Biographia Scoticana (Scots Worthies) Part 45

[227] Amongst the branches of this numerous family, were Mr. Adam Blackadder, who was first imprisoned in Stirling at seventeen years of age, and afterwards in Blackness, in the year 1684, for waiting on his father John Blackadder, who came over with Argyle 1685, and was apprehended, but afterwards set at liberty; and that religious gentleman Colonel Blackadder sometime governor of Stirling castle since the revolution. Whither that Dr. William Blackadder mentioned in history was that Mr Blackadder who was at Bothwel, or if he was son to Mr John Blackadder and brother to the above mentioned, I cannot say at present.

[228] It was one Mr. William Blackadder that was at Bothwel.

[229] A historian says, that Mr. Blackadder was as free to have declared his disapprobation of what was done there, as he was of his not being there--But whether it be not a slur thrown upon the memory of this worthy man, to insinuate that he should suffer such hardships and so many years imprisonment merely out of ill nature, when he was free to have declared what would have satisfied them, must be left with the reader.

[230] See this in his testimonials from the cla.s.ses, which are inserted in his life at large, pag. 25, &c.

[231] This seems to have been when he made a hasty journey thither in the year 1684 and 1686. See his letters page 98, and 136.

[232] See his letters and the answers, with the reasoning on Cathcart's affair at large from page 84 to 97.

[233] Mr. Peden on his death-bed sent for him, and after some conference owned he had been misinformed anent him; exhorted him to go forward, and he would be carried honestly through; asked his forgiveness, and desired him to pray with him before he departed: all which Mr. Renwick did with great cheerfulness. See Walker's remarks of the life of Mr. Peden.

[234] See his letter to Earlston, page 163.

[235] Mr. Hugh Kennedy then moderator.

[236] This testimony was again of late republished by some friends to the same cause.

[237] For besides these reproaches already noticed, with many others, he and his followers were charged as men of anarchical, murdering and b.l.o.o.d.y principles, which makes it the less wonder that their successors should be still charged with the same.

[238] And it is to be remarked, that many of the Jury were professors, and eminent in the tolerated meetings; while others, even of the malignants, chose rather to run the hazard of the penalty, as the laird of Torrence, who compeared not, and Somerville chamberlain of Douglas, who, though when he appeared, yet when he saw Mr Renwick turn about, and direct his speech to them, he ran away, saying, He trembled to think to take away the life of such a pious like man, though they should take his whole estate. The list of the a.s.sizers is as follows:

James Hume of Kimmergen.

John Hume of Nine wells.

John Martin clerk to the manufactory.

Alexander Martin sometimes clerk of ---- Robert Halyburton merchant.

Thomas Laurie merchant.

Archibald Johnston merchant.

Thomas Wylie merchant.

James Hamilton vintner.

William c.o.c.kburn merchant.

James Hamilton jun. stationer.

Robert Currie stationer.

Joseph Young merchant.

John Cuningham merchant in Glasgow.

Ninian Banantine of Kaims, chancellor.

[239] Wodrow's history, Vol. I. page 71, &c.

[240] In this testimony among other things they say, "We do profess our dissatisfaction that the civil powers should take upon them to prescribe public humiliation and thanksgiving, with the causes and diets thereof, to all the ministers and members of this church, as being contrary to the well warranted privileges and constant practice of the church itself, and in its own nature introductory to greater encroachments, and putting into the hands of the civil powers the modelling of the public worship of G.o.d, a thing most properly ecclesiastic, &c."

[241] This relation was attested by William Bulloch, who was his faithful servant near thirty years who was eye and ear witness, and was inclined to think he was an angel.

[242] It must, of necessity, here be observed, That any who are acquainted with the historical accounts of these times, will find that Mr. Hog was not so explicit upon point of public testimony, as the more faithful part of our sufferers at that time; otherwise he was, for parts and attainments, a very remarkable and extraordinary man, as this narrative in part discovers.

[243] Pat. Walker in his remarks says, That while he was in prison he dealt earnestly with Messrs. King and Kid (then under sentence of death) to give a healing testimony in favours of the indulged. And that he was liberate upon the terms of the indemnity, &c. However be as it will, to derogate from nothing due to the memory of Mr. Fleming, It is well known, that though he was never actively indulged himself, yet he ran into some extremes in coalescence with them; which was no small grief at that time to faithful Mr. M'Ward, as witness his earnest contendings, &c.

[244] This seems to have been in the year 1685, upon a process of forfeiture and citation of appearance given him amongst others, but upon a representation given in by him, his diet was deserted: which made up a part of his compliances.

[245] In his own impartial relation, page 11.

[246] _To the Moderator and remanent Members of the General a.s.sembly, now convened at Edinburgh, October 1690, The humble Proposals of Mr.

Alexander Shields_, &c.

If our eye could suitably affect our hearts this day, Right Reverend, we might find much matter, both of rejoicing and mourning, in the wonderful commencement and advancement of this work of reformation. We are called to rejoice with thanksgiving for the mercy of G.o.d manifested and magnified in the progress of this work hitherto; that the Lord hath been pleased in sovereign mercy to prevent and surprize us with such a reviving in our bondage, by the repression of tyranny, suppression of popery, and depression of prelacy. When the doctrine of this church is a.s.serted, and the confession of faith formerly received, is read, voted, approven and established by parliament. The worship and ordinances of Christ are administred in great purity, plenty and peace: The government of Christ's inst.i.tution, is at length restored to what it was _anno_ 1592. And the discipline retrieved to such a fond of freedom, that all ecclesiastic courts may without restraint, or being accountable to any exotic usurped power in the magistrate, a.s.sert all the authority, and exercise the power, wherewith Christ hath intrusted them. Which power, if duly and diligently improved, and put in execution, may, through the blessing of G.o.d, contribute very much to the reducing of order, and the redress of many disorders in this church. And now the causes of our disunion and division, in times of defection, being in a great measure removed, when erastian usurpations are abrogated, the churches intrinsic power redintegrated, and the corruptions introduced by compliances, so far abdicated and antiquated, that they are not, in the const.i.tution of the church, and do not continue to be the scandal and snare of the times; we hope and expect a remedy may be found for our breaches and divisions, that we thought incurable, and union and communion in the Lord may be attained. We are no less obliged to mourn, when we observe this house of the Lord so unlike the former, wanting many things the former had, and pestered with many things the former wanted. They that have seen our former reformation in its integrity, before the late deformation, can hardly refrain from weeping at the sight of the sad disproportion between this and the former. In the former, as the const.i.tution was calculate in the nearest conformity to the divine pattern, so the builders had always a care to pull down what was to be demolished, before they established what was to stand; and to purge away the rubbish from the foundation, before they promoved the superstructure. Accordingly, when prelacy was reintroduced at several times, the first thing they did, when they recovered their power, was always to exert it, in condemnation of that corruption, and of these a.s.semblies and meetings that promoved, abetted, favoured, or complied.

And when the erastian supremacy began to encroach upon the church's liberties, and to bring the ministry into bondage, they did not think it enough to wrestle against it, by personal witnessings; but, by the good hand of G.o.d upon their endeavours, never ceased until it was condemned by acts of a.s.sembly. They proceeded also with great earnestness and vigilance, to purge the church of corrupt and scandalous ministers. But now, after all the rubbish and filth, brought into the house of G.o.d, by invasions and usurpations of the enemies, and defections of friends, when now opportunity and capacity is given to rebuild and beautify the house of the Lord, and to repair the desolations thereof, the present building is so far advanced, without pulling down and purging away the rubbish, and condemning these corruptions and defections, in compliance with them, or confessing and forsaking them, as our fathers used to do.

And the prelatical clergy, after all the evil they have done, and bitter fruits they have produced, are yet kept in many places, and like to continue, as a seminary and nursery of a corrupt ministry. As long as this rubbish stands, there can be little hope either of purity or stability in the superstructure.

In former reformations also, the advancement used to be progressive, beginning where the former reformation stopt, and going forward, after they had got removed what obstructed: But now the motion is retrograde, going as far back as that in 1592, m.u.f.fling many excellent steps of reformation attained after that in 1649. In former reformations, our worthy ancestors used to begin with renovation of the national covenants, and acknowledgments of the breaches thereof, which hitherto hath been neglected, to the great grief of many.

It is also matter of lamentation to reflect, that in former reformations, though adversaries troubled the builders, hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose: Yet, being furnished and spirited of the Lord, for that generation work, they never studied to please men, but to acquit themselves, as faithful servants of their princely Master Jesus Christ, in witnessing against all sins and corruptions of great and small impartially; and in acts of a.s.sembly, ordaining and recommending to all ministers, this faithfulness, in applying their doctrine to the sins of the time, under pain of censure.

But now, though there was never greater freedom and encouragement for, and necessity of faithfulness, when the adversaries of Judah are seek up to build, but on design to mar the work, and many are too much inclining to join in affinity with the people of those abominations; yet it is sadly wanting, and much desiderated among many ministers, who being long accustomed to fears, and constrained silence, have not yet recovered their confidence and courage, to cry aloud against, and not to spare the iniquities of the time.

Though in former reformations, this church was for order and authority, beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, and terrible as an army with banners; Yet now alas! the crown hath fallen from our heads, wo unto us that we have sinned. This holy and beautiful fabric hath been burnt up, with the fire of enemies fury, with the fire of our divisions, and with the fire of the Lord's indignation, burning against us for our defections, whereby the Lord was provoked to forsake his house; and since his departure there hath been nothing but disorder among his children and servants. The popish, prelatic and malignant party, have come in by force and fraud, and by the cedings of those, that should have stood in the gap, have broke down the carved work of our covenanted reformation, rescinding all the legal bulwarks of ecclesiastical const.i.tutions, civil sanctions, and national covenants, wherewith it was fenced. Wherein, alas! they were too much encouraged by our faint resistance, and too universal involvement in the sin of submitting to, and countenancing of the intrusions of the prelatical party. At length having set up these their ensigns for signs, in sign of complete victory, obtained over the servants and subjects of our exalted Prince, after they had invaded his kingdom and place, and made havock and slaughter of such as would not yield; they offered some tempting terms, whereupon they would suffer them to live in subjection to these usurpations, painted indeed with pretences of favours, but really, at least indirectly, requiring a recognizance of the usurper's power, and a cessation from opposing the peaceable possession of their robberies.

These and the like defections, on the one hand, together with many extravagancies on the other, have brought the G.o.dly into many confusions.

We did indeed demur to concur with and follow, and did think it our duty to withdraw from these ministers who promoted courses of defection after specified; and to adhere to those (though but few) who were more stedfast and faithful. When the case was so stated that we thought communion could not be kept by us with them, from whom we withdrew, without sin; while the very exercise of their ministry was so far depending upon, subordinate unto, complying with, modified and authorized by _unlawful usurpators_, that our joining would have inferred, at least in our conference, a submission to, symbolizing with, and approving of their offensive yieldings to these encroachments. Yet we never thought this a schism: Therefore,

That this happy and desirable union, may be holy and comfortable, in a way that may procure, and secure our union and communion with the Lord: And, considering in all the periods of this church from the first reformation, a witness hath never been wanting, against the same, or equivalent corruptions, that have offended us: And no method can be more adapted for recovering and restoring, union, than that which was used for preserving it: And that having aimed hitherto, to offer and keep up our mite of a testimony against the same: if now, under the convictions of its remaining righteousness, we shall pa.s.s from it; and so seem to condemn what we approved before, and approve what we condemned before, it will leave an undefiable reproach, not only on ourselves, but on our contendings and sufferings.

We earnestly desire, Right Reverend, you would be pleased to condescend to us, in some things, that we humbly conceive, are very needful, just to be sought, and easy to be granted. We know and are confident, your zeal for truth and peace, will suggest the same means and measures, for obtaining this end, and will urge you to take notice of the same things, we desire, without our advertis.e.m.e.nt: Nor do we take upon us to prescribe the methods, terms or conditions, necessary for composing these unhappy differences, and restoring the holy and happy union in the Lord; but we think, the word and works of G.o.d this day, point at these which we crave leave in the bowels of Christ, to remonstrate unto your serious consideration:

I. That to the end the causes of our divisions, the anger of the Lord as the holy cause, and our mutual offences, as the sinful cause may be removed, that the effect may cease, a mutual, impartial, and accurate search and trial may be made into our ways, to find out, and remember from whence we are fallen, and discover our manifold and manifest defections, from the right ways of the Lord; that the great wrongs and indignities done to our great Head and King by enemies encroachments on his prerogatives, and his kingdom's liberties, and our compliances therewith, on the one hand, and on the other, may not be past in oblivion but diligently inquired into; and what accession to them, or partic.i.p.ation with them, all of us have been involved in, these thirty years bygone: Particularly that it be laid to heart, what indignity to the Lord Jesus, and injury to his church, was done by the introduction of abjured, diocesan and erastian prelacy, and the several degrees of compliance therewith; as ministers leaving their pastoral charge, at the command of the magistrate, and laying aside the exercise of their ministry, giving way unto, and not testifying against the intrusions of prelatic curates: Particularly owning and submitting to their ministry, and receiving ordinances dispensed by them, and by counsel and example, encouraging others to do the like; which we cannot but plead and protest against, as sinful and scandalous.

1. Because they were, and are manifest intruders, not entering in at the door, in the way and order of Christ, and not having, yea despising and renouncing a call from the people, and ordination by the presbytery and having no other external call, authority, or right to officiate in this church, as its proper pastors, but the collation of bishops, and presentation of patrons, who are none of Christ's officers, and forfeiting and foregoing any other right, that any of them formerly could pretend to, by palpable defection to the enemies of this church.

2. Because both in principle and profession, and in the way of their entry unto their pastoral charge, they were, and are erastians, deriving their power from, and subjecting it in its exercise to another head than Christ, the magistrate's supremacy, by which only they were authorised, without Christ's warrant, or the church's consent.

3. Because they were and are schismatics, who caused divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine of this church, breaking her union and order, going out themselves from the fellowship of this church, and leading people away from her vowed reformation; yea, who violently thrust out, and persecuted her faithful pastors and children, for adhering to that reformation, which they designed to raze and ruin.

4. Because they were, and are perjured covenant breakers, avowedly disowning our covenants, and stated in opposition to that reformation, which is therein sworn to be maintained.

5. Because they were, and are in several points erroneous, in their doctrine, many of them tainted with the leaven of popery, arminianism, and socinianism, and all of them hetrodox, in the point of the magistrate's power in church matters, in the matter of oaths, and in condemning the work of our reformation, and covenants; seducing thereby their hearers, and both positively by these doctrines, and privately by with-holding other necessary instructions and warnings, murdering their souls.

6. Because they were, and are, upon all these accounts, scandalous, and the object of the church's censure: And though through the iniquity of the times, their deserved censure hitherto hath not been inflicted, yet they stand upon the matter convict, by clear scripture-grounds, and by the standing acts, and judicial decision of this church, in her supreme judicatories.

7. Because this hearing and submitting to them, was required as a badge, test, and evidence of due acknowledgment of, and hearty compliance with erastianism and prelacy, or his majesty's government ecclesiastic, Act parl. 1. Char. II. July 10th, 1663, which made it a case of confession to withstand it.

8. Because, by our covenants, we are obliged to stand at a distance, from such courses of defection, and to extirpate them, yet, in contradiction hereunto, we were commanded by the rescinders of the covenants, to hear the prelatic curates, as a badge of our yielding to the rescinding of the covenants.

9. Because this course was offensive and stumbling, both in hardning those that complied with prelacy, and weakning the hands of those that opposed it, and inferred a condemning of their sufferings upon this head. Especially,

10. When communion with them was so stated, that therein was not only a case of controversy among the G.o.dly, in which always abstinence is the surest side, not only is the judgment of many a case of confession, which it is always dangerous to contradict and condemn, but undeniably a case of compet.i.tion, between the true church of Scotland, her ministers and professors, owning and adhering to her holy establishments, claiming a divine right to their offices and privileges, contending for the church's reformation; and a schismatical party, setting up a new church, in a new order, under a new head, robbing them of their offices and privileges, and overturning the reformation.

II. We must presume to plead also, That enquiry be made into the heinous and heaven-daring affront done to the holiness of G.o.d, in the horrid violation of our holy covenants, national and solemn league; not only how the popish, prelatical, and malignant party, have broken them, enacted the breaches of them by law, burnt them and endeavoured to bury them, by making it a capital crime to own their obligation, and by bringing in and subst.i.tuting in their room, conscience-ensnaring anti covenants, oaths, bonds, and engagements renouncing the former, and obliging to courses contradictory thereunto: But that it may be considered, how many ways ministers and professors, in this time of tentation and tribulation, have been guilty of breach of these holy covenants; particularly by consenting unto, subscribing, swearing, and taking any of the new multiplied, mischievously contrived, capriciously conceived, and tyrannically imposed oaths, tests, or bonds, in matters of religion, since the overturning of the covenanted reformation and establishment of prelacy; and by persuading people to take them, and forbearing a necessary warning of the danger of them, and leaving people in the dark to determine themselves, in the midst of these snares. All which we plead and protest against, as sinful and scandalous:

1. Because all of them did infer, import, and imply a sinful unitive conjunction, incorporation, a.s.sociation and confederacy with the people of these abominations, that were promoting a course of apostacy from G.o.d.