Chapter IV (2)

[448] 'Gird up the loins of your mind, and make you ready for meeting
the Lord; I have often summoned you, and now I summon you again,
to compear before your Judge, to make a reckoning of your life.'
_Rutherford's Religious Letters_, p. 235. 'Mr. Cameron, musing a
little, said, "You, and all who do not know my God in mercy, shall
know him in his judgments, which shall be sudden and surprising in
a few days upon you; and I, as a sent servant of Jesus Christ,
whose commission I bear, and whose badge I wear upon my breast,
give you warning, and leave you to the justice of God."
Accordingly, in a few days after, the said Andrew, being in
perfect health, took his breakfast plentifully, and before he rose
fell a-vomiting, and vomited his heart's blood in the very vessel
out of which he had taken his breakfast; and died in a most
frightful manner.' _Howie's Biographia Scoticana_, p. 406.

Utterly horrible as such a pretension now appears, it was made, not only with impunity, but with advantage; and numerous instances are recorded, in which the people believed that it was strictly enforced. The celebrated John Welsh, sitting one night at table, round which a party were assembled at supper, began to discourse to the company respecting the state of their souls. Those who were present listened with humility; but to this general feeling there was one exception. For, it so happened that a Roman Catholic was in the room, and he, of course, disagreed with the opinions expressed by the Presbyterian divine. If he had been a cautious man, he would have kept his disagreement to himself; but being a hot-headed youth, and being impatient at seeing a single person engross the conversation, he lost his temper, and not only ridiculed Welsh, but actually made faces at him. Thereupon, Welsh charged the company to take heed, and see what the Lord was about to do to him who mocked. Scarcely had this threat been uttered, when it was carried into execution. He who had dared to jest at the minister, suddenly fell, sank under the table, and died there in presence of the whole party.[449]

[449] 'Sitting at supper with the Lord Ochiltree (who was uncle to
Mr. Welsh's wife), as his manner was, he entertained the company
with godly and edifying discourse, which was well received by all
the company save only one debauched Popish young gentleman, who
sometimes laughed, and sometimes mocked and made faces; whereupon
Mr. Welsh brake out into a sad abrupt charge upon all the company
to be silent, and observe the work of the Lord upon that profane
mocker, which they should presently behold; upon which immediately
the profane wretch sunk down and died beneath the table, but never
returned to life again, to the great astonishment of all the
company.' _History of Mr. John Welsh, Minister of the Gospel at
Ayr_, in _Select Biographies_, vol. i. p. 29. 'Mr. Welsh being by
the Captaine, set at the upper end, intertained the company with
grave and edifying discourse which all delighted to hear, save
this young Papist, who, with laughter and derision, laboured to
silence him, which was little regarded by Mr. Welsh. But after
supper, while the guests sate a little, this youth stood up at the
lower end of the table, and while Mr. Welsh proceeded from grave
to gracious entertainment of his company, the youth came to that
height of insolence as with the finger to point at him and with
the face to make flouting grimaces, whereby he grieved the holy
man, so as on a suddain he was forced to a silence. The whole
company, who had heard him with delight, were silent with him.
Within a little, Mr. Welsh, as moved by the spirit of God, broke
forth into these words: "Gentlemen, the spirit of God is provoked
against us, and I shall intreat you not to be afraid to see what
God shall do among you before you rise from the table, for he will
smite some of you with death before you go hence." All were
silently astonished, waiting to see the issue with fear. And while
every man feared himselfe, except the insolent youth, he fel down
dead suddenly at the foot of the table to shew the power of God's
jealousie against the mockers of his Spirit and the offers of his
grace.' _Fleming's Fulfilling of the Scripture_, pp. 374, 375.

This happened early in the seventeenth century, and being bruited abroad, it became a great terror to all evil-doers. But, after a time, its effect appears to have been weakened; since another man was equally rash some forty or fifty years afterwards. It seems that a Scotch clergyman of considerable repute, Mr. Thomas Hog, was, like Welsh, sitting at supper, when it so chanced that the servants forgot to lay the knives. Mr. Hog, thinking the opportunity a favourable one, observed that such forgetfulness was of little moment, and that, while we thought so much of our comforts here, it was far more necessary to consider our condition hereafter. A gentleman present, amused, either by the manner of Mr. Hog, or by the skill with which he introduced the topics of his own profession, was unable to restrain himself, and burst out into a violent fit of laughter. The minister, however, was not to be checked, and he continued after such a fashion, that the laughter was repeated louder than ever. At length Mr. Hog turned round, and told his merry comrade that very shortly he should seek for mercy, but find it not. That same night, the scoffer was taken ill, and in great alarm sent for Mr. Hog. It was, however, useless. Before the clergyman could reach his room, the sinner was lying dead, a lost and ruined man.[450]

[450] 'When they sat doun to supper, it seems, knives were forgote; and
when the servant was rebuked, Mr. Hogg said, there was noe matter,
for he had one in his pocket, and it was a necessary companion for
a travailer; and, as his use was upon evry thing, he took occasion
to raise a spirituall discourse from it: "If we wer soe carefull
about accommodations in our way here, what care should we take in
our spirituall journey!" and the like; at which the factour takes
a kink of laughing. Mr. Hogg looked at him with a frown, and went
on in his discourse. Within a little, at somewhat or other, he
laughed out yet louder, and Mr. Hogg stoped a litle, and looked
him very stern in the face, and went on in his discourse, upon the
free grace of God; and, at some expression or other, the man fell
a laughing and flouting very loud: Upon which Mr. Hogg stoped, and
directed his discourse to him, to this purpose: "Alace!" sayes he,
"my soul is afflicted to say what I must say to you, sir, and I am
constrained and pressed in spirit to say it, and cannot help it.
Sir, you nou dispise the grace of God, and mock at it; but I tell
you, in the name of the Lord, that the time is coming, and that
very shortly, when you (will) seek ane offer of grace, but shall
not find it!" Upon which the man arose, laughing and flouting, and
went to his room. After he was away, the lady asked Mr. Hogg, What
he thought would come upon him? He answered, he kneu noe more then
he had said, and that he was constrained and oblidged to say it
against his inclination; and he could not accompt for some of
these impressions he sometimes felt, and after Providences would
clear, and that shortly; but what it was, when, or where, he kneu
not. The man told some of the servants that a phanatick Minister
had been pronouncing a curse on him, but he did not value him nor
it either. After Mr. Hogg had been somtime with the lady, he went
to his room; and after he had, as he used to doe, spent some time
in prayer, he putt off his cloaths, and just as he was stepping
into his bedd, a servant comes and knocks at the dore and cryes,
"For the Lord's sake, Mr. Hogg, come doun staires, presently, to
the factour's room!" He put on his cloaths, as quickly as
possible, and came doun, but the wretch was dead before he reached
him!' _Analecta, or Materials for a History of Remarkable
Providences, mostly relating to Scotch Ministers and Christians_,
by the Rev. Robert Wodrow, vol. i. pp. 265, 266. Compare _The Life
of Mr. Thomas Hog_, in _Howie's Biographia_, p. 543, where a
version is given, slightly different, but essentially the same.

Nor was it merely in private houses that such examples were made. Sometimes the clergyman denounced the offender from the pulpit, and the punishment was as public as the offence. It is said that Gabriel Semple, when preaching, had a strange habit of putting out his tongue, and that this excited the mirth of a drunken man, who went into the church, and, by way of derision, put out his tongue also. But, to his horror, he found that, though he could put it out, he could not draw it in again. The result was, that the tongue stiffened; it lost all sensibility; and, paralysis coming on, the man died a few days after his transgression.[451]

[451] 'He tells me, that when in the South country, he heard this story,
which was not doubted about Geddart' (i.e. Jedburgh): 'Mr. Gabriel
Semple had gote a habite, when speaking and preaching, of putting
out his tongue, and licking his lipps very frequently. Ther was a
fellou that used to ape him, in a way of mock; and one day, in a
druken caball, he was aping him and putting out his tongue; and it
turned stiffe and sensless, and he could not drau it in again, but
in a feu dayes dyed. This accompt is soe odd, that I wish I may
have it confirmed from other hands.' _Wodrow's Analecta_, vol. ii.
p. 187.

Occasionally, the penalty was less severe, though the miracle was equally conspicuous. In 1682, a certain woman took upon herself to scold the famous divine, Peden, who was justly regarded as one of the great lights of the Scotch Church. 'I wonder,' said that eminent man, 'I wonder your tongue is not sore with so much idle clatter.' She indignantly replied, that she had never suffered, either from a sore tongue, or from a sore mouth. He told her that she soon would. And the consequence of his saying so was, that her tongue and gums swelled to that degree, that for some days she was unable to take her usual food.[452]

[452] 'About the same time, wading Douglas-water very deep,' (he) 'came
to a house there; the good wife of the house insisted (as most
part of women do not keep a bridle-hand) in chiding of him; which
made him to fret, and said, I wonder that your tongue is not sore
with so much idle clatter. She said, I never had a sore tongue nor
mouth all my days. He said, It will not be long so. Accordingly,
her tongue and gooms swelled so, that she could get no meat taken
for some days.' _Account of the Life and Death of Mr. Walter
Smith_, p. 93, in vol. ii. of _Walker's Biographia Presbyteriana_.

She escaped with her life; others were more sharply handled. A clergyman was interrupted in the midst of his sermon by three gentlemen leaving the church. It is not stated that there was any thing offensive in their manner; but their object in going was to amuse themselves at some fair or race, and the minister, no doubt, thought that they should have been content with the gratification of hearing him. At all events, he was dissatisfied, and, after the sermon was over, he censured their conduct, and threatened them with the divine displeasure. His words were remembered, and, to the awe of his parishioners, every tittle was fulfilled. Of the three gentlemen, all died violent deaths; one of them broke his neck by falling from his horse, and another was found in his room with his throat cut.[453]

[453] 'I hear from Lady Henriett Campbell, who was present at a
Communion at Jeddart (Jedburgh), some years before Mr. Gabriel
Semple's death, that, either on the fast day, or Saturnday, ther
wer three gentlmen either in the parish or noturely knouen
thereabout, who rose in the time of the last sermon, and with
their servants went out of (the church), either to some fair or
some race, not farr off. After sermon, when Mr. Semple rose to
give the ordinary advertisments, he began with taking nottice of
this, and said, he had remarked three gentlmen rise in time of
sermon, and contemptuously and boldly leave God's service to goe
to a fair, or race, as he supposed; but sayes, "It's born in upon
me, and I am perswaded of it, the Lord will not suffer them to goe
off time, without some remarkable judgment, and I am much mistaken
if the most part that have seen them committ the sin, will not
hear of the punishment of such open despite to the ordinances of
Christ." This peremptoryness did very much surprize Lady
H(enriett), and coming home from sermon with my Lord Lothian and
his Lady, in coach, she expressed her surprize at it. My Lord
Lothian said, "The Minister is a man of God, and I am perswaded
not one word of his will fall to the ground!" Within some feu
moneths, my Lord or my Lady, writing to Lady H(enriett), signifyed
to her, that one of these gentlmen was found in his room, (if I
forgett not), with his throat cutt; and a second, being drunk,
fell off his horse, and broke his neck; and some while after, shee
heard the third had dyed some violent death.' _Wodrow's Analecta_,
vol. i. pp. 344, 345.

Cases of this sort were frequent during the seventeenth century; and as in that credulous age they were firmly believed and widely circulated, the power of the clergy was consolidated by them. The Laird of Hilton once ventured to pull a minister out of a pulpit which was not his own, and into which he had unlawfully intruded. 'For the injury you have done to the servant of God,' cried the enraged preacher, 'you shall be brought into this church like a sticked sow.' And so indeed he was. Yet a little while, and Hilton became entangled in a quarrel, was run through the body, and his corpse, still bleeding, was carried into the very church where the outrage had been committed.[454]

[454] 'In the time of sermon, the Laird of Hiltoun comes in, and charges
him in the midst of his work, to come out of (the) pulpite, in the
king's name. Mr. Douglasse refused; whereupon the Laird comes to
the pulpit, and pulls him out by force! When he sau he behoved to
yeild, he said, "Hiltoun, for this injury you have done to the
servant of God, knou what you are to meet with! In a litle time
you shall be brought into this very church, like a sticked sou!"
And in some litle time after, Hilton was run throu the body, and
dyed by, if I mistake not, Annandale's brother, either in a douell
or a drunken toilzie, and his corpes wer brought in, all bleeding,
into that church. "Touch not mine annoynted, and doe my prophets
noe harm!"' _Wodrow's Analecta_, vol. ii. p. 154. In the same work
(vol. iv. p. 268) the Reverend Mr. Wodrow writes, that he had been
subsequently informed, 'that the story is very true about the
denuntiation upon the Laird of Hiltoun, as I have (I think)
published it; and ther is a man yet alive who was witness to it,
and in the church at the time.'

Even when a clergyman was in prison, he retained the same power. His authority was delegated to him from on high, and no temporal misfortune could curtail it. In 1673, the Reverend Alexander Peden, when in confinement, heard a young girl laughing at him outside the door of his room, while he was engaged in those vociferous devotions for which he was celebrated. The mirth of the poor child cost her dear. Peden denounced against her the judgment of God. In consequence of that denunciation, the wind blew her from a rock on which she was walking, and swept her into the sea, where she was quickly drowned.[455]

[455] 'While prisoner in the Bass, one Sabbath morning, being about the
publick worship of God, a young lass, about the age of thirteen or
fourteen years, came to the chamber-door, mocking with loud
laughter: He said, Poor thing, thou mocks and laughs at the
worship of God; but ere long, God shall write such a sudden,
surprising judgment on thee, that shall stay thy laughing, and
thou shalt not escape it. Very shortly thereafter, she was walking
upon the rock, and there came a blast of wind, and sweeped her off
the rock into the sea, where she was lost.' _Life and Death of Mr.
Alexander Peden_, p. 43, in vol. i. of _Walker's Biographia
Presbyteriana_. See also _Howie's Biographia Presbyteriana_,
p. 487.

Sometimes the vengeance of the clergy extended to the innocent offspring of the man who had offended them. A certain minister, whose name has not been preserved, met with opposition in his parish, and fell into pecuniary and other difficulties. He applied for aid to a trader, who, being wealthy, ought, he thought, to afford him assistance. The trader, however, thought otherwise, and refused. Upon this, the clergyman declared that God would visit him. The result was, that his business not only declined, but his mind became impaired, and he died an idiot. He had two sons and two daughters. Both his sons went mad. One of his daughters, likewise, lost her reason. The other daughter being married, even her husband became destitute, and the children of that marriage became beggars, that the heinous crime might be visited to the third generation.[456]

[456] 'He (Mr. Fordyce, in Aberdeen) tells me this following accompt,
which he had from personall observation: When he lived near
Frazerburge, in the North, there was a minister settled there,
_jure devoluto_, the toun being biggotted against Presbytery to a
pitch, and only two or three that had any seeming liking that way.
After the Minister is setled, he expected much encouragement from
one Ougstoun, I think his name was, who had professed much respect
for him in that way. A while after, in some difficulty, the
Minister came to him, and desired his countenance and assistance
in the difficulty. He at first put the Minister off with delay:
and within a litle plainly mocked him, and would doe nothing. The
Minister came from him to my informer, who lived a litle from the
place, and gave him ane account (of) what had befallen him, and
said, "I expected much from that man, and reaconed upon his help
and assistance, in soe comfortless a setlement as I have ventured
on; and he has not only disappointed me, but mocked me!" And the
Minister was like to sink under the thoughts of this carriage; and
after some silence, he said, very peremptorly, "I am much
mistaken, yea, I'le say it, God hath sent me, and spoken by me.
God will visite that man, and something more than ordinary will
befall him and his!" My informer was very much stunned and greived
at such a peremptory declaration. However, it was accomplished, to
my informer's personall knowledge. The man was a trader, who was
very rich, worth near four or five thousand pounds sterling in
stock. He had two sons and two daughters. Within some litle time,
one of his sons turned distracted, and I think continues soe
still. The other son, in some distemper, turned silly, and litle
better, and dyed. His daughters, one was maryed, and her husband
lost all his stock at sea, twice or thrice; his goodfather stocked
him once or twice, and all was still lost, and they and their
children are miserable. The other daughter fell into a distemper,
wherein she lost her reason. The man himself, after that time,
never throve; his means wasted away insensibly; and throu all
things, he fell under melancholy, and turned silly, and dyed
stupide. All this fell out in some feu years after what passed
above; and my relator kneu all this particularly, and had occasion
to be upon the man's bussiness and affairs.' _Wodrow's Analecta_,
vol. ii. pp. 175, 176. See also, in another work by this eminent
Scotch divine, an account of what happened, when 'a rash young
man' having destroyed the property of a clergyman, named Boyd, 'it
was observed that that family did never thrive afterwards, but
were in a decaying condition till they are reduced almost to
nothing.' _Wodrow's Collections upon the Lives of Ministers of the
Church of Scotland_, vol. ii. part. i. p. 215.

To prosecute a minister, or even to assert one's rights against him before a civil tribunal, was not only a hazard, but a certain ruin. About the year 1665, James Fraser was sued in a court of law for a large sum of money, said to be due from his father's estate. As usually happens in these cases, the party sued, considered that he was unjustly treated, and that his opponent had no right to make the claim. So far, all was natural. But the peculiarity was, that Fraser, against whom the action was brought, was a young man preparing for the ministry, and, therefore, under the immediate protection of Providence. Such an one was not to be vexed with impunity; and we are assured by Fraser himself that God specially interposed to prevent his ruin; that one of his opponents was made unable to appear in court, and that the Lord, laying his hand upon the others, put them to death, in order that every obstacle might be at once removed.[457]

[457] See Fraser's Life of Himself, in vol. ii. of _Select Biographies_,
edited by the Rev. W. K. Tweedie. 'Nothing now remained of all my
father's great fortune but a small wadset of sixteen chalders,
liferented likewise by my mother. And about the same time a new
(though an unjust) adversary charges both her and me for 36,000
merks, and a reduction of our rights; so that our whole livelihood
was either gone or at the stake. For four years did this adversary
vex us, and was like to have undone us as to our temporal
condition, had not the Lord prevented.' p. 196. 'I, ignorant what
defences to make, had in my company a registrate horning, which I
accidentally and without premeditation (God putting it in my mind
at the same time) did cast in, by which he, being the king's
rebel, was incapacitate from pursuing me. And the Lord so ordered
it that he never after compeared to trouble me, by which means I
was delivered from a loss and a fashery, and had but one court to
wait upon.' p. 202. 'My condition during this time was a wrestling
condition with the sons of Zeruiah that were too strong for me;
little or no overcoming, yet violent wrestling.' ... 'For I
humbled myself under the sense of the calamities of our family,
and my own particular wants; I besought him to keep us from utter
destruction. And the Lord was pleased to hear; _he destroyed by
death my chief adversaries_, I found shifts to pay my many petty
debts, gained our law-action, and was restored to some of my
ancient possessions again.' pp. 227, 228.

While stories of this sort were generally believed, it was but natural that an opinion should grow up that it was dangerous to meddle with a minister, or in any way to interfere with his conduct.[458] The clergy, intoxicated by the possession of power, reached to such a pitch of arrogance, that they did not scruple to declare, that whoever respected Christ, was bound, on that very account, to respect them.[459] They denounced the judgments of God upon all who refused to hear the opinions they propounded in their pulpits.[460] Nor did this apply merely to persons who usually formed their audience. Such was their conceit, and so greedy were they after applause, that they would not allow even a stranger to remain in their parish, unless he, too, came to listen to what they chose to say.[461] Because they had adopted the Presbyterian polity, they asserted that the Almighty had never failed to punish every one who tried to supersede it;[462] and as this was the perfection of the church, those who were blind to its merits, were given over to wrath, and were, indeed, the slaves of Satan.[463] The clergy, who held this language respecting their opponents, exhausted the choicest epithets of praise on themselves, and on their own pursuits. When one of them got into the pulpit, or took a pen in his hand, he seemed as if he could not find words strong enough to express his sense of the surpassing importance of that class of which he was himself a member.[464] They alone knew the truth; they alone were able to inform and enlighten mankind. They had their instruction direct from heaven; they were, in fact, the ambassadors of Christ; from him they received their appointment; and since no one else could reward them, so no one else had a right to rule them.[465] As they were messengers sent by the Almighty, they were rightly termed angels, and it was the duty of the people to listen to their minister, as if he really were an angel who had descended upon earth.[466] His parishioners, therefore, were bound, not only to acknowledge him and provide for him, but also to submit to him.[467] Indeed, no one could refuse obedience, who considered who the clergy were, and what functions they performed. Besides being ambassadors and angels, they were watchmen, who spied out every danger, and whose sleepless vigilance protected the faithful.[468] They were the joy and delight of the earth. They were musicians, singing the songs of sweetness; nay, they were sirens, who sought to allure men from the evil path, and save them from perishing.[469] They were chosen arrows, stored up in the quiver of God.[470] They were burning lights and shining torches. Without them, darkness would prevail; but their presence illumined the world, and made things clear.[471] Hence they were called stars, which title also expressed the eminence of their office, and its superiority over all others.[472] To make this still more apparent, prodigies were vouchsafed, and strange lights might occasionally be seen, which, hovering round the form of the minister, confirmed his supernatural mission.[473] The profane wished to jest at these things, but they were too notorious to be denied; and there was a well-known case, in which, at the death of a clergyman, a star was miraculously exhibited in the firmament, and was seen by many persons, although it was then midday.[474]

[458] 'So hazardous a thing it is to meddle with Christ's sent
servants.' _Life of Mr. William Guthrie, Minister at Fenwick_, by
the Rev. William Dunlop, reprinted in _Select Biographies_, vol.
ii. p. 62. To arrest a clergyman on a civil or criminal process,
was an act full of danger, inasmuch as the Deity would hardly fail
to avenge it. This applied even to the officers who executed the
arrest, as well as to him by whom it was ordered. See, for
instance, _Some Remarkable Passages of the Life and Death of Mr.
John Semple, Minister of the Gospel_, p. 171 (in _Walker's
Biographia Presbyteriana_, vol. i.). 'Some time thereafter, he gat
orders to apprehend Mr. Semple; he intreated to excuse him, for
Mr. Semple was the minister and man he would not meddle with; for
he was sure, if he did that, some terrible mischief would suddenly
befal him. Mr. Arthur Coupar, who was Mr. Semple's precentor, told
these passages to a Reverend Minister in the church, yet alive,
worthy of all credit, who told me.' Durham boasts that, 'when
Ministers have most to do, and _meet with most opposition_, God
often furnisheth them accordingly with more boldnesse, gifts, and
assistance than ordinary. Christ's witnesses are a terrible party;
for as few as these witnesses are, none of their opposits do gain
at their hand; _whoever hurteth them shall in this manner be
killed_. Though they be despicable in sackcloth, yet _better
oppose a king in his strength, and giving orders from his throne
covered in cloath of state, than them_: though they may burn some
and imprison others, yet their opposers will pay sickerly for it.
This is not because of any worth that is in them, or for their own
sake; But 1. for His sake and for His authority that sendeth them.
2. for the event of their word, which will certainly come to
passe, and that more terribly, and as certainly, as ever any
temporall judgement was brought on by Moses or Elias.' _Durham's
Commentarie upon the Book of the Revelation_, p. 416.

[459] 'These who are trusted by Christ to be keepers of the vineyard,
and his ministers, ought also to be respected by the people over
whom they are set; and Christ allows this on them. Where Christ is
respected and gets his due, there the keepers will be respected
and get their due.' _Durham's Exposition of the Song of Solomon_,
pp. 450, 451. Fergusson complacently says, that to affront a
clergyman by not believing his statement, or 'message,' as he
terms it, is a 'dishonour done to God.' _Fergusson's Exposition of
the Epistles of Paul_, p. 422.

[460] 'As it is true concerning vs, that necessitie lyeth vpon vs to
preach, and woe will bee to vs if wee preach not; so it is true
concerning you, that a necessitie lyeth vpon you to heare, and
_woe will be to you if you heare not_.' _Cowper's Heaven Opened_,
p. 156.

[461] The following order was promulgated by the Kirk-Session of Aberdeen
on the 12th July 1607. 'The said day, in respect it wes delatit to
the sessioun that thair is sindrie landvart gentillmen and vtheris
cum to this towne, quha mackis thair residence thairin, and
resortis not to the preching nather on Saboth nor vlk dayes;
thairfor, it is ordanit that thrie elderis of everie quarter
convene with the ministrie in the sessioun hous, immediatlie efter
the ending of the sermone on Tuysday nixt, and thair tak vp the
names of the gentillmen and vtheris skipperis duelling in this
burgh, quha kepis nocht the Kirk, nor resortis not to the hering
of Godis word; and thair names being taken vp, ordains ane off the
ministeris, with a baillie, to pas vnto thame and admoneis thame
to cum to the preichingis, and keip the Kirk, vthervayes to remowe
thame aff the towne.' _Selections from the Records of the Kirk
Session, Presbytery, and Synod of Aberdeen_, p. 58. It was not
enough to go occasionally to church; the attendance must be
regular; otherwise the clergy were dissatisfied, and punished the
delinquents. In the Presbytery Book of Strathbogie it is recorded
that, on the 29th September 1649, 'Mr. Johne Reidfurd being posed
quhat diligence he had vsed to the Lady Frendraught, reported,
shoe had hard three sermons, and so, as he thought, shoe intended
to continow ane hearer. The bretheren, considering her long
continowed contumacie and delay of her process, by _heiring a
sermon now and then_, thought not _that kind of heiring
satufactorie_, quherfor Mr. Robert Watson, and Mr. Robert Irving,
ver ordained to goe with Mr. Johne Reidfurd, and requyre the said
Lady to subscryv the Covenant, quherby shoe might testifie her
conformitie vith the Kirk of Scotland, quhilk, if shoe refused,
the said Mr. Johne vas ordained to pronounce the sentence of
excommunicatioun against hir before the Provinciall Assemblie, as
he vold be answerable therto.' _Extracts from the Presbytery Book
of Strathbogie_, p. 115. Neither distance, nor illness, might be
pleaded as a valid excuse. Under no circumstances, would the
preachers tolerate the affront of any one displaying an
unwillingness to hear their sermons. In 1650, 'compeired the Lord
Oliphant, being summondit for not keeping his parish kirk of
Abercherdour, vho declared his inabilitie of bodie many tymes, and
the want of houses for accommodating him and his familie so farr
distant from the same, vas the onlie caus, quhilk he promised to
amend in tym comming. Mr. John Reidfurd ordained to report the
same to the presbytrie, and vpon his continowed absence, to
processe him.' _Presbytery Book of Strathbogie_, p. 149. See more
on this subject in _Registers of the Presbytery of Lanark_, pp. 5,
33, 67; _Minutes of the Presbyteries of St. Andrews and Cupar_,
pp. 67, 68, 90, 153; _Minutes of the Synod of Fife_, pp. 18, 55,
132; and _Spalding's History of the Troubles_, vol. ii. p. 57.
Spalding also mentions (p. 114) that at Aberdeen, in 1643, the
clergy discoursed every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, in the
afternoon; on which occasions, 'the people is compellit to attend
their Lectureis, or ther cryit out against.'

[462] 'And it may be truly said, as the Church of Scotland hath had no
detractors, but such as were ignorant of her, or misinformed about
her, or whom faction, partiality, prejudice, wickedness, or love
of unlawful liberty did inspire; so no person or party hath
endeavoured hithertil to root out Presbytery, but the Lord hath
made it a burdensome stone unto them.' _Naphtali_, sig. B 2 rev.
'The Lord's wrath shall so meet his enemies in the teeth,
wheresoever they turn, that they shall be forced to forsake their
pursuing of the Church.' _Dickson's Explication of the First Fifty
Psalms_, p. 115.

[463] 'The true children of the Kirk are indeed the excellent ones of
the earth, and princes indeed, wherever they live, in comparison
of all other men who are but the beastly slaves of Satan.'
_Dickson's Explication of the First Fifty Psalms_, p. 312. Another
high authority carefully identifies 'the true religion' with 'the
true presbyterial profession.' See _An Enquiry into Church
Communion by Mr. Alexander Shields, Minister of the Gospel at
Saint Andrews_, p. 126. His remark applies to the 'Burgess-oaths.'

[464] Fergusson gives an ingenious turn to this, and says that it was
their duty to praise their own profession, not for their own sake,
but for the sake of others. 'It is the duty of Christ's ministers
to commend and magnify their office, not for gaining praise and
esteem to themselves, 2 Cor. iii. 1, but that the malice of Satan
and his instruments may be hereby frustrated, 2 Cor. xi. 12, who
labours to bring that sacred calling into contempt; that so it may
have the less of success upon people's hearts.' _Fergusson's
Exposition of the Epistles of Paul_, p. 180.

[465] 'Neither is there any mediate authoritie betweene the Lord and his
ambassadours, in the affaires of their message; he only sendeth
them; he alone gives them to be pastors and doctors, etc.; he
alone shall judge them; he alone shall reward them; to him alone
they must give an accompt of their dispensation; and he himselfe
alone doth immediatlie rule them by his spirit and word.' _Forbes'
Certaine Records touching the Estate of the Kirk_, p. 435. In
reference to these amazing pretensions, the Scotch clergy were
constantly terming themselves the ambassadors of the Deity;
thereby placing themselves infinitely above all other men. See,
for instance, _Durham's Commentarie upon the Book of the
Revelation_, pp. 86, 100, 160. _Durham's Law Unsealed_, pp. 85,
96. _Halyburton's Great Concern of Salvation_, p. 402.
_Fergusson's Exposition of the Epistles of Paul_, pp. 17, 273.
_Shields' Enquiry into Church Communion_, p. 72. _Binning's
Sermons_, vol. ii. p. 118, vol. iii. p. 178. _Abernethy's Physicke
for the Soule_, p. 122. _Monro's Sermons_, p. 207. _Gillespie's
Aaron's Rod Blossoming_, pp. 240, 413. _Cowper's Heaven Opened_,
p. 166. _Rutherford's Free Disputation against Pretended Liberty
of Conscience_, p. 41. _Dickson's Truth's Victory over Error_, p.
274. _Gray's Great and Precious Promises_, pp. 50, 74. _Fleming's
Fulfilling of the Scripture_, p. 429. _Cockburn's Jacob's Vow, or
Man's Felicity and Duty_, p. 401. _Hutcheson's Exposition of the
Book of Job_, pp. 461, 479.

[466] 'Ministers are called Angels, because they are God's Messengers,
intrusted by Him with a high and heavenly imployment; and it is a
title that should put Ministers in mind of their duty, to do God's
will on earth as the Angels do it in heaven, in a spiritual and
heavenly way, cheerfully, willingly and readily: and it _should
put people in mind of their duty, to take this word off Ministers
hands, as from Angels_.' _Durham's Commentarie upon the Book of the
Revelation_, p. 496. 'Therefore are Ministers called Angels, and
Angels, Ministers,' p. 596. Cockburn says that this is the reason
why 'we should behave ourselves decently and reverently' in
church; 'for if the presence of Kings overawe us, how much more
should the presence of God and Angels.' _Cockburn's Jacob's Vow,
or Man's Felicity and Duty_, p. 356. Another Scotch divine asserts
that he and his brethren are able to instruct the angels, and free
them from their ignorance. See the audacious passage in
_Fergusson's Exposition of the Epistles of Paul_, p. 180: '_This
may commend the ministers of the gospel not a little unto men_,
and beget reverence in them towards the same, that even the
blessed angels are in some sort bettered by it, and that it is
therefore respected by them: for Paul commendeth his office from
this, that by occasion thereof "unto the principalities and
powers, was made known the manifold wisdom of God." Though angels
be most knowing creatures, as enjoying the immediate sight and
presence of God, Matt. xviii. 10, yet _they are ignorant of some
things, which, by God's way of dispensing the Gospel to his
church, they come to a more full knowledge off_.' After this, it
is a slight matter to find Monro insisting that 'the people should
consider our character as the most difficult and most sacred.'
_Monro's Sermons_, p. 202.

[467] 'He is obliged to minister unto them in the gospel; and they are
obliged to submit to him, strengthen him, acknowledge him,
communicate to him in all good things, and to provide for him,'
&c. _Durham's Commentarie upon the Book of the Revelation_, p. 90.
That the clergy are 'rulers and governors,' and that their
business is 'ruling and watching over the flock,' is likewise
affirmed in _Gillespie's Aaron's Rod Blossoming_, pp. 172, 313.
Compare _The Correspondence of the Rev. Robert Wodrow_, vol. i. p.
181: 'rule over the people and speak the word;' and _Rutherford's
Free Disputation against Pretended Liberty of Conscience_, p. 41:
'the commanding power in the Ambassadour of Christ.' See also the
'reverential estimation' inculcated in _Boston's Sermons_, p. 186.

[468] 'Called watchmen by a name borrowed from the practice of centinels
in armies or cities.' They are 'Satan's greatest eyesores.'
_Hutcheson's Exposition of the Minor Prophets_, vol. ii. p. 158,
vol. iii. p. 208. 'They being made watchmen, do thereby become the
butt of Satan's malice.' ... 'The Enemy's principal design is sure
to be against the watchman, because he prevents the surprising of
his people by Satan,' at least 'tis his business to do so.'
_Halyburton's Great Concern of Salvation_, p. 24. Compare
_Guthrie's Considerations contributing unto the Discovery of the
Dangers that threaten Religion_, p. 259; _Fergusson's Exposition
of the Epistles of Paul_, pp. 97, 106; _Durham's Exposition of the
Song of Solomon_, pp. 278, 443, and _Wodrow's Correspondence_,
vol. i. pp. 84, 244.

[469] One of the most popular of the Scotch preachers in the seventeenth
century, actually ranks himself, in this respect, as doing the
same work as the Son of God. 'Christ and his ministers are the
musicians that do apply their songs to catch men's ears and
hearts, if so be they may stop their course and not perish. These
are blessed syrens that do so.' _Binning's Sermons_, vol. iii. p.
265.

[470] Rutherford terms himself, 'a chosen arrow hid in his quiver.'
_Howie's Biographia Scoticana_, p. 230. To read the coarse
materialism contained in this and other extracts, will, I know,
shock, and so far offend, many pure and refined minds, whose
feelings I would not needlessly wound. But no one can understand
the history of the Scotch intellect, who refuses to enter into
these matters; and it is for the reader to choose whether or not
he will remain ignorant of what I, as an historian, am bound to
disclose. His remedy is easy. He has only either to shut the book,
or else to pass on at once to the next chapter.

[471] 'The Lord calleth men to be preachers, and hath them in his hand
as starres, holding them out sometime to one part of the world,
and sometime to another, that we may communicate light to them
that are sitting in darkness.' _Cowper's Heaven Opened_, p. 360.

[472] 'Ministers are called Stars, for these reasons: I. To signifie and
point out the eminence and dignity of the office, that it is a
glorious and shineing office. II. To point out what is the
especiall end of this office; It is to give light: as the use of
Stars is to give light to the world; so it's Ministers main
imployment to shine and give light to others; to make the world,
which is a dark night, to be lightsome.' _Durham's Commentarie
upon the Book of the Revelation_, p. 43. See also pp. 151, 368;
and _Dickson's Truth's Victory over Error_, p. 176.

[473] The Rev. James Kirton says of the Rev. John Welsh, that some one
who observed him walking, 'saw clearly a strange light surround
him, and heard him speak strange words about his spiritual joy.'
_Select Biographies_, edited by the Rev. W. K. Tweedie, vol. i.
p. 12. But more than this remains to be told. The hearts of the
Scotch clergy were so lifted up with pride, that they
believed--horrible to relate--that they had audible and verbal
communications from the Almighty God, which bystanders could hear.
One of these stories, relating also to Welsh, will be found, as
tradition handed it down, in _Howie's Biographia Scoticana_,
p. 148. I cannot quote such blasphemy; and those who doubt my
statement had better refer to the second edition of Howie's work,
published at Glasgow in 1781. It may probably be met with in the
British Museum.

[474] 'Mr. Johne M'Birnie at Aberdeen, (but first at the South Ferrie,
over aganis the Castell of Broughtie,) a most zealous and painfull
pastor, a great opposer of hierarchie. He was a shyning torch and
a burning starre; wherefore the Lord miraculouslie made, at his
death, a starre to appeare in heaven at the noonetyde of the day;
whilk many yit alive testifies that they did evidentlie see it (at
Whitsunday 1609).' _Row's History of the Kirk of Scotland_,
p. 421.

Nor was this to be regarded as a solitary occurrence. On the contrary, it usually happened, that when a Scotch minister departed from this life, the event was accompanied by portents, in order that the people might understand that something terrible was going on, and that they were incurring a serious, perhaps an irretrievable, loss. Sometimes the candles would be mysteriously extinguished, without any wind, and without any one touching them.[475] Sometimes, even when the clergyman was preaching, the supernatural appearance of an animal would announce his approaching end in face of the congregation, who might vainly mourn what they were unable to avert.[476] Sometimes the body of the holy man would remain for years unchanged and undecayed; death not having the power over it which it would have had over the corpse of a common person.[477] On other occasions, notice was given to him of his death, years before it occurred;[478] and, to strike greater awe into the public mind, it was remarked, that when one minister died, others were taken away at the same time, so that, the bereavement being more widely felt, men might, by the magnitude of the shock, be rendered sensible of the inestimable value of those preachers whose lives were happily spared.[479]

[475] Mr. James Stirling, minister of Barony, Glasgow, writes respecting
his father, Mr. John Stirling, minister at Kilbarchan, that the
'day he was burryed ther wer two great candles burning in the
chamber, and they did go out most surprisingly without any wind
causing them to go out.' _Analecta, or Materials for a History of
Remarkable Providences_, by the Rev. Robert Wodrow, vol. iii.
p. 37.

[476] 'This night, Glanderston told me, that it was reported for a truth
at Burroustoness, that about six weeks since Mr. David Williamson
was preaching in his own church in Edinburgh, and in the midle of
the sermon, a ratton came and sat doun on his Bible. This made him
stope; and after a little pause, he told the congregation that
this was a message of God to him, and broke off his sermon, and
took a formall fareweel of his people, and went home, and
continoues sick.' _Wodrow's Analecta_, vol. i. p. 12.

[477] 'The same person' (_i.e._ the Rev. Mr. White) 'adds, that some
years ago, when Mr. Bruce's grave was opened, to lay in his
grandchild, his body was almost fresh and uncorrupted, to the
great wonder of many; and if I right remember, the grave was again
filled up, and another made. The fresh body had no noisome smell.
It was then nearly eighty years after he was buried. My informer
was minister of Larbert when this happened.' _Wodrow's Life of
Bruce_, p. 150, prefixed to _Bruce's Sermons_.

[478] 'He' (John Lockhart) 'tells me Mr. Robert Paton, minister at
Barnweel, his father-in-lau, had a particular for-notice, seven or
eight years before, of his death: That he signifyed so much to my
informer.' ... 'When my informer came, he did not apprehend any
hazard, and signifyed so much to his father-in-lau, Mr. Paton. He
answered, 'John, John, I am to dye at this time; and this is the
time God warned me of, as I told you.' In eight or ten dayes he
dyed. Mr. Paton was a man very much (beloved) and mighty in
prayer.' _Wodrow's Analecta_, vol. iii. p. 451. Compare the case
of Henderson (in _Wodrow's Correspondence_, vol. iii. p. 33),
where the notice was much shorter, but 'all fell out as he had
foretold.'

[479] 'Generally, I observe that Ministers' deaths are not single, but
severall of them together.' _Wodrow's Analecta_, vol. iii. p. 275.

It was, moreover, generally understood, that a minister, during his abode in this world, was miraculously watched over and protected. He was peculiarly favoured by angels, who, though they did good offices to all members of the true church, were especially kind to the clergy;[480] and it was well known, that the celebrated Rutherford, when only four years old, having fallen into a well, was pulled out by an angel, who came there for the purpose of saving his life.[481] Another clergyman, who was in the habit of oversleeping himself, used to be roused to his duty in the morning, by three mysterious knocks at his door, which, if they did not produce a proper effect, were repeated close to his bed. These knocks never failed on Sunday, and on days when he had to administer the communion; and they lasted during the whole of his ministry, until he became old and infirm, when they entirely ceased.[482]

[480] The Rev. William Row (in his _Continuation of Blair's
Autobiography_, p. 153) says, 'Without all doubt, though it cannot
be proven from Scripture, that every one has a tutelar angel, yet
it is certain that the good angels do many good offices to the
people of God, _especially to his ministers and ambassadors_,
which we do not see, and do not remark or know.'

[481] 'Mr. James Stirling, and Mr. Robert Muir, and severall others in
the company, agreed on this accompt of Mr. Rutherford. When about
four years old, he was playing about his father's house, and a
sister of his, somewhat older than he, with him. Mr. Rutherford
fell into a well severall fathoms deep, and not full, but faced
about with heuen stone, soe that it was not possible for any body
to get up almost, far less a child. When he fell in, his sister
ran into the house near by, and told that Samuell was fallen into
the well; upon which his father and mother ran out, and found him
sitting on the grasse beside the well; and when they asked him,
Hou he gote out? he said, after he was once at the bottome, he
came up to the tope, and ther was a bonny young man pulled him out
by the hand. Ther was noe body near by at the time; and soe they
concluded it was noe doubt ane angell. The Lord had much to doe
with him.' _Wodrow's Analecta_, vol. i. p. 57. See also vol. iii.
pp. 88, 89, where this circumstance is again mentioned as 'a
tradition anent him' in the place of his birth.

[482] 'Mr. William Trail, minister at ****, tells me that his father,
Mr. William Trail, minister at Borthwick, used every morning, when
he had publick work on his hand, to hear three knocks at his
chamber dore; and if, throu wearynes, or heaviness, he did sitt
these, ther wer ordinarily three knocks at his bed-head, which he
never durst sitt, but gott up to his work. This was ordinarily
about three in the morning. This, at first, in his youth, frighted
him; but at lenth it turned easy to him, and he believed these
knocks and awaknings proceed from a good art. That these never
failed him on Sabbaths and at Communions, when he was obliged to
rise early: That when he turned old and infirm, towards the close
of his dayes, they intirely ceased and left him.' _Wodrow's
Analecta_, vol. ii. p. 307. This work, in four quarto volumes, is
invaluable for the history of the Scotch mind; being a vast
repertory of the opinions and traditions of the clergy, during the
seventeenth, and early part of the eighteenth, century. Wodrow was
a man of ability, certainly above the average; his honesty is
unimpeachable, as the jealous scrutiny which the episcopalians
have made of his great work on the History of the Church of
Scotland, decisively proves; and he was in the constant habit of
personal and epistolary communication with the leading characters
of his age. I have, therefore, freely used his _Analecta_; also
his _Collections upon the Lives of Ministers_, which is likewise
in four quarto volumes; and his _Correspondence_, in three thick
octavo volumes. It would be difficult to find a more competent
witness respecting the sentiments of his ecclesiastical brethren.
It would be impossible to find a more candid one.