FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRESBYTERIAN MEMORIALS. TBaQantgne Qtess BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO. EDINBURGH AND LONDON HISTORICAL^ LITEEAEY MEMOBIALS OF |1rtslj])tcrt;inism in Irckinb. (1731—1800.) SECOND SERIES. J/ By THOMAS WITHEROW, PROFESSOR OF CHL'RCH HISTORY IN MAGEE COLLEGE, LONDOXDERRV. " Remember them which hare the rule over you. who have spoken unto you the word of God ; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation : Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever."— Heb. xiii. 7, S. "Et quidem bonos viros in hac terra fuisse non dubito, signa tamen atque virtutes aut ab eis nequaquam facta existimo, aut ita sunt hactenus silentio suppressa, ut utrumne sint facta nesciamus." — Gregokii Dialogi, lib. L WILLIAM MULLAX AND SOX, LONDON AND BELFAST 1880. P RE FA C E. In the present volume the reader will notice some deviation from the original plan. That plan was to give a distinct chapter to each writer, without regard to the importance of the work which he published, or to the position which he filled. This was found on experience to be attended with some practical dis- advantage. But in the present volume, to each of the more prominent writers only a separate chapter is given, while all the others are grouped together in a single chapter at the end. By this means space is economised, and a longer period of time is compre- hended in the volume. In the years 173 I- 1800, over which this volume extends, no author of the Synod of Ulster, the Secession Synod, or the Eeformed Presbyterian Synod, and no works of such an author, so far as known, have been passed over without some notice ; though the notice given to many of them is briefer and more meagre than we could have wished. If any such name or any vi PREFACE. such work has been omitted, it is because up till the present their existence has escaped our knowledge. On the other hand, two or three Southern ministers have been designedly left out, because their opinions on religious matters were so far outside the circle of orthodoxy, and they themselves but remotely con- nected with that form of church life which it was our main design to illustrate. Since the sheets passed through the press, a friend very kindly sent us a volume containing some writings of the Eev. John Eogers of Cahans, which we had not previously seen, and which enables us to give a more complete list of his works than is supplied at page 247. Had we been in possession of this volume at an earlier date, the name of Mr. Eogers, according to our plan of arrangement, would have come in at an earlier part of the volume, immediately after Chapter lxxii. The correct list is as follows : — 1. A Sermon preached October 24, 1770, at Newbliss, at the Ordination of the Rev. Samuel Rutherford. [1 Tim. iv. 12.] 12mo, pp. 32 (unfinished). Monaghan, 1770. M. C. D. % Sermon preached at Lisnavein, otherwise Bally bay New Erec- tion, on Saturday, June 10, 1780, to the Lisnavein Inde- pendent Rangers, Trough Volunteers, Lisluney Volunteers, and Monaghan Rangers. [2 Sam. x. 12.] 12nio, pp. 42. Edinburgh, 1780. M. C. D. 3. A Letter to a Friend ; or, An Historical Dialogue between Euister, a Minister of the Established Church, Misogenos, a Popish Priest, Bibliophilos, a Presbyterian Minister, and PREFACE. vii Zelotes, a Mountain Minister ; which contains some remarks on the nature of Popery, and evinces that the best Christians are the best subjects : that the political principles of the Mountain Men were never adopted by any body of men before the Revolution, and that there were witnesses for the Protestant principles in the darkest times of Popery. Also some account of Luther, Calvin, Zuinglius, &c, and of the rise of the Reformation in Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, and England ; and also the loyalty of Presbyterians since the Reformation. Collected chiefly from the writings of the Prophets and Apostles, Stackhouse, Newton, Robertson, the Universal History, Rapin, Clarendon, &c. 12mo, pp. 64. Dublin, 1781. M. C. D. 4. Dialogues between Students, &c. 1787. 5. The Substance of a Speech, &c. 1809. The full titles of Nos. 4 and 5 are given at p. 247. We hope it may be found on examination that omissions of this kind, and inaccuracies, though not entirely absent, do not often occur in the two volumes now submitted to the public. Magee College, Londonderry, 24th December, 1879. CONTENTS. CHAP. LI. WILLIAM BOYD, MONREAGH LII. ROBERT MACMASTER, DUBLIN . LIII. JAMES DUCHAL, D.D., DUBLIN . LIV. WILLIAM HOLMES, ANTRIM LV. JOHN MEARS, DUBLIN . LVI. ARCHIBALD MACLAINE, BANBRIDGE LVII. SAMUEL DELAP, LETTERKENNY . LVIII. JAMES MOODY, NEWRY . LIX. JOHN CARLISLE, CLOGHER LX. JOHN MAXWELL, ARMAGH LXI. GILBERT KENNEDY, BELFAST LXII. ALEXANDER COLVILLE, M.D., DROMORE LXIII. JOHN KING, DROMARA . LXIV. THOMAS CLARK, M.D., CAHANS . LXV. JOHN SEMPLE, ANAHILT LXVI. HUGH GASTON, BALLYWILLAN . LXVII. JOHN HOLMES, GLENDERMOT LXVIII. ISAAC WELD, D.D., DUBLIN LXIX. WILLIAM WARNOCK, DONAGHADEE LXX. JOHN CAMERON, DUNLUCE LXXI. JOHN BANKHEAD, BALLYCARRY LXXII. JAMES BRYSON, BELFAST LXXIII. BENJAMIN M 'DO WELL, D.D., DUBLIN LXXIV. ANDREW ALEXANDER, URNEY . LXXV. JOHN RANKEN, ANTRIM LXXVI. SAMDEL BARBER. RATHFRILAND LXXYII. WILLIAM CAMPBE'.L, D.D., ARMAGH PAGE 1 8 15 22 26 34 38 48 51 58 64 71 79 85 99 103 108 114 118 122 136 141 145 161 165 163 173 X CONTENTS. CHAP. LXXVIII. S. M. STEPHENSON, M.D., GREYABBEY LXXTX. JOHN KING, HOLYWOOD LXXX. WILLIAM CRAWFORD, D.D., HOLYWOOD LXXXI. JAMES CROMBIE, D.D., BELFAST . LXXXII. ROBERT m'CLURE, ANAHILT LXXXIII. ROBERT SINCLAIR, LARNE LXXXIV. W. S. DICKSON, D.D., KEADY LXXXV. SINCLA.RE KELBURN, BELFAST . LXXXVI. JOHN ROGERS, CAHANS LXXXVII. WILLIAM BRYSON, ANTRIM LXXXVIII. JOHN THOMSON, JUN., CARNMONEY LXXXIX. ROBERT BLACK, D.D., DERRY XC. JAMES ELDER, FINVOY . XCI. JOHN LEWSON, CAIRNCASTLE XCII. T. L. BIRCH, SAINTFIELD XCIII. HENRY HENRY, CONNOR XCIV. JAMES PORTER, GREYABBEY XCV. JOHN SHERRARD, TULLYLISH . XCVI. JAMES HORNER, D.D., DUBLIN . XCVII. GEORGE HAMILTON, ARMAGH XCVIIL JOHN GLENDY, D.D., MAGHERA . XCIX. THOMAS CUMING, ARMAGH C. MINOR WRITERS OF THE TIME . 1. GEORGE CHERRY, CLARE 2. A MINISTER OF THE GENERAL SYNOD 3. PRESBYTERIES OF ARMAGH AND DROMORE 4. ANONYMOUS . 5. ALEXANDER MACLAINE, ANTRIM 6. CHARLES LYND, COLERAINE . 7. ROBERT PEEBLES, LOUGHGALL 8. JOHN THOMSON, SEN., CARNMONEY 9. A PRESBYTER OF IRELAND 10. THOMAS VANCE, DUBLIN 11. CHARLES M'COLLUM, DUBLIN 12. JOHN NELSON, BALLYKELLY . 13. JAMES MACKAY, BELFAST 14. JOHN M'MAIN. DONAGHEADY PAGE 187 198 203 212 218 221 226 243 247 256 260 266 276 281 285 287 293 303 308 310 313 317 321 321 321 321 322 322 323 323 324 324 325 325 325 326 327 CONTENTS. XI CHAP. 0. minor writers of the time — continued. 15. JAMES HULL, BANGOR 16. WILLIAM JAMES, BREADY 17. SAMUEL MOORE, KILLEAG 18. WILLIAM STAVELT, ANN'S BOROUGH 19. WILLIAM BLAKELT, CARRICKFERGUS 20. JOHN BAIRD, D.D., DUBLIN . 21. HUGH DELAP, OMAGH 22. JAMES STOUPPE, DUNMURRY . 23. WILLIAM NEVIN, DOWNPATRICK 24. ANDREW FERGUSON, BURT 25. JAMES CARMICHAEL, DONACLONEY 26. SAMUEL LIVINGSTON, CLARE . 27. SAMUEL SLOANE, MARKETHILL 28. WILLIAM WILSON, DUBLIN . 29. PHILIP TAYLOR, DUBLIN 30. THOMAS M'KAY, BRIGH 31. MOSES NEILSON, D.D., KILMORE 32. JOSEPH HUTTON, DUBLIN 33. HUGH HAMILL, DONAGHEADY 34. WILLTAM TAGGART, DUNMURRY 35. WILLIAM LAING, NEWRY 36. JAMES M 'KINNEY, DERVOCK . 37. JAMES PATTERSON, BALLEE . 38. JOHN ABERNETHY, TEMPLEPATRICK 39. JOSIAS WILSON, DONEGORE . 40. JOHN NICHOLSON, BELFAST . 41. JAMES CUMING, AHOGHILL . 42. ANDREW MILLAR, CLOGHER . CONCLUSION .... 327 328 328 329 329 329 331 331 332 332 333 333 333 333 334 334 334 335 335 335 336 336 337 337 338 339 339 340 341 CHAPTEE LI. WILLIAM BOYD, M.A. (1710—1772), MINISTER OF MACOSQUIN AND MONREAGH. 1. A Good Conscience a necessary qualification of a Gospel Minis- ter. A Sermon preached at Antrim, June 15th, 1731, at a General Synod of the Protestants of the Presbyterian per- suasion in the North of Ireland. [Heb. xiii. 18.] 18mo, pp. 30. Deny, 1731. W. D. K. The Presbytery of Coleraine ordained Mr. William Boyd as minister of Macosquin on the 31st of January, 1710. At the time of his settlement in that part of the County Deny, the poverty of the country was so great that many ministers and people were seriously think- ing of emigration to the American colonies on an ex- tensive scale. In 1718 Mr. Boyd was sent over to New England, bearing a commission signed by nine ministers and by 208 other persons, authorising him to ascertain what encouragement would be oriven them bv the Colonial Government in case of their going to settle in that country. The original document still exists in America, and has been printed in Parker's History of Londonderry, N.H., from which we transfer it to these pages, under the belief that in this country it has never been printed before, and that it is therefore quite new to the majority of our readers. The names appended thereto many will recognise as the names borne at the present time by the old Presbyterian families of Aghadowev, Macosquin, Coleraine, Ballymoney, and the valley of VOL. II. 1 2 PRESB YTERIAN MEMORIALS. the Lower Bann. The answer given to the application is not now known ; but it is certain that, whether from an improved state of affairs at home, or from a less encouraging response than was expected, some who signed the commission did not emigrate. Mr. M'Gregor, minister of Aghadowey (1701-1718), whose name is not at the document, went out the same year that his neighbour, Mr. Boyd, was sent to negotiate ; the proba- bility being that he and those of his people who accom- panied him emigrated at their own risk, without waiting for the result of Mr. Boyd's embassy. Mr. M'Gregor preached to his people before leaving on the words of Moses, " If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence " (Ex. xxxiii. 15), and stated in the course of his sermon that their reasons for departure were— -first, to avoid oppression and cruel bondage ; second, to shun persecution and designed ruin ; third, to withdraw from the communion of idolaters ; and, lastly, to have free- dom of worship. He and his people founded a city in Xew Hampshire, and called it Londonderry, after the county which they had left, and the city, in whose suffer- ings and deliverance many of them had a share. It was this town, which some years after gave shelter to Matthew Clerk (see ch. xxxiii.). But to return to our subject. In 1725 Mr. Boyd left Macosquin, and accepted a call to Monreagh, near Deny, then vacant owing to the removal of the Bev. William Gray to Usher's Quay, Dublin. He was in- stalled in this ancient congregation, formerly known as Taboyn, but in later times Monreagh, on the 25th of April in the above year. He had been scarcely two years settled in his new charge till Mr. Gray, feeling- uncomfortable in the metropolis, without asking the consent of Presbytery or people, suddenly made a descent on Taboyn, and began to preach in an old corn- kiln at St. Johnston, within the bounds of his former congregation. Mr. Boyd in consequence found him- self at once involved in trouble. Persons, from consi- derations of self, everywhere are tempted to do unprin- cipled things, careless as to what interests are damaged. WILLIAM BOYD, ALA. 3 Members of Monreagli congregation, many of whom had made themselves morally accountable for a portion of Mr. Boyd's salary, were induced, some from conve- nience, and some out of personal regard to Mr. Gray, to connect themselves with the new congregation at St. Johnston. Criminations and recriminations before the Church courts followed. The Synod acted as arbiter between the parties, was lavish of good advice, refused for several years to recognise either Mr. Gray or St. Johnston, and in reference to the character of Mr. Boyd, on which some tried to cast dust, it declared that it " stands clear and unexceptionable, and that his doctrine and conversation have been suitable to his station and office as a minister of the Gospel." Not- withstanding all that the Synod did to protect him, Gray's unworthy conduct damaged his income. The congregation, which in 1674 had paid Mr. Hart sixty pounds, a salary not inferior then to that paid by any congregation in the Meeting of Laggan, promised Mr. Boyd fifty pounds at his settlement ; but this was so much reduced, that in 1732 he declared himself willing to accept forty pounds if well secured. To mark the esteem in which he was held by his brethren, Mr. Boyd was chosen Moderator of the Synod of Ulster at its meeting in Dungannon in 1730. Next year, when retiring from office, he preached at Antrim a discourse, the title of which stands at the head of this notice. It is an excellent and orthodox address, having special reference to Abernethy's sermon on Personal Persuasion, which he quotes several times. It is simply an echo of the great Non-subscription Controversy, the noise of which had now passed by. His doctrine is that to have a good conscience in all things is the bright character of a Gospel minister, and is what en- titles him to the respect due to his office. In handling his subject he shows what conscience is, what it is to have a good conscience, and what it is to have a good conscience in all things. He then illustrates the truth of his general proposition, and concludes with a par- ticular application. 4 PRE SB Y TERIA N ME MORI A LS. Mr. Boyd lived to be a very old man. He died on the 2d of May, 1772.* Conscience. I am to inquire what conscience is ; and I think it may be described to be a man's own judgment concerning his actions, as they are agreeable or disagreeable to the Divine law ; for con- science sets up a court of judicature in a man's own breast, and sustains every part necessary in this trial. As a lawgiver it discovers the ride by which our actions are to be regulated, namely, the law of God. As a witness, it declares what our actions have been ; and truly a man's conscience is to him instead of a thousand witnesses ; and as a judge it acquits or condemns, as they have been agreeable or disagreeable to this rule, and pro- nounces rewards or punishments accordingly, so that sometimes ravishing joy springs up in the soul or guilty fears are awakened, though men's actions are secret, and not liable to the cognisance of man. And yet still we are to remember that conscience is only God's viceroy and deputy in the soul, and in the whole of its actions accountable to Him, whether as delivering the law, witnessing as to our actions, or pronouncing sentence concerning them. And this the very grammatical construction of the word does suffi- ciently intimate, not only in our translation, but also in the Latin conscientia, and even in the original o-vpecdrjais, which signifies knowledge with another, namely, God. Conscience is not the supreme lawgiver, the unerring witness, the infallible judge ; it always bears respect unto God. The language, therefore, of con- science is to this purpose : God has forbidden, God sees, and God will punish ; and if it had not a respect unto God, which way could it put men upon the rack for their most secret sins, which no eye ever saw nor heart ever knew but their own ? It is a just and a holy God, who has power to save and to destroy, whom conscience reveres ; it is His law it proclaims, for Him it wit- nesseth, and in His name it passeth sentence. And it is the secret influence of the Supreme Being that makes its sentences comfortable or terrible to us ; for, as far as it acts right, its sen- tence is the sentence of God Himself ; though it is true, if it acts wrong, there lies an appeal from this false judgment in the court of conscience to our Supreme Lord, to be judged by Him according to His law. — Sermon, pp. 5, 6. * MS. Minutes of Synod : Boyd's Sermon on Conscience: Parker's History of Londonderry. WILLIAM BOYD, ALA. Mk. Boyd's Commission to America. To His Excellency the Right Honourable Collonel Samuel Suitte, Governour of Sew England. We, whose names are underwritten, Inhabitants of ye Korth of Ireland, Doe in our own names, and in the Names of many others onr Neighbours, Gentlemen, Ministers, Farmers, and Tradesmen, commissionate and appoint our trusty and well-beloved Friend, the Reverend Mr. William Boyd of Macasky to His Excellency the Bight Honourable Collonel Samuel Suitte, Governour of New England, and to assure His Excellency of our sincere and hearty inclination to transport ourselves to that very excellent and renowned Blantation, upon our obtaining from His Excel- lency suitable encouragement. And further to act and doe in our names as his prudence shall direct. Given under our hands this 26th day of March, Anno Dom. 1718. James Teatte, V.D.M. [Killeshandra]. Thomas Cobham, V.D.M. [Clotigh]. Robert Houston, V.D.M. William Leech, V.D.M. [Ballymena]. Robert H;gixeotham, V.D.M. [Coleraine]. John Porter, V.D.M. Hen. Neille, V.D.M. [Ballyrashane], Thos. Elder, V.D.M. James Thomson, V.D.M. [Ballywillan]. William Xer. Will. M'Alben. Jahon Andrson. George Grege. Andrew Dean. Alexander Dunlop, M.A. Arch. M. Cook, M.A. Alexr. Blair. B. Cochran. William Gait. Peter Thompson. Richard M'Laughlin. John Muar. Willeani Jeameson. Wm. Agnew. Jeremiah Thompson. John Mitchell. James Paterson. Joseph Curry. David Wilson. Patrick Anderson. John Gray. James Greg. Alexr. M' Bride, Bart Sam M'Givorn. John Hurdock. Geo. Campbell. James Shorswood. John M'Laughlen. George M'Laughlen. James Henre. Thomas Bamsay. Francis Bichie. James Gregg. Robert Boyd. Hugh Tarbel. David Tarbel. his John x Bobb mark. John Heslet. George M'Alester. Thomas Bamadge. James Campbell. David Lindsay. Bobt. Give en. James Laidlay. Benjamin Gait. Daniel Todd. Bobt. Barr. Hugh Hollmes. Bobt. King. Juhn Black. M.A. Peter Christy. James Smith. James Smith. Patrick Smith. Sameuel Ceverelle James Craig. Samuel Wilson^ Gawen Jirwen. Bobert Miller. Thomas Wilson. William Wilson. James Bryce. Ninian Pattison. James Thompson. John Thompson. Bobert Thompson. Adam Thompson. Alexander Pattison Thomas Dunlop. John Willson. David Willson. Thomas Walas. Thomas Cewch (?) PRESB YTERIAX MEMORIALS. William Boyd. William Christy. John Boyd. William Boyd. Hugh Orr. Robert Johnston. Thomas Black. Peter Murray. John Jameson. John Cochran. Samuel Gouston. Thomas Shadey. William Ker. Thomas Moore. Andrew Watson. John Thonson. James M'Kerrall. Hugh Stockman. Andrew Cochran. James Carkley. Lawrence Dod. Sandrs Mear. John Jackson. James Curry. James Elder. James Acton. [name illegible]. Samuel Smith. Andrew Dodg. James Forsaith. Andrew Fleeming. George Thomson. James Browster. Thomas [illegible]. Jeatter Fultone. Robt. Wear. Alexr. Donnaldson. Archd. Duglass. Robert Stiven. Robt. Henry. James Pettey. David Bigger. David Patteson. David [illegible]. John Wight. Joseph Wight. Robt. Willson. James Ball. Andrew Cord. James Nesmith. John Black. John Thompson. Samuel Boyd. Lawrence M 'Laugh - len. John Moor. James M'Keen. John Lamont. John Smith. Patrick Orr. Bouill Orr. William Orr. John Orr. Jeama Lenox. John Leslie. John Lason. John Calvil. Samuel Wat. James Craford. David Henderson. Mathew Storah (?) David Widborn. Luk Wat. Robert Hendre. William Walas. James Baverlan. Peter Simpson. Thomas M'Laughlin. Robert Boyd. Andrew Agnew. James King. Thomas Elder. Daniel Johnston. Robert Walker. David Jonston. James Steuart. John Murray. Thomas Blackwel. Thomas Wilson. John Ross. William Johnston. John King. Andrew Curry. John [illegible]. James [illegible]. Samuel Code. James Blak. Thomas Gro. Thoniys Ouston. Jame Gro. John Clark. Thomas M'Fader. David Hanson. Richard Acton. James Claire. Thomas Elder. Jeremiah Claire. Jacob Clark. Abram Baberley. Stephen Murdock. Robert Murdock. John Murdock. William Jennson. James Rodger. John Buyers. Robert Smith. Adam Dean. Randall Alexander. Thomas Boyd. Hugh Rogeis. John Craig. Wm. Boyle. Ben j . Boyle. Ja. Kennedy. M. Stirling. Samuel Ross. John Ramsay. John M'Keen. James Willson e. R »bert M'Keen. John Boyd. Andrew Dunlap. James Ramsey. William Park. John Blair. James Thompson. Lawrence M'Laughlin. Will. Campbell. James Bankhead. Andrew Patrick. James M'Fee. James Tonson (?) George Anton. James Anton. George Kairy. Thomas Freeland. Thomas Hunter. his David x M'KerreH mark. Horgos (?) Kennedy. his John x Suene mark, his Adam x Ditkoy mark. Alexander Kid. Thomas Lorie. Thomas Hines. his Will x Halkins mark. George Anton. John Collreath. William Caird. John Gray. John Woodman (?) Andrew Watson. William Bleair. his Hugh x Blare mark. William Blare. Samuel Anton. James Knox. Robert Hendry. WILLI A M B O YD, M. . t . John Knox. "William Hendry. William Dunkan. David Duncan. John Muree. James Gillmor. Samuel Gillmor. Alexander Chocran. Edward M'Kene. John Morduck. his Samuel x M'Mun mark. Henry Calual. Thomas M"Laughlen. Robert Hogg. John Millar. Hush Calwell. William Boyd. John Stirling. Samuel Smith. John Lamond. Robert Lamond. Robert Knox. "William "Wilson. "Wm. Paterson. James Alexander. James Xesmith. David Craig. Wean M'Neall. Thomas Orr. Wm. Caldwall. James Moore, jr. Sam. Gunion. Matthew Lord. Robert Knox. Alex. M'Gregore. James Trotter. Alexander M'Neall. Robert Eoo. Joseph Watson, Robert Miller. John Smeally. James Morieson. James Walker. Robert Walker. Robert Walker. his William x Calwall mark. William Walker. his Samuel x Young mark. Alexander Richey. James Morieson. his Joseph x Beverlan mark. his Robert x Crage mark. John Thompson. Hugh Tomson. James Still. his James x Hogg mark. Thomas Hanson. John Hanson. Richard Etone. James Etone. Thomas Etone. Samuel Hanson. James Cochran. James Hulton (?) Thomas Hasetone (?) John Cochran. William Cochran. his Samuel x Hunter mark. John Hunter.* * From imperfect penmanship, most likely, in the original, some of these names, it is obvious, have not been accurately deciphered. I give them, without any attempt at correction, as I find them in Parker.— T. W. CHAPTEE LII. ROBERT MACMASTER (1724—1754), MINISTER AT CONNOR AND DUBLIN (USHEIl's QUAY). 1. Clirist's Nativity a ground of great joy. A Sermon preparatory to the Lord's Supper ; preached to the Congregation of Ussher's Quay on Christmas Day. 1731. 2. Liberty without Licentiousness. A Sermon preached before the General Synod of Ulster at Dungannon, on Tuesday, June 17, 1740. With some additions and marginal notes. 12mo, pp. 47. [Gal. v. 13.] Dublin, 1740. A. C. B. 3. A Funeral Sermon occasioned by the Death of the late Reve- rend and Learned Mr. John Alexander, M.A. ; preached to the Congregation of Plunket Street, Nov. 6, 1743. 12mo, pp. 24. [1 Cor. xv. 26.] Dublin, 1743. A. C. B. Eobert Macmaster was a licentiate of the Presbytery of Antrim ; and after Mr. Mastertown removed to Bel- fast (see en. xxxv.), he was chosen as minister of Con- nor, in which congregation he was ordained on the 10th of March, 1724.* The following scene, which occurred at his ordination, is given by Livingstone (see ch. xxvi), in his letters to Wodrow, as illustrative of the state of popular feeling during the heat of the ISTon-subscription Controversy : — " I think the temper of our people will best appear to you by a late instance which happened in the Pres- bytery of Antrim with relation to the people of Connor, * There is some variation as to this date, some giving March IStli, and others April 5th. I give the date assigned in the MS. Minutes of the Synod of Ulster. Probably it is the original date fixed for the ordi- nation, and the actual ordination may have occurred on some of the other days. R ORER T MA C MASTER. 9 from which Mr. Mastertown was lately transported to Belfast. That people having called Mr. Macmaster, a very hopeful youth, and his trials being past, they sup- plicate the Presbytery that Mr. Mastertown, their late minister, might preside in the ordination, or, if that could not be granted, he being a member of another Presbytery, that a subscribing minister might preside, insinuating that they resolved against having a Non- subscriber his ordaining their minister. The subscrib- ing ministers, knowing the temper of that people, and foreseeing the confusion that might happen, were will- ing to comply with their desire; but the Non-sub- scribers violently opposed it. So when the proposal was laid aside, then the people supplicate that a sub- scribing minister should be appointed to preside, with which, after some resentment, the N.SS. complied ; but they insisted that one of their number should be appointed to preach the sermon. Against this the people remonstrated very warmly, but the Presbytery, to keep peace among themselves, appointed one of the N.SS. to preach at the ordination, and reason with the people to make them easy. The people expressed a great dislike at the Presbytery's appointment, and told them they would not comply. The Presbytery, however, appointed the time of the ordination, and accordingly met at the time appointed ; but, when they came, found the doors locked and the people all absent, but a few commissioners to attend the Presbytery. Nor had they suffered the edict to be served. In short, they produced a new supplication for Mr. Mastertown to be ordainer, and told the Presbytery they would allow no Non-subscribers to preach to them. The Presbytery was forced to comply, and the N.SS. having entered a pro- testation, went off in great disgust, and the ordination was again appointed that day three weeks. It was generally believed the N.SS. would absent themselves from the ordination, or, if present, enter a protestation. But they came to better temper, and gave no disturb- ance. It was well it was no worse; for the people had consultations among themselves, and had well-nigh io PRESBYTERIAN MEMORIALS. resolved that no Non-subscribers should lay on hands on their minister; but we got them dissuaded with much to do." * In 1729 the Synod sanctioned the removal of Mr. Macmaster from Connor to Usher's Quay, Dublin, which Mr. Gray, as stated in the previous chapter, had deserted, in order to return to Taboyn, and to found the congre- gation of St. Johnston. Macmaster's first publication was a sermon on Christ's Nativity, which he preached on a Christmas Day, pre- paratory to the administration of the Lord's Supper to his congregation, and to which he prefixed an essay, with the design of showing that there is no historical evidence to prove that Christ was born on the 25th of December, and that the Lord is dishonoured by the manner in which the so-called anniversary of His birth is usually observed. In 1739 he was called to fill the Moderator's chair in the Synod of Ulster. The Synod met that year at Dungannon, and had before it the case of Richard Aprichard, a licentiate of the Church, who held, it appears, rather lax views on the doctrines of grace. When resigning office the following year, he preached and afterwards published his Sermon, Liberty without Licentiousness. It is a very able discourse, evidently the product of a clear and sober judgment, and exhibit- ing metaphysical acumen of no mean order. He shows in it: — 1. That there is a religious liberty to which we are called by the Gospel, that is, that every man in matters of conscience is to judge for himself and on his own responsibility ; and under this head he lays down rules for using this liberty aright. 2. That there are bounds and limits within which this liberty ought to be restrained. Under this head he shows that reason is not to be the standard of faith ; that to follow, how- ever sincerely, an erroneous judgment will not justify us in the sight of God ; that a blameless life will prove no excuse for doctrinal error ; and that in religion we ought not to travel outside the circle of things which are * Wodrow MSS. vol. xxi. No. 87. R OBER T MA CM A STER. 1 1 revealed. 3. That when liberty passes beyond these limits it is abused, and becomes the occasion of sin. He ends by giving some occasions for the proper exercise of Chris- tian liberty. These are : Search the Scriptures ; judge for yourselves, but do not consider yourselves innocent if you judge erroneously ; profess the truth, and guard against the entrance of error; be concerned for the glory of Christ, This discourse is, in my opinion, the best reply that had yet appeared to Abernethy's sermon on Personal Persuasion, which had been published tweuty years before. Three years afterwards, Mr. Macmaster was called upon to preach the Funeral Sermon of his friend and neigh- bour, the Eev. John Alexander of Plunket Street (see ch. xlviii.). In this discourse, which was subsequently pub- lished, he considers, first, the representation of death given in the text, next how it shall be destroyed, and by whom, and then ends by making an application of the subject to the occasion. It is a sound Gospel dis- course, creditable alike to the principles, judgment, and ability of the author. What his private means were is not known, but being the minister of a wealthy congregation in the metropolis, he must have been in more easy circum- stances than most of his brethren. At the Synod of 1745, we find him promising to pay twenty shillings a year to each of seven poor widows of deceased minis- ters, and to continue the benefaction annually during his or their lives. As yet the Widows' Fund Associa- tion had not been founded : the wives and children of deceased ministers were often left in poverty and dis- tress, and there must have been more poor families than seven to whom such a benefaction would have been acceptable. Mr. Macmaster died on the 2 7th February, 1754. Arm- strong describes him as a man of considerable talents and of great zeal in his sacred duties. I have not been able to ascertain whether he left any descendants.* * Minutes of Synod of Ulster : Macmaster's Sermons : Livingstone's Letters to "YVoclrow : Armstrong's Sketches. 12 PRESBYTERIAN MEMORIALS. Reason is not the Rule of Faith. We must not make our own understanding or reason the standard of our faith, or a proper judge of every revealed truth. Our religion is a reasonable religion, yet it is not founded on the principles of human reason. Our faith is a rational persuasion, but 'tis only as founded on the Word of God, or the testimony of Him who cannot deceive. Reason is not our rule ; it is only the discerner of it. The written law of God is the only rule of religion to Christians : and therefore, in judging of Divine truths, we must keep within the bounds of it. In the Bible we find ail the necessary articles of our faith, and a plain and certain direc- tory for our conduct. It contains the whole will of God as far as He has thought fit to reveal it. By this only rule, then, we are to judge of everything proposed to be believed, and of every- thing to be performed. The authority of God has made the Scrip- ture the measure of our faith ; to this law and testimony therefore we must go, and speak according to this Word. But though it is the Scripture, and not reason, that is the standard of all revealed truth, yet is this entirely consistent with the liberty of every man's private judgment. It is reason that brings us to revelation, and satisfies us that it comes from God ; consequently it leads us naturally into the belief of the doctrines of Christianity, and then modestly submits to them. There is a sweet harmony between reason and revelation ; they are both Divine, and therefore cannot contradict each other : they both lead to the same end ; they are both the voice of God, and there- fore must be hearkened to with great attention. But still reve- lation is the rule according to which reason judges of all those religious doctrines which are proposed to our belief ; and when it has impartially examined them, and finds the evidences and proofs of them to be full and sufficient, it then pronounces that they ought to be received. And here reason stops ; not as superseded by the Scripture, but as taking the Scripture for its guide, and so declaring all the doctrines it finds therein to be of a Divine original and worthy to be believed, but all other to be false and spurious. The short is this, that though reason ought to be employed in judging about revealed truths, yet we must not make it the supreme judge of supernatural verities ; but, when a doctrine appears to be from God, we must acquiesce in it, and, though it be above our comprehension, we must believe it, because our reason finds it in the Word of God, which carries in it all the reasons of believing. It is the noblest exercise of reason to believe Him that cannot deceive us. — Liberty ivithout Licenti- ousness, pp. 9-11. ROBERT MAC-VASTER. Persuasion cannot set Aside Antecedent Obligation. In cases of an indifferent nature, where we are at liberty to believe or not believe, to act or not to act, it is certain that what is not agreeable to the persuasion of our own mind is sin. But where there is a prior obligation upon us to believe and act, our persuasion can neither set aside such obligation, nor alter the nature of it. And this is the case in reference to all the Scripture truths, whether essential or unessential, the belief of which God requires of us. There arises an obligation from the authority of God and the perspicuity of the Scriptures to know and believe these things, antecedent to our persuasion concern- ing them. If, then, notwithstanding the sufficiency of all neces- sary assistance afforded us for discovering truth and duty, we through our own fault fall into errors, and judge evil to be good and good evil — whatever sinful necessity we bring ourselves under to do this, the former obligation to know and practise our duty retains its full force, and cannot be cancelled by an erro- neous judgment. For instance ; every man to whom the Scrip- tures are proposed, and has a capacity to make that use of his Bible which God intended, stands firmly obliged to believe Jesus to be the Eternal Son of God, and the Saviour of a lost world, and to depend on His satisfaction for salvation. And if any person (a Jew, e.g.) who enjoys the advantages just now mentioned will neither believe Jesus to be the true Messiah nor trust in Him for salvation, because, after all the pains he has taken to inform his judgment, he is firmly persuaded that Jesus of Nazareth is not the Son of God, and therefore he thinks it an heinous crime to believe in Him or to make Him the object of his worship : now, I ask, will this person's erroneous judgment (even though he should be persuaded he was sincere in his inquiries) make void the antecedent obligation he was under to believe in Jesus, and to receive Christianity as a Divine institu- tion ? Certainly it will not. It retains its full force, whatever his private judgment may be. And if it does retain its full force, he is bound by the authority and command of God to renounce his Judaism and to embrace the Christian religion. And if he does not, he sins against God, notwithstanding the good opinion he has of his own sincerity. — Liberty, etc., pp. 15-17. Conscience not the Guide of Life. But against all the reasoning under this head, it will be objected that it is every man's duty to obey his conscience. I answer : If our conscience be rightly informed and act under the direction of the Word of God, we are. in that case, bound to act according to our judgment. In reference to this all men are agreed. But the main point to be debated is, what obligation a man is under to act according to an erroneous judgment i And 14 PRESBYTERIAN MEMORIALS. to this I would answer, that if a man is ignorant of or misunder- stands a religious doctrine that has been fairly proposed to him, a doctrine that he has had a sufficient capacity and helps to dis- cover, he cannot follow his erroneous persuasion without sin. For notwithstanding all the authority of conscience, it can never excuse a man if in obedience to it he do an ill thing. This appears to be evident beyond all dispute. We are assured that there are many errors in faith and doctrine which Christ hates (Rev. ii. 15), though the persons who believe and teach them may be fully persuaded it is their duty so to do. When our Lord says in the Gospels, the time shall come that they who kill His disciples shall think they do God service, He speaks plainly of an action performed according to the dictates of an erroneous conscience, but at the same time He speaks of it as a most unjust and wicked action, and such as deserved to be punished with the utmost severity. The Jews in crucifying our Saviour committed the most execrable of all crimes, and yet it is certain they committed it by following the motions of their conscience. If our conscience, through our own fault, lose its way, and lead us to do that which God has forbidden, or to omit what He has commanded, it will be no sufficient excuse to say that we did but act according to our judgment. And the reason is, because our judgment is not the standard of what we are bound to believe or practise ; nor is our obligation to assent to the doctrines or to perform the precepts of the Gospel grounded upon our conceptions and apprehensions concerning them, but upon the authority of God and the fulness and sufficiency of the means and assistances afforded us for discovering them. An instance or two will make this matter still plainer. A Deist discerns not the truth of the Christian religion, and believes it to be imposture ; does it therefore follow that he may and ought to obey his erroneous conscience and persuasion concerning the Gospel ? No ; because Christianity comes with such convincing evidences of truth and divinity, that no man can be ignorant of them and not deserve blame. — Liberty, &c, pp. 33-35. i5 CHAPTER LIII. JAMES DUCHAL, D.D. (1730—1761), MINISTER AT ANTRIM AND DUBLIN (WOOD STREET). 1. The Practice of Religion recommended as excellent and reason- able. In three sermons, pp. 114. London, 1728. A. C. B. 2. A Letter from a Gentleman to his Friend, a Subscribing Minister in the North of Ireland. [Anon., but Duchal supposed to be the Author.] pp. 16. Dublin, 1731. A. C. B. 3. Remarks upon a Late Paper entitled " Plain Reasons," &c. by a Friend of Liberty and Truth. [Acknowledged by Duchal.] pp. 35. Belfast, 1732. M. C. D. 4. A Sermon occasioned by the death of Mrs. Francis Bristow, the late wife of Roger Bristow, Esq. Preached at Antrim, December 21st, 1735. [1 Tim. ii. 10.] pp. 27. Belfast, 1736. 5. A Sermon occasioned by the death of the Rev. Mr. Hugh Scott, Preached at Newton, April 4, 1736. [1 John iii. 2.] pp. 28. Belfast, 1736. A. C. B C. A Sermon on occasion of the much lamented death of the late Reverend Mr. John Abernethy. Preached in Antrim, December 7, 1740. With an Appendix containing brief Memoirs of the Lives and Characters of the late Reverend Messieurs Thomas Shaw, William Taylor, Michael Bruce, and Samuel Haliday, Protestant Dissenting Ministers in the Counties of Down and Antrim. Published at the desire of the Ministers of the Presbytery of Antrim, by James Kirk- patrick, D.D. pp.62. Belfast, 1741. [Sermon by Duchal ; the Appendix by Kirkpatrick.] [Gen. 1. 24.] A. C. B. 7. A Sermon from Ecc. vii. 4, on the death of Dr. Arbuckle, a physician, and member of Wood Street Congregation. Preached January 4, 1747. pp. 42. Dublin, 1747. 8. Presumptive Arguments for the Truth and Divine Authority of the Christian Religion. In ten Sermons, to which is added a Sermon on God's Moral Government. 8vo, pp. 447. London, 1753. C. P. L. 1 6 PRESS YTERIAN MEMORIALS. 9. Two Essays in the second volume of the Theological Repository — 1. On the Obligation of Truth ; 2. On the Doctrine of the Atonement. 10. Posthumous Sermons. In 3 vols. 8vo. Containing 52 Sermons. Dublin, 1764 and 1767. James Duchal was born at Antrim in 1697, and in boy- hood had the advantage, or, as some may think, the misfortune, of being educated by the Eev. John Aber- nethy (see ch. xxv.). He studied at the University of Glasgow, and after taking licence was settled over a small Dissenting congregation at Cambridge in Eng- land. He spent about ten years there, during which time he prosecuted his private studies with ardour, more particularly in ethics and divinity. The only literary product of his English ministry was three rather dry and stiff discourses on the Practice of Religion, which he published in 1728. In August 1730, he was settled in the old congre- gation of Antrim, then vacant in consequence of the removal of Mr. Abernethy to Dublin. Soon after his settlement he got into controversy with his orthodox neighbour the Eev. William Holmes, pastor of those people who, disaffected in consequence of the principles of Abernethy, had withdrawn from his ministry, and had formed a new congregation in connection with the Synod of Ulster.* Mr. Duchal commenced the con- troversy by publishing anonymously, as was then the practice even of some respectable ministers, A Letter from a Gentleman to his Friend, in which he opened up afresh the old Non-subscription Controversy, of which by this time the public had grown heartily tired, and sought to vindicate the position of the Presbytery of Antrim, with which he had become lately connected. Erom the standpoint of a layman, who professes to be an impartial spectator of the two ecclesiastical parties, he deals with the question whether any test of ortho- doxy, in addition to the Holy Scriptures, ought to be imposed as a term of communion, and whether a pro- fession of faith in the Scriptures as the Word of God, * Now the First Congregation of Antrim in connection with the General Assembly. JAMES DUCHAL, D.D. 17 and in the Christian" faith as therein revealed, is enough to entitle a man to communion, provided no objection lie against him in other respects. The latter question he answers in the affirmative, and supports his answer by the common arguments employed by the Xon- subscribers. Thus, under the guise of an impartial spectator, a very decided partisan attempts to gain a hearing for his opinions. The appearance of tins work led to his neighbour, Mr. Holmes (see ch. liv.), issuing his Plain Reasons. Mr. Duchal rejoined in his Rcmarhs, and Mr. Holmes followed up with his Impartial Re- flections. The ten years which Duchal spent at Antrim pro- duced nothing in addition to what has been stated, except three Funeral Sermons, the last of which, being preached at Wood Street in honour of the late Mr. Abernethy, led to his removal to Dublin as the suc- cessor of his friend, and may be said to mark the termination of his ministry at Antrim. This sermon is specially valuable for having added thereto, by way of Appendix, a sketch of the lives and characters of four leading ministers of the Presbytery of Antrim from the pen of Dr. James Kirkpatrick (see ch. xviii.). Mr. Duchal became pastor of "Wood Street in 1741, and henceforth the sphere of his labours was limited to the capital. His biographers delight to mention it as an extraordinary instance of his industry, that during the twenty years over which his Dublin ministry extended, he composed no less than seven hundred sermons. Of course, the greatness of this feat must depend altogether on the manner in which they were composed, as well as on their value in other respects. Bub these were not the only intellectual products of that time. In 1753 he published a work of more pretensions than any on which he had yet ventured, entitled Presumptive Arguments for the Truth and Divine Authority of the Christian Religion, abounding, we are told, " in judicious and pointed reasoning, sound philosophy, and liberality of sentiment." In the char- acter of Christ, and in that of the two Apostles Paul VOL. II. 2 iS PRESBYTERIAN MEMORIALS. and John, he finds strong presumptive proof of the truth of Christianity, and the object of the work is to present the argument in detail. Soon after the publication of this treatise, the University of Glasgow marked its sense of the service which he had done to Christianity, by bestowing upon him the degree of D.D. Dr. Duchal was an ardent student as well as pastor on to the end. In his last days he gave much attention to the study of the Hebrew language, but it does not appear that he succeeded in turning his Aramaic studies to much practical account. He died at Dublin in 1761. After his death a selection was made from his sermons, and published in three volumes. Six small manuscript volumes, containing sermons which appear to have been preached by him at Cambridge and at Antrim, are pre- served in the library of Magee College, Deny. A writer in Aikin's General Biography remarks of Dr. Duchal, that " his character appears to have been truly estimable for piety, morality, modesty, candour, and benevolence. In his religious sentiments he was very liberal, and he was a warm friend to freedom of inquiry, rightly judging that whatever has truth and importance to recommend it will bear the light and challenge the closest discussion. As a preacher, Dr. Duchal sustained considerable reputation in the rank of rational divines in Ireland, from the strong sense, frequent originality of sentiment, genuine devotional spirit, and easy unaffected style which distinguished his discourses." Dr. Armstrong says that " he was a strenuous supporter of the rational and practical doc- trines of the Gospel, as opposed to mystical and fanatical notions." He means by this simply that he was a cold moralist, destitute of all evangelical sentiment, and tinctured with Unitarianism. Let us fondly hope that an able divine and Christian minister was entitled to much higher praise.* * Reid's MS. Catalogue and History : Armstrong's Sketches : Duchal's Works : Aikin's General Biography. JAMES DUCHAL, D.D. 19 The Late Debates. A load of disorders that has long pressed me, and grows every- day heavier, forbids me to expect that I shall continue much longer in this world ; and it is now nothing to me. But before I go hence and be no more, I am willing to give you my last thoughts upon your late controversies, in which I think the most valuable interest that ever was, or can be in the world, is very nearly con- cerned. And I hope you will charitably believe — I am sure my very heart says it is true — that I set me down to this without being conscious of any partial inclination to, or prejudice against, any party, having no intention but to serve the common interests of Christianity. My station "in life did not call me to act any part in your debates but that of a spectator. And though I could not be an uncon- cerned one, yet being without any interests or views that might bias me to either side, I had nothing to do but inform my own mind the best I could, and to pray heartily that truth and vital Christianity might prevail And now, after repeated inquiries, at my own leisure I give you my sense of things freely, hoping that "if I do no good, I shall do no harm. It cannot be surprising to any one who has considered human nature that this debate should have been managed with such heat on both sides, and that it should end in such a rupture. It would have been surprising if it had been otherwise. And methinks he does but slightly consider things, that will condemn any side by the lump. "Although the rupture was unhappy, there might be persons of great worth in each party — they might be generally so. I am sure, from a personal acquaintance of long standing with many of them, I know both SS. and 1ST on-SS. that are men of much knowledge and wisdom, of great piety and worth. Nor can I question that what they did on both sides they did with upright intentions and an approving conscience. And it is to me most pleasing to think hew happily they will agree in heaven that have so warmly debated upon earth. A time does come when an Abernethy and a Masterton, a Kennedy and a Kirkpatrick, a Bruce and a Livingstone, will understand one another perfectly, when holy light and love in perfection will make it impossible for them to maintain controversies any more. — Letter, pp. 1, 2. Character and Mission of Christ. At first sight it appeareth that the character of Jesus Christ h very extraordinary, indeed quite above nature in its present state ; for it is absolutely perfect in all moral respects, and such as we do not at all meet with in tins world. But not only have the writers of the New Testament introduced a perfect character in life, but they have, from the accounts they give of our Saviour, 2 o PRESS YTERIAN ME MORI A LS. as the only-begotten of the Father, raised the expectation of the reader to the utmost. This astonishing character they are to sup- port with respect to the design upon which He came into the world, the manner in which this design was executed, and through a vast variety of incidents and discourses with such as attended Him. Let us consider these things particularly, with fairness and candour, and see whether there is the least probability that this character should be fictitious. The sacred historians evidently set out the foundation of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, the long- expected Saviour and King of the Jews. Whether these pro- phecies appear to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ or not, I am not now to inquire, or what notions the Jews in general, or some particular persons, might have concerning the person who was to be their Messiah. But the reader, from the first accounts of Him, is sur- prised with His being called Emmanuel — God with us — a denomi- nation taken plainly from the Prophet Isaiah vii. 14. Here is, then, a Divine person brought upon the stage, and the descriptive cha- racters of Him throughout the New Testament are suitable to such a beginning. He is the " Son of God," the " only-begotten of the Father ;" standing, therefore, in a relation to Him in which no other person stood, or possibly could stand. He is represented as " the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person : " the name of God is given to Him ; creating power is ascribed to Him, for " by Him all things were created, whether visible or invisible," and by Him God " made the world : " an authority is given to Him to which all things are subjected, "He only excepted who did put all things under Him." Such are the strains in which He is spoken of by the New Testament writers. This Divine person is to appear in our world in the form of a man, and His generation as a man is miraculous : conceived and born of a virgin, His conception and birth predicted by an angel, and His nativity celebrated by a multitude of the heavenly host ; some persons directed to Him by the prophetic Spirit, as the son of David and the promised founder of an everlasting kingdom. Here is indeed an astonishing combination of most extraordinary circumstances to raise the reader's expectation con- cerning Him. And it will be immediately suggested, for what end did this Divine person come into the world 1 Surely it must be something very great and important, something worthy of such an astonish- ing interposition. This great design, the sacred writers plainly intimate, they did at first mistake. They looked for a temporal prince, who should make the Jewish statu great and flourishing, and subdue the nations to it, making the seed of Abraham chief among them, and every way great and happy. But when the counsel of Heaven came to unfold itself, we see quite another thing, but unspeakably greater, intended. The Son of God cometh for the redemption and salvation of mankind ; to raise them from the JAMES DUCIIAL, D.D. 21 ruins of nature, in which, through the prevalence of vice and superstition, they lay ; to restore them from a state of guilt and condemnation to the favour of God ; to establish a kingdom of truth and righteousness in the world, a kingdom worthy of the Son of God, into whose hands all authority was committed by the Father ; and to collect as the subjects of this kingdom all the good and worthy of every nation and age into one body, to whom this great Prince giveth, according to the counsels of Divine wisdom and grace, eternal life. This is a design which will be acknowledged to be the worthiest and greatest that could be formed, in which the world above as well as this is deeply con- cerned. The dominion of our Saviour is not over any nation upon earth, or all the earth only, but over principalities and powers, over all the holy angels ; and no doubt serveth purposes with respect to them worthy of such a constitution, though not particularly known to us. What we are principally concerned in is, that the Son of Man came to " seek and to save that which was lost." — Presumptive Arguments, pp. 78-82. 22 CHAPTER LIV. WILLIAM HOLMES, M.A. (1730—1750), MINISTER AT ANTRIM. 1. Plain Reasons against joining with the Non-subscribers in their unlimited scheme of Religious Communion, being an Answer to A Letter from a Gentleman to a Subscribing Minister, pp. 28. Dublin,l732. [Reprinted at Belfast. 8vo, pp. 28. 1732.] 2. Impartial Reflections on Mr. Duchal's Remarks upon an Answer to a Letter from a Gentleman to a Subscribing Minister, pp. 32. Belfast, 1732. 3. An Essay upon Religious Melancholy. In two sermons. The First upon the nature and kinds of that disorder ; the Second upon the scruples that arise in the minds of such dejected souls ; where particularly of, first, desertion ; secondly, heart sins and blasphemous thoughts ; thirdly, blaspheming against the Holy Ghost ; fourthly, election and reprobation ; fifthly, the day of grace being past, and sinning beyond the mercies of God. The whole concluded with some advice to those that are melancholy upon religious accounts. Both sermons preached at Antrim from Ps. xlii. 11. 4to, pp. 38. Bel- fast, 1734. M. C. D. 4. Some Thoughts proposed to the consideration of the General Synod in relation to a Controversy now depending concerning the extent of the Magistrate's Power in matters of religion. 12mo, pp. 16. Belfast, 1739. M. C. D. "VVhex Mr. Abernetby (see cb. xxv.), in common with his brethren of the Presbytery of Antrim, was excluded from the membership of the Synod of Ulster, those of bis congregation, whose attachment to subscribing prin- ciples and to orthodoxy surpassed their attachment to him and to the old walls in which they had so loug worshipped, retired from his ministry, and formed themselves into a new congregation in connection with WILLIAM HOLMES, M.J. 23 the Synod. This congregation, which was then the Second Presbyterian Conoreoration, but is now known as First Antrim on the roll of the General Assembly, gave a call to Mr. William Holmes, who was ordained as their first minister on the 7th of September, 1730. ISTo donbt there must have been for a time some un- pleasant feeling between the old congregation and the new — a feeling which, the removal of Abernethy to Wood Street, and the settlement of Duchal (see ch. lrii.) in his room, would do nothing to diminish. The natural result was, that a small local controversy now arose, which in itself was an echo of the great controversy, the sound of which for some years before had disturbed the pro- vince. Mr. Duchal, as already described, published his Letter to a Gentleman, in which he made an anonymous and covert attack on the principles which Mr. Holmes and his congregation represented. This, of course, led to a reply from Mr. Holmes, published under the name of Plain Reasons — a pamphlet which I have not seen, but which Dr. Eeid says is "a very clear and able defence of subscribing principles." Mr. Duchal rejoined in his Remarks, which was published also without a name, but which the author subsequently acknowledged. This led to the publication of the Impartial Reflections, written in reply. That closed the controversy, so far as the two ministers were concerned ; but a layman of Belfast, Mr. Hugh Blair, thought it necessary to interfere by publishing A Letter to the Rev. Mr. William Holmes of Antrim concerning his "Impartial Reflections" upon Mr. BuchaVs "BemarJcs" upon an "Answer" to a "Letter from a Gentleman to a Subscribing Minister." By H. B. of Belfast, Layman, pp.16. 1732. To this tract Mr. Holmes did not think it necessary to reply. The truth is, that nothing new and important could be said on either side. The subject was worn out, and the public were weary of it. The Essay on Religious Melancholy indicates its nature by its extended title. Without professing to say much that is interesting, it handles with some ability the doubts and fears which are apt to trouble 24 RRESB YTERIAN MEMORIALS. desponding souls, and proves the writer's intimate acquaintance with Christian experience and Divine truth. The tract on the Magistrates Poiver is supposed to be written by him. It defends the Confession against the charge of sanctioning persecution. Comparatively little is known of Mr. Holmes. His ministry was under the average length. He died on the 1st of May, 1750.* Election and Reprobation. I must own the doctrine of the Divine decrees is a great depth, into which we cannot dive far, without taking npon us to be wise above w T hat is written. I w^ould think it no hard task to prove (and the Arminians themselves will most allow it) that the style and language of the Scripture seems much to favour this doctrine ; and reason seems also to suggest that there must be a certain and tixed decree of all future events, otherwise God would not be omniscient, or foresee all things without decreeing them ; for there can be no certain prescience of future contingencies. What is contingent may either be or not be ; what is contingent, therefore, is not certainly to be ; and what is not certainly to be cannot be certainly foreseen to be. If the reasoning be just, then God's infallible knowledge of futurities depends upon His decrees. Again, men are not surely mere machines, but somehow moral agents, otherwise they could not be accountable for their conduct in life. Now, this I say, it is not difficult to prove that there must pass a Divine decree concerning all events, and previous to all that we do on the one side of the question : on the other part, that men are in some sense free agents, and that there must be some such thing as liberty in human actions, when the expres- sion is understood in a qualified sense. But wherein that liberty consists, or how it can subsist with a Divine decree, is what many have fruitlessly puzzled themselves about, and they most, I mean melancholy and ignorant persons, who of all others are most unfit to determine the question. Perhaps the best answer that can be given to this difficulty is that of a great author, who honestly con- fesses that, though he has sufficient evidence to found his assent upon in receiving both these points separately, yet he cannot find how they subsist or hang together. And I am apt to believe that, after the most penetrating divines have ransacked their inventions t;o the utmost, they will find a greater mystery than at their first beginning to think of it ; that when they have done * MS. Minutes of Synod : Reid's History, chap. xxvi. Xote 14. WILLIAM HOLMES, M.A. 25 their utmost, they must leave it as a secret that belongs to God, not to he unfolded until we arrive at the more understanding world. It is, therefore, a most unreasonable thing for weak mind- to trouble themselves about the decrees of God, which, being infinitely above our understanding, must be as much above our duty to pry into. Our duty is to search the Scriptures, and, from the marks and characters there to be found, to judge our state whether it be good or bad. Whatever promises God has there made to mankind, these we may apply to ourselves wherever we come up to the conditions, and are qualified to receive them ; and whatever threatenings the sacred oracles of God pronounce against the forward and' rebellious, we are to look upon ourselves as obnoxious, if we prevent not the execution of them by a timely repentance and seasonable reformation. This is the method which God has appointed us for coming at the true knowledge of our own state, and not the curious searching into the book of His eternal decrees, which are altogether secret to us. " "Why, then, art thou cast down, my soul 1 " — Essaij on Melancholy, p. 32. Remonstrance against Persecution. Again, if it be urged that there is a Divine warrant for putting men to death in the law of Moses upon account of principle, and several precedents for it, I answer that was a peculiar theocracy, and God, who knew their hearts, pronounced their sentence. And I would willingly join issues with, such objectors, could I but pre- vail upon them to have patience until they could show an uncon- tested commission from above for their proceedings, and not to put their poor brother to death because his conscience is not in every minute point, to a hair's-breadth, of a size with theirs, until they can show his dead-warrant from heaven. Once more, if any say that men may be distressed, though not persecuted to death, on account of heresy, I reply, what if after this their conscience will not ply and bend 1 Will they not be punished for obstinacy? will not a higher penalty be inflicted when a lesser has missed of its desired effect 1 If the law were wholesome in itself, it is fit that it should have sufficient sanction, and not be evaded by the obstinacy of the criminal. — Magistrate's Power, p. 12. 26 CHAPTEE LV. JOHN HEARS, M.A. (1720— 17G7), MINISTER AT NEWTOWXARDS, CLONMEL, AND DUBLIN. 1. A Catechism, or an Instruction in the Christian Religion, by way of Question and Answer. In three parts ; for the use of adult persons, pp. 48. London, 1732. A. C. B. 2. Sermon on the occasion of the much lamented death of the Rev. Mr. John Abernethy, M.A.., preached in Wood Street, Dec. 7, 1740. 8vo, pp. 48. Dublin, 1740. A. C. B. 3. A Short Explanation of the end and design of the Lord's Supper, with suitable Meditations and Prayers, and a Preface recommending a due attendance on that sacred institution. 12mo, pp. 136. Dublin, 1758. T. W. 4. Forms of Devotion for the use of Families, with a Preface recom- mending the practice of family religion. By the Revs. J. Leland, J. Duchal, I. Weld, and J. Mears. To which are annexed a short explanation of the end and design of the Lord's Supper, with suitable Meditations and Prayers ; and a Preface recommending a due attendance on that sacred insti- tution, also a Postscript and Supplement. [Prayers, pp. 180 : Supplement, pp. 152.] Dublin, 1772. The father of the above writer, called by the same name as himself, was the first minister of Loughbrick- land after the Ke volution. Synods and Presbyteries two centuries ago were much more autocratic in their rule than now, and sometimes disregarded the wish of the individual in their effort to advance the good of the cause. In 1696 a Committee of Synod directed him to remove from Loughbricldand to Longford, and the Synod in the following year confirmed that decision. In 1706 he was loosed from Longford, and was installed in the congregation of Newtownards on the 6th of January, JOHN MEARS, 31. A. 27 1707. He resided there till his death on the 25th December, 1718. The congregation thus left vacant chose the son as successor to the father, and on the 10th of February, 1720, John Meaes, junior, was ordained by the Pres- bytery of Down as minister of Newtownards. He entered the Synod at the time when the Non-subscrip- tion Controversy broke out, and, as might be expected from the baleful influence of Professor Simson, who directed his theological studies at the University of Glasgow, his sympathies were entirely on the side of those who wished to shake themselves free of the Con- fession of Faith. The young man, indeed, was in the habit of speaking so freely on the subject, that some suspected him of holding more advanced opinions on doctrinal subjects than other Non-subscribers. His objections to subscribing tests of religious orthodoxy, however, appear to have applied to the Westminster Confession only, certainly not to the Thirty-nine Articles and Book of Common Prayer; for in 1722 he made overtures to the Bishop of Down for joining the Estab- lished Church. When the Presbytery called him to account for this proceeding, he professed hearty repen- tance, and asked forgiveness, first of God, and then of his Presbytery and congregation, for what he called " his temptation of Satan." When Gilbert Kennedy (see ch. xxxi.) published his Defence of the Synod, he inserted various statements, which at the time were understood to have been made by Mears, the tendency of which was to compromise his character for orthodoxy. The minister of jSTew- townards seems to have been indiscreet in his private conversation, and in the heat of controversy Kennedy forgot himself so far as to quote these loose remarks, which he should not have deigned to notice. The matter made such a noise, that Mr. Mears found it necessary to draw up and read to his congregation a paper, which, notwithstanding the strong assertions that it contained of his orthodoxy, did not satisfy them so generally as to prevent a considerable secession from his flock. An 28 PRESB Y7ERIAN MEMORIA LS. abridgment of this document, prepared by the author himself, is inserted in Haliday's Letter to Gilbert Ken- nedy, an extract from which is appended to this notice. Mears was acting as clerk of the Presbytery of Down, at the time when Mr. Nevin of Downpatrick was ex- cluded from the Synod. At the first meeting of Pres- bytery held afterwards, he omitted the name of Mr. Nevin ; but when taken to task for this by some of the non-subscribing ministers, he assigned as his reason that Mr. ISTevin was not present. This implied, of course, that if he had been present the clerk would have called his name, in disregard of the sentence of exclusion pronounced by the Synod. This led to a discussion, and at the next meeting another clerk was appointed in his room. Two years later his own exclu- sion followed, in common with the members of the Presbytery of Antrim, to which he had in the meantime been added. His Catechism, designed to instruct adults in a know- ledge of the Christian religion, was published in 1732. It is divided into three parts, the first treating of religion in general, and of the evidences of Christianity ; the second, of the main articles of the faith as expressed in the Apostles' Creed; and the third, of the moral duties as embodied in the ten commandments. The work has often been reprinted since. But in 1818, the Presbytery of Antrim published a revised edition. The nature of that revision may be seen from an extract, which we give on the doctrine of the Holy Ghost. The work of revision is done so well, that very little which is distinctive remains. It shows the almost irresistible tendency that there is in ecclesiastical bodies to let go the faith by degrees, if the first firm hold of it is slackened. At the end of eighty-six years, the Presby- tery of Antrim quietly drop out of the book, in order to adapt it to their people, much that one of their own founders considered essential to Christianity, and there- fore inserted in his first edition. In 1735 Mr. Mears removed from Newtownards to Clonmel, where he succeeded the Bev. William Jackson. JOHN MEARS, M.A. 29 Of his experience in the South, so far removed from association with his Xorthern friends, we know nothing ; it is known, however, that in 1738 there were from seventy to eighty communicants in the church over which he presided. On the 9th of January, 1740, he was appointed to be minister of the congregation of Stafford Street, Dublin, a small section which in 1738 had separated from Capel Street on the death of Mr. Craghead (see ch. xxiv.). In the end of the year in which he came to Dublin, he preached, and subsequently published, a funeral sermon for the Eev. John Aber- nethy, the minister of Wood Street. The text is Matt. xxv. 21, and the subject "The reward of the faithful servant." This reward consists in being perfectly free from all evil, whether natural or moral ; in being per- fectly virtuous and holy, and possessed of everything that tends to perfect our nature, and is the perfect assurance that this blessed state shall never have an end. From these, as the heads of his discourse, he draws some practical lessons, and ends with a descrip- tion of the character of Abernethy, but gives no biogra- phical details. It is, on the whole, a commonplace sermon, manifesting no great ability of any kind. His Explanation of the Lord's Supper was published in 1758, with the design of exhibiting the nature and object of that ordinance, and to supply suitable medita- tions and prayers for making its observance profitable. It is throughout a devotional and practical treatise. His congregation in Dublin does not seem to have been prosperous ; for in 1762 Mr. Mears and his people judged it expedient to coalesce with the congregation of Wood Street, which, since the death of Dr. Duchal in the previous year, was in sole charge of the Eev. Samuel Bruce, son of his old friend and neighbour, the Rev. Michael Bruce of Holywood (see ch. xxxix.). He and Bruce thus became colleagues in the one con- gregation. When the people of Wood Street built their new church in Strand Street, Mr. Mears preached the first sermon in the new edifice on the 22d of Januaiv, 1764. 3° PRESBYTERIAN MEMORIALS. He died soon after, on the 11th of October, 1767. Dr. Armstrong mentions that he left a son, who settled at Calcutta, and a daughter who married the Eev. Mr. Brown, minister of Waterford. In Forms of Devotion, which was published by the ministers of Dublin, Leland, Duchal, and Weld have their names joined with his in the authorship, but I am not aware that Mears is responsible for any part of it except the part taken out of his Explanation of the Su r joper.* Assertion of his Orthodoxy. My Brethren, — It is now above four years since I have laboured amongst you as your fixed pastor, and I have, in my course of lecturing on the Lord's Day mornings, gone through the four Gospels, and have almost finished the Acts of the Holy Apostles ; and I appeal to you, who have been my constant hearers, and to those likewise who formerly were my hearers, but have now left me, if I have not taken notice of such argu- ments as those portions of Holy Scriptures afford us for the Divinity of our blessed Saviour, and endeavoured, as well as I was able, to set the strength and force of them before you. I have likewise, at several different times, preached directly and professedly upon that subject. In August, 1722, I preached two Lord's Days together upon that point, and in one of these ser- mons, stating the notion of Christ's Divinity, I expressed myself in the very words of the Nicene Creed, which was composed directly against the Arians, viz., " That our Lord Jesus Christ is the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, be- gotten, not made." And a little after, in the same sermon, I used these words, " When we say, then, that the Son is God, you are to understand that He has all the same Divine perfection that the Father has, and is in all things equal to Him, excepting that which is the peculiar and distinguishing property of the Father — the to a-yevvrjrov, as the Greeks express it — that is to say, His being unbegotten, or, as it is very well expressed in our Confes- sion of Faith, His being of none, neither begotten nor proceeding, whereas the Son is eternally begotten of the Father. Thus,' for instance, is the Father eternal ? So is the Son, there being no time when He was not, and consequently He has no beginning. Is the Father everywhere present ? So is the Son ; and so of the rest of the Divine perfections, still excepting that peculiar pro- * MS. Minutes of the Synod of Ulster : Reid's Histonj and MS. Catalogue : Armstrong's Sketches. JOHN MEARS, M.A. 31 perty of the Father mentioned above, viz., which to ascribe to the Son would be to make Him the Father/' Again, no longer ago than last month, I j)reached on the same subjects three Lord's Days. One of the sermons was from Rom. ix. 5, "Christ, who is over all, God blessed for ever, Amen." And the proposition I laid down to be proved was this : " That as our Lord Jesus Christ is really and truly man, of the stock of Israel and the offspring of David according to the flesh, so He is likewise really and truly God, supreme over all, and possessed of uncreated Divine perfections." The Lord's Day following I con- tinued to preach on the same subject from Col. ii. 9, " For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," which words I explained thus : "By the fulness of the Godhead we can understand nothing else than the perfections of the Divine nature. By saying that the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth in Christ, the Apostle means that Christ is possessed of all Divine perfections, and that the Divine nature resides in Him and abides with Him ; and when he says that it dwells in Him bodily, the meaning, I think, is really and truly that the Deity displayed Himself to mankind in our Lord Jesus Christ in a much more glorious and effectual manner than He ever did to the Patriarchs of the Jewish Church while He was said to dwell in their Taber- nacle or Temple. The whole can import no less than that He is truly God as well as man, that all Divine perfections belong to Him, and that, in a word, He has everything that the Father hath, except His being the Father." — Letter in Halidafs Answer to Kennedy, pp. 60-62. The Doctrine of the Holy Ghost. (From Mear's Catechism, Edition of (From Mear's Catechism 1741, p. 23). as revised by the Pres- What do the Scriptures teach us con- bvtery of Antrim, cerning Him ? Edition of 1818. Answ. — Concerning the Holy Ghost, the Scriptures teach us that He is the Spirit of God, and the Power of the Highest ; that He is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son, who proceedeth from the Father, and is sent by the [Omitted.] Son ; that He is present in the Churches, and dwelleth in all good Christians as in temples ; that He searcheth all things, even the deep things of God, and knoweth them, even as the spirit of a man knoweth the things of a man.* * A great variety of proof-texts are here added, which, for want of snace. we omic— T. W. -xi PRESBYTERIAN MEMORIALS. He is also represented a- receiving all things from the Father and the Son, and having all things in commuii with them ; and He is joined with them in the form of Baptism, and in the solemn apostolical Benediction. What are the offices of the Holy Spirit ? Answ. — The offices of the Holy Spirit are represented in Scripture to be such as these : that He inspired the ancient prophets, who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost ; that by His miraculous influence a body was prepared for the Son in the womb of the Virgin Mary ; that He was the guide of Christ during His state of humilia- tion, for He was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power, and God gave not the Spirit unto Him by measure ; that He descended on the Apostles at the Feast of Pentecost by His miraculous gifts, by which they were qualified to be our Saviour's wit- nesses to the ends of the earth, and to publish his religion to the world both by preaching and writing ; that He is the sanctifier of all good Christians, assists them in well-doing, fortifies them against temptations, and guides them in the paths of piety and virtue ; for which reason, partly, the title Holy is peculiarly given to Him. Have we any promise in Scripture of assistance from the Holy Spirit for the purposes of repentance and new obed- Answ. — The assistances of the Holy Spirit for the purposes of faith, repent- ance, and new obedience, are promised to us in many places of Scripture, but particularly in these words of our Saviour, recorded by St. Luke xi. 13, " How much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him." See to the same purpose, Kzek. xi. 19, &c. [Omitted.] Have we any promise in Scripture of assistance from the Holy Spirit for the purposes of repentance and new obedience? A. — The assistance of the Holy Spirit for pur- poses of faith, repent- ance, and new obedience is promised to us in many places of Scrip- ture, but particularly in these words of our Saviour, k ' How much more shall our Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him." JOHN MEARS, M.A. 33 How is it that the Spirit of God sancti- fies our hearts and assists us in the prac- tice of holiness and virtue? Ansiv. — The Spirit of God sanctifies our hearts, and assists us in the practice of holiness and virtue, by enlightening our minds and fixing our attention on the motives of religion, and thereby in- clining us to the love and practice of it. But in what particular manner the Spirit of God works on our minds we cannot tell ; it is so secret, and so per- fectly consistent with our reasonable natures, that we cannot distinguish it from the natural working of our own minds ; insomuch that we should not have known that we had Divine assist- ance in our good and virtuous actions if we had not been informed of it in the Word of God. Is not this promise of assistance from the Spirit of God, for the purposes of holiness and virtue, a great motive and encouragement to it ? Answ. — This promise of Divine as- sistance is a very powerful motive, and a great encouragement to virtue and holiness to such imperfect creatures as we are ; for we are hereby assured that our endeavours to subdue our evil habits and conform ourselves to the laws of the Gospel shall not be in vain, but shall be crowned with success. How is it that the Spirit of God sanctifies our hearts and assists us in the practice of holi- ness and virtue ? A— The Spirit of God sanctifies our hearts, and assists us in the practice of holiness and virtue, by enlightening our minds and fixing our at- tention on the motives of religion, and thereby inclining us to the love and practice of it. Is not this promise of assistance from the Spirit of God a great motive and encouragement to holiness and virtue ? A. — The promise of Divine assistance is a very powerful motive, and a great encourage- ment to virtue and holi- ness to such imperfect creatures as we are ; for we are hereby assured that our endeavours to subdue our evil habits and conform to the laws of the Gospel shall not be in vain, but shall be crowned with success. VOL. IL 34 CHAPTEE LVI. ARCHIBALD MACLAINE, JUNIOR, M.A., (1720—1740), MINISTER OP BANBRIDGE. A Sermon occasioned by the death of the Rev. Mr. Robert Rainey, preached at Newry, September the 19th, 1736, and published at the desire of the Congregation. 12mo, pp. 38. Belfast, 1736. M. C. D. The father of the subject of this sketch was the Eev. Archibald Maclaine, senior, minister of Markethill, in the Co. Armagh (1703-1734). Three of his sons entered the ministry. His son Thomas was minister of Mona- ghan (1718-1740), and father of Dr. Maclaine, the trans- lator of Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History. Another son, Alexander, became successively minister of Ballyna- hinch and Antrim. A third son is the subject of this notice. The people of Banbridge had originally formed a part of the congregation of Magherally, but in 1717 they formed themselves into a separate congregation, built a church, and chose a minister of their own. That minister was Mr. Archibald Maclaine, junior. He was ordained at Banbridge on the 26th of April, 1720. His only publication is his funeral sermon for the Eev. Eobert Eainey of Newry (1706-1736). The text is Acts xiii. 36, "David, after he had served his own- generation by the will of God, fell on sleep," &c. On such a hackneyed subject it is difficult to say anything that is not familiar, and Maclaine does not attempt it. ARCHIBALD MACLAINE, JUXIOR, M.A. 35 The discourse is plain, the thoughts trite, the style mediocre ; but it is a fair specimen of the sober and moderate preaching of the Synod of Ulster, in that dull period between the exit of the Non-subscribers and the advent of the Secession. Mr. Maclaine died early, after a ministry of sixteen years, on the 23d of February, 1740. His own funeral sermon was preached by his friend, the Eev. James Moody of Newry, and is noticed in connection with our account of that minister (see ch. lviii.). He speaks of Maclaine as " distinguished for manly and unaffected piety," and as " remarkable for candour and sincerity " as any man he ever knew. He describes him as " an affectionate husband, a tender parent, a gentle master, and an obliging neighbour." He says that he was a man of good abilities, which he carefully culti- vated, and of intellectual accomplishments ; and that as he allowed no man to judge for him in matters of religion, he was always willing to extend to others the same privileges which he claimed for himself. These were the usual terms of encomium in which, at that day, one minister who felt hampered by a creed usually spoke of another who entertained similar sen- timents. I infer, therefore, that Mr. Maclaine's sym- pathies were with the non-evangelical school in the Synod. For it must not be supposed, that the Presby- tery of Antrim carried with it out of the Synod every- thing that was cold and rationalistic and sceptical. From this time forward evidence of the contrary is appearing constantly. Against the non- evangelical spirit, which throughout the whole century and down till 1829 had its representatives and friends in the Synod, the formation of the Secession Church was a protest and a reaction. ISTo doubt, in the very darkest hour of this mediaeval period friends were never want- ing to the truth and the Gospel, but still the tide ran in the other direction, and for a whole century the tone and spirit which the Presbytery left behind after its departure were working an amount of mischief, which the Seceders, even when they had put forth their utmost 35 PRESB YTERIAN MEMORIALS. efforts, were scarcely able to counteract, A child can do more harm in a few minutes than a giant could repair in a century.* Character of Mr. Eainet of Newry. His sentiments concerning the nature, design, and tendency of the Christian religion, were exceeding just. For he well under- stood that it was calculated to increase our knowledge and to enlarge our love and charity, and by them to raise our nature to such degrees of happiness and glory as we are capable of. And I can appeal to yourselves whether, in the whole course of his public ministrations, he did not chiefly insist upon the great and impor- tant subjects in religion, love to God and love to our neighbour — whether that faith in Christ which works by love, and that repentance toward God which is productive of a good life, were not the ordinary, the principal subjects of his discourses. These lie looked upon as of the greatest importance to the peace and comfort and happiness of you, his hearers. He did not amuse you with vain and airy speculations about matters too high for us, too high for the human mind in this state- of imperfection to understand. On the contrary, he always made a distinction between those things that are of the greatest moment in religion, which all Christians are bound to regard, and those lesser points with respect to which we are commended to bear with one another in a diversity of sentiments. And in consequence hereof, though he discovered a commend- able Christian zeal for the faith " as it was once delivered to the saints," yet he had too much goodness in his temper to carry it with shyness and reserve to those who might happen to differ w T ith him in matters that do not affect the vitals of religion. ' His generous soul was far above that stiffness and bigotry, which always tarnish the reputation of men that are otherwise deserving of our esteem. He knew too well the weakness of the human nature and the prejudices it is subject to, to judge hastily with respect to those who differed from him, either as to their sincerity in their searches after truth, or as to their title to the favour of God. Indeed, he loved all those who made a credible profession of their loving the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, notwithstanding their differing from him in opinion or in modes of worship. This made him greatly bewail some animosities that happened among his brethren about matters of doubtful disputation. Not so much because there was a diversity of opinion ; for this he * MS. Minutes of Synod : Reid's MS. Catalogue : Moody's Funeral Sermon for Maclaine. ARCHIBALD MACLAINE, JUNIOR, M.A. 37 knew was not to be avoided in a state in which we know but in part, but chiefly because of the manner in which these differences were managed. And he would often, of late, comfort himself with the hopes of being soon in a better place, where the blessed inhabitants never look upon one another with a jealous or envious eye, never give way to suspicion or mistrust, to peevish conten- tions or angry debates. Indeed, he appeared to be in a particular manner fitted for such society. — Funeral Sermon, pp. 31-33. ' 33 CHAPTEE LVIL SAMUEL DELAP, M.A. (1707—1762), MINISTER OF LETTERKENNY. 1. Synodical Sermon at Antrim, June 21st, 1737, from Komans xiv. 1, and Titus iii. 10, 11. pp. 36, 12mo. Belfast, 1737. M. C. D. 2. The Scriptural doctrine of Original Sin asserted and explained. [Isaiah viii. 20.] A .Sermon preached the second Lord's Day of July, a.d. 1740. 12ino, pp. 26. Londonderry, 1741. M. C. D. 3. The Sin and Folly of making a New Captain to return to Borne. A Sermon preached on the Public Fast, December 18, 1745. [Numb. xiv. 4, 9.] 18mo, pp. 24. Dublin, 1746. A. C. B. 4. The Deliverance of Great Britain and Ireland from Popery, Slavery, and the Pretender. A Sermon preached on October 9th, 1746, being the Thanksgiving Day for our deliverance from the late wicked and unnatural rebellion. [Judges xx. 18-35.] 12mo, pp. 23. Dublin, 1746. M. C. D. 5. Remarks on some Articles of the Seceders' New Covenant and their Act of Presbytery making it the term of Ministerial and Christian Communion. 1st Ed. pp. 42 ; 2d Ed. pp. 40. Belfast, 1740. M. C. D. 6. A Dissertation on the important subject of Atonement. [Lev. i. 4, and Eph. v. 2.] 12mo, pp. 51. Dublin, 1758. M. C. D. The great-grandfather of Samuel Del ap was Allen Delap of Irvine, in Ayrshire. He married a Miss Montgomery, by whom he had six daughters and one son, named Hugh. This Hugh Delap appears to have been the first of the family who settled in Ireland. He married a Miss Aikin, and after his marriage he left Scotland, made his SAMUEL DELAP, M.A. 39 way across the Channel, and set up in business in the town of Sligo. In due time, when he had a home fit for her reception, his wife, who is described as a woman of very small stature, followed him to Ireland, but in making her way over the Donegal mountains was robbed in passing through the Gap of Barnesmore. The Delaps were among the first Protestants who settled in Sligo. For years their children remained unbaptized, there being no Protestant minister in the place ; but at last one named Boecroft arrived, by whom the rite was administered. Two days before the Irish massacre of 1641, Lord Taffe sent for the family and brought them to Ballymote — an event which, in all probability, was the means of preserving their lives. Hugh Delap left a son named Eobert, who married Jane Murray, and who lived as a merchant successively at Sligo, Manorhamilton, and Ballyshannon. His son was also called Eobert. He was a merchant ii Ballyshannon, and by his wife, Anne Lindsay, be- came father of the subject of the present sketch* Samuel Delap, the great -great -grands on of Allen Ddap of Irvine, and afterwards the minister of Let- tenenny, is said to have been born about 1680. In 17C6 he was licensed by the Presbytery of Derry, and was subsequently ordained by the same Presbytery at Letterkenny on the 13th of August, 1707. The year afteihis settlement there he married Sarah Campbell, daughter of the Bev. Eobert Campbell of Eay (see ch. xii.),an estimable woman, who was the companion of his lie for fifty-four years. She survived him only for a fortiight, as she died on the 13th of September, 1762, at the age of seventy-seven. Tradition tells that this worth/ couple kept a dairy outside of and adjacent to the t