He added, 
 that he was afraid our flrong difafFeclion to thefe 
 would mar our miniltry; that he had himfelf been 
 importuned to ftretch forth his hand again ft us ; 
 and that though he would not for the world do that, 
 he feared inftruments might be found who would do 
 
 it; 
 
[ H ] 
 
 it ; and he added, that it would break his heart, if 
 our fuccefsful miniftry in the north were interrupted. 
 Our conferrence ending, he difmiffed me very kindly, 
 tho' I gave him no high titles ; and when trouble 
 came upon us, he proved our very good friend, as 
 will appear in the fequel. 
 
 About the year 1630, Mr. John Living ft on helper* 
 at TorphicheH, and who was greatly beloved by 
 good people there, having been opprelTed by the- 
 bimops in Scotland, came over to Ireland ; and bimop 
 Knox ctRapho refufing no honeft man, Mr. Livingflott 
 got in by this chink, and was fettled at Killinchie ; 
 where, being a man of a gracious melting fpirit, he 
 did much good, and the Lord was pleafed greatly to 
 blefs his miniftry. And much about the fame time, 
 Mr. Andrew Stuart a learned gentleman, and fervenc 
 in fpirit, was fettled at Dunagor, and was a fuccefs- 
 ful minifter during the fhort time he lived, for he died 
 in the midft of our trials. 
 
 The bleifed work of converfion, which was offeveral 
 years continuance, had now fpread beyond the bounds 
 of Antrim and Down, to the skirts of neighbouring 
 counties ; and the refort of people to the monthly meet- 
 ings and communion-occafions, and the appetite of the 
 people, were become fo great, that we were fometimes 
 conftrained, in fympathy to the people, to venture 
 beyond any preparation we had made for the feafon. 
 ► One time, I having been an affiitant to Mr. IVeljb 
 at the adminiftration of the facrament in his con- 
 gregation, and having delivered one difcourfe on the 
 Saturday, I was to preach again on the Sabbath even- 
 ing, which exhaufted all the provision I had made 
 for that time: Eut many at adiftance, who had been 
 hindered by the rifing of the waters from coming up 
 on the Saturday, arrived on the Lord's day ; fo that I 
 behoved to turn afide with a confiderable auditory ? 
 to the court of the Caftle-yard ? where I taught them 
 
 i as 
 
C 66 ] 
 
 as the Lord furniflied ; and, at night, clofed with 
 the doctrine of thankfgiving. 
 
 Having already preached once more than I intend- 
 ed, I was far from expecting that I would be more 
 employed upon that occafion. But the Lord thought 
 otherways : For on the Monday morning, many of the 
 people having, on account of the croud, gone 
 into the kirk very early, fome of the elders came t© 
 me, and intreated that I would go and read a piece 
 of fcripture to them, if I could do no more, till the 
 appointed preacher was ready to come in. My want 
 of preparation might have been accepted for excufe, 
 efpecially confidering how often I had been engaged 
 already ; but they would take no nayfay. So to the 
 kirk I went ; and (landing below the pulpit, I offered 
 fuch notes as did cafl: up from the reading of a portion 
 of fcripture, not doubting of my being relieved in 
 due time. But when the minifter of the place (upon 
 Mr. Edward Bryces refufal to preach that diet) was 
 entering the church to relieve me, the people without, 
 who generally were thofe who had heard me in the 
 Caflls-yard the day before, laid hands on him, and ? 
 without much ceremony or many words, they carried 
 him to the fame place ; and fent an elder to acquaint 
 me, that I needed not expect any preacher to aflift 
 me at that time. 
 
 This mefTage troubled me fo much, that, as fome 
 of the fpectators afterward told me, the blood went 
 out of my face in a moment. In this preplexity I 
 knew not what to do. To fruftrate the expectation of 
 fo many people as had waited there finceday, in ex- 
 pectation of the word of life, grieved me exceeding- 
 ly ; and to go to the pulpit altogether unprepared as 
 I was, efpecially at a time when much was expected, 
 and when there were feveral perfons prefent who 
 were eminent for learning and knowledge, this look- 
 ed like tempting of Providence. Yet, after fome fh or t 
 ejaculations, and looking to him who is a prefent help 
 
 in 
 
[ 67 ] 
 
 in ftraits, I adventured to go to the pulpit ; and in 
 my preface before prayer, tho' I never durft do the 
 like before norfince, I promifed a blefling from God 
 to thofe who would feek the fame, and open their 
 hearts to receive it, feeing neither art nor induflry had 
 any part in that exercife. After calling upon the 
 name of the Lord, and earned wreftling for his pre- 
 fence ta be with us, I read out a text ; and the Lord 
 fo aflifted, that after a little explication of the words, 
 a proportion to fpeak on was prefented to me : and 
 as I was juft clofing that, a fecond, and after that a 
 third, occurred to me, the difcufTing whereof ex- 
 haufted an hour-glafs ; and when that was run, three 
 weighty points, all concatenated together, were offer- 
 ed to me, the uttering of which might, I think, take 
 as long time as all I had delivered. After I had end- 
 ed fpeaking to the people, I clofed with prayer and 
 praife ; and then haftened to my chamber, to fpend fome 
 time in admiring the Lord's condefcenfion. And tho* 
 in all this I was but the voice of one crying, and that 
 he who fent me to preach the gofpel might have been 
 feen to be my prompter; fo much applaufe was given 
 me, that the next time I was invited to the like oc- 
 cafion in that county, I was fore tempted to be wholly 
 lilent. But dear Mr. Cuningham, tho' he approved my 
 jealoufy, yet he reproved my backdrawing, and did 
 chide me out of that fnare. In my hade I had vowed 
 not to fet my foot in a pulpit at that time ; yet E 
 yielded (landing below to be doing fomewhat, which 
 I learned thereafter was followed with no fmall blef- 
 Cng. And indeed preaching and praying were, fo plea- 
 fant in thofe days, and hearers fo eager and greedy, 
 that no day was long enough, nor no room great 
 enough, to anfwer their ftrong defires and large ex- 
 pectations. 
 
 At that time, I faid in, the hearing of many, Our 
 tide has run fo high, that there will be an ebbing, and 
 no doub) a rejiraint is near, and our trials are hajlening 
 
 on ; 
 
C 68 ] 
 
 wfctoh fnortly followed. But before I fpeak oi 
 thefe, it will be proper to name a few obflru&ions 
 from different quarters, which threatened to mar our 
 progrefs in the good ways of the Lord. 
 
 Dr. Ecklin, bifhop of Down, was the fir ft whom 
 we difcovered to lay fnares for us; but becaufe the 
 people did generally approve our labours, he did this 
 under covert. And, firlt, he wrote to me to be ready 
 to preach at the primate's triennial vifitation ; for tho' 
 Dr. Ujber was then in England, two bifliops and a 
 doctor, his delegates, were to go that courfe for him. 
 
 Before the appointed day came, bifhop Ecklln fent 
 me notice, by word of mouth, that another was to 
 fupply the part he had afligned me. But this verbal 
 meiiage contradicting his written order, I concluded, 
 that the lad was of purpofe calculated to leave me 
 in an uncertainty, that he might pick a quarrel with 
 jnc ; and therefore I prepared a difcourfe for that oc- 
 Cafion. If any ask, how I durfl countenance thefe 
 prclatick meetings ? it would be conlidered, that we 
 v/cre not then under an explicit covenant againfl them, 
 as we are now ; and being dill left at our liberty as to 
 the fill and free exercife of our paftorai office, I 
 judged it my duty to he inftant in feafon, and out of 
 . . Accordingly having meditated upon 2 Cor.iv. I . 
 Therefore feeing we have '. fry, 6r. Iendeavour- 
 
 rd efpecially to mew, that Chrift our Lord had infti- 
 tuted no bi Poops, but presbyter?, orminiuers ; and pro- 
 ved this,/j>/?, from the holy fcripturcs ; next, from the 
 teftimonies of the more pure among the ancient fa- 
 thers and divines, that have been feeking reformation 
 tjicfe 1300 years; and, lajlly, from the tclHmonies of 
 the more moderate divines, both over fea and \nEng- 
 , not forgetting to rani: the learned Br. Ujher, 
 their primate, among the chief: And then I concluded 
 with an exhortation to them, to ufe moderately tint 
 r which culiom and human laws had pat in 
 ■ hand. And indeed they tcck with this ad 
 
 ■ ion 
 
C 6.; ] 
 
 without challenging my freedom. Only the bifhop of 
 Dromore 9 who was brother-in-law to Dr. UJher 9 cxr. 
 horted me privately to behave as moderately towards 
 them, as they had done to me, and then bade me farewel. 
 
 This fnare being broken, the crafty bifhop fet a- 
 bout weaving a more dangerous web: For knowing 
 that one of the two lords jndices, who came annually 
 to the northern circuit, was a violent urger of confor- 
 mity to the Er.glijh ceremonies, he wrote to me to 
 make ready a fermon, to be delivered before them a- 
 gainft the next aflizes. And this was the more dange- 
 rous, that it being Eajier, the judges were to com- 
 municate that day. 
 
 Againft: the time appointed, I came to the place 
 where they fat, committing the matter to the Lord, 
 who hath all hearts and mouths in his own hand. 
 Some Scots gentlemen, who attended the juftices, 
 knowing one of them to be well-difpofed, they took 
 the freedom to hint to him the inconvenience of 
 {pending the Saturday immediately preceding their 
 communicating, wholly upon civil affairs ; and fug- 
 gefted the neceffity of being more religioufly employed 
 before fo folemn an approach. 
 
 This advice was well received by the judge, who 
 pror.rifed to procure a hearing to any minifter who had 
 a fermon inreadinefs. Whereupon the gentlemen,with- 
 out confulting me, undertook for my readinefs. And 
 accordingly, one being fent to me for that purpofe, I 
 preached the fame evening, and next day likewife, 
 without ever taking the lead notice of their commu- 
 nicating. 
 
 After fermon, on the Lord's day, one of the judges 
 wanting to confer with me, fent forme to his lodging; 
 where, after profefTing his fatisfaction with what I 
 bad delivered, efpecialjy in my laft fermon, ' For 
 ' therein (faid he) you opened a point v/hich I ne- 
 
 * ver heard before, viz. "the covenant of redemption 
 
 * made with Chrift the mediator, as head of the eJecV 
 
 he 
 
Z 70 ] 
 
 he intreated me to go over the heads of that fermon 
 with him : And, opening his bible, he read over and 
 confidered the proofs cited ; and was fo well fatisfied, 
 that he protefted, if his calling did not tie him to 
 Dublin the. would gladly come to the north, and fettle 
 under fuch a miniftry. In end, he told me, that I 
 would be fent for to fupper ; and warned me to be 
 cautious in my anfwers to his colleague, who was zea- 
 lous for the En^HJh ceremonies : And, before he left 
 the place, he fent for the bifhop, and charged him to 
 be careful, that no harm nor interruption fhould come 
 to my miniltry. And thus the only wife Lord, to 
 whom I had committed myfelf and my miniftry, did 
 break this fnarcalfo, and brought me off wkh com- 
 fort and credit. 
 
 But tho' bifhop Ecklin had feafonably met with a 
 check, this did not hinder fome of the conform cler- 
 gy to provoke me to a difpute with them, concerning 
 thofe points wherein we differed. But a modeft ex- 
 cufe, founded upon the danger of my launching far out 
 that way, was fuftained. After this, a dean was fent to 
 refideat Craig fergus, that he might counteract and de- 
 feat our meafures. But fome of our number, in name 
 of the reft, waited on him, and invited him to concur 
 with us in the monthly meeting. We did not indeed 
 ex peel a compliance with this invitation; yet our ci- 
 vility to him mollified him fo far, that he proved no 
 enemy to us. 
 
 The next attack made on us, was from two friers, 
 who had been trained up at the univerfity of Salamanca 
 in Spain ; for ever after the intended marriage betwixt 
 prince Charles and the infanta, the papifts in Ireland 
 were on the increafe, and had their convents in 
 almofl: every county, and even in the city of Dublin. 
 Thefe two men provoked us to a difpute ; and giv- 
 ing us a denance, the challenge was accepted by Mr. 
 Weljh and me. The particular heads of difputation 
 were condescended on, and time and place appoint- 
 ed ; 
 
C 71 3 
 
 ed ; but when we came, as had been agreed on, thefs 
 friers, for all their boafting, did not appear. 
 
 Some feparatilts at London expected alfo, it feems, 
 to have fifhed in muddy waters ; for they came and 
 pitched their head quarters at Antrim, in the very 
 midft of us. But they not having attended our wor- 
 fhipping affemblics, our people were the more aware 
 of them, and in lefs hazard of being feduced by their 
 converfation. Mr. Rigg and I converfed with them; 
 but they either concealed their opinions from us, or 
 had not formed their fchemes well, fo that we left 
 them as we met with them ; and except one perfon 
 of great tendernefs, over whom this feducing fpirit 
 prevailed for a fhort time, none of our people were 
 in the lead hazard of being catched in that fnare; the 
 Lord's hand having been about us ftill. 
 
 Mr. Freeman, an Englijh conformift, made the next 
 attack upon us. He began boldly to propagate the 
 Armin'ian tenets ; and having a itrong conftitution, 
 he did, by watching and fading, make himfelf very 
 popular ; and, by his ftriclnefs of life, and confe- 
 rence with the people, he did infinuate himfelf much 
 into their affections ; and having thus gained ad- 
 mirers, he began boldly to vent his opinions, both 
 in his fermons, and by fpreading erroneous papers 
 and pamphlets, one of which did bear the foolifh in- 
 fcription of The three generations of noble Chrijlians. 
 And at length, having accompanied Mr. Rowley, 
 a generous gentleman, his chief patron, to the 
 monthly meeting, he undertook to confute and filence 
 us all. The brethren who attended there, having 
 been thus provoked by him, and fearing, if he was 
 not put to filence, that the people would be feduced 
 by his errors, th ^appointed me to encounter him ; 
 which I did. 
 
 When we met, he propofed the decree of reproba- 
 tion for the fubject of our difpute, and immediately he 
 began to oppugn. But his objections were eafily an- 
 
 fv/ered, 
 
L 7- J 
 
 fwered; and the abfurdities he alledged, retorted upon 
 himfelf. When he came to another proportion, the 
 Lord fmote him with fuch confufion,that he did fpeak 
 nonfenfe ; the clerk could not commit what he faid 
 to writing ; and the fpectators fell a laughing at him. 
 On which I made a motion to allow him till next 
 day to recollect his thoughts ; which was readily 
 gone in with. 
 
 Next morning I returned to the place appointed ; 
 and miffing my antagonift, I went to his room, where 
 I found him and his patron, writing out arguments 
 from Grevinchovius, an Arminian author, as I learned 
 by fnatching the book out of his hand; and having 
 thus found out his deceitful dealing, I asked him 
 •whether he believed that all events come to pafs ac- 
 cording to the determined counfel of God ? This he 
 anfwered in the negative, and brought a blafphemous 
 confirmation of his denial. Amazed at this, I faid, 
 Know you not that it is written, He bath determined the 
 times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation, 
 that they jhoidd feek the Lord? But you fay, you will 
 take a courfe of your own, and will not feek the 
 the Lord. What blafphemy, and contradiction to the 
 fcripture is this ? All the reply he made, was an afTer- 
 tion, that what I cited as fcripture, was not written in 
 the bible. On which I defired his patron to call up 
 ABs xvii. 26, 27. which when he had heard, he was 
 (truck with confufion ; and Mr. Rowley was fo much 
 convinced of his error, and ignorance of the fcripture, 
 that he gave up with him in our prefence. After 
 which, he was deferted of the people ; and at laft 
 turned very diflblute, and fell into mifchievous 
 practices. 
 
 The gofpel thus flourifhing by the miniftry of his 
 Servants, and all oppofition falling before it, we look- 
 ed for a refpite ; but, to our great grief, Satan was at 
 laft let loofe, to contrive a pernicious device to dis- 
 honour God. By this time there were ir^ny converts 
 
E 73 ] 
 
 in ail our congregations, who, being the objecls of 
 Sataji's envy, lie fet himfeif to perplex them, and 
 dikiedit the work of God upon their hearts, playing 
 the ape by this ftratagem. He counterfeited the work 
 of the Holy Spirit upon feveral people about Loch- 
 learn, caufing them fall a mourning and crying, dur- 
 ing the time of publick woriliip ; and fome of them 
 were afflicted with pangs like convuifions. Their 
 number increafed daily ; and, at firft, both pallors 
 and people pitied them, and had charitable thoughts 
 concerning them, hoping that the Holy Spirit was at 
 work with them : But thereafter, when they con- 
 ferred with thefe perfons, they did neither difcover 
 any fenfeof their finful Hate, nor any panting after a 
 Saviour. Yet, not content with this trial, the miniilcr 
 of the place wrote to his brethren, inviting them to 
 come and examine the matter ; and when we came, 
 and had conferred with them, we perceived it to be a 
 mere deluflon and cheat of the deitroyer, to (lander 
 and difgrace the work of the Lord. 
 
 The very next Sabbath, an ignorant perfon in my 
 congregation niade a noife, and ftretching of his 
 body : But incontinent I was affifted to rebuke that 
 lying fpirit, which ditturbed the worihip of God ; and 
 I charged the fame in the name and authority of Jefus 
 Chrift, not to moleft that congregation ; and thro' 
 God's mercy we met with no more of that fort. 
 
 PERIOD FOURTH. 
 
 From the year 1631. when I was fir ft fvfpended from 
 thfmimjlry, to November 1634. when I was detofed. 
 
 I Formerly made mention of my Pcrong exPclnti- 
 011 of trouble being near. And now the thin 
 we feared, came upon us apace, by the means of one 
 Mr. Henry Lejlie, dean, and afterward hilltop of Down,. 
 ipleijt j$jf;Vafn-gldri6us man; and of Mr. 
 K . - 
 
[ 74 J 
 
 Maxwell, one of the minifters of Edinburgh, 7, T ho was 
 then gaping for a biinoprick. The former envied our 
 credit among the people ; and in the year 1630. while 
 I was in Scotland viht'mg my friends, Mr. John Living- 
 /ion and I having affifted old Mr. Vanfe at the celebra- 
 tion of the Lords fupper at the Kirk of Shots', where 
 there was a great confluence of zealous people, and 
 an extraordinary outpouring of the Holy, Spirit efye-* 
 cHly on the Monday ; this did alfo foment Mr. 
 Maxwell, who was a correfpondent of Mr. Leflie'n 
 againft us. So thefe two did cook the matter be- 
 twixt them, in fuch a way, that Mr. Lejlie formed, 
 and Mr. Maxwell carried to court, a moft falfe ac- 
 cufation againfl us, as if we had taught the necefiky 
 of bodily pangs and throws in the new birth. 
 
 This matter having come to the ears of Mr. Echliti, 
 the timorous biihop of Down, he thought it time to 
 beftir himfeif ; and therefore he did fufpend f Mr. 
 Livingfton and my felf, from the office of the holy 
 miniflry. Upon this I had recourfe to Dr. UJher ; 
 who had got full information of the bodily pangs of 
 fome of the people, and faid, I h^d reafon to blefs 
 the Lord, for aflifting me fo confidently to conjure 
 that lying fpirit. And immediately he wrote to bi- 
 ihop Eckttn to relax that erroneous cenfure ; which 
 was accordingly done ; and we went on in our mini- 
 flry, till a letter came from court, ordering trial to 
 be made of the truth of the before mentioned accufa- 
 tion, and to cenfure accordingly. 
 
 But the biihop knowing perfectly well that he 
 .would fuccumb in that accufation, he did conceal his 
 order, and went to work another way. He caufed 
 cite us two, with Mr. Dumbar and Mr. Weljh, before 
 him.; Ad urged us to conform, and to give our fub- 
 fcription to that effect. We anfwered, that there was 
 
 then 
 
 f This was in harvefc 163 1. Livingftcn's Life p. 17;- and 
 Sew's Supplement. 
 
[ 75 ] 
 
 then no law nor canon in that kingdom requiring 
 this. Notwithstanding he had the cruelty to depofe 
 us all lour from the ofHce of the holy miniftry -}-. 
 
 Application was again made in our behalf to arch- 
 bifhop Uflut. But he told us, he could net interpofe, 
 becaufe the two lords chief jufh'ces had an order from 
 the king concerning us. And when we had recourfe 
 to their lordfhips, they remitted us to the king, from 
 whom only remede could be had. 
 
 The brethren being thus (hut v.^ } they die v/eigk 
 the expediency of an application to court. On the 
 one hand, we law that the tide for conformity did 
 run very high ; and we knew likewife, that bifhop 
 Laud did not only rule, but domineer in England : 
 Yet, on the other hand, we knew we were innocent 
 of the matter wherewith we were accufed. We hoped 
 likewife, that fevcral of the Scots nobility having been 
 friendly to us, and the lord Alexander, eldeftfon to 
 the fecretary for Scots affiairs, having been my 
 fcholar, that by this door we would find accefs to 
 his majefty, as the ordinance of God to the oppreiT- 
 ed. And fo I was perfuaded, after frequent addi'effes 
 to God for direction, to undertake a journey with a 
 petition to the king, that we might be tried in the 
 matter laid to our charge ; and if found innocent, 
 that we might be acquitted, and restored to our 
 fiocks ; committing the event of all to him who 
 over-ruleth the fpirits of princes, and is a king over 
 kings, and a lord ever lords and courtiers. 
 
 Having procured letters from feveral nobles and 
 gentry, both in Scotland and Ireland, to their friends 
 at court in cur behalf, I fet out on myjourney, 
 leaving many holy perfons wreliling with God for 
 a comfortable iliiie. And indeed they were a praying 
 people for whom I undertook this journey. At my 
 
 houfe 
 
 f This was in Mr.y 1632. L\v-.ngficn\ Lifey. 18. and they con- 
 tinued depofed till 2\i<ij 1634. ibid. p. 19. 
 
D 76 3 
 
 houfe two nights were fpent every week at prayer ; 
 and tho' thofe who did bear chief burden therein 
 were not above the rank of husbandmen, yet they 
 abounded in the grace and fpirit of prayer. Other 
 places were not fhort of, but rather excelled in that 
 duty ; and even in congregations who yet enjoyed 
 their own pafcors, many prayers were put up on our 
 account, as I learned at my return. 
 
 After my firft outfet, I was fuddenly afflicted with, 
 the gravel in mykidnies; and I cried e^rneuMy to 
 the Lord, that he would be pleafed to fpare me till I 
 were better accommodated for fuch a trial ; which 
 petition was granted as foon as put up, and I went 
 on my way rcjoycing. 
 
 When I reached Greenwich, where the court then 
 jay, I had fpeedy recourfe to the Earl of Stirling 
 Secretary ; who promifed, if my petition were fent 
 him, to procure a difpatch to my rfiind without ex- 
 pence. This he undertook the more readily, that the, 
 king being then on a progrefs for the hunting, he 
 doubted not that his majelty v/ould be gone ere that 
 petition were got ready. But I fuppoling all the hazard 
 lay in not getting it ready before the kiig fet out, 
 did bend up a'i the earneitnefs I could of prayer, 
 with dexterity of endeavours ; and getting the peti- 
 tion ready in due time, went with it to the fecretary ;. 
 jmd was fo overjoyed in hopes of the ifl'ue, that I 
 did literally exult and leap. But when the timorous, 
 man law my forwardnefs, he fearing Limop Laud 
 more than God, did faint, and break his promife. 
 
 At this difappointmcrit I was greally dejecied ; 
 and palling to a quiet piace in Greenwich park,- pour- 
 ed out my complaint rnto God ; and after I had been 
 thrice employed in that way, and in offering up my- 
 felf and all my enjoyments to him for the fake of the 
 gofjjel, my heavinefs was removed, my prayer taken 
 off my hand, and, as I conceived, my requeft 
 :'■:£■ 
 
 Accfcrdi 
 
[ 77 ] 
 
 Accordingly I took courage, and found fecretary 
 Cook the mean of procuring a hearing from the king. 
 This man being efieemed rigid for conformity, it was 
 highly probable he would not be a happy instrument 
 in any iuch matter ; but the thoughts of the Lord are 
 not as purs. 
 
 The king having been then at the forreft of Btvjfy, 
 at a diftance from the bifhops, my petition was put 
 into his hand, and met with a gracious anfwer : For 
 the fecretary having wrote the deliverance thereon, 
 and adcirelfed it to archbifliop UJher, which the king 
 reckoned improper; his majefty cauled the fecretary 
 direct it to Strafford, and with his own hand he did 
 infcrt a claufe which I durfr. not petition for, viz. 
 i That if the information made to him proved falfe, 
 ' the 'nformers mould be pun i (lie J.' 1 his induced 
 me highly to efteem and commend the kings jufiice ; 
 and many years thereafter, when I was attending his 
 majefty at Newcaftle, having reported this ftory to 
 him, be was much fatisfied that he had done me a 
 picafure. And fo having obtained my errand, I gave 
 the fcretary's clerks three Jacobus-s, (himfelf taking 
 nothing); and made all the hafle I could back to Lon- 
 don, and thence to Ireland. 
 
 One thing of importance I mud here infert, tho' 
 it may feem a digreffion. While I was at London, 
 in the houfe of Thomas Livingfton in the Strand ; to- 
 ward the middle of July, about two o'clock in the 
 morning, was rcprefented to me in my fleep, my wife 
 dying, with all the circumftances and perfons that 
 were about her, when thereafter it really came to 
 pafs. Aftonifiied with this, I awakened, and put on 
 mycloaths quickly, that I might pour out my heart 
 in prayer. But firft I took my bible, purposing to 
 turn to my ordinary, to fee what the Lord would fay 
 unto me ; when unexpectedly opening the book at 
 the prophecy of Ezekiel, mine eyes were prefently 
 directed to thefe words, Sen of man, I take from thee 
 
 with 
 
E 78 ] 
 
 with a Jiroks the pleafurc cf thine eyes ; bid thou f>:alt 
 neither iceep, mourn, nor lament. Amazed at this 
 doubling of the warning, fidt in a viGon, and then 
 :by the word of truth, Ifaid, it is enough ; and kneel- 
 ing down, I humbly craved of the Lord fiibmifFicn to 
 his will, and patience and comfort under his cor- 
 recting hand ; for I fuppo fed, that what had been 
 thus itrongly and lively renrcfented to me, had been 
 actually done. After prayer my fpirit was calmed, 
 and my heart fome what comforted, with the confede- 
 ration, that my Lord could do me no injuftice, and 
 would do me no harm. So that day, the court being 
 gene to Qailands, I purpofed to be doing in the bufi- 
 nefs I was fisftt upon, and fet out on my journey But 
 being got out of the city, my forrows were renewed, 
 and the bitternefs of my mind increafed, upon this 
 ground, that I had made an idol of a gracious com- 
 panion, and thereby had provoked the Lord to fmite 
 me grievouily, by taking her from me. Neverthelefs, 
 after I had fpent about two hours travelling flowly, 
 and wish a covered face, it was fuggefted to me as 
 feniibly as if an audible voice had fpoken it, The 
 ferfon thin I anient efl for, is neither dead nor fid; but the 
 Lord hath Jhewed to thee what he is to do in due time. 
 On which I was flill and fettled for the prefent. 
 
 If any of my relations who may read thefe things, 
 fhail be offended, that I have mentioned the revela- 
 tion to me of fome events to come, feeing revelations 
 have now ceafed, and that we are to keep clofe to the 
 will of God revealed in the fcriptures ; I anfwer, for 
 their fatisfsction, That if any creature, be he angel 
 or man, add any thing to that perfect rule of faith 
 and manners, or reveal any thing contrary thereto, 
 !et him be accurfed. This we leave to papifts and 
 feetaries. But, in the mean time, it ought not to be 
 denied, that the Lord is pleafed fometimes to reveal to 
 his fervants, efpecially in a faffering condition, fome 
 events concerning themfcives, znd that part of the 
 
 church 
 
C 79 ] 
 
 Ghurch of God wherein they live. Innumerable ir?'» 
 itances of this might be produced, and not a few of 
 thefe within our own land ; as the blefFed martyr Mr. 
 Wijhart, Mr. Knox, Mr. Davidfon, Mr. IVeljh, and 
 Mr. Patrick Simpfonzt Stirling \ tho' I wrire this un- 
 der protection, that I do not account my felf worthy 
 to be compared with any of thefe. 
 
 In my return home, forgetting that dependence 
 which I ought always to have upon divine provi- 
 dence, I began fooliftily to dote upon the goodnefs 
 cf my conllitution, which endurd fuch fore travel 
 without any trouble. But within en hour after, I 
 wearied fo much, that I was not able to keep my 
 cloak upon my moulders, nor to fit on the faddle. 
 Then alighting from my horfe, I tried if walking would 
 lefrefh me; and finding that neither would this mend 
 the matter, my confeience began to upbraid me with 
 this queftion, What is now become of thy Mrong con- 
 flitution wherein thou didft truft ? Having been thus 
 rebuked, I drew to an advantage, and getting on 
 horfeback with fome difficulty, I threw my cloak over 
 my face, and bewailed my folly in forgetting the God 
 of my firength ; and immediately my wearinefs eva- 
 nifhed, and I went on my way with chearfuinefs. 
 
 After this, the conference of a filenced non-con- 
 form minifter whom I accidentally met with, did not 
 a little refrefh me ; a deliverance from the danger of 
 the fea on Solway fands, which was in upon me, and' 
 in hazard of inclofing me ere ever I was av/uc, did 
 alfo encourage me; and at Jaft reaching Duvfcs, my 
 country air and diet were comfortable to me. 
 
 In pafling from Dumfries to Port-Patrick, I had a' 
 defire to vifit Mr. Samuel Rutherford at Atmcth, and 1 
 Marion TvbKnight at Kirkcudbright : But not knowing 
 how to compafs both, when I came to the parting of 
 the way, I laid the bridle on the horfe-neck, and 
 prayed the Lord to over-rule as he faw caufe. The 
 bead reck the way to Kirkcudbright ; and there I found 
 
 both 
 
L 8d .J 
 
 both the perfons whom I wanted to fee, and was 
 greatly refrelhed with their conference. 
 . Next day, being a day of humiliation in that place, 
 Mr. Glendonning their aged paltor invited me to fop- 
 ply his place ; a motion which I did the more gladly 
 comply with, that for thirteen weeks before I had 
 been filent. I was much refrefiied with that fer- 
 vice ; and lofing no time, I fct out early next day for 
 the port, where I had a ready paffage, and was ianded 
 within the parifh of Bangor. 
 
 There I was received with great joy, efpecialiy 
 when they heard that I had brought with me a juli 
 and favourable letter from the king's majefty. But 
 they were much dejected, that he to whom it was 
 directed was yet in England, not like to come over 
 jn hafte ; and indeed he came not for almoil: a twelve- 
 month after this. , Yet this was no great lofs, but 
 rather an advantage to us : For tho' this letter did not 
 take off the fentence of depofition ; yet by putting 
 the matter to a new trial, it did weaken the fame : 
 And therefore we went on teaching our people ; only, 
 for form'sfake, I did not go up to the pulpit, but itood 
 befide the precentor. 
 
 At laft, that magnificent lord having come over, 
 to the lieutenancy of Ireland, I went to Dublin, and 
 prefented his majefty's letter to him, adding, that I 
 hoped for a ready compliance with it. But the 
 haughty man did altogether flight that order, telling 
 rne, that he had his majeity's mind in his own breaft. 
 He reviled the church of Scotland, and upbraided me, 
 bidding me come to my right wits, and then I mould 
 be regarded. Which was all the anfwer I could get 
 from him. 
 
 With this intelligence I went to archbifhop Ujher ; 
 which was fo difagreeable" to him, that it drew tears 
 from his eyes ; but he could not help us. 
 • Yet .at laft this mighty man became more propi- 
 tious. By his rigidity he difobl'ged- fcveraj of the 
 
 Em 
 
C 81 ] 
 
 EngViJh nobles in Ireland, and loft the affection of the 
 fubjedts. But that good and wife man Sir Andrew 
 Stewart, afterward lord Caftleftewart, having made him 
 a vifit, propofed, that he would reltore the depofed 
 minilters ; and allured him, that by this he would 
 gain the affections of all the Scots in the north. Ac- 
 cordingly he wrote to the bifhop of Down, to grant 
 us fix months liberty. 
 
 When the news of this unexpected freedom was 
 brought to me in May 1634. I was foaftcnifned, that 
 I flept not for three nights thereafter. The firft of 
 thefe was wholly fpent in admiration ; the fecond in 
 thankfgiving to God, in fellowfnip with thofe of 
 my charge ; who ufed folemnly to pray with me ; and 
 on the third night, we being now at full liberty toex- 
 crcife our publick miniitry, and the ordinary day 
 of my lecture at Bangor following next, I prepared 
 for the work of that day ; when I found a large con- 
 gregation, ccnfifting not only of my own flock, but 
 aifo of many others from neighbouring congregati- 
 ons, who had come thither without any advenifement. 
 To thefe I preached on Ifaiah xxxviii. 15. What Jh all 
 I fay? He bath both fpcken unto me y and himfelf hath 
 done it. At which time the people were melted down, 
 into tears for joy. 
 
 The night before, while Mr. Weljb and I were 
 coming from the bifnop's houfe together, he re- 
 collected a pafTage concerning my wife, who about 
 fix months before that departed this life, in the exact 
 manner which was before mewed to me when at 
 London, viz. That he having in my abfcnce made 
 a vifit to her, and profefling his fears concerning the 
 ifTue of the bufinefs I had gone upon ; (he faid, Let 
 rone of you who are now flenced doubt of obtaining full 
 liberty to preach in yonr own pulpits 1 but ,• added fhe, 
 that freedom will be of jhort continuance. He was of- 
 fended (adds he) at her being fo peremptory ; but 
 cow he perceived, that me knew more of the mind of 
 L Go a 
 
I 8* ] 
 
 God than he did. Which report laid a new weight 
 upon my fpirit, that fo fervent a fupplicant had not 
 feen the event which fhe foretold ; but I quickly 
 corected myfelf with the confideration of her more 
 glorious enjoyment. After Mr. /^f/^^flB^reached 
 a few weeks in his own pulpit, he alfo was perfected; 
 a lofs to the furviving, which was moll juftly bewail- 
 ed. But leaving this, 
 
 When the filenced minifters preached again at the" 
 monthly meeting, the joy of the people can hardly 
 be exprefled. The liberty prolonged to us, was, 
 thro' God's blefling : well improved by all ; and the 
 people made more progrefs in the ways of God, 
 than ever before. 
 
 Our liberty drawing to a clofe, the excellent 
 gentleman who procured it, did obtain a further pro- 
 rogation of other fix months to us. But that violent 
 man, Bp. Bramble of Derry, had the influence with 
 Strafford, to recal his fecond letter, fo far as it re- 
 fpected Mr. Dumbar and me. And fo all hopes of 
 farther liberty having been cut off, we clofed with 
 celebrating the facrament of the Lord's fupper ; 
 and folemnly delivered up our people to the great 
 Bifhop of fouls, from whom we had received our 
 charge. 
 
 Upon the back of this, f we were conveened be- 
 fore the bifhop for the third time, and a fentence of 
 depofition was pronounced againft us. At this time I 
 cited the bifhop to appear before the tribunal of Je- 
 fus Chrift, to anfwer for that wicked deed. Where- 
 upon he did appeal from the juftice of God, to his 
 mercy. But, replied I, your appeal is like to be re- 
 jected, becaufe you act againft the light of your con- 
 science. 
 
 Soon thereafter the bifhop was fmitten with fick- 
 nefs ; and when Dr. Maxwell the phyfkian enquired 
 
 at 
 
 t This was in November itfjf Living fan's Life, p. ai.5g£, 
 
 /4 <W,u^/i^ '*» frs &>»• &' -4^ 
 
C 83 ] 
 
 at him what he complained of, he was filent for a 
 good fpace ; and at lad, with great difficulty, he ut- 
 tered thefe words, // is my confciencc y man. To which 
 the do^MMjgflied, Sir, I have no cure for that. 
 I hearc^atthe bilhop's friends did endeavour to 
 conceal this his confeflion. But the countefs of Andes, 
 yet alive, having heard it from the doctor's mouth, 
 whom (he knew worthy of credit, faid, No man 
 Jhall get that report fupprejfed ; for I /hall bear witnefs 
 of it, to the glory of God, who did fmite the bijhop for 
 fuppv effing of ChrijVs witneffes. 
 
 The END of the F 1 r s t Part. 
 
 N. B. The references to Mr. Livingfton's life, 
 ihr^ the preceeding part, are to the 8vo edition, print- 
 ed for the publijher of this Life, 
 
 ADVER- 
 
ADVERTISEMENT by the 
 PUBLISHER concerning the 
 Second Part. 
 
 j i H U. S far had worthy Mr. Blair proceeded 
 J, in recording the moft remarkable paflagM 
 of divine providence which concerned him ; and in 
 thankfully acknowledging God's fatherly care, in 
 conducting him thro' all the difficult fteps of his pil- 
 grimage; when the Lord was pleafed to layhischaf- 
 tening hand upon him, and fhortly after to remove 
 him by death. 
 
 To fupply what was wanting, Mr. Blair having left 
 fhort notes of feveral of the moft remarkable paflages 
 of his life, as well after as before the period, at which 
 he leaves off writing the former part ; and his youngeft 
 fon.Mr. David Blair, one of the minifters of Edinburgh 
 after the revolution, having, with the afliftance of his 
 mother, and others of his father's acquaintance, added 
 fome other things memorable concerning him ; Mr. 
 William Raw., fometime minider of the gofpel at Ceres, 
 who married Jean Blair his daughter of the iird mar- 
 riage, was pleafed, by a large fupplement of two parts, 
 to continue the hiftcry of the mod remarkable pafTages 
 of his life ; and, together therewith, he hath given fuch 
 a full relation of publick matters, as may, in his opi- 
 nion, be called, The hijlory of the times. But in regard 
 fuch a full enumeration of publick tranfaclions feems 
 not to confift with Mr. Blair 's deCgn in the former 
 part ; and as the publick may be otherwife fuppiied 
 with the hi (lory of that time, what follows, contains 
 no more of that fupplem ent than what doth properly 
 refpeel Mr. Blair 's after life, with fome hints of fuch 
 of the publick occurrences of that time as Mr. Blair 
 had fome connection with. 
 
 M EMOIRS 
 
MEMOIRS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LIFE 
 
 O F 
 
 Mr. ROBERT BLAIR, 
 
 PART II. 
 
 PERIOD FOURTH iohtimid. 
 
 From November 1 634. ivhen Mr. Blair ivas depofed 
 for the fecond time, to September 1 639. when he was 
 tr erf ported from Ayr to St. Andrews. 
 
 Otwlthilanding Mr. Blair, and his three bre- 
 thren, were depofed and maltreated, as for- 
 merly related, he ordinarily preached in his own 
 houfe, -which was ordered by a difcreet old fervant, 
 and fcrnetimes in other houfes among his friends and 
 acquaintances, efpecially in HoIywooJ; and fometimes 
 he and his brethren did go into their churches: And 
 as they had done formerly, when depofed, anno 1632. 
 Ho now they prayed with their people; and after one? 
 had read a chapter, they difcourfed thereon by way 
 of leelure. 
 
 In the beginning of the year 1635. Mr. Blair be- 
 gan to think of marriage with Katharine Mzntgomerie, 
 daughter to Hugh Mcntgomerie, formerly of Busbie, in 
 Slj-'-jhirc* and at that time of B&llifary in Ireland : 
 
 And, 
 
[ 86 ] 
 
 And, in the fpring-feafon 1635. he came over to Scet~ 
 land, to advife with his own and laft wife's friends, 
 concerning this his purpofe. 
 
 When come over, he was much in Edinburgh) 
 where there were many private meetings of eminent 
 profefTors for prayer and chriftian conference ; fe- 
 veral of which he attended, and was ofttn well re- 
 frefhed in them. And, 
 
 In Ap rt h ne accompanied bailie William Rigg of 
 Athernie over to his houfe in the parifh of Carnock, 
 in Fife ; where the honeft minifter of the place, 
 Mr. John Row y being old and infirm, and it being 
 •much defired by many, that the facrament of the 
 Lord's fupper mould be adminiftered at Carnock, 
 while Mr. Blair was there ; he condefcended to their 
 requeft, and had almofl: the whole burden of that fo- 
 lemn work laid upon him : For, on the Saturday, he 
 preached on I/a. lxiii. 15, \6. and on Sabbath, he 
 firft preached on Ephef, iii. 14, 15, 16. ther he ferv- 
 ed feventeen tables ; for, befides the people of the 
 place, many others were attending there from Edin* 
 burgh, and the weft parts of Fife : And, in the after- 
 noon, he preached on Pfal. Ivii. In all which he was 
 well aflifted, to the comfort of many. 
 
 Shortly after this, Mr. Blair returned to Ireland, 
 and was married May 12th. 1635. 
 
 The firft time they did vifit Mrs. Blair's father 
 after their marriage, they met with a merciful delive- 
 rance out of a deadly danger, in their return home. 
 For, in riding the water of Belfafl, which was higher 
 than he apprehended, his horfe having been almoft at 
 fwimming, his wife was carried off, and at fome di- 
 ftance down the ftream, before he adverted that fhe 
 was from behind him. Mr. Blair, perceiving his wife 
 in fo extreme danger, did immediately force his horfe 
 to the fide of the river j and refolving rather to ha- 
 zard his own life, than be an idle fpeclator of the lofs 
 of his wife's, he waded into the wate-r almoft ihoulder- 
 
 deep, 
 
C 87 ] _ 
 
 deep, (for the current of the water was flow at that 
 place); and reaching out his ftaff to her who had hi- 
 therto been mercifully kept by her coats above the 
 water, fhe catched hold on the fame ; and by that he 
 pulled her to him, and fo both were preferved. 
 
 Matters continuing in fuch a fituation, as the de- 
 pofed minifters had no profpeet of being reponed, 
 they, with a number in the north of Ireland, and a 
 few in Scotland, who hadfome thoughts of tranfport- 
 ing themfelves to New-England, before they were re- 
 poned in May 1634- came now to a refolution of 
 profecuting that defign ; and having received a kind 
 invitation from the governor of New-England, with 
 large promifes of accommodation, they built a fhip 
 of about 115 tons, called Eagle-wing s, which fet out 
 from Locbfergus the 9th of September 1636. having 
 on board about 140 paflengers, amongft whom were 
 Meflieurs Blair, Livingjlon, Hamilton and Mac lei Ian, 
 minifters, provofl: Stewart in Ayr, and one Andrew 
 Brown of the parilh of hern, who, tho' he was born 
 deaf and dumb, and had been of a vicious loofe 
 converfation, yet of late years was fo remarkably 
 changed to the better, not only in forfaking his evil 
 ways, but alfo joining himfelf to religious company, 
 going a-part at lead: mornings and evenings for fe- 
 cret prayer, attending on the publick worfhipofGod, 
 and even weeping in time of fermons, and the like, 
 that, with the confent of all the minifters who ufed 
 to meet monthly at Antrim, he was admitted to the 
 Lord's table. 
 
 Before this adventure, many days were fpent in 
 fading and prayer, for direction and a blefling upofi 
 t'fce fame, and all were abundantly fatisfied of the 
 warrantablenefs of it. Yet, after they were about 3 
 ©r 400 leagues from Ireland, they met with a ter- 
 rible hurricane; and were thereby expofed to ex- 
 treme danger, by the breaking of one of their main 
 joifts, the fpringingof a leak, and diflccating of the 
 
 rudder, 
 
C 88 ] 
 
 rudder, fo that the fhip would not work ; and the ma- 
 iler and Tailors gave up all as loft. But the rudder be- 
 ing got fixed again, and the leak flopped, upon a motion 
 from Mr. Living/Ion, they refolved to attempt holding 
 on their way for 24 hours longer ; and if, in that time 
 the weather did not calm, that they fhould return. 
 But that day, and the night following, the florm in- 
 creafed, fo that almoft all began to think of return- 
 ing. Only Mr. Blair, who had a chief hand in that ad- 
 venture, was not yet fully determined. So the reft 
 laid it upon him to pray ; and if after that he mould 
 continue unrefolved, they would hold on their way. 
 Mr. Blair hearing that the determination of fo im- 
 portant a point was devolved upon him, fell into a 
 lit of fainting ; and when he recovered, he was de- 
 termined to be of their mind. So the next morning 
 they turned fail ; and, after fome tolling, they came, 
 upon the 3d of November, to the harbour whence 
 they loofed. 
 
 This croffmg providence occafioned great thoughts 
 of heart, and the more fo that they were like to 
 afford laughter and mockery to the wicked, at their 
 enterprife. But as their intentions in that voyage 
 were, that they might fpread the gofpel in America, 
 they trufled, that their flop proceeding from God a- 
 lone, he had work for them at home. And when 
 they were nigh relanding, .Mr. Blair, in his laft 
 le<5iure at fea, upon PfaL Ixv. 7. did, with great con- 
 fidence aiTure his brethren and companions, that 
 as the Lord had given them a wonderful proof of his 
 omnipotence and kindnefs, in Prilling the winds and 
 the fea ; fo would he fHU, and calm the unruly fpirits 
 and tongues of wicked people. And at their return 
 they found that to be the cafe. The hearts of fome 
 had relented, and others were ftruck with fear at their 
 return : So that they were allowed to live in peace for 
 fome time ; and did occupy themfe!ves ; fometimes in 
 
 preaching 
 
C 89 ] 
 
 preaching and and lecturing privately, and exhorting 
 their people, as God gave them opportunity. 
 
 Yet, after about four months continuance in that 
 way, one Frankbill of Caflleleah, who u'ed to come 
 fometimes to meetings, wherein Mr. B fair and r. 
 Living (Ion preached, went to Dublin , and in I or 
 the (late. Whereupon a warrant was ifTued b 
 them. But the effect of it was mercifully difapp. 
 ed thus. One Andrew Young fervant to Mr. Ba> ■ . 
 lived nigh Mr. Livingftons houfe, being occasionally 
 5n Dublin, overheard apurfuivant give orders to pro- 
 vide horfes for him and another, who were to let our. 
 next day for the north, to bring up two depo'ed mi- 
 nilters. Upon this he immediately called Tor his 
 ownhorfe; and continuing his journey homeward 
 with all fpeed, night and day, gave information of 
 what he had heard : Whereby the defigns agairift thofe 
 miniiters were frultrated ; for immediately thcv went 
 out of the way, and came over to Sczrlufi , v. hither 
 feveral other depofed miniiters came about the fame 
 time. 
 
 When they came to Irvine, they wjere frequently 
 employed to preach by Mr. Dickj ' ;;, tho' not without 
 hazard of the bifliop's refentment again!!: himfelf. 
 But he durfi not difcountenance the Lord"s fuffering 
 fervants. 
 
 Soon after they came there, Mr. Cv.n'rr.gham of Holy- 
 •wood departed this life, the 29th March 1697. with 
 great joy and peace, and gave a large tellimony to 
 the grace and goodnefs of God. A -;r. Blair wrote an 
 epitaph to his worthy memory, which was in<; raven 
 on his grave-flone in the church-yard at Irvine, of 
 the following tenor. 
 
 Hie Cuninghami recubat Rcberti 
 Corpus. qualis genius latebat, 
 Qua?n divinus fragili invAutus 
 pulvere in ijlo I 
 
 M Acrini 
 
[ 90 ] 
 
 Acnus nemo intonuit fuperbis ; 
 Nemo dejeths magis erigebat ; 
 Sed Dei laudes celebrando, vicit 
 Seque aliofque. 
 
 After Mr. Blair had remained fometime at Irvine,hii 
 wife and children of his firft marriage came over to him, 
 At which time he got another evidence of the Lord's 
 merciful providence, in preferving his family from 
 death, by the boat's being driven by the violence of 
 the wind befide the harbour, and flicking on the bar 
 of Irvine, till loofed by the next tide. Mr. Blair faw 
 from the church-yard, the danger which the boat 
 was in ; but he knew nothing that his wife and chil- 
 dren were in it ; yet he prayed earneftly for their 
 prefervation, and they were delivered. 
 
 All the fummer 1637. Mr. Blair was as much em- 
 ployed in publick and private exercifes, as ever be- 
 fore ; moftly at Irvine, and the country around, and 
 partly in Edinburgh. For at that time the bifhops 
 having urged the practice of the fervice book upon 
 minifters, many ferious chriftians met for prayer and 
 conference, thro' all the corners of the land, efpeci- 
 ally in Edinburgh. 
 
 Matters being at that time in great confufion, Mr. 
 Bhir's old inclination for France revived ; and he had 
 an invitation to be chaplain to colonel Hepburn's re- 
 giment in the French fervice, then newly inlifted in 
 Scotland. With thefe he imbarked in a (hip bound 
 from Leith: But fome of the recruits, who were moft- 
 ly highlanders, being defperately wicked men, who 
 rejected his reproofs with contempt, and threatened 
 to flab him; he refoived to quit that voyage. So 
 calling to the fhipmailer to fet him afhore, without 
 imparting his defign of returning, a boat was imme- 
 diately ordered to his fervice. At which time he 
 met with another deliverance : For his foot fiiding, 
 he was in hazard of going to the bottom : But the 
 
 Lord 
 
C 91 ] 
 
 Lord having Co ordered, he got hold of a rope, and 
 hung by it till relieved. 
 
 Mr. Blair's return to Edinburgh, gave great fatis- 
 faction to his friends there, who were much fet a- 
 gainft his voyage, and looked upon his back-coming 
 as an anfwer to fome of their prayers. And it appear- 
 ed by the event, as if that had been the cafe : For 
 Mrs. Mien having urged him, on his return, to peti- 
 tion the privy council for liberty to himfelf, and his 
 perfecuted brethren, to preach the gofpel wherever 
 they fliould get a call, from minifters or people, and 
 promifed to put it into the treafurer's hand, as he 
 went into the council; Mr. Blair condefcended to 
 her requeit. And fhe alfo was as good as her word ; 
 For the council-day immediately following; there con- 
 yeened a great number of religious matrons drawn up 
 in order, from the council-houfe door to the ftreet, 
 who agreed to put it into the hands of Alifon Cock- 
 hum, widow of Mr. Archibald Row, as the eldeft of 
 their number, to be by her prefented to the treafurer. 
 But his lordmip having fhufHed afide the weak old 
 woman, Mrs. Mein, as better fhapen out for fuch 
 adventures, pulled the paper out of Mrs. Row's hand, 
 and coming up to Traquair, gripped him by the arm, 
 faying, Stand, my lord, in ChrijVs name I charge you, till 
 I /peak with you. This peremptory fummons be- 
 hoved, no doubt, to be obeyed. So the lord treafurer 
 looking back, replied, Good woman, what would you 
 fay to me ? There is, faid (he, a humble /application of 
 Mr. Blair'/. All he feeks, is, that he, and his brethren In 
 the like fituation with him, may have liberty to preach 
 the gofpel, &c. I charge you to befriend the matter, as 
 you tuould have God to befriend you at your death. The 
 charge, tho' rude, was obeyed ; and the defire of the 
 fupplication granted by the fecret council. So that 
 th'ofe banifhed minifters were not only fufFered to 
 (lay at home, but declared capable of receiving an 
 
 orderly 
 
[ 92 ] 
 
 orderly call, whenever they fhould be favoured with 
 the fame. 
 
 1 he door being thus opened, Mr. Blair got a call 
 fome rime in the fpring-feafon anno 1638. to be col- 
 league to Mr. William Annan at Ayr. And upon Wed* 
 v the iecond of May following, being the presby- 
 tery-day, Mr. Blair having preached from 2 Cor. iv. 5. 
 v-as, at the fpeciul and earneft deiire of all the 
 people, (the provolr, bailies, and town-council, hav- 
 ing for the molt part been prefent with the presby- 
 try), admitted minifter, and fellow-helper to Mr. 
 William Annan ; as the act of that presbytry bears. 
 And much about the fame time Mr. John Livingjlon 
 was admitted to the miniftry at Stranrawer. 
 
 Thefe two miniliers being thus fettled on the near- 
 eft coafts to the kingdom of Ireland, feveral of their 
 old parifliioners came over, and dwelt under the 
 drop of their miniltry ; and feveral hundreds more 
 would have come over, at a time, to facramental oc- 
 cafiens. 
 
 Shortly thereafter, the covenanters having happily 
 prevailed with king Charles to indict an aifembly and 
 parliament, the general aiTembly fat at Clafgow in 
 November this year; the molt folemn one which had 
 ever been in the kingdom. And in refpect the fee and 
 nniverfity of St. Andrews was deferted of its prelate 
 and doctors, and but badly fupplied by thofe who 
 remained, they, upon the call of the town-council of 
 St. Andrews, and others having intereft, made an 
 act, tranfnortin£ Mr, Blair from Ayr to St. Andrews, 
 as a proper minister for that high watch-tower. But 
 the very reafons which determined this aiTembly to 
 tfarifpott Mr. Blair, did deter him from complying 
 with that tranfportation. And fo the burgh of Ayr, 
 where the Lord had begun to blefs his labours, had 
 the favour of his miniltry for another >ear. 
 
 But the general aiTembly which fat at Edinburgh in 
 59, agreeable to an article of Jthe pacifica- 
 tion 
 
L 93 ] 
 
 tion betwixt the king and his Scots fubjects at Ber- 
 wick, having been offended with Mr. Blair for not 
 obeying the aft of the former affembly, they peremp- 
 torily ordered him to tranfport himfelf to St. Andrews 
 inftantly ; and that he might the more cordially fub- 
 mit to that order, the affembly did tranfport Mr. Samuel 
 Rutherford from the ministry at Anwoth, to be pro- 
 fefTor of divinity in the new colledge at St. Andrews, 
 
 Accordingly, upon the 15th day of September; 
 Mr. Blair intimated that act of tranfportation to his 
 congregation at Ayr; and, with their confent, refigned 
 his place and miniitry in favours of Mr. John Fer- 
 gufpill minifler at Ochiltree ; and fhortly thereafter 
 was admitted to the miniitry at St. Andrews. And 
 much about the fame time Mr. Rutherford was admit- 
 ted his colleague ; for Mr. Rutherford refufed to be 
 tranfported, except upon that condition : Which of- 
 fice he chearfully executed without any additional 
 flipend ; the preaching of the gofpel having by him 
 been accounted his one eye, as he expreffes it in his 
 excellent letters. 
 
 One incident more is all that remains to be faid 
 concerning Mr. Blair during this period. In the 
 time of the fitting of the laft aifembly, and on a Lord's 
 day, after the ringing of the laft bell, word having 
 been brought to the Great kirk of Edinburgh, where 
 the members of affembly did fit, that the minifler ap- 
 pointed to preach there was unable to attend ; the 
 earl of Rothes hearing this, and looking thro' the 
 church to feveral of the minifters, called to Mr. 
 Blair, acquainted him with their difappointment, 
 and intreated him, that if he mould do no more than 
 read a piece of fcripture, and pray, he would do it, 
 and keep them together, as they could not now ex- 
 ccommodation in ether churches. Whereupon 
 Mr. Blair 1 without anfwering any thing, went to the 
 deili, and taking the bible from the reader, (for at 
 was ufual for the precentor to read a 
 
 portion 
 
I 94 1 
 
 portion of fcripture as a fubjecl: of meditation to the 
 people, until th-e minifter came in), heread the fifty- 
 firft chapter of I fat ah, the fame which the other had 
 read before him ; and tho' he had ftudied the fame 
 no more than occurred during the reading, when no 
 fuch difappointment could be expected, he lectured 
 pertinently and pathetically upon that chapter, to the 
 great fatisfaction and furprife of the numerous and 
 iearned auditory. 
 
 PERIOD F I FTH. 
 
 From the time Mr. Blair was fettled in the min'iflry at 
 St. Andrews anno 1639. to the time he was fum- 
 moned to appear before the parliament 1 66 1. 
 
 T N the year 1640. the king, by advice of his clergy, 
 X. and theearl of Strafford, bw'rnt the articles of trea- 
 ty with the Sects ; and prepared to chaftife them with 
 a royal army, to which his advifers contributed very 
 liberally. The Scots refolving not always to play 
 after-game, and to be wife behind-hand, raifed a 
 gallant army; with which (being thereto encouraged 
 by fome of the Englifb) they invaded England, and 
 routed about 4000 of the Englijh at 4 Newbv.rn. 
 Whereupon the reft of the Englifh army retired with 
 great precipitation ; and the Scots had Newcajlle fur- 
 rendered to them, with the king's magazine there ; 
 and within two days after, they made themfelves 
 matters of Durham, and took free quarters from the 
 Erglifi, for fuch as were not otherwife provided : 
 Which produced a new treaty, begun at Rippon, and 
 concluded at London, more favourable for the Scots 
 than the former treaty. 
 
 With this army the church fent an able minifter for 
 rvery regiment, who were jointly verted with the 
 powers of a presbytery. Mr. Blair went with the 
 
 lord 
 
[ 95 ] 
 
 lord Lindfa/s regiment ; and when the treaty was 
 fet on foot, the committee of eftates with the army, 
 fent him up to aflift the commiflioners with his bell 
 advice. 
 
 Amongft all the Scots army, there was fcarce a 
 man wanted a bible ; and a great part of them were 
 devout and religious perfons : So that when they 
 came to their quarters, there was little elfe to be 
 heard, but reading, prayer, and folemn melody. 
 
 The large treaty having been concluded, the ge 
 neral affembly conveened at St. Andrews, July 20. 
 1 64 1 . and after a pertinent fermon by Mr. Blair, was 
 transferred to Edinburgh, where the parliament were 
 called to meet. Thither the king came in perfon, 
 and gave the royal affent to that treaty, and to the 
 preceeding work of reformation in Scotland. 
 
 In OcJdler this year, a moft horrid rebellion did 
 break out amongft the- papifts in Ireland ; and the 
 moft inhumane murdering and maffacring of feme 
 hundred thoufands of protectants, that ever was 
 heard of in the world ; which did almoft depopulate 
 the northern counties of that kingdom, and fcarce 
 left a proteftant miniiler in the country. 
 
 Wherefore the inhabitants of thofe counties who 
 furvived that ftorm, being generally Scot/men, made 
 application to the general affembly in Scotland, 
 anno 1642. for fupply of miniflers : And for feve- 
 ral years thereafter, eight roinifters were annually 
 fent over to them, two at a time ; who were to con- 
 tinue there for three months together, till relieved 
 by other two. Probationers for the miniftry were 
 alfo dealt with to go thither. And the miniflers who 
 went over at this time, were, with the minifters who 
 went over with the Scots army, which had been fent thi- 
 ther, in April preceeding, under general Monro, to fup- 
 prefs the rebellion there, ordered to eftablifh feflionz 
 or elderfhips, and to try and ordain fuch young rnent 
 as offered therafelves to the miaiflry there, 
 
 Ifc 
 
C 96 ] 
 
 In thofe meiTages, none of the Scats minifters wiio 
 formerly were fettled in Ireland, were om'tted ; and 
 Mr. Blair went over with the firft. 
 
 During all the three months he was in Ireland, he 
 , generally preached once every day, and twice on 
 Sabbath, a.. d frequently in the fields ; the auditories 
 being fo large, that no houfe could contain them : 
 and in fome of thefe he adminiftered the fa era men t 
 of the Lord's fupper. 
 
 But becaufe many of the people had formerly 
 thro' conftraint, taken an oath impofed by the lord 
 deputy, abjuring the national covenant of Scotland.; 
 Mr. Blair, after a pathetick difcourfe, laying Out 
 the guilt of that black oath, charged all whofe con- 
 science accufed and condemned them, to feparate 
 themfelves from amongf! thofe who were net in- 
 volved in that grievous provocation. And they hav- 
 ing willingly done fo, and flood in a body on his 
 left hand, he as a fon. firft of thunder, and then 
 of confolation, did, with great vehemency, energy, 
 and warmth, fet before them, the awful tkreatenings 
 held forth by the holy law againft frch tranfgrcilcrs ; 
 and then endeavoured to difplay the exceeding 
 greatnefs of God's mercy and grace, exhorting them 
 to fly to God for reconciliation and pardon thro* 
 Chrift. And after the guilty had willingly, and with 
 great expreflions of grief and fcrrow, ccnfciTcd their 
 fin, they were received as (incere penitents, and ad- 
 mitted to the holy communion. 
 
 Of that folemnity, feveral old experienced chrifti- 
 ans declared, that they never faw the like, nor ever 
 heard the gofpel fo powerfully preached, and perti- 
 nently applied, with fuch variety ofthreatenings,pro- 
 mifes, exhortations, motives, comforts, and cordials ; 
 and that they never faw fuch commotion and heart- 
 melting among hearers, both guilty and innocent: 
 So that it might be truly faid, that, they gathered to- 
 gether to that place, and drew water, and fwtred it 
 
 Dfit 
 
C 97 ] 
 
 out he fore the Lord, and J aid ', we have finned againQ the 
 Lord, i Sam. vii. 6. 
 
 During this fhort vifit to Ireland, both minifters 
 and profeilbrs had many fweet and foul-refrefhing days 
 oi the gofpel, and fome folemn high Sabbaths ; the like 
 of which Mr. Blair feldorn enjoyed in St. Andrews. — 
 Likelt to thofe were fome cornmumon- Sabbaths 
 where Mr. Blair afrifted in fome of the north parts 
 of Fife, efpccially betwixt the years 1650 and 1660. 
 After Mr. Blair had for fome time laboured amongft 
 Ills people at St. Andrews, he found his burden in- 
 fupportable, by reafon that his congregation was 
 vaitly numerous, the common people very ignorant, 
 and the gentry and citizens generally not only pro- 
 fane and dilfolute, but very fuperftitious and prelati- 
 cal: And, that he might be eafed of a fhare of that 
 burden, he parted with a confderable part of the 
 emoluments due to his office, viz. the vicarages, 
 and what e\Cc properly belonged to the archdeanry, 
 and with all the teinds of certain lands in the re- 
 mote part of his parifn ; and having obtained the 
 confent of the feveral heritors concerned, he got 
 the fame, with a part of Ceres parifii, disjoined from 
 thefe feveral parifhes, by an ait of parliament, and 
 united into one parifh. And after he had thus got 
 a competent legal ftipend allotted to the fame, he 
 fet a voluntary contribution on foot, for ths build™ 
 ing of a new church and manfe ; which was collect- 
 ed by John Martin of Lathonefs, a man zealous 
 for that good work. And the fame having been ac- 
 complifhed in a convenient time, Mr. George Nairn 
 Was, anno. 1646, ordained firfl: miniller of that new 
 parifli, by Mr. Blair ; who was thereby much efaed 
 of the weighty burden laid upon him. 
 
 The affairs of church and Rate were various and 
 weighty during the years 16/53 and 1644: And par- 
 ticularly, in Juguft 1643, the committee of the 
 general -affenlbly, whereof Mr: Bliir wss one, with 
 N John 
 
C 98 ] 
 
 Jckn earl of Rutland, and other four commiffiott- 
 crs from the parliament of England, and Meflieur: 
 Stephen Mar foal and Philip Nye, minifters, agreed to 
 a folemn league and covenant, betwixt the two king- 
 doms of Scotland and England. 
 
 When the draught of the fame was read to the 
 general afTembly, our fmoking defires for uniformity 
 did break forth into a vehement flame, and was fo 
 heartily embraced, and with fuch a torrent of mod 
 affectionate expreflions, as none but eye and ear 
 witneJTes can conceive When the vote of fome 
 eld minifters was asked, their joy was fo great, 
 that tears did interrupt their expreflions. 
 
 As one of the conditions ftipulated with the 
 Engliil ccmmifTioners, the convention of eftates 
 ordered an army to be raifed for the afiiilance of the 
 parliament of England, then at war with the king, 
 and marched into England in the end of the year 
 1643. In this expedition, Mr. Blair was, by the 
 commiflion of the afTembly, appointed minister to 
 the earl of Cravjford's regiment ; with whom he ftaid 
 till the victory obtained by the Englijh and Scots over 
 the king's army, commanded by prince Rupert, at 
 Mafftptt-mo'or, in the beginning of July 1644 : In 
 which month he returned- to his charge at St. An- 
 drews. 
 
 In Augujl following, the earl of IShntrofe, who 
 from a zealous covenanter, turned an inveterate ene- 
 my to the covenanters, took the field againft them, 
 vith a number of bloody men, moftly Irijb, who 
 came over for his afliftance under Alajler MacDonald, 
 a blood-thirity papiit ; and with thefe, and feveral 
 unnatural countrymen who gathered unto him, he 
 routed feveral parties of the covenanters, fome of 
 them far more numerous than his own, but nattily, 
 and fometimes confufedly, drawn together; as at Perth, 
 September 1. 1644 ; at Aberdeen, September 13. at /v- 
 
 verlocbjf 
 
C 99 ] 
 
 I vrlocfy, February 2. 1645 ; at Oldearn, hi ay 6\ at 
 y£JW, 7///y 2. and at Kiifyth, Augufl i^./^^T 
 
 In thefe circumftances, church and ftate did what 
 they could to oppofe the enemy. But, the ftrength 
 of the nation being then in England, and the Lord's 
 anger having gone forth againfi: thofe at home, the 
 deftru&ion decreed did overflow for near two years ; 
 in which time near 30,000 of the covenanters were 
 laid in their winding-meets. 
 
 Oftober 1. 1644. the fynod of Fife met at Confer ; 
 and afterafermonby Mr. Blair , from Job xvii. 8. 9. 
 who tho 1 he was not moderator of the former fynod, 
 was pitched on as the fitted to fpeak a word in fea- 
 fon, both to minifters and people, in a time of [0 
 much wrath, they drew up overtures for humiliation, 
 and reformation of the (hire of Fife i and ordained 
 the Lord's day, Cflober 20. and the Tuefday and 
 Thurfday following, to be obferved with folemn fafi- 
 jng and humiliation. 
 
 The parliament, and commifiion of the kirk, fat at 
 Perth in July 1645. The parliament was opened with 
 a fermon by Mr. Blair ; and the 26th and 27th of that 
 . month were kept as folemn days of humiliation. 
 After Mr. Blair had, upon the forenoon of Sabbath 
 the 27th, preached again to the parliament, he rode 
 out to the army, then incamped at Forgandenny ; and 
 in the afternoon preached to Crazv/ord's and 
 Mait\and\ regiments, to the prfl: of whom he had 
 been chaplain. Ke told that brigade, that he was in- 
 formed, that many of them were now become dif- 
 folute and profane; and augured them, that tho' 
 God had covered thdr heads in the day of battle, fo 
 that very few of them were killed at Lovc?i:urf}cn ; yet 
 they mould not now be able to ftand before a lefs for- 
 midable foe, unlefs they repented. This freedom 
 coming from one who they knew loved them, and 
 had a care both of foul and body, was taken in good 
 part : Yet it was too little laid to heart. And accord- 
 ing 
 
. [ 100 ] 
 
 nig to the fad threatening, Crawford's regiment was 
 almo(t wholly cut off at Kilfyth, within three weeks 
 thereafter. 
 
 After the defeat at Kilfyth, the heritors of Fife- 
 Jbire had feveral meetings for confutation ; at which 
 jVIr. Blair, and certain other of their minifters, were 
 called to be prefent. Some were for treating with 
 Montrofe. But Mr. Blair oppofed acknowledg- 
 ing him upon any account, tho' never fo fpecious. 
 That meeting concluded nothing; and A'hntrofe's 
 party over-running the fhire, Mr. Blair removed 
 with his family to Dundee, as a place of more llrength, 
 and which had in April preceeding held out one af- 
 fault from his farces. 
 
 About this time the Lord began to look upon the 
 affliction o£his people ; and the committee of eftates 
 fawcaufe to recal major-general David Leflie, with 4000 
 horfe and 1000 dragoons, from England. To oppofe 
 thefe Montrofe marched fouthward ; but was fhame- 
 fuliy routed at Philiphaugh, upon the 13th day of 
 September, many of his forces were killed and taken 
 prifoners, and he himfelf hardly efcaped. 
 
 Amongft the prifoners taken, there were, Sir Ro- 
 bert Spot/wood prefident, Sir John Hay Clerk -regifter, 
 Sir William Rollock, Sir Philip Nisbet, Nathaniel 
 Gordon, <tc fome of whom, viz. Sir William Rollock, 
 Sir Philip Nisbet, &c. were tried by the committee 
 of eftates which fat at Glafgow, and^condemned to die; 
 and others of them were continued till the fitting 
 of the parliament which was to meet in November. 
 
 The 26th of that month, the parliament and 
 commimon of the kirk fat down at St. Andrews ; 
 for at that time the plague raged in Edinburgh, Leith, 
 and other parts of Lothian. Mr. Blair preached be- 
 f >re this parliament ; he alfo prayed at the constitution 
 of their feveral feffions-; and was at much pains to 
 accommodate a difference betwixt the Ham t !tc;;:z,A 
 Campbells, but without fuccefs. 
 
 At 
 
[ ioi ] 
 
 At this parliament, feveral of the prifoners taken 
 at Philipbaugh, were tried ; and three of them, viz. 
 Sir Robert Spot/wood, Nathaniel Gordon, and Mr. 
 Andrew Guthrie, were executed on the 17 th day of 
 January thereafter. Mr. Blair vifited thefe men often, 
 and was at great pains to convince them of their 
 fin. With Mr. Gordon he prevailed fo far, that he 
 feemed very penitent, under a fenfe of his bloodfhed, 
 and joining in that caufe ; and fought to be relaxed 
 from the greater excommunication, which had been 
 pronounced againft him. Mr. Blair did according- 
 ly, by the authority of the church, relax him front 
 that fentence ; and obtained great fatisfaction from 
 him. But of his labours bellowed on the other two, 
 he found no good effect ; Spot/wood dying with the 
 mod invidious reproaches on honeft minifters, who 
 had been faithful to their truft ; and Guthrie died 
 (iupidly impenitent. Thefe two were bifhops fons ; 
 nialt corvi malum ovum. 
 
 In the end of the year, major-general David LeJJie 
 left a confiderable number of forces to maintain the 
 peace, under Middleton J s command, who was- then 
 looked upon as a religious valiant man; and he him" 
 felf returned to England with the reft. 
 
 In March 1646- a new flame did break out in the 
 north. Seaforth and his adherents prefented to the 
 committee of eftates, a dangerous and feditious bone, 
 under the name of An humble Remonflrance. Againft 
 this, the commifTion of the church, whereof Mr. 
 Blair was one, did emit a declaration. But Sea- 
 forth being refolved to effectuate the ends of his re- 
 monflrance, raifed an army of 5000 men in his 
 own country ; while Montrofe ranged about Jnvernefs, 
 Alafler MacDcnald with his Jri/h in Argyle's 
 bounds, Ogilvy w r ith the Athol-men and other High- 
 landers rafefted the Storrr.ont, and the Gordons in- 
 fefled the north 
 
 Upon 
 
I 102 J 
 
 Upon tBefe commotions, Middleton divided his 
 army into feveral parties for the fupprefiion of the 
 rebels, and marched northward ; where having de- 
 feated the Gordons in the fields, and chafed them out 
 of all their ftrong-holds,this fo difpirited the reft, that 
 they never durft look him in the face. 
 
 While our forces were thus regaining their ground 
 at home, the parliament-forces in England were fo 
 victorious over the king's army, that he thought fit, 
 April 27. 1646. to efcape in difguife, and put him- 
 felf under the fafeguard of the Scots army, whofe 
 head-quarters were then at Newark off Trent. 
 
 News of this having been brought to Edinburgh, 
 commifTioners were fent to compliment him in the 
 parliaments name : And the king, by a proclama- 
 tion, ordered all who had appeared for him in Scot' 
 land, to lay down their arms ; and promifed heartily 
 to comply with the counfels of his parliament of both 
 kingdoms, and to fettle religion by the advice of the 
 divines of both churches. 
 
 The general alfembly fat down at Edinburgh the be- 
 ginning of June following ; and Mr. Blair was chofen 
 their moderator. Among!!: other things, that afTembly 
 ordered the moderator, with Mr. Andrew Cant and 
 "bit. Robert Douglas ,to repair to the king at Newcajlle, 
 to concur with Mr. Alexander Henderfon, and others 
 who were there before them, in endeavouring to per- 
 fuade his majelty, to Jay to heart the great blood- 
 fhed committed within his kingdoms, by himfelf, and 
 others by his authority ; and to reconcile him to 
 prefbyterial government and the covenants. 
 
 When thofe three minifiers got a hearing, the 
 room was immediately filled with feveral forts of 
 people to fee their reception. At which time Mr. An- 
 drew Cant, as the eldeft. of the three, having begun a 
 fpeech to the king, briskly infinuating, with his 
 wonted plainnefs and zeal, that the king favoured 
 popery j Mr. Blair interrupted him ; and modeftly 
 
 hinted, 
 
C 103 ] 
 
 hinted, that their audience was neither in a fit time. 
 nor place. The king looking earneftly to him, faid, 
 that honeit man fpeaks wifely and difcreetly ; there- 
 fore I appoint you three to attend me to-morrow at 
 ten o' clock in my bed-chamber. The miniiters at- 
 tended as appointed, but got little fatisfaclion. On- 
 ly, when Mr. Blair asked his majefty, if there were 
 not abominations in popery which he abhorred ? 
 the king, lifting off his hat, faid, / take God to wit* 
 tiefs, that there are abominations in popery , which I fo 
 much abhor, that ere I confent to them; I would rather 
 lofe my life and crown. 
 
 For JTome time thereafter Mr. Blair attended at 
 Nswcaflle, waiting the ifTue of a treaty which was 
 then fet on foot, not only betv/ixt the king and the 
 Scots, but alfo betwixt the king and his Englijh par- 
 liament ; and having, with Mr. Henderfon, (for thefe 
 two the king favoured mofi), been feveral times ad- 
 mitted to private conference with the king, they ear- 
 nellly urged him to fatisfy the jutl defires of his fub- 
 jecls. But he obftinately refufed, tho* they, with 
 fome others, befought it upon their knees, and with 
 tears. — Renewed commiflions were for this purpofe 
 fent from the dates of Scotland, but all to no good 
 purpofe. So Mr. Blair returned to Scotland, in the 
 company of our commiflioners. 
 
 Augufl 19. the famous Mr. Alexander Ifenderfln 
 died at Edinburgh. And no fooner did the king hear 
 of his death, than, to prevent importunity for 
 his poft as his chaplain in Scotland, in favours of one. 
 who might not be acceptable ; he immediately or- 
 dered a patent for it in favours of Mr. Blair. When 
 news of this was brought to Mr. Blair, he was in a 
 great difficulty, fearing he might be infnared. But 
 after he had wreftled with God, for direction in that 
 matter ; and confulted with Mr. David Dick/on, whofe 
 advice, in matters wherein confeience was concern- 
 ed., he highly efteemed ; and rsfieding, that Mr. Hen- 
 derfon 
 
I I0 4 ] 
 
 ierfon held faft his integrity to the end, amidft equal 
 temptations, he was encouraged to accept that em- 
 ployment, and applied himfelf to the fame with great 
 faithiulnefs and diligence. Every cay he prayed be- 
 fore dinner and (upper in the prefercce-chamber, the 
 ling and ail the court attending on the diets ; and on 
 the Lord's day he lectured once, and preached twice : 
 Befides, he fometimes preached at St. Nicholas church 
 on week-days ; and had much converfation with the 
 king, fometimes dealing earneflly with him, to con- 
 descend to the juft deCres of his parliaments, and at 
 other times debating concerning prelacy, liturgies, 
 and ceremonies, &c. 
 
 One day,after prayer, the king asked him, if it was 
 warrantable in prayer to determine a controverfy ? 
 Mr. Blair taking the hint, anfwered, that he thought 
 he had determined no controverfy in that prayer. 
 Yes, faid the king ; you have determined the pope, 
 the bifhop of Rome, to be antichrif! ; which is contro- 
 verted amongfi orthodox divines. To this Mr. Blair 
 replied, Sir, to me that is no controverfy, and I am 
 forry it mould be fo accounted by your majefty. Sure, 
 it was no controverfy to your father of happy me- 
 mory. This filenced the king ; for he was a great 
 defender of his father's opinions ; and his teftimony 
 had more weight with him, as Mr. Blair knew well, 
 than the teflimony of any divine. A f ter a few months 
 ilay, Mr. Blair. was permitted to vifit his flock and 
 family. 
 
 At this time the debates run high betwixt the Er,g-> 
 lijh parliament and our commillioners, concerning 
 the difpofal of the king's perfon. The Scots claimed 
 a joint interelt in that matter. But the Englijh hav- 
 ing no more need of their aaiftance, carried very dif- 
 ferent fron> what their commiffioners undertook for 
 them at Edinburgh, in the year 1643 ; and being deep 
 in arrears to the Scots for their bypafl: fervices, they 
 refufed to pay up thefe, till the Scots, mould yield 
 
 the 
 
the other point ; and they voted, that the king ihould 
 leave the Scots army, and go to Hohnby-houfe, 55 miles 
 from London. The Scots confidering, that to keep 
 the king with them would raife inteftine commotions 
 in their own country, and quickly bring the feat of 
 the war within their own bowels, the parliament and 
 commiffion of the church found it neceffary to give 
 up the king-to the Englijh, on condition he Jhould be 
 with them in honour, freedom, and fafety. 
 
 After tha fitting of the Scots parliament, and com- 
 miffion of the kirk, Mr. Blair made another vifit to 
 the king at Newcaflle, t« folicit his compliance with, 
 the defires of the Scots ccmmiffioners, which at that 
 time were again fent up to him ; and urged him, with 
 all the earneftnefs and arguments he was matter of, to 
 fubferibe the covenant, and abolifh epiffeopacy out of 
 England ; and then he was confident all honeii Scoff-' 
 men would efpoufc his quarrel againlt his enemies in 
 England, and hazard their lives and fortunes on his 
 account. To this the king anfwered, That he was 
 bound by his great oath to defend epifcopacy, with the 
 liturgy and ceremonies of that church ; and that ere 
 he wronged his confeience, by violating his corona- 
 tion-oath, he would rather lofe his crowns and his 
 life. Mr. Blair asked the king, what was the form of 
 his oath ? His majefty anfwered, To defend and main- 
 tain in England epifcopacy, with the liturgy and cere- 
 monies of that church, to the uttermojl of my power. 
 Then, faid Mr. Blair, your majefty has maintained 
 and defended all thefe, not only to the utmoft of your 
 power, but fo long and fo far, that now you have no 
 power : And therefore I think, if the bifnops in 
 England have any true love to your majefty's ho- 
 nour, and re-eftabiifhment on your throne, they 
 mould advife you not to drive any further to keep 
 that oath. But by nothing that he faid, could he gain 
 any thing upon the king : And fo he left his majeftv 
 O ' wittf 
 
C 106 ] 
 
 with a forrowful heart, and returned again to St* 
 Andrews. 
 
 In February 1648. the Scots army returned home ; 
 and the king was, by the Englijh, conducted to 
 Holmby-houfe ; where we mail leave him for fome 
 time. 
 
 From the time the king came firft to the Scots ar- 
 my in England, there were two factions in Scotland, 
 of which Hamilton and Argyle were the two heads. 
 Hcniltori* party aimed at bringing down the king to 
 Scotland; the other oppofed this, as threatening to 
 make Scotland a. field of blood. And when the parlia- 
 ment and- army of England had difcovered their at- 
 tachment to fectarianifm, and defignsagainft the king, 
 Hamilton' % party prevailed fo far, that in the committee 
 of eftates, it was agreed to levy an army and invade 
 England. Againft this Argyle, Cafilis, <bc and many 
 commiflioners of (hires and burghs, protefted. The 
 commiffion of the kirk did alfo emit a declaration 
 againft it, in regard the king was ftill as oppofite as 
 ever to the renewed demands of our commiflioners ; 
 and the levees were every where almoft oppofed. But 
 a party of the oppofers having been worfted at 
 Mauchlin, the levees went on more fuccefsfully after 
 that. And in July 1648. duke Hamilton marched in- 
 to England by Carlifle, with an army of about 20,000 
 Scots ; but was fhamefully defeated by Cromivel at 
 Prejlon ; and the duke and many of the commanders 
 taken, and executed by the Englijh. 
 
 The engagers being thus worfted, the others re- 
 fumed the management of affairs. But the remains of 
 the engagers, being no lefs defirous of the maftery, 
 called home general Monro with his forces from 
 Ireland ; and made fuch head againli the anti- 
 engagers, as threatened the destruction the one of the 
 other. 
 
 Mr. Blair and other minifters were at great pains 
 to draw the two parties to an accommodation ; 
 
 but 
 
E l°7 ] 
 
 Wilt without fuccefs, till Cromwel purfuing his victory, 
 entered Scot/and with his army ; when the engagers, 
 to avoid his fury, were conftrained to yield their plea. 
 
 Shortly after this, Cromwel came to Edinburgh, and 
 gave in a paper to the committee of eftates, (hewing 
 how far the late engagment had injured England; and 
 defiring, that none who had any hand in it, might be 
 permitted to carry office in Scotland. Upon this the 
 committee of eftates made an act, called The att of 
 clajfes, debarring engagers, or any having acceflion 
 to it, from places of power and trait, in judicatures 
 or armies, <bc 
 
 The commiffion of the kirk who fat at the 
 fame time, knowing how much Englijh affairs were 
 now managed by CromweFs direction, fent three of 
 their'number, viz. Meflleurs David Dick/on, Robert 
 Blair, and James Guthrie, to deal with him for pro- 
 moting uniformity in England. When they came to 
 Cromwel, he entertained them with creamy fpeeches, 
 confirmed with tears, and folemn appeals to God, as 
 to the iincerity of the Englijh intentions. But Mr. 
 Blair, who, as having fome acquaintance with him, 
 was appointed to fpeak for them all, faid much in 
 few words ; and among other things, he told Crom- 
 wel, that he, and his brethren, the minifters of Scot' 
 land, faw no party or power that now hindered the re- 
 formation of religion in England, and uniformity be- 
 twixt the two churches, but only their army : And as 
 they were fhrewdly fufpected of by-ends, he begged his 
 anfwer to three queftions. i. What was his opinion 
 of monarchical government ? To this Cromwel an- 
 fwered without hesitation, That he was for monarchi- 
 cal government, and that in the perfon of the king 
 and his pofterity. 2. What was his opinion anent 
 toleration ? He anfwered as confidently, That he was 
 altogether againft toleration. And, 3. What was his 
 opinion concerning the government of the church ? 
 O now ! Mr. Blair, you article me too feverely, (faid 
 
 Cromwel J } 
 
C 108 1 
 
 Cromwell), you mud pardon me, that I give you not 
 a prefent anfwer to this. I muft have time to delibe- 
 rate 1 his he fhifted ; beeaufe, in converfation with 
 Mr. Blair before that time, he had feveral times con- 
 Felled, that he was for independency. After they 
 came out, Mr. Dickfon faid to his brethren, I am glad 
 to hear this man fpeak no worfe. Whereunto 
 Mr. Blair replied, If ye knew him as well as I. do, ye 
 would not believe one word he fays. He is an egre- 
 gious diffembler, and a great liar. 
 
 This year 1648. the general affembly taking to 
 their confideration, the great apoftafy.and backflid- 
 ing among all degrees in the land, (for even fome 
 minifters had dealt deceitfully in the matter of the 
 covenant, and in the bufinefs of the late engagement; 
 endeavouring, in the time of the laft alTembiy, to 
 have got the engagement approven ; for which fub- 
 dolous plots, Mr. Henry Guthry, dux fafiionis, and 
 fome others, were depofed), thought, that there was 
 an inevitable neceflity forcing them at this time to 
 renew the folemn league and covenant. So, Thurfday 
 the 1 6th. of December having been fpent in humilia- 
 tion and falling, for the former breach of covenant, 
 they renewed that covenant the day following ; and 
 fent the directory for renewing it, and concern- 
 ing the debarring of certain perfons from taking the 
 covenant, to the feveral presbyteri«s. 
 
 While Scots affairs were thus brought to fome or- 
 der, matters in England were in a woful confufion. 
 Their army being new-modelled, and about forty 
 one of the belt affected members of Parliament ex- 
 cluded, the king, who for fome time pall had been 
 ufed by them as a prifoner, was, upon the motion of 
 their feclarian army, brought to a trial, before a pack- 
 ed court of commoners, called The high court of 
 juflice. 
 
 In the month of OBober preceeding, the earl of 
 Lothian, Sir John Chiefly, and William Glendoning, were 
 
 fent 
 
C 109 ] 
 
 fent from the committee of eftates to the parliament 
 of England, and Mr. Robert Blair from the com- 
 miflion of the kirk, to the aflembly of divines, for 
 the prefervation and promoting of uniformity. When 
 thefe commifTioners underftood the defigns of the 
 Englifi) againft the king's life, they petitioned the 
 parliament, not to proceed to any trial againft the 
 king, till the advice of the Scots nation was obtained ; 
 and having wrote to Scotland, informing of what was 
 in agitation at London, the reprefentatives both of 
 church and (late fent up inftruclions to their com- 
 miflioners at London, to oppofe that trial, by all means 
 poflible. Bat tho' they remonftrated and protefted 
 againft the fame, in the name both of the church and 
 ftate of Scotland, that court never ceafed, till they 
 brought the king to the block, January 30. 1648-9. 
 
 \\ hile the trial was in dependence, the king was 
 defirous of the company and converfe of his Englifi 
 chaplains; and being denied thefe, did, fhortly before 
 his death, defire, that Mr. Blair, whom he efteemed 
 for his piety and prudence, might be permitted to 
 come to him. But tho' Mr. Blair ufed all means to 
 obtain accefs to the king, and to be with him fo long 
 as he chofe his company; that was flatly refufed ; 
 fo cruel were they to his majefty's foul as well as 
 his body. 
 
 News of this tragedy being fent to Edinburgh, the 
 committee of eftates did prefently proclaim the title 
 of the young prince, then in Ho/land ; and ordered 
 their commifTioners at London, to go over and congra- 
 tulate him in their name ; and refolved, that another 
 miniftcr, with an elder from the kirk, mould meet 
 them at the Hague, with a commiflion, articles, and 
 instructions. The commifTioners at London prepared 
 themfelves for their journey. But before they could 
 reach Gravefend, they were, by order of the Englijh 
 parliament, brought back, and confined, till they 
 ihould be allured from the eftates of Scotland, that 
 
 they 
 
[ no ] 
 
 they a&ed by their commiffion ; and even when that 
 was obtained, they were not liberated, but attended 
 to Berwick with a guard. 
 
 During this catching, Mr. Blair was fore pained 
 with the gout, and fometimes more with the gravel ; 
 wheteby his healthy conftitution was broken, and he 
 came not fo much out to church-judicatures after 
 that, as formerly. 
 
 In July 1649. both parliament and afTembly fat at 
 Edinburgh. Their only contention was, who could 
 contribute mod: for the interefts of religion. Among 
 other things, the parliament repealed patronages ; 
 and this, and the former aflembly, appointed certain 
 of their number in different parts of the kingdom, 
 to vifit fundry places, and to purge out corrupt mem- 
 bers : which did much good ; for many profane, fcan- 
 dalons, infufficient, and unfaithful minifters, were 
 depofed, efpecially in Angus, Mearns, and Stirling 
 fhires. 
 
 In Otfoher following, the committee of eftates fent 
 another commiffion, with new proportions, to the 
 young king ; who returned a very difcreet anfwer, 
 and appointed a treaty to be betwixt him and the 
 Scots, at Breda, in March 1650. For this purpofe, the 
 eftates named Lothian, Liberton, Sir John Smith, and A- 
 lexander Jaffrey ; and the church named Mr. John Li- 
 'vingflon, Mr. James Wood, and Mr. George Hutchefon y 
 minifters; with Cajfds and Brodie, ruling elders. The 
 refult of this treaty was, the bringing over the king, 
 without fufficient fecurity given for religion ; con- 
 trary to the inclination of Mr. Living/Ion, and fome 
 other of the commiffioners ; and crowning him with 
 great folemnity at Scoon, the firfl: of January 1651.; at 
 which time he fware the covenants, and engaged to 
 maintain presbyterian government, fcc. 
 
 While this treaty was upon the anvil, Montrofs 
 landed in the north of Scotland, with the king's 
 commiffion, and raifed fome forces. But his fmall 
 
 army 
 
I III ] 
 
 army was defeated by a few troops fent out againft 
 him, under the command of the colonels Ker, Sra- 
 chan, and Halket ; and he himfelf was (hortly there- 
 after taken prifoner, in the laird of AJfen% bounds, 
 and brought to Edinburgh ; where be was condemned 
 by the parliament, and executed there the 21ft of 
 May, in a way, as was thought by forne, too igno- 
 minious. 
 
 During his trial, the commiffion of the kirk fent 
 Mr. Blair, and fome other miniflers, to him, to per- 
 fuade him to lay to heart his great bloodfhed and 
 wickednefs. But he excufed himfelf, by his commif- 
 fions from the king, and died obfHnately impenitent. 
 
 At this time the Scots nation being daily dunned 
 with the news of an intended invafion by the Englijh 
 feclaries, under the command of Cromwel, who, 
 upon Fairfax's declining that particular fervice, was 
 appointed general of the Englijh forces ; the par- 
 liament ordered a levy of 10,000 foot and 3000 
 horfe, to be inftantly raifed, to join with the (land- 
 ing forces, againft the invaders ; and after that a 
 fecond levy was refolved on. 
 
 It was not long ere there was occafion for all thefe. 
 Cromwel invaded the kingdom, in July 1650. ; and 
 feveral of the Englijh fhips of war came up the Frith, 
 and ftopt all communication betwixt the two coafts. 
 
 Some time was fpent in declarations by Cromwel, 
 of his and the Englijh parliament's fincere intentions 
 in the prefent invafion, and blaming the Scots for 
 efpoufing the quarrel of Charles Stewart, the head 
 of themalignants, as they called the king. To which 
 both church and (rate anfwcred, by counter-declarati- 
 ons. Some skirmifhes alfoenfued ; in which our army 
 found they had to do with an enemy every way 
 as alert as themfelves. 
 
 Upon this the miniftry thought fit, that there 
 mould be a faft ; and one of the caufes condefcended 
 an, was. the not purging of the king's family, <bc 
 
 Wherefore 
 
[ IT 2 j 
 
 Wherefore the commit ree for purging the army, 
 fet about purging out all who were concerned in duke 
 Hamilton's engagment. There was another com- 
 mittee, called a council of war, which gave orders, 
 even to the general, when to fight, and when not. 
 And the committee of eftates, and commiflion of the. 
 kirk, did agree on a declaration to be fubferibed by 
 the king, acknowledging his own fin, and the fin of 
 his father's houfe. This declaration the king refufed 
 to fign. Wherefore the commifTion of the church, by 
 an act at IVeflkirk, Augufi 13. 1650. declared, by a 
 majority of one perfon, That until the king disclaim- 
 ed all the fin and guilt of his houfe, both old and 
 late, they could not own him and his intereft, in 
 the ftateof the quarrel betwixt them, and the enemy 
 that had invaded the kingdom. And the committee 
 of eftates did, by an ad of that date, approve the 
 fame. 
 
 The king thus fhut up, found it neceffary to fwallow 
 over that declaration, as he had formerly done the co- 
 venants. And now the only queftion was, how to beat 
 off the invaders, who had for feveral weeks retired, 
 and advanced to and again about the Hurts of the 
 town of Edinburgh. 
 
 At length, about the end of Auguft, our arm y 
 having come out of their trenches, wherein they had 
 kept themfelves till the arrival of their forces ; the 
 Englijh, who were wafted with great ficknefs, and it 
 was fufpe&ed, were fcarce of provifions, retired eaft- 
 ward. Our army followed them at the heels, and 
 pent them up fo at Dumbar, that it was fuppofed, 
 they might have ftarved them all without righting 
 them. But beyond and above ail mens expecta- 
 tion, upon the 3d day oi September, that army, which 
 lately feemed fo defpicable, gave ours, which was 
 reckoned near double their number, a mod lament- 
 able defeat ; killing and taking prifoners to the 
 number of about io ; ooo of our forces; and coin- 
 ing 
 
E 113 ] 
 
 ing back to Edinburgh, plundered the houfes, which 
 were forfaken of their inhabitants, and quartered 
 their army upon the reft : So that it was hard to tell, 
 whether thofe who fled, or they who remained, were 
 in the moll: deplorable condition. 
 
 Another confequence of this defeat wis, that every 
 one blamed the other ; the one fide, for purging out too 
 many who might have been of fervice againfl: the e- 
 nemy ; and thefe again blamed their oppoiites, for 
 being too remifs, and not well enough purged. And 
 thereupon enfued divisions, both in church and (late : 
 For the king wanting a coalefcence betwixt both, againft 
 thecommon enemy, had the influence to get the confent, 
 both of church and ftate, firtt:, for the counteract- 
 ing, and afterward for refcinding the act of clafTes. 
 In confequence of which, many who formerly h?d 
 been excluded, as perfons diilaffecled or fufpected, 
 were now admitted to places of power and trull, both 
 in the army and in the (late. 
 
 Thofe in church and (late who opened the door 
 for this readmiflion, were called Refolutioners, and 
 feme of them Malignant s ; and the others, Protejlers, 
 cr anti-refolutioners, and afterwards Remonftrators. 
 And 
 
 Hlnc ilia lachryma. Both church and (late began 
 now to act in divided capacities, and to look almoft 
 as fufpicioufly upon one another, as upon the com- 
 mon enemy ; and feveral presbyteries were fplit in- 
 to two. The refoluticners had by far the majority ; 
 yet the proteliers would not acknowldege their au- 
 thority. And as it was in the church, fo alfo in the 
 army. The colonels Ker and Strachan, &c. would 
 not ferve with the king's army, but retired to the 
 Wefl ; and fome officers, and many foldiers, who were 
 efleemed the moft religious in the army, followed 
 them. The refoiutioners alledged, that Mr. James 
 Guthrie, and fome others of the proteltres, did what 
 they could to difcourage and weaken the king's ar- 
 
 P I— -T 
 
t 'M ] 
 
 my, and ftrcngthen that in the TVeft. And it was 
 not difguifed, that Strac ban's troop was levied and 
 maintained upon the expence of the miniilers : And 
 yet becaufe they were known to be good men, 
 Mr. Blair, and many others, who did not love their 
 acYmg in a divided way, hoped for good from them, 
 and heartily wiflied and prayed for their fuccefs. 
 
 By thefe diviGons, the relief of the country was 
 obftrucled, and the work of the invaders done to 
 their hand. Shortly thereafter Cromwel did over-run the 
 country ; and apart of his army difUpated the ailbci- 
 ationin theWeft, and fevcral parties of the king's army. 
 And the king, unable to make head againft the ene- 
 my, tacked about for England, in July 1651, in hopes 
 of proper aid from that kingdom. But Cromwel Jeft 
 general Monk, with apart of his army, to keep under 
 the conquered Sects, and fupprefs thofe of them who 
 were yet in arms ; while he and Lambert, with the 
 moft of the horfe, and a great number of foot, pur- 
 sued the king. 
 
 About the end of Augutt, our army had the city of 
 Worccfler furrendered to them. But Cromwel and Lam- 
 bert, having received a (Ircng reinforcement from 
 Fleetwood, fat down before the city ; and our army 
 having been in want of provifions, marched out, Sep- 
 tember 3d and gave the enemy battle. The fight 
 continued for a time very obftinate ; but the enemy 
 having been at lead two to one, our army was wo- 
 fully routed. The enemy purfuing, and the country- 
 people (mobile valgus always joining with the victors) 
 rifing in great abundance, all our nobles and officers, 
 for the moft part, at the very firft were taken, viz. 
 William doke of Hamilton, (who died of his wounds in 
 a few days), Rothes, Lauderdale, Leflie, Midd/eton, 
 Dalzell, Sir Robert Montgomery, &c. Few or none 
 of note efcaped, except the king, and the duke of 
 Buckingham. 
 
 "While the two armies were attending one another's 
 
 motier* 
 
L "J J 
 
 motions at JVorcefler, Monk furprifed a number of 
 our nobles, gentry, and minilters, who were con- 
 veened at Elliot in Angus, Auguft 20. to concert mea- 
 fures for railing fome forces, for the relief of Dundee, 
 which was then befieged ; and made prifoners of 
 general Lejlie, the earis of Crawford and Marjhal, the 
 lords Ogilvie and Bargeny, with the lairds of Humby, 
 Lees, Cw'mgton, Pourie, Sec. and MefTieurs Robert Dou- 
 glafs, James Hamilton, John Smith, Mungo Law, and 
 James Sharp, &c. minilters. All thefe were presently 
 fent prifoners to the Englijh (hips, which lay at an- 
 chor before B rough ty. And upon the back of this 
 the Englijh ftormed Dundee; who knowing nothing 
 of that furprife, held out the town, in hopes of re- 
 lief promifed them by general Lejlie j and near a 
 thoufand of the inhabitants were killed without quar- 
 ter, amongft whom were feveral of good quality ; 
 and the town was plundered. After which, general 
 Monk fent away all the forefaid prifoners, with the two 
 minifters of Dundee, by a fnip, to London. And 
 
 Shcr d y thereafter 9 Argy I, CallenderJVemyfs, Home, 8cc. 
 who had fled to the North, did capitulate with the 
 enemy, and returned to their houfes. Huntly al- 
 fo, and the vaflals of Athol, did claim the benefit of 
 Monk's protection. Glencairn and Belcarrts, were the 
 only perfons of note who flood cut after this ; nor 
 were they able to keep the field much longer. 
 
 In thefe circumftances, what true-hearted Scot/man 
 could calmly behold the mifery of his country, 
 and the cruel bondage under which they groned, 
 without mourning and lamentation ; more efpeciaJly 
 as our diviiions ferved as oil to the flame, and 
 were the wormwood and the gall in all thefe cala- 
 mities ? 
 
 Mr. Blair had little hand in the forefaid diviiions. 
 He was at London when they firft broke out ; and the 
 injury that his health received by that lalt journey, 
 broke his constitution, and difabled him from attend- 
 ing 
 
[ »6 ] 
 
 ing judicatures as he was wont ; yet when he came, 
 abroad his great endeavour was to be a peace- 
 maker betwixt them. 
 
 For this end, he had a chief hand in procuring a 
 meeting of the fynod of Fife at St. Andrews, in Octo- 
 ber 1 65 1. But fuch threatenings were fent from 
 Monk, as deterred them from continuing at that time. 
 Again, in the fynod of Fife, which met at St. An- 
 drews, in April 1652, he was the firft who propofed 
 that letters mould be wrote to all thefynods, to 
 conveen for a friendly conference, at Edinburgh, in 
 May following ; and was one of eight minifters fent 
 for that purpole from the fynod of Fife. But the 
 Rejblutioners were fo liberal of cenfuring their op- 
 pofing brethren, and barring accefs to the miniftry 
 to fuch as differed from them ; and the Protefters i'o 
 high in their demands, and in oppofing the two laft 
 afTemblies at St. Andrews and Dundee, that no medi- 
 ation betwixt them could prevail. 
 
 When Mr. Blair found his endeavours this way 
 fruflratcd, he left the meeting with grief of heart, 
 and returned to St. Andrews; where, and in the 
 neighbouring congregations upon facramental oc- 
 caftons, his labours were more remarkably blelTed 
 than had been the cafe for a long time before. 
 
 While the church was thus wcfully divided, the 
 feveral (hires of the kingdom, forgetting the oath 
 of God, (hewed too great a propenlion toward afin- 
 £hj compliance with the Englijh, both in religion and 
 politicks. And in this none were more forward than 
 thofe who were reckoned maiignants ; nor any more 
 averfe than the miniiters, a very few excepted. 
 
 In the en:l of January 1 65 3," feveral perfons 
 gave in printed overtures to the Englijh, aiming at the 
 aboliihing of presbyterial and monarchical govern- 
 ment, the granting a toleration, the levelling of 
 noblemen, and embodying Scotland into one com- 
 mon-wealth with England, 
 
 I This 
 
C U7 ] 
 
 This paper coming abroad, the four presbyteries 
 of Fife did, upon the motion of Mr. Blair and a 
 few others, meet at St. Andrews for thefe two ends 
 efpecially : Firit, To give teuimony againtt fo finful a 
 compliance withthe enemies of God, and his truth ; 
 and, fecondly, To cultivate union among themfelves, 
 in thofe things wherein they all agreed. At that 
 meeting, Mr. Blair (hewed his deteilation of the 
 grofs and finful contents of that paper ; he did fpeak 
 much for healing meafures amonglt church-members, 
 and avoiding dangerous extremes on both hands. 
 And as for Scotland's embodying with England in the 
 prefent circumitantiated cafe, he looked upon that as 
 theiimple bird's embodying with the hawk, who would 
 foon eat it up. 
 
 Upon the 6th of February 1652, proclamation was 
 made, that Scotland was henceforth to be governed 
 according to the laws of England : And in the latter 
 end of the fame month, there was a meeting of the 
 commifiioners of (hires and burghs, with Lambert, 
 Monk, Fenioick, Vane, Deans, St. John, Tijhburn, 
 and Ilolloway, the Englijh deputies, at Dalkeith ; where 
 there was an engagement tendered by the Englijh to 
 the Scots commifiioners, for incorporating the two 
 kingdoms into one commonwealth. This engage- 
 ment, commonly called the Tender, was accepted by 
 the mod; except the commifiioners from the JVeJl 
 and Galloway, who generally refufed it. And in 
 May following, the feveral (hires and burghs who 
 had accepted the tender, were required to choofe new 
 commifiioners, to meet at Edinburgh, Augujl 20. and 
 out of that number to choofe 14 to reprelent the 
 mires, and 7 for the burghs; who were to repair to 
 England, OBober 1. and to do all things necefTary 
 for perfecting the union betwixt Scotland and England. 
 
 Accordingly, in the beginning of Augujl, the lords 
 Carnegie and Linton, with the lairds of Durie, Garth- 
 land, Ricarton, Drummond, Garvock, Orbijhn, Keir, 
 
 Tannocb 
 
[ n8 ] 
 
 Tav.noch of St. Leonards, Glenfarquhar , colonel hock' 
 hart, Rentotty and Swinton, were elected for the (hires ; 
 
 and John Joycit, Join Mill, Sir Alexander Wedder- 
 htm, James Sword, Daniel Wallace, George Guiltan, and 
 
 Andrew Glen, for the burghs. Hut when they came 
 
 to London, they were looked upon rather as petitioners 
 
 than ccmmifiioners. 
 Next year (1653) church-differences increafing, 
 
 and Mr. Blair defpairing of being able to bring a- 
 bout harmony, he made an overture to fuch in the 
 presbyteries of St. Andrews and Coupar as were 
 like-minded with himfelf, that they mould meet month- 
 ly for prayer, that the Lord would heal our incurable- 
 like wounds; and for conference concerning the likelieft 
 means for advancing the ftudy and practice of holi- 
 nefs in their feveral pariihes, and for fupprefTing fin 
 and profanity among their people. Which monthly 
 meetings were kept up for fome time, with great 
 harmony and fatisfaclion to all the members, until 
 feme of the moft rigid refolutioners, efpecially Mr. 
 Andrew (afterwards bifiiop) Honey-man, at that time 
 Mr. Blair's colleague, began to vent their jealoufies, 
 that the others were plotting againft them ; a fufpei- 
 on, than which nothing could be more groundlefs. 
 In J u'y 1653, thofe of the minifters who were for 
 the pub lick refolutions met in affembly at. Edinburgh. 
 But before they were conftitute, they were command- 
 ed to difperfe, by a party of the Englijb. Mr. David 
 Diokfon, the moderator of their former affembly, who 
 opened up this, anfwered, That they had power from 
 Jefus Chrift to conveen for the affairs of his houfe. 
 Hut the officers difregarding fuch topicks, the afTem- 
 bly were commanded, in the name of the parliament 
 of England, to diflblve prefently. Againlt this ufur- 
 pation Mr. Dichfcn protefted,in the affembly's name. 
 I. Becaufe they had power and authority from Jefus 
 Chriit to conveen in his courts. 2. Becaufe their 
 meeting was warranted by the unrepealed laws of the 
 
 land. 
 
t "9 ] 
 
 land. And, 3. Becaufe the Englijh were, by the firft 
 article of the folemn league, bound with them, to 
 defend the doclrine, difcipiine, and government of 
 the kirk of Scotland. But he had fcarce done fpeak- 
 ing, when they were conveyed by a party to Burnts* 
 field-links. "Next day, a number of the protefters a- 
 gainlt the publick refolutions having likewife con- 
 veened, the Englijh got notice of their meeting, and 
 ferved them with the fame fauce they had done their 
 brethren. Againft which thofe miniuers did alfo pro- 
 teft ; and fent a copy of their proteftation to Lilburn, 
 commander in chief of the Englijh forces in Scotland. 
 Neverthelefs, prefbyteries and provincial fynods met 
 with very little difturbance. 
 
 The year 1654 began with devolving the power of 
 the parliament of England upon Oliver Cromwel, un- 
 der the title of Lord Protector of the Common- 
 wealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland : 
 Who took more power upon him than ever the 
 king had. 
 
 In March following, Mr. John Living/loft, and o- 
 ther two of the proteflers, were wrote for to give the 
 protector advice, in fettling the church of Scotland, 
 Mr. Living/Ion rcfufed to go, until Lilhurn told him, that 
 if lie would net go as a free-man, he would fend him 
 as a prifoner. When at London, he behaved with 
 more courage than many thought prudent: For being 
 called to preach before the PrctecJcr at V/hitehall, 
 where fundry Scotfmen were prefent, he prayed for 
 the king thus: God be gracious to him, whofe right 
 it is to rule in this place, and unjuftly is thru ft from it. 
 Santtify thy rod of affliction to him: and when our bones 
 are laid in the duft, let our prayers come forth in thine 
 appointed time, fir doing him and his family good. And 
 touching the ufurper, he only faid, As for thir poor 
 ".en that now fill his room, Lord be merciful to them. 
 Whereat fome were greatly incenfed. But Cromwei 
 Ing by this time found hi* end difappointed, in 
 
 taking 
 
taking the lives of Mr. Chnjlophcr Lev* and Mr. Gib- 
 hens, two Englifi m'm'iiiers, and knowing how much 
 Mr. Living/Ion was efteemed by the Scots, faid, Let 
 him alone, he is a good man; and what are we but 
 poor men in comparifon of the kings of En pi and P 
 And fo he was allowed to return home. 
 
 The fame year an ordinance was ifTued by the 
 council of ftate, impowering certain minifters of op- 
 pofitc perfuafiens, and Mr. Blair amongir the reft, 
 to plant vacant churches, (be. But this ordinance was 
 fo eraftian, that few of the rainifrers named in it did 
 accept the fame ; and none did more detefl it than 
 Mr. Blair. 
 
 Of ail the minifters now in Scotland, none were 
 more like-minded than Mr. Blair, and the learned 
 and pious Mr. James Durham minifler at Glajgow. 
 Thefe two meeting together at St. Andrews, had the 
 influence to draw on a meeting betwixt the chief of 
 the Refolutioners and ProteJJers, at Edinburgh, in the 
 end of the year; where, efpecially by the means of 
 Mr. Patrick Gitlefp'e, harmony was like to prevail. 
 But the Lord's anger being ftill drawn out againft us, 
 for our fins, thefe promifing beginnings were blafted, 
 and all hope of agreement did evanifh. 
 
 Yet, notwithstanding, thro" the Lord's wonderful 
 condefeenfion, thefe bitter waters were fweetened by 
 his bleffing remarkably the labours of his faithful fer- 
 vants. This was the cafe, not only at St. Andrews , 
 and at Coupar, For gen, Dunbog, Ceres, Kemback y 
 Scoonie, and other places where Mr. Blair aflifled 
 on communion cccafions ; but in feveral other places 
 thro' the land, and even in fome places in the 
 •Highlands of Scotland, a great door, and an effectual 
 was opened to* many. 
 
 /'/..V9 1656, in a meeting at Edinburgh oftwomi- 
 r.ifter? from every fynod, it was agreed to fend up 
 one of their number to the Protector, to prevent mif- 
 informaicr.s, and take care that the cfb.blifhed order 
 
 received 
 
C i« ] 
 
 received no more prejudice by the protefters planting 
 kirks, and depofing minifters, &c ; and Mr. James 
 Sharp minuter at Crail, afterwards too well known 
 by his infamous practices, was pitched on for that 
 purpofe. 
 
 When he came to London, he got a favourable re- 
 ception. But the marquis of Argy'.e being then at 
 London, procured that the protefters might have an 
 equal hearing. And fo Mr. James Simp/on at Airth 9 
 one of the three minifters depofed by the afTembly 
 1 65 1, was fent up by the protefters. And in the 
 beginning of the year 1657, Mr. James Guthrie at 
 Stirling, and Mr. Patrick Gillefpie at G/aJgow, the 
 other two ministers depofed by that afTembly, toge- 
 ther with the lord JVarriJlon, were fent up to aiTift 
 Mr. Simp/on. 
 
 Mr. Blair was utterly againft thofe mefTages, judg- 
 ing it very unmeet to make the Protector umpire 
 of our finful and ihameful divifions ; but he could 
 not prevent them. All thefe commifTioners went up ; 
 and after mutual jangling before the fox-iike and 
 crafty Protector, who did caft more oil into the 
 'flame, and judged that their jarrings were his fecu- 
 rity, they were difmiffed for a time ; and afterward 
 had liberty to go home, and accommodate their diffe- 
 rences as they beft could. 
 
 Upon the 3d of September 1658 Oliver Cromwel 
 lord protector died. It was obferved that he ufed to 
 call that day his, becaufe on it he routed our armies 
 at Dunbar and JVorcefler, in the years 1650 and 
 1651 ; and on that fame very day the king of terrors 
 routed him, and God the juft judge of ali called him 
 to an account. 
 
 After this, his fern Richard governed for a fliort 
 fpace ; till the army, wearying of one perfon, depofed 
 him, and brought in the remains of the long parlia- 
 ment, ouied by the army in the year 1648; who be- 
 ing reduced to about 60 now liviog o[ 240 members, 
 Q, wsrc 
 
C M* 1 
 
 were called The Rump Parliament. And thefe bore 
 fway, till the kingdom, being quite lick of diftracYions, 
 rcftored king Charles II. anno 1660 ; the particulars 
 of which retioration, and the woful confequences of 
 it, are otherwife well known. 
 
 On this lad occafion, Mr. Blair did again beftir him- 
 felf to procure union betwixt the refoiutioners and 
 protefters : But tho 1 he obtained a meeting for that 
 effect, his endeavours were fruftrated ; and no recon- 
 ciliation could be obtained, till both fides were call 
 into a long and hot furnace of perfecution. 
 
 About this time Mr. Blair began to be weary of 
 his charge, and to wifh for a tranfportation, hoping 
 that his labours might be more ufeful elfewhere ; for 
 of late years he was fufpecled by both the contending 
 parties, and by none more than his two oppofitc 
 colleagues, Mr. Rutherford and Mr. Wood, by whom 
 (as he ufed to fay) he was cuffed upon both hands. 
 And no fooner wasi.his inclination divulged, than he 
 got a call to Glafgow; and fome time after that, a call 
 from his old congregation at Bangor ; the laft of 
 which he rather inclined to follow. But the prefby- 
 tery and fynod having refufed to tranfport him, he 
 was conltrained to abide at St. Andrews. 
 
 PERIOD SI XTH. 
 
 From the time Mr. Blair was fummoned before the par- 
 liament 1661, to his death anno 1666. 
 
 A S in the former part of thefe Memoirs there is 
 J[\ little coherence betwixt many of the facts re- 
 lated, the main thing intended being a relation of 
 Facts, rather in the order of time than purpofe ; the 
 fame rule (hall be followed here. 
 
 This year. Mr. James Sharp, knowing the docto- 
 rate to be, according to the canon law, a ftirrup to 
 
 mount 
 
[ »3l. 
 
 mount him to prelacy, was admitted to that 
 place in the college of St. Andrews. Mr. Blair and 
 Mr. Rutherford did what they could to obftrucl his 
 accefs; but now the tide of the time being turned, 
 he found it poflible to get in nill they would they 
 
 Mr. Blair having often before this bewailed his in- 
 fufficiency for difcharging his duty fully to all his 
 parifhioners, did beftir himfelf to get a landward 
 parifli erected to the north-weft of St. Andrews, as 
 Formerly he had obtained to the fouth-weft. But 
 when he had this point near effectuated, doctor 
 Sharp, who knew better how bowls rolled at court, 
 and that he himfelf being defigned for archbifhop of 
 that fee, would be thereby deprived of a part of his 
 living, had the addrefs to get that good defign ftopt. 
 
 In September 1661, Mr. Sharp coming to St. An- 
 drews, and theprefbytery having had affurance of his 
 deceitful carriage at court, and of the probability of 
 his being made archbifhop of St. Andrews, fent Air. 
 Blair and another to him; who difcharged their duty 
 fo faithfully towards him, that Sharp did not greatly 
 difguife his refentment, and was never at eafe till he 
 got Mr. Blair rooted out. 
 
 And as all things concur for the great ends which 
 God hath before ordained, fo was it in this cafe : 
 For Mr. Blair being afraid left he had behaved 
 with too great filence, took occafion, in a fer- 
 mon he had from \ Pet Hi. 13,14. to move the 
 queftion, Whether fuffering for prefbyterian govern- 
 ment was fuffering for righteoufnefs fake ? and re- 
 folving it in the affirmative, and giving his teftimony 
 to the covenants, and Work of reformation, and a- 
 gainft the finfu! and corrupt courfes of the time, orders 
 were fent to the magiftrates of St. Andrews, to bring 
 hm over to attend the fecret council. Accordingly, 
 when the council-day came, November c. the advo- 
 cate and fome noblemen were appointed to converfe 
 
 with 
 
 '- 
 
C i« ] 
 
 with Mr. Blair ; and, at meeting, pofed him on the 
 following points : 1. Whether he had afTerted pre» 
 fbyterial government to be jure divinoP 2. Whe- 
 ther he had afTerted, that fuffering for prefbyterial 
 government was fuffering for righteoufnefs fake ? 
 And, 3. Whether in his prayers againft popery he 
 had joined Jrotten prelacy with it I And having an- 
 fwered all in the affirmative, and profeffed his fur- 
 prife how they could doubt his opinion in thefa 
 points ; was firft confined to his chamber in Edin- 
 burgh \ and thereafter, upon his earned fupplica- 
 tion for liberty from fo clofe confinement, and atte- 
 ntions by phyficians of the injury he fuftained 
 thereby, he was permitted to retire to Inverejk, whi- 
 ther he went about the 12th of January 1662. 
 
 About 12 y tars before this, upon amotion from .Mr. 
 David Dickfon, the general affcmbly had refolved upon 
 a new explication of the holy brble. For that purpofe 
 the feveral books were divided amongft a number of 
 the moil godly and learned of the miniftry. 'And 
 the books of Proverbs and Ecclefiajles were ailigned 
 to Mr. Blah-, as his portion : But as he affected to 
 treat on fuch parts of fcripture as favoured more of 
 the gofpel, he neglected that talk till now, that be- 
 ing rendered in a manner ufelefs for other purpofes, 
 he fet about \yriting, and finifhed his commentary on 
 the Proverbs, in the beginning of the year 1666. 
 
 Mr. Blair continued at Inverefk till ftober follow- 
 ing, enjoying much of God's prefence, and inward 
 joy and. peace of mind, amidlt great outward trouble 
 to others. At which time, archbilhop Sharp want- 
 ing to have his place filled with a more pliable neigh- 
 bour, a mefTenger was fent with an order, to bring 
 him before the fecret council. But Providence hav- 
 ing fo ordered, that Mr. Blair was bad of the gravel ; 
 and that in the meffenger's company he palled fome 
 ftcnes ; and a phyfician, with, the- minifter of the 
 
 place, 
 
C "5 3 
 
 place, attcfting his indifpofition, he was excufed till 
 next council-day. 
 
 Shortly after, Mr. Blair hearing that the council 
 had declared his place in St. Anderws vacant, he, 
 to prevent further trouble, fent in his prefentation 
 to that core. This the council constructed as a giv- 
 ing up his paltoral charge, and infifted no further 
 againft him at that time. But iVfr. Blair meant no. 
 more, than the giving up with his claim to a legal 
 benefice ; which he could not enjoy, tho' he had kept 
 that prefentation. 
 
 About this time Mr. Blair fent a petition to the 
 council, reprefenting his incommodious fituation, 
 and fupplicating for liberty to remove from that 
 place. And by the chancellor Glencairn's favour, e- 
 (pecially, he got liberty to go to any place he pleaf- 
 ed, except Edinburgh) the Weft-country, md the pref- 
 bytery of St. Andrews, So he removed to Kirkald'::, 
 whither fome other of the deprived minifiers did 
 aifo retire. 
 
 While Mr. Blair was at Kirkalaie, it was his cu- 
 flom, feeing he was precluded from publick preaching ; 
 and that many ferious chriuians, amongft whom were 
 fometimes perfons of quality, reforted to his family- 
 worfhip, to lecture and pray every day twice in his 
 family ; and, with fome of the good people of that 
 town, to obferve the la(t day of every month, as a day 
 of fading and humiliation, for the ruinous date of his 
 mother-church. For his recreation , he taught his 
 younger fons the Greek- tongue, and Logick ; an-d com- 
 pofed fome fmall poetical pieces, as a poem in com- 
 mendation of Chrift Jefus, another for the refutation 
 of the Popjjb errors ; with fome fhort epigrams, as 
 one upon feeing the fhip wherein his dear brother 
 Mr. Livingjlcn was carried to Holland, rafs by Kir- 
 kaldic, 
 
 Eut archbifhop Sharp, envying the repofe which 
 Mr. Blair, and fome other minifiers in like circum- 
 
 ftances, 
 
C m» 3 
 
 lances, did enjoy, procured an order of council, pro- 
 hibiting any outed minifter to refidc within twenty 
 miles of an archbifhop's fee, or within three miles 
 of a royal burgh. Whereupon Mr. Blair removed 
 from Kirkaldie in the end of February 1666 ; and 
 dwelt at Meikle-Coufton, an obfeure place in the 
 parim of Aberdour till his death, which fell out the 
 fame year. 
 
 For fome time after Mr. Blair went to Couflon, his 
 health was much better than it had been the preceed- 
 ing winter ; which he considered as a new obligation 
 laid upon him, to ferve the Lord in fear, and to re- 
 joice with trembling; and he ftill kept up his or- 
 dinary cuftom of farting the laft day of the month ; 
 in which he was joined by feveral perfons from Kirk- 
 aldie and Burntijlandy and by fome alfo about Cmiflon. 
 
 Notwithstanding the obfeurity of the place, Mr. 
 Blair received many vifits, particularly from the Si- 
 lenced ministers ; and he many times fadly regretted, 
 that fo many were hindered from the exercife of their 
 paftqral office, amongft the flocks over which the 
 Holy Ghojl had made them cverfeers. But dill he en- 
 couraged them ; and exhorted the young among them, 
 to be improving in their Studies, and preparing for 
 more publick employment, if it mould pleafe the Lord 
 to open a door unto them. 
 
 Upon the 10th of Auguft, Mr. Blair being worn 
 out with old age, and his fpirits fupk with forrow and 
 grief, for the deflations of the Lord's fanctuary 
 in Scotland, he took his lait trouble; and entertained 
 mod fcrious thoughts of near approaching death, 
 ever commending and extolling his glorious and 
 good matter, whom he had ferved from feven to 
 feventy-three. His (rcknefs increasing,- he Was vifit- 
 ed by many christian friends and acquaintances, whom 
 he Strengthened by his many gracious and edifying 
 words- 
 
 At 
 
C "7 ] 
 
 At one time when they told him of fome fevere 
 acts of council, newly made upon archbifhop Sharp's 
 inliigation, he prayed, that the Lord would open 
 his eyes, and give him repentance and mercy, if it 
 were his will. And to Mrs. Rutherford, at another 
 time, he faid, he would not exchange conditions 
 with that man, tho' he was now on his bed of lan- 
 gui/hing, and the other polled of great riches and 
 revenues ; nay, added he, tho' all that was betwixt 
 them were red gold, and given him to the bargain. 
 "When fome minifters asked him, if he had any 
 hopes of a deliverance to the people of God I he 
 faid, he would not take upon him peremptorily to 
 determine the times and leafons, which the Lord 
 keeps in his own hand and power; but that it 
 was to him a token for good, that the Lord was 
 carting the prelates out of the affection of all ranks 
 and degrees of people, and even of fome who, tho" 
 they were mod active in fetting them up, were now- 
 beginning to lothe them for their pride, falfhood 
 and covetoufnefs. 
 
 To his wife and children, he fpoke chriftianly 
 and gravely ; and after he had folemnly bleffed them, 
 he feverally commended or admoniihed them as he 
 judged expedient. 
 
 After he had done fo, his fon Mr. David, faying, 
 The bed as well as worft of men have their thoughts, 
 and fecond thoughts ; now Sir, God having given 
 you time for after thoughts on your way, and car- 
 riage, we would hear what they now are : He an- 
 swered, I have again and again thought upon my ways, 
 and communed with mine heart ; and as for my pub * 
 lick actings and carriage, in reference to the Lord's 
 work, if I were to begin again, I would juft do as 
 I have done. He often repeated the 16th and 23d 
 Pfalms, and one time PfaL lxxi which he ufed to 
 call his own Pfalm. About two days before his 
 death, his fpeech began to fail, and he could not be 
 
 well 
 
t 1*8 ] 
 
 /.nderftcod. Some things however were not loft i 
 1'or fpeaking of fome eminent faints then alive, he 
 prayed earnestly, that the Lord would blefs them ; 
 and, as an evidence of his love to them, he defired 
 Mr. George Hutc he/on, who was then with him, to 
 carry his chriftian remembrance to them. When Mr. 
 Hutchsfon removed from his bedfide, he faid to his 
 wife and others who waited on him, That he re- 
 joiced in fbffering as a perfecuted miniiter. Is it 
 mot, added he, perfecution to thruft me from the 
 work of the minillry which was my delight, and 
 hinder me from doing good to my people and 
 flock, which is my joy and crown of rejoicing; and 
 to chafe me frome place to place, till I am waited with 
 heavinefs and forrow, for the injuries done to the 
 Lord's prerogatives, intereft, andcaufe? What he faid 
 after this, was either forgotten or not underwood. 
 At length, about four o'clock in the morning, Augufl 
 27. 1666, he died, in the 73d year of his age. His 
 body lies buried near the kirk-wall, in the burial-place 
 at Aberdour\ and u pen the church-v. all above his grave, 
 was erected a little tomb or monument, with this 
 infeription only, the iniquity of the times permit- 
 ting no more. 
 
 Hie reond'ita jacenl mortal er 
 Exuvia D. Roberti Biarii S. S 
 Evange(ii cpud Andreapolin 
 PneclicjtcrisfidcliJJimi. Obiii 
 Augufli 27-. 1666. 
 jEtatu fua 73 \ 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 -Page 99. Ik* 2, after 15. add 16^ 
 

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