"How near I was brought to death in my infancy, given over and esteemed a burthen to my friends, so as my death was made desirable to them; I being the refuse of my father's children, yet even I was then God's choice, and in a most singular way restored. 2. That remarkable deliverance, in receiving a blow by a club when a child, which was so near my eye as endangered both my sight and life. 3. The strange and extraordinary impression I had of an audible voice in the church at night, when being a child I had got up to the pulpit, calling me to make haste,&c.4. That I, of all my father's sons, should be spared, when the other three were so promising, and should thus come to be the only male heir surviving of such a stock. 5. That solemn and memorable day of communion at Gray-friar's in the entry of the year 1648, where I had so extraordinary a sense of the Lord's presence, yea, whence I can date the first sealing evidence of my conversion, now 40 years past. 6. The Lord's gracious and signal preservation and deliverance given me at Dumbar fight. 7. These solemn times and near approaches of the Lord to my soul; the first at Elve when I went there, and the other a little after my father's death in the high study. 8. The scripture Acts xii. was given me to be my first text, and how I was unexpectedly and by surprize engaged therein. 9. The great deliverances at sea going to Dundee, the first time in company withthe duke of Lauderdale, the other in company with Mr. Gray of Glasgow. 10. That extraordinary dream and marvellous vision I had twice repeated, with the inexpressible joy after the same. 11. These memorable impressions and passages about my health, when it seemed hopeless, at my first entry upon the ministry, and the strange expression of Mr. Simpson of Newmills. 12. The Lord's immediate and wonderful appearance for me in my first entry to the ministry, with that extraordinary storm on the day of my ordination, and the amazing assault which followed the same in what befel, wherein Satan's immediate appearance against me was so visible.—13. The great and conspicuous seal given to my ministry from the Lord, in the conversion of several persons, with that marvellous power which then accompanied the word on the hearts of the people. 14. That signal appearance of the Lord and his marvellous condescendence in my marriage lot, and in the whole conduct of the same. 15. My deliverance from so imminent hazard of my life in my fall from my horse at Kilmarnock. 16. The Lord's marvellous assistance at the two communions of Cathcart and Dunlop, with the great enlargement I had at the last of these two places at the last table. 18. That as my entry to my charge was with such a bright sunshine, so no less did the Lord appear at my parting from that place,&c.18. The Lord's special providence as to my outward lot after my removal thence, in many circumstances that way. 19. The gracious sparing my wife so long, when her life was in such hazard in the years 1665 and 1672. 20. The preservation I had in going over to Fife in the year 1672. and the settlement I got there. 21. The dream at Boussay, wherein I got such express warning as to my wife's removal, with the Lord's marvellous appearance and presence the Thursday after at St. Johnston's. 22. That extraordinary warning I got again of my dear wife's death, and of the manner of it at London in the year 1674. 23. These two remarkable scripture places given me at West Nisbet in my return from London 1674.viz.that in Rom. iv. in the forenoon, and that in Psal. cxv. in the afternoon. 24. Those great and signal confirmations given me at my wife's death, and that great extraordinary voice so distinct and clear which I heard a few nights after her death. 25. These special confirmations given me at my leaving my country at West Nisbet, Ridsdale, Stanton, and the first at sea from the Shiels. 26. These solemn passages to confirm my faith from Heb. xi.and Exod. xxxiii. and at other times at London, and the last night there before I went away. 27. These extraordinary and signal times I had at my first entering at Rotterdam. 28. These two marvellous providences that did occur to me at Worden, and about the business of William Mader. 29. The marvellous sign given me of the state of my family, in what happened as to the sudden withering of the tree, and its extraordinary reviving again at my first entry to my house at Rotterdam. 30. The great deliverance from fire in the high street. 31. The good providence in returning my diary after it had been long lost. 32. The special providence in preserving my son from perishing in water. 33. The surprizing relief when cited by the council[244]of Scotland to appear, with that sweet resignation to the Lord which I had then under such a pungent trial. 34. The remarkable event of a warning I was forced to give that some present should be taken away by death before the next Lord's day. 35. The Lord's immediate supporting under a long series of wonders (I may truly say) for which I am obliged in a singular way to set up my Ebenezer, that hitherto hath the Lord helped. 36. The remarkable appearance of the Lord with me (which I omitted in its place) in the strange providence relating to Mr. Monypenny's death in Preston-pans. 37. The solemn providence and wonder in my life, my fall under the York coach in August 1654, when the great wheel went over my leg, so as I could feel it passing me without hurting, far less breaking my leg, as if it had been thus carried over in a just poise, to let me see how providence watched over me,&c.38. The comfort God gave me in my children, and those extraordinary confirmations I got from God upon the death of those sweet children whom God removed from me to himself."
Now, reader, go and do thou likewise, forblessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing, Matth. xxiv.
Mr. Alexander Shields, son to James Shields of Haugh-head in the Merse, bornanno1660, or 1661, and being sent to school (when capable of instruction) made such proficiency there, that in a short time he entered upon the study of philosophy under Sir William Paterson, then regent of the college of Edinburgh, (afterwards clerk to the bloody council) where he made no less progress. For, being of a lively genius and penetrating wit, he soon commenced master of arts, and that with no small applause. And having furnished his mind with no small degree of the ancillary knowledge of learning, he began to think upon the study of divinity in view for the ministry. But finding little encouragement this way for any who could not in conscience join with prelacy, or the prevailing defections of those called the indulged, he took a resolution, and went over among others to Holland (shortly before or after Bothwel) for the further improvement of his studies, where he continued some short time, and then returned home to his native country.
But upon his going to London, to be an amanuensis to Dr. Owen, or some of the English divines who were writing books for the press; he had a letter of commendation to one Mr. Blackie a Scots minister, who, appointing him to speak with him at a certain season, had several ministers convened unknown to him, and did press and enjoin him to take license. So that being carried into it, in that sudden and surprizing way, he did accept of it from the Scots dissenting ministers at London, but without any imposition for sinful restriction. However, the oath of allegiance becoming in a little time the trial of that place, Mr. Shields studied, as he had occasion, to shew the sinfulness thereof, which these ministers took so ill that they threatened to stop his mouth, but he refused to submit himself thereunto.
But it was not long here that he could have liberty to exercise his office. For, upon the 11th day of January 1685, he was, with some others, apprehended by the city-marischal (at a private meeting in Gutter-lane) who came upon them at an unawares, and commanded them to surrender in the king's name. Mr. Shields, being first in his way, replied, What king do you mean? by whose authoritydo you disturb the peaceable ordinances of Jesus Christ?——Sir, you dishonour your king in making him an enemy to the worship of God. At which the marischal said, He had other business to do than to stand pratting with him. Mr. Shields made an attempt to escape, but was not able; and he and his companions were brought before the lord mayor, who threatened to send him to Bridewell. However bail was offered and admitted for him, to answer at Guildhall upon the 14th. Upon which day he attended, with a firm resolution to answer. But while he went out for a refreshment, he was called for, and none answering, his bail bond was forfeited, which afterward gave him no small uneasiness when his bail's wife said to him, Alas! why have you ruined our family? However, to prevent further damage, he appeared on the 20th, when he was arraigned in common form and examined, Whether he was at Bothwel, and if he approved of bishop Sharp's death? with several other questions. To which he replied, That he was not obliged to give an account of his thoughts, and that he came there to answer to his indictment, and not to such questions as these. Upon which he was taken to Newgate by a single officer without any mittimus or any express order unto what prison he should be committed. By the way (says he[245]) he could have escaped, had he not been led or betrayed there by flattery. It was some days before his mittimus came, by which he was ordered to be kept in custody till the next quarter session, which was to be at Guildhall on the 23d of Feb. following.
But Charles II. in this interval dying, he was, with other seven who were apprehended with him, March 5, put on board the Kitchen yacht for Scotland, and landed at Leith on the 13th, and the next day Mr. Shields was examined before the council, where he pled the liberty of his thoughts, putting them to prove his accusation, and waving a direct answer anent owning the king's authority; which gave way to his slip afterwards, as he (in his own impartial account of his sufferings) observes among other reflections "In this I cannot but adore the wisdom of the Lord's conduct, but with blushing at the folly of mine. I was indeed determined, I think, by a sovereign hand, and led upon this not usually trodden path by truth's confessor beyond my ordinary genius or inclination, to fence with these long weapons, declining direct answers which is the most difficult road, and most liable to snares; andwherein it is more hard to avoid wronging truth than in the plain and open-hearted way." However, he was remanded back to prison till the 23d, when he was brought before the justiciary, and interrogate, Whether he would abjure the apologetical declaration, and own the authority of James VII.? But being still on the reserve, he was sent back till the 25th, and from thence continued till the day following, which he calls the day of his fatal fall, the just desert of his former blind and bold approaches to the brink of these precipices over which he had looked, and was now left to fall therein. Here he was again examined to the effect aforesaid, and withal threatened with the most severe usage if he did not satisfy them. Whereupon he gave in a minute in writing, wherein, after a short preamble, he says, "The result of my thoughts is in the sincerity of an unfeigned conscience and in the fear of God, that I do renounce and disown that and all other declarations, in so far as that they declare war against the king expresly, proposedly or designedly, and assert that it is lawful to kill all employed by his majesty or any, because so employed in church, state, army or country." When they read this, they said it was satisfactory, and required him to hold up his hand. This he still refused, till allowed to dictate to the clerk what words he should swear. Which being done, he protested, that it might not be constructed to any other sense than the genuine words he delivered in the minute he did subscribe and swear. That which induced him to this, he says, was, "They gave it in his own meaning, and so far was his mind deceived, that by a quibble and nice distinction they thought that the word might bear, That this was not a disowning of that nor no declaration that ever he saw (save one of their pretending) nor that neither but in so far, or if so be; which different expressions he was taught to confound by scholastic notions infused into him by the court, and some of the indulged ministers while in prison,&c." Having so done, the justiciary dismissed him, but, on pretence he was the council's prisoner, he was sent back to his now more weary prison than ever. For he had no sooner made this foolish and unfaithful step of compliance (as he himself expresses it) than his conscience smote him, and continuing so to do, he aggravated his fall in such a sort as he wanted words to express.
Yet after all this his dangers were not over, for having wrote a letter to John Balfour to be by him transmitted to some friends in Holland declaring his grief and sorrow, andhis mind anent his former compliances,&c.it fell into the enemies hands; whereupon he was again brought before the lords of council, and though much threatening ensued, yet he owned the letter, and declared his sorrow for what he had formerly done. After which they appointed him to confer with the arch-bishop of St. Andrews, and the bishops of Glasgow and Dunkeld. With them he had a long reasoning, and among other things they objected that all powers were ordained of God, be they what they will. He answered, "All power is ordained of God by his provident will, but every power assumed by man is not so by his approbative and preceptive will." One of the prelates said, That even his provident will is not to be resisted.——He answered, That the holy product of it cannot and may not, but the instrument he made use of some times might be resisted. It was urged that Nero was then regnant when this command of non-resistance was given.——He answered, That the command was given in general for our instruction how to carry in our duty under lawful magistrates, abstracting from Nero. Then they asked him, How he would reconcile his principles with that article in the confession of faith, that difference in religion,&c.——He answered, "Very easily: For though difference in religion did not make void his power, yet it might stop his admission to that power where that religion he differed from was established by law,&c."
He was continued till Aug. 6. when he was again before the justiciary and indicted; which made him write two letters, one to the advocate and the other to his old regent Sir William Paterson, which he thought somewhat mitigated their fury. Whereupon he drew up a declaration of his sentiments, and gave in to the lords of council, upon which much reasoning betwixt him and them ensued. After two conferences wherein he was asked many questions, in the third he condescended to sign the oath of abjuration, (which they had so much insisted he should again take, as he had at their command torn his name from the first) only it was worded thus, If so be such things are there inserted; which he told them, he was sure was not the case: This with difficulty was granted. As he subscribed he protested before them, "That none were to think by this he justified the act of succession or the abrogation of the ancient laws about it, or the want of security for religion or liberty, or that he acknowledged the divine approbation of it,&c." When all was over he was delayed till to-morrow. But to-morrow he was sent to the Bass, and doubtlesswould have suffered, had he not got out in woman's clothes and eloped.
After his escape (without seeking after any other party whatsoever) he came straight to Mr. Renwick, and that faithful contending remnant then in the fields, where upon the 5th of Dec. 1686. he attended a meeting for preaching at the wood of Earlston in Galloway. After which he continued with Mr. Renwick for some time: In which time he ceased not, both in public and private, to give full proof and evidence of his hearty grief and sorrow for his former apostacy and compliances. Upon the 22d he came to their general meeting, where he gave them full satisfaction in espousing all and every part of their testimony and likewise made a public confession of his own guilt; wherein he acknowledged, (1.) That he had involved himself in the guilt of owning the (so called) authority of James VII. shewing the sinfulness thereof, taking shame to himself. (2.) He acknowledged his guilt in taking the oath of abjuration and his relapsing into the same iniquity, the sinfulness of which he held forth at great length, and spake so largely to these particulars as discovering the heinousness of that sin as made Mr. Renwick say, "I think none could have done it, unless they had known the terrors of the Lord;" and added, "I thought it both singular and promising to see a clergyman come forth with such a confession of his own defections, when so few of that set are seen in our age to be honoured with the like."
After this when Mr. Renwick and the united societies were necessitated to publish their informatory vindication, Mr. Shields went over to Holland to have the same printed about the beginning of the year 1687.; but it appears he was necessitated to return home before that work was finished.
After Mr. Renwick's death he continued for some time in the fields preaching in Crawford muirs at Disinckorn-hill in Galston parish and many other places, and about the end of the same year 1688. when Kersland and the united societies, who had, in the inter-regnum of the government, thrust out some of the curates, and demolished some of the popish monuments of idolatry, were obliged to publish a vindication of themselves in these proceedings; which they did at the cross of Douglas. Mr. Shields being present did sing some verses in the beginning of the 76th psalm,In Judah's land God is well known, &c. making some notes and while expatiating on the same, said, That this psalm was sweetly sung by famous Mr. Robert Bruce at thecross of Edinburgh at the break of the Spanish Armada the same time a hundred years ago.
Upon the 3d of March 1689. when Mr. Linning, he and Mr. Boyd renewed the covenants at Borland-hill in Lismahago, Mr. Shields stood up again before a vast confluence of people, and declared his unfeigned sorrow for his former sin of compliances,&c.to the affecting of all the multitude, and the abundant satisfaction of the godly there present, who had been grieved therewith.
At and after the revolution he was of much service to the army, and greatly esteemed by King William. And after his return home he, with the foresaid Messrs. Linning and Boyd, presented a large paper of proposals to the first general assembly after the revolution[246]; both craving a redressof their grievances, and likewise shewing on what terms they and their people could and would join with them,&c.But this paper being judged by the committeeof this assembly to contain "peremptory and gross mistakes, unreasonable and impracticable proposals, and uncharitable and injurious reflections, tending rather tokindle contentions than compose divisions[247]," it never once got a hearing, but was thrown over the bar of that assembly. And yet notwithstanding all this, the three foresaidbrethren being resolved to unite with them at any rate, gave in another called the shorter paper, importing their submission, casting down all their former proposals and desiresat the assembly's feet, "to be disposed of as their wisdom should think fit." Which paper he, through their insinuation, was brought to subscribe, and of which, it issaid[248], he sadly repented afterwards. For having dropt his former testimony at their feet, who trampled on it, and though they did not rent him, yet they soon found out a way to get rid of him. For,
Soon after the revolution, he was settled minister at St. Andrews, where he continued in the discharge of his office until the year 1699, that he, with Messrs. Borland, Stoboand Dalgliesh, were pitched upon to go over with his countrymen to the national settlement at Darien in America, where he, by letters under his own hand, gave particularaccount of matters there; wherein it is evident that his spirit was quite sunk with the divisions, impiety and unrighteousness of too many of that handful, and at last was sadlycrushed with the fatal disappointment of that undertaking, by the conduct of the then government; which he shewed, had it been faithfully and well managed, mighthave been of great advantage to this nation, as well as to the Christian religion; and yet for want of a proper reinforcement, they were either cut off or dissipated. While inCaledonia he preached mostly on Acts xvii. 26, 27.God hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of our habitation. One time, as he and the rest of the ministersmade a tour up the country, upon their return they were bewildered in the woods, and hearing the noise of the sea, they got at last to the shore, and so were obliged to pass through various windings and bendings of the coast under lash of the swelling surges or waves of the sea, being sometimes obliged to climb upon their hands and feet upon the steep and hard rocks, until at last Mr. Shields was like to faint, which troubled them much. Their provision and cordials were spent, at length they came to a welcome spring of fresh water springing out of the rock by the sea side: "This well (says Mr. Borland) was to us as that well was to Hagar in the wilderness.—By this well we rested a little,and Mr. Shields having drunk of it, was refreshed and strengthened, and with the help of the Lord we were enabled to proceed on our journey." After which Mr. Shields and Mr. Borland escaped death very narrowly, the ship sinking in the harbour of Kingston a very little after they were gone out of it. He died of a malignant fever, June 14. 1700. in a Scot's woman's house at Port-Royal, in Jamaica, a little after he left Caledonia. A kind country woman Isabel Murray, paid the expence of his funeral. His last preaching was from the last words of Hosea,Who is wise? and he shall understand these things: prudent? and he shall know them, for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them, but transgressors shall fall therein[249].
And thus the so much famed Mr. Alexander Shields, after he had tasted somewhat of the various vicissitudes of life and fortune, was obliged to die in a strange land. He was a man of a low stature, ruddy complexion, quick and piercing wit, full of zeal whatever way he intended, of a public spirit, and firm in the cause he espoused; pretty well seen in most branches of learning, in arguing very ready, only somewhat fiery, but in writing on controversy he exceeded most men in that age.
His works are the Hind let loose, Mr. Renwick's life, and the vindication of his dying testimony, his own impartial relation, the renovation of the covenant at Borland hill. There are also some lectures and sermons of his in print; a vindication of our solemn covenants, and several of his religious letters both before and since the revolution. After his death Mr. Linnings published an essay of his on church-communion. But how far this agrees with his conduct at the revolution, or what coherency it hath with his other writings, or if Mr. Linning had any hand therein, is not my province to determine at present. There are also three pocket volumes of his journals yet in manuscript, which were, among other valuable papers, redeemed from destruction after Mr. Linning's death.
Mr. John Dickson born of creditable parents (as some say, related to Mr. David Dickson) was sent to the grammar-school, and from thence to the university; where, after he had gone through his courses of learning, he studied divinity, and then passed his trials for the ministry; and, being found duly qualified for that office, he was licensed. And, some time before the restoration, was ordained and settled minister at Rutherglen, where he continued for some time a most faithful, diligent and painful preacher of the gospel.
But very soon after the restoration of Charles II. (prelacy beginning to advance in Scotland) he was, upon the 13th of October 1660. brought before the committee of estates, and by them imprisoned in the tolbooth of Edinburgh, information having been given in against him by Sir James Hamilton of Elistoun[250], and some of his parishioners, of some expressions he had used in a sermon alledged to reflect upon the government and the committee of estates, tending to sedition and division. For which he was kept in prison till the parliament sat down, and his church vacated; and though he got out at this time, yet he was exposed to much trouble and suffering afterwards, as now comes to be observed.
After this, Mr. Dickson was obliged to wander from place to place with the rest of those who could not in conscience comply with the current of defection and apostacy at that time, preaching to such as employed him; wherein he ceased not, in shewing the sinfulness of bonding, cess paying, and of the indulgence, and likewise wrote a faithful warning to the shire of Fife against the same, shewing inthe most affecting and striking manner the hazard and evil of such compliance[251].
In 1670. we find he preached at Glenvail, and in June that year he and Mr. Blackadder preached to a numerous congregation at Beeth-hill in Dunfermline parish in Fife. While they were at public worship upon the Lord's day, a lieutenant of militia in that place came up on horseback to the people, and made a great deal of disturbance, threatening to fright and if possible to scatter them; whereupon one more courageous than the rest stept forward to him, and, after intreating him to remove peaceably, took his horse by the bridle, pulled out a pistol, and told him, He would shoot him dead if he was not silent: And whether he would or would not, he was there compelled to sit on horseback till public worship was over, after which he had his liberty to go where he pleased. Upon the back of this horrid insult (as the persecutors were pleased to call it), upon the 11th of Aug. a decreet was obtained by the king's advocate against Mr. Dickson, Mr. Blackadder and several other ministers, wherein they were charged with holding conventicles in houses and in fields, and being after citation called and not compearing, they were in absence denounced and put to the horn, which obliged them to wander up and down the country, sometimes preaching in the fields where they had opportunity.
And thus continued Mr. Dickson in the midst of imminent hazards: For, by virtue of a new modelled council June 4th, 1764. there were orders to send out parties in quest of all conventicle preachers (as they were called, who accepted not of the indulgence), amongst whom were Mess. Dickson, Welch, and Blackadder,&c.400 pounds sterling were offered for Mr. Welch, and 1000 merks for Mr. Dickson and each of the rest. Nay, the soldiers were indemnified and their assistants, if any slaughter was committed in apprehending them, in case any resistance was made. By which Mr. Dickson was exposed unto new dangers, but yet he escaped their fury for some time.
But after Bothwel-battle the persecution becoming still hotter, and the searches more frequent, he was apprehended in 1680.; and being brought in to Edinburgh prisoner by some of the guard, under caution to answer before thecouncil Sep. 1st. Accordingly the council ordered him to be sent to the Bass, where he continued to be prisoner near the space of eleven years.
While he was prisoner in the Bass he wrote a most excellent letter to some friends, wherein he not only bewails and laments the apostacy of these lands from God,&c.demanding what our noble Scots worthies would think or say, were they then alive to behold the same, but also gives many practical and suitable directions how to behave in following Christ, and owning his cause under the cross, and walking in the furnace of affliction and tribulation,&c.
After he got out of the Bass, he returned very early at the revolution back to his flock at Rutherglen, where he again exercised his ministerial function, and that upon all hazards.[252]In the year 1698. Oct. 4th, at the sitting down of the synod at Air, he preached a very free and faithful sermon, upon the duty and qualifications of a faithful watchman from these words, Ha. lxii. 6.I have fit watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, &c.
And although Mr. Dickson still acceded to the revolution church, yet he was much grieved when he beheld how far inferior the glory of the second temple was to the first, which does most evidently appear from his own words in a letter to one a little before his death (which was in the year 1700.) and which may stand here for his dying testimony, the contents whereof are as follows.
"The conception you have of the dispensation of the Lord towards this poor plagued church, and the temper of the spirits of professors under this dispensation, are not different from what many of the Lord's people are groaning under. There is palpably a sensible difference betwixt what the church now is, and what it was many years ago; yea, what it hath been within these few years. The church hath lost much ground, and is still upon the losing hand, and it seems will continue so until it pleases the Lord to pour down his Spirit from on high, or else by some sharp awakening dispensation rouse up drowzy souls out of the lethargy wherein they are fallen,&c.It is many years since the sun fell low upon Scotland, many a dismal day hath it seen since 1649. At that time our reformation mounted towards its highest horizon, and since we left our building on that excellent foundation laid by our honoured forefathers, we have still moved from ill to worse, and is like still more (unless our gracious God prevent it) until we slide ourselves out of sight and sense of a reformation. We have been lately trysted with a wonderful deliverance from the slavery of heaven-daring enemy, but not one line of reformation is pencilled upon our deliverance[253]. We have the shell of ordinances and church-government, but want the kernel, the great things of Christ's law; as to contend for his interest is wrapt under a cloud. It is a long time since our covenant and solemn engagements looked pale. They have lost colour and verdure since the rescinding our vows to God. These covenants are turned skeletons, fearsome and affrighting, and former respect to them is like gradually to dwine away under a consumption. There are some few things that made them the glory of nations that are turned to a shadow:
"(1.) They were the fruits of many prayers, fasting, tears, wrestling, and indefatigable labours of the greatest and best men that ever breathed in our nation, recovering a people sunk into antichristian darkness, to enjoy liberty due to them by Christ's purchase.
"(2.) The renewing them so many times in old king James's reign spoke out the fervency of these worthy spirits, in ardour and affection to them, as so many jewels of so great value, that they were set as gems and pearls in Christ's crown, to wear so long as his interest remained in the church.
"(3.) The blessing accompanying the entering unto and renewing these covenants were so fluent in all church-ordinances, both secret, private and public, that whateverwas planted in so fruitful a soil of such blessing and influence of the Spirit, could not but grow up as calves in the stall, fat and full of sap.
"(4.) These covenants were to our forefathers, like the renting of their own cloths, as Elisha did, and taking up Elijah's mantle, and clothing themselves with it, 2 Kings ii. 12, 13.; enjoying of Moses's spirit, Deut. xxiv.; and like Joshua (chap. xxiv.) when dying, leaving a testimony of remembrance to posterity, by engaging them in these covenants.
"(5.) So long as our church cleaved to these our covenants, it fell out with them as it did with king Asa, 2 Chron. xv. 2.; that the Lord was with them while they were with him. But, our fathers offspring forsaking God, he forsook them: from that day that our covenants were so ignominiously treated, unto this day, all calamities as to our religious concerns have fallen upon us.
"(6.) The late sufferers, of all who shed their hearts blood upon the fields and scaffolds, imprisonments and banishments, were all dyed with the crimson blood of the covenant: from that day of the force and fury of enemies, these solemn vows of our worthy forefathers, and the enemies taking up Christ's march-stones (which were the bounds set by the Most High, when he divided to the church of Britain its inheritance, and separated the sons of Adam, Deut. xxix. 8.), the giddy church straying in the wilderness is much fallen out of sight either of pillar of cloud or fire. Our intermixtures are turned pernicious to the glory and honour of Christ's house which should not be a den of buyers and sellers. Although the suffering of our late brethren seemed to be heavy to bear, yet two prime truths were sealed with their blood (and that of the best, as of our honourable nobles, faithful ministers, gentry, burghers and commons of all sorts) which were never before sealed either by the blood of our primitive martyrs, our late martyrs in the dawning of our reformation; and the two truths were, Christ's headship in the church in despite of supremacy and bold erastianism, and our covenants: Which two great truths were in the mouths of all our worthies, when mounting their bloody theatres and scaffolds, ascending as it were up unto God in a perfumed cloud of transporting joy, that they were honoured to suffer upon such clear grounds. That supremacy was so agasted by our covenants, that no rest could it have till it got the grave stone laid upon them, and so conjured all who tasted the liquor of thatsupremacy, that the thoughts of getting the buried covenants out of the grave were more terrible to them than the devils, who are now in the place of our vows to God, managing their diabolical games in these places where the covenants were most in honour and request, the one burned and the other rising in its room. Much blood and treasure have been spent to set the flourishing crown upon Christ's head in Scotland. Declarations, acts of councils and parliament, remonstrances, engagements, vows and covenants; but the sealing blood of the late martyrs was the cope-stone of all. The primitive martyrs sealed the prophetic office of Christ with their hearts blood, the reforming martyrs sealed his priestly offices with their blood; but last of all our martyrs have sealed his kingly office with their best blood: They indeed have cemented it upon his royal head, so that to the end of the world it shall not drop off again. Let us never dream of a reviving spirit among us, till there be a reviving respect to these solemn vows of God. If there was but a little appearance of that spirit which actuated our worthy forefathers in our public assemblies and preachings, ye would see a wonderful alteration in the face of affairs: The fields, I assure you would look white near to harvest. If ye would adventure to trace our defections from the breach of the act of classes in the year 1650, all along to this day of our being bound in the grave of our neutrality, and all to edge up the spirit of the people to a due sense of our woful and irrevocable like backsliding from God (who hath acted many wonders for Scotland) you would find a perfumed smoke of incense springing from our altar in savoury and soul refreshing blessings. But ah! when shall this day dawn? so long as the common enemy are gaining their long-wished for hopes, That ministers in their public preaching must confine themselves to their nicknamed faith and repentance; without noticing any incroachments upon Christ's proper rights to his church in the glorious work of reformation, lest constructed fire-{illegible}ands and seditions, which in running the full career may gradually drop into superstition through neutrality, and thence plunge into an abyss of the shadow of popery. But to sum up shortly all my present thoughts of the time in this one, I cannot see an evasion of the church, in its present circumstance, from a sharp and more trying furnace than ever it has yet met with, come the trial from what airth it will, it fears me: Our principles are so slippry, and the truths of God so superficially rootedin us, that when we are thrown in the furnace, many of us shall melt to dross. It is many years since I heard one of the greatest seers in our nation, in horror and with fear, dreading the heavy judgments of God upon the biassed professors in the west of Scotland. But all that I say, not diminishing my hopes of the Lord's reserving his purchased inheritance in his own covenanted land, though Malachi be affrighted at the day of his coming, and be made to cry out,Who may abide it, chap. iii. 1, 2, 3.when he sits as refiner and purifier of the sons of Levi: A remnant shall be left, that shall be as the teil tree or the oak whose feed is in them, when they cast their leaves; so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.
"To revive a reflection upon two stupenduous passages of providence, I know would have an imbittering relish to many professors in our country side. The one is upon the last indulgence, wherein professors by bond and penalty obliged themselves to produce their minister before the council, when called. For this was a restriction so narrow, that all the freedom and faithfulness of ministers in their office was so blocked up, that either conscience towards God in discharging of necessary duties behoved utterly to be buried, or else the life of their minister exposed to sacrifice.—And if this be not an universal evil to be mourned over, let conscience and reason judge; yet this is looked upon to be but a trip, in these gloomy times, of inconsiderable moment, though it was the brat clecked by that supremacy, which not only hath wounded our solemn vows to death, but bound the freedom and faithfulness of the church seers, as to the public interest of Christ in their graves,&c.
"The other stupenduous providence is the obliterating the rich blessing of the gospel in our late suffering times, when blessings not only accompanied these solemn field-meetings, but extraordinary influences, in gifts of freedom and faithfulness, were poured down upon these ministers, who went out with their lives in their hands, setting their faces as flints against the heaven-daring violence done to the mediator. I call to mind a passage with perpetuated remembrance, that in one shire of this kingdom there were about thirty ministers who cheerfully offered up their service to Christ, all by turns out of Edinburgh. Each of these, when they returned back to Edinburgh again, being questioned what pleasure, what delight, and what liberty they had in managing that hazardous task? they answered, That so soon as they set foot in thesebounds, another spirit came upon them; and no other reason could they give for it, but that God wrought so mightily, that they looked upon it asgenius loci, that God sensibly at that time was in that county working wonders; but the most part of all these are in their places, resting on their beds, and their works follow them.
"Thus in answer to yours I have given you some of my confused thoughts of the present times, wishing you God's blessing in sucking honey out of the eater."
JOHN DICKSON.
Thus lived and died worthy Mr. John Dickson, in a good old ageanno1700, after he had, by his longevity, seen somewhat of the glory both of the first and second temple, and emerged forth of all his troubles, having got a most perspicuous view of our national apostacy, our breach of covenant and other defections past, present and to come, with the Lord's goodness and mercy toward his own remnant: And all this from the top of mount Pisgah, when he was just about to enter upon the confines of Emmanuel's land in glory.
Of his works we have only seen his synod sermon, and the foresaid letters, in print. If there be any other, it is more than is known at present, except the foresaid warning to the indulged in the shire of Fife, which was some time ago also published: All which shew him to have been a most pathetical writer, his writings (tho' but few) making as striking and lively an impression upon the mind, as any man's of his time.
Mr. Hamilton (afterwards Sir Robert Hamilton) brother to Sir William Hamilton of Preston, was born about 1650, and probably a son to Sir Walter Hamilton the reformer, and lineally descended from that famous Sir John Hamilton of Preston, who was commissioner for east Lothian at that black parliament held at Edinburgh, 1621, where he most boldly voted against the ratification of the five articles of Perth; for which, and because he would not recall his vote, the king's commissioner, the marquis of Hamilton, and the secretary, thought to have disgraced him, but found themselves utterly disappointed: For althoughthey sent the bishop of Dumblane, and after him lord Scone for that purpose, he would not; and when by the secretary desired to absent, he told him, he would stay and bear witness to the truth, and would render his life and all he had, before he would recall one word he had spoke; and that they should find him as true to his word as any Hamilton in Scotland[254].
Mr. Hamilton having received a liberal education (as is usual for men in such circumstances) before he was twenty-six years of age or thereby, the Lord, in his free and sovereign mercy, and by the efficacious working of the Holy Spirit, inclined his heart to fall in love with his service; and for that purpose he made him attend the free and faithful, (though persecuted) gospel, at that time preached in the fields; whereby in a short time he came to espouse the true covenanted testimony of the church of Christ in Scotland, for which he was, through divine grace, enabled to be a true and faithful witness to his life's end.
The first of his public appearances, we find he made in defence of that noble cause wherein he had embarked, was in the year 1679; when (after consulting with faithful Mr. Cargil) he, with Mr. Thomas Douglas and faithful Rathillet, drew up that declaration (afterward called the Rutherglen declaration) which they published upon the 27th of May, at the market-cross of that burgh, after they had extinguished the bone-fires; that day being kept as a holy anniversary-day for the birth and restoration of Charles II. After this he returned with that little handful to Evandale, where he was by them appointed to command in chief June 1st, at the skirmish of Drumclog, wherein he shewed much bravery in putting Claverhouse and that bloody crew to light, killing 36 or 40 of them, Claverhouse himself narrowly escaping. But the Erastian party coming up to that little army shortly after this, created them and Mr. Hamilton their general no small disturbance, they being to thema snare upon Mispah, and a net spread upon Tabor.——And though he most strenuously opposed them in all their sinful courses of defection and compliance, yet he was by them treacherously betrayed, in giving his consent to their publishing the Hamilton declaration;—they promising to be faithful in all time coming in preaching against the indulgence and all the land's defections; and that what was ambiguous in that declaration should be, at the honest party's desire, explained, what was wrong should be left out, andwhat was wanting should be supplied, before it was printed, or otherwise published, save the reading of it that day:—one word of which they never fulfilled or kept.
But it were a task too tedious here to enumerate all the struggles and contendings among them at that time; only it is to be remarked, that it was through Mr. Hamilton's great (I may say deserved) confidence in Mr. Cargil's faithfulness (who was the principal minister among those called the protesting party) that Mr. Hamilton was again by the corrupt party so pitifully ensnared in subscribing their declaration to the duke of Monmouth, when they were about to engage with the enemy: For they being intent upon supplicating, the honest party consented only that an information should be drawn up by Mr. Cargil and Mr. Morton, and sent to him, of his own and his father's rebellion against God, by their blasphemy, persecution and usurpation in church and state,&c.but the corrupt party drawing up their own supplication, sent one of their party with it in the one hand, and pen and ink in the other, to Mr. Hamilton to subscribe, just as they were going to engage the enemy. Mr. Hamilton asked, If it was Mr. Cargil's work? He answered, Yes, (whereas Mr. Cargil knew nothing of it). Whereupon, being in haste, and having no doubt of Mr. Cargil's veracity therein, he did that which was still matter of great grief to him afterwards, as he himself, in a letter from Holland dated 1685, doth fully testify.
After their defeat at Bothwel-bridge, Mr. Hamilton was by the Erastian party and their accomplices, most horridly stigmatized and reproached, as that he should have betrayed them to the enemy, sold them for money, swept the priming off the cannon at the bridge,&c.But from all these he has been by one (whom we must take to have been a very impartial writer on that affair) some time ago sufficiently vindicated; unto whom, for brevity's sake, the reader must at present be referred[255].
Shortly after Bothwel, he went over to Holland; upon which his estate was forfeited 1684, and he sentenced to be executed whenever apprehended. During his stay here he was of great service and use to his own countrymen, and had the honour to be employed by them as commissioner of the persecuted true Presbyterian church of Christ in Scotland, having received commission from them to representtheir case, and crave the sympathy of foreign churches; and it was by his skill, industry and faithfulness in prosecuting this commission, that he prevailed with the presbytery of Groningenanno1683, to ordain the famous and faithful Mr. James Renwick, a minister of the gospel, for the persecuted true Presbyterian church of Christ in Scotland. And afterwards, as their delegate with the presbytery of Embden, to ordain Mr. Thomas Lining a minister of the gospel for the same church.
Mr Hamilton, by virtue of his commissions which about that time he had received from the united societies[256], went through several places of Germany in the end of the year 1686: For an old manuscript (given under his own hand dated March 10th, 1687) bears, that through many hazards and difficulties, he arrived about the 10th of Oct. at Basil in Switzerland, from whence he went to Geneva about the 16th of Nov. and so into Bern, Zurich, and other places in Batavia and the Helvetian Cantons, not without many imminent hazards and dangers. In which places he conferred with the most part of their professors and other learned men, craving their judgment and sympathy toward his mother church, and the poor persecuted people in the kingdom of Scotland[257].
But having emerged forth of all these difficulties, he returned home at the revolution, about which time his brother Sir William Hamilton of Preston died, and he fell heir to his brother's estate and honours. And although after that he was still designed by the name of Sir Robert Hamilton of Preston, yet because he could not in conscience enter into, possess or enjoy that estate, unless he had owned the title of the prince and princess of Orange, as king and queen of these three covenanted nations, and in consequence of that own the prelatical government as then established, upon the ruins of the cause and work of God in these nations,—he never entered or intermeddled with his brother's estate any manner of way; but with Moses he made that noble choice, ratherto suffer affliction with the people of God than enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season, and did esteem a stedfast adherence to the cause of Christ, (with all the reproaches that followed thereon) greater riches than allhis brother's estate. For out of a true love to Jesus Christ, his covenanted cause, interest and people, he laid his worldly honour in the dust, continuing still a companion in the faith, patience, affliction and tribulation of that poor, mean and despised handful of the Lord's witnesses in these lands, who still owned and adhered unto the state of the Lord's covenanted cause in Scotland.
A little after his return from Holland, when Messrs. Lining, Shields and Boyd, were drawing and enticing those who had formerly been faithful for, and owning and suffering for the Lord's covenanted cause into a conformity and compliance with the defection of that time, in a general meeting held at Douglas on the 6th of November 1689, he gave a faithful protestation against these proceedings, as by them carried on, and particularly their owning the then government, while sworn to prelacy, in opposition to our laudable establishment and covenanted work of reformation: As also against the raising of the Angus regiment, which he took to be a sinful association with malignants:—And likewise against joining with Erastian ministers at that time, from whom they had formerly most justly withdrawn, without any evidence of repentance, for the many gross sins and defections they were guilty of.—And (as the last-cited author elsewhere observes[258]) after these three ministers aforesaid had yielded up that noble cause, and drawn many of the owners thereof into the same state of compliance with them, he had the honour to be the chief instrument in the Lord's hand, in gathering together, out of their dispersion, such of the old sufferers as had escaped these defections that so many were fallen into, and in bringing them again unto an united party and general correspondence, upon the former laudable and honest state of the testimony.
And farther, he had also a principal hand in drawing up and publishing that faithful declaration, published at Sanquhar Aug. 10, 1692, for which he was apprehended by some of the old persecuting soldiers, at Earlstoun, upon the 10th of Sep. following, and by them carried to Edinburgh, and there and elsewhere kept prisoner till the 5th of May 1693. When he was brought before the council, Sep. 15th 1692, there were present the viscount of Tarbet, president Lothian, Ker, general Livingston, lord Linlithgow, lord Bradalbain, and Sir William Lockhart solicitor. He was by them examined concerning that declaration,but he declined them, and all upon whom they depended, as competent judges, because they were not qualified according to the word of God and our solemn covenants: And being interrogate, If he would take the oath of allegiance? he answered, No, it being an unlimited oath, not bottomed upon our covenants. If he would own the authority of K. William and Q. Mary? He answered, I wish them well. But being asked again, If he would own them and their government, live peaceably, and not rise against them? He answered, When they were admitted according to the laws of the crown, the acts of parliament 1648 and 1649, bottomed upon our sacred covenants and sound qualifications, according to these, pursuing the ends of these covenants,&c.then I shall give my answer.——Whereupon some of them turned hot, and Lothian said, They were pursuing the ends of the covenant. To whom he replied, How can that be, when joining with, and exalting the greatest of its enemies, whom by covenant we are bound to extirpate. Another answered, He had taken the coronation oath.—At which Mr. Hamilton asked, What religion was established when that oath was taken? They said, Prelacy was abolished. But he returned, Presbytery was not established, so that he is not bound to us in religion, save to prelacy in Scotland. But being urged to the last question, he adhered to his former answers; at which some of them raged, and said, He would give no security for obedience and peaceable living? To which he made answer saying, I marvel why such questions are asked at me, who have lived so retiredly hitherto, neither found plotting with York, France, or Monmouth, or any such, as the rumour was; nor acting any thing contrary to the laws of the nation enacted in the time of the purity of presbytery. Lothian said, We are ashamed of you. He replied, Better you be ashamed of me, than I be ashamed of the laws of the church and nation, whereof you seem to be ashamed. Lothian said, You desire to be involved in troubles. Sir Robert answered, I am not so lavish of either life or liberty; but if the asserting of truth was an evidence thereof, it might be thought more strange.
But being remanded back unto prison, where he continued until the 3rd of May 1693, that he was liberate. The day before his liberation he gave in a most faithful protestation and declinature to the privy council and parliament of Scotland, with another letter of the same nature to Sir James Stuart the advocate, and upon his coming forth of the tolbooth, he was so far from yielding one jot in the least,that he left another faithful protestation in the hands of the keepers of the tolbooth, shewing, that for his adhering to, and appearing for the fundamental laws and laudable constitution of our church and covenanted nation, he had been apprehended and kept for 8 months close prisoner, and that very unjustly; and that for his own exoneration and truth's vindication to leave this protestation; disdaining all engagements to live peaceably, which were a condemning himself of former unpeaceableness, which he positively denies; as also in coming in any terms of oaths or bonds with those who have broken covenants, overturned the reformation, and destroyed the people of God; or engaging unto a sinful peace with them, or any in confederacy with them,&c.declaring his present outcoming merely on the account of finding open doors, and desired his protestation to be inserted in the ordinary register,&c.[259]
From his liberation to the day of his death, he continued most faithful in contending earnestly forthe faith once delivered to the saints, Jude, ver. 3.; and did greatly strengthen and encourage the rest of the suffering remnant, with whom he continued in Christian communion, both by his pious and godly example, and seasonable counsel and advice, with respect to principles, and what concerned the salvation of their souls, for the right carrying on the testimony for the cause that they were owning. Some years before his death, he was taken ill with the stone, by which he endured a very sharp and sore affliction, with a great deal of Christian patience and holy submission to the holy will of God; and when drawing near his journey's end, he gave a faithful testimony to the Lord's noble and honourable cause, which he had so long owned and suffered for: And upon the account of this gentleman's being most unjustly branded[260]for running to some extremes in principles,both before and since the revolution, a copy of his own dying testimony may perhaps be the best vindication of him from such aspersions, that at present can be produced; which is as follows:
"Though I have many things that might discourage me from shewing myself this way at such a time, when the Lord's controverted truths, his covenanted reformation, and the wrestlings of his faithful and slain witnesses, are things so much flouted at, despised and buried, not only by the profane, but alas! even by the ministers and professors of this generation; yet I could not but leave this short line to you, who, of all interests in the world, have been my greatest comfort, being now come to the utmost period of my time, and looking in upon my eternal state, it cannot be readily apprehended by rational men, that I should dare to write any thing, but according to what I expect shortly to be judged, having had such a long time to consider on my ways, under a sharp affliction. As for my case, I bless God it is many years since my interest in him was secured, and under all my afflictions from all airths, he hath been a present help in time of my greatest need. I have been a man of reproach, a man of contention; but praise to him, it was not for my own things, but for the things of my Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever were my infirmities, yet his glory, the rising and flourishing of his kingdom, was still the mark I laboured to shoot at, nor is it now my design to vindicate myself from the calumnies that have been cast upon my name; for when his slain witnesses shall be vindicated, his own glory and buried truths raised up, in that day, he will assuredly take away the reproaches of his servants, and will raise and beautify the name of his living and dead witnesses: Only this I must add, Though that I cannot but say that reproaches have broken my heart, yet with what I have met with before, and at the time of Bothwel-battle, and also since, I had often more difficulty to carry humbly under the glory of his cross, than to bear the burden of it.O!peace with God, and peace of conscience is a sweet feast!
"Now as to his public cause, that he hath honoured you in some measure to side with, stand fast therein; let no man take your crown; for it is the road he will take in coming to this poor land; and praise him for honouring such poor things as you are, as to make you wish well to his cause, when church and state, and all ranks, haveturned their back upon it: and my humble advice to you as a dying brother is, To stand still, and beware of all tampering with these betrayers of the royal interest, and concerns of Christ's kingdom, and listen to no conferences with the ministers and professors of this generation, till the public defections of this land from the doleful source of all our ruin and misery, that sin of the public resolutions, the compliance with prelacy, the church-ruining and dividing indulgences and toleration, until the present sinful course of vindicating all these defections, and burying all the testimonies against the same: I say, until these be acknowledged, and publicly rejected and disowned, both by church and state.
"I die a true Protestant, and to my knowledge a reformed Presbyterian, in opposition to popery, prelacy, and malignancy, and whatever is contrary to truth, and the power of godliness, as well against flattering pretenders to unwarrantable zeal on the right hand, as against lukewarmness on the left; adhering with my soul to the holy sweet scriptures, which have often comforted me in the house of my pilgrimage, our confession of faith, our catechisms, the directory for worship, covenants, national and solemn league and covenant, acknowledgment of sins and engagement to duties, with the causes of God's wrath, and to all the faithful public testimonies given against defections of old or late, particularly these contained in the informatory vindication, and that against the toleration, and the two last declarations emitted since this fatal revolution, which testimonies I ever looked upon as a door of hope of the Lord's returning again to these poor backslidden lands.
"And now, my dear friends, let nothing discourage you in that way. The Lord will maintain his own cause, and make it yet to triumph. The nearer to-day it may be the darker, but yetin the evening time it shall be light, and the farther distant ye keep from all the courses and interests of this generation, the greater will your peace and security be. O! labour to be in Christ, for him, and like him, much in reading of the holy scriptures, much in prayer and holy unity among yourselves. Be zealous and tender in keeping up your private fellowship for prayer and Christian conference, as also your public correspondences and general meetings, go to them and come from them as these intrusted, really concerned and weighted with Christ's precious controverted truths in Scotland, and labour still to take Christ along with you to all yourmeetings, and to behave yourselves as under his holy and all-seeing eye when at them, that ye may always return with a blessing from his rich hand.
"Now farewel, my dear Christian friends, the Lord send us a joyful meeting at his own right hand after time; which shall be the earnest desire, while in time, of your dying friend,"
Sic subscribitur,
R. HAMILTON.BorrowstonessSept. 5th, 1701.
And so, after he had come through many tribulations, and at last endured a series of sore bodily affliction, in all which he was still kept faithful, in testifying for the word of Christ's patience, until he yielded up his life to that God who gave him his being, at Borrowstoness, Oct. 21st, being then 51 years of age; andbecause thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Thus ended another of Christ's faithful witnesses, Sir Robert Hamilton, who (for soundness in the faith, true piety, the real exercise of godliness, a conversation becoming the gospel, and a true understanding of the right state of the Lord's cause in every part thereof, accompanied with a true love and affection to, and zeal according to knowledge for the same), with stedfastness and stability to the last, maintained his cause against every opposition (being equally superior to the influence of fear or flattery); and was preferable to the most part of his station in that age; and without flattery it may be said, he was an honour to the name of Hamilton and to his nation. The faithful Mr. Renwick called himMi pater, my father, and ever had a high esteem and regard for him, as the contents of most part of his letters bear: Yea, in the very last letter he wrote, he accosts him thus, "If I had lived and been qualified for writing a book, and if it had been dedicated to any, you would have been the man; for I have loved you, and I have peace before God in that; and I bless his name that ever I have been acquainted with you,&c." And indeed he was not mistaken in him, for he was one who both professed and practiced truth, was bold in Christ's cause, and had ventured life, wealth, reputation and all, in defence thereof. He was of such constancy of life andmanners, that it might be truly said of him, which was said of the emperor Marcus Antoninus,In omni vita sui similis, nec ulla unquam in re mutatus fuit. Itaque vere fuit vir bonus, nec fictum aut simulatum quicquam habuit.