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The same day, Messrs. James M'Gill, John Wardlaw, William Vilant, and Alexander Wedderburn, all members of the same presbytery coming to visit him, he made them welcome, and said, "My Lord and Master is the chief of ten thousand; none is comparable to him in heaven or earth. Dear brethren, do all for him; preach for Christ, pray for Christ, feed the flock committed to your charge for Christ: do all for Christ: beware of men pleasing, there is too much of it amongst us. The new college hath broke my heart, I can say nothing of it; I have left it upon the Lord of the house, and it hath been, and still is my desire, that he may dwell in this society, and that the youth may be fed with sound knowledge." After this, he said, "Dear brethren, it may seem presumptuous in me, a particular man, to send a commission to a presbytery;" and Mr. McGill replying, it was no presumption, he continued, "Dear brethren, take a commission from me, a dying man, to them to appear for God and his cause, and adhere to the doctrine of the covenant, and have a care of the flock committed to their charge; let them feed the flock out of love, preach for God, visit and catechise for God, and do all for God: beware of men pleasing, the chief Shepherd will appear shortly. I have been a sinful man, and have had mine own failings; but my Lord hath pardoned and accepted my labours. I adhere to the cause and covenant; and resolve never to depart from the protestations against the controverted assemblies. I am the man I was. I am still for keeping the government of the kirk of Scotland entire, and would not, for a thousand worlds, have had the least hand in the burning of the 'Causes of God's Wrath.' Oh! for grace to wrestle with God for their salvation."

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Mr. Vilant having prayed at his desire, as they took their leave, he renewed his charge to them, to feed the flock out of love. The next morning, as he recovered out of a fainting, in which they who looked on, expected his dissolution, he said, "I feel, I feel, I believe, I joy and rejoice, I feed on manna." Mr. Blair (whose praise is in the churches) being present, when he took a little wine in a spoon to refresh himself, being then very weak, said to him, " Ye feed on dainties in heaven, and think nothing of our cordials on earth." He answered, "They are all but dung; but they are Christ's creatures, and, out of obedience to his command, I take them. Mine eyes shall see my Redeemer, I know he shall stand at the last day upon the earth, and I shall be caught up in the clouds to meet him in the air, and I shall be ever with him; and what would you have more? there is an end.” And stretching out his hands, he said again, "There is an end.” And a little after, he said, "I have been a sinful man, but I stand at the best pass that ever a man did: Christ is mine, and I am his."And spoke much of the white stone and new name. Mr. Blair (who loved with all his heart to hear Christ commended) said to him again,

This appears to be these papers bearing the name of representations, propositions, protestations, &c. given in by him, and Messrs. Cant and Living. ston, to the ministers and elders met at Edinburgh, July 24th, 1654.

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What think ye now of Christ ?" To which he answered, "I shall live and adore him. Glory, glory to my Creator and my Redeemer for ever! Glory shines in Emmanuel's land." In the afternoon of know that day he said, "Oh! that all my brethren in the public may what a Master I have served, and what peace I have this day. I shall sleep in Christ, and when I awake, I shall be satisfied with his likeness. This night shall close the door, and put my anchor within the vail, and I shall go away in a sleep by five of the clock in the morning;" which exactly fell out. Though he was very weak, he had often this expression, "Oh! for arms to embrace him! for a well tuned harp!" He exhorted Dr. Colvil (a man who com plied with prelacy afterward) to adhere to the government of the church of Scotland, and to the doctrine of the covenant, and to have a care to feed the youth with sound knowledge. And the doctor being a professor of the new college, he told him, that he heartily forgave him all the wrongs he had done him. He spoke likewise to Mr. Honeyman (afterwards bishop Honeyman), who came to see him, saying, "Tell the presbytery to answer for God, and his cause and covenant," saying, "The case is desperate, let them be in their duty." Then directing his speech to Mr. Colvil and Mr. Honeyman, he said, "Stick to it. You may think it an easy thing in me, a dying man, that I am now going out of the reach of all that men can do; but he, before whom I stand, knows, that I dare advise no colleague or brother to do what I would not cordially do myself, upon all hazard; and as for the Causes of God's Wrath,' that men have now condemned, tell Mr. James Wood from me, that I had rather lay down my head on a scaffold, and have it chopped off many times (were it possible), before I had passed from them." And then to Mr. Honeyman he said, "Tell Mr. Wood, I heartily forgive him all the wrongs he has done me, and desire him from me, to declare himself the man that he is still, for the government of the church of Scotland.”

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Afterwards, when some spake to him of his former painfulness and faithfulness in the ministry, he said, "I disclaim all that: the port that I would be at, is redemption and forgiveness through his blood, Thou shalt shew me the path of life, in thy sight is fulness of joy:' there is nothing now betwixt me and the resurrection, but To-day thou shalt be with me in paradise.' Mr. Blair saying, "Shall I praise the Lord for all the mercies he has done and is to do for you?" He answered, Oh! for a well-tuned harp." To his child, he said, " I have again ieft you upon the Lord : it may be, you will tell this to others, that the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places, I have got a goodly heritage,' I bless the Lord that he gave me counsel."

Thus, by five o'clock in the morning (as he himself foretold), it was said unto him, Come up hither,' and he gave up the ghost,-the renowned eagle took its flight unto the mountain of spices!

2. HIS TESTIMONY.

"Though the Lord needeth not a testimony from such a wretched man as I, and if all the world should be silent, the very stones would cry, it is more than debt, that I should confess Christ before men and

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angels. It would satisfy me not a little, that the throne of the Lord Jesus were exalted above the clouds, the heaven of heavens, and on both sides of the sun; and that all possible praise and glory were ascribed to him: that, by his grace, I might put my seal, such as it is, unto that song, even the new song of these, who with a loud voice sing, Rev. v. 9. Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign upon the earth.' And blessed were I, could I lay to, my ear of faith, and say, Amen, to the Psalm of the many angels round about the throne, and the beasts and elders, whose number is ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying, with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing; and if I heard every creature, which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth; and such as are in the sea; and all that are in them (as John heard them), saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.' I mean not any such visible reign as the Millenarians fancy. I believe (Lord help my unbelief) the doctrine of the holy prophets and the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, contained in the books of the Old and New Testament, to be the undoubted truth of God, and a perfect rule of faith, and the only way of salvation. And I do acknowledge the sum of the Christian religion, exhibited in the confessions and catechisms of the reformed protestant churches; and in the national covenant, divers times sworn by the king's majesty, the state and church of Scotland, and sealed by the testimony and subscriptions of the nobles, barons, gentlemen, citizens, ministers, and professors of all ranks: as also in the solemn league and covenant, in the three kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland. And I do judge, and in conscience believe, that no power on earth can absolve and liberate the people of God from the bonds and sacred ties of the oath of God. I am persuaded, that Asa acted warrantably, in making a law, that the people should stand to the covenant, and in receiving into the covenant such as were not of his kingdom, 2 Chron. xv. 6, 10. And so did also Hezekiah, in sending a proclamation through all the tribes, from Dan to Beersheba, that they should come and keep the passover unto the Lord at Jerusalem, 2 Chron. xxx. 6, 7, though their own princes did not come along with them: yea, and it is nature's law, warranted by the word that nations should encourage, and stir up one another, to seek the true God. It is also prophesied, that divers nations should excite one another this way, Isa. iii. 8. Many people shall go, and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways.' Zech. viii. 2.' And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem; and to pray before the Lord.'

There is also a clear prophecy to be accomplished under the New Tes tament, That Israel and Judah shall go together and seek the Lord: they shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord, in a perpetual covenant, that shall not be forgotten,' Jer. 1. 4, 5. It is also foretold, that different nations shall confederate with the Lord, and with one another, Isa. xix. 23, 24, 25. In that day there shall be an highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come to Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day, shall Israel be the third with Egypt, and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt, my people, and Assyria, the work of my hands, and Israel, mine inheritance.'

"The church of Scotland had once as much of the presence of Christ, as to the power and purity of doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, as many we read of, since the Lord took his ancient people to be his covenanted church. The Lord stirred up our nobles to attempt a reformation in the last age, through many difficulties, and against much opposition, from those in supreme authority: he made bare his holy arm; and carried on the work gloriously, like himself; his right hand getting him the victory, until the idolatry of Rome, and her cursed mass were dashed. A hopeful reformation was in some measure settled, and a sound confession of faith was agreed upon by the lords of the congregation. The people of God, according to the laudable custom of other ancient churches, the protestants in France and Holland, and the renowned princes of Germany, did carry on the work, in an innocent self-defensive war, which the Lord did abundantly bless. When our land and church were thus contending for that begun reformation, these in authority did still oppose the work. And there were not wanting men from among ourselves, men of prelatical spirits, who, with some other timeserving courtiers, did not a little undermine the building. And we doating too much upon sound parliaments, and lawfully constitute general assemblies, fell from our first love, to self-seeking, secret banding, and little fearing the oath of God.

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Afterwards, our work in public was too much in sequestration of estates, fining and imprisoning, more than in a compassionate mournfulness of spirit toward those whom we saw to oppose the work. In our assemblies, we were more bent to set up a state opposite to a state; more upon forms, citations, leading of witnesses, suspensions from benefices, than spiritually to persuade, and work upon the conscience, with the meekness and gentleness of Christ.* The glory and

• We think there can be only one opinion as to the truth of this observation. With all our admiration of the Worthies who succeeded the reformation from popery, we cannot but observe that there was frequently displayed by them more zeal for the forms than the essence of religion, and more perhaps of a bold, undaunted, and fiery spirit of opposition to the aggressing power, than the circumstances of the case called for, or was consistent with their own characters as subjects of a kingdom, not of this world, and disciples of the lowly Jesus. At the same time, we are not ignorant of the value and importance of the forms for

royalty of our princely Redeemer and king was trampled on, as any might have seen in our assemblies. What way the army, and the sword, and the countenance of nobles and officers seemed to sway, that way were the censures carried. It had been better, had there been more days of humiliation in assemblies, synods, presbyteries, congregations, families, and far less adjourned commissions, new peremptory summonses, and new drawn up processes. And if the meekness and gentleness of our Master had got so much place in our hearts, that we might have waited on gainsayers and parties contrary minded; we might have driven gently, as our Master Christ, who loves not to overdrive, but carries the lambs in his bosom.

"If the word of truth in the Old and New Testament be a sufficient rule, holding forth what is a Christian army, whether offensive or defensive; whether clean, or sinfully mixed,—then must we leave the question betwixt our public brethren* and us to be determined by that rule but if there be no such rule in the word, then the confederacies and associations of the people of God with the idolatrous, apostate Israelites, with the Egyptians and Assyrians, as that of Jehoshaphat with Ahab, and these of Israel and Judah with Egypt and Assyria, should not be condemned; but they are often reproved and condemned in scripture. To deny the scripture to be a sufficient rule in this case, were to accuse it of being imperfect and defective;—a high and unjust reflection on the holy word of God! Beyond all question, the written word doth teach, what is a right constituted court, and what not, Psal. x.; what is a right constituted house, and what not, Josh. xxiv. 15.; what is a true church, and what is a synagogue of Satan, Rev. ii.; what is a clean camp, and what is unclean. We are not for an army of saints, and free of all mixture of ill affected men: but it seems an high prevarication for churchmen to counsel and teach,

which they contended, to the very existence, and certainly to the preservation and the spread of true godliness; nor must we fail to observe, that the circumstances in which they were placed, and the encroachments with which they were still farther threatened, might have excited their vigilance, as to minor points, to a higher pitch than their individual importance might seem to war

rant.

* That is to say, the public resolutioners-those who were favourable to the repeal of the act of classes, and the admission of all men, of whatever religious denomination, to serve in the army and otherwise. The Scottish parliament had passed some acts, particularly the act of classes, for excluding from places of trust, civil and military, persons who had manifested a malignant opposition to the religion and liberties of the nation, as then established. After the defeat of the Scottish army at Dunbar and Hamilton, by Cromwell, the court, in the end of 1650 and beginning of 1651, put two queries to the commission of the General Assembly, with reference to the admission of malignants to places of trust. The commission's answers, otherwise called the public resolutions, were favourable to the views of the court, and the act of classes was repealed. The resolutions and subsequent procedure of the commission and General Assembly, were protested against by a considerable number of ministers and elders. This gave riso to a division between the resolutioners and protesters (as they were called), which, though accommodated, was not completely healed, when the restoration took place. The protesters (of whom Rutherford was one), being the stricter presbyterians, were most obnoxious to the restored government.

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